It is technically supposed to be a little less hotter now, since we passed the Agni Natchathiram 🌞 (peak heat season in May) season, when we landed here. But Chennai’s heat has still not subsided one bit! If we go for a short walk to the nearby maligai (grocery) kadai, we get back, our clothes wet with sweat!!

But as weird as it may seem, Jeev and I are loving it! It’s been about 2 weeks now and we have already learned the art of bargaining with the auto na’s! 🙂 Annaaaa…enna naaa… ivvlo solreengaaaa… 😛 Jiana loves her auto rides… Jaden…nahhh… not so much!!

We love our conversations with the auto-rickshaw drivers. Last week one of the auto drivers was giving us his share of wisdom. He said, “Erumbu (Ant) kooda roada cross pannudhu sir… Evlo manasula dhil irundhaaa, traffic kosura paakama adhu cross pannudhu paarunga!!! Manasula dhil venum sir… Vazhkaila kashtam varum… adha dhairiyama face pannanum sir!!” (Even the Ant crosses the road in the midst of heavy traffic…. We need to be bold and brave to face our circumstances…)

Jeev and I were sitting at the back listening to him. I’m fairly sure Jeev knew this encounter would surely make its way into my blog!! 😛 Well, Sure it did!!

If you look around us, everything that the hand of God created, speaks FOR its creator!! I’ve always pondered much about the purpose of Creation. God didn’t create nothing without a purpose. If you carefully dig into it, every tiny creation has a purpose embedded into it, whose ultimate aim is to draw people to the God of Heaven, Christ Jesus the Nazarene.

Whether it is a tiny ant crossing the road or purple flowers with a yellow interior (splendid artistry right?) or a galaxy of stars which cover the expanse of the night skies, THEY ALL SPEAK ‘TO’ MAN on behalf of GOD!! It’s a WONDER how man understands that language. But he does!!

The first week we were here, something hilarious happened.

One morning, after we all woke up and had our breakfast, I had to come into the bedroom to get something. As I just opened the door, I saw a lizard on the wall quickly slither down the wall and come close to the bed. I screamed, yelled and ran out to call Jeev! He came slowly step by step to ‘see’ the lizard. Both of us got on top of the bed and slowly peaked in the gap between the wall and the bed. We could see the fellows tail. I got off the bed and yelled out to Mummy!!!

Mummmyyyyyyyyyyyyyy!!!!

Mum was busy with her work, so she casually said.. “Adi podi…, Adhu poidum” (Go girl, It’ll go away soon by itself…) . Mummy had no idea how much I was terrified, although I grew up with these creatures on the wall most of the time when we were kids!! 😫😫

So, Jeev and I had to handle this by ourselves!! 🕵🙅

Operation Lizard: 🔍🔦🦎

Like how David recounted his victory stories over the Lion and the bear before he confronted Goliath, Jeev recollected his childhood stories of how he used to deal with these guys 🦎 with the ‘Hit’ spray!!!

“20 years gap ayiduchaaa…touch vittu pochu, he said…”

While we were in the living room charting out an action-plan 🧐🕵🏻‍♀️🕵🏻‍♂️ as to how to get this guy out of the room and arguing over who will hold the broomstick 🧹 to hit it and who is going to get it to move 🕵🏻‍♀️, suddenly the lizard came to the living room and ran beneath the TV stand. We shrieked again and quickly got Jiana on the couch and made sure she is not sitting on the floor.

For the next 2 hours we turned on our brightest L.E.D lights 🔦 and searched under the TV stand at regular intervals 🧐. We never saw him after that. Mysteriously he somehow escaped out of our eyesight… (or maybe he is still under the TV stand… ) It was one hilarious episode… and a freaky one too!!! 😉

Apart from these interesting encounters, we also enjoyed one of my cousins wedding at St Georges Cathedral. We were sweating in our pattu sarees, but the Biriyani and the yellow Kesari was a true delight as always! Biryani at Cathedral!! What can beat that!! Multitudes of childhood memories!!

Above all these things, one thing that I’m happy about, the very purpose why we wanted to make this visit, is for our parents. They are delighted to have us here and we are delighted to be here with them. What can be greater joy than this??!!! Smile on every face, love in every heart and a God who leads the way!!

We bow before you with thanksgiving and praise, dear Lord JESUS!!! You make all things beautiful in YOUR TIME! ❤️❤️

More later!! ❤ Blessed day ahead!!