Sajimol

2008-12-30T08:52:00.002-05:00

I started blogging again and its at www.web.me.com/sajinij

2008-02-08T08:45:00.000-05:00

Its about time!!!!

...that I blogged. There isnt a lot happening in my world other than school, work, small group, eating good food, loving Philly etc. Alright I am getting married!!!! And moving to Sicily, Italy for a year. Yes, I am very excited! 3 and half months left to go!!

Pictures from an engagement party my parents threw for us...

2007-05-27T22:54:00.001-04:00

Precious!!

I got a lovely subject for my camera today. She posed so well for her age(21 months) and she looks beautiful!!

2007-05-27T22:42:00.000-04:00

Off to the Poc!!!

I went up the Poconos to meet up with my small group. We all had an amazing time. We all shared some interesting stories. Some things are best left unsaid!!! It was too short of a trip but well needed. I have been blessed with am amazing small group this past year and now some of us have to say goodbye. It will be a sad time next month. Anyways, enjoy the pictures!!

2007-05-24T22:34:00.000-04:00

Busy May

I told myself that I would blog more now that I have a little bit more time. I shall try harder. So, finals are done and I am a happy gal enjoying Philly. Two weeks ago, my friend Mark took me to the Opera(Falstaff). I enjoyed it because it was a funny story. It was in Italian and there were subtitles on top. So it was easy to follow along. But I am not a big fan of the opera.

I also took a quick visit to New york with Liz and the kids. We went to the beach, saw lots and lots of TV shows and ate good south indian food.

My brother having a bollywood moment with Rey-rey.

I also went out with some big eaters to have some all you can eat sushi. We had a contest to see who would eat the most. My lovely and slim friend Danielle won. She is from Seattle. I hear people eat sushi for breakfast, lunch and dinner. :)

That's all folks!!!

2007-04-22T22:20:00.000-04:00

My small group

We all looked decent this Sunday and someone took a picture!!

2007-04-13T23:02:00.000-04:00

Easter

I shall post more once my finals are over!!!

2007-02-14T21:32:00.000-05:00

V DAY

Schools and colleges were closed due to 1-2 inches of snow(pathetic). So I stayed in and hung out with 2 adorable munchkins. We made an all out Italian dinner. Bas helped me pound the chicken and Mireya helped me put sauce over. It wasnt my best version of chicken parm but it was edible.
On another note, check out this article regarding Valentines day. As some of the cast of Grey's Anatomy would say, SERIOUSLY???????

2007-01-29T22:26:00.000-05:00

I'm back!!!!!!!! Give me a day.

2006-10-24T11:38:00.000-04:00

Just a random post....

I have been real lazy about keeping up with this blog. My internet is a little faster now so that helps a lot. Anyhow, Philly is nice. Its getting cold here. The autumn leaves are coming about. So, its realy really pretty nice out here. EAST COAST ROCKS!!! More update later...

2006-09-08T10:57:00.000-04:00

Birthright sold!!!!

My cousin Sherin recently got married. I was told I sold my birthright to her and other girl cousins younger to me who are planning on getting married. Confused and annoyed, I went to my mom for some explanation of what it means. She said that since I was born before the other girl cousins, I should be married first. And my aunt chipped in to say "why else were you born before them?" GRRRR.... Anyhow, the wedding was 2 hours long. Considering it was a conservative pentecostal wedding, it wasnt long at all. And seeing family is always a blast minus the drama!!!
Well enjoy the pics!!

2006-08-18T20:50:00.000-04:00

CUTE!!!!

I am in the process of moving!!! Blogging has been put on the backburner till I get settled in Philadelphia. Till then enjoy cute little Rachel's song

2006-07-23T23:55:00.000-04:00

Some must read blogs and posts
- Leila who is living in the West bank for the summer.
- Bethany on why our personal issues take a back seat when we get into relationships and how it creeps back up after a while or if the relationship ends.
- Dan Edelen wrote a humorous post on the topic surrounding modesty. I know you have seen a lot of those posts around but this is pretty funny.
- Al Groves and his family blog
- Jonathan and team posts via audio about their missions trip to India.

2006-07-23T23:26:00.000-04:00

She's gone

My sweet cousin Cheryl has gone back to her hometown ATL after spenting two and a half weeks with me. Now I want a sister. She is the sweetest. It was nice to have my bed made everyday and my room cleaned. Wonder if all sisters do this? Come again Cheryl!!

| View |

"Stop test driving your girlfriend".

2006-07-12T23:55:00.000-04:00

Interesting drive

My cousins and I decided to venture out to Connecticut for the evening to see our cousin Beena who recently had a beautiful baby named Alexis. A drive that only takes an hour took about 2 hours because of traffic and rain. When we got there, we found out Beena literally lived on a mountain overlooking a huge lake. I forgot to take pictures of the lake. So baby Alexis is the cutest, happy and easy going baby ever. Although she did spit up on me at one point. Supposedly she has never done that to anyone before. That's nice!!! After having dinner at Bertucci's, we said our goodbyes and headed back to NY. When we got to the bridge, there was a downpour. I dont think I have ever seen something like that. It looked as if the rain was coming from under the bridge. Coming back took us 2 hours or so. I dont think I will ever try to venture out in the rain like that ever. Ok, maybe for baby Alexis.

2006-07-12T13:06:00.000-04:00

Fun weekend!!

This past weekend, my cousins were in town. It was a blast. I still have my cousins Cheryl and Christopher staying over for 2 weeks or so. I didnt even know Cheryl was staying over until she came over and I asked her what her plans are. NICEE!! But she can get away with it b/c she is so sweet. Its been real nice to have her around!!! So, some highlights from this weekend:
-I got locked out of my house and I had to end up borrowing my neighbour's shoes for the wedding and it didnt even match my outfit.
-I got to witness some family drama at the wedding within the older generation.
-I cant count how many times I have been asked and hounded as to why I am not married. A big hug to my cousin Shane who eased the tension by singing the song "In His time, He makes all things beautiful."
-I had great conversations with my aunts and I got to hear more stories about my grandmother.
That's all for now. I shall see the crazy cousins again next month again..:)

2006-07-07T11:32:00.000-04:00

I am so glad I saw Pirates of the Carribean last night even though I had to get up at 6 this morning. Orlando stole my heart as usual. Depp is hillarious and Kiera got to play with the boys.

2006-07-03T21:43:00.000-04:00

Beach fun!!!!!!

Some of us decided to skip out on the yearly conference and just relax at home. So this is what it feels like to miss conference. I must do it more often!!

2006-07-01T23:24:00.000-04:00

MY OH MY!!!
Go see the MOVIE!! SUPERMAN was amazing. The guy is cute, plot is great, really cool effects and no drawn out make out scenes. Anyone want to see it with me again?

2006-06-27T18:42:00.000-04:00

For all you NY haters!!!

I just read an article in the Reader's digest about least and most courteous cities. It was nice to see New York on top!!

2006-06-25T19:11:00.000-04:00

June wedding!!

My friend Sajan got married yesterday. He's so cool cause he's got my name. :)
Enjoy the pictures!!

2006-06-22T13:38:00.000-04:00

Better Together

Here is a video of my new favorite artist Jack Johnson

2006-06-20T11:24:00.000-04:00

Retreat 06

This past weekend was full of unexpected blessings. I headed out to youth retreat held by PYFA. Its an organization for the South Indian pentecostal youths of New York. I think there are about 40 churches that participates. To be honest, I really just wanted to see the bands that were going to be performing on saturday night. But I am glad I got on that really hot yellow school bus friday evening. I was surrounded by sweet, loud, crazy and amazing girls. At first, I was a little nervous about communicating with these girls. Most of them were under 20. There were only a handful of us in our mid 20's. But regardless, I was amazed and glad that these girls were open to making new friends and having the pleasure of each other's company. There was a couples retreat and a men's retreat going on at the same time.
I had a great time getting to know some of these young women. I heard some amazing testimonies and got to witness the passion they have serving our Father. They even taught me a few dance moves and shared some of the most hillarious stories I have ever heard. By the end of the trip, I was hurting every time I laughed. The bands that played were great. My favorite cousin Stan from ZOA played one of my favorite songs. Bejoy((WIZE)) had some new material he was working on. I was moved to tears when I heard one of his songs. He also did a song where the chorus goes "work it, work it, work it, work it. Stir it, stir it, stir it, stir it." My new friend Sherin and I made this dance routine for the song. We are hoping we get to be Bejoy's back up dancers since he wasnt too impressed with our rapping. Sibi Varghese gave a great show too. I have never heard him but I have heard so much about him. The great thing about these bands are that they are all from Philly. We were also blessed by Lukea's messages. Last but not least, we had a great worship leader for our girls. Her name is Cynthia Cullen and she was amazing. I could tell you so much more about the retreat but I am a little tired. Enjoy the pictures!!!

2006-06-16T14:41:00.000-04:00

We are Penn State

My friend who is a great dancer send this to me. Good stuff girl, keep shakin!!!

2006-06-16T12:44:00.000-04:00

Explain this to me!!

LAst night i was introduced to a new line. "I got food drunk!!" Can someone explain that to me.

2006-06-12T12:08:00.000-04:00

Could You Please Make Me a Shade Lighter?
How Indians came to view fair skin as an ideal--and a business opportunity
By ALEX PERRY

Dec. 5, 2005
Up close, Rajashree Thakur makes a terrible ugly duckling. Her face is a flawless ocher, punctuated by ebony eyes and framed by jet black hair, and in the light of the setting sun, she glows. Thakur plays the lead in India's new hit soap Saat Phere ("seven circles around the fire," a Hindu marriage ritual), which, between riveting digressions into the lives, loves and secrets of a Rajasthani family, is the tragedy of Saloni, too unfortunate-looking for love. "It's not that Saloni isn't beautiful," clarifies Thakur, a former model. "It's that she's dark. Because of her complexion, her family thinks no one will marry her." At today's shoot in the hills north of Bombay, Saloni seeks solace at a temple after another day of dusky humiliation, only to be lectured on the virtues of fairness by a fat, ivory-skinned 9-year-old boy. "Ah, Saloni," grimaces Thakur. "She goes through hell."

The notion that Thakur's skin color could qualify her as unattractive is hard to fathom. Hers is a universal beauty, and in the West, despite concerns about the sun's rays and skin cancer, people spend billions of dollars trying to duplicate her café au lait tone. But Asia, from its geishas to its Ganesha gods, has always prized the pale. And in India the desire is a national obsession. You see it in the personal ads, which range from the general ("Whitish girl invites match") to the pinpoint specific ("Suitable alliance invited for ... fair, smart, only daughter having advanced training in footwear molds designing") but consistently mention the aspirant's light skin. You see it in pharmacies selling Fair & Lovely lightening soaps and creams and--new this season--Fair and Handsome, for men. And you see it in commercials, in which India's top two models, Katrina Kaif and Yana Gupta, are part English and part Czech, respectively. Lightness is big business. Fair and Handsome's maker, Mohan Goenka of Calcutta-based Emami, says the fairness-cosmetics market has grown two-thirds in the past five years, to an annual $250 million. India's 60,000 beauty salons do a roaring trade bleaching faces and blasting skin with tiny sand blowers.

No one can say for certain where this fascination with white skin originated. Thakur and Goenka point to pale-faced conquerors from Britain and central Asia who forcefully instilled a reverence for whiteness. Cultural conservatives complain Hollywood is pushing aside Indian heroes in favor of Westerners all too ready to display their pale flesh. Some sociologists argue that in a country where most people still farm, dark skin is associated with lowly labor in the outdoors.

Cory Wallia is Bollywood's top makeup artist and a man whose cautionary--and perhaps apocryphal--tales on whitening include the time the mother of a bride insisted he slap on so much white foundation that the young girl somehow turned blue. (The punch line? The mother approved.) He believes the real reason for the fairness craze is more troubling than most care to admit. While no one suspects that Westerners seek tans to change their ethnicity, Indians, he says, are motivated essentially to do just that. "Indians are more racist with other Indians than any American ever was with his slaves," Wallia says. "The desire for whiteness has very little to do with beauty."

But fashions--even cultures--can change. Although darkness is still akin to evil in rural India, Wallia says that in Bombay, reflecting its position as the capital of an increasingly cosmopolitan India, dusky is becoming a popular look. Thakur, as her character Saloni, may even be poised to become India's first overtly dark-skinned icon. "People stop me everywhere and ask me, 'Why are you crying so much on TV? It's not fair.'" In fact, says Thakur, the climax of Saat Phere will break another Indian taboo. "Saloni eventually decides she's not going to get married. She is educated, she can sing and dance very well, and she just doesn't consider her complexion a problem." And does the single, dark Saloni live happily ever after? Thakur laughs and says, "Of course. This is Indian TV. Not every rule was meant to be broken."

2006-06-10T18:51:00.000-04:00

Abi turns 2

2006-06-07T23:11:00.000-04:00

I rather be here!!!!

Beautiful SANTORINI

2006-06-05T23:17:00.000-04:00

The Ideal WIFE????

I thought this was hilarious and disturbing at the same time.

2006-06-04T20:37:00.000-04:00

Yummy cupcakes

I went to Magnolia's bakery finally!! After getting lost in the rain, we finally made it. I see why people hype up this teeny size bakery

2006-05-31T23:10:00.000-04:00

Memorial day fun

On Monday, my friends and I decided to check out the nautical mile in Freeport. It wasnt crowded which was surprising considering it was memorial day weekend and we were by the water. We stopped by this place called Bracco's Clam & Oyster Bar. It was crowded there but we stuck it out for about an hour sipping on a really bad strawberry daquiri just watching other people eat live oysters(yuk!!). We then hung out by the dock and took some pictures by the speedboats pretending we owned them. We then headed to Otto's Sea Grill for a late lunch. We ordered all seafood appetizers and some fries. None of it was healthy except maybe the clams. But it tasted real good and it definitly hit the spot. We then decided to walk around and see what this place had to offer. We werent impressed. It was too touristy and it sort of reminded me of Virginia Beach. Overall, I had a great time because I went with these sweet girls. Let's do it again soon.

2006-05-30T12:00:00.000-04:00

A gorgeous May wedding

My friend Sharon got married this past weekend. Good food, good friends and a great homily!!

2006-05-23T11:16:00.000-04:00

Pray for the Tripps

Dr Paul and Luella Tripp's daughter Nicole was in a serious car accident last week. They have a blog set up to inform people so they can pray with them. Check out the blog at nicolenews.blogspot.com.

2006-05-22T13:27:00.000-04:00

10 Favorite Kitchen gadgets

These cool gadgets make me a very happy girl in the kitchen. I had more than one favorite so I decided to list my top 10. What's your favorite gadget?

10.Culinary Torch ( This is fun to work with. Its a hit with the kids)
9. Herb Mill (this is great if you dotn want to use the food processor)
8.Microplane Rotary Grater (It comes in real handy when you want to grate really hard cheeses)
7.Mortar and pestle (I prefer the marble ones. The ones made out of steel tends to be heavy and the wooden ones tend to wear out fast. They have really neat looking ones in India)
6.Meat Pounder(I use this to crush garlic and other stuff too. Maybe I shouldnt but hey, it works for me. It also helps me release a little steam :))
5. Blender (Great product. I just learned that if you grind up the the skin of an orange in the blender, it takes away the smells some ingredients tend to leave behind)

4.Rice Cooker ( Anyone who is Asian and a woman will understand why this is an answer to prayers. I remember in my teens when I had to make rice the every other day the old school way. Boil the water, put rice in and then drain the water and in the process get burns on your arms. Not anymore. And then of course there are some people who really claim they can taste the difference. Whatever!!)
3.Henckels Four-Star Chef's Knife ( I use this to chop and dice anything. It's not a good idea. Oh well. Get a good knife)
2.KitchenAid Mixer (I think this is a must have especially if you like to bake, make bread or make yummy south indian dishes like my mom. It just makes things a lot easier and is worth the money)
1.Le Creuset Wide Dutch Oven (This is great if you want to cook for a lot of people and you can also put it in the oven. I really like this one)

2006-05-18T01:11:00.000-04:00

This is too funny!!!!

(HT:Christine)

2006-05-13T22:38:00.000-04:00

All about the girls!!!!!

Everyone should have a girls only weekends. Guys should too! I'll take it one step further. It's MANDATORY. Ok, maybe not mandatory, but I highly recommend it. I stayed home this weekend and hung out with some crazy awesome women!! It was a weekend well spent!! A special thanks to the husbands who took care of the kids and who also allowed us invade their homes. You guys rock!!

2006-05-07T22:11:00.000-04:00

Home away from home

Another blessed weekend!!! I love spring!! After hanging out with an alright guy from Florida(J/K) and some NYC folks, I headed out to Philly. It was so last minute. And I broke my record time driving to Philly. Considering it was saturday evening too. It took me an hour and 45 minutes from my house. It's usually 2 hours and 15 minutes. Sorry, I wanted to brag. I did hit over 90 a couple of times. :)
Some lone-time-no-see folks, good food, great sermon and awesome friends!!
The Lipstick building

My very own fashion consultant

Rocky?????

Rey is smiling this week
Baby G's got some nice blue eyes

2006-05-05T10:49:00.000-04:00

My boyfriend????

As I was going through some of my sweet Sebastian's(Bas) pictures, it reminded me of an incident that happened last year. For Valentines day, Bas's mom sent me a valentine's day card from him. I didnt get to my mail till late in the night. It was the cutest card. Anyhow, my dad was acting really weird towards me that night and even asked me if there was anything important going on in my life that he needed to know about. I just ignored the whole thing and went to bed. Next day, he said that he needed to talk to me. He asked me if I had a boyfriend? I said no!!! He then proceeds to tell me he saw a card which was red and addressed to me from Sebastian. By now, I knew where he was going with this. So I decided to see how I can have some fun with my poor dad. So I told him what his name was and where I met him. I asked my dad if he would like to see the card Bas gave me. He didnt respond. I showed the card and my dad goes "He has a kid? You have relations with a guy who has a kid? He doesnt even look indian"(Imagine this being said in the thickest indian accent). Well, I decided to tell him right then and there what the real deal was before he had some kind of breakdown. He really didnt think it was funny. Now its a running joke in my house. Ok, maybe its not that funny but you just had to be there!!!

2006-05-01T18:26:00.000-04:00

Splendid Sabbath in Philly

Sometimes I wish we had 2 days of sabbath.I headed out to Philly for sunday service. It was the end of the PCRT. Music was great(prelude was amazing) and Eric Alexander gave an great sermon on Perserverance of the Saints. This year PCRT's theme was "The Doctrines of Grace". I had to smile when I saw tulips on the platform. I wonder if they do that every year.
I ran into some old school Tenth people who happened to be in town. Good times. I even got to hang out in the art museum area with some of my favorite people. Ahh, I miss Philly!!

2006-04-27T15:54:00.000-04:00

A sweet surprise

I had some daisies waiting at the front desk. A sweet addition to my boring desk at work. Well, at least for a couple of days!!! Thanks, I appreciate it!!! You can send one every week if you'd like!! :)

2006-04-26T19:33:00.000-04:00

Jesus doesn't just wipe your slate clean; He throws away the slate.
-- Tim Keller

2006-04-24T20:10:00.000-04:00

Missed my plane but its all good!!

Ok, so I went to the wrong airport to catch my plane to VA beach. I pulled a Sajini on myself. Yes, I am known to go to the wrong airport to pick people up. Thanks for the funny messages y'all left me. I'm glad you guys got to laugh at my expense. So anyway, I took the Amtrak(yuk!!) all the way down. I feel real crappy after spending a long time on a train.
But my time in VA was really nice. It almost made me forget about my 8 hour ride on the train each way.
I am going to bed. I think I need a vacation from my vacation.

Cute baby

No one showed up to my wedding

2006-04-18T14:55:00.005-04:00

An Interview on Dr. Phil Ryken's life and ministry.. so far..

Here's an interview Mark Dever had with Dr. Phil Ryken. I first heard pastor Ryken 6 and half years ago. He is a prolific writer and a gifted expositor of God's Word. It was around that time I was introduced to solid Christian preaching and pastors who were teaching the congregation the Word of God and the Salvation that they have in Christ. Coming from a church where a good portion of the time I was being fed watered-down, Anything-Goes so Here's-A-Big-Hug messages, I was loving the God glorifying and convicting messages at Tenth and the ministries. So, all you far away Tenth folks, take some time to hear this interview. It is an hour long. I hope it brings back some great memories as it did for me. And all you non Tenth folks who are interested in hearing the interview, here's a brief overview of the interview( Forgive me, I dont remember everything he spoke about).

1- Ryken's background
2- Best book/recommended authors
3- The Vision of the church for the future of the ministry at 10th Presbyterian Church. (Meredith, We'll have to chat about this one)
4- Ministering in an urban area( some good stuff).
5- Balancing work and life within the ministry

There is more but this is all I can remember.

2006-04-16T23:44:00.000-04:00

Easter in LI

I had a fabulous blessed ressurection day. I decided to stick around here to enjoy the festivities. Great service, great lunch and a great italian dinner with the Barbuti family. How was your Easter?

A song of gratitude
Thank you for the cross Lord
Thank you for the price You paid
Bearing all my sin and shame
In love You came
And gave amazing grace

Thank you for this love Lord
Thank you for the nail pierced hands
Washed me in Your cleansing flow
Now all I know
Your forgiveness and embrace

Worthy is the Lamb
Seated on the throne
Crown You now with many crowns
You reign victorious

High and lifted up
Jesus Son of God
The Darling of Heaven crucified
Worthy is the Lamb

2006-04-12T11:46:00.000-04:00

Awake and Sing

"Awake and sing for joy, O dwellers in the dust" (Isaiah 26:19)

Last night, I got to check out a play called Awake and Sing. The story is about a Jewish Family who is trying to survive the Great Depression. They are all crammed into an Apartment in the New York City's Bronx and share the primary activity of struggling for life in the most pathetic conditions. The story is humorous as well as heartbreaking. If you want to read more on the play, go to this site. There was one part of the play that stuck with me. It was when tough guy Moe Axelrod went from trading loud insults with Henny to turning into a poet telling her "you're home for me, a place to live!" and not to "gimme ice when your heart's on fire." All this happened in a matter of 30 seconds. Hah!! Of course, I held my laughter till after the play. I did not want mean looks from people. But those early to mid 1900 love scenes always crack me up. You slap a guy and he kisses you. I wonder how well that works nowadays!!!

So, after the play, my friends and I waited around to meet some of the cast. And we met Mark Ruffalo. He played Moe Axelrod. He was in some mainstream movies like 13 going on 30, Collateral and Just like Heaven.We met others too but they werent too eager to talk to us. I dont blame them. It was getting late and they must have been tired. Anyhow, it was a good night considering Bebo Norman and Caedmon's Call are'nt coming. Ok, I'll stop complaining !!!!

2006-04-11T11:21:00.000-04:00

Sad Day Indeed!!!

I am sad. I go this morning to pick up my Bebo Norman/Caedmon's Call tickets from this church in Lond Island. When I got there, the guy said the concert is cancelled. I asked if this was some kind of joke because I called yesterday and the venue was still on. The guy said that the group or whoever in charge of the tour called last night and cancelled. When I asked why, he said "It was a business decision." Well, whatever that means, this is sad. I have waited 6 years or so to see Bebo Norman. I guess I'll have to give in to the fact that NYC isnt a place where a lot of Christian bands come out and go out to one of those bible belt states to see these christian bands. :(

2006-04-08T22:53:00.000-04:00

Sonya's Birthday

It's one my favorite girl's birthday. She is one fabulous friend. A proverbs 17:17 kinda gal. She is charming, really loving and a praying friend. She has the best jokes and does really good impersonations of indian parents. But dont try to fight her. I tried it once and I got knocked out with just a tap. Anyhow, happy birthday best friend. I dedicate this song- Maahi Ve for ya!!

2006-04-06T19:45:00.000-04:00

Day 2- NYC

I dont know how my friends live out here on the island and then go to school or work in the city. It is a combined 1 and a half commute not counting where in the city you need to be at. Well, I did walk around quite a bit. I give mad props to you guys and girls who do this every day. You guys must really love the city.

So, I did a lot of walking, a little shopping for somebody's birthday and bought a new lip gloss for myself. Do I know how to treat myself or what? I walked across the brooklyn bridge finally. I also met up with my crazy dear Stacey during her break from class. She is going to be one great lawyer. Hang in there girl. Only a year and 2 months left!!

I took a lot of interesting pictures all the way from downtown to uptown. I even got a phone call from a dear friend and the topic of our conversation revolved around how lately certain people in our community just loves to push their convictions on us. Well, thats a whole other post!! Anyhow great like yesterday. ALRIGHT, I'LL SAY IT. I RATHER BE IN SEATTLE AND IN THE MOUNTAINS SKIING WITH JOSH AND TSAGANISH. This family engagement I will be attending this weekend better be fun.

I am still learning to take good pictures. So, out of the 100 or so pictures I took and after some serious cropping, here are some I like.

Memorial writings/poems/pictures for 9 11

I just cant think of a caption

Hey, the famous Heywood building!! Ok its not famous.

Blackbird taking a dip in Union Square park

Spring is here, Almost!! Union Square Park

I thought of the Superman Movies when I saw this clock

Either its art or someone had a lot of time on their hands

And I walked all around the city in this!! Who am I kidding? I had to stop and buy some cheap sneakers. I never learn!!

2006-04-05T21:51:00.000-04:00

Day 1 of vacation

I am off for the rest of the week. Today was laundry/pay my bills/clean out all the junk in my room day. I am glad it snowed today. It definitly made doing all my errands at home easier. I also worked on my not-so-good-right now article for The Beacon(Pentecostal newsletter). Its almost done Leema.

But the highlight of the day was talking to my dear friend Meredith in Germany for 2 and half glorious hours. We had to get off because she had to go make dinner for her fabulous husband Detlev(we need more Detlevs in this world). Bah humbug to the time difference. But I praise God for the invention of the telephone and phone cards. I think we covered most of my favorite topics like church, family, theology, food, vacation spots and my frustrations on the topic of women in church. Above all, I was encouraged, loved, rebuked(with love) and challenged. Thank you Meredith for repeatedly reminding me of what it means to live a Gospel-saturated life. I still have 8 hours left on my card!!

Tomorrow-roaming around NYC

2006-04-02T22:05:00.000-04:00

Random Sunday Stuff!!

Well, we had a celebrity sighting at Redeemer tonight. It was none other than the hilarious Robin Williams. Hmm, I thought he was Jewish but turns out he is Episcopalian. Anyhow, hope to see him again!! Also Betsy and her special friend Walter Kent came down from Philly for the service. Its always a blast with these kids.
Also, I just wanted to introduce 2 new people to the blogging world.
Meredith Riedel- One of my dearest friend who lives too far away from me. She is also one of the smartest people I know.
Andrew Hammil- Cool kid...He's got a great heart and some good news(So I heard)... :)
Both these friends are really down to earth. They have great thoughts and insights in just about anything. Check them out!!

Fun shots from dinner

2006-03-31T16:48:00.000-05:00

Orphans of War

Some of the folks at Tenth Presbyterian went on a missions trip to Liberia. Here is a touching video called "In My Father's House" which just gives a short account of their visit there. Enjoy, far away Tenth folks. Pssst, just to let you in on some of the people in the video, its brother Beauford, Gina, Jessica and Dr. Bruce McDowell.
HT:MARION CLARK
Pictures by Carolyn Cole (LAT)

2006-03-28T11:26:00.000-05:00

Rare Twins

I ran into this article about twins who are very diverse in color. Amazing!!

2006-03-26T20:24:00.000-05:00

Picture of the week

I call this Headless George. He so funny.
Thanks for a lovely and eventful weekend, Houstonites.. Come again!!

2006-03-23T10:24:00.000-05:00

Stepping it up in the accessory world

Last night, my friend and I went to see Sophie Scholl: The Final Days in the city. Great, great, great. Go see it. We stopped at a cute coffee shop, sat down in one of those oversized couches and had chai. As we were chatting away, my eyes caught a creature crawling on this girl's shoulder who was sitting probably 10 feet from me. I soon realized it was attached to a chain. Of course I went over to see what it was. It turns out it was a cockroach attached to a chain and clipped to the girl's shirt. The girl told me I can get it from around 20$-40$ from this guy whose store is located uptown. Sure, my parents would love that!!!

WHY??????????

2006-03-19T21:33:00.000-05:00

Say Cheese

My morning church service ran a little longer than usual. And I was sitting in the baby section. So, I decided to snap away. These kids are such good subjects unlike some of my friends. They are so cute!!!!

2006-03-17T11:25:00.000-05:00

PCNAK

Its that time of year. I need to decide weather or not I am going to PCNAK? For those who are non malus, PCNAK stands for Pentecostal Conference of North American Keralites. It takes place every 4th of July weekend. The whole concept behind this conference is to unite/gather Pentecostal Keralites(people who's heritage comes from the state of Kerala, India). The organization wants us to worship together, hear 20 messages in the course of 3 and half days and have good fellowship. But is that ever the case at these conferences?

I would love to share my own experiences/escapades from past conferences but I am not in the mood to get a lot of hate mails. Maybe in a future post. But if you want to check out a more humorous yet mostly factual take surrounding this yearly event, check out this article called The secrets of PCNAK, Vol. 1 written by indian bear. SO am I going this year? I dont know. So it all depends on how many of my lovely conference roomies are going.

These girls makes the conference a blast. They also allow me to room with them.

2006-03-12T23:52:00.000-05:00

WWF (Pre-School Version)

I went to this B day dinner this past weekend and watched this take place. It reminded me of my pre school days. How can I remember that far, you ask? Well, my daddy made some home videos with his gigantic camcorder at the time.

It started with boys being boys:Jumping on top of each other making hitting noises.

Then comes the sweet little Rebecca looking to blend in...

And she does. It seems so natural to her

Now, they get rowdy!!!!

More rowdiness!!!

Rebecca leaves and boys are happy

Umm, I think Abigail's up next!! :)

2006-03-10T21:41:00.000-05:00

I HEART NEW YORK

This city is fabulous. I could rave about all the things this city has to offer but that would mean sitting here in front of the computer for a long period of time. I'll just leave you with this little event that took place at Union Square park. It was organized by a Long Islander. See, we got some fun loving people too on the Island. And we do venture out to the city. Well, a good amount of us anyway. So check out Kevin's organized pillow fight and the video of it at the park. It couldnt have been at a better park. :)

Pictures taken from Mr what i see

2006-03-09T12:06:00.000-05:00

Single in the City: Dating Redefined

Priority Associates discussion on relationships
Chris Burge and Jeannie Smith are back!!
Friday March 10th 7pm
Anderson Hall - 21st Street bet. Park Ave. & Gramercy Park West

Part I: Overcoming Wounds and Voids of Past Relationships (March 10th)
How do we deal with the hurts and injustices of unhealthy relationships? How do
these afflictions manifest in our attitudes and behaviors? Why are the usual
methods of coping dangerous and destructive? What's the alternative?
Part II: Can't Rush Love (April 7th)
How do we complete our emotional checkup? What are our strengths and weak points
and how do we address them? How do we prepare for relationships that are a
marathon not a sprint? What steps can we take to be the right man or right
woman?
Part III: The Alternative Paradigm (May 12th)
Do you want your kids to sue for Parental Malpractice? What are the job
descriptions for the husband and wife and how can you prepare? Where does
character fit in? What does a healthy relationship look like? How do we get
there?
Join us for 3 great Friday events this Spring!
Live Music!!
Food and coffee will be provided afterward
This will be a great opportunity to bring a non-believing friend
Space is limited: RSVP to scott@panyc.org or call
212-370-1125 x 210 would be appreciated

2006-03-09T10:35:00.000-05:00

Perfume/cologne madness

To the ladies I can smell a mile away,
The next time you put perfume on, please please please, one spritz is plenty. Everyone around you can smell(especially if you perfume stinks). But seriously, we really do smell it. If you really feel like you didnt get the perfume on you, I suggest spraying into your hands. Rub your hands together and run your hands through your neck, arms, hair etc. Now onto the lotion wearing people. I had a near fainting experience today as I got done talking with a co-worker. I could smell her 20 feet away. Even after she left the office, her smell was still around me. She does have amazing skin. Anyway, the point is that a small quarter size dallop of those fruity smelly lotions is all you need. If you want to slather yourself with lotion, stick with the non smelly ones. I understand that bath and body works and victoria secret have a lot of nice sweet scents. Please for the sake of our noses, a little is enough.
To the brothers,
The above applies to you as well. Also aftershave is not a lotion nor sunblock. Again a dime size amount or even less is plenty enough. Just take a shower and put on some febreezed clothing and you are good to go.

2006-03-03T21:08:00.000-05:00

March Babies

Its time for some birthday shout outs. Happy Birthday to all you marchies. Here are a few that I know of.

Tony- My little brother. He's a character. Family trips wouldnt be very eventful if it werent for him.

Angela Barbuti- A great blessing. She makes living in NY a whole lot better.

Ana Shoemaker- Sweet, talented, soon to be a mommy again and petite like me.. :)
Taken by Christiana Fitzpatrick

Sneha- Shes's sweet, kind and all the nice things girls are made of.

Josh Xman- He has to be cool. He puts up with me and is still my friend..HAH!!

Benjamen-The only not so great thing about Benji is that he is from Oklahoma.. Just kidding. All I got to say is that this boy can singggg like an angel. Clay Aiken got nothing on you Benji!!

Sharon-umm I guess I have to be nice here. She's got a great heart, really smart, COMPETITIVE(ahem) and soon to be a beautiful covenant wife.

Jill Mogenson- I am food snob because of her. She cooks amazing food. She is my travel buddy. She is sweet and kind and all that stuff too.

Jason Burke- Great brother. No one reads Psalms like Jason. He will be travelling to my motherland end of the month with his wifey. How awesome is that? He is so cool that I named our family elephant after him.. HAHAH!!!

Last but not least, the cute and adorable Sebastian. Its always a joy to hang out with Bas. Here, he is standing by his paintings. Beautiful, arent they?

2006-03-02T19:50:00.000-05:00

What Christian traditions do you follow?

I took this poll. Im not sure if its an accurate test but I liked my results. Some of my friends were surprised by what traditions they follow(for example: Tina(not real name) grew up pentecostal but her highest % was anabaptist). Hmmm, interesting.. Well, judge for yourself.

My results for Christian Traditions Selector
(100%) 1: Baptist (Reformed/Particular/Calvinistic)
(100%) 2: Presbyterian/Reformed
(88%) 3: Pentecostal/Charismatic/Assemblies of God
(73%) 4: Anabaptist (Mennonite/Quaker etc.)
(71%) 5: Congregational/United Church of Christ
(69%) 6: Baptist (non-Calvinistic)/Plymouth Brethren/Fundamentalist
(69%) 7: Methodist/Wesleyan/Nazarene
(59%) 8: Church of Christ/Campbellite
(52%) 9: Anglican/Episcopal/Church of England
(50%) 10: Eastern Orthodox
(47%) 11: Seventh-Day Adventist
(38%) 12: Lutheran
(28%) 13: Roman Catholic

2006-02-28T08:35:00.000-05:00

Guess who is in the New York Times?

Check out an article about Dr. Tim Keller in the New York Times. If you cant get into the site, I posted the article below.Picture taken by James Estrin/The New York Times

Preaching the Word and Quoting the Voice

By Michael Luo

In the twilight of the biggest snowstorm in New York City's history, the pews of a rented Baptist church on the Upper West Side of Manhattan were packed for the Rev. Timothy J. Keller's fourth sermon of the day.

The 600 or so who braved the snow for the evening service got what they had come to expect — a compelling discourse by Dr. Keller, this time on Jesus' healing of the paralytic, that quoted such varied sources as C. S. Lewis, The Village Voice and the George MacDonald fairy tale "The Princess and the Goblin." It was the kind of cogent, literary sermon that has helped turn Dr. Keller, a former seminary professor whose only previous pulpit experience was at a small blue-collar church in rural Virginia, into the pastor many call Manhattan's leading evangelist.

Over the last 16 years, Dr. Keller's church, Redeemer Presbyterian, has swelled to 4,400 attendees, mostly young professionals and artists who do not fit the prototypical evangelical mold, spread out across four different services on Sundays. Although Dr. Keller, 55, is hardly a household name among believers outside New York — in part because he has avoided the Christian speaking circuit — his renown is growing in pastoral circles and in the movement to establish or "plant" new churches, a trend among evangelicals these days.

Pastors from around the world are beginning to come in a steady stream to New York City to glean what they can from Dr. Keller and Redeemer. Their goal is to learn how to create similarly effective churches in cosmopolitan cities like New York, which exert outsize influence on the prevailing culture but have traditionally been neglected by evangelicals in favor of the suburbs.

"We're not giving them a turnkey template," said Dr. Keller. "What we're saying is, 'There's lots of overlaps between our big city and your big city. Some of these things you will use. Some of these you will discard. Some of these you will adapt.' "

Believing new churches are the best way to produce new Christians, evangelicals are making a major push to start new churches around the world, said Edmund Gibbs, a professor of church growth at Fuller Theological Seminary outside Los Angeles. But only recently have some evangelicals begun to turn their focus to urban centers.

Dr. Keller "has grasped the strategic significance of the city, of the urban culture and the need to engage that very diverse culture at every level," he said. "Our culture is urban-driven."

In New York City, Redeemer has become the central training ground for anyone planning to start a church in the metropolitan area, whether among Guyanese immigrants in Queens or streetwise youths in the Bronx.

Since 2000, when it established its own training center for "church planters," as they are called in evangelical parlance, Redeemer has helped start more than 50 churches in the city, from faith traditions and denominations as diverse as Assemblies of God, Lutheran and Southern Baptist. In addition, it has helped found 17 "daughter churches" of its own Presbyterian denomination in communities like Williamsburg and Park Slope, Brooklyn; Astoria, Queens; and Hoboken, N.J.

Meanwhile, so-called city-center churches modeled on Redeemer — also attracting audiences of professionals and creative types — have sprung up in places like Boston, Washington, San Francisco, Berlin, London and Amsterdam. The churches emulate much of Redeemer's approach, including its attitude of embracing the city and its focus on the Christian message of grace and redemption, which Dr. Keller argues has been muddled in many churches.

The Rev. Stephen Um, whose church in Boston, Citylife, began four years ago and now attracts about 500 people every Sunday, said he and other pastors had embraced Dr. Keller's emphasis on delving into the prevailing culture almost as much as into the biblical text. Along these lines, Dr. Um is just as likely to cite a postmodern philosopher like Richard Rorty or Michel Foucault in his sermons, as he is, say, Paul's Letter to the Philippians.

"This is Tim's thing," said Dr. Um. "He said, 'You need to enter into a person's worldview, challenge that worldview and retell the story based on the Gospel.' The problem is evangelicals have always started with challenging the worldview. We don't have any credibility."

Redeemer meets in three facilities: the Ethical Culture Society and the First Baptist Church on the Upper West Side, and Hunter College on the Upper East Side.

Unlike most suburban megachurches, much of Redeemer is remarkably traditional — there is no loud rock band or flashy video. What is not traditional is Dr. Keller's skill in speaking the language of his urbane audience. On the day of the snowstorm, Dr. Keller tackled a passage from the Gospel of Mark in which the friends of a paralyzed man carry him to Jesus. At least initially, however, Jesus does not heal the man but offers him a puzzling line about his sins being forgiven.

Part of the point, said Dr. Keller, is people do not realize that their deepest desires often do not match up with their deepest needs.

"We're asking God to get us over that little hump so we can save ourselves," he said. "It doesn't occur to us that we're looking for something besides Jesus to save us."

Observing Dr. Keller's professorial pose on stage, it is easy to understand his appeal. While he hardly shrinks from difficult Christian truths, he sounds different from many of the shrill evangelical voices in the public sphere. "A big part is he preaches on such an intellectual level," said Suzanne Perron, 37, a fashion designer who is one of many who had stopped going to church before she discovered Redeemer several years ago. "You can go to Redeemer and you can not be a Christian and listen to that sermon and be completely engaged."

Dr. Keller shies away from the label evangelical, which is often used to describe theologically conservative Protestant Christians like him, because of the political and fundamentalist connotations that now come with it. He prefers the term orthodox instead, because he believes in the importance of personal conversion or being "born again," and the full authority of the Bible.

An important lesson that Dr. Keller said he had tried to convey to other pastors is that the hard sell rarely works in the city. Becoming a Christian in a place like New York, he said, is more often the product not of one decision but of many little decisions.

"One decision might be Christianity is more relevant than I think," he said. "Or, here's two Christians that I don't think are idiots."

It was the Rev. Terry Gyger, an official with the church-planting arm of the Presbyterian Church in America, an Atlanta-based evangelical denomination, who persuaded Dr. Keller to come to the city to start a church in the late 1980's. At that point, Dr. Keller was a professor at Westminster Theological Seminary and the part-time head of the Presbyterian Church's mercy ministries.

His only previous pastoral experience was at a Presbyterian church in Hopewell, Va., a struggling factory town. Under Dr. Keller, the congregation grew from 90 to roughly 300 in nine years, but that was in the Bible Belt, of course, not New York City.

"I just saw in him the raw ingredients," Mr. Gyger said. "I felt he had the inquisitiveness. He had the intellectual capital. He was very articulate, even though he had not had a lot of preaching experience in the big pulpits of our denomination."

Even so, Dr. Keller was offered the post only after two other candidates turned it down. Within a year of its founding in 1989, however, Redeemer had grown from 50 people to more than 400. By the end of 1992, the church had swelled to more than 1,000 people. Since then, it has continued to grow steadily, all while renting space in several locations.

Sept. 11 proved to be a defining moment for the church. On the Sunday after the terrorist attack, more than 5,000 people showed up. So many people packed the church's Sunday morning service that Dr. Keller called another service on the spot, and 700 people came back to attend. While attendance returned to normal in other churches after several weeks, Redeemer kept attracting about 800 more people a week than it had drawn before the attack.

"For the next five years, I would talk to people about when they joined the church, and they said right after 9/11," Dr. Keller said.

After the attack, the church also began to increase its training for those working to found churches. His church's main goal, Dr. Keller said, is to teach pastors how to truly love the city, rather than fear its worldly influences. Unlike many evangelicals, Dr. Keller advocates an indirect approach to change.

"If you seek power before service, you'll neither get power, nor serve," he said. "If you seek to serve people more than to gain power, you will not only serve people, you will gain influence. That's very much the way Jesus did it."

As a result, one of Redeemer's hallmarks has always been its focus on charity, something it emphasizes in its training of urban pastors. It operates a program called Hope for New York that arranges volunteer opportunities for people from Redeemer with 35 different partner organizations. Last year, 3,300 people from the church volunteered their time.

A looming question for Redeemer, though, is how much of what Dr. Keller and his team have built can be maintained when he ultimately exits the stage. When he was out for several months in the summer of 2002 while undergoing treatment for thyroid cancer, attendance dipped noticeably.

For now, the faithful of Redeemer do not have to contemplate that situation. Dr. Keller continues to preach nearly every Sunday, dashing back and forth to its different rented facilities and putting in unrelenting 80-hour work weeks.

On the night of the snowstorm, Dr. Keller closed his monologue with a moving riff on Jesus' love in spite of humanity's flaws, and a quote from C. S. Lewis, one of his favorite writers: "The hardness of God is kinder than the softness of men, and his compulsion is our liberation."

And then he prayed for his congregation and his city.

2006-02-27T10:38:00.000-05:00

Quarter of a century!!!!!!!!

Yah, I am 25!!!! I share this birthday with my friend David who is currently having a lot of fun in Arizona but will be back soon to enjoy this great winter wheather we are having on the north east coast. I had a great weekend. I got to eat out 5 times this weekend. Thanks friends and family. You guys chose well. Oh how yummy the food was especially at Ali Baba. Of course the company is always good.
I also share today with some famous people like Chelsea Clinton, Elizabeth Taylor, Josh Groban, the great author John Steinbeck and poet Mr Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. I cant think much right now. Also, I am at work and I shouldnt be taking time away from work to do a posting.

I can do this on my camera. Thanks to the talented Walter Kent

With the Hammil siblings

A man of many talents Walter Kent and Betsey. Retired Tenth maranatha kids..Oh how fast they grow!!!

2006-02-23T10:12:00.000-05:00

HOW COOL IS THIS?

In preparation for the Dubai Duty Free Men's Open, Andre Agassi and Roger Federer couldn't resist the temptation to have a friendly 'hit' on the world's most unique tennis court, the Helipad of the Burj Al Arab, in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Standing 321 metres high on a man made island, the majestic Burj Al Arab is without doubt the most recognizable hotel in the world. The hotel's helipad, which is situated 211 metres high covers a surface area of 415 square metres.

2006-02-20T20:59:00.000-05:00

What a Sunday!!!!

I have'nt had a busy sunday like this for a while. It was great. I headed to Philly sunday morning. I got in time for the 9 o clock sunday school. I was hoping to see a friend who came into town but he decided to sleep in..tsk tsk..I chose the class that was giving the history on the Presbyterian church. We had a guest speaker who did a fantastic job on speaking to us about the life of J. Gresham Machen. As a history buff, I was loving it. Yumm.. I hear next week will be on James Montgomery Boice. Thats a bummer. He died 2 weeks before i started going to Tenth. It would have been nice to hear about his ministry on this earth. The day just got better. I saw some people, did catch up with a few of them and headed to hear a great message by Phil Ryken called The murder of the Owner's son. He spoke from Luke 19:11-27. It should be up on the Tenth website later this week. After church it was time for more catch up with the Tenth family. My friend Josh and I got to hold Abigail. She was all smiles. What a good baby.
After gagaing and gogoing over Abigail, we headed to have lunch at a local Italian place. My friend asked if it was a chain restaurant. I was insulted!! How could he even ask me that? Just playing.
Then it was back to NYC to pick up my lovely friend Michelle and head out to an Italian feast potluck. I had a fabulous time at Mrs Jesse Samuel's house. She was a great hostess. There were some funny moments during ice breakers and some Julie moments as usual. I have to say that when Julie is around, I dont get picked on too much. It was a good time. I met some great new girls (woohoo, more friends on friendster), had good food and had a great night. I want more Sundays like this.
The lovely hostess Jesse and I

2006-02-17T09:00:00.000-05:00

SAJINI in the Trinity Hymnal?

So, my dear friend Laurel told me that SAGINA was the name of the tune to "And can it be". Hmm... Can it be that my indian name is somehow linked to one of my favorite Hymns? So I did some research. And it turns out that the name SAGINA has whatsoever no relation to my name. Sagina is a plant that was a favorite spring fodder for Roman sheep. It is also a genus name for low and inconspicuous herbs of the Chickweed family. Whatever man!!!!!! I still think my name is more appropriate as a name for the tune. Thanks anyway Laurel.

And Can It Be that I Should Gain
Text: Charles Wesley, 1707-1788
Music: Thomas Campbell
Tune: SAGINA, Meter: 88.88.88 with Repeat

1. And can it be that I should gain
an interest in the Savior's blood!
Died he for me? who caused his pain!
For me? who him to death pursued?
Amazing love! How can it be
that thou, my God, shouldst die for me?
Amazing love! How can it be
that thou, my God, shouldst die for me?

2. 'Tis mystery all: th' Immortal dies!
Who can explore his strange design?
In vain the firstborn seraph tries
to sound the depths of love divine.
'Tis mercy all! Let earth adore;
let angel minds inquire no more.
'Tis mercy all! Let earth adore;
let angel minds inquire no more.

3. He left his Father's throne above
(so free, so infinite his grace!),
emptied himself of all but love,
and bled for Adam's helpless race.
'Tis mercy all, immense and free,
for O my God, it found out me!
'Tis mercy all, immense and free,
for O my God, it found out me!

4. Long my imprisoned spirit lay,
fast bound in sin and nature's night;
thine eye diffused a quickening ray;
I woke, the dungeon flamed with light;
my chains fell off, my heart was free,
I rose, went forth, and followed thee.
My chains fell off, my heart was free,
I rose, went forth, and followed thee.

5. No condemnation now I dread;
Jesus, and all in him, is mine;
alive in him, my living Head,
and clothed in righteousness divine,
bold I approach th' eternal throne,
and claim the crown, through Christ my own.
Bold I approach th' eternal throne,
and claim the crown, through Christ my own.

2006-02-15T19:17:00.000-05:00

Happy St. Faustino day

Hey everyone. Its single awareness day. Thats right; there is such a thing. The Italians celebrate it on the 15th of february as a day of awareness and a special focus on the problems and discrimination faced by people who are not married.If you would like to know more, check this out.
So, last night my awesome italian friend Miss Angela Barbuti (she needs to get a blog) planned a night out for her friends at a restaurant called Dos Caminos on Park between 26th and 27th. It was a beautiful place. The big middle room where we sat had cozy booths, "Aztec-like" decorative screens and Vegasy ceiling fixtures. They offer up good, no-fuss food that will warm up a wintry evening in a flash. They even have guacomole made fresh at the table for you according to how spicy you want it. NICE!!!!! I was in guacamole heaven. Good food and good company made it a good night.

2006-02-10T19:56:00.000-05:00

Christo and Jeanne Claude's New York Art Exhibit - "The Gates."

The exhibit was held in Central Park from Feb 12-27, 2005. It was an exciting time at the park last year around this time. People were going crazy with their top of the line cameras.
There was a guy playing the saxophone behind me as I was taping.

2006-02-10T19:05:00.000-05:00

Hey Anita, its your birthday.. We gonna drink coca-cola like its your birthday!!!!!

Its my dearest friend Anita's birthday tomorrow. She is going to kill me on Sunday for having written about her. But since its my blog, I feel like I can say anything I want.

So Anita is the sweetest, most humble and loving friend ever. Those of you who know her know that she has got the heart of gold. She is all about serving the King with every gift He has bestowed upon her. And she goes out of her way to make everyone around her feel real comfortable. Alright nuff said. Happy birthday Anita. You are truely a great blessing to me and so many others.
"For as we have many members in one body, but all the members do not have the same function, so we, being many, are one body in Christ, and individually members of one another." Romans 12:4-5

Oh Its also Dennis's birthday. Happy birthday funny man.

2006-02-10T09:07:00.000-05:00

EVER HAD YOUR CAR TOWED?

Well, I did. Last night I parked my car in the lovely New York city. I parked on the commercial meter parking side. I put money in and I went off to a newcomers reception for redeemer.
I know, IM not a newcomer but before I leave this church, I figured I should meet the pastor and his wifey and viola!!!! It was a great reception with great food. They had a lovely spread; the usual cheese and fruit platter, chicken, beef and eggroll skewers but nicely presented (its all about presentation) and also served drinks in long plastic champagne glasses(only in New York). I wish I had pictures because I am not doing a good job of describing the food. Anyhow, it got better as we all settled down and Tim and Kathy Keller took the stage and gave a little history behind the church and its growth and what their jobs were in the ministry. Then we got to hear from the great staff about small groups, ministries, classes and membership. All in all, it was a good night.
Then I stroll to my car and stuff happened. Cops came and did their stuff and left. Long story short, my car got towed because I parked on the side where I can only park Monday, Wednesday and Friday. So I ended up having to walk 8 blocks. It felt like 20 because I took a wrong turn at one point. Also, there weren't no cabs in sight. So I get to the the towing place and of course, more drama there. So, I finally got the car and there is a $118 ticket on it. Nice!!!! Anyhow, I finally get home around 11:30.
So, it was a sweet/sad day but my God is great and he definitely provided. My heartfelt thanks to Josh and Anil who kept me a little bit calm and a little less scared. Last but not least, Angela, my dearest friend who came to my rescue. I love you girl!!!! Alright enough mushiness. Grace and peace

2006-02-09T00:15:00.000-05:00

BEAUTIFUL KERELA

I was reminded of my trip to India 2 and a half years ago. I cant wait to go again this summer. Here are some pictures I took with my dad's amazing camera. Of course, there was photoshop involved. :)
I saw this picture and saw an appropriate verse. ....walk in the light as HE is in the light 1John 1:7

Lovely lovely colors.

Real life SPICE GIRL

Blurry fishermen

I think its a sleeping grasshopper

2006-02-08T23:53:00.000-05:00

Child Dies as Hindu Mob Attacks Christian Orphanage

An angry mob attacked a Christian orphanage in Tindole in northern India's Rajasthan state Thursday, Jan. 26, stoning one of the children to death in the rampage. About 100 abandoned children and orphans along with pastors Mangilal and Gopal were in the home at the time of the attack, reported Bishop M.A. Thomas, founder of Hopegivers International which operates the orphanage.

The two pastors and about 30 of the children escaped and took refuge in the homes of Christian believers in the area. The remaining 70 children were still in the orphanage which was under siege by the militants at press time. Thomas said he was responding to the violence by sending a team of four more missionaries from Hopegivers Emmanuel Seminary in Kota. They are bringing emergency aid to help care for the wounded. The attackers demanded that the Christians revert to Hinduism.
(Assist News Service)

Dear Lord,
Please give comfort to those who are mourning. Those who are spiritually weak, give them strength and courage and time to rest. Amen.

Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need. - Hebrews 4:14-16

2006-02-07T13:19:00.000-05:00

TAGGED

1. What does your [Blogger] name mean?
It means daughter in malayalam with half my name. My parents call me that.
2. Elaborate on your primary photo?
Took it at Sharon's bridal shower.
3. Who introduced you to Blogspot?
Plenty of people. I resisted until I made fun of everyone who had one.
4. How many comments do you have?
I don't write in blogger for the comments.
5. What's your current relationship status?
Umm, it's not open for discussion. :)
6. What are you wearing right now?
gray pants, pink shirt.
7. What is your current problem?
I need a massage. I slept kinda in a weird way last night.
8. What are you doing right now?
Waiting for people to call me back so I can continue on with my work...and wasting time on the internet.
9. Can you dance?
Yeah, I can.
10. Who do you love most?
Christ, family and friends.
11. What makes you most happy?
When I see far away family and friends all gathered under one roof.
12. Are you musical?
Yes, I sing in the shower all the time
13. What would you do if you woke up one morning and found out you were on cocaine?
I dont know. This is a dumb question or I am just not creative enought o answer it.
14. If you could go back in time, and change something, what would it be?
Spend more time with my friends in college.
15. If you MUST be an animal for ONE day, what would it be?
Fish.
16. Ever have a near death experience?
When I was 13 I got hit by a car but somehow i was pushed to the side and it only ran through my feet.
17. Name one obvious quality you have:
I am loud. Wait.. I dont think that's a quality. I would say I am pretty outgoing
18. What's the name of the song that's stuck in your head right now?
Drop it on me-Ricky Martin.. :)
19. Are you happy today?
When 5 o'clock comes around I'll be happy.
20. Who will cut and paste this first?
beats me.
21. Name 2 people with the same birthday as you?
Chelsea Clinton, Erin Gardner.
23. Have you ever vandalized someone's private property?
maybe...who is asking?!
24. Have you ever hit someone of the opposite sex?
Yep. Every guy at Tenth Presbyterian. :) and my brotehrs of course
25. Have you ever sung in front of a large audience?
Yes, unfortunately
26. What's the first thing you notice about the opposite sex?
Thier eyes/mouth
27. What do you usually order from Starbucks?
Chai , I think
28. What is your biggest mistake this year?
not praying enough.
29. Have you ever hurt yourself on purpose?
No
30. Say something totally random about you?
I can touch my tongue to my nose.
31. Has anyone ever said you looked like a celebrity?
Yes, Usher
32. Do you still watch kids movies or TV shows? Thunder cats reruns
33. Did you have braces?
nope
34. Are you comfortable with your height?
Perfectly comfortable...
35. When do you know it's love?
U know, the heart beating fast, seeing stars and rainbows.. *barF*
36. Do you speak any other languages?
Manglish...
37. What is your favorite smell?
Anything febreezed... ahahha...smell after rain. baby powder.
38. Have you ever been to a tanning salon?
No need. I have been blessed with a natural tan
39. What are your favorite magazines?
TimeOut NEW YORK, Food and Wine
40. Have you ever ridden in a Hummer limo?
Sat in one. Snuck into the bridal limo for a bit. :).. good times..
41. Has anyone you were really close with passed away?
Yes. grand mother
42. Do you ever watch MTV?
yes. Road rules/real world challenges.
43. What's something that really bugs you?
messy sink and people being so laid back on vacation in a beautiful city.. ahem, you know who you are
44. What's something you really like?
walking aorund NYC and buying neat candles/lotions and jewelery
45. Do you like Michael Jackson?
Jacko? no.
46. Do you give random hugs and kisses?
Only to stacey and Anita.
47. What's the latest you have ever stayed up?
7AM.
48. Have you ever thought that you were honestly going to die?
Every time I step onto a plane.
49. Have you ever been rushed by an ambulance into the hospital?
When I got run over by a car
50. What are you thinking right now?
I want an avacado!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

2006-02-02T19:28:00.000-05:00

CITRUS

Ahh, my first review. This is my second time going to Citrus. I went with three food loving people after church. Food is great and menu is diverse enough for anyone to find something. Drinks are tasty and the setting is open and fun. Whether you're craving a burger, or sushi, or even Mexican-type food... it's there to be had... not the mention their amazing Sangria and drink menu. My friend and I split a huge sushi platter called ultimate roll combination....yummmmmm I highly recommend this place as a gathering for friends, dates, or even just a place to meet after work or a show or church. Its a couple of blocks by Redeemer's 7 o clock service. The setting is amazing (Upper West Side! Can't beat it!)-- and the restaurant is decorated in such an uplifting manner- you can't help but be happy! The service is great-- even delivery is prompt. If you are not from NY, you will like this place, and if you live in the city, be prepared for the unknown.

2006-02-02T10:27:00.000-05:00

HAPPY BIRTHDAY Mr. Andrew Hammil

It's my dear friend Drew's birthday Feb 4. He's a little piece of Tenth in NYC. Chances are I wont be able to join in the birthday festivities this weekend. So party on and have a good time.