STOCK TAKING

P1STOCK TAKING

Shaji Mathew Kuttiyil

One more year is drawing to an end. This is the time companies count their physical stock and prepare their final accounts, as what they see need not be what actually is.

Stock taking is not just applicable to companies, but individuals also. This is the best time for us to sit down and take stock of our personal lives; to arrive at the gains or losses we have made in the past one year. This time, include one intangible item in the balance sheet viz. SOCIAL LIFE. Our society is based on the principle of 'give and take'. Look back and count what we have taken from the society and what we have given to society in return. Where does it fall, on the assets side or the liability side?

When compiling the balance sheet, companies do window dressing to paint a better picture before the shareholders. In fact, it may not be true. The hawkish eyes of an auditor can find it out. We too try to do the same. We may be successful in convincing our fellow beings in the cover up. But remember, for us too there is an auditor, the Almighty, whom we can't cheat.

Business houses analyze their final accounts to assess their real strength. They try to find out their mistakes and take steps to rectify them, in order not to repeat the same in future. They plan the future in the light of their own experience and the experience of similar bodies in the industry. The month of January is named after the Roman God of Janus. The peculiarity of this God is that he has two faces looking in opposite directions. Those who designed the calendar aptly selected it. We need to look back to assess our set backs as well as achievements. We should learn from our past mistakes and correct them. Then look forward to the future with hope vision and conviction.

P2Prayer And Its Essence

Shon Thomas Zachariah

What is prayer?

Prayer is communicating with God or in other words talking to God. In prayer you can feel the Holy Spirit come upon you and bless you. It is like talking to God as a friend. In the Bible there are many examples of prayer and I shall tell you some.

* Abraham was always praying to God and was faithful to God and because of that he was made 'the Father of the Nation' -Israel whose people were as uncountable as the sand on the beach.

* Then there are Jacob's wives who prayed to bear children.

*Jonah kept praying ever since he was in the stomach of the fish and due to his prayer he was vomited onto land three days later

* Even though Hannah was ridiculed as she prayed for a son, finally she gave birth to a son. She named him Samuel which means 'because I asked the Lord for him ' or the exact meaning is ' because I prayed to the Lord for him'. Samuel grew up to be a great man since he was dedicated to God and because he was born due to his mother's prayer.

* Daniel used to pray facing Jerusalem three times a day even when it was banned. He was the second highest authoritative person after the king because of his faithfulness to God. Just imagine an exile like him being promoted to the second highest position in Babylon, which was a very powerful civilization at that time.

* Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego who were friends of Daniel, were thrown into a furnace because they were faithful and prayed to God. Not even one hair on their head was burned, or their body for that matter.

* In Psalms 6:9 it is written that the Lord accepted the prayer of the psalmists. Ezra fasted and prayed to God and it is written in the bible that the lord answered his prayer. It is written clearly in Isaiah 56:7 that the Lord's house will be called ' the house of prayer for all the nations'. The same is written in Matthew 21:13. It is clearly stated in Mark 11:24 that whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you have received it and it will be yours. In 1-Peter 3:12, it is written that the Lord is attentive to the prayers of people like us. In 1 Chronicles 5:20 the Israelites prayed because they trusted in the lord. The Israelites disobeyed God many times but every time they prayed during their punishments God raised judges to save them. Job's friends were blessed only because job prayed for them.

Now in modern days many women are bearing children because complete strangers are praying for them. There are so many more incidences where people are cured of long standing diseases just because of prayer. We must be alert and pray at least once every day because the Lord can come at any moment like a thief at night to take us away to his heavenly abode. In Matthew 6:5 Jesus said that when you pray you should not pray like hypocrites. In 1Thessalonians 5:16, 17 it is written that we should pray continually. We must always pray when we start a day. Most importantly we must always pray before we do anything for it to be successful. In 1 Kings 9:3 when Solomon prayed to God about the temple he made for God it is written that the Lord had heard Solomon's prayer and supplications. When king Hezekiah was sick he prayed with tears from his eyes. In 2 Kings 20: 5, it is written that he heard king Hezekiah's prayer and healed him and increased his life by ten more years. It is written in 2 Chronicles 30:27 that when the Levites arose and blessed the people of Israel and prayed for them, their prayer reached God's holy place - heaven.

So my dear friends and parents we should always pray in order is to be successful in what we do. And so I conclude with prayer.

HE HELPS ME THROUGH...

By Sherin Chinnu Zachariah

As time goes by,

I sit here all alone,

At the turning point of my life,

He helps me through.

My mourning he turned into dancing,

My sorrow he turned into laughter,

A misfit among normal people,

My life is nothing short being useless.

Suicide and running away won't help,

Turn to God he will always be there,

To help you through,

Your sorrow and pain.

Parents and siblings,

Friends and teachers,

In their eyes I am a pain,

Because I make their life so miserable.

All assets, treasures talents,

They use it wisely,

But for me talents are;

Another mistake of life.

Try to bring laughter,

I always fail,

Try to bring joy,

I stumble and fall,

Try to be the best daughter, friend and sister,

But in all these I stumble and fall and fail.

My life is not a bed of roses,

But instead a bed of thorns,

Not only to myself,

But to others as well.

My story I write in vain I know,

But please try to understand my pain,

My life is in bondage with sorrow and sin,

But only when his blood drops cover me will I be free.

As I write this poem,

I sit and wonder what plan does God have for me?

When will I finish his job for me?

When will I go away?

While I sit and wail and cry because of the good things that God,

Has blessed me with, which to me are horrible,

I fail to remember, the little children on the streets,

Who would love to lead a life like mine.

And so this is a humble request,

To all those who complain of life,

Remember this,

There are people with worse fates and lives than ours,

Remember their tearful eyes and their pitiful lives,

And we will gain pleasure from the simple things in life

P6Safety Begins At Home.

By Cherian.K.M, Kodinjoor Kunnumpurathu

Kitchen

Hygiene and daily cleaning are very important in your kitchen because of the grease and condensation caused by cooking, but many of the cleaning products for use at home are poisonous. Not only do they pose a danger to your small children and pets, but they also pollute the water system and the air. If you must use theses products do so sparingly, and read and follow all instructions carefully, make it a point of know what type of chemicals are present in your house.

Bathroom

Remember that most bathroom cleaners are poisonous and are not environmentally friendly. Bleach is not a cleaning agent; it just bleaches surfaces and materials white. It eventually damages chrome and plastic surfaces as well as the environment. Use natural acids instead, and don't forget to switch off your water heater during the summer.

Domestic waste

A staggering tonnes of domestic waste were disposed of at Bahrain's Askar municipal land. The disposal of such waste has become one of the greatest and most threatening environmental and health problems.

There are two main ways to tackle your waste problem: -

1. Creating less waste

2. Recycle as much as possible of the waste you do produce.

Cutting down on waste

* Think before you buy. Do you really need it

* Don't buy over packaged products

* Cut down on plastic bags. Take your own shopping bag when you go for shopping, and reuse all

plastic bags

* Use both side of the writing paper

* Reuse envelopes by sticking a new address label on

* Save gift wrapping paper, ribbons and strings for reuse

* Donate unused clothes and household items instead of throwing them away

* Avoid disposable plates, cups and utensils. Use washable ones instead

* After a picnic or day at the beach , bag your litter and dispose it in a trash can.

CONCLUSION

According to my knowledge safety is an awareness and to be maintained constantly. It should become a secondary nature to us as we are subjected to unsafe conditions, environmental pollutions such as noise and emissions. Our earth is surrounded by a thin layer of gas known as the ozone layer, which protects us from the sun's harmful ultraviolet radiation which increases the incidence of certain kinds of skin cancer. Pollutants are disturbing the ozone layer. The problem is immediate and severe, but it is not out of control. The ozone layer is still there and we can do something to save it, by understanding the cause of the problem and taking constructive action.

Now a days all over the world, governments are becoming more and more concerned about safety of human beings against ultraviolet variations, global warming and green house effects. So you must learn more about global warmings and its consequences. Always check the labels for warnings and precautions when you buy items from markets and follow the instruction carefully. This will help you to avoid unwanted injuries or illness.

Hence for a better future free from discomfort pain and losses we must make conscious efforts to live in safety.

Refer this article once in a while as an awareness program

I wish you safety in all walks of life