All for Good!
Renuka entered the house limping and calling out, “Maaa...” She sat down on the mat, twisted her right foot and examined the sole. “Ma please don’t sing your usual seranade, ‘All for good.’ A glass peice has cut my foot.” Mummy cleaned the foot and bandaged it with a sigh. Her piety was a big joke to the children. Mummy’s attitude of praising God with a sweet smile for whatever life gave could neither be understood nor accepted by the children.
Renuka’s family members were poor CSI believers. Renuka was in the 10th standard. A look would tell you she was poor. Her uniform, faded because of repeated washing told it all. Other dresses were which her mother brought from her cousins and relatives, ie second-hand. For that she would wait at their doorstep till they came out and threw them on her face.Beads around her neck and plastic bangles proclaimed her penury.
In the Church when everybody closed their eyes for prayer Renuka would open her eyes for a jiffy, quickly scan the twinkling salwar, dazzling jewels in the neck, hands and ears, foreign wrist watch of Indrani who was in the eleventh standard. If the topic came up at home Ma would close the coversation saying, “You people praise God for what God has given you.”
Thank God for second-hand dresses?
Lunch hour was hard to bear. Rich flavour would waft from Indrani’s side. All her hi fi friends would lick their fingers after eating the oil-dripping pork curry. Then they would have a jangri or mysorepak for dessert. As if that was not enough they would go out for icecream. That made Renuka hate her sambar and greens porial.
Renuka’s heart would burn to see Indrani go home in a scorpio car like a queen in chariot. Renuka would put on her old torn chappals with many stitches and walk home, holding the holey umbrella.
One day, a Wednesday, Indrani did not come to school. Her father, 45, suddenly died of a heart attack.Poor man was taking treatment for high cholesterol and blood pressure. Renuka could not bear to see the tear-stained, swollen face of Indrani during the funeral n Saturday. Her mother was brought in a wheel chair. Just a week ago her foot had to be amputated due to diabetic complications.
That night during family prayer papa read from the Bible, “Godliness with contentment is great gain.”
“Renu, why are you crying child?” Father put his arms lovingly around Renuka. “Ma, Pa, God has given you to me. That’s more than enough for me” she sobbed. Parents hugged her. Mummy warmed the left over lunch for dinner. It tasted like a five-star treat for Renuka...
Dr. Lilian Stanley
13 Church Colony
Vellore 632006, India
+91 9843511943
lilianstanley@gmail.com
Blessing Youth Mission
13 Church Colony
Vellore 632006, India
+91-416-2242943, +91-416-2248943
hq@bymonline.org
www.bymonline.org
Click here for more options
To buy books written by Dr. Lilian Stanley, kindly reach to us in the follwing address
Blessing Literature Centre
21/11 West Coovam River Road,
Chintadripet,
Chennai 600 002, India.
+91-44-28450411, 8806270699
blc@bymonline.org
All for Good!
Renuka entered the house limping and calling out, “Maaa...” She sat down on the mat, twisted her right foot and examined the sole. “Ma please don’t sing your usual seranade, ‘All for good.’ A glass peice has cut my foot.” Mummy cleaned the foot and bandaged it with a sigh. Her piety was a big joke to the children. Mummy’s attitude of praising God with a sweet smile for whatever life gave could neither be understood nor accepted by the children.
Renuka’s family members were poor CSI believers. Renuka was in the 10th standard. A look would tell you she was poor. Her uniform, faded because of repeated washing told it all. Other dresses were which her mother brought from her cousins and relatives, ie second-hand. For that she would wait at their doorstep till they came out and threw them on her face.Beads around her neck and plastic bangles proclaimed her penury.
In the Church when everybody closed their eyes for prayer Renuka would open her eyes for a jiffy, quickly scan the twinkling salwar, dazzling jewels in the neck, hands and ears, foreign wrist watch of Indrani who was in the eleventh standard. If the topic came up at home Ma would close the coversation saying, “You people praise God for what God has given you.”
Thank God for second-hand dresses?
Lunch hour was hard to bear. Rich flavour would waft from Indrani’s side. All her hi fi friends would lick their fingers after eating the oil-dripping pork curry. Then they would have a jangri or mysorepak for dessert. As if that was not enough they would go out for icecream. That made Renuka hate her sambar and greens porial.
Renuka’s heart would burn to see Indrani go home in a scorpio car like a queen in chariot. Renuka would put on her old torn chappals with many stitches and walk home, holding the holey umbrella.
One day, a Wednesday, Indrani did not come to school. Her father, 45, suddenly died of a heart attack.Poor man was taking treatment for high cholesterol and blood pressure. Renuka could not bear to see the tear-stained, swollen face of Indrani during the funeral n Saturday. Her mother was brought in a wheel chair. Just a week ago her foot had to be amputated due to diabetic complications.
That night during family prayer papa read from the Bible, “Godliness with contentment is great gain.”
“Renu, why are you crying child?” Father put his arms lovingly around Renuka. “Ma, Pa, God has given you to me. That’s more than enough for me” she sobbed. Parents hugged her. Mummy warmed the left over lunch for dinner. It tasted like a five-star treat for Renuka...
Dr. Lilian Stanley
13 Church Colony
Vellore 632006, India
+91 9843511943
lilianstanley@gmail.com
Blessing Youth Mission
13 Church Colony
Vellore 632006, India
+91-416-2242943, +91-416-2248943
hq@bymonline.org
www.bymonline.org
Click here for more options
To buy books written by Dr. Lilian Stanley, kindly reach to us in the follwing address
Blessing Literature Centre
21/11 West Coovam River Road,
Chintadripet,
Chennai 600 002, India.
+91-44-28450411, Mob:8806270699
blc@bymonline.org
