Of Perfect Unions

Once in awhile, Right in the middle of an ordinary life, Love (God is love) gives us a fairy tale. On 1st December my younger sister someone I have not only known for all my life but had the meanest fights with (sisters after all) and the greatest memories with became Mrs. Aisu. Everyday all over the world, one way or another people do become one, so this is no news only that this particular union is a testimony of love and not just love but God’s favor. You see where I come from; society ascribes you to a certain identity to you. As a girl child, we the’ lucky ‘ones of our generation X in Africa are expected to get married soon after school and starting popping babies. Many have fought tooth and neck to balance career and family and it has worked for them. The ‘unfortunate’ ones are the ones who after age 27 are still on their own. Society doesn’t care whether this is by choice but just silently labels them as people with bad omen. The pressure is so intense that many friends and acquaintances of mine have said yes, to the next male specie even before the proposal was on the table. So when a girl like my own sister who has stood the test of time and not give in to the pressure finally works down the aisle, it’s not an ordinary celebration especially for me who has walked part of this journey with her. When she started sharing gradually about the love she shared with her husband once again I couldn’t help but go back to my favorite scripture in the Bible, “In his time ,He makes all things beautiful” Ecclesiastes 3:11. And without getting into the nitty gritty, my wedding message to her will explain everything. I searched hard for the appropriate message and finally these words just made sense. “

The best love is the one that makes you a better person, without changing you into someone other than yourself."

I feel those words express all the joy I feel and paint a picture of this union and wish the 2 lovebirds a life of happiness.

Glory to God.

Thanksgiving

“In His time God makes everything beautiful” I don’t seem to remember where that verse is from in the Bible but all I know is that for a long time now it has really uplifted me. Most times especially when my faith has failed me, I have used it as a steering wheel because the fact is that God’s word stands true whether we believe it or not. Today, with exactly 60 days to go to the end of the year, I am looking at that verse with delight because things are indeed beautiful. I am not where I want to be but when I look back to the far God has brought me, I am grateful. At the start of this year, many preachers in Uganda especially of the born-again faith declared it as the year of God’s favor. This was based on the biblical principle of the jubilee celebration when debts were cancelled and people given a new start, for you see this year Uganda celebrated 50 years of independence. I embraced the catch words “the year of God’s favor” diligently and I was surprised with the power of the tongue especially as after a dismay start I seemed to be getting higher and higher and saw doors of opportunities open all at once that I was at crossroads at which was the best way to go. However half way into the year and my positive attitude that had inevitably equaled to blessings, one Sunday morning in July I received the news that my father had passed on. Without getting into the emotions that come with the passing of a parent all I can say is I struggled on with using my tongue to confess the truth I had started the year with, by proclaiming it was still the year of God’s favor. Other things have happened since then that for a minute have made me question this year of favor, really dark things but the light is stronger. This month the United States of America will be celebrating Thanksgiving Day, I wish we had one of those every day cause each day is something to be thankful for. I take now to say thank you Lord for all the blessings small and big, they have complimented me and made my life beautiful. I thank you that the future is in your hands, and above all that you have plans to prosper me and not to harm me. Above all I thank you that you are bigger than us and can make a way where there seems to be no way. I look forward to thanking you for everything but more so for where you have made the impossible possible and enabled people in our world to see that we serve a living mighty God, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.

Family

How healthy are our families these days? How do they promote tolerance and harmony? The family is the pinnacle of society. Families are the main teachers of culture; each generation passes along what it has learned, what worked, what didn’t and what makes them that unique family, that unique people and nation. Over time, family values may undergo many changes, in keeping with changes in work and other spheres. However, there are some aspects of culture that may never change. For instance despite the fact that economic situations may dictate that the father spends considerable time away from the family, culture still recognizes him as the head of that family. In Uganda, it is a known fact that families have changed. Circumstances such as education, religion and HIV/AIDs among other factors have resulted in a shift of roles which challenges the traditional family setting. Intentional and unintentional forces worldwide continue to introduce important changes in family roles and cultural practices. This, however, shouldn’t take away the importance of family, for belonging to a family or a culture offers people a sense of identity, feelings of connectedness, shared values and support when faced with the challenges of life. Instilling of values, old and new often takes place within a family setting where they are translated into the daily lives of children. Cultural values, beliefs and traditions significantly affect family life. They dictate family members' roles and responsibilities toward one another, how family members relate to one another, how decisions are made within families, how resources are distributed and how problems are defined. Naturally most people tend to seek out a culture that is most present in their lives and that provides the most rewards. This is where today’s family comes in to preserve the ways of our people and ensure that they are reflected in the lives of our children rather than popular culture that has proved detrimental by eroding family values.

Less is More!

Imagine living with 3 wives in one compound and never leaving the house for 5 years. Osama Bin Laden must have called the US Navy Seals himself. Forget about Osama and instead focus on the 3 women. At university one of the women’s halls of residences had a catch phrase, “Train a woman, a nation trained” It is also a common cliché that women are the Mothers of the nation for after all everyone on the face of the earth in one way or another found themselves here with the aid of a woman. So why then would someone assume that living in the presence of 3 women would drive one to death? After all a woman is that creation that God in his wisdom remembered to add to make his creation not only complete but perfect. Perhaps Osama’s wives like most women talked without seizing and demanded continuous attention but then again weren’t they the source of laughter and pleasure as well.

Or could the problem have been having 3 of the same type as opposed to one. Either way I choose to belief that this guy made his bed and had to lie in it. It all goes back to men, half of the time they just don’t know what they want and haven’t comprehended the fact that less is more especially when it comes to the number of women you are going to call wives.

HIM

Of late all I have been doing is analyzing my life, fretting about it especially as I don’t like where I am now.
So with a lot of planning read as worrying taking over my life I had quickly forgotten that God has it in control and no amount of analyzing, fretting or so called planning can change what it is to be. I know so many self help gurus will disagree with me but since I believe in the Lord of lords ,there fore the master of the so called gurus I think will justify this statement by saying somehow whatever the situation it does work out for good as promised for those who love God and are called according to his purpose.(Romans 8:28)
I was reminded of the above beautiful fact today and I have never been so happy in the realisation that it isn’t about me but Him. Yes, there is me with all my shortcomings, dreams and desires but then there is Him the all knowing one, the great King eternal, the great I am, Jehovah Jireh my provider, Jehovah Rapha my healer forever faithful. And as if that is not enough His son is the greatest advocate, the bread of life, the chief cornerstone, the high priest ,the lamb of God, the Morning star.
He dutifully feeds the birds who do not sow or reap or store away barns and clothes the lilies of the valleys ever so beautifully so surely how much more will He be there for me.
After all is said and done I am human and I know in some moments the flesh is bound to get the better of me, get me on that wrong train of thoughts where things don’t seem to add up. The good news though is my weakness does not take away God’s strength. His ways are not our ways and are as the heavens are higher than the earth.
He is the only constant in life and we can’t be independent of Him. By His grace we live and by His grace still we know Him and by His grace yet still He lives on the inside of us and helps us live for His glory.
He is the master programmer, the only one who can add or subtract the days of our lives and knew us even before we were formed. Our lives are in His hand and the divine moment I had today is the invitation to yield to Him as opposed to taking matters in my own hands.
His hand changes circumstances and this same hand takes us places. It is this hand that gives us a new song and fulfills the number of our days. He is God in the heavens above and on the earth beneath.
It is He who dried the waters of the Jordan as he did to the Red sea until His people had passed over so that all the peoples of the earth may know that His hand is mighty and may fear Him the Lord our God forever.
Let not the world separate you from His love; the love of Christ. The Love of He, three in one, Father Son and Holy Spirit.

HOPE

New Year, new beginnings, February here already and yet somehow I feel like am in the same rut. The only thing that seems to have changed is am more alert of the situation.
I have already waited and believe God must be applauding me for waiting faithfully. And am eagerly awaiting for the reward, yes waiting actively especially as I learnt recently that waiting is a verb, a doing word uh.
Does everyone have to wait? Forget waiting for the birthdays and the dates like Christmas that come each year; I mean waiting for their dreams to get fulfilled.
Not locked up, not locked down, simply working so hard to get there and not seeming to get there. It comes out as mediocre not a bad place at all only it is lukewarm and shouting “barely making it” hence the pursuit for more.
Carrying on with the thought that waiting is a doing word, I continue doing right trying not to get consumed with what is going wrong and instead focus on what is right.
Good things come to those who wait and am holding on to that hope.