20 out of 20 Finally

It is around 9PM and Ajo just boarded his flight from Atlanta. I have been blogging every day for the past 20 days since Ajo left. I do not know why I started blogging but I am thinking that I wanted a memory of our separation penned.

Three weeks seemed like eternity when Ajo left to Atlanta. But now it is almost over. I am praying for his safe landing in NY. I hope he will be able to find peace and comfort in the scriptures. I am particularly happy that he is coming back before his 31st birthday.

It was an interesting 3 weeks. We had very minimum conversations. Our lives were very separate. Ajo in particular got a lot of time to himself which he enjoyed. There was one weekend we did not talk at all. Two nights - Hurricane night & the Noreaster night - I was a little shaken and fearful to sleep alone in our room. Even with the advance of technology and with both of us having iphones, not once we did 'Facetime'. There was no need for it. We were sufficient, we were busy in our worlds, and we were content in what life gave us. Perhaps, some of what I am writing needs a second look or perhaps I need a second look at myself.  We are both incredibly blessed to have the Lord  who continually have mercy on us.

Today, I went to my pediatrics clinical again. We had Indian food for lunch provided by a local pharmacy. I am thankful for the opportunities got gives me in my life.

As I am blogging I am following Ajo's flight on flight status updates.

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Updates: Ajo arrived last night around 1045am. I was  so happy that he got to sit next to kids who entertained him which took his mind off the flight. It is good to have you home!

19 out of 20 Finally the 2nd exam

Due to hurricane Sandy, exam 2 for pediatrics was pushed forward two weeks. Today we finally took the exam. A lot of us want the class to be over soon but we have a good amount of material to cover and our semester has been extended due to Sandy.

I woke up this morning. I cannot say I studied enough. My mind has been wandering here and there for the past 2 weeks. I went to school early and reviewed some material. After the exam, I felt like my brain was fried. I thought it was a fair exam but despite of all the studying that I did, there were a lot of questions that I wasn't sure about.

We had class after the exam. I stopped to see my nephew and my parents after class. When I came home, I just wanted to hit the bed. I talked to Ajo for about 20 minutes yesterday perhaps the most time I spent on the phone since he left. His training is almost done. He had one more night and one more day in Atlanta. He is expected to arrive tomorrow night.

18 out of 20 - Never the Same

Today I went to clinical in the morning. I was able to give a ride to the medical assistant. I talked to her for awhile. She was warm and joyful even in all her problems which is faced in her life. I hope to connect with her. The toner of the printer ran out today. A new toner was opened which spilled a lot of toner black carbon. I cleaned it up with a napkin without realizing that inhaling and ingesting the black carbon is harmful in many ways. It got me worried for awhile. I tired to research what were the repercussion and it was not calming. I pray that I will be fine.

Many days I come home after clinicals with feeling of inadequacy. Again, the way God has everything planned out is so intricate than I could possibly imagine. That means I have to work harder and see what I am lacking in my knowledge base.

Every time I go to pediatrics clinical, I come home feeling a little sick. It is like my immune system gets easily attacked by the common viruses that affects kids. Should I be a little worried?

Today I watched this incredible 15 minute video "Never the Same" that totally captured my heart. God calls people into places and uses incredible hearts to share the Gospel. Such an incredible testimony of God's work.  After I googled Papua, Indonesia, I was amazed.

When Gospel enters the heart of men, when God himself walks in that door of your heart, when Jesus in His mercy has compassion to bring light to our darkness, YOU ARE NEVER THE SAME. You are forgiven, accepted, and changed forever.

http://vimeo.com/pioneersusa/neverthesame

I went to sleep early yesterday. Ajo called me saying that he is doing some shopping at Target in preparation for his return on Friday.

17 out of 20 - Blessed for 37 years

Today, I went to my pediatric clinical site. It was a slow day which I really enjoyed. I am getting a little used to the population that I am the least comfortable with.

Praying for my co-workers and people I come in contact at work place has always been a challenge. This morning I spent some time praying for all the people that make up 7+ hours of my day. Between rest, sleep, time for self-care and other miscellaneous obligations in your life, the remainder of 1 or may be 2 hr (if your are lucky) you end up spending with your family. That is truly craziness.

Today is my parent's wedding anniversary. When I look back at broken families in this country alone, I can totally admit how immensely blessed I am for my parents. I thank the great God for His protection and guidance.  I can honestly say that their marriage and all marriages are sustained solely by God's grace and mercy. I thank God for my overprotective parents who stayed together through  thick and thin, who never gave up during uncertainties, and who stayed together so that I could always have a mom & dad. Though seldom uttered, I am grateful for them as always.

Ajo's training in Atlanta is almost coming to an end. He has 3 more days left.

16 out of 20 The decision

Today, I was supposed to have a vacation day to do my clinical. I cancelled my day so that I could go to work. My day was blessed. I was able to make a decision but I had to fully trust in God that He will be with me in my insecurities. I definitely made some smile, and others were disappointed. I hope and pray that my intentions were humble and truthful and did not come out arrogant and prideful . I also pray that I will be able to glorify God in my decision.

"And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them." Romans 8:28

I celebrated my birthday again today with CDC staff. I did have a potluck lunch earlier but we didn't have a cake then, so my co-workers felt the need for a cake.

Ajo called me around 10 PM  via I was trying to study for my test. It was nice to chat with him. I can't believe he is coming back on Friday. After we spoke, I couldn't concentrate on my notes, words looked like mere letters to me and hence decided to go to sleep.

I have been truly blessed in everything. Sometimes in life your words or conversations are misunderstood very easily. I realized one thing that I should not pray about other people to change but instead ask God to change me. Help me to encourage others, edify others, and create joy in other even at the expense of my personal  desires. At the end of the day I do not want to care if I am happy or if I feel loved but have a peace that God is the only want that can provide what my soul yearns for.
I do not want to interrupt other people's schedule, their agenda, or their life neither do I want to called a person who is too inquisitive.

Help me in my challenges I pray!

15 out of 20 You are working all things out

Woke up this morning and decided to spent some time in prayer. I think I needed it so much. I don't know what I would do if I didn't have Jesus in my life

I happen to read this:

“No human being was ever meant to be the source of personal joy and contentment for someone else. Your spouse, your friends, and your children cannot be the sources of your identity. When you seek to define who you are through those relationships, you are asking another sinner to be your personal messiah, to give you the inward rest of soul that only God can give.

"Only when I have sought my identity in the proper place (in my relationship with God) am I able to put you in the proper place as well. When I relate to you knowing that I am God’s child and the recipient of his grace, I am able to serve and love you.

"However, if I am seeking to get identity from you, I will watch you too closely. I will become acutely aware of your weaknesses and failures. I will become overly critical, frustrated, and angry. I will be angry not because you are a sinner, but because you have failed to deliver the one thing I seek from you: identity.

"When I remember that Christ has given me everything I need to be the person he has designed me to be, I am free to serve and love you. When I know who I am, I am free to be humble, gentle, patient, forbearing, and loving as we navigate the inevitable messiness of relationships.”

-- Timothy Lane and Paul Tripp

 This song gave me great encouragement. I think I have a decision for tomorrow morning. These scripture verses guided me a lot.

1)  Nothing is impossible with God. (Luke 1:37)

2) And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them. (Romans 8:28)

God is calling me to have hope. Hope is something unseen. 

God is calling me to have faith. Faith is something unseen. 

I went to Inwood Church this evening. It was such a blessing to worship God. After church two of us made a trip to the apartment of a elderly church member. I am glad I tagged along. 

I am waiting for my Ajo to call.

14 out of 20 The meaning of love

Yesterday, I couldn't talk to Ajo at all since he was busy. I wish I had a chance to hear his voice. I guess their is always a first for everything in life. I just prayed that he would be safe before I slept.

This morning I woke up early. It was my cousin's engagement service. I guess I did not want to wake up that early but I am glad I did. I felt this overwhelming presence of God in my life. I couldn't hold my tears. Felt a peace that passeth all understanding. How could I be so blessed to experience that?

I went to the engagement early to help out with something. I got to see a lot of people I haven't seen in a while. Smile is contagious and smile overwhelmed with thanksgiving blots out all shortcomings. I pray that the couple will come to know the Lord more this year. I read 1 Corinthians 13: 1-13 today. Every time when I read that chapter I realize that I do not know anything about 'love'. The depth of how much 'love' matters is amazing. The driving force of everything I do in life should be stemmed out of 'love'. It is then I can reach the depths of the verses in chapter 13.

13 out of 20 Strange and memorable

Today is probably one of the days in my work life I will remember for a while. My part-time RN status got changed to a full-time status. I should be super excited but I wasn't. I didn't feel myself. I said and did things that wasn't me. Doubt, fear, and uncertainty surfaced more than I wanted to in my actions and conversation. I was troubled and needed God's touch.

I wanted to speak to Ajo but couldn't since he was at training. I decided to write him an email when I came home. I think I got out a lot of my emotions. I am glad I did.

I have an exam coming up for which I need to start studying for.

This decision is not going to be an easy one I bet. There are certain times in life where things don't seem to be possible at all. I don't think I can come to a decision by Monday. I have to and I pray I can. 

12 out of 20 - Wet, White & Windy

Thursday morning, we woke up to see fresh wet snow on the ground. We welcomed our first snowfall for the season though it was not the best scenario. Within 7 days, a hurricane and a noreaster had made an impact filled appearance. Already devastated areas suffered more damage. The people who were  recovering from the Hurricane power outages lost power again. New Yorkers were simply not excited about the snow storm.

I went to work and then headed to my graduate class. It was a long day. I came home around 10PM.
I did talk to Ajo briefly since Ajo wanted to sleep early. Sometimes I wish our conversations were more filled with substance and passion not just based on an obligatory checklist. I bet it is not but it sure fills that way sometimes.

11 out of 20 Here comes Athena

Last night I couldn't speak to Ajo. I was waiting for him to call. Before I knew it, it was already 11PM. I was so tired that I called Ajo to tell him that I was going to sleep. I decided to go to my clinical today. It was a busy day. Again, I hope that I get better at what I do. There are things I am less confident in, there are things I am not skilled with, and there are things that I don't feel knowledgeable about.

New York welcomed its first snow storm for the season "Athena" just a week after the superstorm Sandy devastated parts of the NY, NJ & CT. Athena is to bring snow and windy wintry conditions into early Thursday. The wind can knock down power, uproot trees, and cause more damage which New Yorkers are definitely not excited about. I didn't know how bad it had snowed until I stepped out of the office building around 530PM. It was windy, the snow was slushy and it was cold. I managed to get to my car and realized that I didn't have anything to clean the car with. Perhaps, I didn't look hard enough. I scrubbed and brushed the windows with a scarf which I found in the car. I was totally unprepared for the snow storm with my open shoes, and fall jacket. The drive was not too bad, I had to take it slow in some areas.

Another presidential election is over. Obama will remain in office till 2016. He has been voted in for a second term. A close race with Mitt Romney kept American's on their toes until the official declaration late last night. Four years went by really quick. The next 4 years will breeze by as well. With that being said, the policies and the decisions that our country made over the past 4 years will affect generations to come. As Christians, the disagreements regarding right to life and definition of marriage should never be compromised as we live in this country. The other less important issues can always be a personal preference. At the end of the day, after hearing a lot on TV and following a couple of Christian bloggers, I asked myself the question -Did I cast the right vote?  If the answer is Yes, then I need to believe that God is Sovereign and there is an urgent call for prayer. If the answer is No, then I need to still believe that God is Sovereign and there is an urgent call for prayer.

After a long day, I can't wait to go to sleep.

10 out of 20 Decisions and Results

Last night I called Ajo and we talked for about 10 minutes. Ajo was watching a football game when I called. Training is going good. He has another 10 more days in Atlants after today. Time is flying. My breathing was a little better last night and therefore I was able to sleep last night.

I had a meeting with my Director today. I think the talk went well. Not sure if I really spoke my mind out completely. Regardless, I am having a lot of dilemmas recently even though every single step and every single thought up to this very moment had been planned by the sovereign God. Honestly, I feel like I am in limbo.  I wish there is only one open road. Life is not about what I want and how I want it. I feel I am to glorify God in my brief time here and I pray that God will bring a decision that would precisely accomplish that. I may get disappointment on the road and that will be something that God can use to change me.

I voted today! There is a certain power in voting. It stems from having the voice to elect the President of your Country people call home regardless of your nationality, language, or religion. I voted today not for the perfect man but for someone who God can perfect in the future. The depravity of any man is sin and there is no man without sin. Regardless of your registered party, or who you vote for, tomorrow morning the world will wake up to hear the headlines about the new President of United States. The work had just started. Prayer is the work of every Citizen and realizing that we are not able to change men but God is able. Our temporary residence will never be a perfect place but will be far from perfections. As citizen we start to pray for the elected regardless of who comes into office.

I found out today that my exam got postponed again for next week. The aftermath of Sandy left our School without power until yesterday. The power is back on but websites and all phone systems are still down. What a mess! Gas is still sparse. Another storm is headed our direction tomorrow. People are still with out power, heat, and hot water in many parts of NY & NJ. Families are trying to deal with loss of homes, cars, and lives of loved ones and friends.

I haven't spoken to Ajo yet and I pray that he is doing good.

9 out of 20 Slow Road to Recovery

Last night was such a horrible night for me. After doing so many home remedies the whole day, I was struggling with my nasal congestion. I was frustrated! I tossed and turned and walked around trying to get some relief. Tried heat, cold, ice, air, and other options to get my nose to take a breath. I couldn't. Nothing worked! I was getting more exhausted from mouth breathing. I prayed that God would given me some relief. After about 3 hours of agony, I texted Ajo so I can talk to him. I called him as well. I didn't realize that it was almost 1PM. I did eventually fell asleep but Ajo texted me back around 3PM and I told him I needed his prayer. This morning, atleast one of my nasal passages seems clear.Thanks be to God! Work today was a typical busy Monday. I was exhausted by the end of the day. I was sleep deprived from last night which added to my exhaustion. I have been struggling with this lingering illness for the past 16 days. After 10 days of antibiotics, my illness seems to be getting worse or perhaps the road to recovery is just simply slow.

Sandy and it's aftermath frustration continues. Gas lines are still incredibly long, power & heat are still not restored for many, and people are getting uneasy and feeling powerless. Another storm is on the way to the Northeast as per Meteorologist. In the midst of all these, God is still sovereign.

I had a birthday party at work today. Every one cooked incredibly delicious food for me. I felt so loved and undeserving for such a celebration. I am honored to work with some awesome people who treat and love others with their heart. I pray for them all that Christ would overwhelm their hearts!

I had the opportunity to deal with one particularly difficult patient at work. Difficult would be an understatement. He was quite the personality. Every word that came out of his mouth was rude and absolutely inappropriate. He was unhappy, upset, frustrated, and angry. A mix of emotions that did not complement each other. Later I was able to find of he lost the roof of his house in the storm and perhaps lost everything in the process. The conversation was quick but I am guessing that he had anger and frustration stemming from loss and uncertainty. He has to contact FEMA and try to get back to his house to pick up the pieces. I know there are things I could have done better in my interactions but I just needed so much of God's grace.

I am waiting for Ajo's call. It is almost 9PM now.

Tomorrow is election day.I still remember the presidential election 4 years ago while we were staying in Reno. Nevada.

"May God bless America, not because this nation deserves to be blessed, but because He is a God of grace and mercy.  Oh God . . . save us from ourselves." Albert Mohler

8 out of 20 - Message of Prayer!

Need is subjective. I say that because there are obviously need in one person's life may not be a need for another person. There are obviously various degrees and levels of need. Today I woke up at my parents house with congested nasal passages. I always feel blessed to have the option of mouth breathing. I have to say since I have suffered from allergies for years, mouth breathing is tiring to some degree. After breakfast, I returned home to a cool house, I had lowered the heat before I left last night. In the meantime, my congestion worsens, I have to resort completely to mouth breathing to get oxygen.I tried all of my remedies - Netipot, Vicks personal steamer, & Flonase to no avail. I had plans to study, I had plans to attend our 5PM service, I had plans to visit my parents to have dinner - needless to sometimes God has other plans.

I repeated my Vicks inhaler for 20 minutes and decided to listen to a message. I got an opportunity to listen to Carter Conlon's message from last Sunday on their website -It’s Time to Pray
Faith & Prayer and battling fear is some of the contents he talked about. His messages based on Mark 11 was spirit -filled.

²²Then Jesus said to the disciples, “Have faith in God. ²³ I tell you the truth, you can say to this mountain, ‘May you be lifted up and thrown into the sea,’ and it will happen. But you must really believe it will happen and have no doubt in your heart. ²⁴ I tell you, you can pray for anything, and if you believe that you’ve received it, it will be yours. ²⁵ But when you are praying, first forgive anyone you are holding a grudge against, so that you Father in heaven will forgive your sins, too.”

I took a nap and woke up feeling a little better. I am able to breathe through from nose at least partially. I decided I need to stay home today because lately cold air has been causing some allergies and congestion flare-ups hence I am missing the Sunday service. Really would have liked to go.

Ajo called me and we talked for about 17 minutes (our record for the past 8 days). He is doing good. I bet he is tired and I hope will have a great week ahead of him. He had a good time visiting friends, family, church, and just hanging out with his cousins. In one way, I am happy he ended up going to Atlanta instead of California.

My in-laws just arrived back from Philadelphia. They are tired after a long drive.

So long! I look forward for tomorrow!

 

7 out of 20 - Sleep Over

Spoke to Ajo last night and he told me that he can't wait to get out of the hotel room to spend some time with friends and family. Perhaps, that's what he needs to get his spirits up. I do not think I am helping.

This morning I went to Clinical and returned around 3PM. After sleeping for about 1 hour or so, I went to a memorial prayer for my cousin's grandfather. The concept of born to die is a hard reality of life. Regardless when close family passes away, their memories linger on and the grief process takes time. I am glad I was able to go and offer my presence because no amount of comforting words can actually expedite the grief process.

Afterwards, I went to my parents to spent the night. I played with my cute and naughty nephew for an hour and called it a day. I haven't spoken to Ajo the entire day and that definitely bothered me a little. We exchanged few texts prior to me falling asleep.

Obviously it was a little hard to go to sleep  in a different bed and surroundings. Life is good and God is always good despite my craziness.

6 out of 20- Here is Friday

Who knew NY would face gasoline shortage! Superstorm Sandy agonize people as life without electricity, heat, & hot water continues. Now it is down to gasoline. Lines are miles long at functioning gas stations since yesterday. People are lacking some of the basic needs of water, shelter, and food in the wealthiest country in the world. Relief effort continue in the cities and in areas where help is needed. Perhaps we may have underestimated Sandy even though East coast was blessed to not experience a Katrina like catastrophe.

I have been greatly blessed these days. Just to experience that peace and comfort from the Lord is  humbling. Work for me has been a blessing. Ironic enough I am seeking God's guidance in this time of uncertainty. Ajo finished his 1st week of training today. I hope he is enjoying his training.

5 out of 20 - Gridlocks

Today is November 1st, 2012. This year is just breezing by. We have exactly 2 more months left in the glorious 2012. I feel like I am most often not grateful for a lot of things I have in my life. I am so attuned to my comforts I enjoy. I pray for a slice more of gratitude to overwhelm my heart.

I went to work this morning but ended up only working till 1230PM since we weren't quite busy. Call it perks or disadvantage of working part-time. Did I forget to mention that it took me a hour to get to work?. A 15 minute drive today ended up to be an hour due to chaotic traffic on the roads. With limited modes of public transportation, cars were out on the streets like ants. There was a even a 3 person per car restriction to drive into the city. It was hard to find gas as the loss of power had affected many gas stations and the demand of gas had exponentially gone up with generators and the number of vehicles on the road. Not a great day to travel.

I have an exam coming up next week which I need to study for. Since Sunday night, I haven't looked at my books. Blame it on the Hurricane. I really need to get back to business, get focused, and start reading. Class was cancelled today due to the Sandy aftermath. It was good to have a break!

I hope Ajo is doing well in Atlanta. I sometimes don't realize that he is not here. I guess in our normal work week, there are instances (perhaps too many) that I would only see him for 10 minutes or even if I see him, we would just talk for 10 minutes. Life is such in NY sometimes. I would call it the gridlock of life in NY. 

4 out of 20 - Joyfully 30

My husband texted me from Atlanta at 12 midnight to wish me 'Happy Birthday'. His prayers for me are much appreciated. Apart from a few text messages - one from my dear friend in Alberta, few from co-workers, voice-mails from parents and brother and sis in-law, it was a quite day. Not to mention, Halloween was quite as well.

I went to my pediatric clinical today. I had a conversation about Christianity with the doctor which ended somewhere but I hope I was able to spark something. I came home around 6PM to a surprise package waiting for me in the mail from a stranger. Call it weird, creepy, or genuine but it was pretty interesting.

Ajo called me late evening, we talked for about 5 minutes or so. My in-laws had a surprise cake waiting for me after dinner. My dinner had my favorite rice and kerala potatoe wedges. Truly I appreciate their efforts.

The media coverage about the aftermath of the storm continues as people around the NY/NJ/CT area try to restore life to normalcy. New Yorkers are getting power back slowly, streets and tunnels under water are slowly getting pumped out and clean up is underway.

Joyfully 30

In the midst of all the havoc, I am joyfully 30. Over the past few months, especially over the past few weeks I have struggled about the 'turning 30' milestone. I am not sure what it is about the number 30 but sure it is associated with lots of expectations and associated gravity. The reason for my struggle is numerous but long story short, the Lord has given me comfort and peace and hence I have changed my entire attitude to 'joyfully 30'. I may have another 30 or more years to live or I may have less than 30 years but the truth is that I am 30. I am not here by chance, and 30 years of my life has been a gift granted to me. I am exceptionally blessed to taste and see that the Lord is good. A sinner as I am headed to destruction was redeemed by the precious blood of the Lord Jesus Christ. I can never repay for your mercy everyday and your grace still amazes me.

3 out of 20 - Life after the storm

Last night was quite a strange night. I was almost dozing off when Ajo's mom told me that there is a "burning" smell coming from the basement. After a closer investigation and failing to find any impending danger we had to believe that the source of the smell was our fireplace which may have blown off old ashes into the house due to the heavy winds. The smell gradually died down but when I returned to bed I couldn't sleep. I was scared to sleep alone and my mind was racing from one thought to another.  I remember texting Ajo close to midnight and our text went something like this:
Me: "Are you sleeping?"
Ajo: yes
I haven't really felt this way and despite of trying my hardest to fall asleep, I couldn't. I am not sure exactly what time I dozed off but it was probably early morning around 3am or so.

When we woke up this morning, the trees were calm with twigs, leaves and branches around our backyard.. The fact that we still had power felt surreal. I ended up going to work around 10am. The hospital was functioning in disaster mode with limited staff and resources.

A lot of  the damage from hurricane Sandy was not obvious in our neighborhood and it was not until I turned on the TV that evening, I realized the extent of the devastating catastrophe. It was heartbreaking to see the fires, and the floods, and excruciatingly painful to watch the reports of the loss of lives. I think the toll is 18 or so the last time I checked.

Millions of people do not have electricity and water. No subways, or buses, bridges closed, tunnels flooded, and hospital evacuations are some of the ongoing aftermaths from the storm. The water surge flooded a good number of neighborhoods and left people with no homes to return to.

Trees where uprooted on to roads, cars, and houses. Uprooted trees cost the life of many. The aftermath of Sandy is horrific. It will take days to restore power, months to rebuild home, and years to reestablish lives. The storm has left its fingerprints on the East coast forever and will never be forgotten to many.

2 out of 20 - The Storm

Today has been quite the day. I was able to go to work in the morning but able to come home by 2PM. Ajo had his 1st day of training today in Atlanta. I am happy that he is safe there.

Coverage about hurricane Sandy is all over the news. The winds started picking up in intensity around 5 and has been going on for the past 3 hours. Our lights are flickering from time to time, we hear occasional banging noises on the windows from flying debris, and branches are down in our backyard.

My in-laws just went outside to pick up Ajo's mom from work and thank God they returned home safely. The winds are pretty harsh and a lot of families have already lost power. I am praying for my co-worker Susanna who lives in Coney Island area. They just lost power as well.

Jesus calming the storm recorded in the Gospel has so much to offer us during this time of uncertainty.

Mark Chapter 4 verse 39
  There is sure power in the voice of God, our Lord Jesus.

When Jesus woke up, he rebuked the wind and said to the waves, “Silence! Be still!” Suddenly the wind stopped, and there was a great calm

 Here is psalm 29 - A Psalm by David.
 All about the majestic voice of God

¹ Honor the Lord, you heavenly beings
    honor the Lord for his glory and strength.
² Honor the Lord for the glory of his name.
    Worship the Lord in the splendor of his holiness.

³ The voice of the Lord echoes above the sea.
    The God of glory thunders.
    The Lord thunders over the mighty sea.
⁴ The voice of the Lord is powerful;
    the voice of the Lord is majestic.
⁵ The voice of the Lord splits the mighty cedars;
    the Lord shatters the cedars of Lebanon.
⁶ He makes Lebanon’s mountains skip like a calf;
    he makes Mount Hermon leap like a young wild ox.
⁷ The voice of the Lord strikes
    with bolts of lightning.
⁸ The voice of the Lord makes the barren wilderness quake;
    the Lord shakes the wilderness of Kadesh.
⁹ The voice of the Lord twists mighty oaks
    and strips the forests bare.
In his Temple everyone shouts, “Glory!”

¹⁰ The Lord rules over the floodwaters.
    The Lord reigns as king forever.
¹¹ The Lord gives his people strength.
    The Lord blesses them with peace.

1 out of 20 - The Take off

Today is Sunday, October 28, 2012, the long awaited hurricane 'Sandy' is expected to hit NY/NJ area within the next 12 hours or so. Preparations are underway, alerts are going out, and disaster plans have been activated.

Ajo also left today to Atlanta for a work related training. By God's grace he had an uneventful flight. Ajo doesn't particularly like air travel. It was definitely a struggle especially with the storm and windy conditions. God is always good.

This storm warning reminded me about Jesus calming the storm recorded in the Gospel. 
Here is a very comforting verse....
And He awoke and rebuked the wind and said to the sea, “Peace! Be still!” And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm.
From the Gospel of Mark


Ajo is going to be away for 3 weeks... to be exact 20 days. In the past 6 years of our marriage, Ajo and I have not stayed away from each other. It will be hard but the Lord is going to bring out something marvelous from this time we are spending away from each other. This will be learning time to love the Lord more, to love each other more, and to appreciate our marriage more.

Rear-View Mirror

Crossing Tappan Zee Bridge from Yonkers on a Friday evening is never fun. Bumper to Bumper traffic or at least slow traffic is a guarantee.  I have seldom taken that trip alone and today was one of those lucky days.

As usual traffic started way before the start of the bridge. Tired from a long day at clinicals, and adding to that the aggravating crawling traffic, the drive felt so long and cumbersome. Within seconds my thought wandered to Reno and how I wished I was there. The complainer in me came out and I went back and forth in my mind just thinking about how I hate traffic.

Slowly, traffic started picking up a little but still slow moving, I was getting closer to my exit. Suddenly my eye glanced at my rear-view mirror and I saw a lady driving behind me perhaps in her 30's wiping her tears. I watched her cry and wipe her tears multiple times. The exist for me to get off approached and I got off. She drove past me and that was the end to it.

I realized that very instance how my eyes are blind to the hurt in this world. There are countless people hurting every second and here I was driving and noticed one. My heart was crumbled yet humbled at what I was able to see. Who else other than God opened my eyes to notice a tear from a Rear- View Mirrow. That is incredible.

I have no idea who she is, neither do I know the meaning of her tears. I know for sure that those were tears of sorrow. I prayed silently in the car for her as I drove to my destination.

Until we meet again!

Ajo read from the following passage from Ephesians before we said goodbye to LK.

 When I think of all this, I fall to my knees and pray to the Father, the Creator of everything in heaven and on earth. I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will empower you with inner strength through his Spirit. Then Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him. Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong.  And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is.  May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God. Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think.  Glory to him in the church and in Christ Jesus through all generations forever and ever! Amen. Ephesians 3: 14-21

It was definitely bitter sweet to end our vacation in Canada and head back to NY. 

A cherished story - Meeting LK

We met LK for the first time in September of 2010. Wait a second!  LK is from Canada and you may be wondering how we met. Summer of 2008, Ajo and I moved to Reno. In October of 2009, a really close and dear person to us in Reno passed away. We met LK's mom at the funeral and happened to talk briefly at a prayer meeting. Meanwhile a year ago LK started her application process and planning phases to move to NY to do her Masters. LK's mom mentions this to us knowing that we will be moving back to NY in the summer of 2010 which was about the same time LK would be moving to NY to settle in.

I shoot LK an email a few weeks later which I never got a response to; only to find out later that she never received my email. End of August, 2010 we moved back to NY. One morning in September, I get a call from LK's mom from LK's NYC apartment stating that she is in town from Canada. At that time, I told her I will contact her and we will try to meet. Things got busy and I never called her back. Exactly a day before she was to head back to Canada, I literally got woken up from sleep at 8 in the morning and was just drawn to call LK's mom and call them over to dinner. Dinner happened that night with LK and her mom with our family. What a great beginning!. Talk about God ordained friendships. We feel so blessed to have experienced it.

The moments we spent with LK became memorable and a blessing to us. We will always remember worshiping together on Sundays, the late night fellowships after Chicken n' Rice, visiting NYC hot spots, walking the Brooklyn Bridge and many more other memorable meetings we had.

We hope to meet with LK every few years. At least that's the desire of our hearts. We pray that God will bring it to pass.

May our friendship stay strong, our families grow, and more over our love for our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ grow deeper.

Until we see each other again
May God be with us always!

To our friendship - Alberta, Canada - May 2012

Good bye to Western Canada - Day 6

Sunday morning, we headed to the airport at 8 AM. We were flying on West Jet back to Newark. We thought the staff and the service was much better than Air Canada. Ajo sat next to a 30 year old guy who was visiting NY for the first time. They talked almost the entire time. Meanwhile, I tried to get some sleep. The landing was a bit bumpy but otherwise it was quite a good flight.

We were back in NY in our home around 7PM.

A few things in Canada that was different:
1) Long daylight hours till about 10PM
2) Metric system - km/hr and Celsius
3) Seat belt law for the back passengers

Downtown Edmonton and Drive to Calgary - Day 5

We had quite a busy Saturday. LK took us on a quick tour of downtown Edmonton. Ajo took some shots of the skyline and we walked around the heart of downtown Edmonton for 1/2 hour or so. Downtown was pretty quiet, perhaps because it was Saturday. We drove around Whyte Ave and the University area afterwards.

We headed home after stopping by Don's photo to pick up something. We had lunch with a family we met while we were in Reno, Nevada. They were hospitable and we enjoyed our time with them. We came back to LK's home to do last minute packing and left Edmonton to Calgary around 3:30PM. Leaving Edmonton and LK's home was sad for us. We felt like in 4 days we became part of the family. We had a great vacation in Canada. We couldn't have asked for anything better.

 In Calgary, we met with LK's cousin and went out to have dinner with them. We spent the night at LK's cousin's house.

West Edmonton Mall - Day 4

Friday (June 1st) morning we slept a little late to catch up on some sleep. For breakfast, LK introduced us to peanut butter and honey sandwich. It was a great combo. Thanks to LK!. After breakfast we headed over to the West Ed mall, the largest mall in North America.

We had Brunch at Earl's. LK was right, their chicken wings are delicious. Ajo & LK had some interesting theological discussion I was sandwiched in between. I saw each of their passion and their individual convictions which may not be similar but regardless they both loved God. That is what matters!. Perhaps these kind of conversations are meant to challenge your walk, sharpen your boundaries, or perhaps even redefine, reassess, or refine your christian experience. I know they are meant to be a blessing.

 We walked around the mall with LK. The mall had an indoor amusement park, an indoor water park (the largest in the world), skating ring, indoor lake with sea lion/dolphin shows, mini-golf, a hotel, and you name it, they had it. They had almost all the stores that you could ask for and a great variety of restaurants. I can see how Ajo and I could have got lost very easily in there if LK wasn't with us.

We toured and walked around the mall for a good few hours and still felt like we needed more time. We had to cut our time short since we had some shopping to do for friends and family. We stopped by a toy store, christian store, and souvenir store. It took longer than expected. We had just enough time to have "Poutine" in the food court and headed back home. Poutine is a French-Canadian dish of french fries served with cheese curds and brown gravy. We enjoyed it but felt like it was an acquired taste.

We headed home around 6PM since Ajo's 2nd cousin and his family were invited to come over to the house and have dinner with us. LK and her mom opened their home and we cannot appreciate their hospitality enough. Two other families joined us for dinner. We met and connected with Ajo's cousin and his family. It was a fun evening/night. After everyone left, Ajo & I along with LK and her mom stayed up past 12 AM just talking, laughing, and sharing some memorable stories. Since it was past 12 am, we wished LK' s mom Happy Birthday and then headed to our rooms.

Road Trip to Jasper - Day 3

On Thursday morning, around 8:30am Ajo & I headed to Jasper National Park. The drive to Jasper was unexpectedly long. We stopped at Hinton for gas and lunch. It was past 1 PM when we got to the town of Jasper. Jasper felt much smaller than the town of Banff with less traffic, and people on the roads. We stopped by the visitor center to get some more detailed park information. Our goal was to do the Jasper tram and the Columbia Icefields. However, after chatting with the lady at the information desk, we came to the conclusion that we had time for only one and we decided to visit the Icefields.

 The drive to Columbia Icefields through the Icefields parkway was very scenic. We got to the Icefield center before 4PM and hence we were able to catch the 4PM tour. The tour took about 90 minutes and it was worth every minute. We were transported from the Icefields center in a regular sized bus to the inner parking area. The tour guide gave a brief history about the glaciers. Upon arrival at the inside parking area, we were picked up by a snow coach which was specially designed for ice and snowy hills with tires that cost 15,000 each. We traveled through the road carved out through the glaciers. It was an amazing ride. We had a 20 minute stop to step out on to the glacier and explore this ancient ice. When you stand on the glacier it feels no different than standing on top of hardened snow but to think that this ancient piece of ice is the size of Eiffel tower is just phenomenal. It was a little windy and cool but the skies were clear and blue. Definitely, Columbia Icefields is a  must-see attraction in the park and we consider ourselves blessed for the amazing opportunity.

After our expedition, since it was nearing 6PM, we headed back to Edmonton. On the way back, we saw a mountain goat, few big horn sheep, elks, and surprisingly enough 3 black bears and 1 grizzly bear with a baby. It was quite a day. We enjoyed our return trip tremendously. Other than some brief stops to capture some photos and grab dinner, we drove straight through to avoid getting back to Edmonton too late. We got back around midnight and crawled in to bed to catch some sleep.

Lake Louise and more - Day 2

Wednesday morning (May 30th), we woke up around 7 am, got ready, grabbed breakfast to-go and checked out of our hotel, Lake Louise Inn. We all slept really well and craved more sleep.

We headed to the picturesque Lake Louise. The place was incredibly beautiful. I guess the only downside of going in May was that the Lake was still frozen. However, the normal tourist rush had not yet started which was certainly to our advantage. The frozen lake had a unique charm to it and Ajo & LK took some amazing photos. Drive to Moraine Lake, our next stop was spectacular. The view was magnificent snow covered mountains and jagged peaks beautifully carved out to perfection.

After lunch, we drove via a so called "scenic" Bow Valley parkway. The drive and a few pull outs were recommended to us at the visitor center. The drive was definitely not the most stunning route and with speed limits of 50 km/hr the drive felt long. Needless to say, this was the least favorite part of the trip for a few reasons which will remain unmentioned in this blog.

We stopped by the town of Jasper at the Enterprise car rental to add me as an addition driver to the records since Ajo & I will be driving the Edmonton to Jasper leg of the trip the next morning. We then headed to Calgary. On the way, LK wanted us to try a popular ice cream place in Cochrane, Alberta. We changed our route to accommodate this stop. En route, we stumbled upon a beautiful isolated church in an open field with beautiful mountainous backdrop. We stopped to take pictures- the best decision ever. This was one on my favorite stops during our trip. There was something solemn about this historic church. Built in the 1870's, this church stands today as a reminder of missionary work of Rev. George McDougall among the natives and the early settlers/workers. It was inspiring to all of us. We took few of our best and memorable photos of the trip here.

After ice cream, we headed straight via highway 2 towards Edmonton. Drive from Calgary to Edmonton felt similar to the drive from Reno to Las Vegas. The only difference was the desert in Reno/LV was replaced with some green terrain. Two and half hours felt longer for some reason. We snacked on chocolates and homemade vadas. Let me you something, sharing a wonder bar by breaking it off inside a car is not a good idea. We learned it the hard way.

One thing that was revealed to us during the drive was the magnitude of  God's awesome and powerful miracles. They are reminders of His Grace and His love. We thank God for circumstances like such to remind us that He is totally in control. During our missteps, God graciously intervenes.

We arrived at Edmonton close to 9PM. The sun was still bright. LK was truly not exaggerating when she told me that Alberta had sunlight till 10PM. I just did not believe her at first. That is such a funny story we can talk about years from now. We had dinner with the LK and her mom. The hospitality and warmth in that home was sweeter than honey. It filled our hearts. Sleep once again felt great after another long day.

A Visit to Canada - Day 1

I have to say that visiting Alberta, Canada was not in our list of places until about 2 years ago. It was about 2 years ago, we met LK, a special person who over the months became a really dear friend to both of us. LK, a Canadian born Indian who moved to NY  to pursue her studies became a God given blessing in our lives soon after our first meeting. There is a lot more to write about LK but I will leave it short and sweet.

Though we love traveling, I have to admit that air travel is our least favorite. LK is precisely the reason why we decided to visit Canada. Ajo & I booked tickets about a month ago and was extremely excited about the trip to the Canadian Rockies. It was approximately two years ago, we moved back from Reno, Nevada, our epitome of the West.

We packed our bags and loaded our camera gear for an unforgettable trip. Ajo's brother dropped us to the airport Tuesday morning. Our Air Canada flight from Newark airport had no delays and took off at 8:30AM. Our ETA was approximately 11AM. The flight felt long especially since we were tired from packing the night before. We did get drinks in the flight but nothing more. I remember how the Lord's grace and protection was continuously with us during the entire flight from take off to landing. What an amazing God who answers every prayer made in dire need, who comforts every fear from beginning to end, and who constantly amazes me with His love.

There were two things that awed me during the flight. One was the fact that Ajo and I had seats next to the wing of the plane. There was something protective about flying under the shadow of the wings.
Here it is in Psalms:

  How precious is your unfailing love, O God! All humanity finds shelter in the shadow of your wings.  Psalm 36:7

Secondly, during the flight for the first time in my life I noticed something incredible. On my way back from the bathroom, I was stranded in the back of the flight for about 5 minutes since the flight attendants were serving drinks and were blocking the aisle. I think that was an incredible 5 minutes in the air where I was able to see the flight in a different perspective. My eyes gazed through the small tiny windows of the flight, and I suddenly realized that I was flying above the clouds. I realized that by flying I am experiencing God's mercy and his immense love. I was so far away from ground.  It dawned on me that I was so blessed to have this breathtaking experience. I wished it lasted long but I rushed back to the seat to my loving husband, clenched my husband's hand and tried to contain my emotions.

Customs and baggage claim were uneventful. We met LK at the airport around 11:15am. It felt surreal to be in Calgary, Canada. We were on Mountain Time and hence our day was just beginning in Calgary.

We headed to Banff National Park in our rental Ford SUV.  Calgary to us felt a lot like Reno with the rolling hills, the open spaces, and the snow capped mountains. Weather was decent with a few occasional rain showers. We arrived at the town of Banff around 1:30 PM. We spent some time in the Banff visitor museum, and had lunch at Boston Pizza (very mediocre). The majestic mountains at Banff was awe inspiring and just beautiful. We drove around and took some incredible photos at different scenic areas in the park. Banff Gondola ride was the highlight of the day with incredible 360 degree view of the mountains.

It got dark around 10 that day. What an incredibly long day for us. We saw daylight for about 18 hours in total. 

We headed to Lake Louise area where we spent the night at the Lake Louise Inn.