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Saturday, December 12, 2009

Shopping In Delhi-

This is a totally unrelated post to what I've been blog/journaling lately. I have some friends from my small group headed to India in a few weeks. They asked if there's anything they can pick up for me, and other than my little girl, no, not much. :)

I put together this list in an email- and thought it might be something that the Dillon moms might want to know for their time in Delhi. So- here are my favorite shopping spots in Delhi. :)

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Santushti- The place I mentioned last night that I loved to shop for jewelry and such, that Steve accurately described as a 'utica' type of environment (a really nice, upper end type of area, although fully Indian :)) is called Santushti. Goldie Hawn was shopping there when I was there last... :) Kinda funny, me dressed in my Indian missionary garb shopping in the same area as a movie star. It's a big grassy/treed area with meandering sidewalks and little shops spotted around. *Fixed Price, Credit or cash.

Dilli Haat- Great outdoor area with handmade items and booths with items from different areas all over India is called Dilli Haat. Both Santushti and Dilli Haat have a very cheap 'admission cost' (it's probably like 10 Rs?) to enter the general shopping area. Both places also have restaurants as well. They will sometimes have music or productions happening in an amphitheater area there too. There is a market across the street from Dilli Haat called the INA market where I bought a lot of my home goods (more utilitarian shopping than tourist shopping)*Bargain down the prices. Cash only.

Khan Market- a small shopping area/district with bookshops, and other stores. *Fixed Price (generally- some stores might bargain with you). There is a pharmacy here, and several really good restaurants in this area (but I can't remember their names!) Credit or cash.

Fab India- several locations around Delhi (and India). It's my favorite store in India, hands down. They have men's and women's clothing, household decor, gifts, LOTS of textiles- and overall, just great quality items, and I think all of them are handmade. There are smaller Fab India stores in Khan Market, Connaught Place, and other areas- but the best/biggest ones are in GK1, N Block (Greater Kailash, N block). They have a website if you want to check it out in advance- but know that the prices will be cheaper in India in person than the website prices. they also have a Fab India that is exclusively fabric if you want to sew your own bedding with Indian fabrics... I don't remember which location in Delhi it was though. www.fabindia.com *Fixed Price, credit or cash.

GK1- Greater Kailash (suburb area of Delhi)- there's a shopping area in the M block and the N block. *Fixed Price shops, credit or cash.

Connaught Place- large shopping/metropolitan area in the heart of Delhi (has lots of US franchise restaurants around). It's a really big 2 loop circle with stores on the inner circle and outer circle. These are the higher end pretty expensive shops for the most part. *Fixed Price Shops, Credit or cash.

Janpath Market- (Tibetan market area specifically)- Crowded outdoor stalls with lots of people everywhere. Handicrafts and such. *Bargain your heart out! Cash only:)

Central Cottage Industries Emporium- on corner of Janpath/Tolstoy. This is a government run fixed price store. The main location is the one at Janpath/Tolstoy, and having been to the satellite locations- I recommend only going to the main store. This place is indoors (a great place to shop if the weather is bad). It is a GIANT store (think a 5 story Macy's), everything is fixed price- and they have EVERYthing from all over India in here (handicrafts, art, furniture, fabric, rugs, clothing, toys, books, jewelry, etc.). It's a good place to go if you don't want to do the outdoor market/crowded/bargaining scene. This is where I went when I wanted to buy children's clothes, toys and books. They have a really great selection of children's items. *Fixed Price- they'll take credit cards here.

Ok- it looks like all I did in India was shop! :) We went to Delhi every few months and it was our major shopping outlet- since we lived in such a small town with little amenities... :) From all of you Dillon moms who have already travelled- I'd love your input on your favorite spots as well.

Sunday, December 06, 2009

How I'm going to get there:

Alright. Based on my post from last night (during my time at Casa Sonata), I'm seeking out how to get back to the woman I'm called to be. I feel a bit strange doing this in front of the cyber world- but I need to be held acccountable... I've wished a number of times over the last 6 months that I could struggle through these issues face to face with my colorado springs friends- but I'm seeing now that God had to pluck me out of that comfortable place in order for me to deal with things that had settled and taken root that were not of Him; first of which was complacency.

I realized after a chat with a friend yesterday afternoon that I'm sounding like a broken record! I keep rehashing the same 'boo hoo' tales that need to be set aside and forgotten. I've learned over these last 6 months how empty and directionless I can find myself by turning  inward for help/answers... yes, God's spirit is in me, and there were some nuggets to be found that kept me alive- but it's a little bit like 'feasting' on those stale cheerios that I find tucked in the couch cushions instead of getting a fresh meal that not only nourishes but is satisfying (but that requires WORK!).

2 Peter 1: 3-10
3His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. 4Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature and escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.
5For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; 6and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; 7and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love. 8For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9But if anyone does not have them, he is nearsighted and blind, and has forgotten that he has been cleansed from his past sins.
10Therefore, my brothers, be all the more eager to make your calling and election sure. For if you do these things, you will never fall, 11and you will receive a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Listening to a message "The Holy Spirit's Power and our effort" by Francis Chan.

I find that I've been praying for an easy way out, not for a closer walk with the Lord, not for stronger character, not for steadfastness in Him. In all my heartfelt, tear-filled prayers for my son's healing (among other things)- I'm essentially searching for an easy way out for him and for our family. Instead of praying that God would use this diffuculty to mold us all into who He wants us to be and for us to be better witnesses to His faithfulness through living life with an incurable disease.

Saturday, December 05, 2009

Opposition to the Rebuilding: more journal/blogging to help me process...

Thank God (and my hubby) for a little R and R this weekend. I'm sequestering myself at my mom's while she's in FL- and I'm staying quiet (mostly). :)

I'm trying to take this weekend to turn off my cranial conversation with God and open my heart/spiritual ears to what He's been trying to say to me. I think in my attempt to 'listen' to His answers to my hundreds of questions/ponderings, I've completely missed the 'wide and long and high and deep' of his love (Eph 3:18). I'm praying that He'll turn my darkness into light (2 Sam 22:29)- and He's so faithful. He's already revealing Himself to me.

My questions are mostly about this season in my life where I feel like things have been progressing 'two steps forward, one step back.' I'm making progress- but there is constantly a repair or something to be struggled through in order to progress in my journey. What I envision, is the Lord, like a father, stroking my head while I lay weary across his lap. He's telling me that the struggle isn't the problem. The struggle IS THE JOURNEY. I'm weary because I'm not prepared for the struggle. Here I've been preparing for the destination while the journey kicks my butt- and I get frustrated.

I've lived such a cushy life up until recently, that now when I experience difficulty or struggle, I think there's a problem and I attempt to fix it in order to keep things smooth. The Lord is very gently trying to teach me that the issue is my resistance to having to struggle.

At some point in my walk, I internalized a teaching that I was supposed to 'follow the peace' because God is a God of peace... But upon further reflection, God is a God of strength and frequently a God of battle! Just because there is turbulence in my life, doesn't mean that God is not there... And just because things are smooth, doesn't mean God is in it... The only way to gain strength is by resisting things that are also strong (difficult). The only way to gain muscle is to work against another force- usually one bigger/stronger than you...

(man this is going to be a long post.)

In my Bible searching today I read about Nehemiah rebuilding the wall. In Nehemiah ch 4, the subheading is "Opposition to the Rebuilding." OH MY! This should be the sub-heading to my life right now! How totally appropriate!!!

Neh 4:14 'After I looked things over, I stood up and said to the nobles, the officials and the rest of the people, "Don't be afraid of them. Remember the Lord, who is great and awesome, and fight for your brothers, your sons and your daughters, your wives and your homes."

Nehemiah was speaking about the people continuing to re-build the wall because the enemy was headed their way. They were weary and they were being mocked while they worked. He was encouraging them to struggle through the difficulty of the labor involved in physically fighting to protect their families and their lives.

A verse that follows is Neh 4:17b:
Those who carried materials did their work with one hand and held a weapon in the other.

What an image. They were NOT dreamily building a wall, imagining what it would be like to someday have it complete. They were battling while they built.

This sounds like the ultimate multi-tasking challenge. I have to battle for my family and my God- while I rebuild the brokenness within myself and those around me. The battle and the repair are not the problem. My unwillingness to take them on; that's the problem.