Things to remember...on one hand...

0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5

1] Prayer is not a "spare wheel" that you pull out when in trouble, but it is a "steering wheel" that directs the right path throughout your life. A very wise person said: Prayer should be our first port of call and not a last resort.

2] Do you know why a car’s WINDSHIELD is so large & the Rear-view Mirror is so small? Because our PAST is not as important as our FUTURE. Look Ahead and Move on! (Byrd Baggett: Look at life through the windshield, not the rear-view mirror”) Look/go  forward...you cannot live in reverse.

3] Often when we lose hope and think this is the end, GOD smiles from above and says, "Relax, it's just a bend, not the end!"
A wise unknown person said:

"A bend in the road is not the end of the road...

  unless you fail to make the turn."

There will always be bends and bumps on the way to your destiny. Decide and keep moving forward...

4] A blind person asked Swami Vivekanand: "Can there be anything worse than losing eye sight?" He replied: "Yes, losing your vision!"

5] WORRYING does not take away tomorrow’s TROUBLES, it takes away today’s PEACE! And, "Worry does not empty tomorrow of its sorrow. It empties today of its strength.

(Corrie Ten Boom)

House of Mirrors

"All of us have had that veil removed so that we can be mirrors that brightly reflect the glory of the Lord. And as the Spirit of the Lord works within us, we become more and more like him and reflect his glory even more." (2 Cor 3:18 - NLT)

Author unknown: Long ago in a small village [or so the story goes] there was a place known as the House of a Thousand Mirrors. A small, happy little dog learned of this place and decided to visit.

When he arrived, he bounced happily up the stairs to the doorway of the house. He looked through the door with his ears lifted high and his tail wagging as fast as he could.

"A-Dress"

This won't be my first time* (& definitely not my last time) of talking about this.

We must all be aware of "A-Dress" - it always comes back to the way we are dressed.

3 weeks ago, I watched part of the 2012 Oscars and I cannot begin to put words to how I felt when I saw the way some people dressed. A few days later, I read some of the comments about a particular person's dress or shall I say lack of it - and I got an eyeful of comments.

A wise man, Bishop David Oyedepo, said:

Daddy's girl

Those who know me know that I was "Daddy's girl" for a long time - which is why this book: "Daddy loves His girls" by Bishop T.D. Jakes resonated with me. I had a direct connection with it because of my special "on-earth" relationship with my Dad. It was no wonder that from the day my Dad passed on and for weeks after, different people kept calling and checking on me - just to know how I was doing and dealing with the void. I agree with the unknown person who said: "A daughter may outgrow your lap, but she will never outgrow your heart." The flip is also true in my case:

Though I am somewhat "grown up," I don't feel (& doubt) that I've out grown having a Dad.

Accept vs. Respect

Albert Camus said: Life is the sum of your choices. In fact, our choices and decisions…good or bad...determine what is added or subtracted from our lives, not to mention the multiplier (ripple) or divisive effect.

Have you watched “The Blind Side”? It is such a heart-warming film – one you’ll learn a lot from…like I did. One scene that stuck with me was when Sandra Bullock was telling her friends about her recent life-changing decision and actions. When they started laughing at her, she very crisply said: “You don’t have to approve my decisions, I just ask you to respect them.” She was clear in her decision and drive and that resonated with me.

I didn’t ask to be born…

Recently, I read an interview with Bill Cosby and his new book titled:

“I didn’t ask to be born (but I’m glad I was).”

I haven’t read the book yet - the title is enough to make me look out for it. If you’ve read it I would be glad to hear about it - just email:

sapphireandberyl@gmail.com

Well, as I was saying the title “stuck” to me. When you think about it, none of us asked to be born – I mean for those of us who are parents, none of your children asked to be born either. The big question for me with this title is:

Besides me, is anyone else glad that I was born?

I mean, I cannot imagine this world without me…or is it cannot imagine me without the world – and there is no better time than this time I’m living in? I acknowledge that some people are not happy with the current condition of their lives and some are out-rightly unhappy with their lives and that is a very sad place to be. Let’s spin this a bit - like me, you also didn’t ask to be born but what have you done with the gift of life you received?

There are no assurances that “bad” or unpleasant things will not happen in your life – actually Jesus promised us tribulation in this world. So the question is what do you do with the things that happen to you? I believe everything we go through – pleasant or unpleasant – are to make us better, not bitter, people.

There are some of you who were very delightful people – everyone wanted to be around you and others wanted you to always be around them and then something “unfair” happened. Now you do not want to be around anyone and the feeling is mutual because no-one wants to be around you or wants you around them either and sometimes you wonder “why was I even born?” In case you don’t already know and even if you already know, let me announce to you that: You were born because God has a special assignment for you on earth – that no-one but you can perform. No one can be a better you than you. Ephesians 2:10 tells us that “we are His workmanship…and created for good works.” God created you so that YOU will reflect and radiate His glory – and make people glad that you were born.

You owe it to yourself to be glad you were born and spread that gladness wherever you go. Yes, yes – you didn’t ask to be born – that’s History. You are here now – that’s Geography. Maximize the moments….Make A Difference. Leave the world better than you met it – that will be utilising the Chemistry of who you are…and everyone will be glad you were born.

I'm glad I was born - are you glad you were born?

Thinking back...and looking forward...

It's been a whole month since I had the privilege of burying my father - yes, it is a privilege and definite blessing from God that we outlive our parents and not the other way around. For those of us who have had any loss in our lives you know it is a time for reality check.

The Message rendition of Ecclesiastes 7: 2 is very apt:

You learn more at a funeral than at a feast— After all, that's where we'll end up. We might discover something from it.

Since my Dad's passing, I've been asking myself all manner of questions... the terminal point of my questions has been: "What will I be remembered for when I go home to the Lord?" Although I know that I'm not going to die soon - because I still have a lot of work to do here, I also know that it is no too early to make sure that I'll leave marvellous memories behind not miserable ones. Think about it: When we were born everyone around us was very glad and rejoicing while we were crying (rightly so to clear our airways and expand our lungs).

A letter to my Daughter

12 June 2009

My Dear Dumebi
You turned 10 in March 2009 (exactly 3 months ago), so you're graduating from little childhood to big childhood. Soon, much sooner than your Daddy and I can imagine, you will be a young woman. While you're still listening, then, here are some graduation advice, free of charge.

You are energetic, curious and sweet-spirited (like Me) and serious-minded and determined (like your Daddy). Give your strengths and weaknesses to God, and He will use them to make something beautiful, as He made you.

You inherited a love of reading from Grandma and Grandpa. While you read through your academic and fiction books, please make the Word of God your daily companion. Many of the greatest missionaries first heard God's gentle call at your age.

You have a love and talent for music, cherish it always, and use it to praise the Lord wherever you go. You may not remember scales and finger exercises with particular fondness, but never forget that J.S. Bach, the master of sublime harmony, wrote every note to the glory of God.