God made the trees.
The brown wood and the green leaves are pleasing to the eyes.
A garden full of trees in bloom is a lovely sight too.
They provide birds and animals a home and shelter.
Trees give us fruits.
It gives us shade.
Above all it gives us much needed oxygen.
But today because of man’s greed trees are being cut down in large numbers. Greenery has given way to concrete jungles and bonsai.
Yet there was a time people used to gather together under large trees. They met, they talked, they made friends with each other. But those good old days are gone.
Let us bring back those beautiful memories by planting more and more trees. Thank you.
I talk to you today because I’ve been there.
Not once or twice, but many times.
I know what it feels like to be discouraged.
I know what it feels like being a failure.
I know what it feels like when all around you people are full of fun and happiness but you are down.
Yes friends, discouragement has put more people in the side benches than have casualties in war.
It has sapped the strength of talented people committed to their cause and calling.
It has taken away from people their confidence.
It has made people forget that there is a purpose for which they can live for.
I hope I am not speaking to listeners far away, but to you.
Yes, to you, who now with dropping shoulders stand before me with that desperate look in your eyes as if there is no tomorrow.
Let me thunder in your ears.
The night shall not remain.
The dawn will break.
And you shall rise from your bed of despair with renewed strength and hope.
First of all, know that someone believes in you. Yes, I along with God, believe in failures. I believe your rotten performance today cannot erase what you truly are within you.
Hey team, you are talented; but talent will not take you places.
What you need is grit.
A game lost; a trophy not won is not the end of life.
Fame is a bubble; when for a moment all lights flash on you.
But today, we show character when all eyes are turned away from us.
Yes, we choose, to stay undefeated in our failures!
Even in our earthly existence we know that all our tomorrows were shaped by what we all did yesterday; isn’t it? If all those actions had consequences; then definitely life when it moves beyond death is going to feel the impact of all your choices made today.
The one thing that can shape your tomorrows is whom you trust your tomorrows with? Some prefer to trust their tomorrows with their Banks; some others with people close to them. But some choose to trust God. This is often made fun of by others. Yet in the end, trusting God proves the wisest of all decisions you can make.
Some people make elaborate preparations for journeys. We don’t find people travelling long distances without making plans and arranging for a comfortable stay. But so many wait too long to prepare for eternity which stretches timelessly ahead. For those who delay to make a decision; tomorrow will spell darkness, no hope, no return, and no end to misery.
But to those who hope in God today, life becomes meaningful; because in God they find the LORD of their tomorrows. They realize that tomorrow is in God’s hands. And nothing can separate them from the love of God; not even death. Those who hope in God lose sight of tomorrow; instead they see the One who knows what tomorrow brings.
At the sound of this one word, some hearts flutter, some others skip a beat. There is rush of adrenaline for some; others blush.
Love, surprisingly, has been equated with emotions. But is it all that is there to it? Emotions keep changing; don’t they? Today, you feel madly in love with someone; when the sun rises the next day you wonder where all the “love” you felt yesterday has gone; don’t you?
So love does not properly belong to the realm of emotions; though emotions do colour our love with all kinds of splashes. Then what is love?
It is basically a decision to hold the other person in the highest esteem, value him or her above all else, and cherish that person like no other and hold him or her so close and dear to one’s heart.
Love is not about getting; it is about giving.
Love is not about selfishness; it is about sacrifice.
Love is not about being on top of the charts; it is about humility, the willingness to serve.
Love is not about bragging; it is about doing things for the other without advertising.
Love is not about covering up evil; it is about being transparent and living in the light.
Love is not about falsehood; it is about speaking the truth.
Finally, we cannot think on love without thinking of God. The well known passage in the Bible speaks about love in this compelling way: For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”*
“Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails.”
Yes, my friend, God loves you. It is an undying love; an everlasting love. He loves you not because you deserve his love; but because he decided to love you even before you were born.
What greater love do you know than you being called a child of God! It is true. You became God’s child when you trusted in him.
Love has been lavished on you.
You might say you have sinned against him much. Let that be true. But the greater truth is you’ve been forgiven much.
Will you love him less?
“But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God’s wrath through him!”
Hi friends, today I would like to speak a few words on hope.
First of all, hope is what makes life go forward. It helps you forget the past. It makes you feel that the best is yet to be. In short, hope looks ahead to a better tomorrow.
Secondly,hope looks up. It is when the night is dark, that stars shine the most. Hope looks up to God when all earthly help fails. In short, hope believes in miracles.
Thirdly,hope helps people to hold on. When life is tough and bad things happen; it is hope that says, “Do not give up.” It is hope that helps you to fight one more round.
Finally,hope rises in our hearts as we listen to promises. When parents tell us, “Next birthday, we will be buying you this gift,” we rejoice in the hope of getting it, When God says, “I will not leave you nor forsake you*,” we get courage by his presence with us.
Let me conclude by saying, hope is the stuff life is made of. So live in hope. Overflow with Hope
Life is forward. And birthdays are milestones along the journey. It reminds us that the gift of life is God-given; to be cherished, valued, and kept as a sacred trust.
Birthdays also are reminders. It tells us that time is ticking on. It does not stop for anyone. A birthday thus becomes a snapshot of a good moment, a tiny speck in the passage of time. It is a day you can feel special; which you truly are.
Birthdays remind us to be thankful. Each birthday you celebrate is a time to thank God for bringing you thus far.
And it is also an opportunity to take stock of all that is past, correct mistakes, and move on with hope.
Yet again, birthdays tell us how special our loved ones are. In fact it is our family and friends who share our joy with us. It is definitely our loved ones who make birthdays special.
So also the gifts they bring. We often remember with love and gratitude the people who gave gifts to us on our birthdays.
Most of these gifts are carefully chosen, sacrificially given, and lovingly gifted not only to express their heart to you but also to let you know how valued to them you are.
To put in a final thought, birthdays tell us that life can never be truly estimated or measured in years. The length of time lived rarely is an indicator of how well it was lived.
Therefore, may each birthday find you with a stronger resolve to live your life with purpose.
On behalf of friends and family and all gathered here, let me wish you a wonderful birthday with God’s blessings accompanying throughout the coming year!
There are more than one lakh planes flying every day world wide. Can you imagine them take off and land without pilots listening to instructions from the control tower?
Similarly life and its safe flying depends much on listening to the control tower called wisdom. The Bible says, “The fear of the LORD–that is wisdom, to shun evil is understanding.”*
The fear of the Lord means to acknowledge that God is holy and he is to be worshipped with reverence and awe. It means to accept that God is the source of all true wisdom. Once you do so, you have a solid foundation to build your life upon.
The practical part of wisdom is avoiding evil. You cannot fear God on one side and allow yourself not to listen to his life-giving instructions on the other. Today, evil comes in innocent-looking attractive packages. It gnaws away at your life without you even being aware of it.
To avoid being trapped by them, ask yourself three questions:
Question number one,
“How much time are gadgets stealing away from my time to study?” Question number two,
“Does what I am doing a clear disobedience of instructions given by my parents and teachers?” Question number three,
“Are my relationships and friendships influencing me for good or bad?”
Time, obedience, relationships. If you can keep tabs on these three watchwords, you can walk in the ways of wisdom.
Short Speeches of Introduction, Welcome, Felicitation, Vote of Thanks!
*Job 28:28, Proverbs 3:16, 4:22
Two related thoughts from the wise king, Solomon: “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and discipline (Proverbs 1:7).” and “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding (Proverbs 9:10).”
and one from Psalms:
“Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path (Psalm 119:105).
A role model is a person whom I can look up to; learn from, and imitate. I can also be inspired to succeed the way he or she has done in his or her life.
A role model can be my father or mother; it can be my teacher, my best friend, a sports personality or a leader in my neighbourhood or community. What makes a role model impact my life is not the position he or she holds; but the positive influence and the way he or she sets an example by his or her behaviour, speech and courageous action.
Now we need to note that we either consciously choose role models or sometimes we are influenced by them without our even knowing it.
So just ask yourself this question, “Who am I looking up to as a standard of behaviour, and reference point to emulate or follow?” The next question to ask yourself is “What makes his or her life a success?” Once you have identified those elements like honesty, discipline or courage; the third question to ask is, “What character traits of that person can I copy, implement, and reproduce in my life so that I too can shine a light for others?”
Again, a role model is one who brings about a positive change in me. He or she is someone whom I can relate to in my struggles as well as my dreams.
Personally, I have had not one; but many role models in my life. At each stage of life’s journey I have looked up to someone for motivation to live life better.
If I look at them close; they may not be perfect but there is something good about them which makes me respect and admire them and also push myself to excel in life.
Surprisingly, many role models that I have had are not public figures, but unsung heroes and heroines whose lives shone a bright light for me!
In the love poems by King Solomon known as Song of Solomon or Song of Songs, he speaks about a Lover and his Beloved.
While they converse with each other, with growing love and anticipation of their wedding, the beloved says, “Catch for us the foxes, the little foxes that ruin the vineyards, our vineyards that are in bloom (SOS 2:15).”
Written over 3000 years ago, the little foxes are more real today than ever. What greater threat can you find eroding marriages than social media and networking like WhatsApp, Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, etc.?
First of all, the time people spent on it everyday is enormous. It need not happen in big chunks. But the anxiety to just have a look at latest posts and see what is happening with others steals away time–valuable time–in short bouts. Time that should be spend on nurturing relationships within the family and taking care of the well-being of its members is wasted away like this.
Secondly, the ease of use of these kind of media make people cross boundaries easily without any feeling of guilt. Today, morality is becoming more and more relative than following absolute God-commanded standards. The saddest part is that people fail to realize boundaries are drawn to keep you safe from harm. Social media gives many the thrill of intimacy without responsibility; and secret enjoyment of forbidden fruit without much fear of being caught.
Finally, social media makes people lose perspective. The virtual world can never substitute the real. But for those who indulge in it, life seems rosier; and the grass looks greener on the other side. This makes people devalue their own husbands and wives as they suddenly find fault with them by the hundreds. Love is suddenly absent. Unfavourable comparisons are the little foxes here. Sadly those who are lured by the charming chats forget that virtual relationships and flirting are no less sinful than real; and will sap their life and drain their vitality away from them.
So what’s the big deal here? Nothing if life is just fun alone. But life is not without accountability. When it comes to that, what if all your chats are made a public spectacle to the entire humanity? Like digital footprints you leave behind everywhere you browse; all your moral looseness is also leaving its unerasable prints that are irreversibly recorded. When that day of accountability and judgement comes you will remember the folly of not having caught the little foxes that had ruined your vineyards!
Short Speeches of Introduction, Welcome, Felicitation, Vote of Thanks!
“It is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgement” — Hebrews 9:27 Bible.
” ‘Stolen water is sweet; food eaten in secret is delicious!’ But little do they know that the dead are there, that her guests are in the depths of the grave.” — Proverbs 9;17, 18 Bible.
A life with purpose is one which looks with intense focus and passion on the goal. It defies all odds and comes back from all setbacks in the pursuit of the same.
It rises out of depths of despair; often clinging on to God in moments when strength gives out. It is energized by a single-eyed determination and a burning desire to excel.
It does not allow oneself to be distracted by the frivolous and the silly. Purpose enables one to be decisive in action, judicious in the use of time, wise in investments of talent and treasure, and cautious in friendship.
It is only when one is driven by purpose that one will persevere till the end. A purpose driven life knows where it is headed to; and in the first place why it is travelling to that destination.
Even when all other rewards are taken away; even when all others oppose, mock or reject; even when nothing else is there to be gained but only the joy of doing what one is called to do; a man or woman with purpose will remain true and faithful to it.
When life is dominated by purpose, there is no time to be wasted in answering critics, no time to wallow in self-pity licking the wounds of battle and no time to scatter away wishing “What might have been!”
When purpose takes hold, it knows how brief life is and with what speed and finality windows of opportunity will shut tight. Therefore it will act and will not rest till the matter at hand is done.
Aimless drifting is one sure sign that your sail has not caught the wind. If you are driven by purpose, life will never find you unprepared. Now is the opportunity and it is never too late.
It is not just the take off nor the flying that matters; but what counts is how you land finally. When you look back, hope you will be able to find many lives impacted just because you stayed good and true to your purpose.
Short Speeches of Introduction, Welcome, Felicitation, Vote of Thanks!
“There are two great days in a person’s life–the day we are born and the day we discover why.”
— William Barclay
The LORD declares:
“As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts. As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater, so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.”
When Jesus was born he was called Immanuel meaning God with us. Can God be so ordinary? Can God be human? Incredible!
Yet God chose to humble himself to be a servant of men. This is one meaning of God with us. God stood with us in our brokenness. Well, some of you might think we are OK. Really! Is it true?
Just look around you. The kind of broken hearts and tears you find everywhere. God came to experience all this firsthand. No longer can you tell God, “You don’t understand!”
Yet he will point you to a Man lifted up on a hill between earth and sky, naked and bleeding on a cross with a crown of thorns on his head. An inscription above his head read, Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews.
And God will say to you that there he carried your sorrows and was broken for you. Looking at that Man you will find peace. For the punishment of your sins that should have fallen on you fell on him who was innocent. He carried it all for you.
Respected Principal, honoured guests, beloved teachers, and my dear friends,
Good morning to one and all.
Let me first of all thank God as well as the Principal of the School for giving me this opportunity to speak to you on Christmas. I wish to talk to you about the meaning of gifts during Christmas.
Christmas is a beautiful time of the year when family and friends come together. And gifts are exchanged. One group that is always excited at Christmas are children. This is because children love gifts. They look forward to receive gifts during this time of the year. In fact, it is this sense of expectation that makes Christmas special.
Let me tell you how gifts can make Christmas special. There was a lovely young husband and wife who were poor. Both of them, Jim and Della, loved each other dearly. As Christmas came near both of them secretly thought about gifting each other with a lovely Christmas gift. But they did not have much money.
Della had long and beautiful hair. So Jim thought of buying her a beautiful hair clip. Della saw that the strap of Jim’s watch was broken. So she thought of buying him a watch strap. And on Christmas Eve both of them wished each other Happy Christmas and gave the gifts to each other.
But children there were tears in both their eyes. Do you know why? It was because Della had cut her long hair and sold it to get money to buy Jim a watch strap. And Jim had sold his watch to buy Della a hair clip.
This spirit of sacrifice is the true meaning of Christmas as this classic short story from O. Henry highlights. Likewise, it was not easy for God to send his Son Jesus to this world. It was a sacrifice. The Bible says, “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”
Therefore let us celebrate Christmas by thanking God for his indescribable gift—the gift of God’s Son Jesus!
Remember my dear children; he came just for you and for me!
Let me also tell you the story of a young boy who was an orphan. He was poor. During Christmas time he used to go to the street and watch the lovely gifts displayed inside shops. He would press his nose against the glass to have a closer look.
But he was sad because there was no one to give him a gift. One day, he saw a small cat on the road. He also saw a car coming against it. On seeing this the boy jumped in front of the car and saved the cat. But the car hit him. And he was taken to hospital.
There was a good nurse who took care of him. On Christmas day she gifted him with a toy. The boy opened the packet and found a toy train inside it. The nurse asked him, “Do you like it?”
The boy with great joy cried out: “There is no glass between.” Saying so he put the toy train close to his heart. See how happy he was when he had a toy for himself.
Dear children, may God gift you with the real joy of finding Jesus this Christmas. So that you too can say with this boy, “Now there is no glass between; I too have found the true joy of Christmas.”
Finally, during Christmas time we remember the journey of the Wise Men who came from far way to worship baby Jesus. They had seen a star and travelled from far away to meet Jesus. And when the star led them to Jesus, they gave gifts of gold and myrrh and incense to Jesus. That is why in remembrance of their act of worship we also give gifts to each other during Christmas.
So think about it. When you meet Jesus, what will be the gift you wish to give him? I am sure Jesus will be happy to see your love towards him more than anything else. So try to love Jesus more this Christmas.
Wish all of you a blessed Christmas and a prosperous new year. Thank you.
Thank you. —Stefan B. Peter, PP II K, St. Thomas School, Kumarapuram.
“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life”
— John 3:16 Bible.
Welcome Speech
Respected Dignitaries, teachers, parents and my dear friends,
A warm good morning to one and all.
We are celebrating Christmas at our school today. It is a time we think of baby Jesus in Bethlehem. I stand here now to welcome all of you.
First of all, let me welcome all the dignitaries present here. We are so glad you came to watch our program. On behalf of the school I happily welcome all of you.
Next, I welcome our Respected Principal, teachers, parents, kochammas [caretakers] and friends to this program. May this Christmas program touch our hearts with joy.
I wish you all a Merry Christmas. Once again I welcome all of you.
Thank you. —Daniela B. Peter, PP II K, St. Thomas School, Kumarapuram.
I was watching a fancy dress program at my kids’ school a few days ago. A five -year old dressed as an old lady was hobbling along the stage with the aid of a stick. She looked very realistic.
Suddenly she saw someone at the far end of the stage holding out a chocolate to her. At that moment, totally forgetting the situation, she rushed to grab the chocolate! Watching the rest of the participants perform, I have no doubt that she would have easily been voted the best of the participants otherwise.
What made her do so? Temptation.
Temptation. It often comes right at the path of your duty. One way to escape it is to be prepared. Do not let temptations take you by surprise.
Temptation. The moment you allow curiosity to take the first bite; you are finished. The moment you think it is safe to step inside a lion’s cage to take a selfie; even your bones will not be recovered.
Temptation. The longer it knocks at your door, the more bold you should be that you can overcome it. It is because you are still safely locked in. However great and furious the knock or pleading just say NO.
Temptation. It has great power when it comes through your friends. The possibility that they might reject you or make fun of you can unnerve you. It is good to be called names rather than to slip into a lifetime of misery and regret.
Temptation. It often defeats you when you stay a moment longer at spots you are not supposed to be. Run away. And do not look back for that second glance. Guard your eyes. Let it not look at evil and have your hearts hooked by what you see.
Temptation. It can come in many subtle and glamorous forms.
Temptation that is not attractive;
that doesn’t have a tinge of pleasure in it;
that does not give you a momentary satisfaction cannot be called temptation.
The danger about temptation is that it makes you think only of instant gratification and not about long-term and far reaching consequences, guilt, shame, remorse, ridicule and the burden of sin that you need to face or carry.
Ultimately the only absolute defence against temptation that I know is God. Call out to him for help. A sincere heart prayer and cry from a broken and contrite heart is always heard and answered.
Once upon a time two angels went from heaven to earth with two huge baskets to collect the prayers of people. One basket was labelled Requests and the other Thanks. When the angels returned to God, the basket of Requests was full and overflowing; but the basket of Thanks was almost empty.
Dear friends, the lesson is quite clear. An attitude of gratitude is often absent in our lives. The lack of a thankful heart may be the root cause of many human illnesses as well.
Let me now point out two things:
Firstly, an attitude of gratitude means you learn to count your blessings in life. When you do so you will find that they far outnumber the difficulties or problems you face in life. Moreover it gives you a joyous heart as well.
You can be thankful for the gift of life, your parents, home and school, your teachers, relatives and friends, for the clothes you wear, the food you eat and the place you live in. The list is endless.
Secondly, an attitude of gratitude helps you value simple joys of life. You may not have the latest gadgets to play with. Instead a thankful heart will help you to be content and satisfied in whatever situation you find yourself in.
A thankful heart will value people more than things, it will value a smile more than riches, it will find joy in giving than grabbing, and it will hold on to hope even when life’s ship moves in troubled waters.
Bless the LORD, O My Soul!
—
Daniela B. Peter and Stefan B. Peter sings the song, “Give Thanks with a Grateful Heart” as part of Little Kingdom program on Harvest TV.
Today is a very special day because it is God’s gift to us. That is why it is called the Present.
Today presents us with opportunity to do good. Today is very special again because it gives us a chance to love others and encourage the weak.
Today is a very special day because it gives us a chance to act on our dreams and achieve our goals. That is why Martin Luther King said, “I have a dream today.” He said that because today’s dream is tomorrow’s reality.
Therefore let us not postpone for tomorrow what can be done today. Whoever you are, God has gifted you with an equal opportunity of 24 hours.
Let me end with the words of Jesus Christ who said, “Do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself.”
Yes, yesterday is gone, tomorrow might never come. So let us grab the present moment and live life to the fullest for today is a very special day. Thank you.
It is at those moments that you look for someone who has passed through such trouble to come and be with you. Perhaps speak an encouraging word. For only those who have experienced what you are going through can offer any help.
It is at this point our burden-bearer stands at life’s difficult hours and crossroads. The man who “was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows, and familiar with suffering!”1
Not only does he understand pain and grief, he knows what it is to weep. He knows what it is to carry the greatest burden of mankind—the burden of sin and its accompanying guilt and shame.
He calls you his friend. More than that, he calls you, “My brother, my sister.”
He who carried the cross will willingly carry your burden as well. “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.”2 That is his call and invitation.
Short Speeches of Introduction, Welcome, Felicitation, Vote of Thanks!
“Praise be to the Lord, to God our Saviour, who daily bears our burdens” — Psalm 68:19
Because God has said, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.” So we say with confidence, “The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?” — Hebrews 13:5, 6.
“My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” — 2 Corinthians 12:9.
“For we do not have a high priest [Jesus] who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are–yet was without sin. Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.” — Hebrews 4:15, 16.
[Quotes from Bible, New International Version 1984]
Did it not make your heart leap to see those beautiful diamonds out there against the dark velvet black of the night sky? Yes, it did. As a young boy resting his head on his mother’s lap and gazing up at the night sky said, “Mummy, if the underside of heaven is so beautiful, I wonder what the real side would be like!”
But I am certain that it is not just beauty that attracts us to the stars. There is a sense of wonder, amazement, and mystery at these shining pearl drops in the sky.
They make us look up. They make us think, “Who created all these?” We wonder at the wisdom of God the Creator and his power beyond imagination that makes the universe so densely punctuated with stars.
Above all, the twinkling stars whisper hope in our hearts. That is what the nursery rhyme, “Twinkle twinkle little star” speaks about. It talks about the bright and tiny spark lighting up the way for the traveller in the dark.
In life’s journey as we encounter dark nights and uncertain days ahead, let us hold on to the hope held out by the stars. There is light to shine on our life’s journey.
It is because of this hope that “Twinkle twinkle little star” has always been my favourite nursery rhyme! Thank you.
Short Speeches of Introduction, Welcome, Felicitation, Vote of Thanks!
“To whom will you compare me? Or who is my equal?” says the Holy One. Lift up your eyes and look to the heavens: Who created all these? He who brings out the starry host one by one, and calls them each by name. Because of his great power and mighty strength, not one of them is missing.” — Isaiah 40:25. 26 Bible NIV
“He [God] heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds. He determines the number of the stars and calls them each by name” — Psalm 147:3, 4 Bible NIV.
This post is dedicated to the memory of Eric Lidell, the Flying Scotsman, who won the gold medal in the 400 metres race in the 1924 Paris Olympics. His athletic achievements have been chronicled in the Oscar winning movie Chariots of Fire which was released in 1981. Eric Liddell refused to run the 100 metres, the event he was expected to win, because the heats were scheduled for a Sunday, the day he had dedicated to worship God. He was called a traitor in his country but he cared more for the honour of God than winning a medal for the king.
Even though Eric Liddel had turned his back on his favourite event, he focused on the four hundred meters and trained for it. At the start of the finals of the event he went around shaking hands with all his competitors. And then, as shown in the movie, someone ran to his side and placed on his hand a folded square of paper. As he unfolded it, he found these words written on it: It says in the old book, “He that honours me, I will honour.” It was a verse from the Bible. And when the race began, Liddell starting from the outer lane simply ran fast as if he were running for his life. And came out first in world record time.
A little over a year, he just disappeared from the limelight by going to China as a missionary teacher with the good news of Jesus, to the land where he was born to missionary parents. During the Second World War he was interned in a camp by the invading Japanese and was held in a compound which housed more than one thousand five hundred foreign residents of China. He spent the rest of his life by having Bible studies, taking classes on chemistry for the youngsters there, organizing games for them, and even carrying water for the sick and the elderly. He died of an inoperable brain tumor at the young age of 43. His body was buried and a simple wooden cross put up with his name Eric Liddell written with boot polish.
Eric Liddell’s life has inspired many athletes including some gold medal winners in the Olympics in later years. I have dedicated this podcast to his memory because of the tremendous inspiration his life has been to me. May his life be an inspiration to you too to run the race of life well and finish on a note of glory.
If life is a race, you have to run. Staying still is not progress. It does not matter if others get distracted and do not focus on the race. You need to keep on running forward.
If life is a race, the destination is ahead. You cannot run if you keep looking back. An occasional backward glance can help you know how much distance you have covered already. But look ahead and run. Forget the past.
If life is a race, you have to run with patience as well as perseverance. Train yourself early to endure hardships. Then you can discipline yourself to run the long distance of life.
If life is a race, you should know the goal towards which you run. Otherwise it is a meaningless run. Run so as to win the prize.
If life is a race, at some point joy comes from helping others to run and succeed in life as well. Even though you run to win, many of your friends need your encouragement. Remember that.
If life is a race, and you did not know it, there is still time even though time is short. The one who starts late still has a chance to be rewarded. So it doesn’t matter if you were slow to start. Success comes even to those who started late.
If life is a race, make sure that you finish. Do not yield to despair or be discouraged. Be strong. Know that God will act for those who trust in him. He will bring to completion what he has begun to do in your life. There is glory awaiting you beyond the finishing tape!
Short Speeches of Introduction, Welcome, Felicitation, Vote of Thanks!
“Let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us”– Hebrews 12:1z Bible.
“But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.” — St. Paul (Philippians 3:13, 14 Bible NIV).
Family is God’s gift to us. A family begins when a man and woman is joined together in marriage to become husband and wife. A family then consists of father, mother and children. It is the first unit that God created and blessed. Therefore we should thank God for families.
It is in families that we grow up. It is here that we are loved and cherished. It is in the family that we have joy and fun.
Families give us our first identity. What a blessing it is to have a home to go to where you are accepted and belong to. It is also a great joy to have grandparents and brothers and sisters, uncles, aunts, nephews, nieces and cousins.
There is an atmosphere of love and joy in our family. We have times of prayer together, we eat together and we have fun together as well.
We learn our first lessons in life from our family. The most important lessons we learn are that of love and trust, obedience and respect, hard work and honesty. It is in the family that we learn to share our resources and appreciate the talents and abilities of others.
Festival seasons are joyful occasions in the family. That is a time family members come together, have fun together, visit places together, exchange gifts and even team up together and play. Such colourful occasions remain in our memory for a long time. We often love to see the pictures of such times together in our family photographs and albums as well.
Let me conclude by saying that there are thousands of children in the world without a family. Among them are the homeless and the orphans and even the refugees. Let us remember them in our hearts even as we thank God for the blessing of a family. Thank you.
“Listen, my son, to your father’s instruction and do not forsake your mother’s teaching” — (Proverbs 1:8 Bible).
“I had always thought that the laughter of the little children in an empty cathedral was the most beautiful of all hymns of praise”– Corrie ten Boom in her book Tramp for the Lord.
What is your stand on the problem of stray dogs? Let me assume that as an animal lover you would like to protect stray dogs. That is good. There is nothing wrong with such a stand for no one is advocating cruelty against animals.
Now what is the cause of the problem of stray dogs? Several reasons have been suggested. One definitely is the improper disposal of garbage. Stray dogs are breeding in plenty because they get enough food in the streets. Some people even throw food to stray dogs on a regular basis. Isn’t this showing love without ownership or responsibility? What do you think?
Recently someone suggested that animal lovers should take responsibility for stray dogs. Either they should show their true love by at least taking one stray dog into their homes or finding common shelters for them. Or at least they should have the kindness to support the family of persons who have been bitten by stray dogs.
But what often happens is that in spite of the terror that people have passed through on account of stray dog bites, especially in a literate state like Kerala, animal lovers still raise their voices for stray dogs? Can people be blind to human misery like this? This is an extremely sad state of affairs!
Another idea that has been put forward to control stray dogs is the proposal to sterilize them. Many are arguing in favour of and against this as well. Whatever be the merit of the idea, one awful truth remains. If sterilized dogs bite, the bites are as painful and terror-striking as dogs that have not been sterilized.
Now let me conclude. Who is to blame? Is it the vaccine companies that are keeping alive the stray dogs so that their medicines can sell? Some argue like that. We do not know what the truth is. Do politicians who make the laws have a hidden agenda? Again, we do not know.
Now what is more important? Human life? Or the lives of stray dogs? If you are asked to vote for one of these, what will you choose? Human life? Or stray dogs? Think about it. How many more human beings have to be mercilessly bitten by blood-hunting stray dogs before the authorities will take action?
Education is not just literacy. In other words a literate person may not be educated at all. The point is that education is about having a goal—the goal of equipping a person face life well.
Education is not just having academic knowledge about subjects prescribed to be learned. Instead it should aim at the holistic development of a student—cultural, intellectual, emotional, spiritual, and physical.
One of the hallmarks of good education is how it has helped a person put to practical use the knowledge he has gained. Without this practical wisdom, education is a failure.
Another area where education should play a critical role is in the area of civic responsibility. Have you not seen educated people thoughtlessly throw a banana peel on the road while they travel in a car? What good is education if a person cannot see the harm he is doing to the public by his thoughtless and selfish act?
Unfortunately, today education has become a business in many circles. That adds to the cut throat spirit of competition in the marketplace. On the other hand education should vigorously aim to instill moral values in students.
To conclude, let me say that teachers and education should enable a person to see and to observe, to think and to talk and act with the good of others in mind. Without development of integrity and character, without learning to respect others; education cannot be said to have hit the mark. But when education ignites the mind and inspires the heart, then truly light shines in the darkness! Thank you.
If you ask people about the proudest moment of their lives, they come up with a variety of responses.
For example, Sachin Tendulkar, the legend of Indian cricket said, “Winning the world cup is the proudest moment of my life. I couldn’t control my tears of joy.”
And if you asked Wayne Rooney, one of the great English football players, he said, “Becoming a dad was the proudest moment of my life.Playing football does not even compare.”
So also if you ask me what is the proudest moment of my life, I can answer without doubt it was when I too became a part of my Mother’s Ph. D. Open Defence. Let me tell about it.
My mother got her doctorate in education. And open Defence was the last part in the process of getting a Ph. D. This was held at Educational Tech Seminar hall of Bharathiar University Coimbatore. It was a big audience with many great personalities and professors attending.
As the programme was charted, as I desired, I got a chance to do the prayer song. I was a bit tensed because everyone else in the seminar hall were senior people with great educational qualifications. I was the only child in the hall. But by God’s grace I sang the prayer song in Tamil.
And after my mother’s open defence, when she said vote of thanks, she mentioned my name for singing the prayer song. It was at that time the audience gave a huge round of applause. It was then that I realized how much the audience appreciated my song.
As I look back on that day, the 14th of November 2014, I can say with great joy, singing that prayer song was the proudest moment of my life. Being Chacha Nehru’s birthday it was children’s day as well. And I am sure I brought honour to my school also by standing before such a wonderful gathering and doing well.
Let me conclude by saying that this moment about which I talked so far will always remain as the proudest moment of my life because I too could do a small part in the process of my loving mother achieving her proudest moment in her life. Thank you.
Social networking sites such as Facebook and instant messaging services like WhatsApp have made building relationships easy, instant and colourful. Yet children should not close their eyes to the dangers in it.
First and foremost,never add a stranger to your friend list. You have no way no knowing what his or her true identity is. He can be a link in an online racket or he can be part of a terrorist organisation. You never know.
Secondly, never reveal private information regarding your identity or location. For example, if you make it easy for strangers to know who your friends are, which are the places you hang out with them, and what your pastimes are, someone can easily track you. Therefore make sure that you fine-tune your privacy settings to make it nearly impossible for strangers to gather information about you.
Thirdly, do not share private photographs on social media. As a warning, know that if your smart phone is given for software upgrade or repair, a techie with wrong motive can easily transfer all your photos including deleted ones and chat logs. Several instances of such photos and chats being used for slandering people have been reported in recent times.
Finally and most importantly, if at all anyone tries to blackmail you do not panic and do not try to fight it alone. The blackmailers would warn you to keep your mouth shut. Do not listen to them. Instead seek the help of your parents and trusted teachers at once. Open up and talk. They will help you. And make sure you remember– suicide is NOT an option!
Let me conclude by asking you to do one thing: If someone adds you to a chat group where you feel the content shared or discussed is inappropriate for you, exit the group immediately!
Coach Gives Motivational Speech the Day Before Final Game!
Hi Team,
The power of defeat lies not in the score but in your attitude. A game lost is not the end of life; nor is it the end of your career. It is true that you made mistakes. Now what does that prove? It tells the world that you attempted to do something. But it did not turn out well. So what? There is still that final game ahead tomorrow. Let me tell you my friends, “Yes you can!”
We will look at defeat squarely in its eye. We will not give up in despair. Instead we will rally our best reserves of strength. We will sharpen and polish our skills. We will not focus on the reputation of the opposition but we will fight as if it is our last game on Planet Earth. In tomorrow’s final, my young friends, I do believe, “Yes you can!”
Young men, I see a look of fear and doubt on all your faces! Let me tell you what is bothering you. You are thinking: “It is OK Coach for you to say all this. But we are the ones out in the field; and that too before our home crowd. The opposing team have won the championship the last five years. Do we have a chance? What if we fail in front of our home crowd?”
The nod on all your faces confirms that what I just said is true. Now, here is my answer to your doubts. There is nothing to be ashamed of failure if you have done your very best. In fact, we all need to learn to fail graciously. We need to know that there are some days when our best is not enough. We need to accept that our opposition deserved to win. And in fact rejoice that we lost to a better team. But I am certain that tomorrow will be your day, “Yes you can!”
Young friends, success does not teach you much. But failures do. They are the best teachers if you are humble enough to go down with a winning attitude. Yes, learn to go down fighting. There shall be a resurrection yet. Out of ashes, you shall rise. That is my sure hope.
Therefore let nothing rattle your confidence. And the day will come when the world will stand up to applaud your crowning moment.
Tomorrow will be that day! There is no doubt; there is no uncertainty. Only assurance of victory. Victory in spite of the talent, the reputation, and the support for the opposing team from their fans world over. Believe in just one thing. Tomorrow you will win. They might be the hot favourites; but we will be the winners this time. My dear friends, Yes, you can!
But today, I want you to focus on that one star that has inspired countless lighted stars down the centuries. It is none other than the Star of Christmas.
The Star of Christmas was first of all a shining star.
No one who was watching for it could miss its newfound presence in the sky. No doubt, like that star, God still shines his light in the hearts of all who sincerely search for the truth.
Secondly, the Star of Christmas was a unique star.
It rose announcing the birth of a king. It was fitting that God chose a star in the skies to make a royal proclamation. Otherwise, how would anyone have known that the child born in a manger is king?
Thirdly, the Star of Christmas was a guiding star.
It travelled in front of the Wise Men who came from the East in search of the child Jesus. It brought them safely to the place where Jesus was. No further mention is made of this star. It had fulfilled its purpose of pointing the way to Jesus; nothing greater was expected of it.
Finally, and above all, the Star inspired the Wise Men to come to worship Jesus and offer their best gifts to him. That first journey of the Wise Men even today inspires countless thousands to seek the One who bled and died on the cross to bring peace between God and men.
Children love gifts. They look forward to receive gifts during this time of the year. In fact, it is this sense of expectation that makes Christmas special.
It is said that there was such a sense of expectation in the air during the time of the birth of Jesus. His coming meant that God came down to be with us. In a special sense God came near to us in Jesus.
Yes, he came for you and me!
The great distance between a holy God and we sinners was bridged in Jesus. It was as if God were saying “I want to be friends with you!”
Yes, he came for you and me!
Therefore the gift of Christmas is about the presence of God with us. It is a gift that was given with an everlasting love. Because of this gift, life puts on a new meaning:
So here is a gift you are given for free. No need to read the price tag. It is beyond our ability to pay. I am talking about the ultimate sacrifice Jesus made on the cross where he shed his innocent blood for the sins of all.
Therefore let us celebrate Christmas by thanking God for his indescribable gift—the gift of God’s Son Jesus!
It is said that you sow a habit and you reap a character; sow a character and you reap a destiny.”
Yes friends, our habits form our future. So let us cultivate healthy habits.
There are four kinds of habits. They are: Spiritual
Physical
Educational and Social
All of them are important for children.
Spiritual habits
include praying to God when we get up in the morning and thanking him for the gift of a new day. We should also pray when we start to study to ask God to give us wisdom to learn.
Physical habits
include brushing our teeth in the morning, taking bath properly and wearing clean dress. We should also spend some time playing in the outdoors so that our bodies stay healthy and strong.
Educational habits
include reading and studying well, listening to teachers, doing homework and going to school regularly. We should try to take part in all the activities of the school as it will help to improve our personality.
To conclude, healthy habits will help us to excel in life. Only children with excellence and character can build a strong democratic nation. Like good friends, healthy habits will stay with us always. Thank you.
Note: Covid–19 virus outbreak around the world in 2020 has compelled all, including children, to wash their hands with soap and water or using alcohol-based hand rub, It can kill viruses that may be on your hands. Thus washing hands has become a very important healthy habit.
This is a time of the year when people are singing all around the world. We hear many songs like Silent night, holy night; and Joy to the world. I am here to say a few words on what these songs are telling us. They are telling us about Christmas.
Christmas is all about the love of God. God so loved the world that he gave his Son for us. Jesus is thus God’s greatest gift to all of us.
Christmas is also a reminder of God’s humility. He chose a poor village girl named Mary who was a virgin to be the mother of Jesus.
When Jesus was born there was no room for him in the inn. So he was placed in a manger from which cattle fed. It tells us that Jesus is ready to come into any human heart which has room for him.
This is the good news of Christmas. God is ready to be our friend and Saviour. This message first came to the shepherds watching their flocks at night.
The glory of the Lord shone around them. They were afraid. But an angel told them not to be afraid because he was bringing them the good news of the birth of the Saviour in Bethlehem.
Suddenly a choir of angels came and they sang the first carol: “Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace to men on whom his favour rests.” This first song of Christmas tells us that Jesus is the Prince of Peace. Those who trust in him will find peace with God.
A bright shining star rose in the sky to tell people far away of the birth of Jesus. Wise Men who saw the star came from far away to see the child born a king. They came and bowed down and worshipped Jesus. They also presented him with gifts of gold, incense and myrrh. Yes, even today, wise men and women still seek Jesus and find him.
It is when you find Jesus that your heart is filled with joy. All celebrations of Christmas are an expression of this joy. We have this joy in our hearts because Jesus is our Immanuel. It means God is with us.
So this Christmas, let us all join together to sing and praise God. Let us all join together to tell everyone that God is deeply in love with this world. Let the burning candles and shining Christmas lights tell the world that God’s love is still shining in this dark world.
Yes, there is hope for all men and women. Whatever be your situation in life, God can make a big difference. That is Christmas. I wish you all the peace and joy of Christmas. May God bless you with the best gifts of heaven this Christmas. Thank you.
