The Girl who Surprised Many

Ok people you have to forgive me for being MIA, busy is an understatement to describe my life, so so busy with a new contract job (thank God for that) , coursework to do, church and other stuff.....I really miss being on here so much.... but I know God will make a way for things to settle down.

Have you ever wanted to do something but didn't because you thought it was too hard or beyond your capabilities? I'm posting this video because I think this young lady has been able to do what many people would have thought a very difficult thing. But know this, if you put your mind to it, with God on your side you can accomplish great things. That said, I'm off to learn Spanish ... :)
  

                                                           


                                                                   

On the road to Marriageville

"Meet me at the altar in your white dress, we ain't getting no younger, we might as well do it... 
Girl lets just get married, I just wanna get married." lyrics from the song, Lets Get Married by Jagged Edge (2000).

Sooooo, Kate found her prince and the Royal wedding is finally over and life has more or less returned to normal for us folk. Most of the gals I know where all eager to see Kate's dress (which for some was a disappointment, we expected more bling and satin) and most eyes were on her fairytale wedding because for most women, a wedding is a special day where a lifetime dream comes true. I, for one love weddings and sometimes they make me cry, don't ask me why, but every now and again I find myself dabbing a tear or so with Kleenex especially when they do the vows. Recently a number of people I know got engaged and there's quite a few weddings coming up so yippee more fun. But let me say, if it is your desire to meet a fine boy and get hitched and it hasn't happened yet, hang in there!!

I know a lot of people that are waiting for their prince to show up and whisk them into a fairytale. All I can say is don't get tired of hoping. Keep praying, going out and mingling. Yup, don't stay at home all the time praying, you also need to go out regularly so that he can find you ... :)
Even when it seems like all hope is lost, keep trusting God. Just like Abraham was able to have a child in old age, it's never too late. A few years ago I knew a lady who was in her mid forties who was believing God for a husband and some may have thought, it's over for her but our God who she trusted in, honoured her prayer. She met a wonderful man and they got married and now have a lovely baby girl. They are still happily married.

Maybe you are already married and this may not apply to you, but do you have anything else you need from God and it seems like its taking long? Whatever your need is I pray that God would meet you at your point of need. Take heart, keep believing and may God hear your cry.

Now back to the wedding fever, some marry young, others marry old and well, some marry somewhere in between. Don't put your life on hold whilst you wait for the big day to arrive. Prepare yourself, pray and keep serving and loving God.  Go out there and be found or if you're a guy, go and find her. And by God's grace you never know, sooner than you think, you may be practising your new signature and updating your Facebook status to married! :)

The Truth about Gospel Girl...

A few months ago, I said I would tell people a little about my background after I revealed that I was not Nigerian as most people believe I am. So here goes, drum roll please ....

This sister here is actually a Zimba babe to the bone. lol For those not familiar with the term "Zimba", it is actually short for Zimbabwe. Yes G.G actually hails from the land of Milk and Honey which is South of the African continent. Having said that I want to wish all my Zimba friends and family a Happy Independence day! Yes, yesterday Zimbabwe turned 31 years old. (I am a day late, wanted to do this yesterday but was so busy yesterday I didn't have time :(

(Photo is the genius work of Geelaw Media.)
For those who may not know Zim, it is located next to South Africa. It's a lovely place but I have to warn you, you won't find any of the following foods there : plantain, cassava or yam, (ok that probably shocked you) but we have our own type of foods which taste just as great. On your list of things to do in life, add a new one "Trying Zim's main meal Sadza" which is made from maize meal.  Yum yum, this really goes down well with meat and vegetables.

I pray that God will bless the nation and shower it with peace and great favour.

Have a great week, I will be back with a proper post soon.... in the meantime here's a song in which you can see a few places in my lovely nation...Proudly Zim :)

Waiting in the Rain

Waiting can be a bore.
Yup, it can be frustrating and down right annoying.
Most people (me included) don't like having to wait in any situation, for example, queuing up in a bank or at a government office because the queues tend to move very slowly, even a snail would look good in comparison.

In our lives we sometimes find ourselves in a place were our life seems to be on some kind of "pause" in some areas and we have to wait for certain things.
For some this could be waiting for healing to take place, a marriage partner, a job, a financial breakthrough,  a loved one to be saved, to get pregnant and have a baby.

These things mean a lot to us and we have been on our knees time and time again praying about it but it seems like there is "no reply" from the heavens. What do we do when we feel we have done all we can?

Firstly ask your self whether what you want is God's will for you. Would this thing bring glory to God in your life and is it in line with God's word? If the answer is yes, then don't give up. Keep praying and trusting God.

Hannah in the book of 1 Samuel was tired of waiting and being laughed at by her husband's second wife because she didn't have a child.
 Did she curse God and give up? Or continually ask why?
No, she continued to go to the temple and spend time in God's presence and pray persistently.

Maintain a good attitude. Refuse to complain and continue to give thanks.

Let our prayer be that of

Habakkuk 3:17-19

"Though the fig tree does not bud
   and there are no grapes on the vines,
though the olive crop fails
   and the fields produce no food,
though there are no sheep in the pen
   and no cattle in the stalls,
 yet I will rejoice in the LORD,
   I will be joyful in God my Savior.


At some point in your faith you will face a test. You will have to choose whether you are following God just for what you can get or whether you're following Him because you love Him and want to live your life for Him regardless of whether you get what you want or not.
The "waiting room" will test you and bring all the inner motives out. Some will give up and stop following God because they feel He has let them down. Some will continue to go on with "bruises" but eventually reach the place of manifestation.
Which one will you be?
 
God is more interested in our long term character development than in us getting something that will make us instantly happy.

"Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything." James 1:2-4

As much as it's great to have microwave breakthroughs, lets strive to go through with a good attitude and wait on God with hope that the Good Father who knows our desires will meet our every genuine need according to his abundance in glory.

The Big Family

Hello people, I know I have been AWOL for a while but thank God I'm able to show my face here again and thankfully I'm now in a better place than I was before. God has certainly been faithful in keeping me safe and secure in his arms. So much has been happening and hopefully with time I may be able to share some of it, if God wills.

Thank you so much for all your prayers and words of encouragement in various forms : on Twitter, email and here on the blog. I really appreciate it guys ... *huge smile* Its great having a community of people around who can support you and encourage you in difficult times. The other day I came across this piece in my devotional Word for Today and it just goes to show how being there for one another is so important.

Why We Need Each Other    
''...Encourage the fainthearted, help the weak...' ' 1 Thessalonians 5:14
A mouse looked out through a crack in a farmhouse wall and was distraught to discover a mousetrap. When he went to tell his buddies, the chicken said, 'Sorry, pal, not my problem.' The pig said, 'I'll pray for you.' The cow was busy and said, 'Come back later.' Dejected, the mouse was left alone to handle his problem. That night, a poisonous snake got caught in the mousetrap and when the farmer's wife went to investigate she got bitten. She developed a raging fever, and everyone knows you treat a fever with chicken soup. So the farmer took his axe to the barn for the main ingredient! As his wife's condition deteriorated and neighbours gathered, he had to butcher the pig to feed them. Finally she died. So many people came to the funeral that he ended up slaughtering the cow to make dinner for them all. In the end, everybody lost! The Bible says, '...Encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with everyone.' It only takes one thing to be an encourager: a willingness to '...bear the weaknesses of those without strength and not just please ourselves' (Romans 15:1 NAS). Before deciding somebody else's problem has nothing to do with you, read this: '...If one member suffers, all the members suffer...' (1 Corinthians 12:26 NKJV). You can't sit on the sidelines while someone's hurting; tomorrow it may be you! We are told to 'Share each other's burdens...' (Galatians 6:2 NLT). When one of us is threatened we're all at risk. Our lives are woven together for a reason; each of us is a vital thread in another person's tapestry. ( Word for Today Copyright2011)

This story reminded me of how important it is to always be there for another. May we continue to pray for one another and strengthen one another, you never know some day when you are cast down in the pit, you will need someone to pull you up. Hezekiah Walker's song "I need you to survive" paints the picture nicely.

Sorry I haven't been able to read any blogs but I will be starting again soon so expect a visit from me soon...
Much love to you all!!!

Even though it's hard ... I smile

I love travelling and occasionally I travel by train and get to enjoy picturesque scenery as the train speeds along the countryside and cities. If you have ever travelled on a train on a long journey, you may have noticed that every once in a while, it goes through a tunnel.

I'm not fond of tunnels, they are dark, spooky and there's nothing to see in there and a lot of times there's no phone reception. It's always a great relief when the train shoots out of the tunnel and back into the magnificent light again.

Over the last few weeks I've felt like I've been in a dark tunnel in my own life journey. Things have been difficult and kinda weighing me down. It seemed like there was so much opposition from the enemy and I started losing the will power to even fight back. Even my so called communication "reception" in the tunnel was poor, I couldn't "connect" with God as well as I usually do. But praise God that I know there is a light at the end of the tunnel, very soon I shall shoot out of the dark and into the glorious light.

The other day I was listening to Joyce Meyer's podcast and God spoke to me and reminded me of an "old time truth", through her message. She said that although our victory has already been secured, we still need to fight aggressively to be able to possess everything which is rightfully ours.
Matt 11:12 says that.".. the kingdom of heaven suffers violence and violent men shall take it by force."

I have put back on my fighting gloves and resumed the fight and I'm not going to allow the enemy to run rampage in my life. The bible says we should "...fight the good fight..." and I'm now doing so with joy as I know that soon, I will be out of the tunnel and enjoying the lovely scenery again.

Kirk Franklin's new song (with some one's homemade video) has kept me company and do take a moment to listen to it, it's a great song. I can't listen to it and not smile. And so I smile...not because my life is perfect but because I serve a God who works everything for good behind the scenes, praise God
Like Aretha Franklin sang..."say a lil prayer for me..." if you get a chance, I appreciate you stopping by, thanks and have a lovely week!

The Master's Visitors

Hello peeps, am so busy and so much going on (life is happening full on..*sigh*) and I don't even have time to do a blog post but you can munch on this blast from the past....that I'm reposting...till I'm back, have a good weekend!



The Master's Visitors

They come from all directions with their worries and their woes,

Some problems are big, some are small,

Don't get me wrong, I'm not complaining at all,

But if only they'd have some love for me.




"Can you pleeeeaze help my sick daughteeer?" the Indian woman asks in a desperate voice.

I take her daughter and place her on my lap,

A little TLC and a rub of the tummy,

And the girl is skipping and dancing around.



"Can you fix my lapy topy," the Chinese man asks with a smile.

I take the laptop from him, a little screwing here and a dusting there,

Within a few minutes, I hand it back to him good as new.

"Now stay off the streets and stop selling DVDee DVDee."



"My crop has failed and I have no food,

My family and I will starve if you do not help,"

The African man looks round hoping I'll offer him Supermalt.

Bags of grain, wheat and flour I give to him from my abundant storehouse.



"Yo wassup Big Man, I need your help,

Ain't good for man to be alone, you know the deal,

I need a honey, you know someone to love," says the American man with a twang in his drawl.

I point him to the East where a beautiful maiden is picking flowers,

Go to her, Your soul mate awaits you.


"Mama Mia, Help me Master, ze debtors in Milan are after me!"

I look at the Italian Shopaholic, carrying dozens of bags,

eyeing me from behind her Gucci sunglasses,

I sigh at her mess but still settle her debts,

Another satisfied visitor leaves without a second thought.



They come from all directions with their worries and their woes,

Some problems are big, some are small,

Don't get me wrong, I'm not complaining at all,

But if only they would show an ounce of gratitude

Or treat me better than they treat Santa Claus.



Then I see a boy approaching,

"Master it's good to see you."

 "Good to see you too my child. What can I do for you?"

"Nothing. I just came to see you."

"You mean you don't need anything?"

"No, I wanted to spend time with you and tell you I love you

and appreciate everything you do."

Simplicity of Men Vs Complexity of Women !!!

 

Wife's Diary vs Hubby's Diary

HER DIARY
3 February 2011
========== 
 Tonight, he was acting weird. 
We had made plans to meet at a
cafe to have some coffee. 
I was shopping with my friends
all day long, so I thought he was upset at the fact that 
I was a bit late,
but he made no comment. 
Conversation wasn't flowing so I suggested that we go somewhere quiet 
so we could talk, he agreed but
he kept quiet and absent.

I asked him what was wrong 
- he said,"Nothing.

"I asked him if it was my fault that he was upset. He said it had
nothing to do with me and not to worry.

On the way home I told him that I loved him, he simply smiled and kept
driving. I can't explain his behavior; I don't know why he didn't say, "I love u,too."

 When we got home I felt as if I had lost him, as if he wanted nothing to do with me anymore.
He just sat there and watched TV.; he seemed distant and absent.Finally I
decided to go to bed. About 10 minutes later he came to bed. I decided
that I could not take it anymore,

so I decided to confront him with the situation but he had fallen asleep.

I started crying and cried until I too fell asleep. I don't know what to
do. I'm almost sure that his thoughts are with someone else.

My life is gonna be a disaster.
____________ _________ _________ _

HIS DIARY
3 February 2011
==========
Today Manchester United lost the  match
against Chelsea.
Damn!!


Someone sent this "Diary Piece" to me and I thought it was funny and since February is the "love month" (roll on Feb 14...lol) I decided to share it with u guys..... I think it's funny and sad how the wife was quick to assume that it was her fault that her man was acting distant and must be thinking of another woman shm,...in life especially relationships, lets never assume....gather facts if you can, bcoz as the saying goes, "Assumption is the mother of all screw ups!"

You can find more about the differences between men and women on my old blog post Men are from Mars Women are from venus


Have a lovely week!

The day the unexpected happened...(A Short Fiction Story)

As the thundering noise increased, the lights came closer and closer. I tried to free my leg again, but the pain from my sprained ankle was too much. “Help,” I shouted but no one came to my aid. The rattling of the strong steel wheels chugging towards me, made me aware of the imminent misfortune about to befall me. I screamed. The train hurtled towards me at an alarming speed. I screamed again and raised my arm to shield my face, then everything went black.
                                                                               *****

It had begun like any other day. My ten minute shower followed by Special K with Semi Skimmed milk, a boiled egg and a slice of toast. To say I was motivated to go to work would be a lie. It was almost half past seven in the morning but it was still quite dark. I disliked winter mornings. It took twice the amount of effort to get out of bed and go to work. Once breakfast was out of the way, I fixed my long hair into a ponytail, grabbed my coat and bag and headed towards the door. Bluebury Park Station was ten minutes away which meant another gruesome walk in the cold.

Apart from two or three dedicated workers on their way to work, my road was almost deserted. The trees looked bare and bony as their leafless branches lay exposed with bits of fluffy white frost scattered around like an old man’s beard. The buildings had an air of gloom as their grey concrete walls hung almost lifelessly in the cold musty atmosphere.  I plugged my iPod headphones into my ears and trudged along the road wishing I was on a Caribbean island somewhere.
When I arrived at the station, it was busy with people topping up their oyster cards and rushing to catch the next train. I glanced at the information board and realised that my next train was about ten minutes away. There was some kind of delay. What’s new? I thought to myself. With the kind of delays and overcrowding on these trains, they should have been letting us travel for free because we were certainly not getting what we paid for.
I gazed at the adverts that lined the sides of the escalators. I mused over the Biogut Plus an ad for a revolutionary yogurt that could do wonders for your immune system, the latest theatre shows, making a mental note, I need to watch something with the girls soon. My mind was brought back to reality as an overweight man with the most pungent smell pushed past me on the escalators, almost knocking me over. I sucked my teeth in annoyance but decided not to pursue it. I watched him as he ambled off onto the Westbound platform.

The train was still eight minutes away, so I found an empty seat next to two smartly suited  gentlemen and sat down. I took out my bible and started reading Psalms. I read Psalm 88 right up to 91 and then I suddenly felt a strong urge to pray so I started praying silently.  Shortly after, I decided to get up since the platform was beginning to get crowded and I didn’t want to miss the next train. I edged my way nearer to the platform and stood huddled up in my coat, trying to ignore the cool air coming from the tunnel. The train was now two minutes away.
Today was Treat Friday so we were scheduled to go out to some fancy restaurant for posh nosh with some of the office folk. Maybe I could –
It happened so quick I didn’t even have time to react. One minute I was thinking about gourmet meals and the next some burly hands were forcefully shoving me over the edge of the platform. As my body lunged forward and realisation of what was happening came to me, I screamed. My lungs deflated considerably as my scream sucked out all the air that was within me. I flew into the air face down and fell right into the middle of the track. I tried to get up but my ankle seemed to be having a game plan of its own. I felt the most excruciating pain shoot from my hip right to the tip of my toes. I had no idea what it was but all I knew was it was bad. I looked up and I could see people on the platform scurrying about and somewhat gasping at my misfortune.

“Help, someone help me!” I cried as I heard the rumbling of the train approaching. I remembered the scriptures I had read a few minutes ago in Psalm 91, “... shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty...He shall cover you with His feathers and under His wings you shall take refuge...for He shall give His angels charge over you, to keep you in all your ways.”

The thundering noise increased. The lights came closer and closer. I tried to free my leg again, but the pain from my sprained ankle was too much. “Help,” I cried as I tried to move my body on my stomach. The rattling of the strong steel wheels chugging towards me, made me more aware of the imminent misfortune which was about to befall me. I screamed as the train hurtled towards me at an alarming speed. I screamed again and raised my arm to shield my face. At that moment everything went black

When I came to I was lying on a stretcher and a group of paramedics were attending to me on the platform. I sighed in relief - I had not become a statistic.
“What happened?” I asked the female paramedic in a green uniform who was attending to me.
“You fell onto the train tracks and you passed out from shock but you’re going to be ok,” she replied.
“Am I injured?”
“You have slight bruises and you sprained your ankle but other than that you’re ok. You sure had a lucky scrape young lady,” the paramedic replied.
“That wasn’t luck! I saw what happened,” an elderly woman with a Canadian accent said, “It was a miracle I tell you. As you lay there, I saw a group of Angels standing over you with their wings shielding you. It was unbelievable but right then I knew that you were going to be ok. Then as the train approached, one of the Angels put out its hands towards the train and brought it to a complete standstill. It was like one of those things you see in a Hollywood movie but this time it was happening right in front of my eyes.”
“...a real miracle...” I mumbled as the sedatives started taking effect and I nodded off.

Later I was told that my attacker was a mental health patient who had a strong dislike for Christians because his father who’d been a Missionary, had been had been killed during a mission trip in the tropical forests of some primitive country. Irrationally he had blamed the church for his father’s demise. Seeing me reading my bible had somehow caused him to snap and decide to attack me.

As I recovered from my minor injuries and battled the trauma of the ordeal, I prayed in my heart that God would give me the grace to forgive him. It was hard and I knew it wouldn’t happen overnight but I knew that with God’s help I would someday be able to let go of the resentment I felt towards the man who had almost brought my life to a devastating end.

Stylish and Versatile Blog Award

 Whilst the Hollywood Celebs were donning their Donna Karan and Viviene Westwood gowns and getting awards at the 68th Golden Globes Ceremony, I was getting my own Stylish and Versatile Blog Awards from two great bloggers: the lovely Blessing  and dearest H. Well here's the speech I'd prepared for when I win my Oscar, I'll just use it now...*urr uhh...clearing throat..* "Thank you ladies, I'm so humbled ...first I wanna say thanks to my mum and dad who raised me .... *wipes off tear*, I also want to thank my Lord and Saviour for making this possible, *pause for dramatic effect* I also wanna send a big shout out to my homies for their support..." lol OK enough of that...

So here's the rules and regulations of the award:
1. Thank the person who gave you the award and link back to them in your post.
2. Tell us 7 things about yourself which people may not know.
3. Award 15 other bloggers.
4. Contact these bloggers and let them know that they have won.


And here's 7 things about me:


1. I don't like fish.
I may occasionally eat Salmon Fillets but that's as far as my fish eating habits will venture. The idea of bones getting stuck in my throat made me steer well clear of fish. Don't laugh, this is a serious matter. :)

2. I love dancing.
I have taken Salsa classes and it was invigorating especially when you do the fast cha cha dance...you should see me...lol, I have also done an African dance class and I'm now doing Bhangra dance. It's so much fun, I may just take a trip to India and get a dose of the real thing. I would also love to learn the Tango and maybe Ballroom at some point.

3. This is gonna surprise some of you, but for the record, I'm not Nigerian.
Yup, none of my parents are Nigerian and I wasn't born in Nigeria either so yes even though I am close to so many Naija peeps, I'm not one myself. *shocker* The reason I decided to include this one is because people always think I'm Nigerian even in my own church...he he he. I'm not sure why people think so, but maybe it has to do with the fact that I associate with a lot of Nigerians... lol
As to my origins, for those that don't know, this will be revealed in due course in another blog post... something for you to look forward to :)

4. Reading is my greatest past time.
I love burying myself in a great book and escaping to unknown worlds. In fact I've been reading novels since I was about 7. Now I read Christian novels mostly by Francine Rivers, Frank Peretti and Ted Dekker and I read a lot of Non Fiction stuff and Biographies as well.
I read the adult bible for the first time when I was about 6 (from Genesis to Esther skipping Deuteronomy, Numbers and Leviticus for obvious reasons...) because I couldn't find a book to read...that's how much I loved reading.


5. I am absolutely terrified of snakes.
I can't even look at them; if one appears on the TV, I quickly look away and change the channel or if it's in a book, I just slam the book shut. Uggh. One thing I like about living in a very cold country is you never see snakes...thank God for that. Better stop talking about them. ...uhhmm the hair on my skin is rising as I am typing this...


6. My knowledge of "circular" celebs is somewhat limited.
For example, I had no idea what Drake looked like, until my teen sister said she wanted to get married to him a few weeks ago so I decided to google him and check him out.lol On the same topic, I wouldn't recognise Lady Gaga or Nicki Minaj if I met them on the street. Am I bothered about that? hell no! I've heard of them (this wouldn't do their ego much good I reckon, lol) but I have no idea what they look like. he he he... don't laugh now, and No I ain't a bush person, I'm just not interested. I don't listen to their kind of music and I only hear it when I'm in the gym or shopping mall. Yes, it may shock you but I'm one of those people that hasn't watched MTV and similar stuff in the last 6 or 7 years...and I don't have time for celeb magazines either... lol
If and when I do listen to circular music it is mostly 80s or 90's stuff, jazz, classical or African. So if someone asked me, Beyonce or Brandy? it would be Brandy any day... :)

7. I'm a romantic and I love the the feeling of being in love.
Yes, *giggling* I love the idea of dinner by candlelight,  cuddly teddy bears with "I love you" written on them, long stemmed lovely red roses and the whole shabaz....hhhmmm maybe it comes from watching too many chick flicks. :)


That's it for me...

And now I'm gonna give the following Bloggers the award, here goes, in no particular order :


Rainjoy

LDP


ChizzyD

Mbini

oluSimeon

Temiville

FavouredGirl

MissDramani

Waiki

Maid of Heart

Vimbai

Jaycee

Tendayi

Statuesque

Patrina

Right that's all for now, now I need to go and let these Bloggers know the great news.... Take care folks!

The 10 Commandments to Keeping Your Man Happy

Hey peeps, hope you've all had a great week. Mine's been great, I managed to get myself in the gym after what seems like a life time, so hopefully I will be seeing the results of my continued efforts soon.
Ladies, I hope those of you with a "Mr in the Vicinity" have been getting lots of pampering from the men as they've been putting those commandments into action. Well, I think it's about time we returned the favour....

I'm sure by the time the ladies are through with their ten commandments and the guys with their ten, love will be sizzling : renewal of wedding vows, candlelight dinners and engagements rings, cupid working overtime....divorce lawyers will be out of business soon and guys will be poppin the question faster than the Reverends can get them all married. To all ma Singletons, this will be your year.... :)

And here they are: *smiling*


1. Thou shall watch football, baseball, boxing or whatever sport tickles your man's fancy. You will not complain when he begins to exhibit  weird behaviour such as *pointing at the screen wildly, calling out at the screen and jumping up suddenly through out the game*
You also have to memorise the names of every member of his favourite team and manager plus their stats.

2. Thou shall cook his favourite meal thrice a week sorry I mean, everyday of the week except Sunday when you will order his favourite take away.

3. You will keep your hands off the remote and surrender all your "soap watching rights" so that he can
watch Top Gear, Discovery Channel and Match of the Day.

4. You shall never, ever expect him to help with the cooking, washing, ironing or anything that remotely resembles a chore. If you have any mini me's, you will undertake to always do the homework with them, change diapers, take out the trash and so on.
 
5. You will entertain him and his friends when they come round to play on the PS3 Move, Nintendo Wii or X-Box Kinect, making sure their bellies are "full and begging for mercy", glasses never going below half, loud music playing in the background.

6. You should notice and comment on how big his muscles are developing after a few days at the gym because they will obviously be bigger and more developed than Van Diesel. And that isn't a pot belly you see...no it's part of his 7 pack.

7. You will always hold your tongue in the car when he is driving and never say I told you so after you get lost because he didn't listen to your directions. You will also not laugh or tell him off when he and another man in the car next to yours at the traffic lights, decide to test the strengths of their engines like it's formula racing.

8. You will steer well clear of his wallet. His credit cards are not yours, his cheque book is also not yours. And his money doesn't have your name on it. His money has other purposes other than your Jimmy Choo shoes and Prada bags.
9. You shall refrain from schooling your man about the toliet seat. Cut the man some slack, he can't be expected to remember to put it up before use, then put it back down. I mean c'mon.

10. Thou shall cheerfully pick up after him (yes the socks, the shirts, magazines, cups and other bibs and bobs) without a single word of complaining or mumbling. Infact you shall hum his favourite songs as you pick up his trail of stuff.

And if that doesn't work, then I don't know what will. Now Feminstas take a chill, before the lobbying and protesting starts, remember this is all done in the name of fun and games. :)

Have a lovely week and may you love and be loved this year. xoxo

                                                                 © 2011 Gospel Girl

The 10 Commandments to Keeping your Woman Happy

As I've been trawling through magazines, blogs and the like, the issue of relationships seemed to crop up quite a bit and I think it suffices to say that people are looking forward to new relationships in this new year or bettering the ones they're in. Many are even hoping to meet "Denzel" look alikes in 2011 and settling down in a cute house with a picket fence and living happily ever after until maybe a big bad wolf comes along....
Well to get the guys on a flying start this year, I came up with Gospel Girl's very own list of "must do's" to keep the females : happy bunnies.
So guys read and learn and ladies make sure your man reads and learns.
And please women can I get a big Amen at the end!

1.  As the heavens shower the earth abundantly with rain, shower your woman abundantly with gifts.

2.  Thou shall compliment your woman when she changes her hairstyle even if it’s the fourth time that week.

3.  Always go shopping with her, smile and look like you’re enjoying yourself as she prances from shop to shop comparing prices and searching for bargains. Never ever sigh when three hours later she returns to the first shop you visited and buys the first item she saw.

4.  When you do wrong, always say sorry. When you’re not sure whose fault it is, say sorry too and when it’s her fault you know you have to say sorry as well don’t you?

5.  Order or buy beautiful flowers for her regularly just to let her know how special she is. Flowers were not just created for decorating special events like weddings and parties. Duh, you didn't know that one did you?

6.  Text and call her frequently during the day so that she knows that you’re thinking of her. Even if you’ve run out of free minutes find a way of making it happen.  “Facebook” her or “tweet” like a bird on Twitter if you have to.

7.  Your woman loves to talk, so let her talk, when she is not talking encourage her to talk more. Let her talk to her heart’s content until she has nothing else to say about anything.

8.  Get rid of all action movies and always watch romantic movies with her like Titanic, My Best Friend’s   Wedding, The Sound of Music and 27 Dresses.

9.  Don’t forget birthdays and anniversaries.

10. Repeat points 1-8 several times a month and you will have the key to her happiness.

© 2011 Gospel Girl

Till death do us part...or maybe not...

So you and your "hubby/wifey to be" are getting closer to the wedding day, the wedding gown is ready, flowers have been chosen and the cake's been ordered and suddenly your partner says, "Errr honey I've been thinking, I want a pre-nup?" What would your reaction be....

 A few of my friends were discussing the issue of pre-nups, which are now legal in the UK after Paper heiress Katrin Radmacher won a £100million divorce battle in October 2010. The Supreme Court ruling against her ex husband effectively gave pre-nuptial agreements official status in English law. The 41-year-old heiress only had to pay ex hubby Nicolas Granatino £1million from her vast fortune. (personally £1 million is still a lot and that would have still been plenty for me...)

The Supreme Court’s ruling brought England into line with most of Europe and the US where pre-nups are legally binding. Previously in the United Kingdom, pre-nuptial agreements had no legal standing. "The divorce courts had the last word in the division of all matrimonial property and would ignore any pre-nuptial agreement if they thought that it was in any way unreasonable to either of the parties involved, particularly regarding to the maintenance and housing of children. For example, regardless of whose name a couple’s property was in, a court could order it to be transferred to the other. This applied to all property that was owned separately or jointly." (Weddingguideuk)

A pre-nuptial agreement (pre-marital agreement) is a written contract between a couple before they are married that sets out how their assets are to be distributed (or remain theirs) should their marriage fail. Hhhmmm.

This brings me to a very important question, should Christians have pre-nups?
Personally I think that pre nups indicate a lack of faith in your relationship and I don't understand why any Christian would even want one. It is almost as if you're saying, this marriage is probably not gonna work and if so I don't want the other person to use me and run away with some of my money. This seems to also denote a lack of trust in the other person and creates a shaky foundation for your marriage from the onset. But that's my own view. What do people think about this issue? Is there anything in the bible that can help people decide on the best course of action...?

If you were stinking rich and getting married, would you have one?

2011's gonna rock...

Two donkeys were in the field nearby Jerusalem . The one donkey said;

"I don't understand it, just yesterday everyone was throwing their clothes and palms on the road when I was carrying Jesus on my back but now I am back to being a nothing. Those people don't even see its me who was carrying Jesus."

The other donkey said: "It works like that my brother; without Jesus you are nothing in this world"

                                                                    ****

Someone shared this little story of the donkey and I think it highlights something that we should remember as we enter the new year.

We may have many goals and plans for 2011, but let's take the time to seek God's will for the year ahead. Let us ask Him to direct our plans Let us... "commit our plans to Him so that they will be established." Proverbs 16:3

They say life is what you make it, your attitudes and responses to life will determine how you will fare in life's journey. If life is sour and hands you  lemon, make lemonade...
Happy New Year and may it be the best one yet for you!

I am a Survivor!

Hey people, hope you all had a good Christmas...mine was a blast. Spending time with loved ones is always a plus for me. Plus Santa was nice to me, I guess I'd been a good girl so I did get the Nintendo Wii I wanted. So next year I'm gonna be as fit as a fiddle by the time I'm done with Wii Fit.I've been playing tennis on Wii sport and all of a sudden I feel like a pro (reality check definitely needed..*note to self, it's virtual*) Anyway I was thinking that Serena and Venus need to look out coz there's a new chick in town. Wimbledon here I come...* iWish *

For those who don't know me too well,  there's two things I'm fond of : Nandos Restaurant and Next (the clothes shop). I know some peeps don't like Next, they say they never find anything cool there but I always seem to get all my best wedding and party dresses from there and other bits and bobs. I guess those closest to me know that when they get stuck with gifts for me, a Next gift card always does the trick. This year I even got a Nandos gift card as well...so this chick is in for a treat. :) Anyway soon after Christmas, the sales usually kick in and people head to the stores with gift cards and bonuses to spend. If u know much about sales in the UK, you know there's not many sales like the Next sale. It's in a different league altogether...

I love my sleep so getting up in the wee hours of the morning to queue up outside Next for their 5am opening has always been a bit of a challenge for me but I do always make my way to the Sale eventually around 7 or 8 am. Yeah so maybe a lot of stuff is gone by then but eventually I always get nice things. This year was a bit of a frustration.When we got to our local Next this is what greeted us. A queue almost a mile and a half long....

So we headed to another big shopping mall which was better coz there was no queue outside but there was a mini China inside - people milling about everywhere... but my dream coat had disappeared and so had my dream dress. ugh. The place looked like the remains of a bomb blast, clothes and shoes everywhere. It was worse than Primark on a bad day, I kid u not.

Anyway when I prayed the night before, I'd asked God to hook me up with the things I wanted. I'd seen them a few weeks before the sale and I believed that I would get them in the sale at a good price. I knew God was faithful even in what may seem like trivial matters as long as one exercises faith. Lo and behold I did end up getting my coat and dress, plus jeans and boots all for a very good price. Another customer who had come very very early, later decided she didn't want the coat and same thing happened with the dress and both were my size. No wonder God says not to worry about what to wear at all in Matthew 6, He's got it all covered. :) The pic below sums it all up, like Destiny's Child said years ago, "I am a survivor!"

When your dreams seem to be slipping away ... think of "The Three Trees"

Once upon a mountain top, three little trees stood and dreamed of what they wanted to become when they grew up. The first little tree looked up at the stars and said: "I want to hold treasure. I want to be covered with gold and filled with precious stones. I'll be the most beautiful treasure chest in the world!" The second little tree looked out at the small stream trickling by on its way to the ocean. "I want to be traveling mighty waters and carrying powerful kings. I'll be the strongest ship in the world!" The third little tree looked down into the valley below where busy men and women worked in a busy town. "I don't want to leave the mountain top at all. I want to grow so tall that when people stop to look at me, they'll raise their eyes to heaven and think of God. I will be the tallest tree in the world."

Years passed and the little trees grew tall. One day three woodcutters climbed the mountain. The first woodcutter looked at the first tree and said, "This tree is beautiful. It is perfect for me." With a swoop of his shining ax, the first tree fell. "Now I shall be made into a beautiful chest, I shall hold wonderful treasure!" the first tree said. The second woodcutter looked at the second tree and said, "This tree is strong. It is perfect for me." With a swoop of his shining ax, the second tree fell. "Now I shall sail mighty waters!" thought the second tree. "I shall be a strong ship for mighty kings!" The third tree felt her heart sink when the last woodcutter looked her way. She stood straight and tall and pointed bravely to heaven. But the woodcutter never even looked up. "Any kind of tree will do for me." He muttered. With a swoop of his shining ax the third tree fell.

The first tree rejoiced when the woodcutter brought her to a carpenter's shop. But the carpenter fashioned the tree into a feed box for animals. The once beautiful tree was not covered with gold, nor with treasure. She was coated with sawdust and filled with hay for hungry farm animals. The second tree smiled when the woodcutter took her to a shipyard, but no mighty ship was made that day. Instead, the once strong tree was hammered and sawed into a simple fishing boat. She was too small and too weak to sail to an ocean, or even a river. Instead she was taken to a little lake. The third tree was confused when the woodcutter cut her into strong beams and left her in a lumberyard. "What happened?" The once tall tree wondered. "All I ever wanted was to stay on the mountain top and point to God..."

Many, many days and nights passed. The three trees nearly forgot their dreams. But one night, golden starlight poured over the first tree as a young woman placed her newborn baby in the feed box. "I wish I could make a cradle for him," her husband whispered. The mother squeezed his hand and smiled as the starlight shone on the smooth and the sturdy wood. "This manger is beautiful," she said. And suddenly the first tree knew he was holding the greatest treasure in the world.

One evening a tired traveler and his friends crowded into the old fishing boat. The traveler fell asleep as the second tree quietly sailed out into the lake. Soon a thundering and thrashing storm arose. The little tree shuddered. She knew she did not have the strength to carry so many passengers safely through the wind and the rain. The tired man awakened. He stood up, stretched out his hand and said, "Peace." The storm stopped as quickly as it had begun. And suddenly the second tree knew he was carrying the King of heaven and earth.

One Friday morning, the third tree was startled when her beams were yanked from the forgotten woodpile. She flinched as she was carried through an angry jeering crowd. She shuddered when soldiers nailed a man's hands to her. She felt ugly and harsh and cruel. But on Sunday morning, when the sun rose and the earth trembled with joy beneath her, the third tree knew that God's love had changed everything. It had made the third tree strong. And every time people thought of the third tree, they would think of God. That was better than being the tallest tree in the world.

So the next time you feel down because you didn't get what you want, just sit tight and be happy because God is thinking of something better to give you.

As the year draws to a close, maybe your life doesn't seem to be turning out the way you hoped, don't lose hope, God is up to something great. Merry Christmas to you and to yours.

God bless, love u all

Christmas is Almost Here...

Christmas rocks. Yup, the Christmas carols, nativity plays, decorations, the music, lights and so on. It's my favourite time of the year and I guess many people can relate.
Last Christmas was great, we had a lovely family Christmas. Ate, danced, twas good. The one before was lovely as well. I have a video from that one, of myself and one of my BFFs singing "Santa Baby" with our stuffed bellies looking like they are about to pop. I would have shared the video but she would kill me so...I have to pass on that... *grin*

Anyway I asked some kids what Christmas was all about and here's what they said, "Santa, turkey, presents, reindeer, elves, playing games and watching movies." Ok so Santa may be cool and all that when you're a child but kids need to move beyond this. (though in my case I always knew he wasn't real; I never questioned the grown ups about it, I just figured it was a great way to get gifts. How can children even believe that a big fat Santa can fit through a chimney anyway?)

Not one of the children I asked about Christmas even mentioned Jesus. It's not surprising in this day and age, so many children live in homes where their parents never ever talk about God or anything mildly religious.
I think we need to share the biblical story of Christ's birth with as many children as possible otherwise we will have a generation coming after us who will have no inclination of the truth whatsoever. Take your kids, your nephews and nieces, your friends' kids, your neighbours' kids and any other kids you know to Sunday school, Nativity plays, carols for kids. Also when you buy them presents on top of getting them Nintendo Wii, PS3 and whatever else is hype these days also try to include things that will teach them the truth of God's words. There's plenty of stuff out there and it doesn't have to be boring...you can get games, interactive books, DVDs and so on.

A lady I know said she always buys Christmas cards with nativity scenes as opposed to ones with snow and Santa as she says they detract from the real meaning of Christmas. All I can say is do what works for you as long as you try and do your little bit.
 So as we tighten our dancing shoes and get our parteee on, lets share and remind everyone the real meaning of Christmas and above all folks lets remember to stay safe. For now enjoy this video ... I thought it was so cool I just had to share it...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vZrf0PbAGSk

Forgotten

                                
                                         Somewhere in the Heart of Africa, 3rd of July

Keeta stirred. Her stomach hurt. She hadn’t eaten for days or was it a week? She couldn’t remember anymore. Several flies buzzed around her and her three sisters and brother all huddled together in their tiny shack. Someone in the corner coughed so hard, it seemed their lungs would explode.
A few rays of sunshine invaded the wooden shack through a big crack in the roof. It was almost noon but she was too weak to move. The memory of her last meal had almost faded. She and her four siblings had shared a measly roasted dry dove which Baba had killed. There had been nothing else after that.

Keeta slowly licked her top lip - letting her tongue move slowly across it moistening her chapped dry lips, whose cracks resembled the cracks of a dry dessert. Maybe today would be different. Some of the others said the trucks might come today. Keeta didn't want to hope too much. Last time she had hoped that they would come and they didn't. 
She had waited and waited.
And nothing.
Later she had heard Baba discussing with his friend that The Aid Organisation had run out of funds. The Aid trucks usually brought bags of supplies and big fat men and women would unload food, water and sometimes they had these special things called medicines which helped you feel better. Keeta had never seen people like those big fat men. Their skin always seemed to glow and they were always smiling. Keeta supposed if she was fat and had a glowing skin she would smile as well.
Nobody she knew smiled much. Everyone she knew was thin and bony.
Everyone moved slowly and never said much.
She shifted again.
The pain in her stomach was almost unbearable now. She closed her eyes hoping that maybe she could miraculously go to sleep and forget the pain and misery ruling her life.
                                                          
                                                        A thousand miles away
                                              5th Avenue - New York, 3rd of July

Mandy looked at the price tag again. $1 250 for a pair of shoes?  “Tiana this is too expensive. Why don’t we look for something cheaper?”
“Why? You can afford it,” Tiana said pouting like a goldfish.
“Yes, but just because we can afford it doesn’t mean we should buy it. Do you realise that there are people in other parts of the world that don’t even have a crumb of bread to eat? You don’t realise how lucky you are.”
“What do you want me to do mum? I can’t feed the whole world.”
“Maybe not, but it’s kind of like the story about eating an elephant. You don’t attack the whole beast. But you do it bit by bit. You start off by helping one person at a time. If you help someone and the next person also helps someone else, before you know it all of us would have helped so many people.”
Tiana rolled her eyes indignantly, “Eeeew, elephant is certainly not on my menu for today so forget that. Anyway mum someone else can help all those poor people, I mean does it have to be me?”

Mandy merely stared at the monster of a child she had created. There was no twinkle in her eyes except when she was getting something new which would inevitably find its way to the back of the wardrobe unworn and forgotten. This scenario had replayed itself so many times in their lives, it was beginning to grate on her.

“Right, I’ve made up my mind, I like these heels and besides all the other ones are far too common. I want something that will,” Tiana paused as she thought for a moment, “ something which will make a fashion statement. I want people to think wow, that girl’s shoe rocks.”

Mandy sighed. It was mostly her fault that Tiana had turned out this way. She had spoilt her from the time she was born and no surprise she was so used to having her own way without an ounce of consideration for the next person.  She could only hope that someday she would learn to empathise and find greater meaning to life than getting this, getting that and more getting. Hopefully she would eventually realise that there was more to life than a shoe that rocks.