Piscataway!

It has been a crazy week here in Piscataway! Nothing seems to be working right! Its just one hurdle after another. Its Thursday and we are still miles away from completion of the upgrade. I hope and pray today will be a better day, although we have already started the day with a whole bunch of "issues". But like they say, "Itzallgud!"

Peace!

GPS - Great Pain System

My first night away since Jay was born was terrible. I missed the dude, real bad. I am not sure if he did, but I sure as hell did! But I survived! So I got in last afternoon and they hooked me up with a "GPS". So I started out on my journey "trusting" the "GPS". But the damn thing wouldnt work. It made go here and there, but kept taking me back to the damn Turnpike. So by the time I fiogured out my way to the office, I had paid like $6 in toll! So got some work done, and went home freshened up and headed out to New York. Met my Uncle and Aunt @ Michelle & Peters. Had some good Indian food and headed back home. Caught the last 20 secs of the Kansas-Memphis game, talked to the wife and hit the sack. And I could'nt sleep. I was so tired, had my own cozy bed, and had all the quiet I could as for. And I could'nt freakin' sleep! And then I realized, apparently my compulsion to turn all the lights off when I sleep has withered away. Since the time Jay was born, we had a night lamp on all the time and I had gotten used to it. So I had to turn the lights on the other room and boom. I slept like a baby. So here I am at work, hoping it will be a good day!

Peace!

Go USA!

So it is my birthday today! I have already recieved scores of phone calls from friends and family and I am so glad folks remembered! And almost every phone call ended with , "So, treat eppo?" (When are you buying lunch?) And my standard response was "Sure...soon!". Now if you are wondering what that is got to do with my title, "Go USA!" then here goes.

In America, you don't buy lunch when it is your birthday, it is quite the contrary! People buy YOU lunch! Pretty cool eh? I know the desis have a rich culture and heritage, but hey after buying lunch all my life on MY birthday, it is nice to be in a place where you get hooked up! And thats what made me say "GO USA!"

Peace!

Adios Twenties!

Dang it! I can't believe it is over! Today is my last day in my twenties! Tomorrow I will be 30! Some may consider it wonderful, some experience and even some an achievement, but I call it "OLD". I remember when I was 15 not too long ago, looking at 30 year olds and thinking, damn, he is old! Back then, I always imagined turning 30 would be crazily dramatic. Being married, having kids, a job and stuff always scared the daylights out of me! But here I am, on the verge of turning 30 myself, with a job, a handsome kiddo, a wonderful wife and stuff and nothing drastically dramatic about it. Heck! I even enjoy it, for cryin' out loud! Like I said last year, just delightfully dramatic!

So I guess, turning 30 doesn't change things much! Just a few gray hairs here and there! But it has been a wonderful ride so far! From leaving the city I grew up to a different city, from leaving my homeland to a new country, from being single and carefree to being married and carefree :), from being married and carefree to being a dad and careful, it sure has been a crazy roller coaster ride! Although, there were times I still feel I could have done things better, it has been a good decade! Grateful for wonderful parents who taught me the value of "people" and "time", for a crazy brother who still loves me after all the pain I have inflicted on him :), a beautiful wife without whom I couldn't have achieved the things I have and now a son, who I love so dearly! But last but not least my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave me a reason to live when I couldn't find one, who gave me meaning when nothing made sense and who made me perfect when I was a disappointment to myself! He Rocks! So no matter what comes my way I am ready! Bring it on!!!

Hello 30s, here I come!

I leave you with one of my favourite hymns, written by John Newton

Amazing grace! (how sweet the sound)
That sav’d a wretch like me!
I once was lost, but now am found,
Was blind, but now I see.

’Twas grace that taught my heart to fear,
And grace my fears reliev’d;
How precious did that grace appear,
The hour I first believ’d!

Thro’ many dangers, toils and snares,
I have already come;
’Tis grace has brought me safe thus far,
And grace will lead me home.

The Lord has promis’d good to me,
His word my hope secures;
He will my shield and portion be,
As long as life endures.

Yes, when this flesh and heart shall fail,
And mortal life shall cease;
I shall possess, within the veil,
A life of joy and peace.

The earth shall soon dissolve like snow,
The sun forbear to shine;
But God, who call’d me here below,
Will be forever mine.

Peace!

Carageous!

Well if I told you there is something that I really hate, then this tops it by a huge margin. Car Buying! I think it is one of the most vexatious experience I have ever faced. Since D started working, I have been hitching rides with everybody, including the DART train. Not that it hasn't been fun riding the train 4 - 5 times a week, but just the fact that I had to leave early from work, hitch a ride to the train station, pull S out of his work to pick me up @ Forest Ln Station and make him take a detour to drop me @ church, made me ponder over the idea of an extra car. Well then, there comes the question of what to buy! D surprisingly wanted a "mini-van". I know, I know. How cliche! But that's what she wanted. I on the other hand, was debating between a smaller car which was good on mileage or a bigger SUV, which was...err...pretty much useless! So guess who won! You got it...before you know it we were looking for a freakin' mini van!

Well now, where do we get one? So, based on the skills I had acquired over the past 2 years of looking for an extra car, we started. But apparently, browsing for cars and actually buying one are totally two different things! I just couldn't find one we both liked. So one afternoon we decided to take it to the next level and went over to a reputable used car dealer in the area. Although from the minute I walked in, I insisted on the disclaimer that I was there to check it out and not actually buy, it made no impact on 'em used car salesmen. By the time they realised that, an hour of "trying to sell the car to me" had gone by and they started acting funny. They were trying to intimidate me, force me and almost threaten me. But I tactfully wriggled out of the hands of the evil used car salesmen, vowing never to return back to a used car dealer again.

But after mustering up some courage, we were back in a used car dealership in a week! But this time with more research, confidence and of course an escape plan! And for the escape plan I had to call in reinforcements. With V on his way and A on the phone, I felt even more confident. We found the car we wanted, but then comes the part I totally suck at, "negotiating". I would have walked out of there with the quoted price, if not for V. We were able to get it down by a grand. Although I think it is a great accomplishment, I am sure V begs to differ.

So here we are, after 4 long years of wanting to buy a second car, with a mini-van in our garage. Hopefully we don't have to visit a used car salesman in a long time. But you never know!

And if you are in the market looking for an used car and in need of some good advice, you know who NOT to call! :) As always its all good! Go Minivan!

Peace!

Just Jewelry?

This is from today's ODB reading.

God forbid that I should boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ. —Galatians 6:14

Some Christians make it a habit to wear a cross. It may be on a necklace or a lapel pin. It may be worn thoughtlessly as a decoration or prayerfully to let people know of the wearer’s personal faith.

In April 2006, a Methodist church in the city of Dudley, England, found out that it would have to pay a fee to put a cross on its new building. Yes, a fee was required because under British law the cross is an advertisement. It proclaims to the world, whether on a person or a building, that the blood-stained cross of Calvary is our only hope of forgiveness and salvation.

Our Bible reading today tells us of the cross—the instrument of execution used on our Savior (Matt. 27:22-26). The crowd in anger shouted, “Let Him be crucified!” The cross is a sign of His death, and must not be taken lightly. This should cause us to examine what the cross means to us. Is it a witness to our eternal hope in the saving death of Jesus on Calvary?

While wearing the cross may be a challenging mark of discipleship, far more challenging is our Lord’s command that we “take up [our] cross daily” and learn what it means to follow in His footsteps (Luke 9:23). And that includes a willingness to practice costly discipleship. -- Vernon C. Grounds

“Take up thy cross and follow Me,”
I hear the blessed Savior call;
How can I make a lesser sacrifice
When Jesus gave His all? —Ackley

Because Jesus bore the cross for us, we should be willing to take it up for Him.

Peace!

My Pride!