You know those losers that count down the days before their birthdays? Well, I am one of them! From around March already, I start calculating how many weeks I have to wait until my birthday so if I am so excited at that time already, you can just imagine how bad I am when it's down to 5 days right?
I don't know what it is about my bday, I think it's because when i was growing up, my mom had this work friend who would make a huge fuss over it. Every year I knew that she would come over on my birthday with a cake on the one hand and a gift on the other; she was the best!
I think it's still the same now; I countdown to the one day in the year where people shower you with love and attention and only know the good things about you. On your birthday, you are never too bossy, or loud or annoying. People flock to be at your side if only for that one day! It's not that I am attention deprived or anything, its just that so often we look right past each. We forget to appreciate the people we have in our lives and even worse we forget to tell each other how much we appreciate each other, but on your bday, there can never be too much acts to show appreciation!
May you show your appreciation for your loved ones everyday and not just birthdays. may you realise how blessed you are to have the people you do in your llife
Thursday, June 3, 2010
Friday, May 28, 2010
Ode to Friends
Once a month, I hijack my collegue's montly issue of "Women's Health" ( I know, I'm such a cheap skate right?). I always learn something new about maintaining a healthy lifestyle when I browse through that magazine; I should really consider buying it for myself.....
Anyway! that was the backdrop not the point!. In in this month's issue of "Women's Health", I learned that to better control my eating lifestyle, I must keep a diary record of all the food that I eat on a daily basis. So feeling very motivated, I shared this new found knowledge with Dolly, the other PA at work and a very good friend of mine- you know those people that you just click with the minute you meet? well that's Dolly- and she was not impressed! Nevertheless, because she loves me so much, she humoured my new craze. Now, instead of eating one whole chocolate each for example, Dolly will buy one and force us to share it.
I figure, that this is what friendship is all about. It's sharing each others burdens no matter how meagre. True friends are the people that laugh and cry with you. They go on crazy adventures with you even while they question your sanity! True friends will stick with not matter what the pickle. Thank you, my friends, you colour my world with your presence!
Anyway! that was the backdrop not the point!. In in this month's issue of "Women's Health", I learned that to better control my eating lifestyle, I must keep a diary record of all the food that I eat on a daily basis. So feeling very motivated, I shared this new found knowledge with Dolly, the other PA at work and a very good friend of mine- you know those people that you just click with the minute you meet? well that's Dolly- and she was not impressed! Nevertheless, because she loves me so much, she humoured my new craze. Now, instead of eating one whole chocolate each for example, Dolly will buy one and force us to share it.
I figure, that this is what friendship is all about. It's sharing each others burdens no matter how meagre. True friends are the people that laugh and cry with you. They go on crazy adventures with you even while they question your sanity! True friends will stick with not matter what the pickle. Thank you, my friends, you colour my world with your presence!
Monday, May 17, 2010
Hope
A few days ago, my cousin came home from watching a soccer game at a friend's house, casually told his youngest brother to look after his son then walked into his room and put a bullet in his head. No one saw it coming; there were no warning bells in his behaviour or his life. He just shot himself, seemingly out of the blue.
The tragic news got me thinking about the concept of hope. It saddens me to think that so many people out there don't have it.They have families and all the material things money can buy yet they look at their lives and see emptiness; a black abyss. They have nothing to hope for.
I count it a privillege that I have Jesus who will always be there, even if my family disowns me and I lose all my riches. I'm humbled by the knowledge that I need not carry my burdens on my own. Jesus doesn't share them with us, instead he takes them upon himself even though we are so often directly responsible for them.
May you know the peace of Christ today. May you know that there is no situation too desperate or too hopeless that He cannot deliver you from it. May you know that to come to your rescue, he would cross mountains, part seas. For you, he would walk through fire; He would suffer through cruel beatings and rejection.May you know that He has done all of this already and he would do it all again. For you.
The tragic news got me thinking about the concept of hope. It saddens me to think that so many people out there don't have it.They have families and all the material things money can buy yet they look at their lives and see emptiness; a black abyss. They have nothing to hope for.
I count it a privillege that I have Jesus who will always be there, even if my family disowns me and I lose all my riches. I'm humbled by the knowledge that I need not carry my burdens on my own. Jesus doesn't share them with us, instead he takes them upon himself even though we are so often directly responsible for them.
May you know the peace of Christ today. May you know that there is no situation too desperate or too hopeless that He cannot deliver you from it. May you know that to come to your rescue, he would cross mountains, part seas. For you, he would walk through fire; He would suffer through cruel beatings and rejection.May you know that He has done all of this already and he would do it all again. For you.
Wednesday, May 5, 2010
Ode to Shoes
While some people use make up, fancy dresses or funky head gear to express themselves, I choose shoes. This is probably because shoes will always fit! I never have to go on some crazy diet to ensure that they look good on me; it's absolutely awesome!
Once I put on my apple green peep-toe wedges, I become the sexiest woman alive. I feel invincible, nobody can get me down and the world is my oyster.I could be wearing a black garbage bag, with hair so dirty, it sticks together; but in my shoes I am a Nubian Queen!
Here's to my beautiful shoes; they help me be the best any thing I can be!
Once I put on my apple green peep-toe wedges, I become the sexiest woman alive. I feel invincible, nobody can get me down and the world is my oyster.I could be wearing a black garbage bag, with hair so dirty, it sticks together; but in my shoes I am a Nubian Queen!
Here's to my beautiful shoes; they help me be the best any thing I can be!
Wednesday, April 28, 2010
Freedom
"Men go abroad to wonder at the heights of mountains, at the huge waves of the sea, at the long courses of the rivers, at the vast compass of the ocean, at the circular motions of the stars, and they pass by themselves without wondering.” St. Augustine
I'm learning lately that we sell ourselves short. I mean think about it; Jesus died on the cross for our sins right? Which, to me, means that despite our contemptible behaiviour, he looked upon us with gentleness and love and willingly took up the punishment that was intended for us.Would it not then be safe to assume that there is no longer condemnation? We no longer need to punish ourselves or each other for our sins. All we need to do now is to come before him and seek forgiveness and it is ours. We need not flog ourselves because he took the flogging for us already.
This must be the freedom that the bible so often speaks about. Because of the cross, we should no longer look at ourselves through the eyes of the world, that so often critisises and shakes its head at us in displeasure, but rather through the filter of the blood of Jesus. Through this filter we are pure, we are blameless, we are his.
May we look at each other through the same filter. May we not rob ourselves or each other of the freedom that Christ so unconditionally gave. May we do away with the chains we bind ourselves and each other in and experience the freedom that comes with being a child of God.
I'm learning lately that we sell ourselves short. I mean think about it; Jesus died on the cross for our sins right? Which, to me, means that despite our contemptible behaiviour, he looked upon us with gentleness and love and willingly took up the punishment that was intended for us.Would it not then be safe to assume that there is no longer condemnation? We no longer need to punish ourselves or each other for our sins. All we need to do now is to come before him and seek forgiveness and it is ours. We need not flog ourselves because he took the flogging for us already.
This must be the freedom that the bible so often speaks about. Because of the cross, we should no longer look at ourselves through the eyes of the world, that so often critisises and shakes its head at us in displeasure, but rather through the filter of the blood of Jesus. Through this filter we are pure, we are blameless, we are his.
May we look at each other through the same filter. May we not rob ourselves or each other of the freedom that Christ so unconditionally gave. May we do away with the chains we bind ourselves and each other in and experience the freedom that comes with being a child of God.
Wednesday, April 21, 2010
Ode to Family
Two weeks ago, my new sister-in-law came to visit us for what we called "bonding time". The main objectives were to get to know her and to have her get to know us and also to get the traditional stuff underway. Ok, let me elaborate on the traditional stuff.
In our culture, when a girl marries into a family there are specific.... procedures that need to be done. First of all, the makoti (bride) is officially dressed by her sister-in-law (that's me) in an attire that sets her apart as the new bride.Her sister-in-law also gets to name the new makoti, because when she marries into a family she not only becomes part of them but she also brings certain qualities that will add onto the dynamics of the family. In giving her a name you are expressing the significance of having her as an addition to the family; you are speaking into the new life that lies ahead with this new family.
So I had the privellege as the eldest daughter at home of dressing our new makoti and giving her a name (mind you, my mom gave me a name to give to her and only told me afterwards that it was my job to come up with a name. thanks mom!). I also had to officially introduce her to the family by her new name - don't worry, it's all symbolic! no changes are made on birth certificates or anything!. I (or my mom) named her Siyasanda, which means we are multiplying; get it? Her joining the family means that our family will multiply from here on out. She is also a symbol of our unity as a family (and with that my eyes fill with tears of pride, lol)
When I look back on the 2 weeks that Siya was with us, I realise how blessed I am to have my family. I realise how proud I am to know that my identity is in these people with their unbelievable strength and colourful characters. I am privelleged beyond words to share my roots with them all. There is really nothing better than family!
In our culture, when a girl marries into a family there are specific.... procedures that need to be done. First of all, the makoti (bride) is officially dressed by her sister-in-law (that's me) in an attire that sets her apart as the new bride.Her sister-in-law also gets to name the new makoti, because when she marries into a family she not only becomes part of them but she also brings certain qualities that will add onto the dynamics of the family. In giving her a name you are expressing the significance of having her as an addition to the family; you are speaking into the new life that lies ahead with this new family.
So I had the privellege as the eldest daughter at home of dressing our new makoti and giving her a name (mind you, my mom gave me a name to give to her and only told me afterwards that it was my job to come up with a name. thanks mom!). I also had to officially introduce her to the family by her new name - don't worry, it's all symbolic! no changes are made on birth certificates or anything!. I (or my mom) named her Siyasanda, which means we are multiplying; get it? Her joining the family means that our family will multiply from here on out. She is also a symbol of our unity as a family (and with that my eyes fill with tears of pride, lol)
When I look back on the 2 weeks that Siya was with us, I realise how blessed I am to have my family. I realise how proud I am to know that my identity is in these people with their unbelievable strength and colourful characters. I am privelleged beyond words to share my roots with them all. There is really nothing better than family!
Thursday, April 8, 2010
Understanding Mister God
I've always been a restless person. While other people would find my life relatively satisfactory I will find something I'm not happy with in my life, blow it a little out of proportion and vuwala; I have myself a hopelessly empty life. It's a bad habit; something that I do subconsciously, something that I need to stop.
Lately my restlessness has been in God. Now, God being the center of my existance means that when I am unhappy with Him, my very core is shaken. A girlfriend and I were chatting the other day, her words to me still ring in my ears; " I don't understand God", she says in defeat.What plagues me about what my friend said is that in her frustration with God, she has walked away from Him; given up on Him. That for me is so sad because, while there is still so much I can't grasp about God, the very little that I do know is so phenominal, so outrageous that i can't bring myself to walk away.
Don't get me wrong, I'd be lying if I said I've never walked away before, but there is one thing I have learned. When you are in the blackest abyss, there is very little anyone can tell you that will help you see the light and that footprints-in-the-sand poem starts to look like something to start a small fire with.
What has often gotten me through these times is clinging to that which I already know about God because when you are that down and out, trying to understand God gets very frustrating. It's just a matter of saying, " I don't understand what you are doing, but I do know that you are sovereign and you are bigger than this." Try that and see if you won't experience His peace even when there seems to be nothing to feel peaceful about.
So next time (there will be a next time!) you want to throw in the towel on God, ask yourself this, " What is it that I do know about God?" and cling to that with everything that is in you.
Lately my restlessness has been in God. Now, God being the center of my existance means that when I am unhappy with Him, my very core is shaken. A girlfriend and I were chatting the other day, her words to me still ring in my ears; " I don't understand God", she says in defeat.What plagues me about what my friend said is that in her frustration with God, she has walked away from Him; given up on Him. That for me is so sad because, while there is still so much I can't grasp about God, the very little that I do know is so phenominal, so outrageous that i can't bring myself to walk away.
Don't get me wrong, I'd be lying if I said I've never walked away before, but there is one thing I have learned. When you are in the blackest abyss, there is very little anyone can tell you that will help you see the light and that footprints-in-the-sand poem starts to look like something to start a small fire with.
What has often gotten me through these times is clinging to that which I already know about God because when you are that down and out, trying to understand God gets very frustrating. It's just a matter of saying, " I don't understand what you are doing, but I do know that you are sovereign and you are bigger than this." Try that and see if you won't experience His peace even when there seems to be nothing to feel peaceful about.
So next time (there will be a next time!) you want to throw in the towel on God, ask yourself this, " What is it that I do know about God?" and cling to that with everything that is in you.
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