HAPPY NEW YEAR 2011!

How time flies! It seems like only yesterday when the "current" and "hot" topic of discussion centered around Christmas, dresses, decoration and other usual things talked about in a family when the festive season approaches. You can well imagine how the discussion in our family would go with four girls - Robie (5), Janie (9), Patricia (13) & Nadine (16) - all having strong views. With the difference in age, their tastes and likings differ, much like when I painted our wall, all choosing different colors.

Did I have a hard time? Well, if you think I must be having a tough time, you're completely off the mark. Like Maria in "The Sound of Music", every problem has a way of solving itself and I can only gasped in amazement and wonder.

Yes, those days are gone, Christmas is done with, and we stand at the threshold of another year with so much uncertainty, yet the coming year holds a lot of promises. Some took to astrology to know the future. But I am so grateful that God created me the way I am, to hold onto Him for safety, and comfort for the journey into the unknown.

We just returned from the last service of 2010. Our pastor read Psalm 90. What a comfort! "Lord, thou hast been our dwelling place in all generations. Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever thou hadst formed the earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting, thou art God." Our God is God from everlasting to everlasting! That is impossible for our finite minds to comprehend!

I have been particularly influenced by two other verses from Psalm 90. The first is verse 15: "Make us glad according to the days wherein thou hast afflicted us, and the years wherein we have seen evil." It just simply means "let thy people have as many years of prosperity as they have had of adversity" or "let our occasions of joy be measured by the sorrows which have come upon us. As our sufferings have been great, so let our joys and triumphs be".

Over a year ago, at the funeral service of my wife, an uncle on her side while speaking described me as "unlucky". But I would never label myself "unlucky". During my earthly journey of 43 years I have seen generous doses of God's goodness and mercy upon me and my family. The love and kindness of friends, relatives and neighbors. As her soul left her, I thanked God for bringing an end to her pain. As my youngest daughter cried for her mother, and as the pain of loneliness tore through me, I could still thank God for yet allowing me to go through all that. I knew in my heart of hearts that this is not the end of our journey. We strive for something far more glorious and lasting! Psalm 30:5 says, "For his anger endureth but a moment; in his favour is life: weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning."

The second verse is the last, verse 17: "And let the beauty of the LORD our God be upon us: and establish thou the work of our hands upon us; yea, the work of our hands establish thou it." This is my daily prayer - "Lord, what you have begun in me, bring it to completion." Not to squander time, opportunity and most importantly our works. We cannot establish anything, that is the duty of God. All we can do is take up a job, do it - Psalm 127:1 says, "Except the LORD build the house, they labour in vain that build it: except the LORD keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain." Rest assured in the supremacy of God's Word. He will bring it to pass!

Our last Church service of 2010 was also a poignant one. The Church's secretary read out names of seven members who were promoted to glory during the year. The pastor offered words of comfort to their families, for whom special seating arrangement was made. It was so wonderful and so moving!

A few hours from now, we will bid goodbye to 2010 and welcome 2011. To all people on the face of this earth, it will be another year with just "one" replacing "zero". For the multitudes it will be just another year with all the ills of the past multiplied ten-times over! But for some the new year will offer opportunities to transform themselves into what God intended them to be.

And to those who walk with the Lord, the promises of Deuteronomy 33:25 will ring true: "Thy shoes shall be iron and brass; and as thy days, so shall thy strength be."

Let me wind up with this prayer:

Dear Lord, please give me
A few friends who understand me
and yet remain my friends.
A work to do which has real value,
...without which the world
would feel the poorer.
An understanding heart;
A sense of humor.
Time for quiet, silent meditation.
A feeling of the presence of God.
The patience to wait
for the coming of these things,
with the wisdom to know them
when they come.
|| W. R. Hunt

Cheers to 2011 and a great chance for us to get it right, finally!


May your year be full of love, laughter & joy! May it bring happiness, good health and peace to you in generous helpings!

♪♥♫HAPPY♪♫•♥NEW♪•♥♫YEAR•♥♫

FROM ME TO YOU!

YOURS TRULY

A most wonderful year is about to set on us, giving us new opportunity to enter the world of 2011. To begin with, the year starts with the date 1-1-11. Isn't that wonderful? So easy to put it in figure, and so easy to remember. It is my sincere wish and prayer that the new year will usher in more love, friendship, peace, happiness and... good-will to all my dear friends - some of you I have known for years, and some through Facebook.

MY DAUGHTERS IN THEIR SCHOOL DRESS

The past one year has been a journey of ups and downs for me. It was also a journey of rediscovering myself as much as it was a journey of healing. It was in December 2009 that I joined Facebook, two months after the home-going of my wonderful wife. As I fought against loneliness, pain and shame, I turned to Facebook to find new friends with whom I could share some of my deepest thoughts.

Looking back from today's reality, I must confess that I got more than what I bargained for. Not only was I able to make new friends and acquaintances but I was also able to rediscover for myself the joy of living. What more could I ask for?

YOURS TRULY

My search for old friends led me to renew contact with an old, old friend after a gap of 24 years. I last saw him in Hyderabad way back in 1986, and Facebook brought us together recently. I was also able to re-establish friendship with a female friend with whom I lost contact for the past 16 years. And I have had the joy and privilege of making new friends by the hundreds.

CHRISTMAS 2010

Unfortunately, after I reached the limit set by Facebook I had to trim some friends who I thought might not mind having them removed as friends. I feel bad about it but I really have no other choice. Otherwise, I need to start a fan page and people need to LIKE me. And I detest that.

The Facebook platform is unique. You can make personal contacts, reach out to others, share ideas and even use it as a marketing tool. 

Fully knowing the immense potential of the internet, I was led to start || Verses & Inspirations (on Facebook) || In Memoriam: Mrs. Khomting Vaiphei (on Facebook) || Huithiang! (on Blogger) || @TheGodTweeter (on Twitter) || @Huithiang (on Twitter) || @TheTweeterBible (on Twitter) and The Authorized Bible (on Facebook) || with a combined reach of about 75,000 people in more than 100 countries.

Isn't that amazing?

Out of despair and grief God helped me touch lives around the world. I share quotes, jokes, anecdotes, ideas, Bible verses, and short inspirational stories and personal experiences. It has been a most satisfying journey. It has been both a joy and a blessing to touch lives around the world.

ME & MY DAUGHTERS

And to all friends who have stood by me and helped spread the Word and to all friends who have expressed their sympathies and love - I say "THANKS" from the bottom of my heart.

Let's all look forward to the New Year with hope and anticipation!

And the best thing about the future is that it comes one day at a time!

A LITTLE BIT OF JOY

Twenty years ago, I drove a cab for a living. It was a cowboy's life, a life for someone who wanted no boss. What I didn't realize was that it was also a ministry. Because I drove the night shift, my cab became a moving confessional. 

Passengers climbed in, sat behind me in total anonymity, and told me about their lives. I encountered people whose lives amazed me, ennobled me, made me laugh and weep. But none touched me more than a woman I picked up late one August night. 

I responded to a call from a small brick four-plex in a quiet part of town. I assumed I was being sent to pick up some party-ers, or someone who had just had a fight with a lover, or a worker heading to an early shift at some factory in the industrial part of town.

When I arrived at 2:30 am, the building was dark except for a single light in a ground floor window. Under these circumstances, many drivers would just honk once or twice, wait a minute, then drive away. But I had seen too many poor people who depended on taxis as their only means of transportation. 

Unless a situation smelled of danger, I always went to the door. This passenger might be someone who needed my assistance, I reasoned to myself. So I walked to the door and knocked. 

"Just a minute," answered a frail, elderly voice. 

I could hear something being dragged across the floor. After a long pause, the door opened. A small woman in her 80s stood before me. She was wearing a print dress and a pillbox hat with a veil pinned on it, like somebody out of a 1940's movie. 

By her side was a small nylon suitcase. The apartment looked as if no one had lived in it for years. All the furniture was covered with sheets. There were no clocks on the walls, no knick- knacks or utensils on the counters. In the corner was a cardboard box filled with photos and glassware. 

"Would you carry my bag out to the car?" she said. 

I took the suitcase to the cab, then returned to assist the woman. She took my arm and we walked slowly toward the curb. She kept thanking me for my kindness. 

"It's nothing," I told her. "I just try to treat my passengers the way I would want my mother treated." 

"Oh, you're such a good boy," she said. 

When we got in the cab, she gave me an address, then asked, "Could you drive through downtown?" 

"It's not the shortest way," I answered quickly. 

"Oh, I don't mind," she said. "I'm in no hurry. I'm on my way to a hospice". 

I looked in the rear view mirror. Her eyes were glistening. 

"I don't have any family left," she continued. "The doctor says I don't have very long." 

I quietly reached over and shut off the meter. "What route would you like me to take?" I asked. 

For the next two hours, we drove through the city. She showed me the building where she had once worked as an elevator operator. We drove through the neighborhood where she and her husband had lived when they were newlyweds. 

She had me pull up in front of a furniture warehouse that had once been a ballroom where she had gone dancing as a girl. Sometimes she'd ask me to slow in front of a particular building or corner and would sit staring into the darkness, saying nothing. 

As the first hint of sun was creasing the horizon, she suddenly said, I'm tired. Let's go now." 

We drove in silence to the address she had given me. It was a low building, like a small convalescent home, with a driveway that passed under a portico. Two orderlies came out to the cab as soon as we pulled up. 

They were attentive, watching her every move. They must have been expecting her. I opened the trunk and took the small suitcase to the door. The woman was already seated in a wheelchair. 

"How much do I owe you?" she asked, reaching into her purse. 

"Nothing," I said. 

"You have to make a living," she answered. 

"There are other passengers," I responded. 

Almost without thinking, I bent and gave her a hug. She held onto me tightly. 

"You gave an old woman a little moment of joy," she said. "Thank you, Dear." 

I squeezed her hand, then walked into the dim morning light. Behind me, a door shut. It was the sound of the closing of a life. 

I didn't pick up any more passengers that shift. I drove aimlessly, lost in thought. For the rest of that day, I could hardly talk. What if that woman had gotten an angry driver, or one who was impatient to end his shift? What if I had refused to take the run, or had honked once, then driven away? 

On a quick review, I don't think that I have done very many more important things in my life. 

We're conditioned to think that our lives revolve around great moments. But great moments often catch us unaware - beautifully wrapped in what others may consider small ones || Author Unknown

REFUGE FROM THE STORM

Years ago a farmer owned land along the Atlantic sea-coast. He constantly advertised for hired hands. Most people were reluctant to work on farms along the Atlantic. They dreaded the awful storms that raged across the Atlantic, wreaking havoc on the buildings and crops. 

As the farmer interviewed applicants for the job, he received a steady stream of refusals. 

Finally, a short, thin man, well past middle age, approached the farmer. "Are you a good farmhand?" the farmer asked him. "Well, I can sleep when the wind blows," answered the little man. Although puzzled by this answer, the farmer, desperate for help, hired him.

The little man worked well around the farm, busy from dawn to dusk,and the farmer felt satisfied with the man's work.

Then one night the wind howled loudly in from offshore. Jumping out of bed, the farmer grabbed a lantern and rushed next door to the hired hand's sleeping quarters. He shook the little man and yelled,"Get up! A storm is coming! Tie things down before they blow away!"

The little man rolled over in bed and said firmly, "No sir. I told you, I can sleep when the wind blows." Enraged by the old man's response, the farmer was tempted to fire him on the spot. Instead, he hurried outside to prepare for the storm.

To his amazement, he discovered that all of the haystacks had been covered with tarpaulins. The cows were in the barn, the chickens were in the coops, and the doors were barred. The shutters were tightly secured. Everything was tied down. Nothing could blow away.

The farmer then understood what his hired hand meant, and he returned to bed to also sleep while the wind blew.

When you're prepared, you have nothing to fear.Can you sleep when the wind blows through your life?The hired hand in the story was able to sleep because he had secured the farm against the storm.

We secure ourselves against the storms of life by grounding ourselves firmly in the Word of God.

MOUNTAIN-MOVING FAITH

A small congregation in the foothills of the Great Smokies built a new sanctuary on a piece of land willed to them by a church member. Ten days before the new church was to open, the local building inspector informed the pastor that the parking lot was inadequate for the size of the building. Until the church doubled the size of the parking lot, they would not be able to use the new sanctuary.

Unfortunately, the church with its undersized parking lot had used every inch of their land except for the mountain against which it had been built. In order to build more parking spaces, they would have to move the mountain out of the back yard.

Undaunted, the pastor announced the next Sunday morning that he would meet that evening with all members who had "mountain-moving faith". They would hold a prayer session asking God to remove the mountain from the back yard and to somehow provide enough money to have it paved and painted before the scheduled opening dedication service the following week.

At the appointed time, 24 of the congregation's 300 members assembled for prayer. They prayed for nearly three hours. At ten o'clock the pastor said the final "Amen". "We'll open next Sunday as scheduled," he assured everyone. "God has never let us down before, and I believe He will be faithful this time too."

The next morning as he was working in his study there came a loud knock at his door. When he called "come in", a rough looking construction foreman appeared, removing his hard hat as he entered.

"Excuse me, Reverend. I'm from Acme Construction Company over in the next county. We're building a huge new shopping mall over there and we need some fill dirt. Would you be willing to sell us a chunk of that mountain behind the church? We'll pay you for the dirt we remove and pave all the exposed area free of charge, if we can have it right away. We can't do anything else until we get the dirt in and allow it to settle properly."

The little church was dedicated the next Sunday as originally planned and there were far more members with "mountain-moving faith" on opening Sunday than there had been the previous week!