Hello from India

Hello from India. Yes, the country of India.  Crazy huh??  Once again it has been way too long since I have written, as time does seem to quickly get away from me.  For the past two weeks we have been visiting this intriguing place.  It is a business trip for Barry and of course he REALLY wanted me to tag along.  Not tonight but at some point, Lord willing and the creek don’t rise, as the old timers say, my desire is to be able to share some of our adventures with you.  I am not sure I can accurately describe the various emotions of my heart during our two week stay here in India, but my hope is that I will be able to use words and a few pictures to give you a mini view of a vibrant, chaotic, hospitable, charmingly old-fashioned, yet quickly emerging and deeply spiritual country and people. 

I think about writing almost every day but for some reason it seems as though I feel like I need to put something together that is perfect, or at least something that looks like I have put some thought into it, before posting and that rarely happens.  So . . . my new goal is just to write something as often as I can. Some of it may be very random but who knows maybe on occasion, I will be able to put something together worth reading.

These past few weeks have been wonderful, exciting, adventurous, relaxing and yet a bit strange.  Even though we have been shopping and site-seeing quite a bit, and did I say shopping??  Barry is officially here to work so I have spent a few hours on my own and here at the hotel hanging out.  And while I am on that subject, bless the hotel staffs heart! I am sure I have asked more questions than any of the guests they have EVER come in contact with.  I already feel like a part of their hotel family and they have made me feel right at home.   The chef has started coming over to my table to verify my order and inquire about any special requests I have, not sure how all that started and all the waiters in the executive lounge have already placed my order when they see me coming across the lobby.  ALL of them have memorized my room number and know my name.    First I have a coke and some french fries and then later I will have a cappuccino.  I usually hang out so long reading and "people watching" that they start making me different fruit drinks to try.  I believe they are “non alcoholic” but who knows, things here don’t exactly taste the same as back home.  They treat me as though I am royalty or someone very important, and I truly believe it is from their heart and not because we are spending a ton of Rupees here  . . . . like in the way Jesus desires me to treat others every day and in every one of those “not so easy” situations.   And if they only knew, I’m just a chick from a small farm in Texas, and for those of you who don't know, it's called "the ogle farm" loving her very blessed life, raising chickens for "eggs only" praying that I can share some love in this world while I am “hopeful” and “buzzing” around on this earth, trying to walk in “His” way, believe only in “His” truth and striving to be “His” light in this wonderful life “He” has given me.

And I will close with something that was posted on a sign here in India at one of the local churches.

If you find peace in your heart, you will find peace in the world.  
~ ST. Thomas Church,  India ~

Tina