WHAF IF?
What if we weren’t so afraid and took that chance? What if we were more loving? Perhaps, at some point in life, we have either asked or heard someone ask the what if question. In a certain town, so long ago, a prophet pretended hurt and proceeded to cover his eyes with a bandage. He felt he needed the disguise with the bandage to deliver a message to a certain Israelite king. So off he went with a sad tale of wounds and imminent death for failing to complete a task given to him. It was hectic during battle, and he was busy here and there he complained. The king countered with “as you have said, so shall the ruling be.” At this, the prophet hurriedly removed his disguise to be recognized. The prophet proclaimed that he, the king, was in fact the subject of the report and therefore, was…
THE BARK AND THE BITE
All bark and no bite! Not a lot of power behind that, is there? I share Sam Kofi’s story and how he got bite. the bite Sam Kofi could never quite fit in. He was misjudged, mocked and labelled “different” and “strange”. For instance, he did not find jokes at the expense of others funny. What was funny about jokes at another’s expense, after all?! Sam Kofi yearned to fit in. To be like everyone else. But, he soon encountered books and discovered a world of possibilities. He understood things about himself, picked up skills and learned from mistakes. He could create. Have bark and bite so to speak. Now different did not seem so sad anymore. He was solving problems and this made him happy. Eventually, he found he could earn from doing the things he loves. People would pay for his skills? That was a great feeling.…
Food for Thought
Really this post should be about food, thoughts about food, but it is not. Instead it is about things to chew on and think about. More a mental nourishment. Okay, maybe I can find a way to chip in something about food at the end. We’ll see! Sarah is one of a kind. Just give her a date and she can tell you what she was wearing, what she ate or did on that day. Genius! Blessed with a photographic memory. These are details we tend to forget because nothing eventful happened to trigger our brains to store and resuscitate such specifics. Have you met anyone like this? Hopefully, people like Sarah should inspire us to make an effort to recall names of people we have met, right? I mean, it’s the least we can do. Oh, the loud silence when we run into them and can’t make introductions! Experts,…
Drive A Willing Horse to Death. Or not!
Nelly’s dad was quite fond of saying, “don’t drive a willing horse to death.” Huh!? It didn’t make much sense to her. It did however, the older and wiser she got. At one time or another, we might have seen a horse handler breaking a horse or putting it under saddle. At first, it is tough. Eventually, the animal is ready and serves the owner on a farm or on the field. With a saddle safely in place, one can ride safely on the horse. But I digress. Now, the horse is malleable and willing, but you want to watch that you don’t ride it to exhaustion and death. There’s such a thing as a good thing being too much. That’s what Nelly’s dad meant by the expression. horse Like we see in the story of the prophet and a donkey, even a beast of burden has its breaking point.…
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IN A BLAZE OF GLORY
A light bulb shines so bright, just before it burns out completely, doesn’t it? Almost like, ensuring it uses up all its energy to create value in a blaze of glory. A blaze of glory implies a state of strength or high accolade surrounding a person or thing. “Every morning in Africa, a gazelle wakes up, it knows it must outrun the fastest lion or it will be killed. Every morning in Africa, a lion wakes up, it knows it must run faster than the slowest gazelle, or it will starve. It doesn’t matter whether you’re the lion or a gazelle-when the sun comes up, you’d better be running.” African proverb. It is difficult to establish the original author of this quote, (please do share in the comment section if you know) however, it is an interesting one. Like the lion and the gazelle, we have a chance to excel…
“Come chop”
“Come chop” broken English for “come eat” were the words on the invite. That sounds great I thought. Food is satisfying especially with the right company. Surprise! It was a birthday too. While this was a fun experience with siblings Yomi and Fehinti, not sure the 200 or so men who attended Absalom’s party so many years ago can say the same. They probably thought it would be fun hanging out with a prince. Instead it was a mess. His intentions were bad and you can read all about it here. chop The company doesn’t have to be a big name to have a good time. In fact, one can have trouble as guest of a big boss, like we see with this prince. Maybe, there’s a thing with 200?! David’s 200 joined the victory party. It was not a trap even when they had been weary from fighting. Grace…
THEY CAN WHO BELIEVE!
Those who believe they can, usually can. As a man thinks, so is he. A sage said, you can have anything you want out of life, but not everything. This means we have to be specific and choose. It can be exhausting to be everywhere. Have you ever watched someone succeed at a task and think if he could, then so can I? Yes, indeed sometimes other people can persuade or inspire us to success. Suddenly the self-doubt fades and the fear is no longer crippling. In Aesop’s Fables: Monkey Business, a monkey entertained fans from the roof of a house. The people were delighted at the monkey’s antics and applauded it. An ass wished to perform the same tricks as the monkey. (Who we keep company with does count after all and desire is such a powerful thing.) So the ass climbed up to the roof as well to…
GOD IN CREATION
God has various names in many languages and cultures and it seems like men have since known of a supreme being in creation, not so? To Moses and the children of Israel, He introduced Himself as I AM with signs and mighty acts. Jonah discovered that he could not hide from God, after three days and nights in the belly of a fish in the deep. He is ever present! “To whom will you liken me and make me equal, and compare me, that we may be alike?” Isaiah 46:5 The Gideon’s Bible. Wise men from the east saw the star. It was a sign to them that a King was born, and no ordinary King this was. So, they followed the star to seek out and worship. If we look, perhaps, we can find His footprints in creation. In landscapes so gorgeous, roaring seas, winds, trees, fields, flowers, wild…
THE DAY WE WENT SAILING
It was sunny weather, calm seas and an excellent day to go sailing, our small group of six noted as we got set. We felt lucky. Almost, like heaven was smiling down at us. This was going to be an unforgettable experience, we all agreed. It was special right from the moment the sailing club folks invited us to celebrate their fourteenth anniversary. An all-expenses paid trip. Dreamy or what! It was the perfect vessel too. White and elegant, the power of the wind in her sails, a majestic feat of engineering. The interior was just as impressive and flawless. White leather and mahogany finishing. What’s not to like! sailing “Sailing east, sailing west, sailing over the ocean…” There was dancing, fiercely-clear water to swim in, lots to eat and drink al fresco. We went hiking along quaint, seaside homes, picturesque landscapes and majestic cliffs that tell a history of…
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