Is water a blessing?

In the course of our stay in our little apartment in Delhi, we've faced some interesting water challanges. There were times of abundant supply, times of scarcity, a time when we fought for water and even a time when our living room got flooded! All in all, I'm thankful for being one of those privileged to have running, almost clean water. Almost. Nope, I wouldn't drink that for a million rupees!
But what happens when your entire life, all of your being changes because of that very precious liquid?
I'm thinking of Hasankeyf. A small town south of Turkey, lush green valley on the banks of the Tigris. Reminds me of my history lessons (oh if those weren't so boring!) on Mesopotamian culture. Apparently the homes in the caves in Hasankeyf date up to 10,000 years. That's way close to Adam and Eve. Perhaps Cain? I don't see why not! Beautiful, green, a jewel set in midst of golden dry land. The Bible mentions the Garden of Eden being surrounded by four rivers, two of which exist today, the Tigris and the Euphrates. It's mesmerizing to think those lands are watered by these ancient rivers. Sadly people's wants have taken over much of the beauty and the rivers generosity. Dams, not just on the Tigris, inundate so much of history, so much of life. What must it be like to pick up the pieces and carry on? My heart goes out to the people of Hasankeyf. Never would I've imagined a tragedy (among all the others that are happening) of this scale would take place in my lifetime. These things are so often results of bad decisions taken years ago. It's sad to think lessons haven't been learnt and bad decisions still take place. Enough to alter humanity.
Often I feel angry for those who don't have water, those who suffer for it. Now I feel angry for those who don't need an abundance of it. It's a sad, strange world.

Marriage and parenting? seriously?!

How does the world see these roles? There is immense scepticism over what is morally right and established. What is morality anyway? Is not based within me, with me within it?
That's what the world is mulling over. Who says what is wrong? Or right? Isn't what I do what matters? ... Or don't only I matter?
The Bible gives a different view on these thoughts. I love love Ephesians 2 (MSG).

It wasn’t so long ago that you were mired in that old stagnant life of sin. You let the world, which doesn’t know the first thing about living, tell you how to live. You filled your lungs with polluted unbelief, and then exhaled disobedience. We all did it, all of us doing what we felt like doing, when we felt like doing it, all of us in the same boat. It’s a wonder God didn’t lose his temper and do away with the whole lot of us. Instead, immense in mercy and with an incredible love, he embraced us. He took our sin-dead lives and made us alive in Christ. He did all this on his own, with no help from us! Then he picked us up and set us down in highest heaven in company with Jesus, our Messiah.
Yes, I've let the world, which doesn't know the first thing of living, teach me how to live- how to choose what's right and wrong.
Today I read an article, that pretty much infuriated me. And it wasn't related to "rights of marriage". It was about how wonderful it is to be married to a 'working' woman, and not one who 'sits at home'. The reasons The Man gave were on these lines...
He could have intelligent conversation with his wife;
The children would grow up 'independent' from their parents;
She would add on to the income of the house. (And some more stuff.. You probably already know!)
What are the things this world values? Money matters, Pride matters, Grandeur matters. Hearts don't, children don't, love doesn't. These are termed "wishy-washy". Yet the most wishy-washy of them all is the fact that we keep ourselves in the centre of our topsy turvy world. It wouldn't be that way if we weren't right in the middle of it all. If our perspectives came from a bigger source than 'us'. The question isn't even what is better- to stay at home or work; to stay married or 'live your dreams'. The question is what's in the centre of your life?