Battery Drained

Last week, went to Bangalore with Dev. Travelled all the way from Chennai to Bangalore in Car. Almost drove most of the places in Bangalore in Car and returned to Chennai this Sunday. Almost at the end of the trip we were about to finish suddenly the car stopped all of a sudden in the middle of the busy road. It wasn't getting started, Dev immediately called two people to help pushing the car as they helped to push the car we were able to start the car and reach our places. Again for the next couple of days when I was about to start my car I could see there was a slight chocking and it wasn't getting started as it normally used to do. Took my car to the mechanic whom I used to regularly give for service. Before he checked the battery he said if the battery is fine if it only got drained we can recharge it, if the battery itself is gone then we had to replace it. After he checked the battery he confirmed that it needs to be replaced its life has gone and if I continue to use it, either it won't start or it can be stopped at any point in time. As I'm travelling again next week didn't want to take risk of being stopped in middle of the travel have changed the battery. These incidents helped me to reflect on few things. How many times we are running for others, others dreams, jobs, draining ourselves without even thinking about our self without even knowing that we are drained. Sometimes its necessary to check on our self first are we really charged enough to go for that drive helping others other dreams or whatever. Unless we aren't charged enough we need to get our self charged. Or sometime it might be need and there would be a need to change the battery, change the environment or circle or friends who are draining us to ensure be charged again to run or chase on the dreams so then we can then help others to chase theirs.

Enjoy the journey as you enjoy the destination

Like most of us I sometimes worry about things looking at the current situation. When things didn’t go the way planned and end up in a mess sometimes it’s tough. I’m very positive most of the time experienced God’s greatest miracles and they way he lead amazingly and also confident about the dreams to achieve and very sure of the Gods promises. I used to keep waiting for the promises to be fulfilled and the dream to come to pass, fail to live in that moment and enjoy little little things. Last week I read somewhere and it was really interesting as it goes like we are more focussed and obsessed about the destination and failed to enjoy the journey. That thought gave me a different perspective to look lot of things very differently. Also I realised in the recent times I have wasted couple of years without living the moment waiting for things to change or waiting for miracle or waiting for the promise to be fulfilled but in the mean time missed to enjoy the journey in the valley. Enjoying little little things. Still things haven’t changed as I’m still going through rough patch, with struggles waiting for miracles and promises to be fulfilled but I started to enjoy this journey with the failures brokenness struggles still I could live the moment enjoy little little things learning growing and hanging with few genuine people. I have decided and I'm going to continue to enjoy the journey as I’m going to enjoy the destination in a while.

Flat Tyre

2 months before one of my friend Dev wanted to go to airport to pick up his friend coming from Srilanka. When we were about to leave one of my other friend came and asked us to drop him on the way while we go to airport. As usual we often start at the last moment me and Dev delayed and we were about to step out friend Sathia also came. When we went to the car we noticed that one of the Tyre was punctured. We thought that we are delayed and we can't go to the airport. Sathia immediately jumped to change the stepney. And it was done on time and we dropped him and we were able to pick up Dev's friend from Airport on time. Days after I noticed the tyre which we changed from stepney the air was often less and I used to keep filling the air and it was often flat. It was happening often I was lazy to go and check for puncture I kept on filling the air and using it for some time. One day when I made up my mind to go to the puncture shop and that’s when they updated the spare tyre we have changed was almost gone and it can't be used by fixing the puncture its better to replace the tyre. Then we changed the other good tyre which got puncture ealier we fixed that and replaced it and it was all fine after that. It just a matter of not fixing the puncture on time as it ended up in replacing the tyre. Most of the time we know few things in our life is draining us like the air getting dropped often. flat tyre. We don't take efforts to fix the puncture, leaving that like that sometimes we have to end up replacing the tyre itself. There might be lot of things in our life we have to keep a full stop which is draining us or pulling us down from proceeding further. Failing to do so at one point we may be losing our focus and end up doing something else which we really need not be doing.

Under Construction

When I decided to start my business, I found the place for my café in the area which I really wanted to do. In Nungambakkam, I was targeting the area near KNK road. Somehow I found the place. As soon as I entered the place I realized it this is the place which I need to start it. Cos I had seen lot of places and I didn’t get it exactly in the area which I was looking or It wasn't convincing for me as it wasn't of the way I was expecting or I felt I cant do or bring it out what I have in mind in any of those places. But on this place I was so convinced, What all I had in mind I was able to visualize it fitting exactly the way I wanted it. But when you look at the place when it was just an empty area it was completely an open area. As I took over the place on the rental agreement, I worked with the interior design team to have the design what I have already envisioned on my mind. After the design drawings are done for the interiors as how I have envisioned it, I couldn't get started with the interior works. As I was applying for a loan and it was getting delayed. With the small amount I had kick started the interior work and I couldn’t able to proceed further. I was stuck as I couldn't able to arrange funds and it kept on delaying. After that only when some of my friends out of their way when they stepped to help I was able to kick start. And I was able to restart the interior work. It was almost an year of me taking the place and getting started with the work and it got halted for a long time with no progress. There were days with no progress weeks then it turned out to be months and then year with no progress at all. But later when all things fall in place everything got completed. It wasn't done as per the timeline I had planned but when things got over I was able to see what all I had envisioned what all I had planned everything was done exactly the way I wanted it. If I look back and see from the time I took over the empty place, the time it was under construction without no progress and when it got completed I could see how beautiful and wonderful it is. Most of the time when we get promises from the Lord we expect that to happen the next moment next day. Sometimes it takes days, months years for the promise to be fulfilled. Its very difficult to wait till we see what was envisioned coming to pass. It might be with no progress sometimes for months and years but don't give up, hold on to it. You will see the beauty of the promises when fulfilled, please be patient when you are still under construction.

Drive to Remember 2.0

I have shared one incident earlier about a Drive to remember in one of my previous Blog. But this drive which I'm going to share is also a memorable one. 2.5 or 3 years before I had to go to Kanyakumari for some personal work. Normally I always prefer to drive rather travelling in Bus/Train. Whenever I used to travel for long drives I take proper sleep before I start for the drive. Its been 2 or three years I haven't done any long drives. Also that time I wasn't having my car with me. I borrowed the car from my BIL for the drive. Also couple of boys also joined along with me to travel. Dev, Rohit, Wilpher & Paneer we also planned to join the trip. It was planned at the last moment and everyone agreed to go. As we planned at the last minute and immediately planned to travel I haven't slept before the drive which I normally used to do. As soon we started from our home one of the boys said he will drive think Wilpher started to drive and we started off. Again someone changed to drive in the middle think Dev started to drive and they gave me turn to drive when its almost late night. I was already exhausted and I'm driving after a long time that also without no sleep. As I started to drive Dev was already in deep sleep. Rohit and his friend from behind was glued on the road watching while Wilpher kept on changing songs. As I was getting exhausted I literally wanted to wash my face and refresh before driving further. I kept insisting wilpher to tell if any petrol bunk comes to refill the tank. He kept on changing songs and 2 or 3 petrol bunks he didn’t even inform while we crossing as he was so engrossed in changing the songs. I was already exhausted and I was literally needing to refresh myself before driving further. That time I could hear wilpher saying Annan listen to this song this is from some uncle he said and played some Gospel song it was such a boring song listening to that song you will eventually fall asleep. What I last heard was wilpher saying listen to this song and then I heard Wilpher & Rohit Screaming Annan Annan. I had no clue and I was just overtaking the Lorry how I normally in highway zig zag I just over took it. Dev had no clue and he got up from the sleep and asked why all of you re shouting. He thought we all were pranking him. Later only I realized I dozed off while wilpher was playing that song when we were riding at 140 km/hour. As I heard these guys shout I saw the lorry exactly in front of the car I just cut the car to the left casually and overtook it. If I haven't cut the car to the left and if I had driven straight or if I have cut to the right we wouldn't all be alive today. We all would have been crushed to pieces. It's the hand of God that made me to drive to the left at that Spur of the moment. Most of the time we take things for granted and we don't realize why God keeps us alive and protects us from many dangers seen or unseen when we really don't deserve. It's God's abundant grace over all our lives who travelled that day and it’s a clear confirmation from the Lord that He loves everyone of us so much and He has greater plans in our lives and that's the only reason we are alive. That’s the only reason He has by protected us from not having any injuries and not having any major accident. It was a greater realization for all us and confirmation from the Lord for everyone. After this incident this become one of my unforgettable drives no its our unforgettable drives for all of us who travelled that day and everyone will remember it forever.

AC's Not working

Normally I used to drive in my car to my café. Today it so happened I didn't have my car as it was needed in my family for them to go out so I took a cab. I often get frustrated whenever I get in cab when the AC's not working or if the driver refuses to increase the AC or the fan levels. I get so irritated and angry and I have literally used to show that to the drivers if they refuse to take the request. Today also it happened the same way I was about to lose my temper I just paused for a moment. I said in a polite way to the driver Annan its very hot I can't sit inside. When I said it in a polite way he said sir why don't you come and sit in the front. I can't increase the fan speed as I have changed to LPG it gets chocked when I'm running at lower gears when the AC/fan speed is high. I understood his concern. I went and sat in front of the cab and I started to converse lot of things he started sharing all his work experience everything from the time he started 20 years before till now and while I was about to be dropped he said Thanks so much sir it was so nice meeting you. When I got down from the cab I felt a complete different experience. Probably it was so hot initially in the cab but when I was in the journey it turned out to be very cool at the end. How many of the times I have missed to have these kind of experiences or would have given a better experience to someone. Just cos of losing temper quickly for not being understood/our requests rejected and was not in a position to pause and to listen to what others have to say. It's a gentle reminder for me to pause and listen to what others have to say or what others are going through before losing temper or showing my frustration even when our genuine requests are rejected.

God speaks to us in mysterious ways

Many times we keep forgetting what God has done to us in the past. Looking at our current situation we get overwhelmed by our troubles and trials and we don't look beyond. Sometimes we forget God or sometimes we don't feel like God is with us when we go through the rough path. I was in one kind of a situation couple of years before in a major financial crunch with no way to proceed with huge amount to be arranged. I don't have any clue of what to do. I was thinking will there be any way. Why God is not answering to my prayers. I'm not hearing anything from the Lord. Often we hear people say God talks to us in mysterious ways but we don't hear anything. I had a different kind of experience which I haven't experienced before. I was sitting in a church service which was happening in our Café at that time. Suddenly I received an envelope which was passed on to me from a little girl named Sara. She Just wrote in the envelope From: Sara To Goddy Uncle I Love your Cafa(Café). When I opened the envelope I saw a 100 rupee note kept inside it. I really didn't know what to say tears were about to fall from my eyes. I checked with their parents they didn't have any idea and no one has said to her anything. She just gave that on her own. I really don't know that day what message was preached but that day God spoke to me through that little child. That 100 Rs is not going to solve all the problems but that's the assurance God gave me through this little Angel I'm there I'm one who provides I'll take care of your every need. That encouragement helped me to push and run further. I still have that cover and the 100Rupee which she gave I have it safe with me as a remembrance of God's reminder about His provision. How sweet is the love of Kids who show that unconditional love without expecting anything in return. If you are also in a situation going through with having no way to go. No one to hear or not getting any answers from the Lord. Please have your ears and eyes wide open cos God is waiting to talk to you in a mysterious way to give you the assurance to proceed further.