I spelled day with a capital ‘D’ for a reason. It was an amazing amazing day for me. My apostle [and I say ‘my’ with all the pride I have in my heart no selfish or individualistic view] Dr. Chandrakant Chavada had made a quick stop over in Wales ‘to meet me’, and I quote this [you can ask and verify if you want hehe!]. He came to Cardiff on Saturday morning but due to certain reasons I couldn’t meet him until Sunday afternoon [which was again the sheer kindness of Adrian and Sharon Holand].
But today was the best. He taught at our class [School of The Word] in the morning. Then he took my housemates and me out for lunch [TGIF, it was yumm!] followed by a one hour break after which we went out for some shopping that he wanted to do. And then he came back to our house for a while after which he left for a meeting that he had to go to.
Now tell me wasn’t that amazing!! I got to talk to him [and mind you no English, pure Gujarati!!] and I gained so many things as a result including lots of clarity of what the future held for me.
Overriding all this was the fact that I didn’t just meet my apostle today; I met my spiritual father who couldn’t have done more if he had been my natural father. I felt like I was back home just for a day.
Therefore, the natural response, “What a Day!!”
Monday, February 27, 2006
Saturday, February 25, 2006
'Of Mice and Men'
I began today with a lazy morning and the lack of energy stayed with me. So, in a brilliant rush of sudden intelligence I decided to do something else, in the least, I wouldnt be wasting my time doing nothing.
Most of the stuff I did might not interest you but what might interest you is that I read 'Of Mice and Men' by John Steinback. I wouldnt have come across this book if it was not on our classic read list. Anyway, once again, a great book. At first it left me wondering but then, I realized my error had been that I had not read the introduction, which did a great job at portraying the background of the novel and the author. I admit I was ignorant at both points but soon remedied it and then realized the magnitude of what I had just read. It was like I had just read a second 'Heart of Darkness'[by Joseph Conrad]but much simpler in storyline and structure.
It was quite a contrast to 'The Memoirs...' that I last read. It is Steinback's venture to come up with what he called "neither a novel nor a play but it is a kind of playable novel" and it sure did do him well because it won the Nobel Prize of Literature for him. It is very striking in the contrasting themes that it deals with. On one hand is the dire boredom and unescapable loneliness in the "ranch hand society during the Great Depression" while, on the other, is the unfathomable and yet unswerving friendship between George and Lennie. two of the same class. This has spurred me to read more of this period literature especially because I had conveniently not chosen the American Literature Paper at University. Maybe Joelyn [my American housemate] may enlighten me on it.
As for now, I am quite pleased with this intellectual and emotional relish and am hoping for more spiritual relish as I delve back into the truly bottomless depths of hesed, God unfailing, unending, righteous, true, covenant love, his not being our Master any longer, rather him being our Husband.
- quotes from 1. Of Mice and Men, John Steinback, Penguin Books
2. http://www.exampleessays.com/
Most of the stuff I did might not interest you but what might interest you is that I read 'Of Mice and Men' by John Steinback. I wouldnt have come across this book if it was not on our classic read list. Anyway, once again, a great book. At first it left me wondering but then, I realized my error had been that I had not read the introduction, which did a great job at portraying the background of the novel and the author. I admit I was ignorant at both points but soon remedied it and then realized the magnitude of what I had just read. It was like I had just read a second 'Heart of Darkness'[by Joseph Conrad]but much simpler in storyline and structure.
It was quite a contrast to 'The Memoirs...' that I last read. It is Steinback's venture to come up with what he called "neither a novel nor a play but it is a kind of playable novel" and it sure did do him well because it won the Nobel Prize of Literature for him. It is very striking in the contrasting themes that it deals with. On one hand is the dire boredom and unescapable loneliness in the "ranch hand society during the Great Depression" while, on the other, is the unfathomable and yet unswerving friendship between George and Lennie. two of the same class. This has spurred me to read more of this period literature especially because I had conveniently not chosen the American Literature Paper at University. Maybe Joelyn [my American housemate] may enlighten me on it.
As for now, I am quite pleased with this intellectual and emotional relish and am hoping for more spiritual relish as I delve back into the truly bottomless depths of hesed, God unfailing, unending, righteous, true, covenant love, his not being our Master any longer, rather him being our Husband.
- quotes from 1. Of Mice and Men, John Steinback, Penguin Books
2. http://www.exampleessays.com/
Thursday, February 23, 2006
The very wise Mr. Trevor Lloyd
It was World Views today at the School of the Word. We delved into the deep waters of Modernism and tried to examine some of the consequences that it has had on the world as it is today. As the title already states it was the very wise Mr. Lloyd again, speaking to us, provoking us, challenging us and I think very ably teaching us to stand as Christians and make our voice known in today's world.
The discussions raced from toilets that flush to almost getting into Election and predestination [dont know how we got there]. All in all it was a wholesome meal which left us fulfilled savouring its flavours. Its post modernism tomorrow and I am already looking forward to it.
The discussions raced from toilets that flush to almost getting into Election and predestination [dont know how we got there]. All in all it was a wholesome meal which left us fulfilled savouring its flavours. Its post modernism tomorrow and I am already looking forward to it.
Sunday, February 19, 2006
Who will teach me to write?
I am reading 'The Writing Life' by Annie Dillard at present. At last after weeks I have got a chance to read it. It is such a treat if you are one of those who know the joys of fleshing out abstract ideas into concrete words which very well may not be so concrete after all.
In response to the question posed above, Dillard gives a very real and yet a very ethereal response,
"The page, the page, that eternal blankness, the blankness of eternity which you cover slowly, affirming time’s scrawl as a right and your daring as necessity; the page, which you cover woodenly, ruining it, but asserting your freedom and power to act, acknowledging that you ruin everything you touch but touching it nevertheless, because acting is better than being here in mere opacity, the page, which you cover slowly with the crabbed thread of your gut; the page in the purity of its possibilities; the page of your death, against which you pit such flawed excellences as you can muster with all your life’s strength; that page will teach you to write."
I think it is a writer's response to the core and what more, it is incredible!
In response to the question posed above, Dillard gives a very real and yet a very ethereal response,
"The page, the page, that eternal blankness, the blankness of eternity which you cover slowly, affirming time’s scrawl as a right and your daring as necessity; the page, which you cover woodenly, ruining it, but asserting your freedom and power to act, acknowledging that you ruin everything you touch but touching it nevertheless, because acting is better than being here in mere opacity, the page, which you cover slowly with the crabbed thread of your gut; the page in the purity of its possibilities; the page of your death, against which you pit such flawed excellences as you can muster with all your life’s strength; that page will teach you to write."
I think it is a writer's response to the core and what more, it is incredible!
Thursday, February 16, 2006
Off to the School again!!
We are back to the School of Worship again this weekend, only this will be the last of the four. Though it was tough at times, it was a great experience in terms of what we learned as a result. It started with the Tabernacle then David's tent right upto the seven songs of Revelation two weeks ago, not to mention the steady flow of Psalms by Dave Palmer.
Apart from the travels [you could hardly call a two-hour journey "travels" but then it would sound boring], I am brooding [in the most positive sense] around the idea of hesed in hosea. Most probably there might be some related posts on it quite soon.
Apart from the travels [you could hardly call a two-hour journey "travels" but then it would sound boring], I am brooding [in the most positive sense] around the idea of hesed in hosea. Most probably there might be some related posts on it quite soon.
Wednesday, February 15, 2006
'Memoirs...' - The Review
I got the book ‘Memoirs of a Geisha’ by Arthur Golden as a gift on my birthday and it was indeed an ‘unputdownable’ book for me.
It deals with the life of a geisha in the World War years. I strongly recommend it for anyone who is a bit of an adventurous reader and also for the unadventurous one because it will open a whole new world to you. It has a rawness of life to it that might make the reader feel uncomfortable at times but it expresses the truth of grief and of life and of dreams very poignantly. The principal character, Sayuri, is like a piece of art who though very real in what she is always presents herself as an enigma.
Here, are two extracts that touched me the most:
Grief is a most peculiar thing; we’re helpless in the face of it. It’s like a window that will simply open of its own accord. The room grows cold, and we can do nothing but shiver. But it open a little less each time, and a little less; and one day we wonder what has become of it.
Whatever our struggles and triumphs, however we may suffer them, all too soon they bleed into a wash, just like watery ink on paper.
All in all, this book opened the whole world of Japanese literature to me and I have to say there couldn’t have been a better beginning. You might want to check out the film but don’t miss the book.
Extracts from 'Memoirs of a Geisha' by Arthur Golden
It deals with the life of a geisha in the World War years. I strongly recommend it for anyone who is a bit of an adventurous reader and also for the unadventurous one because it will open a whole new world to you. It has a rawness of life to it that might make the reader feel uncomfortable at times but it expresses the truth of grief and of life and of dreams very poignantly. The principal character, Sayuri, is like a piece of art who though very real in what she is always presents herself as an enigma.
Here, are two extracts that touched me the most:
Grief is a most peculiar thing; we’re helpless in the face of it. It’s like a window that will simply open of its own accord. The room grows cold, and we can do nothing but shiver. But it open a little less each time, and a little less; and one day we wonder what has become of it.
Whatever our struggles and triumphs, however we may suffer them, all too soon they bleed into a wash, just like watery ink on paper.
All in all, this book opened the whole world of Japanese literature to me and I have to say there couldn’t have been a better beginning. You might want to check out the film but don’t miss the book.
Extracts from 'Memoirs of a Geisha' by Arthur Golden
Sunday, February 12, 2006
I AM BACK!!
My apologies to all my avid readers for the absence of posts. Actually I had a bout of sickness and then did lots of travelling. First, it was lots of cough, cold and fever and then God healed me and then it was jumping into the car on Saturday last week and navigating our way to Leicester to the wonderful Hesed House, preaching at Melton Mawbray, an amazing community with lots of great things in store for them, then it was two days of Covenant with Bryan and three days of hitting the streets with the evangelists [that was a great time!! especially when we went door to door in Pontypridd] and then it was off to Nuneaton to visit the Living Rock Church [ok, i admit it was more visiting my dear friends Chris and Jacqueline Hamer-Hodges but I did want to visit the Church over there so it all fell into place smoothly]. It was a great worship time. God is clearly on the move among those people and it was great to be a part of that in a tiny way. And through all this, I have also gotten through 'The Memoirs..' so will post a review shortly.
Alright thats there for all of you. Now, need to get back to study, back to hesed, praise God!!
Alright thats there for all of you. Now, need to get back to study, back to hesed, praise God!!
Tuesday, February 07, 2006
Memoirs.....
I saw the movie a week ago, really loved it and guess what i get as a gift on my birthday [yes, it was my birthday yesterday, 21st] ? The book itself, so well, I am ready to dip into the vast world of Japanese literature, if I may class it so, for the first time.
It has been recommended highly so I am looking forward to it. Ofcourse, it will need an occasional return to the realities of hesed and hosea [thats the essay i am writing as of now] but for now just want to rest and get rid of all the cough that seems to have fallen in love with my throat. Its so hard to be so lovely. No one wants to leave you.
It has been recommended highly so I am looking forward to it. Ofcourse, it will need an occasional return to the realities of hesed and hosea [thats the essay i am writing as of now] but for now just want to rest and get rid of all the cough that seems to have fallen in love with my throat. Its so hard to be so lovely. No one wants to leave you.
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