Sisters

A young wife sat on a sofa on a hot humid day,drinking iced tea and visiting with her Mother. Asthey talked about life, about marriage, about theresponsibilities of life and the obligations of adulthood, the mother clinked the ice cubes in her glass thoughtfully and turned a clear, sober glance upon her daughter'Don't forget your Sisters,' she advised, swirlingthe tea leaves to the bottom of her glass. 'They'll be more important as you get older. No matter how much you love your husband, no matter how much you love the children you may have, you are still going to need Sisters.

Remember to go places with them now and then; do things with them.''Remember that 'Sisters' means ALL the women...your girlfriends, your daughters, and all your other women relatives too. 'You'll need other women.

Women always do.'What a funny piece of advice!' the young woman thought. Haven't I just gotten married?Haven't I just joined the couple-world? I'm now a married woman, for goodness sake! A grownup! Surely my husband and the family we may start will be all I need to make my life worthwhile!'But she listened to her Mother. She kept contact with her Sisters and made more women friends each year As the years tumbled by, one after another,she gradually came to understand that her Mom really knew what she was talking about. As time and nature work their changes and their mysteries upon a woman,Sisters are the mainstays of her life. After more than 50 years of living in this world,here is what I've learned:THIS SAYS IT ALL:

Time passes.

Life happens.

Distance separates.

Children grow up.

Jobs come and go.

Love waxes and wanes.

Men don't do what they're supposed to do.

Hearts break.

Parents die.

Colleagues forget favors.

Careers end.BUT........Sisters are there, no matter how much time and how many miles are between you.

A girl friend is never farther awayt han needing her can reach.When you have to walk that lonesome valley and you have to walk it by yourself, the women in your lifewill be on the valley's rim, cheering you on,praying for you, pulling for you, intervening on your behalf, and waiting with open arms at the valley's end.

Sometimes, they will even break the rules and walk beside you...Or come in and carry you out.Girlfriends, daughters, granddaughters,daughters-in-law, sisters, sisters-in-law, Mothers,Grandmothers, aunties, nieces, cousins, and extended family, all bless our life!

The world wouldn't be the same without women, and neither would I. When we began this adventure called womanhood, we had no idea of the incredible joys or sorrows that lay ahead. Nor did we know how much we would need each other.Every day, we need each other still.

Make the Best of Today

This week I heard with sadness the sudden death of a friend and all I can say is life is short. Too short that all you have is now for sure tomorrow is only a myth.
This news came in a few days after the demise and since then I have been asking myself so many questions. Why being the predominant one.
She was such a young beautiful girl who had so much to live for. Everything was getting in place for her. I am thinking of the perfect teeth, the beautiful long hair,the slender almost flawless body…the beautiful girl and how she is no more.
Just a week of aches and pains and before the tests could confirm anything she was long gone. I now know its been attributed to throat cancer .I hate to think of that word(cancer) and where it came from and how it can attack just any part of the body with no justifiable cause.
As I pray for comfort for her friends and family who like me feel the loss, the gap or made more painful by how sudden it was I have resolved to live today like its all I have got.
Indeed today is all we have, it’s a free gift given as tomorrow may not be. So instead of spending it focussing on what could be to make it better let’s make whatever it is better. Rejoice in it and make it the day the Lord has made.

Of the Positive thinking Arm Band

I recently got myself an arm band... the plastic one's.If you have seen them you know they are so like last last year.True am no fashion junkie so probably you will think that's why am sticking to yesterday's in thing.

Not really though -thought i would challenge myself to look for the blessings in every daily occurance.Knowing that this ain't easy for an impatient person life me i thought the arm band would be a good physical reminder to keep me on the right train of thought.

It's a beautiful one...has blue my favourite colour and a bit of pink for the girl in me and well made complete with the white for purity.Uh am striving on that last one so you see the arm band has really been handy in pushing me in the right direction.The inscriptipon on it reads "Live Strong" and my interpretation of this is simply am capable,talented and trustworthy.

I Can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.

Wearing this band which i don't take off hasn't automatically made me miss sunshine but it has made me stop and think sometimes willing me to use the energy from within to pull myself from deep pits.As a result my attitude has stood for me in the worst of situations.

Guess it ain't all about the band but what is within coupled with determination.

I am hoping this will encourage you to go back in times and perhaps borrow a band of sorts to keep you on track with whatever you are battling.

Be encouraged with the following quote from one of my favourite books;The Purpose Driven Life

We limit God in our thinking.Thoughts of doubt,unbelief and unforgiveness in your heart will close teh door to His favour.Choose to take teh limits off by choosing thoughts of victory,choose thoughts of increase and blessing.As you do you will rise higher and higher and live the abundant life He has prepared for you.

Be blessed.

Two Choices

Two Choices
What would you do?....you make the choice.
Don't look for a punch line, there isn't one. Read it anyway. My question is: Would you have made the same choice?
At a fundraising dinner for a school that serves children with learning disabilities, the father of one of the students delivered a speech that would never be forgotten by all who attended.
After extolling the school and its dedicated staff, he offered a question: 'When not interfered with by outside influences, everything nature does, is done with perfection. Yet my son, Shay, cannot learn things as other children do. He cannot understand things as other children do. Where is the natural order of things in my son?'
The audience was stilled by the query. The father continued. 'I believe that when a child like Shay, who was mentally and physically disabled comes into the world, an opportunity to realize true human nature presents itself, and it comes in the way other people treat that child.' Then he told the following story: Shay and I had walked past a park where some boys Shay knew were playing baseball. Shay asked, 'Do you think they'll let me play?' I knew that most of the boys would not want someone like Shay on their team, but as a father I also understood that if my son were allowed to play, it would give him a much-needed sense of belonging and some confidence to be accepted by others in spite of his handicaps.I approached one of the boys on the field and asked (not expecting much) if Shay could play. The boy looked around for guidance and said, 'We're losing by six runs and the game is in the eighth inning. I guess he can be on our team and we'll try to put him in to bat in the ninth inning.'
Shay struggled over to the team's bench and, with a broad smile, put on a team shirt. I watched with a small tear in my eye and warmth in my heart. The boys saw my joy at my son being accepted.
In the bottom of the eighth inning, Shay's team scored a few runs but was still behind by three. In the top of the ninth inning, Shay put on a glove and played in the right field. Even though no hits came his way, he was obviously ecstatic just to be in the game and on the field, grinning from ear to ear as I waved to him from the stands. In the bottom of the ninth inning, Shay's team scored again. Now, with two outs and the bases loaded, the potential winning run was on base and Shay was scheduled to be next at bat.At this juncture, do they let Shay bat and give away their chance to win the game? Surprisingly, Shay was given the bat. Everyone knew that a hit was all but impossible because Shay didn't even know how to hold the bat properly, much less connect with the ball. However, as Shay stepped up to the plate, the pitcher, recognizing that the other team was putting winning aside for this moment in Shay's life, moved in a few steps to lob the ball in softly so Shay could at least make contact.
The first pitch came and Shay swung clumsily and missed. The pitcher again took a few steps forward to toss the ball softly towards Shay. As the pitch came in, Shay swung at the ball and hit a slow ground ball right back to the pitcher. The game would now be over. The pitcher picked up the soft grounder and could have easily thrown the ball to the first baseman. Shay would have been out and that would have been the end of the game.Instead, the pitcher threw the ball right over the first baseman's head, out of reach of all team mates.
Everyone from the stands and both teams started yelling, 'Shay, run to first! Run to first!'Never in his life had Shay ever run that far, but he made it to first base. He scampered down the baseline, wide-eyed and startled. Everyone yelled, 'Run to second, run to second!' Catching his breath, Shay awkwardly ran towards second, gleaming and struggling to make it to the base.By the time Shay rounded towards second base, the right fielder had the ball . the smallest guy on their team who now had his first chance to be the hero for his team. He could have thrown the ball to the second-baseman for the tag, but he understood the pitcher's intentions so he, too, intentionally threw the ball high and far over the third-baseman's head.
Shay ran toward third base deliriously as the runners ahead of him circled the bases toward home.
All were screaming, 'Shay, Shay, Shay, all the Way Shay' Shay reached third base because the opposing Shay, run to third!'As Shay rounded third, the boys from both teams, and the spectators, were on their feet screaming, 'Shay, run home! Run home!' Shay ran to home, stepped on the 'That day', said the father softly with tears now rolling down his face, 'the boys from both teams helped bring a piece of true love and humanity into this world'. Shay didn't make it to another summer. He died that winter, having never forgotten being the hero and making me so happy, and coming home and seeing his Mother tearfully embrace her little hero> of the day.

On Track

Do I seek God or just his benefits?
Question time calling for instant answers. The first time I was faced with this question my response was quite alarming and not just because of what it was but the fact that I pondered to think about it and that the more I thought about it the more uncertain about my answer I was .
Sometime on now I have revisited the same question and boy am I glad that there was no hesitation this time round as I boldly proclaimed in my heart that it is the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob I seek versus his benefits. And the puzzle quickly fell into place this time cause in seeking him and knowing him the benefits in many different ways come as part of the package .I still have a lot to learn in my journey as a Christian but with such a revelation not just at hand but at heart am surely on the right track.
Seek first the Kingdom of heaven and all the rest will fall in line.

Another Day and More.

Have you ever thought about the joy and relaxation the simple change of scenery brings? This is especially if you are running your life around routine. Had one of them yesterday and on any other day I would not have thought much about it but after weeks and weeks of same trail to work, meeting almost the same faces at the bus stop, same bus driver and circle goes on it was such a relief to break cycle yesterday. I did not think much about it as I set out to help a friend do her shopping, So routine that you do some things without thinking .But then as I took a minute to relax I got so appreciative of lovely time spent exploring another part of the city I thought I knew so well. Suddenly the beauties of the green and simple architect of the buildings were speaking to me.
The simplicity of another place not so different from mine made such a positive difference in my life. I feel challenged to savour every moment. It is such a beautiful world when we do.