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Showing posts with label Mother. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Mother. Show all posts

​Who's your Hero - Blogfest


Picture Credit J L Campbell

Last week when I ​received the notification mail from one of my friends about J L Campbell's new blogfest initiative "Who is your Hero?”.  ​Without thinking twice I just jumped in and registered my name for the fest.

The day has come to post the write-up and I was bit confused about it, what should I write and about whom should I write! and hey, who is my hero? 

No need to think twice I said it in my mind:  

He is none other than My
Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
​No doubt He alone is my Hero in my life. 
​Yes, I cannot place no one else in that place. He alone is my Hero.

Of course, here the point is slightly different​, and focus is on an earthly personality who inspired or encouraged me.

My Parents:Late Mr, P T Varghese &Saramma Varghese

At ones my beloved parents  memory came to my mind, yes, I can very well place them in that seat. Yes, they are my earthly heroes.  Their hard work, enthusiasm, love towards fellow beings especially towards the poor and the fellow believers are great lessons to us (7 children).

Especially my mother inspired and encouraged me a lot, she was indeed a real hero to me. Yes, she left behind an exemplary life to follow. I have posted a memoir of my mother elsewhere in this blog few years back. 

You can read that along here at this link SARAMMA VARGHESE

​Their sweet memories are still lingering in my mind.​



The A to Z Blog Challenge Letter for today is "M" - M is for Mother


The Screenshot of a knol post about my mother
The A to Z Blog Challenge

 Letter for today is  "M" - M is 

for Mother


When I thought of the letter 

‘M’ the first word in my mind 

arrived is nothing but the  Word 

"Mother"


Yes, Mamma (Amma) or Mother is the first word one utter in their life.

Lot of things has been written about this sweet word called mother.

The story of love and even some cases bitterness too is associated with this word. 

I too posted few posts about mothers on this line. 

I am giving below one such link  for your further read. 

A mother Who Left Behind 
an Exemplary  Foot prints....


The other day I received a touching story of a mother, who lived or sacrificed her life for her son’s well being.

Please read on that story here below, I am just pasting it here for your read:


Eight Lies Of A Mother "

This story begins when I was a child: I was born poor. Often we hadn't enough to eat. Whenever we had some food, Mother often gave me her portion of rice. While she was transferring her rice into my bowl, she would say "Eat this rice, son! I'm not hungry." 

This was Mother's First Lie. 

As I grew, Mother gave up her spare time to fish in a river near our house; she hoped that from the fish she caught, she could give me a little bit more nutritious food for my growth. Once she had caught just two fish, she would make fish soup. While I was eating the soup, mother would sit beside me and eat the what was still left on the bone of the fish I had eaten, My heart was touched when I saw it. Once I gave the other fish to her on my chopstick but she immediately refused it and said, "Eat this fish, son! I don't really like fish." 

This was Mother's Second Lie. 

Then, in order to fund my education, Mother went to a Match Factory to bring home some used matchboxes, which she filled with fresh matchsticks. This helped her get some money to cover our needs. One wintry night I awoke to find Mother filling the matchboxes by candlelight. So I said, "Mother, go to sleep; it's late: you can continue working tomorrow morning." Mother smiled and said "Go to sleep, son! I'm not tired." 

This was Mother's Third Lie. 

When I had to sit my Final Examination, Mother accompanied me. After dawn, Mother waited for me for hours in the heat of the sun. When the bell rang, I ran to meet her.. Mother embraced me and poured me a glass of tea that she had prepared in a thermos. The tea was not as strong as my Mother's love, Seeing Mother covered with perspiration, I at once gave her my glass and asked her to drink too. Mother said "Drink, son! I'm not thirsty!". 

This was Mother's Fourth Lie. 

After Father's death, Mother had to play the role of a single parent. She held on to her former job; she had to fund our needs alone. Our family's life was more complicated. We suffered from starvation. Seeing our family's condition worsening, my kind Uncle who lived near my house came to help us solve our problems big and small. Our other neighbors saw that we were poverty stricken so they often advised my mother to marry again. But Mother refused to remarry saying "I don't need love." 

This was Mother's Fifth Lie. 

After I had finished my studies and gotten a job, it was time for my old Mother to retire but she carried on going to the market every morning just to sell a few vegetables. I kept sending her money but she was steadfast and even sent the money back to me. She said, "I have enough money." 

That was Mother's Sixth Lie. 

I continued my part-time studies for my Master's Degree. Funded by the American Corporation for which I worked, I succeeded in my studies. With a big jump in my salary, I decided to bring Mother to enjoy life in America but Mother didn't want to bother her son; she said to me "I'm not used to high living." 

That was Mother's Seventh Lie. 

In her oldage, Mother was attacked by cancer and had to be hospitalized. Now living far across the ocean, I went home to visit Mother who was bedridden after an operation. Mother tried to smile but I was heartbroken because she was so thin and feeble but Mother said, "Don't cry, son! I'm not in pain." 

That was Mother's Eighth Lie. 

Telling me this, her eighth lie, she died. YES, MOTHER WAS AN ANGEL! 


M - O - T - H - E - R 

"M" is for the Million things she gave me, 

"O" means Only that she's growing old,

"T" is for the Tears she shed to save me,

"H" is for her Heart of gold,

"E" is for her Eyes with love-light shining in them,

"R" means Right, and right she'll always be.



Put them all together, they spell "MOTHER" a word that means the world to me. 


For those who are lucky to be still blessed with your Mom's presence on Earth, this story is beautiful. For those who aren't so blessed, this is even more beautiful.


Source Credit:
Arun Kumar, New Delhi

(A Mother Who Left Behind an Exemplary Foot Prints to Follow) A Loving Remembrance On This Wonderful Day Called “Mother’s Day

A Mother is remembered on this wonderful day called Mother's Day
(A Migrated Knol)
My Beloved Father P T Varghese and My Mother 
A brief memoir of my mother Saramma Verghese (85 years) Promoted to Glory on July 8th 2008
Contents
  • July 8th 2011.        
  • Three Years Just Passed By...
  • Pleasant  Memories  of  My  Mother  is
  • Still Lingering...
  • My Beloved Mother Saramma Varughese
  • A Photograph with her sister, sister-in-law, children and & Grand Children.

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       Screen shot taken on 7th December 2011
                                             July 8th, 2011. Years Passed by...  Pleasant Memories of My Mother is Still Lingering In Our Minds...........                                   

My Beloved Mother Saramma Varughese:
Saramma Varghese
                   





















This is a brief memoir of my mother 'Saramma Verghese' (85 years)  who passed away on 8th July 2008. 
She was the first daughter of Mr. Thomman Chummar and Sara. Her parents were from an aristocratic family named Pappalil. They lived in a village called Maaraady, near Moovattupuzha town. 

She was brought up with strict discipline of the Syrian Christian tradition. Her mother Mrs. Sara was the first person (who came to know the Lord in their family) in her family to know the lord. Along with her conversion, some wonderful things happened in their home. Her mother Sara's father Mr. Ulahannan Kakkatuputhenpurayil was staying at Palakkuzha village. At that time there was no gospel preached or heard in that village. One day two evangelists visited the village and decided to do some open air preaching, they started singing some songs and was about to start preaching, all of a sudden an angry mob reached the spot and caught them and started beating. 

Their plan was to kill them and throw their bodies into the nearby river. One of the evangelists was Br. P H Peter lovingly called as "Peter Upadesi" (Now with the Lord), father of Evangelist George Peter of Chittoor. Hearing the news Mr. Ulahannan, my mother's grandfather ran to the place, he being the village leader, no one was brave enough to protest against him. By the time it was dark, fearing that the angry mob might attack them again he gave shelter to them at his home. That night the servants of God shared their testimony and spoke to the family about Christ and the salvation they could gain by believing in Christ. That was a turning point in their family and my mother's mother accepted Christ as her personal savior. 

Her faith was so strong and she started witnessing the truth to other members of her family. Her husband Thomman expressed his displeasure and was dead against to her new faith. But among the five children, Saramma and her younger sister Mariamma accepted Christ as their personal savior. Later they decided to take baptism according to the Word of God. The news spread throughout the village and it was shocking news to the relatives and the nominal orthodox Christian society. The Orthodox Syrian Jacobite Church ex-communicated them and they were considered outcasts and were not allowed participating even in the funeral services of their relatives. They faced severe persecution from inside the family as well as from outside.
A Photograph with her sister, sister-in-law, children & Grand Children
A Photograph taken 20 years back  at the time of my younger brother's marriage.  My mother sitting along with her sister Mariamma (left) and my father's sister at the center.   My two sisters at the left, with my brothers and their families. Myself and my wife standing at the right with my son Charles
Some of the prominent evangelists at that time in the brethren movement M/s. K V Simon, Lonappen Upadesi, Peter Upadesi, K G Kurian, E P Varghese, C T Mathai, A P Paily, Vattakattu Varkey Upadesi and a few other's through their inspirational messages and classes strengthened them to be firm in their faith. Though they faced many problems from their family members, whenever these brethren conducted gospel meetings and Bible classes in the nearby places, they made it a point to attend those gatherings. A few more Christians joined the faith and started a small gathering at Pothanicade near Parambencherry.

My mother's brothers were dead against her faith and they were not willing to take care of their parents so she decided to stay unmarried to look after the parents. Meanwhile, her younger sister got married.The years went by and the parents were getting old. After their death, Saramma's life and safety became a question, so they convinced her to get married. A few years passed by and their firm faith in the Lord and the exemplary life they led in the Lord enabled her other family members too to come into the faith. Some of their children are in the service of the Lord. 

Another Photograph taken at the time of my younger brother Shaji's marriage day. PV and his wife standing at both sides
The Lord was faithful to His daughter and gave her a partner who was a believer. Mr. P T Varghese from Kota, Chengannur, who was a God-fearing, humble, loving and well-disciplined person. Evangelist K P Stephen of Thiruvankulam and his wife (she can be seen in the adjacent picture--in white dress holding a bag) took initiative in this matter and they were united in holy matrimony. At that time my father was working as a pattern maker in the carpentry section of the erstwhile Pampa River Sugar Factory - Now Travancore Sugars and Chemicals Ltd-. My mother was an ideal wife to my father and a loving mother to all of us and an excellent homemaker like the woman in Proverb 31. She was a mature woman, devoted wife, mother, honorable, humble, unselfish and kind. She was a caring and loving mother not only to us but also to the neighbors, especially to the fellow believers. She was so keen to share whatever we had with others especially with those in the Lord's service. In spite of our tight financial budget, she always made it a point to set apart some amount for this purpose. 
PV with his parents and younger brothers Sunny & Shaji at his right and left. A photograph taken at our company Quarters. 
Those days running a family of nine members was a great task. With my father's meager salary it was difficult to make both ends meet. On my mother's initiative, father bought a cow and started selling milk and manure to the neighboring people and earned a small income from that. At that time we were staying in the company's staff quarters. There was a high demand for our milk as it was not diluted. My mother was so strict that she never diluted the milk with water for sale. Apart from this, my father used to work in the evening hours after his eight hours duty at the factory. He made different types of wooden furniture with good quality wood. This too was in high demand because of the carpentry skill and the reasonable prices.

Through their dedicated life, all the children got educated and are settled in different parts of the world. By the grace of God all are in the Christian faith. She was an instrument in bringing them up in the fear of the Lord. She continued steadfast in the faith till her departure from this earth. My mother set a good example for us to follow. We, her children are very happy to follow in her foot prints. Though, she was a silent doer of the Word of God we are sure that her reward in heaven will be much greater. We thank God for being the children of this loving mother.

We are seven children, five brothers and two sisters - Rosamma John Secunderabad, P V Thomas Bangalore, Ammini Daniel U S A, P. T. John Chennai, Philip Verghese Secunderabad, Paul Varghese Pulikeezhu, Shaji Varghese Palghat. 

Sons and Daughters-in-law: John Philip Secunderabad, Glory Thomas Bangalore, M V Daniel U S A, Sally John Chennai, Omana Philip Secunderabad, Nessy Paul Pulikeezhu, Annie Shaji Palghat. 

(Note: For the early history of my mother I am indebted to her sister Mariamma's elder son Joykutty Chacko, an evangelist in Kothamangalam, Kerala)
 
 
  Comments Received from Google's Knol Pages:
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Touched
Philip -- I was touched by your Knol, a very nice tribute. Do you suppose that tolerance of humans regardless of their beliefs should be taught at a very early age? Your story recounts essentially hysterical fear and hate-based behavior. If only tolerance, acceptance and love were taught and reinforced during childhood, such events would dissipate. My sister-in-law, an otherwise wonderful woman, would sit in my home and lecture that unless I accepted her specific brand of born-again Christianity, I was condemned to hell. I questioned her to point out the problem of a sparsely-populated heaven, since her specific brand embraced far less than 10,000 souls. It did not matter. She was incapable of intellectually accepting logic. She chose to remain mentally lazy, believing the dogma from the pulpit of her church without challenge. Tolerance takes intellectual bravery and energy. Blind faith is in my opinion at the root of hatred and war. As humans we need to question and test endlessly. What do you think?

Apr 27, 2010 8:04 AM
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P V Ariel

Thanks Murry

Murry— Thanks for the comment, good to know that you are touched by mother’s exemplary short history. Yes, tolerance of humans no doubt should be taught at the early stage. For that matter not only this but many other good moral fibers should be taught at the tender age that will definitely have an impacting effect till a person’s death. As far as I know it will not dissipate. About your Sis-in-law’s faith, I really appreciate her guts to lecture to a person like you about her unchallenging faith. LOL. and I fully agree with her, though a bit religious oriented subject, since you raised this let me put my view, Yes, her stand is a wonderful and an acceptable one, and as you said very few in this world opt for that, yes the Bible too says it, only a meager number follow this truth. The people who opt and go towards that way is very very less comparing to the other groups towards hell… That road to heaven is very short but towards the other side that road is wide open and many I mean the majority blindly rush towards it to their peril. Yes, as humans we need to question and search the truth, but I am sure that will not be an endless search. If one genuinely searches for the real truth he will find it. Many scholars and researchers found out that real truth where your Sis-in-law put her firm faith. Murry I don’t want to elaborate this further but would like to put a long full stop here. Thanks again for your genuine concern towards this subject. Yours lovingly phil

Last edited Apr 26, 2011 10:00 AM
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Murry Shohat Invite as author
Benjamin R Invite as author
  Philip Ariel, My Deepest condolence.
PV, your mother is a great personality. You are a blessed person to have such a loving mother. My belated deepest condolence to you and your dear ones. No doubt, this is a fitting tribute to your loving mother. Ben

Last edited Nov 3, 2008 9:04 AM
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Thank you Br. Ben for the encouraging words. God bless. Love. Philip
EditDeleteReport abusive commentPosted by P V Ariel, Nov 3, 2008 9:04 AM
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