Letter to God: Thanks

Dearest Father/Abba,

I love You Daddy and thank You for everything You have done for us. Today I just want to thank You for the blessings You have given to me.

I am thankful for the love that is bubbling out of my heart by being overwhelmed in the love of God, feeling undivided heavenly peace. Which I think no money, no pleasure, no hard work/toil would have given me. I am reminded of Psalms 23 every word of the beautiful Psalm has come true in my life.

Source:http://www.thesongsontheway.com

Sometime its not words, sometimes its not images, not visions, not music, not any event yet you feel super excited and you know in your heart that God is great and doing great things for you. Thank You Dadda for all this You are doing in my life. May I continue to walk in Your ways and experience this heavenly peace and joy which is everlasting because of You. The grace and mercy which are new everyday in my life.

I am thankful for the Friends. Friends who makes our lives so vibrant, colorful, musical and eventful. Without them life would be meaningless and we would have no one to share, care, fight, talk, love, help and to make team. Thank You for young friends as they challenge me with new questions, they take me to dimensions I never thought. Thankful for same aged friends who are like the iron sharpening us. Thankful for elder friends who are guide and torch bearers, examples for us. I pray for all of them, they are truly blessing from You and our companions here in Alien land.

I am thankful for the beautiful Church and leaders who take care of us as good shepherds following Your footsteps. Thanks for the Vision and Mission You have given to our Church.Thank You for such sweet families God. Once upon a time I felt like an orphan but Your word repeatedly have said “I will take care of widows and orphans” even You command us to “take care of widows and orphans” and I have seen that Church is really that family which loves us and takes such care for us. I am thankful for this community and I am thankful that I am also part of this Church. Thankful to know that Jesus is Head of our Church and we believe strongly in Your words and that is our authority.Thankful for meaningful activities of Church which is there for us and all Church members. I am thankful for Youth meetings, Fasting prayers, BTCL, House groups and specially for retreats and Camps.

I am thankful for the Gospel Music.Which have made my day, I generally don't indulge in music, but if its praising and glorifying You, I can't just hold back, I am overwhelmed and awestruck to know such Awesome God. I serve the God who created Heavens and the Earth. I am thankful for my blog and privilege that I can write and share my thoughts. Thankful for fellow bloggers who are always there to encourage. I am thankful for my job, though I am praying that I will get some more work to do. I am thankful that I have completed half a decade working in gurgaon and it was joyful for me. Because when I came here, I was a small little boy afraid to stay alone and now God have blessed me so much that I am turned to be a blessing for my family as I take care of my mom and Rohan(my younger brother) what privilege it is to with a loving and God fearing family. Who stands besides you, love you and takes care of you. Thanks Daddy for making me responsible person who now knows what does it mean to be a son of God, and also to follow law not out of compulsion but in love, knowing well that Your laws are perfect and which provides and protects us.

Your laws are love letters guiding me to walk, grow, think, love and live as You desired for us. Thanks for the freedom we have in You, knowing well who we are and for what we are.Thanks for the Bible which we can study, learn and a way to speak to You, to know You. Teach us oh! Lord to walk unto Your ways which leads to righteousness and eternal life.

Your Loving Son,

Shushant

Half a decade part two jumping to Sahara and going through a zombie mode

{If you are wondering where is part one please read it here.}

I stayed in Aegis not longer than Eight months and it was time to go and grow. First Rajat boss left the organisation and went to work with Sahara, that was big blow for us. Because we were use to work with him and his ways. But then after few months he left the process was shut down and we were going here and there looking jobs in other process but then I called up Rajat sir and told him about the situation and he asked me to join Sahara.

Ugly me and PJ

That was it, I went there to give interview again Rajat sir and his boss Dhiraj took my interview and I was selected. But I tell you of all the years I have worked in gurgaon this was the worst of all(No hard feelings people from sahara). At first the process was kind of sick and I felt cheating people, though technically nothing seemed wrong. But then we were kept on retainership, more like having an unsecured job and directly not on the payroll of Sahara but it was as good as working for sahara. Anyways, I was the youngest member here as usual but it was hard to adjust here. Not only the youngest age wise but other member had big body and ego to carry themselves. Not even one person was same minded, except I mingled with Shree who was from Maharashtra who often spoke Marathi with me. Which would remind me of my school days.

What I learned here is nothing about the process or work but definately internet. No,one to blame because I was in night shifts mostly and what do you expect in night shift. No calls, no works just you and internet. I was trying all the websites in my known idea, I spent hours on facebook, gmail and orkut. Found all weird websites which you might have never heard and as result of that. Once upon a time I had presence over all then known networking and social sites. And don't ask where else I went because internet is huge and as good as bad it can be.Life was utterly boring here because I spend lonely nights here without work and without any company. And it was literally a zombie mode for me because in day I slept and in night I just sat with machines and try to chat with robots all over. And it was time I hardly use to see someone's face and to talk with any human because it was only one person early morning who came to relieve me thats all, I just use to say hi! To him and leave the office and go home and before I reached home my room mate use to leave for office and before he came home I use to leave the home and go to MCSE classes and from there office. And all those people who work in night shifts will agree with me, that you are so cut off with world that you don't even know what is your roommate doing. My roommate use to leave a letter for me and I use to do the same and for months altogether we never met and spoke and sometimes even life went without offs.

But good thing that happened in this era was I met one of my old schoolmate online by accident and that was it, it was a turning stone for me. I got numbers of my old friends and I called them and spoke to them and it was a turning point for me. To catch up with my old friends long after so many years.

Nothing special happened except I joined IGNOU here and started studying for BCA, unfortunately which I never completed. But IGNOU remains special for me because I met Ryan there and ultimately Ryan shared Christ with me and you know the Journey began.....

Half a decade in Gurgaon: Part one my arrival and working with Aegis

26th August 2008, Day when I came to give interview at Aegis, Sector 18 Gurgaon and that time Gurgaon was not as we see it today. But for me not very different. A strange land(perhaps I was even afraid because of new place and it was really lonely and far away land) but a place which was very far from Delhi but only place where I thought I can start my life again.(Because I was grounded then because I was jobless and doing nothing for a long time). I tried giving interview at a place where I was selected before at Intelenet but that went wrong and I was send back. So coming to Aegis having few borrowed money from Maternal Uncle and coming from another end of Delhi Mother Dairy. It wasn't easy to reach and find this place but somehow appeared here. Ya! I must tell you someone helped me by giving some known person's name and number who was working here. And that guy helped me, though doing nothing just putting his name and number on resume, but never the less I never know whether it helped or not but I am happy because I got this job and really had a kick start from there.

My friend Akhil and PJ

A small Eighteen year boy came to gurgaon from delhi everyday travelling in buses and sweating all the way but worth the effort. But it was so tiring that nothing absolutely nothing else was possible those dose except going to work and working like an ant. They often say people in their early days of working are most effective ones.

So second BPO job though first one was a namesake BPO with international client and here it was a domestic process. Learned a lot though. I must remember my boss Rajat Barua sir one of my greatest mentor and guide who have shaped me. By God's grace I got very good bosses every where I went. And also I want to thank God for the friends He gave me here. So I must tell you about one of my best friend whom I met here in this job. So this team was selected for Fullerton process and it was new process so we were the first batch. There is a different joy in being the First batch. But before we were selected and trained already a batch was trained for a week or so for outbound and we were mainly selected for inbound process and therefore while our training almost finished and started at the same time because Rajat Sir always believed in On the Job Training and he said start learning as soon as you hit the floor. So I was given a chance to buddy up with a strange, strict, silent, well dressed person to whom I thought in my mind “this guy looks very strict and being my first job I must respect him alot and I should make most of it by learning great new things from him”. And I was silent sitting and observing him and he never even tried to look back or explain but then I thought I am not learning anything and then I said “Sir” and thus we started learning. The more I interacted with him all my perceptions were driven away.

A Telle-caller

And that strange, strict person in real life is a very jolly person, a very very cool and calm guy and infact he became my best friend. And I can say God have specially placed in my life to show me way and to guide me. And because of him I learned a lot many things. And how from “sir” I started calling him “PJ” oh! Did I tell you his name, “no?” His name is Paras Jain. And we did everything together whether it was taking inbound calls, or shouting or conspiring against other teammates or bosses, helping them, having food, troubleshooting or it was playing TT.

There I started playing TT with PJ and learned a many other things. That company gave me a lot of hope, joy, strength to know the MNC world. Though it was fueling my ignorance toward others and making me more selfish, in detail you can read here where I wrote about this under the title “selfmade man”. You might have also read what I though about love in this post. So I had my few immature infatuation, where I like few girls but never told anyone.Also I met another good friend of mine here who is Akhilesh. I always call him “the de-motivator” I dont know if I am exaggerating I have never seen this guy well settled the problem is everyone and more often he himself expects a lot from himself and if slight thing goes bad he goes in depression and thinks “I am the only person with whom everything goes wrong.” The first meeting with him is unforgettable they way he discouraged me was amazing. I just asked him “ So what is your ambition what you wanna do in your life?” And that was it I got answers from left, right and center all my wings that grew over the time thinking I am doing a great job and I can help anyone and everyone. All those wings were trimmed well, I would say not just trimmed but separated from my body. I felt like a bird who thinks it can never fly after losing wings.

But he reminded me its good to be grounded and not to be overconfident. And whenever I think some proud is coming in me, I immediately give him a call. But he have been a great friend all the time. We both like to have debates on anything and everything. We can spend ours fighting over disputable matters. But we both think positive to build the nation or to be bring change. But we have never succeeded to take it forward those ideas have all the more buried under some lost stones. I don't know when we'll get together and turn those stones again.

Mind chattering: Knocking the door of heaven

Mind chattering: Knocking the door of heaven: Over the clouds I have my home Where love resides and is shown Life being weary at times I ask my lord to take me along I do...

Book Review: The Horse and his boy

Of course who have not seen the movie the Chronicles of Narnia and who amongst you don't remember Aslan, the Lion. Here I am to share what I think about one of the Narnian books I read recently called “ The Horse and his boy”(Chronicles of Narnia is a set of seven books).

Source: goodreads.com

But before I do that I must tell you few things clearly this is perhaps my fifth or sixth book which I have read and first story book. And I must tell you this that reading a story from a book is really more fun than watching it as a movie, there are many reasons for that one of them which I really think is the we interpret story line by line and thus not missing anything. When we read line to line we focus one by one and don't miss on any detailing of author want us to know. And what he is intending us to focus. Also our imagination can be far more better than the director who is interpreting the story. And we can be more imaginative and creative. Also we need to have patience to read line by line and enjoy every word, rather just watching the movie just for a short span. And when we read word after word and line after line the adventure and we can picture yourself in the boots of protagonist. And we don't lose the focus if we are careful to follow the author and use the imagination as we want. And the book keeps us glued until we finish and it is one of the kind experience to read a book and go in the miraculous world.

And special to me because one of my favorite author wrote this book C.S. Lewis. So do you want to know the author, Ah! I think we know him well but yet I have told you about him when I was reviewing the book Mere Christianity. But this two books are totally different, where the Mere Christianity will make you think and keep you engage intellectually and will tell you hard doctrines, the narnian books also keep you engaged but to wonder, thrill, hope and joy again and again.(And later discovered from a friend Aveek Das that its as intellectual as other books Lewis but it needs a different pair of lens to reach there)

Lewis have well thought about the stories and have kept the language far too common in order to make it easy for children to read it and understand well. But at the same time he have kept the central message as hard line, and thus making it a book which everyone without thinking of age should read. I don't want to tell you about the story but definitely I would tell you that it is one of the best stories I have ever read. I am sure you will connect with the story and see how uncertain lives are shaped and wove to a bigger and a beautiful story. Its a story where there is love, fight, war, ego, bravery, hope, faith, wonder, friendship, kings, queens, prince and princess and yes talking animals too.

It feels magical all over, the landscape, the river, the desert, when you read all that you feel the air touching you, some time the heat of the desert will touch and every moment you are thinking what will happen next. Like other stories this story also have great message and insight at many levels. I must say its a must read book.

Social Saturdays: Politics in India, The word war

I hardly talk or criticize anyone no matter what his opinion is? For two reasons one is I don't like to fight and have unnecessary arguments with no results and second is I dont consider it worth to argue with fools who do not understand and are determined not to understand. But there is a limit to every talk we do. And specially when you are a celebrity and you hold an influential position and perhaps you are the one who should not speak but work.

Source: http://assignmenteditor.com

My case is against all the fancy politicians of our nation who are standing up and saying any nonsense thing that comes to their mouth. And I don't know the media is hyping it up? Or they are just passing comments as idle gas as they don't have anything to work? Or they are old and have lost their senses. You pick up newspaper we are already bombarded by the news of terrorism, rape cases, murder, landslides, natural calamity, acid attacks, market crashing, few sports and other detail of how financial status of companies are going down and this news are enough depressing therefore our politicians have taken the responsibility to make us laugh by saying something funny or saying something that will boil our blood and cause to look into the argument with them and meanwhile from the back they continue to exploit us by many-many ways. They are happy to engage us in the Word war and continue doing the work they do which is to loot the money as much as possible.

Politicians the Indian definition of politician is changed from our a long period of time. So according to Indian dictionary who is a Politician: A person who is greedy for money and power, who can rage war just few words, who is not sensible, who don't know how things are defined, one who thinks whatever he says should become a standard defination of that thing, person who must have criminal records but not proved at all, person who is always thinking and proclaiming “ Isme opposition walo ka hath hai”, “Yeh hamare sarkar ko girane ki sajish hai”(Opposition is involved in every wrong thing that happened, Its a scheme to fail our government) who never teams up unless that is the way to gain power, who thinks self-gain is equal to nation development and public welfare, who is determined to help his relatives, his people, one who is bothered just about filling their pockets and nothing to do with nation. One who can cry and do “Halla and hangama”, “no seedhi baat, only bakwaas”.( No straight discussions only stupidity). Who is always busy in accusing opposition for corruption charges and if they have been accused they will say “I am ready for any probing but first they must answer about other accusation. One who knows how to use religion and other divisions to divide and rule the nations. They are just determined to change things for worse. Whether it is matter of dividing and bringing new states or using low caste status for benefit. Where satyagraha was to fight against the foreigners now its a new way to exploit anything(I am not saying all fasts and strikes are wrong). But “Bandh” for every situation is not the right approach to all things.

I know most of you are thinking we all know this and we have no choice. No, I am not here just to take out my frustrations and to start new word war but I am here to help and think over how we can bring change. We the youth are frustrated at the same time we are not able to do anything and this politicians are like termites eating our nation and we are immunized to this and we have learned to adjust with all this. First we must be uncomfortable(I know we are but we must express it and try not to adjust with it) and stop being the part and just mute spectators. We have to step out of our comfort zone to fight against all evil.

#We must participate in the politics(Not according to Indian definition but what actually it is), we must take pain to vote

# We must know (and more importantly do)our rights and duties given by the government

# We must be honest; by that I mean that we come out of our comfort zone and suffer for a while if required but must not take shortcuts in following and maintaining law and order

# If there is anyway we can stop corruption is the harder way by not giving bribe and may be suffer like giving time and spending a little bit money(but less than paying bribe)

# Doing the things right way rather than doing it easier way

I know I might sound like a school teacher giving you old lecture but I must remind you, if we just start doing this we will soon see the change.

# Lets come out of our selfish cocoon and help the poor and low cast, let the outcast become incast when we stand with them

# Change our mindsets, rather asking girls to change their clothes

# Give equal rights to them, by being fair to everyone

# Respect old people not only in essays and get certificates but willingly remembering well that we will soon be in their place

# We know the golden rule “Do to others what you would like others to do to you”

# Love God and know the purpose of your life,

# If there is anything that can bring peace in this world is Love, lets spread nothing but love and not just in words but in action, If we will love one another all problems can be solved

# Love your neighbor as yourself(Sounds like Christian messages but really practical to bring change) try it once

# Don't differentiate but celebrate the differences we have and if anything that can unite us is love so let there be one thing in our heart above all that is Love.

Thats not just temporary love is something which is unstopable, untamable, the greatest strength of all. By violence hatred we have not achieved anything in history. Lets give Love a chance and to bring the change. In all this political phenomena we can focus on our rights and duties but we have forgot that this institutions came later and for our welfare but greatest requirement for a human life is not just right and duties but its Love and affection. And if we have forgot to love then I am afraid to call ourselves human. And if we really want to change we must relearn and practically love. Love God, love ourselves, love neighbors and love enemies at last, as Abraham Lincoln would say “Do I not defeat my enemies when I make them friends.”

Book Review: Mere Christianity

C S Lewis is not a cup of tea for many because he tends to take a deeper look to every issue and likes and makes you think deeper than you would have expected. Very classical thinker who was one of the best Philosopher I ever read. Thats why in many places you will see his quotes. Most of apologetics and apologists will quote him every now and then.

Source: Wikipedia

I really like the title of the book and author have done justice by narrating about the same in the best manner. Its amazing that the book is actually a collection of radio talks which were later collected and noted down. But I am glad Lewis took the pain to write it down and it become a most widely and most popular book amongst the intellectuals and Christians. If you like reasons and logics and want to make use of your brain, this book is for you. Author gives very common but very connecting illustrations of many things in order to explain the deeper philosophy which have been lifesaving for me, because without those examples it would have hard to retain what the author intend to say. But a lovely book explaining the philosophy around Christianity and christian claims.

The author will ask you to think, he will make your mind open, he will argue with your will and your choice, he will direct you towards the philosophy he believes in but not a blind push but he will give all possible arguments not just arguments he want to push on you but all the logical which will move towards building a solid evidence on what he believe and why he believes in it. Not only that he asks you to think on those logic and see whether those work or not. He not only gives theory but few things which are very practical. In many of his writings you will find his examples are such which will make Christian harder virtues explained with examples and brought to practice. He not only makes you think, but compels you to follow them. He is not arguing or criticizing something. He is not sugar coating any of his views or while explaining the doctrines but he gives all possible logic and reasoning for it and makes it practical for us.

The book I will never able to read completely because I will read it again and again because as I told you its highly intellectual but yet very practical. Which really gives you some solid food to chew in your mind and very important as its practical. I am very thankful for this book as it helped me to get a very good idea and it shone light on many Christian virtues too. I would definitely recommend you to read this book. If you are a christian its a must read and if you are not a christian still it remains a must read for you as well. Because he gives reasons and logics for both audience and I hope you will really like it.

If you want an ebook please visit : Mere Christianity Ebook