Friday, October 26, 2007
WALK HOLY
In the forests of northern Europe and Asia lives little animal called the ERMINE, known for his snow-white fur in winter. He instinctively protects his white coat against anything that would soil it. Fur hunters take advantage of this unusual trait of the ermine. They don’t set a snare to catch him, but instead they find his home, which is usually a cleft in a rock or a hollow in an old tree. They smear the entrance and interior with grime. Then the hunters set their dogs loose to find and chase the ermine. The frightened animal flees toward home but doesn’t enter because of the filth. Rather than soil his white coat, he is trapped by the dogs and captured while preserving his purity. For the ermine, purity is more precious than life. The Lord wants His people to keep themselves separated from the filth of this world at all cost. In (Numbers 15: 38,40) the Lord told the Jews to put a blue thread on the borders of their clothes. When they saw the blue, they were to remember God's holy purpose for their lives and to keep a distance from sin. Do we remind ourselves often of our high and holy purpose for living? The best way to live in the world is to live above it.- Henry G Bosch (See Our Daily Bread, 4/21/97)
Thursday, October 18, 2007
FICTIONAL TALE
A fictional tale that has existed in my life is something worth giving a mention not least because I’ve been paying attention to its occurrences.
In years gone by I’ve come to observe that first impression does really count and that sometimes you might have to bend over backwards to erase an unwanted notion that someone has about you.
For me bending over backwards to erase an unwanted notion would have been relatively easy except that whenever I have an opportunity to do so, I don’t do particularly well. In fact, instead, my behavior tends to reinforce whatever notion the person(s) have of me in the first place.
How this happens is still a mystery and I have found myself pleading with people to think positive about me because in that way they will also reap the benefits… as I will almost always tend to act positively towards them.
The above however does not infringe on my personality or my character and does not in anyway define who I am.
A while ago, I met a friend who thinks I am very selfish. By coincidence and chance, I wasn’t able to give what was being asked of me and like always I felt really bad because I wasn’t able to help. To top it up, the friend decided to believe what he thought. I explained the situation with a guarantee that I am not selfish and that next time will be different.
Not long after that, next time came…. And alas!!!! Here I went again, giving excuses about how I won’t be able to give what he’s asking. Without mincing words, he remarked “I knew you are selfish”
Here we go…my fictional tale replaying itself again… and there’s nothing I could do to redeem myself than to pray than he’ll encounter me on a day where the truth about me will be revealed.
For your information, I am not selfish
Why I am saying this?
In a few days time, I’ll be facing a group of people who by virtue of relationship and rules of engagement have no choice but to think positively about me, but I also know that by virtue of experience, they might be tempted to think otherwise.
Admittedly, I haven’t been particularly brilliant in the way I portray myself. It is not because I was doing something wrong, rather, I was living a life of ambiguity where whether I was in or out could not be ascertained.
Over the course of the months of preparation and being in the group, there was a relaxation about what they had thought of me…..but I guess their fears will not be completely wiped out until after a specified day had come and gone….The D-DAY.
As the day approached, hopes were raised, excitement filled the tent and on the eve of the D-Day, I was a sure member and a significant participant in the activities of the group.
As the D-Day dawns, my fictional tale materialized…. AGAIN…..
Characterized by a few wrong decisions, unprecedented happenings, bizarre time mistakes and my journey to a location where I was unreachable all culminating in me doing a NO-SHOW for what is arguable the most important day on the calendar for the group.
20 missed calls, uncountable text and voice messages were all deposited on my phone and 4hrs after the group event… I showed up albeit not physically…. but rather with access to my phone… and that’s when it dawned on me… “Nine months of hard work fizzled out …. .and the group’s fear?..... Confirmed!!!!
From my personal point of view, I was distraught for missing an event I’ve looked forward to all year long…. I wanted to be there… dreamt about it… the accolades, the applause, invited loads of friends…. Only for the friends to also join in the search for the act they’ve come to see.
My sorrows were compounded when the group leader spoke to me on the phone and highlighted how unprofessional my actions have been, letting the group down by my inconsiderate approach to the demands of the group (paraphrased).
I admit without holding back that I was at fault…..and my actions were disappointing.. But a part of me still thinks that the group’s notion about me triggered it. If they had been very positive, probably their thought process could have helped me do the right things.
It’s been almost 5 months now since the spectacle. Five months of silence, noticeably from my side. As mentioned earlier, in a few days … I will make a return with the aim to defy the odds…. Bring an end to the fictional tale and thrust myself into the front line of activities. A warm welcome I pray I’ll receive.
CAUTION:
The fictional Tale has no bearing on who I am, and I take full responsibility for my actions and words …. Another man’s thoughts are too small to mould the way I live my life.
Although, to see life as blue, always wear a blue Polaroid is the answer (and everything turns blue)… so if anyone decides to see me as black…. Oh well…. I might just be black… to them.
In years gone by I’ve come to observe that first impression does really count and that sometimes you might have to bend over backwards to erase an unwanted notion that someone has about you.
For me bending over backwards to erase an unwanted notion would have been relatively easy except that whenever I have an opportunity to do so, I don’t do particularly well. In fact, instead, my behavior tends to reinforce whatever notion the person(s) have of me in the first place.
How this happens is still a mystery and I have found myself pleading with people to think positive about me because in that way they will also reap the benefits… as I will almost always tend to act positively towards them.
The above however does not infringe on my personality or my character and does not in anyway define who I am.
A while ago, I met a friend who thinks I am very selfish. By coincidence and chance, I wasn’t able to give what was being asked of me and like always I felt really bad because I wasn’t able to help. To top it up, the friend decided to believe what he thought. I explained the situation with a guarantee that I am not selfish and that next time will be different.
Not long after that, next time came…. And alas!!!! Here I went again, giving excuses about how I won’t be able to give what he’s asking. Without mincing words, he remarked “I knew you are selfish”
Here we go…my fictional tale replaying itself again… and there’s nothing I could do to redeem myself than to pray than he’ll encounter me on a day where the truth about me will be revealed.
For your information, I am not selfish
Why I am saying this?
In a few days time, I’ll be facing a group of people who by virtue of relationship and rules of engagement have no choice but to think positively about me, but I also know that by virtue of experience, they might be tempted to think otherwise.
Admittedly, I haven’t been particularly brilliant in the way I portray myself. It is not because I was doing something wrong, rather, I was living a life of ambiguity where whether I was in or out could not be ascertained.
Over the course of the months of preparation and being in the group, there was a relaxation about what they had thought of me…..but I guess their fears will not be completely wiped out until after a specified day had come and gone….The D-DAY.
As the day approached, hopes were raised, excitement filled the tent and on the eve of the D-Day, I was a sure member and a significant participant in the activities of the group.
As the D-Day dawns, my fictional tale materialized…. AGAIN…..
Characterized by a few wrong decisions, unprecedented happenings, bizarre time mistakes and my journey to a location where I was unreachable all culminating in me doing a NO-SHOW for what is arguable the most important day on the calendar for the group.
20 missed calls, uncountable text and voice messages were all deposited on my phone and 4hrs after the group event… I showed up albeit not physically…. but rather with access to my phone… and that’s when it dawned on me… “Nine months of hard work fizzled out …. .and the group’s fear?..... Confirmed!!!!
From my personal point of view, I was distraught for missing an event I’ve looked forward to all year long…. I wanted to be there… dreamt about it… the accolades, the applause, invited loads of friends…. Only for the friends to also join in the search for the act they’ve come to see.
My sorrows were compounded when the group leader spoke to me on the phone and highlighted how unprofessional my actions have been, letting the group down by my inconsiderate approach to the demands of the group (paraphrased).
I admit without holding back that I was at fault…..and my actions were disappointing.. But a part of me still thinks that the group’s notion about me triggered it. If they had been very positive, probably their thought process could have helped me do the right things.
It’s been almost 5 months now since the spectacle. Five months of silence, noticeably from my side. As mentioned earlier, in a few days … I will make a return with the aim to defy the odds…. Bring an end to the fictional tale and thrust myself into the front line of activities. A warm welcome I pray I’ll receive.
CAUTION:
The fictional Tale has no bearing on who I am, and I take full responsibility for my actions and words …. Another man’s thoughts are too small to mould the way I live my life.
Although, to see life as blue, always wear a blue Polaroid is the answer (and everything turns blue)… so if anyone decides to see me as black…. Oh well…. I might just be black… to them.
Thursday, October 11, 2007
Principle, Value and Faith
Living a life guided by principles, values and faith is something I have enjoyed being part of.
Principles give you stability in a day to day environment. It helps define who you are… and helps confirm who you are not (in the long term). Yes, sometimes principles are challenged and sometimes you might not be able to live up to them… other times being principled can be detrimental to progress (but that’s because the world we live in does not understand them)
But overall it’s good to be principled ‘cos for the least, it saves you the drama of yo-yoing around like a headless chicken.
Values project you to a state of moral uprightness that helps you survive in a world where everything and anything has equal chances of happening.
Will the Diana inquest provide answers to the pressing questions? … Was it or was it not planned?
An 11 year old who has terrorized his community with top of the range anti-social behaviour cannot be jailed…..Because he’s less than 12 years of age.
My loved TV star… Kiefer Sutherland who plays counter terrorist agent (Jack Bauer) in the hit TV series 24 is facing 48 days in jail… for drink driving….
Can anyone see values missing?
It surely feels good to utter the words;
“Family comes first” when you are faced with a choice involving your family.
“Work is a means to an end not an end in itself” when you are increasingly nursing a discontent with your purpose in life (to work or to live)…
“Charity begins at home” when your kids forget to act it out (Thank you, please, I’m sorry)….the magic words.
“I’m a man of integrity”…. When you are asked to play it fast…. Or cut corners.
You can put your hand up and say “my middle name is not Alonso”….. and if your first name is Alonso…. Ooooops ….. ma bad…. At least you are not a formula 1 driver.
Faith brings principles and values to a place of co-existence where the next day is an opportunity taken… not because you’ve seen it….but because you’ve lived it.
Faith tells our fears to have principles and our worries to have values….
If fear has principles like we do… we’ll respect each other and if worry has values like we do…. We’ll respect each other…..
Then I can say “Evil I will not fear… for I have the fear of God”…. Principled fear
And about my existence I will not worry…. Cos worry has values… and that is…..don’t come near me….
So everyday,
LIVE PRINCIPLED, LIVE VALUED, LIVE FAITHFUL......
Principles give you stability in a day to day environment. It helps define who you are… and helps confirm who you are not (in the long term). Yes, sometimes principles are challenged and sometimes you might not be able to live up to them… other times being principled can be detrimental to progress (but that’s because the world we live in does not understand them)
But overall it’s good to be principled ‘cos for the least, it saves you the drama of yo-yoing around like a headless chicken.
Values project you to a state of moral uprightness that helps you survive in a world where everything and anything has equal chances of happening.
Will the Diana inquest provide answers to the pressing questions? … Was it or was it not planned?
An 11 year old who has terrorized his community with top of the range anti-social behaviour cannot be jailed…..Because he’s less than 12 years of age.
My loved TV star… Kiefer Sutherland who plays counter terrorist agent (Jack Bauer) in the hit TV series 24 is facing 48 days in jail… for drink driving….
Can anyone see values missing?
It surely feels good to utter the words;
“Family comes first” when you are faced with a choice involving your family.
“Work is a means to an end not an end in itself” when you are increasingly nursing a discontent with your purpose in life (to work or to live)…
“Charity begins at home” when your kids forget to act it out (Thank you, please, I’m sorry)….the magic words.
“I’m a man of integrity”…. When you are asked to play it fast…. Or cut corners.
You can put your hand up and say “my middle name is not Alonso”….. and if your first name is Alonso…. Ooooops ….. ma bad…. At least you are not a formula 1 driver.
Faith brings principles and values to a place of co-existence where the next day is an opportunity taken… not because you’ve seen it….but because you’ve lived it.
Faith tells our fears to have principles and our worries to have values….
If fear has principles like we do… we’ll respect each other and if worry has values like we do…. We’ll respect each other…..
Then I can say “Evil I will not fear… for I have the fear of God”…. Principled fear
And about my existence I will not worry…. Cos worry has values… and that is…..don’t come near me….
So everyday,
LIVE PRINCIPLED, LIVE VALUED, LIVE FAITHFUL......
Thursday, October 04, 2007
HELLO
Hiya to ya’ll….
It’s absolutely fantastic to be back stretching my hands out and hoping my fingers will touch you (of different race, background, location, class, identity and mindset) through the workings of the World Wide Web network.
It’s been a few weeks now and quite sincerely; a lot has changed since we finished the journey on the last series titled “Family Meltdown…The Mis-es”.
Firstly, I’ve grown taller, (even if that is just as a result of an increase in my hair length), but more significantly, I’m embarking on the final lap of an hurdle in my life and come June….. By God’s grace I’ll be done.
There is another introduction to the content of my blog page which is show-cased as “Quote of the day”….. This will be a quote mostly from my library or occasionally from other people that will minister to you for the day.
Christmas is coming and before then, we’ll surely find a host of things to occupy ourselves with.
Welcome back to myself…. And welcome back to you too.
Have a wonderful weekend.
It’s absolutely fantastic to be back stretching my hands out and hoping my fingers will touch you (of different race, background, location, class, identity and mindset) through the workings of the World Wide Web network.
It’s been a few weeks now and quite sincerely; a lot has changed since we finished the journey on the last series titled “Family Meltdown…The Mis-es”.
Firstly, I’ve grown taller, (even if that is just as a result of an increase in my hair length), but more significantly, I’m embarking on the final lap of an hurdle in my life and come June….. By God’s grace I’ll be done.
There is another introduction to the content of my blog page which is show-cased as “Quote of the day”….. This will be a quote mostly from my library or occasionally from other people that will minister to you for the day.
Christmas is coming and before then, we’ll surely find a host of things to occupy ourselves with.
Welcome back to myself…. And welcome back to you too.
Have a wonderful weekend.
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