Mark my books

I love book marks. Unique tags from clothes, greeting card cut outs, interesting piece of paper or fabric or even a ribbon or why not even some string or thread can all turn out to be great book marks. Thought I will share some with you as part of my Around the house post.

Be My Guest!

How is everybody doing? Looks like the winter has us frozen. I don't see many posting these days from fellow bloggers and even my rare ideas keep escaping me. Thought of a little something to wake us up from the prevailing hibernation. Hence introducing Be My Guest! 

I am accepting guest posts from anyone who wants to participate. Your guest post will be posted on NRIGirl blog with links to your blogs. This way readers can benefit from a variety of bloggers and bloggers can benefit from new readers. How's that?

Few topics suggestion:

* A word with you
* Ready or not hear I come
* Around the house

If you wish to write in all three topics, by all means go for it; if you are not comfortable in these lines, please feel free to pick your own. It could be an essay, short story, poem, photograph, interview, painting, or anything you can dream it up to be.

Please email me your submissions at nrigirl at hotmail dot com. It will be posted on a first come first served basis. The post with the maximum number of comments will be awarded; haven't figured out what, but something simple and cherishable.

So, let's get started. Please Be My Guest!

12 years ago today!

Twelve years ago today - January 23rd of 1998 is a memorable day in my life, the reason being it was the day we arrived in my dream country - United States of America!

Also, it was the day I saw the first snow fall. Yes, it was snowing at Boston's Logan International Airport when we landed. It felt like a dream in itself. Believe it or not I wanted to kiss the earth but refrained from actually doing it for fear of embarrassing Israel.

As we walked out of the airport Israel taught me how to taste the snow directly, I was delighted! I loved the fresh cold air as I had felt suffocated in the long plane journey. I was thirsty I remember, thirsty for good tasting water, the water from home, but alas that was one thing I missed for a very long time - may be even years before my taste buds got accustomed to local water...

Israel went and bought the bus tickets for our ride to Framingham. It was night so I couldn't see much, however I was astonished at the heaps and heaps of snow by the road side and how tall the bus was from the road and how all our luggage could easily fit in the compartments by the wheels.

When we arrived at the terminal Israel made me wait with the luggage while he went to get his car. I was waiting and waiting and waiting and dosed off waiting... Not sure how long before Israel came back - seemed like hours. Startled to his patting on my shoulder woke up in bewilderment - back to my dream again looking at the gently falling snow flakes through the car window. It was a brand new silver Honda Accord and smelled so good.

It felt a little strange to be alone with Israel - all alone - without any known or familiar faces around. How long it would be before I saw any of my family again?! How is it going to be all alone?! Did I ask for too much when I longed for America? May be I should have accepted the UGC posting or the PhD admission and got married closer to home... Will I even survive here? - were many thoughts that were rushing through my mind... bringing fresh new tears.

Israel was concentrating on the driving. Remember it was night and snowing and he had a new bride to take care of. So I don't blame him for not noticing my tears. But I was strangely worried if he would have cared if he had actually noticed it. I saw the small key chain teddy bear I had hand made and sent to Israel before our marriage was hanging at the rear view mirror. Suddenly everything changed; I knew right away if Israel cared for the teddy bear that much surely he will care for me too. I smiled at that and felt at home! I had arrived!!

Speaks a thousand words...

I am sure these speak a thousand words; but if I were to sum it up in one word, it would be: Today!

Let it snow! let it snow! let it snow!

We have had a few snow days this year already and mostly we wasted them indoors, under the covers, in front of the TV or snuggled at the window seat.

Recalling the best snow day activity only makes me regret the lost opportunities and just can't wait for the next snow showers, which is expected over the weekend. Here's sharing some snow day 'must do' activities.  

1. When it is still snowing get out to the backyard and lie down on the ground, face up, legs straight kept together, hands spreaded out making a 'T'
2. For a minute or two just lie there looking up at the sky, at the gentle snow flurries, looking at the flakes up close.
3. Taste some, wince some, blow some, cherish some and be prepared for those that tickle your nose; once you have had enough of it move on to the next step.
4. Bring your hands close to the body and at the same time spread your legs apart, repeat it several times to enjoy it the best.
5. Slowly stand up and viola you have made the best Snow Angel in the whole wide world!
6. Make a few more snow angels all over the yard. The more the merrier you see!
7. Now just roll over all over in the snow, bring back the child in you, bring out your young ones at home, drag out your partner too. Tell him/her enough with the hot chocolate all wrapped up in their snuggies. He/she needs some snow - real snow! Pets too why not. It will be fun laughing and rolling together.
8. By now definitely the whole yard is a mess. This is a perfect time for making snow balls throwing at each other and clicking some pictures.
9. When you have had a fair share of snow balls, let's build a snow man. I know you won't have enough snow nearby as you have trampled on them all. So, go gather some from far and near, roll them up and put them together.
10. Finally when fun is full and energy is drained and you are all wet, get back home for a change of clothes and warm cup of hot cocoa or some roasted chestnuts.
11. Don't forget to save at least one perfect snowball in your freezer as a memento.
12. Don't you worry about the messy back yard, in no time it will be smoothed again with fresh snow.

Trust me you will be glad it was a snow day and you didn't waste it. Looking back you will cherish the memories made this day. Let it snow! let it snow! let it snow!

Wavering Wavelength

Have you noticed some people we will connect at once and some never. Some we just meet and it seems like we have known them for years and some we actually know for years but can't really connect?! We often call it as our frequencies or wavelength.

When the frequencies match we become friends and when it doesn't we will never be quite friends. When the frequencies are in sync we finish each others sentences, we think alike, do things similar; when not we have tough time understanding their behavior, they find it hard to understand our tendencies. When it is among friends and associates it is easy to rub off and move along. However when it is among family members it makes it difficult to even communicate. It is not something we can walk away from without hurting ourself. It becomes vital to work on it to get us in tune with one another.

I have seen some of my friends avoiding one of their parents just because they don't fit in the same frequency. It is very sad when we think about it. How long our parents will linger on? Not forever. It is our responsibility to accept them as they are, just as they've accepted us as we are. It is never too late to rekindle our love for one another. It is also possible for frequencies once matched to become otherwise or for wavelengths that were once off to become more in tune.

I know a couple who are married for fifty years of which the last 36 years were spent in isolation. Though they lived under the same roof they had no mutual interests or common friends and their lives had nothing in common other than their grown children. All because Mrs.B chose her faith while Mr. B felt comfortable where he was and didn't find it necessary to change a bit. It took 36 years and suddenly as if overnight Stan decided to join her for a Sunday service and boom he turned around almost instantaneously.

A cousin of mine didn't want anything to do with her father for many many years. Anytime I brought up the subject she will quickly put it off saying she has absolutely no feeling for him. Guess what, recently her Dad passed away and when I went over the only consolation she had was that just a few days ago she had talked to him over the phone after all those years. She was heartbroken and distraught, but just imagine how it would have been if she hadn't had that last opportunity.

Life doesn't last forever. Not everyone can be up to par with our expectations. We need to change. Change so that we can get in tune with those whose frequencies do not compare very well. Even with all the static, communication serves best and stands the test of time. Right, I need to tune too. But honestly I have consciously got in touch with many who I thought could never be friends. I have come to understand that each of those individuals have only brought the best out of me...

Me the Lioness and My Water Bearer

If there was one book we girls pored over in hostel or college, it was not our regular Physics, Electronics or Mathematics. It was not even Jefferey Archer or Sidney Sheldon. It was Linda Goodman's book on Love Signs. There was a HUGE demand for the single copy that was rotating in the campus.

I had had it for a few days or was it just few hours I can't remember, but what I remember is that it was just too overwhelming. I had no clue where to start or where to end or what to look for. First of all I didn't really believe any of these sun signs and stuff. Secondly it was like an ocean in itself and unless you knew who your partner was it was not of much use. However we read... I pretended to read - mostly to fit in!

After all these years suddenly I remembered the book and wanted to go back and see what Linda would have to say about me the Lioness and my Water Bearer. It is pretty amazing how she predicts the signs with such accuracy. I truly enjoyed the reading and had to laugh out loud more than once. Just wanted to share some of the highlights.

WARNING: If you are neither a Lioness nor a Water Bearer this stuff will be boring to you. In that case, I would suggest you read the signs for YOU and the Love of your life, clicking here.

If you insist otherwise, here we go...

Laundry Loads

Gone rampant two weeks ago, I had decided to unload our closets to sort things out. Not quite sure what got into me that moment as I dumped mountains after mountains of clothes in our bed room floor from children's closets and mine.

Trust me, immediately I knew it was a HUGE mistake and it was going to take me weeks and months to put things back. All I should have done was (as I have always done in the past) walk into each closet and remove only the outdated/out sized  stuff. It would have been a mole compared to this mountain!

I wished there was a Control Z button which would undo the mess I had just created. Alas there is none... So I sat down to attack the pile piece by piece. It had taken me two full weeks of folding and putting away and still only about half the mountain was gone. To make matters worse the "just washed" started piling on top.

None of my pleas or offers of incentives or temper tantrums helped as every one wanted to leisurely enjoy the holidays. I just sat there for minutes at a stretch simply staring at the mountain, as if I can just make it vanish with my gaze. When I almost gave up on it Sharon showed some light. She sat down with me almost a whole day and helped me through sorting out the pile. Wow, she was so easy with her little hands and hurried feet that in no time the mountain became a mole - down to the pairing of socks!

Just when I sighed a huge relief, the holidays are all over, back in school we are fast accumulating dirty piles of laundry and the cycle begins allover again...

Congratulations to the winner(s)!

If you recall the giveaway announced earlier this month, today is the draw date.

It gives me great joy to consider all the participants as winners! It is truly my dream come true. Thank you for sharing in my dream! 

The winners are (in alphabetical order):

1. A
2. Bikramjit
3. Christopher
4. Doc
5. Jackie Parkes
6. Kalonda
7. ....Petty Witter
8. Raji, California
9. Reena - Oman
10. Renu
11. sm
12. Stranger

Congratulations to the winners! Thank you for participating in the giveaway! To claim your teddy bear, please email your mailing address to nrigirl at hotmail dot com

~ NRIGirl

We made it so far...

Today we complete twelve years of wedded bliss! That's right, tomorrow is our 12th wedding anniversary; honestly it only feels like 12 days... Few who started on similar journeys with us have gone apart which hurts me most. All I can say is it is mere grace that we are going on...

My sincere thanks to all who were involved in bringing us together and those who have prayed for us and guided us and helped us learn through ups and downs of life. Those who have been our role models, those who have shown us the way, those who have shared their stories to motivate us - are all fondly thought of.

Of course the friends and families; neighbors and relatives who all came together to celebrate our beginning with us, who dressed me up, walked by my side, held the vail, the little children who danced, the greeters, the stage designers, the singers, the Pastors, of course our parents and all those who blessed us with their sincere hearts - we are forever grateful for.

My Grandma who exclaimed when she first saw Israel that "Alu kollam, konjam karuppu dhan... aana alu kollam" (He is good looking, little dark, but good looking), my loving Papa who walked me thru' the aisle, handing me over to Israel, who often wondered how we were going to manage life's demands as he felt both of us were child like, my best friend Nimmie who loved us both very much, our nephew Sam who admired my driving skills and demanded to sit next to me from day one, my dear Mother-in-law who was all smiles all day long, yet kidded me, "don't show all your teeth" all are fondly remembered and greatly missed.

With our hearts full of praise, gratitude and hope we are set to continue rest of the way... with grace from above we will carry on...

Do you see what I see?

Do you see what I see
Trees made of only twigs
Leaves dancing on the streets
Swirling snow in the wind
Yet birds cheering on the poles?
If not, tell me what you see...
May be I see what you see too!

Do you hear what I hear
Aeroplanes flying overhead
Billowing winds with such a fright
Whistling cooker in the kitchen
Selling and buying in Monopoly?
If not, tell me what you hear...
May be I hear what you hear too!

Do you feel what I feel
Childhood doesn't last too long but
Memories forever will linger on
Loving the most and being our best
Are the only true treasures we can give away?
If not, tell me what you feel...
May be I feel what you feel too!

This Child

We all have Christmas favorites such as the carols, poinsettias, nativities, Christmas lights etc. Chestnuts, hot chocolates and gift giving are my personal favorites and take up my priority. It is all nice to have but it is not what Christmas is all about.

Christmas is the celebration of This Child - the Son of God or in other words God Himself - in human form. It is very difficult to understand the trinity of God - God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit. It is beyond our human nature to understand it all in full detail.

I wouldn't even dare to explain it, however let me share my few. The best example I can imagine is that of H2O which could be a solid (ice), liquid (water) or steam (gas). They are all the same, yet different form. They make the one substance H2O. Another thought that crosses my mind is the trinity in me - Hephzibah - my body, mind and soul - definitely these are three different forms of me - yet they make the "Me" in me. With my very limited capacity this is how far I can get to  - in understanding Trinity; however the Trinity of God is beyond any descriptions.

Now to get to the point, Father God created the whole earth and all that we see such as the sun, stars, seas, animals, creatures and also the humans. When He created the man(Adam) He created him in His image and in His likeness. He loved to spend time with this human on a daily basis. However sin separates Adam and God. Since then no form of sacrifice could redeem Adam fully. The wages of Adam's sin would be 'death' - eternal death. God couldn't allow that. That's when He decides to send in His own son - Jesus - to be born in human form and be sacrificed as a sinless lamb of God - forever paying off the cost of the sin, to bring Adam once again closer to God his creator.

Christmas is all about This Child Jesus who was born to take away my sins by His stripes. Christmas is a day to remember the birth of Jesus Christ and more importantly the death and resurrection of Jesus that brings me eternal life.

Christianity in it's entirety can be summed up in this single scripture: "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. John 3:16" The focus is on the word, "whoever" - doesn't matter young or old, rich or poor, brown or fair, anyone who believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life!

For me Christmas is not just the 25th of December! It is also the 24th, 26th, 1st, 2nd or any day of June, August, February or any month! The date doesn't matter - it is the message that This Child was born to take away my sins - that's what matters.