Asides

‘Ember To Remember

My good friend Lola runs a great blog here:
www.belifteddotme.wordpress.com

She recently completed a series of great posts bearing ‘Ember To Remember. I’ve asked to ‘borrow’ this title and she graciously replied in the affirmative. So, there shouldn’t be any copyright issues, eh? Alright, I’m just kidding!

On this topic, Lola was mentioning a lot of things to be thankful for, especially during the last four months of the year. I’m also going to arrive at that same direction, though I’d be taking a slightly different route.

In my post, ‘Praising the devil’, I mentioned that Africans are the most religious people in the world. I also mentioned that Nigerians are the most religious Africans and Yorubas the most religious Nigerians. You see, in most societies, the last trimester of a year are the most enjoyable ones. You start making preparations for Christmas and the turn of the year, isn’t it? Not so with the Yorubas. They call the months in the last trimester of the year the ‘BA-BA-BA’ months. Shocking, eh? Well, according to their mentality, they expect this period to be one earmarked with a lot of misforturnes in the form of accidents and deaths. And because they expect these things, they do happen! Mostly due to man’s activities.

God is not the architect of a seasonal oubreak of evil. No! What actually happens can be explained as follows:

Towards the year’s end, it’s normal for people to want to share the festive periods with families and loved ones. As a result, there’s a lot of travelling during these periods. The transportation industry, especially road transport, sees this as big business. The players in this industry then calculate that they can make even more money if they can make more trips in a day. So, they travel at supersonic speeds. In addition to that however, as a result of corrupt leadership, very few good roads even exist. And consequently, a combinations of factors lead to accident and deaths.

But, I want to submit to you that it doesn’t have to be this way. God isn’t wicked. He’s a loving and caring Personality. He wouldn’t let His sun to shine on His people throughout the year only to prepare a season for accidents at the end of the year. Many have remembered this season as a result of the pain that a loss of a loved one has brought to them. This isn’t God’s perfect will for His own. His business with us is life. Abundant one at that! But should that be an excuse for reckless living? God forbid.

It’s God’s joy when we remember this season as one that brings to us love, fruitfulness, happiness and the good things of life. See to it, then, that you live life circumspectly with a due sense of responsibility. Truly, only then would it be an ‘Ember to Remember.

Sleepless Achievers: A Poem

Day unto day utters the speech received
from knowledge embedded in shadows of the night.

The valley is crowded like a sealed container of sardines
while there’s ample space on top of the mountain above all
The simply ordinary ones don’t know
or, rather won’t know,
so, they toss and turn,
receiving instant gratification, making
the rewards of the bed their own.

On the other hand, the sleepless
take their destinies into their hands and
violently press themselves into selection where it counts.

Generally, men sleep
and his enemy sows tares into their land
Yet, he gets into the land of the sleepless generals and can only
roar from a distance at the vigilantly sober.

The Father neither dozes nor slumbers and
His children follow His steps in the dark
as He leads them in a triumphant procession,
to the wide and spacious land only daylight reveals.

Life In Its Simplicity

To me, I’d say that a life lived in simplicity is one that the Holy Spirit controls from the most basic issues to the most crucial life-defining ones.

God talks to us all. In simple ways like dreams and visions and by nature. Still others get direction from The Word and their consciences. Some even hear an audible voice. The important thing is that God directs His people, regardless of the medium used. And yielding to His direction is The Way to The Simple Life.

A life lived in simplicity is one lived in peace. This is because there is a sense of purpose and direction in such an individual’s life. The person’s life is organized and well-orchestrated by the Holy Spirit. Such a life is never cumbersome because only the necessary and important things are done. Indeed, as a result, even unnecessary good habits are dropped if they are not important. Life becomes so simple that no decision is too trivial for the Spirit to decide. All decisions are met with either a ‘Yes’, a ‘No’ or a ‘Not Yet’.

Friend, we’ve been invited to live our lives in the simplicity of the Spirit. In that way, we can cast our cares and worries and troubles on His broad shoulders because they don’t belong to us anymore.

I leave you with this peculiar translation of a popular verse in the Bible:

‘Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me – watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you’
– Jesus (Matthew 11:28-29 The Message)

To The Pessimistic Ones

Pessimism is the uncanny ability to expect and see the worst in everything. In one of my earliest posts (Check out ‘Words Onwards’ on this blog), I mentioned that confusion, fear and its adherent complications arise from a thought. Many fail to see the tremendous amount of latent potential energy that is lying in a thought.
Our thoughts define our emotions.
Our emotions define our actions.
Our actions define our behaviours.
Our behaviours define our characters.
Our characters define our values.
Our values determine what we get out of life.
Take a look down the chain I just elaborated and you’d find that what we get out of life originates from our thoughts.

A positive thought doesn’t consume more willpower than is required for a negative thnught. Why then do pessimists afford themselves the luxury of dwelling on bad thoughts? After all, it’s the same effort it takes to have either a positively beneficial thought or a negatively harmful one.

Renew your mind and consciously make an effort to screen what you think about. Personally, I’m not up there just yet. I believe God would strengthen us all.

XOXO

During my initial forays into the social networking world, I used to see the word ‘XOXO’ at the end of many emotionally blissful status updates. Females are mostly ‘guilty’ of this. Being my usual inquisitive self, I googled ‘XOXO’! I saw that in online messaging, it meant ‘Hugs and Kisses’. Still vague to me, I ‘researched’ a bit more. Then I found it. Each ‘X’ stands for a person’s four limbs while each ‘O’ stands for a person’s head. Thus, ‘XOXO’ stands for two people embracing. Albeit an horizontal one!

If I was asked to summarize life in one word, I’d say: Relationship. With God. With man. With your family. With your neighbour. With your bosses at work. With strangers. Relationship! Relationship!! Relationship!!!

All of life’s problems are relationship problems. And all relationship problems bore down to love. Today, we speak of spiritual dryness in our worship centres. Why? Because we don’t love God and have a relationship with Him.
We speak of strife in our families and neighbourhoods. Why? Because people are not relating in love.
There are political tensions in every nation of the world. Why? Because the people and the leaders don’t have a working loving relationship with God and their fellow citizens.

So, how do you think you are faring ‘relationship-wise’? Good? Bad? Moderately okay? Whichever you pick, a healthy relationship with God and man is possible. Let’s make an effort to make our world a better place because it begins with you and I.

XOXO

We All Belong To One Race

When man was created, he was NOMINATED to be the choice of ALL creation. Alas, with our own hands, we have chosen to DENOMINATE ourselves into various divisions. Today, the talking point is about the Catholics, Anglicans, Protestants and the like. Tomorrow, it is the Negroes vs the Caucasians. The day after, we are talking about the caste system!

To be succinct, God created man to have dominion over the whole earth. Not over each other. All men were created as equals. Nobody is superior to anybody. And nobody was created to be less priviledged than anybody. However, for so many, the battleground is in the mind. So, some take their God-given dominion and place it under their equals. While some have an inflated self-image and enforce their dominion over others.

Instead, life should be seen as a race where everybody can be a winner. Everybody is eligible to run in it, irrespective of religious or social backgrounds. Life is a marathon race. Free for all, but dependent on endurance rather than speed. It is not how fast, but how well that would count in the end.

What’s the next step for you now? Lay aside every unnecessary weight that would slow you down in running the life race with endurance. You really don’t need the extra load of sin, bad habits, riotous living or traditional prejudices and unhelpful customs.

Race with purpose!
Race with intent!!
Race in God!!!

Dead Men Aren’t Supposed To Die, But…

3rd October, 2013.

Sad day for Nigeria.

It’s appointed unto man to die but ONCE, and after that judgement. Into eternal life. Or eternal damnation. I’m not one to judge the actions of anybody, but I believe God talks to us in diverse ways. One of them is by nature.

So, what happens when a plane carrying the remains of a dead man crashes? Coincidence? A Supernatural allegory? I’m not one to say. However, what I’m fully aware of is that God is not to be mocked, whatever a man sows, it’s the same he’d reap.

As I’ve said before, I’m in no position to judge anybody. It is however imperative to say this: In our life journey, we should strive to always fear God and love ALL men.

My condolences goes to the families of those that were on board on that plane. May God grant them the strength to bear their losses.

Peace.

Number Of The Day: 53

Today, Nigeria celebrates her 53rd year of independence from British Imperial Colonialism. The journey from 1960 till the present date has been very far from a stroll in the park. The country has had more than her fair share of crises, coups, religious, tribal and civil wars, as well as terrorist attacks. The nation has been blighted with corruption in every sector ever since the oil boom began in the 1970s. Sometimes, I look at the entire situation and wonder if things could have been better if the British colonial masters DID NOT grant Nigeria independence in the first place. Because to me, Nigeria is just like an overgrown baby at 53!

However, I’m not going to remain pessimistic about the state of the nation. Neither am I going to continue lashing out at the country’s flaws. I’m going to hold on to my belief that Nigeria would eventually turn out to be great again. Someone once compared the shape of the African continent to that of a gun pointing downwards. If that is the case, Nigeria is geographically located at the ‘trigger zone’ of Africa. It is my belief that Nigeria would serve as a trigger point to catalyze better positive change in the whole continent. It’s just a matter of time…

In the meantime, I wish Nigeria a happy independence celebrations. I believe the country would enter and fulfil the purpose of God for this endtime.

‘In that time shall the present be brought unto the LORD of hosts of a people scattered and peeled, and from a people terrible from their beginning hitherto; a nation meted out and trodden under foot, whose land the rivers have spoiled, to the place of the name of the LORD of hosts, the mount Zion. (Isa. 18:7)’

‘Yipee, First Ever Blogging Award!’ aka ‘They Call Me Dr. Versatility’

A couple of weeks ago, Mehak Latif (www.mmlatif2013.wordpress.com) nominated me for the ‘Versatile Blogger Award’. This gesture sent very warm feelings through my heart. I’m really excited about this post and I wanted it to be written when I wasn’t all mushy in cloud nine! Once again, thanks so much Mehak Latif.

Before I go on, there are 3 rules regulating the ‘Versatile Blogger Award’. In the form of a blog post, the following guidelines should be followed:
1. Thank the person who nominated you and put a link back to their blog in your post.
2. List 15 bloggers you follow that you’d like to nominate for the award. (With their links)
3. Tell the person who nominated you 7 things about yourself.

The 15 bloggers whom I choose (in no specific order) are:

belifteddotme www.belifteddotme.wordpress.com

www.poetreecreations.org

king in training www.kingintraining.wordpress.com

follow his light www.followhislight.wordpress.com

kushtrimthaqi www.kushtrimthaqi.org

nataliescarberry www.sacredtouches.wordpress.com

one7blog www.one7blog.wordpress.com

Rebecca www.andasprinkleoflove.wordpress.com

Stuart M. Perkins www.storyshucker.wordpress.com

Everyday Power Blog www.everydaypowerblog.wordpress.com

The river walk www.tworiversblog.com

the russian way www.sportsfreakblog.wordpress.com

Wildersoul Colouring book www.wildersoul.wordpress.com

Don Charisma www.doncharisma.org

Peace of my heart www.peacefulpromises.wordpress.com

And finally, 7 things about myself would include:

1. I’m currently a final year student at the University of Ibadan, Nigeria. Unfortunately, the academic staff of all federal universities are currently on a strike. This means that unless something drastically happens soon, I’d probably still be a final year student next year. Without the strike, I should have graduated by now!

2. I have 2 younger brothers. There are three and a half years between my immediate younger brother and I. There are also exactly three and a half years between my immediate younger brother and the last born. When I asked my mummy how this exact spacing came to be, she pointed skywards! Well, not exactly…..but you got the point, didn’t you?

3. I was born in the U.K. My parents decided to move back when I was almost 4 years old. I’ve not travelled out of the country since then. I hope to do so in the nearest future.

4. I love watching football. Definitely not American football! That sport is too brute for me. I’m a soccer fan. My favorite football club is FC Barcelona. And my favorite footballer is obviously Lionel Messi. Though he’s currently injured, he’s still at least 1000 better than Cristiano Ronaldo! Strangely enough, my greatest fear also comes from football. Very rarely, a footballer would slump on the field and die. That scares me a lot! Thankfully though, it seldomly happens. Nevertheless, I still love watching football matches. I even plan to own a football club in the future.

5. I don’t have any favorite food. As a result, I believe I’d survive anywhere in the world. But if you serve me pounded yam with melon soup and vegetables garnished with well diced fish and topped with beef or chicken, I would most definitely not scold you. Except, of course, you don’t serve me water to drink with it!

6. I don’t talk with people easily. But once the ice is broken, we would just flow naturally. I have more female than male friends, though. I haven’t figured out the reason yet. Probably it’s because I’m a just cool guy that listens a lot!

7. I believe in God. I believe in Jesus Christ. I believe in the Holy Spirit. I believe in the Bible. I believe in New Creation Realities. I believe in life after death. I believe in Heaven and Hell. Fortunately, I don’t have a religion…
…Because Christianity is a lifestyle.

There you have it! All 3 rules followed to the letter. Do you share some qualities with me? Do you have questions for me, so you can know me better? Feel free to drop your thoughts in the comment box below.
Many thanks again to Mehak Latif (www.mmlatif2013.wordpress.com).
Cheers!

Brainfood

In the beginning, there’s formlessness and void
And I have this thought, so funny a thought,
‘How would I be wiser and better than I am now?’
Suddenly The Word is spoken. He seeks me out and finds me
He looks at me lovingly, and as I get ‘comfy’
I cannot help but notice the gleaming of a metal blade
Then He says, ‘I am after your heart!’
Without warning, His muscular arms lift the sharp double-edged sword
And sends it crashing straight through my head.

There is blood and tissue everywhere. And they are mine
I’m in pain, moreso, I’m in shock
My head is divided into equal halves
He takes a few steps back and silently admires the mess
Like an artist would look at a masterpiece.

I’m dead. Again I’m not
He picks my brain as I look on…
That’s all I remember,
Because a mightily rushing wind comes and makes me whole again

I try thinking, but can’t
My heart is meant to skip a beat, but it won’t

So The Word speaks again:
‘You are wiser and better than you could possibly ever be’
This time I don’t see Him, because He’s already in Me.