Waiting for FRIDAY

[10 min read]

Akin was a 400 level Nursing student.

Between clinical postings, preliminary project, assignments, studying to be the first best male student in his department and the self-imposed responsibility of outdoing all his senior siblings, he had no time to do the things he loved. He looked forward to the weekends when he could rest and do some of these things, but then, his weekends weren't always free too, because all his academic activities still ate into his weekends.

Shades and reflections

[3 min read]

When I was young, I wore shades of bright colours and I saw the world in its reflection.
I've always loved trying new things, maybe it was just to feed my curiosity.

Heard that growing up was hard, but I couldn't wait to be a year older, I would round up my age and keep my teeth locked hoping they won't ask for my year of birth.
I loved to take up responsibilities; worked hard to be somewhat mature at least for my age.

The Cat Came Down

[2min Read]

The Pastor had a kitten that climbed up a tree in his backyard and then was afraid to come down. The pastor coaxed, offered warm milk, etc. The kitty would not come down. The tree was not sturdy enough to climb, so the pastor decided that if he tied a rope to his car and drove away so that the tree bent down, he could then reach up and get the kitten.

That's what he did, all the while checking his progress in the car. He then figured if he went just a little bit farther, the tree would be bent sufficiently for him to reach the kitten. But as he moved the car a little farther forward, the rope broke.

The tree went "boing!" and the kitten instantly sailed through the air-out of sight. The pastor felt terrible. He walked all over the neighborhood asking people if they'd seen a little kitten. No. Nobody had seen astray kitten. So he prayed, "Lord, I just commit this kitten to your keeping," and went on about his business...

He will find you

Reverend John Powell, a professor at Loyola University in Chicago, writes about a student in his Theology of Faith class named Tommy:

Some twelve years ago, I stood watching my university students file into the classroom for our first session in the Theology of Faith.

That was the day I first saw Tommy. My eyes and my mind both blinked. He was combing his long flaxen hair, which hung six inches below his shoulders. It was the first time I had ever seen a boy with hair that long.. I guess it was just coming into fashion then. I know in my mind that it isn't what's on your head but what's in it that counts; but on that day I was unprepared and my emotions flipped.  I immediately filed Tommy under "S" for strange... Very strange.

Tommy turned out to be the "atheist in residence" in my Theology of Faith course. He constantly objected to, smirked at, or whined about the possibility of an unconditionally loving Father/God. We lived with each other in relative peace for one semester, although I admit he was for me at times a serious pain in the back.

Deeper

A young man was getting ready to graduate from college. For many months he had admired a beautiful sports car in a dealer's showroom, and knowing his father could well afford it, he told him that was all he wanted.

As Graduation Day approached, the young man awaited signs that his father had purchased the car.  Finally, on the morning of his graduation, his father called  him into his private study. His father told him how proud he was to have such a fine son, and told him how much he loved him. He handed his son a beautifully wrapped gift box.  Curious, but somewhat disappointed, the young man opened the box and found a lovely, leather-bound Bible, with the young man's name embossed in gold. Angry, he raised his voice to his father and said "With all your money, you give me a Bible?" and stormed out of the house, leaving the Bible.

12 Laws to live by

THE GREAT LAW
As you sow, so shall you reap.
This is also known as the Law of Cause and Effect. Whatever we put out in the Universe is what comes back to us. If what we want is Happiness, Peace, Friendship, Love… Then we should BE Happy, Peaceful, Loving, a Friend.


THE LAW OF CREATION
Life doesn’t just HAPPEN, it requires our participation. We are one with the Universe both inside and out. Whatever surrounds us gives us clues to our inner state. BE and DO for yourself… what you want to have in your life.

Fill It Up

There was this philosophy professor in a prestigious university who loved to teach students about important theories of the subject. Once, while his lecture was about to begin, he just closed the book and instead stood before his class with some items on the table in front of him.  Students were curious but the professor without looking at them silently picked up a very large and empty mayonnaise jar. Thereafter, he started to fill it with small rocks. Once the jar appeared full, professor proceeded to ask his students ‘whether the jar was full?’

DEATH OF AN INNOCENT

I went to a party, Mom, I remembered what you said.

You told me not to drink, Mom, so I drank soda instead.

I really felt proud inside, Mom, the way you said I would.

I didn't drink and drive, Mom, even though the others said I should.

I know I did the right thing, Mom, I know you are always right.

Now the party is finally ending, Mom, as everyone is driving out of sight.

As I got into my car, Mom, I knew I'd get home in one piece.

Because of the way you raised me, so responsible and sweet.

I started to drive away, Mom, but as I pulled out into the road,

the other car didn't see me, Mom, and hit me like a load.

As I lay there on the pavement, Mom, I hear the policeman say,

the other guy is drunk, Mom, and now I'm the one who will pay.

The Daughters

A Couple made a deal the night of their wedding to not open the door of their room to anybody who comes knocking in the morning for no reason. In the Morning the parents of the husband came and knocked the door, the Husband and the wife were looking at each other & as they agreed before, they didn't open the door.

Be The Smart One

Many years ago in a small Indian Village, a farmer had the misfortune of owing a large sum of money to a village moneylender. The Moneylender, who was old and ugly, fancied the farmer’s beautiful Daughter. So he proposed a bargain.

He said he would forgo the farmer’s debt if he could marry his Daughter. Both the farmer and his daughter were horrified by the Proposal.

10 centimeters

A man bought a new pair of trousers for his primary school mates reunion dinner. When he tried out at home, he found that the trousers were too long by 10cm. He asked his mother to help him shorten the pants. His mother said she could not do it as she was not feeling well and would like to rest early.
So the man approached his wife to shorten his pants. His wife said she was very tired and had a lot of work to do that night, so she could not help him to shorten the pants that night. Then the man asked his daughter. His daughter apologized for not able to do it that night because she had agreed to go dancing with her boyfriend

“Ah well!” The man thought and decided he could wear his old trousers to the reunion.

Later that night, his mother thought to herself, “My son has been very nice to me. I’ll just help him to shorten his pants before going to rest.” So she shortened the pants by 10cm.

Keeping Up

Life is moving pretty fast, and the rate of change is definitely faster than it was a few years back. 

Especially now - when we have social media and a per second view of peoples' lives. Back in the day, before you knew if a cousin or a village fellow had graduated, or is doing well in the city, it had to be in December - when everyone cleaned up their acts and came home. But today, as it happens, the entire world now gets to know. And there is usually a lot of pressure on all of us to keep up.

I remember an incident that happened to me about a year ago. I thought I had missed my way, I was not sure if I had, but I was on the fast lane, and as a result I couldn’t just stop and ask anyone questions. I really wanted to slow down and ask questions, but I felt like the rest of the drivers on the road expected me to keep up with the pace (this was the Lagos-Ibadan express way by the way).

Carry it anyway

Brenda was a young woman who was invited to go rock climbing. Although she was scared to death, she went with her group to a tremendous granite cliff.

In spite of her fear, she put on the gear, took a hold on the rope, and started up the face of that rock. Well, she got to a ledge where she could take a breather. As she was hanging on there, the safety rope snapped against Brenda's eye and knocked out her contact lens. Well, here she is on a rock ledge, with hundreds of feet below her and hundreds of feet above her. Of course, she looked and looked and looked, hoping it had landed on the ledge, but it just wasn't there. Here she was, far from home, her sight now blurry. She was desperate and began to get upset, so she prayed to the Lord to help her to find it.

Home

So recently, I watched a woman talk about home…

And how a lot of times, we make the mistake of finding our home in other people. So every standard we expect, we place in them. We place our comfort, strength, balance and happiness in them. We get so dependent on them, that we lose the ability to walk properly on our own.

Life like a Bible

His name is Bill. He has wild hair, wears a T-shirt with holes in it, jeans and no shoes. This was literally is wardrobe for his entire four years of college. He is brilliant. Kind of esoteric and very, very bright. He became a Christian recently while attending college.

Across the street from the campus is a well-dressed, very conservative church. One day Bill decides to go there. He walks in with no shoes, jeans, his T-shirt, and wild hair. The service has already started and So Bill starts down the aisle looking for a seat.

The church is completely packed and he can't find a seat. By now people are really looking a bit uncomfortable, but no one says anything. Bill gets closer and closer and closer to the pulpit and, when he realizes there are no seats, he just squats down right on the carpet. (Although perfectly acceptable behavior at a college fellowship, trust me, this had never happened in this church before!

We Should All Be Feminists [By Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie] - Review

INTRODUCTION

'We Should All Be be Feminists' is a talk delivered in 2012 at TEDxEuston, a yearly conference focused on Africa. Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie is a recognized icon of the African society, and the world in general. Not only is she one of Africa's literary 'greats', the world has come to respect her for her fortitude in speaking openly and fearlessly, on issues ranging from the portrayal of Africa through the global lens, to gender roles and feminism. She's also the author of several books including, the best selling;  Half of A Yellow Sun.

Fire

I think it's weird to tell people that I want to "set them on fire".

Don't you? I mean. Really. What would YOU think, after hearing that? But before you keep getting any more wrong ideas, let me explain...

One Good Turn

He was driving home one evening, on a two-lane country road. Work, in this small Midwestern community, was almost as slow as his beat-up Pontiac, but he never quit looking. Ever since the factory closed, he'd been unemployed, and with winter raging on, the chill had finally hit home.

It was a lonely road. Not many people had a reason to be on it, unless they were leaving. Most of his friends had already left. They had families to feed and dreams to fulfill, but he stayed on. After all, this was where he buried his mother and father. He was born here and knew the country.

Water Drops

It was one of the hottest days of the dry season. We had not seen rain in almost a month. The crops were dying. Cows had stopped giving milk. The creeks and streams were long gone back into the earth. It was a dry season that would bankrupt several farmers before it was through.

Every day, my husband and his brothers would go about the arduous process of trying to get water to the fields. Lately this process had involved taking a truck to the local water rendering plant and filling it up with water. But severe rationing had cut everyone off. If we didn't see some rain soon... we would lose everything.

It was on this day that I learned the true lesson of sharing and witnessed the only miracle I have seen with my own eyes. I was in the kitchen making lunch for my husband and his brothers when I saw my six-year old son, Billy, walking toward the woods. He wasn't walking with the usual carefree abandon of a youth but with a serious purpose. I could only see his back. He was obviously walking with a great effort...trying to be as still as possible.

For a Peaceful Mind

There once was a farmer who discovered that he had lost his watch in the barn. It was no ordinary watch because it had sentimental value for him. After searching high and low among the hay for a long while; he gave up and enlisted the help of a group of children playing outside the barn. He promised them that the person who found it would be rewarded.