My Life in Red and White

I remember watching a TV drama where a lady said, "some names can open doors, some names can open windows; your's can't open a burglary proof (padlock)!" I have seen people react to name dropping, I've seen people drop names and others are clueless as to the effect it should have. Coming from my Nigerian background 'do you know who I am?' is a question asked by anyone or everyone and its aim is to elicit fear or reverence. Whether or not this works is a different issue. Back to the matter, what is in a name? I've heard that one of the first difficult tasks of parenting is naming a child. Some parents spend months deciding on the name of the child, some argue, fight ... may the best man win. And God forbid that the child grows up and decides to change the name. So what's in a name? Strength? Character? does it sum up who you are? For years i lived without reflecting my names... and a lot of thought went into my parents naming me (i'd l...

"Now stand here quietly before the Lord as I remind you of all the good things He has done for you and your ancestors" 1 Samuel 12:7 It is important to remember where the Lord has brought us from. It is important to remember our journey with Him. The miracle of salvation, deliverance from darkness into his marvelous light, that is made possible only through faith in Jesus Christ. The miracles in our journey with him. The great deliverance, the little blessings ... the many times He held our hands and walked with us through the valley of the shadow of death. the many times He led us through green pastures... the many times he provided streams in the desert... the times when we met with the rod of correction and the times of the staff of comfort. It is important to remember in silence. Quieting the many distractions that exist around us. legitimate they may be but seeking to choke out our relationship and time with the Father. it is important to sit quietly and remember. ...

"And a certain man of  k the sons of the prophets said to his fellow  l at the command of the  Lord , “Strike me, please.” But the man refused to strike him.  36  Then he said to him, “Because you have not obeyed the voice of the  Lord , behold, as soon as you have gone from me, a lion shall strike you down.”  And as soon as he had departed from him,  m a lion met him and struck him down.  37  Then he found another man and said, “Strike me, please.” And the man struck him—struck him and wounded him."  I Kings 20:35 - 37 Disobedience has some deadly consequences... who knows what next step in disobedience might lead to irreversible consequences? 1 Kings 20 tells of  a man who was asked by a prophet to strike him - at the word of the Lord. The man didn't and it resulted in death. I read a quote recently 'let me not die while i'm still alive' and I wondered the meaning of this.  Disobedience leads sometimes to physical ...

Please make us promises you won't fulfill,  We are stupid.  Please tell us lies,  We are deaf.  Please make us reason, not with our heads but with our hearts. Please bind our emotions into jumbled cords, We won't sort them out.  Please lead us, We are blind.  Please take the fall,  We stand blameless.  Make our choices, make our children 'choiceless'.  We will stand, bow, aloof in prayers. We will tell of how we have been deceived.  We will tell of how we have been raped.  We will tell of how we were left without a choice.  We will tell of our bravery and courage.  Of lightning fires and aiming stones.  Of burning tires and shooting bullets. Of cutlasses and machetes; and daggers and broken bottles. Of blood and courage; and tears and sorrows.  Of how we were deceived. But we will never speak,  ...

Here's to spontaneous holidays! Jumping on buses on the spur of the moment, Jumping off trains without a plan! A camera or none-  Here's to good holidays Here's to bad holidays To holidays that turn out to be much fun than the planning To those that turn out much worse! To rest in the midst of chaos To good memories -  alone or with others To good times! 'cos fun is spontaneous and can't be planned!   There's nothing like a bit of nature to remind you of God's greatness! "How magnificent are Your works, LORD, how profound Your thoughts!" Psalm 92:5 (HCSB) O Lord our God, the majesty and glory of your name fills all the earth and overflows the heavens.  You have taught the little children to praise you perfectly. May their example shame and silence your enemies! When I look up into the night skies and see the work of your fingers—the moon and the stars you have made—     I cannot understand how you can bother...

Scrawled on the foundations of an old castle I once visited was a drawing depicting the crucifixion of Jesus and his Saints.  Hundreds of years later, guests from around the world come to this castle, not to look at the drawing of the crucifixion, but on a signature scrawled on a pillar - the signature of Lord Byron. Done years later, after the crucifixion drawing (a newer, more recent occurrence). Seeing this, I kind of wondered ... First, what is your foundation on? This magnificent castle built in the 11th century still stands because it is built on a natural rock. What is written on your foundation? Are you paying attention to your foundation or has the love that was scrawled on it been over taken by recent events? I know what is scrawled on my foundation ... and again today I ponder the depth and weight of these three words ... "paid in full". What more could i ask for? Than this reassurance of love? I'm forgiven. This much I choose to rem...

I found this quote on friendship really inspiring. I hope it blesses your day as it did mine. I hope it reminds you that true friends are gifts from God and we should value them.  "B ut in Friendship, being free  of all that, we think we  have chosen our peers.  In  reality, a few years'  difference in the dates of  our births, a few more  miles between certain  houses, the choice of one  university instead of  another, posting to  different regiments, the accident of a topic being raised or not raised at a first meeting—any of these chances might have kept us apart.  But, for a Christian, there are, strictly speaking, no chances. A secret Master of the Ceremonies has been at work. Christ, who said to the disciples "Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you," can truly say to every group of Christian friends "You have not chosen o...