Little Things Mean a Lot..

So recently I put my traveloholic shoes on again and headed to Paris. It was great coz this year one of my goals was to learn a new language and I am currently learning French so it was a chance for me to practise...I was able to order some things and get around but hearing the native French people talk I realised I still have a long way to go until I get to the point where I can speak like a real French dame. :-)

Anyway whilst I was there amidst eating lovely breads and croissants, I learnt a thing or two about being grateful for the small things. Paris is a beautiful city; the magnificent buildings, great historical tales, lovely scenery, beautiful French language and the River Seine is a lovely addition to the whole mix.

Paris...

And then of course you have the whole romantic aspect of it as an icing on the cake. But there is one tiny detail that I observed that surprised me...
There are hardly any lifts or escalators in the metro/subway, shops or even at most of the tourist sites...and I was baffled as to how the elderly and disabled people get around in that city. Mothers with babies have to be constantly carrying their children's prams and buggies on long flights of stairs. Travellers are lugging around huge pieces of luggage as their aching arms beg for mercy.

In a first world country which has so much going for it, I think that is such a terrible oversight on the part of the city planners, mayors or the powers that be in that city/country. In our modern world of equal opportunities for all, a city should make it a priority that every kind of person despite their circumstances can get around easily without hindrances.
It made me realise that even though us Londoners complain about rare train delays or the faulty air con on the bus, we have so much to be grateful for.

Hhhm good question....

You don't know how good you have it until you sample what's on the other side of the fence. So I'm grateful for my home city and the little things that we have like lifts or escalators in our stations and shops, clean drinking water, a constant electricity supply, accessible well equipped health care facilities, food supply, jobs, hot water, wifi and being able to connect with people like you (worldwide) who I don't even know... I am grateful for my husband, my family, friends, a home of our own, a home church ... the list is endless. Boys to Men were on point when they sang ..."little things mean a lot, appreciate what you've got..."

Develop a heart of gratitude

                                                                       
Often when we are grateful, we cause an atmosphere of praise to develop in our lives. And God inhabits or lives in the praises of his people. And we know that with God's presence comes abundance.

Therefore we can suppose that being grateful will bring even more blessings our way. We all know that it's those friends and family members who always say a big thank you that we are always willing to do more for, than the grumpy ones who always moan and complain about things not being good enough.

What are you grateful for today?

Life may not be going the way we want right now, but lets cultivate a heart of gratitude...after reading this write down a list (minimum 5 things) that you want to thank God for and tell Him.

Great habits bring great results...See if you can do this every morning when you wake up and I guarantee that this habit will put you in such a great frame of mind to start your day.

xoxo

Disappointment comes before THE Appointment

Hope you guys have been well. I'm good....excited because I feel God is about to do something big in my life. Not sure what but excited nonetheless.... :-) There's something that I've been seeing more and more in my life which is helping me to trust God more.

Now I'm sure all of us have had those kind of days when things just don't seem to go the way you want. You may feel annoyed, disappointed and feel that life is so unfair and you want to rant your sorry tale to anyone who will listen to you....well I'm learning to keep calm and carry on. I read a story a few years ago that illustrated this point and it stuck with me and I've decided to share it with you. 

An unemployed man goes to apply for a job with Microsoft as a janitor/cleaner. The manager there arranges for him to take an aptitude test.
After the test, the manager says, "Congratulations! 
You got the job and you will be employed at minimum wage, $5.15 an hour. Let me have your 
e-mail address, so that I can send you a form to complete and give you details about where and when to report for work on your first day."
Taken aback, the man protests that he has neither a computer nor an e-mail address. To this the manager replies, "Well then, that means that you virtually don't exist and can therefore hardly expect to be employed.

Stunned and disappointed, the man leaves. Not knowing where to turn and having only $10 in his wallet, he decides to buy a 25 lb flat of tomatoes at the supermarket. Within less than 2 hours, he sells all the tomatoes individually at 100% profit. Repeating the process several times more that day, he ends up with almost $100 before going to sleep that night.
And thus it dawns on him that he could quite easily make a living selling tomatoes. Getting up early every day and going to bed late, he multiplies his profits quickly.

After a short time he acquires a cart to transport several dozen boxes of tomatoes, only to have to trade it in again so that he can buy a pick-up truck to support his expanding business. By the end of the second year, he is the owner of a fleet of pick-up trucks and manages a staff of a hundred former unemployed people, all selling tomatoes.


Planning for the future of his wife and children, he decides to buy some life insurance. Consulting with an insurance adviser, he picks an insurance plan to fit his new circumstances. At the end of the telephone conversation, the adviser asks him for his e-mail address in order to send the final documents electronically.
When the man replies that he has no e-mail, the adviser is stunned, "What, you don't have e-mail? How on earth have you managed to amass such wealth without the Internet, e-mail and e-commerce? Just imagine where you would be now, if you had been connected to the Internet from the very start!"
After a moment of thought, the tomato millionaire replied, "Why, of course! I would be a floor cleaner at Microsoft!"

So we can see that:
1. As the bible teaches "all things work together for good." Romans 8:28 (Everything happens for a reason)
2. If you don't have e-mail, but work hard, you can still become a millionaire.
3. Seeing that you got this story via the world wide web, you're probably closer to becoming a cleaner than you are to becoming a millionaire. Lol just kidding
4. If no one will give you a chance, create one for yourself. Very few people ever become millionaires through working for someone else. 

The downs in life will probably not make much sense at the time but learn to trust God and watch Him cause it to work for your ultimate good!

xoxo

Excitement in the Air

I know its a bit late...but happy new year to you all...hope you all had a great Christmas and New Year celebration. Mine was great, spent time with my family and hubby's family too, lots of good food, great pressies....so it was all smiles on this end.




So with the new year comes the desire to start afresh, set goals, make plans... you know the usual stuff we do when we are still excited about the new year. If you haven't made any plan for the new year...don't wait to long...we are already in the middle of January...get started!
Maybe these questions might help you come up with a few basic things to consider...







As I prayed and made plans for the new year, I got so excited because I have such high expectations for this year. Last year I was kind of in laid back mode because it was my first year of being married and I wanted to get used to all that and settle into marriage and our new home. Now that I am all settled in and happy... :-) I feel that I am ready to take on the world.

This year one of the main things for me is that I really want to focus a lot on my writing and see where God will take that. I also have a business idea in mind which I am going to start researching and see if that is something that could be feasible for me to embark on.
I also want to be a God Chaser in the true sense of the word...I want my spiritual walk to be the best it has ever been. :-)

As some of you may know I am a "travelaholic" and with that in mind I will be planning a few trips here and there with hubby and friends to see some new sights. Last year I only visited two countries compared to the previous year when I went to six countries. So this year by the grace of God I wanna improve on last year's record. :-) The first trip is coming up soon and I am excited as this will be my first holiday in Northern Africa...For those wanting to travel or book hotels you may wanna consider cheapcheaptrips.com for very good deals. You can thank me later! :-)

My philosophy for 2014

I have other goals and plans which I may choose to share in the future but for now those are some of the things I am looking forward to this year. :-)

At the end of last year the world lost a truly remarkable man...Nelson Mandela, who thankfully I had the privilege of meeting and shaking hands with in South Africa in 1996. (Yay!!! It was an exciting moment...one I will always treasure) I know I am a bit late in saying all this but may we learn a lesson from his philosophy of forgiving as this goes a long way in making our world a better place. Whatever it is that may have happened in the past..lets not be like Emily Thorne in the American TV show Revenge and be out to get them all...lol
Don't let the hurt consume you....let go and let God. As the saying goes..."Not forgiving someone is like drinking poison and expecting the other person to die."
I know that there were many tributes done for Mandela but this one was by far....my favourite... enjoy

Wishing you all the best in 2014

xoxo

If you graze like a cow, you'll look like a cow...

It was my birthday last month and I indulged...yes I ate more than my fair share and my clothes didn't hesitate to make me aware of that awful fact.
Summer is gone in my neck of the woods (but it will be back again next year....I hope)
But in the meantime for those in parts of the world were its summer now or people like me who are always looking for the next place in the sun to visit on holiday... most people will be gearing up for BBQ's, beach and pool parties and other such shindigs. Even if u aren't jetting off into the sun...Christmas parties and New Year events will soon be knocking on your door (unless u live in hibernation lol) Now you want to be looking good as you go out for a little this and that. Can I get a yeah yeah? Now looking good is not necessarily being skinny enuff to resemble a pencil but you can also be "thick" and still be healthy, fit and look good. Yes even a big behind is certainly an asset...if in doubt ask Kim Kardashian!
I always tell people that thin does not  necessarily = good health afteral slim people can also have high cholesterol or heart attacks if they are not maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Being healthy is a result of these different factors:

*what you eat
*how much exercise you get
*getting enough sleep
*cutting stress out of your life
*and maybe to some extent your genes

Eating lots of processed and junk food is no laughing matter,  (I was a culprit but am learning to do better...I need to stay away from white choc and cookies Hershey bars!!) in the long run it can lead to your clothes "shrinking" and hugging your body mercilessly. The other day I bumped into someone I know but hadn't seen for a while. When she greeted me, at first I had no idea who she was, the girl had more than doubled in size. Then as I looked at her closely I realised who she was. I had to quickly close my gaping mouth, put on an act better than Angelina Jolie and hide the look of shock on my face.

Note to self: never allow myself to expand like an inflatable balloon. It was a reminder of what can happen when we neglect the important things in life. Another problem with eating junk food is that it can lead to all sorts of nasty diseases which sometimes in the long run can prove be to be fatal.

God wants us to live life abundantly. He wants us to be healthy and well so that we can fulfil our destinies here on earth. As Christians our bodies are the temples of the Holy Spirit and we should treat them as such. So that idea of just chucking anything we see in our mouth should be dead and
buried. (note to myself...those cakes need to be issued a deportation notice from my house)

Lets develop a friendship with plants. Yeah lets eat greens like they are on sale, lets give rabbits a run for their money. As we do, our energy levels will increase, we will feel good and in the process drop some pounds.
You don't have to embark on some miserable diet, just incorparating healthy foods into your meals and keeping your portions modest will do the trick. Below is a list of some foods that are great for us and should be included in our regular diet:

Veggies esp broccoli, tomatoes, bell peppers, sweet potato
Leafy greens e.g Spinach and Kale
Oats
Beans..black, red kidney, adzuki
Oily Fish eg wild salmon, mackerel
Fruits especially Apples, berries,
Nuts eg walnuts, almonds
Grains..e.g brown rice, bulgur wheat
Lentils

As we eat well and get a bit of exercise here and there, we will be able to look good in our fashion "must haves" and know that we are repping all the way!

The Celebrity I almost shook hands with...

Right...if you were concerned about my absence you can stop worrying now...I am OK...I wasn't abducted by aliens or anything. :-) If you were not concerned...well that's a topic for another post :) 
Now this month has been rather busy...firstly I celebrated my birthday ...err in true GG "paint the town red style" of course. I really thank God for another year...He has been so good to me...

My birthday was awesome...hubby made sure I was pampered with breakfast in bed, beautiful flowers and a dining experience fit for a Queen like myself. Not only that but he got me a very beautiful gadget which I'd had my eye on for a while. So for that and many other reasons I am a happy wife and a happy wife equals a happy home. :-)

As if celebrating yours truly's birthday was not time consuming enough...I also had the pleasure of going to 4 weddings. It was great seeing friends walk down the aisle without having to wonder when it would be my turn. (quite a welcome post marital sensation) However I think in a teeny weeny small way I may also be adopting something I have called "weddings analyst syndrome". (the condition were newly weds , like myself, cant help but analyse things at weddings and see how they compare with what they had at theirs and if they see something cool...wonder why they didn't think of it) Hubby says I should just enjoy the weddings and forget centrepiece and cake analysis. He says if I don't stop soon, he will get me professional help. Lol
The weddings were great but tiring in a sense because it entailed going up and down the country for all these events. Nonetheless they were all beautiful and it was lovely to see people who had trusted God for partners finally get joined to their hunks and hunkettes. 

So after all these weddings were over I thought maybe that was it...but there was still one more bit of excitement lined up...It so happened that I ended up attending a service were Donnie Mcclurkin was ministering. Now for those of you who don't know who he is...he's an American gospel artist. Now prior to attending this worship service I had been feeling a little drained spiritually and I was praying for God to refresh and revive my Spirit and enable me to spend more time with Him. Well it was like that worship service was the answer to my prayer. It was just what the spiritual doctor had ordered. I had an amazing time in God's presence and I can say that the person that came out of church that afternoon was definitely not the same person who had entered that morning. I had had an amazing encounter with God and in my mind I knew that I wanted to do nothing less than be someone who seeks after God wholeheartedly aka The God Chaser. 

Now after the service, I was waiting for someone in the foyer minding my own business when who should I see walking in the direction of where I was...none other than Donnie himself. I smiled at him and he smiled and waved at us as he headed towards the door where his car was waiting for him. Then a girl asked if he could sign her CD which he gladly did. Then another girl asked if he could take a photo with her. He said sure and they took a pic together. I thought to myself ...I want a picture too...it would make a cool Facebook profile pic...but it seemed like I was suffering from the Ice Cream effect. I was frozen and couldn't move. Also I was worried that maybe his bodyguard would say no...sorry no more pictures. So because of that I did nothing. Then I watched as another young guy asked for a picture...and snap!... they took one together. Then I thought he's taken pictures with two people, let me step forward...but just at that point...I heard them say...no more pictures...my heart sank. I scolded myself...why had I hesitated? I had seen him before all these other people came on the scene but I didn't have the guts to just ask.  Logic had stopped me...I had told myself he won't take pictures with people, he's probably in a rush since his car is waiting. I also thought his bodyguard would probably ask me to step aside. But I wish like those other three bold people I had exercised child like faith and just asked ...it reminded of the fact that often logic gets in the way when someone is expecting a healing breakthrough, financial breakthrough, career breakthrough or any other breakthrough. We give logical reasons why these things are are unlikely to ever come true and sometimes miss out on what is rightfully ours.
Instead lets do as the bible says...ask...dare to believe and you shall receive. :-)

xoxo

Dear Wife...I am leaving YOU!!!

Dear Wife

I’m writing you this letter to tell you that I’m leaving you forever. I’ve been a good man to you for 7 years but I have nothing to show for it. These last 2 weeks have been hell. ... And then your boss called to tell me that you quit your job today...ughhh that was the last straw!

Last week, you came home and didn’t even notice I had a new haircut, I had cooked your favorite meal and even wore a brand new pair of silk boxers. You ate quickly in just 2 minutes and went straight to sleep after watching all of your soaps. You don’t tell me you love me anymore; you don’t want sex or anything that connects us as husband and wife. Either you’re cheating on me or you don’t love me anymore; whatever the case, Later for you....I’m gone!

Your EX-Husband

P.S. don’t try to find me. Your sister and I are moving away to West Virginia together! Have a great life!

Dear Ex-Husband

Nothing has made my day more than receiving your letter. In the hellish 7 years that we have been married, a good man is a far cry from what you’ve been. I watch soaps so much because they drown out your constant whining and griping. Too bad that doesn’t work. I DID notice when you got a hair cut last week, but the 1st thing that came to mind was ‘You look just like a girl!’ Since my mother raised me not to say anything if you can’t say something nice, I didn’t comment.

And when you cooked my favorite meal, you must have gotten me confused with MY SISTER, because I stopped eating pork 7 years ago. About those new silk boxers: I turned away from you because the $49.99 price tag was still on them, I prayed it was a coincidence that my sister had just borrowed $50 from me that morning.

After all of this, I still loved you and felt we could work it out. So when I hit the lotto for 10 million dollars, I quit my job and bought us 2 tickets to Jamaica. But when I got home you were gone...and all I found was your lousy letter.

Everything happens for a reason, I guess. I hope you have the fulfilling life you always wanted. By the way, I don’t know if I ever told you this, but my sister Carla was actually born Carl. I hope that’s not a problem. My lawyer said that the letter you wrote ensures you won’t get a dime from me. So take care.

Signed,

Your Ex-Wife, Rich As Hell and Free!


I don't know who the author of these letters is and I don't know if this is a true story or a mere joke...but it got me thinking... communication is very important in marriage. If this couple had talked about some of the issues that were brewing...could their problem and eventual separation have been avoided? Who knows? If issues continue to simmer in our minds and hearts for very long and are not dealt with...at some point we will snap. Lets deal with things and speak the truth in love... Eph 4:15
Lets remember to keep the communication lines open with our spouses, partners, family, friends, church etc As we do so, I pray and hope that we will have healthier relationships and enjoy the higher life.

xoxo

I escaped society's no 1 killer...

Those little metal pieces of equipment that we carry around in order to call and text friends and family are not so cool. Yup, they are certainly a necessary evil...and have turned society into phubbers! You may be wondering what on earth that is...well its the new disease that's running rampage in society leaving many families in disarray, wives are losing husbands to it, parents are watching helplessly as their teens are mercilessly devoured by this alarming disease.

The online Collins dictionary defines phubbing as the act of snubbing some one in a social setting by looking at your phone instead of paying attention. Eish these phones are killing the whole idea of socialising...

So the jury is still out on whether Albert Einstein actually said the statement in the pic:

“I fear the day technology will surpass our human interaction. The world will have a generation of idiots.”

Regardless of whether he made the statement or not...I still think its atrocious that we have allowed technology to take over our lives in such alarming proportions. Its not just phones but even laptops, computers and tablets which help us to stay connected to our virtual friends in cyberspace.

A few months ago i realised that I was an occasional phubber. I would go to parties, visit relatives and so on and if I got a message on Whatsapp I had to read it immediately and reply. Sometimes this ended up being a 5-10 minute chat session. Oops where did the time go?

Another issue of my phubbing syndrome was the incessant need to stay in touch with my Facebook news feed whilst on the go...much to my family's ever so slight annoyance. I remember some occassions when hubby was driving us somewhere...I would be on my phone and then I would hear hubby say, "are you listening?" and I would embarrassingly say..."err sorry what did you say?" As you can imagine that was defo a conversation killer. I quickly realised that I had to make a few changes.

So the options were
1. Get rid of the smart phone (yikes that's like getting rid of my arm...that's not happening) next...
2. Delete all social media apps from phone (hhmmm fees for rehab are alarming so that was obviously not an option)
3. Exercise self control and respect the people around me enough to actually listen and pay attention to whats going on when I am in a social setting.

I decided to go with Option 3, and I have to say life has truly been more meaningful since then. :)

xoxo

How not to get fooled?

So a dude meets a dudette, they can't stand each other, he is always teasing her, she is forever getting annoyed with him. Then in that crazy moment of truth they kiss and its the beginning of a match made in heaven or hell (depending on the couple) A few months down the line they quarrel...the gal cant stop the tears...what went wrong? Everything was so perfect....then as fate has it, they bump into each other unexpectedly and they kiss and make up and ahhh life is good again. And they ride off into the sunset on a white horse.

That is the formula for a good chick flick, my kind of movie any day. I know the plot has been overdone and its as predictable as ever but I still watch them with the same sense of delight as I did many a years ago. I do of course love other kinds of movies, action, sci fi, drama, adventure and so on but give me a good Rom-Com any day and I'll be smiling. :D

Anyway over the weekend hubby and I went to the cinema to watch Morgan Freeman's new movie , "Now You See Me"...(well not so new anymore coz its been out for a while now) I don't know how many of you have watched it but I will not give away any spoilers. 

Its about four illusionists (or modern day magicians) who supposedly rob banks... I know hey, we never saw that one coming. Trailer video below for those who want a glimpse of the action...

Anyway the interesting thing I came away with from this movie was that it highlighted yet again that people are never who they seem to be...yup....there's a whole lot of wolf in sheep's clothing....it certainly got me thinking.

In our walk in life, we will meet people who act nice, look the part, dress the part but we have to be very careful who we let in because things aint always what they seem. If you have great people who have proved themselves trustworthy and reliable over the years appreciate and treasure them, because they are rare and valuable like rubies and diamonds.

So all I can say is in making friends, choosing business partners, picking a spouse, finding prayer partners to confide in and so on...use discretion, pray and ask the Holy Spirit to guide you coz you might think you got someone all sussed out but honey child half the time you probably aint. They only let you see what they want you to see. Its only when push comes to shove that you will find out that they were never on your side. And you can avoid all the unnecessary drama if you you exercise caution.

So look, listen and choose your A Team wisely!

XoXo

Becoming Mrs Right...

photo by John and Joseph Photography jkhphoto.com

I came across this picture the other day and it made me reminisce about my wedding. The venue "pinkish" lighting, the spotlights on tables and overall colour theme and decor look quite similar to my wedding except that I had chair covers for mine.

It got me counting down the weeks and days to my 1st wedding anniversary....and as I sit and think about it, sometimes I can't believe that yes... I really am married. (and not just merely married...but happily married) Ahhh it is such a great feeling. :)

My journey to marriage was long...I had to wait for a loooong time for the right guy...And trust me the waiting was horrible, I would be ok with it at times and concentrate on making myself ready, you know doing the whole Proverbs 31 thing, going to singles seminars at church, reading books and listening to all kinds of sermons on how to become the wifey extraordinaire. Then at times I would get frustrated and tired of looking at the horizon for a glimpse of my prince Charming who was nowhere in sight.

After a while I took a look in the mirror and noticed what I think might have been a single grey hair (might have been lack of sleep or a long day at work making me see things of course  :)) but I immediately thought yup I'm ready, God bring the dude over quickly, err like yesterday.
But that wasn't God's plan. I had much more waiting to do and that totally sucked. What made it worse was seeing everyone else around me getting hitched. It was like I lived on the set of Four Weddings or Don't tell the bride. I soon knew those church wedding vows by heart and could have easily conducted the ceremonies myself because I knew the order of service by heart. Kinda sad but true.
There were weddings happening left, right and centre but my role wasn't the one I longed for...but instead I got to merely attend or occasionally be a bridesmaid. Of course I was happy for everyone else but lets just be real here. Three big cheers for everyone else...but I was now feeling that surely it was time for other people to come and bask under the glow of mine great self...and throw a shower for yours truly and watch me waltz down the aisle looking better than Kerry Washington. :)

But the waiting merely continued. And the more I day dreamed about it, the more I wanted it there and then. I fasted, I begged God until I just got to a point where I said ok whenever it happens, it happens. I realised that I had started making marriage an idol, something that my whole life was fixated on.
But as I turned my attention to other things...my job, helping other people in church with this and that, doing Evangelism in church, loving my neighbour and all things good...love knocked on my door and came into my life when I least expected it.... :)
In the end it was all worth it. Yup God brought a fine guy who was more than I had asked and hoped for. And when he proposed and gave me an engagement ring some time after that...it was one of the best days of my life...I literally couldn't sleep. lol

Love is definitely a wonderful thing and it looks like its saturated in the air at the moment.  Whilst on the subject I wanna wish fellow blogger "Blessing" a great time as she gets married soon...
Three of my friends got engaged recently too and four other couples that I know will be getting married in the next three months so yeah, looks like Cupid 's been working overtime.

I have to say though to anyone who's still single, as much as wedding planning is all exciting... I know you're excited about having all your besties in the bridal train in that colour that you've dreamed of forever and you can't wait to get that jaw dropping dress that will have everyone saying Vera who? Don't forget the most important part of the process....yeah in all that hustle and bustle don't overlook preparing for the marriage itself. This is what you'll be left with after all those wine guzzling and chicken eating guests of yours have gone home. :)

Some things which I found useful to do:
1.Talk about your future together and
 - set goals, (long and short term)
 - discuss what you want out of the marriage and your expectations
 - roles of wife and hubby (people have different views on this depending on their background and upbringing...so make sure you are singing from the same song sheet otherwise there will be no sweet music in your home.
 - discuss how you are going to manage your finances, discipline your kids (provided you both want them)
2. And if you are Christians pray together.
My hubby and I did a lot of praying together and planning stuff before we got married and to be honest it has made our marriage very smooth sailing. There aren't any horrible surprises...we know where we are going, we are in agreement and its so cool.
3. We also took time to develop a good friendship before we got married and that surely made a difference because as much as romance and physical attraction is great...you need much more in your marriage if it is to last longer than Kim Kardashian's.
4. The philosophy of no ringy, no thingy... I know some may think that this is more old school than Michael Jackson's "thriller" but God's manual says "don't open your pressies before Christmas". ;-) Enough said!

The picture opposite which I found on the truth about guns site made me laugh and think a bit.
Shotgun weddings are not advisable. (literally and figuratively lol) Don't feel like you have to rush into marriage...marriage is here to stay and I doubt it will be going anywhere anytime soon so if you can please take your time, think it through properly and pray pray pray! I cannot emphasise that enough. By praying you sow deposits that you can draw on later in your marriage.

And when you've done all that you can to prepare for marriage and of course your wedding day...enjoy it and make the most of it because the day goes really quickly. Now I love unique things and always love to push boundaries a bit and I did just that with my wedding, but for crying out loud whatever you do, please do not try this pose at your wedding. Ewwww

Photo courtesy of knot.com

Being Naked...To be or not to be

Photo Frederick M Brown/Getty Images

I love all things girly... you know clothes, shoes, bags, make up, you know the full works. I guess you could say I have that inner diva thing going on. 
I remember saving up big time just before my last visit to the US. Even though we have an array of clothes shops here in England, shopping in the US brings a new element of excitement for me.
I was excited and eager to get to the malls and head to Bloomingdale's, Saks Fifth Avenue, Macy's, JCPenney, Dillard's etc in the hope of landing some great stuff. Glad to say I wasn't disappointed. I returned home with suit cases laden with dresses,  tops, jeans, jewellery and shoes of all colours and shapes.

I appreciate fine clothes on people but as the years have gone by, I have been gobsmacked by the way people have become bolder in their dressing and developed a "flaunt it if you've got it" or "show and shake what your mama gave you" attitude as far as outfits are concerned. 
Yes including some sisters in da Lord...
Now everyone is entitled to their own opinion of course but as far as I am concerned Meagan Good's dress (if we can even call it that) at the BET awards (above) was in my opinion inappropriate for a Preacher's wife and a Christian. 
What kind of message is she giving young people in their church? As for her hubby..some things are meant to be for his eyes only...as a preacher he should keep his wife in check...Preach to your wife brother...as for you Meagan girl...don't get me started now...

Google Images

On the other hand the story about the Kumuyi bride (opposite) from Deeper Life church (Jamaica) who was suspended together with her husband from church swings the modesty thing to the other extreme. Her dress was deemed inappropriate for church standards as it had short chiffon sleeves. Also her wearing of jewellery and apparently lipstick was offending to many. What lipstick? As for the dress, my grandma would probably have worn a more modern dress than the dress she wore. I'm not sure why they said it wasn't modest, it covered everything and a big bag of chips. As for the red lipstick they scolded her for...I can't even see any sign of the offensive red stuff on her lips, I mean c'mon people....I think this is taking things way out proportion.
Now what you do with your clothes is your prerogative but if you say you're a child of God then what you wear is God's business.
Now don't get me wrong, I'm not suggesting that you go out and buy a habit and dress like a nun or wear sack cloths...no way. You can still be trendy and look stunning without making all the men go through red traffic lights whilst staring at you as they drive past...

Here's a few tips I would give for any woman of God to keep in mind when buying or dressing up for work or the odd shin dig.

Photos courtesy L-R: Getty, Pearl River, ImaxTREE

1. Just because some top model wore it on the catwalk doesn't necessarily mean it's right for u to wear it. Some fashion statements should be ignored and I think the "Ghana must go" style opposite is one of them. lol

2. If it looks as tight as the Incredible Hulk's clothes just before they rip...u probably have no business wearing it. #justsaying

3.If the outfit looks like the tailor ran out of material before they finished making it, it probably ain't right for you to wear.

4. If the neckline of your dress or top plunges so much that thine twin peaks and grand canyon can be viewed from anywhere in the world (like Meagan's above) , then maybe sister girl you need to rethink the situation.

5. It may be hard to do the right thing in a world that makes it seem ok to do anything you please, but we can do all things through Christ. #pursueholiness  

I ain't tryna tell you how to dress but I'm telling you to  listen to the voice of the Holy Spirit and you will get a revelation about what's cool to rock as a child of God. We should remember thats it is possible to dress modestly and still look stunning.

Having said that...the sun is out in most places now...go out there and get yourself spruced up for summer. Stripes and Floral are in this season so if you get a top, skirt, dress or bag in those, you will be counted amongst those in the know. :)
A dash of colour is always stunning in summer. Here is my colour of choice...mustard yellow, rocked in the picture by Vogue cover girl, Louis Vuitton model and my fellow country girl Nyasha Matonhodze. U go girl! 
So as we dress in our summer outfits...remember if you dress like a lady, more often than not, you will be treated like a lady. 
So ladies lets go out there and stun 'em :)

Elie Saab 2012

I love it all (oh yes I do!)

While trawling through Facebook the other day, I came across a meal of frogs' legs that had been prepared with a lottta TLC. I mean this woman had spared no spice, herb or garnish in making sure that this dish came out looking, as the French who are well known for eating the dish would say, “formidable.”

 Now being somewhat of an adventurous foodie myself  (yes I have eaten a bit of crocodile and snail in the past…lol) I didn’t sneer or screw my face at the mere idea of eating frogs legs. No…I just thought, wow... good for you girl. 

However it was the comments that people made about this post that I found interesting. Some merely voiced their “disgust” by commenting eeeewwww. Others slightly curious asked what the taste was like. Others said they wouldn’t mind trying it as long as they were told what it was after they had finished the meal. And of course others were keen to try this seemingly unpopular dish amongst “people of colour”. 

Someone then raised the point that people should only stick to eating what God had given us to eat. Which brings me to ask….has God said that there are specific foods that we should eat and not others? I have heard some vegetarians say that God never told us to eat meat, and they quote Genesis and say of all this fruit and seeds you shall eat. However as much as I think that a fruit and vegetable diet has some substantial health benefits, I don’t think that the bible forbids the eating of meat at all.

After the flood in Genesis 9:3 God says, “You may eat any moving thing that lives. As I gave you the green plants, I now give you everything.”  Now in Old testament times, the law cited some meats were clean and others were unclean but the new covenant in Christ, all meats were declared clean. Even in Romans 14 Paul talks of eating everything including meat to the Lord, giving thanks to God. 

Having cleared that up, I will continue to enjoy everything God has given us to enjoy…yeah "all things bright and beautiful" ... chicken, fish and the occasional red meat. I think its great that some people out there choose to eat only plants and seeds…kudos for that…but don’t turn around and judge us folk who love us some juicy, spiced, tender steak. Yeah let us be...afterall you aint the boss of me! (told ya..lol)

I have been busy in my kitchen, as a young wife, making sure that my hubby dearest is well fed. And my hubby on the other hand has also been making sure that I'm well fed...these are some of the dishes he created over the past few days that awakened the senses and tantalised every tastebud beyond comprehension...top is a pasta and chicken dish with veg, middle is grilled seabass and seasoned mash with veg, and bottom is bulgur wheat and chicken with salad.
Indeed after eating all this I realised just how fortunate I was to have an amazing husband who loves me so much and isn't afraid to take charge in a kitchen spoil me with all sorts of tasty dishes. Its gonna be dinner time soon and judging from the aroma coming from the kitchen...I'm in for a treat...so I'm off and Bon Appetit!  

Don't Play with a Dirty Diaper...

"Did you take the £30 pounds that was on the counter?" the manager asked me at work.
"No," I say as I  push the money deeper into my pocket.

"Be careful of that woman, she's finer than wine but her goal is to wreck your marriage," Pastor said.
"I would never do that. Besides I'm not interested in her type," I say as I hide the condom deeper into my pocket.

"Drugs are no good for you, they''ll mess up your life," the youth counsellor warned.
"I've never taken one all my life," I say as I push the pack filled with white substance deeper into my pocket.

"You need to listen to your parents and respect their wishes,"my aunt said.
I've stopped going out late and hanging with the street gangs, I say as I hide the knife deeper into my pocket.

"You know its not good to talk and gossip about people behind their back," my friend said to me.
" Oh you know I wouldn't do that," even though a few minutes prior to that, I'd pressed send on my Whatsapp telling my peeps the latest juicy piece of news I'd just heard, just before I carefully pushed the phone deep into my pocket.

Why do they sweat me?  I have no sin.

Its only a bit of fun.

But wait...whats that nagging thought?

I need to be true to myself, I need to gaze deep within,

and see myself for who I really am.

I can't pretend anymore, as much as I want to

I look in the mirror and suddenly I see it.

Sin.

It covers my withering body, dark and filthy.
Resembling scum and smelly manure.
It has smeared it's very essence all over my being,
Covering me from head to toe,
I resemble a toddler playing with a dirty diaper.


Why do I do this?

How do I get out of this?

Is there any hope for me?

Yes.

There is a better way,

But only I can allow this change.

Let me allow Him who can transform me, to finish the work, perfect the work that He has begun

To transform me, mould me

Until like Rihanna said, I begin to "shine like a diamond in the sky."

Exposed!

Everywhere around him, people were yelling in pain.
"Help me!" a woman screeched.
A few bodies lay strewn on the side of the road. Not moving.
Somewhere in the bushes, someone was groaning.
Sam had to get out.
The teenage rugged boy put his hand on the rusty metal bar as he tried to climb the high iron fence, not knowing that the top of the fence was secured by an electric wire.
"Get down from there," a woman called, "are you trying to get yourself killed?"
"What do you mean?"
"There's an electric wire at the top all the way round the enclosure. It will kill you as soon as you touch it."
"I guess its the same thing then. We are all going to die in here anyway aren't we?"
"You don't know that, don't give up hope. Besides even if you got over the fence how will you get over the water? Don't do it son, keep the hope alive."
"A fat lot of good, hope has done for us. I'm tired of sitting here waiting doing nothing. Just waiting to die. Everyone talks about how the ancient books mention someone coming to rescue us. Well where is that person? Huh answer me?"
The woman just stared, she didn't have the answer to the boy's question.

What hope was there? As the sun's ruddy glow signalled its setting, the old woman thought about the disease. No one was really sure how it had all started. Some said a man who lived on the east side of the island had eaten a certain fruit which was poisonous. Now the fruit caused some chemical reaction in his body and he had passed it onto his wife, who had then passed it on to her sister. And now everyone on the island had fallen prey to this this horrible disease which was now ravaging their bodies and slowly consuming them. When the authorities had found out, they had all been locked down in this place for fear that the disease would spread further afield. Now they were alone, left to die.

In the still of the night she heard a shout. "The great gate is opening!"
People staggered to the main square. Some limped, their ailing bodies weighing them down, some crawled to see if it was really true.
And yes it was...the Great Gate which had been shut down years ago making them outcasts, was opening. Everyone waited to see what would happen. They couldn't believe it. Maybe someone was letting them out to join the rest of the world.
Some people started moving towards the gate with the intention of running out...but a loud voice warned, "Stand back or we will shoot!"
Almost everyone stood in their tracks. Except one man who was so desperate to get out, he continued running out only to be met by a whizzing small piece of metal which pierced one end of his body and came out on the other side of his chest. He immediately flopped down to the ground like a rag doll.

Suddenly a man walked in slowly carrying a big box. He didn't have a bio suit or those thick glass masks like those men who had locked them up years ago. No he came just as he was. In a plain white trousers and shirt.
"I can save you," he said. He took a big bowl and started mixing some water with leaves from one of the tree branches. Then he took some type of soil from a nearby tree, then mixed it together with some other liquid. Some people started walking towards him and he gave them a drink from the bowl. They drank quickly so much so that some of the liquid exited their mouth on the sides dripping down their bony cheeks. They expected some big change but nothing happened. Some laughed, mocked and turned away grumbling about the man wasting their time and waking them from their sleep. Others couldn't stomach the idea of drinking the strange looking cure made from all sorts of things. They turned their backs and went back to their misfortune of waiting for the end to come upon them.
"Please trust me. Believe in me. I can save you," the man beckoned again.
A few more walked towards the man and took a drink from his cup, hoping that his words of a cure could possibly be true. Sam and the old woman edged towards the man in white and drank some of his weird tasting drink.

The man stayed with them, helping those who were sick cooking meals for them, carrying their crops from the fields. He helped chop wood with some of the stronger men who were building homes. Then he also taught and helped the little boys to fish. A few weeks later the man started showing symptoms of the disease. He had been exposed to the disease and now he was contaminated. And the disease was eating him away quicker than anyone had ever seen.
"Why don't you drink the cure and save yourself?"
"It has to be this way," the man said as he lay dying.
"But why?" a woman asked tears running down her cheeks as she watched him in pain.
"You don't understand now but some day you will."
By sunset he was dead.
A few cried that such a kind young man had gone so quickly. But soon after his death, something strange started happening. Health started coming to the bodies of all that had drank the cure. Their wounds and sores started to heal, their chests began to clear. The pain began to disappear.
The man had been telling the truth. He had brought them the cure for their disease. He had come to help them. But in doing so, it had cost him his life.

                                                                       ~~~~~

This story was inspired by the following scripture:
"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life." John 3:16 NIV

Great things are happening....

Hey people...

Hope everyone had a good Easter holiday. I know I did... :)
I just thought I would share two amazing testimonies that I heard recently...

Now I know that we are all at different places in our lives...some of us are studying, some are working. Some are looking for love and some have found love and (hopefully) enjoying great marriages but I hope that this testimony will still bless y'all.
Recently a 40 something year old lady who had been holding onto God, believing for a husband was rewarded for her patience. Now we all know that as the years roll by it gets harder and harder to find any fine boys to get with. This lady (lets call her Miss Waiting on God aka Miss WOG) said she didn't want a guy with any baggage. She prayed that she would find someone who wasn't a widower or divorcee and believed that God would give her a husband who had never married and didn't have any children. (Now there is nothing wrong with a guy if he has kids etc ... I guess its just a matter of preference) Well after 1 or 2 Ishmaels God finally brought Mr Right along her path. They met, went on a couple of dates, started hanging out and lo and behold they are now happily married. All I can say is God is never too late...

Another couple had been trying for 19 years to have a baby without any joy. They tried everything including various medical treatments including IVF but nothing happened. It was hard over the years seeing people walking around them with their bundles of joy...but they believed God and hoped that one day they would hold their own baby. True to His word, just as He did with Hannah, God blessed them with a beautiful baby after 19 years of trying....wow. Indeed God makes all things beautiful in their time. Ecc 3:11

So whatever you are praying for...know that delay is not necessarily denial...maybe the timing is just not right. I pray and hope that your heart's desire will come to pass quicker than I can say "I love shoes!"

How did I get here?

I love the Big Bang Theory sitcom. Sheldon is hilarious...and as for Amy well...she's the queen of the Geeks. The question remains however, will we ever see Howard's mum or will she always remain a voice in the "wind"?

 

Despite loving this show, I have to say the whole Big Bang theory itself defies logic. The very idea that a big bang aka explosion of nothing created everything we see and touch in this world is utterly preposterous. Yeah I've heard of Darwin and all those other fellas whose idea that we all came from apes is somewhat laughable. Maybe they did, but I only have to look at myself in the mirror to know that I surely didn't. 

I mean you only have to take a look at the human body to know that this is a great design made by a great designer. Forget Louis Vutton. He ain't got nothing on the designer who made the great thinking system-our brain, the respiratory system, the digestive system and all the other intricate processes that make up our wonderful body. Heck the reproductive system was thought out with the greatest attention to detail. It's amazing how everything seems to just fit into place (no pun intended) everything doing what it needs to do...each tissue, each cell functioning in just the right way to keep it all going. 

 

Babies can survive in a womb for nine months and then miraculously get expelled out of the body at just the right time...

All the different ecosystems amazing by their very nature. 

The seas and oceans crushing their waves show his majestic power at work. 

Is this all a result of a big bang? You can say or think whatever you like but in my heart I believe every creation has a creator...

There are many more bangs and explosions that have taken place, why have they not evolved into other marvellous planets or things?

Now I don't know a lot about science and I wont pretend that I do but when I consider all the works thy hands have made, I can't help but say "My God how great thou art!"

Get crazy...

Sometime last year whilst on holiday with my husband, God taught us an interesting truth about how faith works. One night we were walking to our room after a day's outing when my husband pointed out something that I hadn't noticed before.
On arriving on our floor we realised that it was dark but as we stepped out of the lift into the corridor the lights closest to the lift lit up. As we proceeded to walk along the corridor towards our room, the other lights along the corridor continued to light up one after the other as we took each step and drew closer to them. My husband then said to me, "Wow, its an amazing illustration of our faith walk with God. He gives us just enough light and information to take one step, then as we obey and start to move...he lights up the way to enable us to take a few more steps."

As I marvelled at this illustration I though about how true this was. God usually never lets us see the rest of the path, He shows us a little at a time so that we can trust in him and maintain our faith as he leads us in the way we should go. This is true in so many areas of our walk with God. He will often instruct us to do something...become a missionary, open a business, write a book, compose a song, open an orphanage. Often starting and doing these things can at times feel intimidating. These things may at times seem beyond our reach and an impossible task due to financial or physical constraints. However as we start to move  and walk in obedience to the instruction, often we will start to see God's provision. Nothing will happen until, like Peter, you step out of the boat. Its in stepping out and activating your faith, that God will be drawn into the situation to start performing a miracle for you.

I remember a testimony shared a few years ago by a woman in our church who hadn't been able to have a child for almost 10 years. Then someone told her that she should go and buy baby clothes and start believing God for a child. It sounded crazy of course. How can you buy baby clothes when you are not even pregnant?
Remember the definition of faith in the bible....
"Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see." Hebrews 11:1
That means faith throws all logic and reasoning out of the window. You cant have faith and still try and figure it all out.
The woman who wanted a child decided to exercise this kind of crazy faith and lo and behold, God was moved by her faith and a year later she gave birth to a beautiful baby girl.
If God could do the impossible for her, He is not a respecter of persons and can do the same for you.
 The bible also says that, "And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him." Hebrews 11:6

Over the years I have watched God answer every prayer request I made. Some things took years, others just days but in all I can stand and say I have seen the goodness of the Lord in the Land of the Living.
God's grace is always sufficient for where we are and as we obey Him and move, He will move with us and His word will continually be a lamp unto our feet.
So as He instructs, pray and then move! :)

Awesome year.....Married and all...Say What...?

Hello Folks!

I am not going to even try and make any excuses regarding my long absence from this blog... *hides in shame* but can only hope that this year, writing will take precedence or at least a decent portion in my very busy life. *sigh*
Thank you so much to all the people that sent messages or asked after me, its so thoughtful of you and I really really appreciate all your lovely messages.

So much has happened but of course I think its right to start by thanking God for the new year. I believe that 2013 has so many wonderful things in store for us....It has been prophesied as the Year of Mighty Manifestations. I'll say a big Amen to that...do receive that word and expect God to show up in a mighty way in different areas of your life.

2012 was an awesome here for me...I'm so thankful to God for his continued love and favour throughout.
1.I had a challenging but fun job which enabled me to learn so many interesting things about myself and about life in general.
2.Several of my married friends were blessed with babies whilst some got engaged. :)
3.I also attended the London Olympics and what an amazing time we had. The city was just buzzing with excitement...

4.I also got the opportunity to travel to 6 different countries on holiday ...yeah I have enough suntan to last me a long time...lol These are some pictures from some of the places that I visited in 2012. The common denominator in all those places was the sun....

5. So many other great things happened but the biggest and best part of it was that I married my best friend and the love of my life...yay!!!
And so Gospel Girl is more or less Gospel Wife now or Gospel Woman...lol
That in itself is a testimony and a bit, (which if God permits) I will share with you another time. But yeah God is so faithfully and He does give us the desires of our hearts in His time.


And so as I start 2013...it is a time of New Beginnings...I look forward to working towards the new goals I've set and reaching towards them this year. I am confident that the God who has started this good work in me will complete it. And I urge you to strive for your dreams in 2013. Go for it...as they say, you have to be in it..to win it. Happy New Year :)