Sabbatical, Good People Gone Bad and Other Stuff

Happy New Year to you my blog friends! I know 2011 is no longer so new but since I never got the chance to say that to you before I thought I could be excused for saying so now.

So what have I been up to? I have not posted anything in over a month and a half and not visited blogs I follow in weeks. Well, I was on a self given sabbatical from the blog world, face book and a number of other things. I needed time out to clear my head and think without my everyday distractions. I have to admit, I missed reading my favorite blogs occasionally. I have a lot of catching up to do. I am happy to say that my sabbatical was fruitful and worth it but oh my oh my I am glad to be back. A special thanks to LDP who left me a lovely message, I appreciated the message very much and was touched beyond measure.

Lately, I have been impressed by my young sister. She is growing to be such a wise young woman. I was talking to her the other time and she said something that made me say 'Wow! Young sis you are so right'. For a long time my sister went through a very challenging time. 

She graduated from university and searched and searched for a job to no avail. Sometimes she would be called for interviews, some which she was told she had done well but still was never called back again. One time she went to register with an employment agency and when they saw long she had been without a job they laughed in her face and told her it was going to be difficult to find her anything because employers would question her long period of unemployment. At the time we had the conversation I am about to tell you about she was at her wits end. She had tried everything she could think of  - praying, fasting, sending out her CV to as many companies and agencies as she could and yet her situation remained the same. She often exclaimed how painful it was for her to see her friends and college mates doing well whilst she seemed to be stuck in one place. 

'Shona!' she said to me 'Now I know better than to judge anybody. Now if I see or hear that somebody who used to be good is now involved in illegal or bad things I will not be so quick to judge them. Maybe, they would have tried to wait and do things the right way with no results and in the end they just gave up'. I could not agree more with her and a part of me actually  felt ashamed of myself when I thought of the number of times I had irrationally judged people without even considering the fact that probably there was more to their story than I knew or could see.

I believe that my sister was going through a refining period. The Bible in several passage for instance Zechariah 13:9 talks about God refining His people like silver and testing them like gold. I know, believe me I know the seasons of refining are hard and not for the fainted hearted  because it is so tempting to just give up and sat 'whatever'. I developed a new respect for my sister as I saw how she went through this season. She clung to God. Sometimes she would would fall and be so disheartened but she always got back up and continued trusting God with a new determination. Right before my eyes I saw her relationship with God growing in an amazing way, I saw her growing in wisdom and knowledge. She changed. I cannot put it exactly into words but she has become a different person in a positive way. God recently blessed her with a very good job, not only that but with a whole lot of other things. I strongly believe  that God was preparing her for another stage of her life and I cannot wait to see what He has in store for her.

Trusting God is not always easy. It is one of the hardest things to open the Bible and read passages that proclaim that we are over comers and victors when the circumstances in our lives do not point that way and even the future doesn't seem to look any better. It just doesn't make sense but let us not forget that the Word of God is living and active (Hebrews 4:12) and it stands forever (Isaiah 39: 8). Thank you young sister for standing up and out and showing me by example that God always comes through for those  who completely trust Him and cling onto Him especially when those strong winds are blowing hardest.

How about dancing in the rain?

I am a fan of Taylor Swift. What!!! Really!!!Some people have said to me in surprise. Some have said her songs are more for teenagers (I am one at heart) and some have called her cheesy because of her fairy tale looking videos and sounding lyrics, but to me she is different and refreshing (I blame it on all those romantic movies and novels I have read) and there is just something about her that I love. I have seen a number of videos of some of the live shows she has done and I was amazed how much of a natural entertainer she is. The girl is talented, no wonder why she received a number of Grammy Awards.

Being in love is such a beautiful thing. A line from one of Taylor's songs caught my attention, I really liked the picture of being in love that she painted in her song Fearless - 'I don't know why but with you I'd dance, In a storm in my best dress, Fearless'. Love is well...love. Love can make people do fearless things, things which they would not necessarily ordinarily do (my emphasis here is on the good things) to show how much they love someone. Like Miss Swift if I get the chance I would definitely not mind doing something fearless like dancing in a storm in my best dress with the one I love :) ... well as long as it is not thundering and its not a hail storm (the blame for entertaining such thoughts still goes on those romantic movies). I think it would be crazy, fun and one of those moments we would always remember and smile. Do you think that love can make people fearless and do crazy things????

I like what Proverbs 15:17 says about love 'Better is a dinner with herbs where love is than a fattened ox and hatred with it'. As for me I chose love. This Christmas I am looking forward to expressing my love to family, friends and  even strangers in various ways. Love is the answer to a lot of life's problems.

In case I do not write another post before Christmas, May you all have a love filled Christmas filled with joy and lots of laughter.

Hello Lord

Once in a while I come across a song that expresses exactly where I am at and what I am feeling. It would seem like the song  was written with me in mind. I came across this song and I instantly fell in love with it - it describes so well the place I am at. Here are the lyrics - so beautiful:

Hello Lord by Sara Groves from the album Conversations

Hello Lord, it's me your child
I have a few things on my mind
Right now I'm faced with big decisions
And I'm wondering if you have a minute, cuz
Right now I don't hear so well
And I was wondering if you could speak up

I know that you tore the veil
So I could sit with you in person
And hear what you're saying but
Right now, I just can't hear you.

I don't doubt your sovereignty
I doubt my own ability to
Hear what you're saying
And to do the right thing
And I desperately want to do the right thing
But right now I don't hear so well
And I was wondering if you could speak up

I know that you tore the veil
So I could sit with you in person
And hear what you're saying but
Right now, I just can't hear you.

And somewhere in the back of my mind
I think you are telling me to wait
And though patience has never been mine
Lord, I will wait to hear from you
Oh Lord, I'm waiting on you

Right now I don't hear so well
And I was wondering if you could speak up

I know that you tore the veil
So I could sit with you in person
And hear what you're saying but
Right now, I think you're whispering

Yes, I am going through stuff and I have been praying and asking God for guidance. I can't seem to hear Him speaking to me. All I seem to hear is silence. I am faltering. I feel like I am stuck, stuck in one place and I just don't know how to get unstuck. Could it be that He is whispering???

The 'Joys' Of Singlehood

My post today is inspired by a statement that one of my friends put up on their face book profile recently. I have to admit, I have a  love and hate relationship with face book but for some reason I cannot seem to stay away from it. Anyway, this is what my friend posted, "Is it really that wrong and awkward to be still single at this age? Most of my peers are still single so whats the big deal then.....I'm gonna smack the next person who brings up this issue....let the man be PLEASE!"

'I am with you bro, I am with you' was what I immediately thought. The pressure... I know it, have experienced it and sometimes is too much and can be annoying. When people especially loved ones begin to think that its about time you graduated from single-hood into marriage they say and do all sort of things to get their points across. For instance:

1. Friends begin to give your number to people they think would be well suited with you in the hope that they could be the 'one for you'.

2. Aunties and Uncles begin to talk to you about how your parents are just about the only ones in the immediate family who do not yet have grand children.

3. People begin to tell you that you are such a wonderful person and that it is amazing that someone has not yet 'snatched' you and they hint heavily that could it be that the problem is with you, that is, maybe you are playing too hard to get.

4. Friends openly accuse you of being too picky and that if you continued like that you would never get married.

5. Friends and family will as close as interrogate you when you mention a friend of the opposite sex. They suspect that there could be more to the relationship that you are telling.

6. People will begin to make statements like 'What? Being a bride's maid again?'
7. Telling people that you are waiting on God and His perfect timing stops making sense to them and they tell you to be realistic. Really? What could be more realistic than trusting the God of all flesh who knows the hearts of man and knows what is best for me and when?

Anybody, at this place or maybe it's just me and my friend? Just wondering.

The Story of Two Friends

Two friends were chatting one day when one of them suddenly says:

Friend 1: Oh, I got an idea.

Friend 2: Really? What?

Friend 1: Let's do this and that on facebook.

Friend 2: Uuuhmmm,I am not sure that's a good idea.

Friend 1: It's just to see what happens...like an experiment. 

Friend 2: Ok then. How do we go about it?

Friend 1: We will have to do it on your facebook though. You know we can't do it on mine. I can't change what I have there so it  has to be on yours.

At this point friend 2 is shocked but then pauses and thinks about it for awhile. Curiosity of finding out people's reactions prevails and besides, friend 2 argues to them self, it's not anything negative or that could paint a bad picture of me.

Friend 2: Oh, well why not? Let's do it, maybe no one will even notice or comment.

Within minutes messages from facebook, texts and phone calls are pouring in for Friend 2. After 3 hours Friend 2 decides to remove the post from facebook before many other people see it and drive her crazy with their questions and comments. 

Conclusion : Never do it! Never share very personal stuff of facebook.

Gifted Hands: The Ben Carson Story

Image from here

Anyone watched this movie? If so what did you think?

I find it hard to find good movies these days. Movies with real substance and that inspire me. A lot of the movies nowadays are about stunts and effects and honestly, although it is all impressive I am not a great fan. Such movies rarely have an impact on me, ask me a couple of days after watching, most of the times I can hardly remember what the movie was all about. I have to admit though, I have a great loveeeee for what some call the cheesy movies, I love to laugh and happy endings:)

I was very touched and inspired by the Ben Carson story. What a wonderful mother he had. She was a woman who encouraged her children and wanted so much for them. She emphasized to them all the time from the time they were young that they could be anything they wanted to be. Even when he was a grown up man Ben often found himself remembering the encouraging words of his mother and being re- inspired by them all over again. There is a lesson right there for all parents and future parents we can build our children, encourage them, show and let them know that we believe in them - it makes a huge difference. God help me - I want to be such a mother to my children and so much more.

Other movies I have watched based on true stories that inspire me include Miss Potter and of course the Blindside. Any suggestions anyone????

Me and the Violin

I am crazy crazy crazy about this song especially the instrumental at the beginning and end. I think Chris Tomlin and his team did an excellent job.

This song is special to me because it reminds me of one of the things on my dream list I have to do. I want to learn to play an instrument and play in an orchestra. It's official my favorite instrument is the violin - here is to living my dream in the near future.