Nope! You Can Never Go Wrong…

January 28, 2016 jacquelineobyikocha23 Comments

People watching is a social science hobby that I spend quite a bit of my time engaging in. Observing people in recent times, some of the little things I see shows that there some fine redeeming human values which seems to be at loss these days. I am quite sure a good number of you would have observed these things as well.

Two days ago, I watched an elderly lady who was counting her steps struggle with the few things that she had and a couple of the items fell from her hands.

She paused briefly, bending gingerly to try and gather them and from my observation, she probably has Arthritis.

My natural instinct was to run up and help her, unfortunately my distance was a little far off to offer immediate assistance.

Meanwhile, two young men, probably in their mid-to-late twenties stood two steps away from this lady, puffing away on their cigarettes and not one of them bothered to render a helping hand to a woman who looked old enough to be their mother.

For all you know, they were probably busy videoing her difficulty for their YouTube Channel, which seems to be the new thing these days.

People would rather spend time shooting a video of a dying man in an accident instead of figuring out how to help.

I honestly had to curb my desire to make my way over and give them a talk or two about chivalry, they might not take it well.

However, I gave them a thorough scolding in my head 😉 and reminded myself that I have to keep teaching my boys how to be gentlemen.

By extending a hand of fellowship or help no matter how little to those around us who need it, we can never go wrong. We are actually not just helping others, but staying in touch with our humanity.

These are some little nuggets of quotes that you might wish to spend a couple of seconds on.

‘Instruction in youth, is like engraving in stone.’ African Proverb

‘The old woman looks after the child to grow its teeth and the young one in turn looks after the old woman when she loses her teeth.’ African Proverb

‘We rise by lifting others.’ Robert Ingersoll

Several dear bloggers have invited me for quote challenges and each day, the invitation increases by a notch.

I don’t like to let these things trail for so long, but I also don’t like to just toss quotes out there with nothing to say about them.

I try to look at the things that I observe around me and let them serve as lessons or inspirations for my thoughts.

I would like to thank Sepultura and That Little Voice for their generous invitation extended to me, to participate in the quotes challenge and would like to invite the following bloggers below to take up the quote baton and run with it.

Bunkaryudo

Sheridan Johnson

GloverDeb

No pressures at all. Just go with it if you wish to.

The Little Rules are:

Post three consecutive days.
You can pick one or three quotes per day.
Challenge three different bloggers per day

My regards,

Uncategorized

An open letter to a fellow blogger

January 28, 2016 jacquelineobyikocha14 Comments

Call me a big cry baby and you are right. This note from Deb had me in tears in a good way and hankering for home Lagos, Nigeria.
In life we deal with so much, but what I always say is to live fully in your moments, to own and make the best of them 😊

Booky Glover

Dear Jacqueline,

I have silently and faithfully gone through your photos on the “Echoes of my neighbourhood”. I was there when you brought up the idea. I was excited about it but I did know that I would be reluctant to share pictures of my neighbourhood.

You have beautiful places to show of Dubai. What I have pales in comparison. I have pictures on my phone and I stare at them and scroll to the next picture. Who wants to the dusty streets? Colourful gates of that primary school, the part of Oshodi market that has been destroyed, or BRT bus stops, beggars that line up the road etc.

There are of course beautiful places in Lagos but those places are not my neighbourhood.

Well, I wrote this just in case I got you wondering.

Sincerely,
Deb.

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Life · Lifestyle · Love · Personal story · The Great Book Of Lists

My Lettered Mind… The Great Book Of Lists Chapter 1.4

January 28, 2016January 28, 2016 jacquelineobyikocha46 Comments

At a young age, deciphering the lettering in the pages of a book became No. 1 on the list of my favourite things and if it is possible to say, I would say that I gobbled up literature with such veracity, that one would think it was an Olympic contest.

The adventure that I have with books has led to a rhyme or two words.

Out of my forays in reading, I got to learn that I am an incurable romantic realist *if such a term exists* and I always look for the happy endings or at least something heartwarming.

I read several horrors after a fad and found it absolutely not to my taste.

Yes, I admit, the amount of Mills & Boons, Harlequin Romances, Barbara Cartlands, Penny Jordan’s, Barbara Taylor Bradford, Amanda Quick and the rest of the crew that I read, must have contributed some coins from my piggy bank to the authors pockets and it’s amazing how much content the brain can take in and still keep soaking up more each day.

Ah! These brings back the days of mobile library and the ice-cream van to my mind. The two always seemed to come around the school premises almost at the same time and now that I think about it, that ice-cream man must have been responsible for my love for sweets. Just imagine bringing my two favourite things together 😉

I digress. Back to some of the books that caught my mind, held my thoughts and stoked my imagination enough to steal into the toilet for a quick page of reading when I was meant to be watching the beans on the fire and yes, a page turned to several and the beans got burnt.

For this weeks The books that transport me, chapter 1.4 of TGBOL, these ones come easily to my mind:

Lorna Doone – Richard Doddridge Blackmore
Wuthering Heights – Emily Brontë
Jane Eyre – Charlotte Brontë
Little Women – Louisa May Alcott
The Basket Of Flowers – Christope Von Schmid
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn – Mark Twain
The Adventures of Tom Sawyer – Mark Twain
Oliver Twist – Charles Dickens
The Mayor of Casterbridge – Thomas Hardy
The Count of Monte Cristo – Alexandre Dumas
Pride and Prejudice – Jane Austen
Gone with the wind – Margaret Mitchell
Things Fall Apart – Chinua Achebe
Sands Of Time – Sidney Sheldon
The Secret Garden – Frances Burnett
Great Expectations – Charles Dickens
The Merchant Of Venice – William Shakespeare
Comics of : Archie, Betty & Veronica, Jughead, ASTERIX, TinTin
Fairy tales by The Brothers Grimms
Enid Blyton books

Numbers 18, 19 and 20, I pretend to buy for my children and still sneak in a good read and a chortle. Please, you are free to think whatever, I am still a child at heart 😉

A link to my neighbours/Community · Dubai · Echos Of My Neighbourhood · Photographs · Travel

Meandering through some streets of Deira market – Echoes Of My Neighbourhood #7

January 28, 2016 jacquelineobyikocha54 Comments

On Thursday’s, I share a picture about ‘Echos of my Neighbourhood.

I would like to invite you to participate. The challenge is quite simple.

Every Thursday, share a photo of bits and pieces of wherever you are at any point in time. It could be houses, backgrounds of your neighbourhood, activities and so forth and you can tag it Echos of my Neighbourhood, add my link to your post so that I will get the ping from your post.

Every other Thursday, I will publish a post with the links of all those who participated the previous week.

This is just a fun way of getting to see more of the World around us through your eyes, since we cannot all be at those places, we can at least see them through you.

I love to explore my neighbourhood with glee.

Most times, while doing so, I feel like a kid unwrapping a present, keeping my eyes peeled.

It always bolsters my spirit, just watching people go about their daily lives with smiles or frowns, talking or not talking.

Just watching.

Last week’s Echoes brought in quite some fresh views:

Aloha from sunny Maui, I refuse to be jealous of Never A Dull Bling’s living it up 😉

Do you Yaw-Yan or don’t you Yaw – Yan? I learnt something new from Anghulinghugotero.

This bottom of the garden, from Writing in North Norfolk would feed my muse with inspiration to no ends.

Divine Body Expressions from Oba in her neck of the woods.

How luscious from Deb Was Here.

Would you throw it out, if it were you? I still haven’t found the answer to this echo from Mandibelle.

Contrasting beauties from Lady Lee Manila.

Nope! I won’t mind having this corner view as a boss lady. Kat Myrman’s World.

Little things trigger thoughts of home for Pancake Bunnykins

So, when can we get a peek at yours? 🙂

Regards,

Uncategorized

Let’s Have ‘An I Love You’ Party…

January 27, 2016 jacquelineobyikocha14 Comments

You are invited to the party 😊

a cooking pot and twisted tales

We are approaching the commercial month of love, though I am of the opinion that love should be a practiced existential part of our everyday lives. Sometimes, I kinda feel that the commercializing of valentine is a bit much, but that’s just my opinion.

Why don’t we have a lovely, lovey-dovey blog hopping party weekend :0))

If you are interested, I can be the hostess. Just sending out feelers.

There will be lots of candles and flowers, cakes and chocolates too *at least virtually* and we can share loads of links to our soppy love stories – non-fiction or fiction, poems, lyrical prose, pictures etc.

Posts that tugs at the heartstrings, plasters smiles on our faces and makes you bring out your scented tissue box.

Let’s make it a date ‘cos I am falling in love with you 😉

If you think it’s a worthwhile idea, please indicate below.

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Devotions · Health · Hope · Quotes For You

The Strength In These Quotes…

January 27, 2016 jacquelineobyikocha24 Comments

For obvious reasons, there are so many biblical quotes that I hold very dear to heart and return to almost on a daily basis. They give me assurance, comfort, courage and strength. Some of them are:

‘ Fear not for I have redeemed you, I have called you by name, you are mine.’ Isaiah 43:1

‘All things work together for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose’ Rom 8:28

‘Commit to the Lord whatever you do and he will establish your plans.’ Proverbs 16:3

‘I will say of the Lord, He is my refuge and my fortress, my God in Him I will trust.’ Psalm 91.2

When I am in doubt, worried, going through some rough patches and all that, I turn to my Bible and Psalms. I hum the words to myself until I feel calmness in my Spirit.

I honestly can’t begin to interpret what these words hold and mean to me.

All I can say is that in the sea of life’s turbulence, The Lord is my Hiding Place, for I know that the plans he has for me are for my good and not harm. To give me hope and a future.

The Daily Post Quote me.

Do you have a favorite quote that you return to again and again? What is it, and why does it move you?

Gratitude · Inspiration - Motivation · Lifestyle

Why Not? Are You Too Much Of A Man?…

January 27, 2016January 27, 2016 jacquelineobyikocha39 Comments

Is it possible to wake up and express a heartfelt gratitude for everything, without a ‘but?’

Some gentleman openly made a scornful statement, asking why we should have to express our thankfulness and gratitude for all to see? Why couldn’t we just be thankful in our minds?

I thought it through and my wonder is, maybe he feels it’s not manly enough to be seen doing something as sissy as being grateful or thankful? Who knows.

Anyway, to this retort I say, why not? We talk about virtually anything and everything under the Sun. So why not gratitude and thankfulness? Must we save it only for the day of Thanksgiving, on 24 November?

Is it because the word carries the connotations of Religion or Christian tenets?

Well you are wrong! I think it would be wise to remember that the state of gratitude is a life tenet, which does not respect any doctrine, dogma, race, religion, age or sex.

Thankfulness is a state of being that is the mother of all virtues. When we are thankful, we have less to grumble about. When we are thankful, it makes the little that we have enough. When we are thankful, we are not going to be envious and envy breeds wickedness.

We don’t have to look far to find things to be grateful for: family, food, shelter, friends, clothing, seasons, life, nature, beauty, truth, salvation. The list could go on for decades.

A heart of gratitude opens doors of love, peace and plenty.

Today, I am grateful for life and good health. It’s really a privilege and nothing can truly compare to the promises that I have in God.

A grateful heart will always find satisfaction. May your heart find a grace for gratitude. Like the Bible tells us, ‘God inhabits the praise of His People.

You can join Colline’s or Maria Jansson gratitude challenge platforms.

Photographs · Wordless Wednesday

Knackered…

January 27, 2016 jacquelineobyikocha18 Comments

A link to my neighbours/Community · Blogging

Let’s Have ‘An I Love You’ Party…

January 26, 2016 jacquelineobyikocha105 Comments

Why don’t we have a lovely, lovey-dovey blog hopping party weekend :0))

If you are interested, I can be the hostess. Just sending out feelers.

Posts that tugs at the heartstrings, plasters smiles on our faces and makes you bring out your scented tissue box.

Let’s make it a date ‘cos I am falling in love with you 😉

If you think it’s a worthwhile idea, please indicate below.

I will be re-blogging this post till the Valentine weekend.

Please do share if you can and invite others. The more the merrier.

Regards,

Family · Humor - Bellyful of laughter · The Daily Post · This Is My Life

The Dear Diary Day’s…

January 26, 2016 jacquelineobyikocha31 Comments

Of course there was life before the computer and there will still be life after the computer.

It’s called ‘Living and The Dear Diary Day’s.

Before I started blogging, my dear diary took the brunt of my words and my dear Himself’s ears were perpetually hot from lending his ears to my nattering.

Now he can flip through the channels in peace while my gleaming eyes are dancing as I mumble and mutter over the clattering computer.

I still scribble a lot in dear diary, though not everything anymore and sometimes, I do get the feeling that she feels disenfranchised because at times, I feel her giving me the cold shoulder when I want to write those personal tidbits at the end of the day.

My typical day starts at 4.30 am on school days, when the alarm shrieks to wake me up. I groggily waddle to the bathroom to take care of business with eyes at half-mast so that the sleep can be retained for a little longer.

I then lie back for a few more minutes and just either read the Bible or pray quietly, going through things in my head. I enjoy that part of the morning when everywhere is quiet.

With school age kids, I prepare their breakfast and a meal that they take to school. On a lazy day, I slap a sandwich together. They have a canteen, but I am not particularly enthused with the offerings especially since my younger son has allergies.

We get ready for school and hopefully the morning goes sanely without looking for a missing sock, or pencil pouch or their glasses and what have you. It’s always a nice morning bustle.

After shooing them off to school, I try to get in some brisk exercise or lazy walk and just take in the fresh air.

Thankfully, for the past few months, I have not had to dash off to work like a headless chicken as well, but that might change anytime soon, when I get back to school myself.

The rest of my day follows with attending to Himself as well, planning the days meal, dashing out for xyz, homework’s, housework, personal business, reading, writing, listening to music and what have you.

Some days involve church work, charity work, this and that and those work, but life is usually full of odds and ends of things to do.

Now that I blog, I also fit it into my days schedule. Blog early. Switch off and get other things done, then come back to the blog later when the dust of the day has settled.

I keep pretty much busy without my computer, but please don’t get any ideas of coming to take it away.

I just got this new one when the old one gave up from exhaustion during Christmas, though I think my dear diary would be secretly pleased if you nick my computer.

The Daily Post Life After Blogs.

Your life without a computer: what does it look like?