iWitness…The Antics Of 2 Pigeons.

February 12, 2016 jacquelineobyikocha19 Comments

Nature teaches us a lot of lessons if we open our eyes to see them and learn.

One of the reasons that I enjoy my little walkies as often as I can fit it in, is that I am always rewarded by stumbling on glimpses of the simple things that inspires my mind and gets me thinking.

My family have grown used to my two steps forward, two steps halt or back and a pause to assimilate something.

These little things are the best things in life and they are totally free. They bring me so much contentment and stimulation.

I took a not so brisk walk off my usual route and this scene of two pigeons trying to pick at crumbs which were scattered on the road caused me to pause, find a leaning spot and watch.

Why was it interesting? It interested me because they both courted danger with cars moving around them. Of course they could easily fly off if a car got too close and one of them did run off when the heat got too much.

The determined one doggedly kept darting back to the pecking spot at every given opportunity , vigorously filling itself while the scared one stood by the sidewalk cooing.

I think I spent a good five minutes or more observing this antics and taking a few photos.

As I watched them, I had several thoughts running in my mind and some of the lessons I learnt and I will write them in quotes are:

‘A little more effort and a little more persisting, that which seemed like it was a hopeless case, might actually become an opportunity for a resounding success.’

‘We should not give up on our quest at the very first sight of a barrier.’

And the last quote from William Eardley IV came to my mind:

‘That ambition is the path to success and persistence is the vehicle that you arrive in.’

One bird ran off, the other stood his ground and was well rewarded.

I want to thank Amra and Spiritual Journey for inviting me to take part in the quotes challenge and I would like to extend the invitation to these three bloggers:

Common sense gal

Ann

Mystical writer

These are the rules:

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

Blogging · Gratitude · Hope · Quotes For You · Self Help

When You Want To Go Far…

February 10, 2016February 10, 2016 jacquelineobyikocha8 Comments

The funny African proverb that says ‘when we all piss together it foams’ comes to my mind as I write this post.

Another one equally states that ‘when you want to go fast, you go alone, but if you want to go very far, you go with others.’

For the first time, I will be hosting a blog party (Valentine Shindig) and hopefully, from then I will continue hosting a monthly blog-hop meet ups to encourage newbies as well as the older ones to mingle and develop a cohesive community.

I sent out feelers to feel the pulse of my readers and not only has the response been awesome but the support as well and I cannot fail but to express my appreciation.

A good number of lovely bloggers have shown their support and encouragement to me by re-blogging and tweeting my invitation and posts in this regard and it totally fills me with a sense of gratitude and joy.

There is no way that I would be able to do it by myself or to cover as much ground if not for the generosity and support that I have received from a good number of you.

I am thankful and indeed grateful to have supportive friends in this community and as is said in my place ‘the fowl does not forget the person that allowed her to roost by her fireplace during the raining season. ‘During your rainy days, may you find a warm fireplace to roost.’

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

Image: Quotesgram.com

Inspiration - Motivation · Lifestyle · Musings · My Thinking Corner · Quotes For You · Self Help · Weave that Dream

Tuesday Trickles…My Thinking Corner.

February 9, 2016 jacquelineobyikocha13 Comments

When we sow little seeds of good, we have no idea the depth of roots that we plant.

We can actually retrain the battle fields of our minds to think the way that we want it to.

It’s never too late to try to get it right. Except the person reading this post is no longer on this side of the great divide.

Happiness is truly at home with you. It lives and breaths within you and not in someone else’s abode.

Sometimes, in the bid to hide so many secrets, we bury ourselves alive and forget to live.

Noirfifre’s beautiful message is an advise that would suit a lot of people.

Stella’s simple, beautiful thoughts can take us very far.

Oba’s inspiring post on paying it forward speaks for itself.

I would encourage you to take a quick peek at these thoughts. Maybe, they mirror yours.

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

My regards,

Midnight motivation and musings · Quotes For You · Self Help

Midnight Motivations and Musings 1…

February 8, 2016February 8, 2016 jacquelineobyikocha21 Comments

What is that thing that your heart is set on? Do not relent. Crawl, limp, trudge, walk ….. just keep moving.

Family · Photographs · Quotes For You

Moments in time…

February 6, 2016 jacquelineobyikocha21 Comments

The Daily Post Photo Challenge Time

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?

Five Sentence Inspiration · Lifestyle · My Thinking Corner · Quotes For You · Success

Tuesdays Trickles 6…My Thinking Corner.

January 26, 2016 jacquelineobyikocha23 Comments

Every Tuesday, I share snippets of thoughts that I call ‘My Thinking Corner.’

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

Each Tuesday, share your very short snippets of positive, inspiring, motivating, health, spiritual, writing advice, clips, posts etc, that can serve as a prop to motivate others and simply add my link to your post.

I call it my thinking corner because, I actually take out a bit of time just to think through things, encapsulate my thoughts as much as possible and detoxify my mind.

It might work for you in a different way, but the idea is to get the positive thoughts flowing.

Please send in your little thoughts. You never know whose life you might inspire.

The single truth that we tell ourselves is a million times better than the half-truths that we are told by a dozen.

Hope is that last little flicker in the rubble of our burnt ashes. When you stoke the embers sufficiently, the flames will come alive.

Our dreams can never be the same neither will our journey. You must dream your dreams and not wait for hand-me- downs.

An empty heart will never have anything to give. Fill it with good things and it will overflow naturally.

Once that little voice in a mind asks, is this all there is? Then, there must be more to be done and we should be on the quest for that more.

Here Are Last Week’s Thinking Corner Thinkers 🙂

Small Choices. Rosema of Reading Writers little nuggets in brief.

The gift called today from Oba of the King’s Oracle fills me with beautiful thoughts.

Tuesday’s thoughts by Bisi of Femininematerz connects the dots of rising to the skill of your art.

Deep thoughts of Trickles and Tears from Diane of Ladies who lunch reviews.

Persevere. These very few words from simply me speaks very loud and clear.

Let’s hear your thoughts, quotes, advice et al.

Quotes For You · The Daily Post

January 24, 2016January 25, 2016 jacquelineobyikocha8 Comments

You are lucky when life hands you lemons. You can always make a big jug of lemonade, add some good dash of sugar, chill them and have a good drink 🙂

Besides, lemons are good for the health. They are natural diuretics and pack a good punch of Vitamin C, so it’s not too bad.

Sometimes, life hands you a basket of maggot infested rotten tomatoes. What do you do? Do you just throw your hands up in the air, roll up and do nothing?

Of course not! In as much as it’s easier said than done, you have to roll up your sleeves, scratch the ground, or buy a few pots if you don’t have sufficient ground to pasture and cultivate the seeds of the rotten tomatoes.

With proper tending, you will surely have a bountiful harvest.

Let me break this down to relatable terms.

In our lives, everyone has a story to tell and some sour lemons to squeeze in-between. Some stories are prettier than others, some stories are just so rough, but the big question is how each of this curve ball thrown is handled by the bearer.

So many episodes in my life come to my mind, but I don’t think I am in the mental frame of mind to traipse down the ‘woe is me avenue.’

Let me dwell on a situation that yielded positive fruits.

At some point when I started out my work life, as a young recruit with Bureau Veritas, my starting salary was not only meagre, I had the bulk of the grunt of work tossed at me to the extent that when others were carrying their bags to say goodnight, I was still shuffling a lot of work, yet I would turn up earlier than virtually everyone else.

The only person who equally came that early was my French Managing Director who lived close by and I had no idea that he was observing my work ethics.

Despite feeling at times like the plankton in that ocean, I chose to give it my best, both attitude wise and work-wise. In no time, most customers who came for their shipment papers wanted me to attend to them.

Within months of joining the company, I received end of month bonus, for outstanding staff of the month for four consecutive months and this set off some sort of competition in the office where my senior colleagues tried to wrangle over who would win the next set of bonuses.

While they were still doing office politics, the Managing Director sent for me. His senior assistant was leaving the company and he wanted me to move up and work as his Assistant with very significant salary increase.

Initially, I was scared of stepping into those shoes, but wearing that hat orchestrated a lot of good things that came by my way.

Perhaps, if I had spent my time grumbling and just coasting by with the job, that chain of favour would have passed me by.

The Daily Post Lemonade.

Inspiration - Motivation · Life · Quotes For You · Three quote challenge

When You Agree…

January 22, 2016 jacquelineobyikocha29 Comments

In my place, there is a saying which states that ‘when you agree, your God agrees with you.‘

A blogversation that I had recently with an awesome blogger brought back this saying that my dad used ever so often back to my mind and I spent a little time dwelling on the thought of it’s meaning.

As a child whose parents used lots of proverbs to buttress a point, I never quite understood some of what they were trying to say to me then, but as time went on, these kernels of words planted have been germinating profusely and I find wisdom tucked inside them.

It is a common belief back in my place that each person has their own little ‘Chi’ or ‘God’, also perceived as a guardian Angel and that whatever limitations the person sets for themselves, that is equally where their God will set himself.

If you buy into the myopic view of a misguided person that you are not good enough, then you will remain so.

If you set limitations for yourself with all the usual excuses: because I am poor, black, brown, fe/male, tall, short, etc, you will not grow past your limitations. To grow past them you have to stop agreeing to the negative feedback of ‘You Can’t.’

‘What are you agreeing to?’

There is no disputing the fact that there are socio-economic challenges, gender limitations, race boundaries and all the conceivable ceilings out there that hinders us from breaking through the invisible barriers to our perceived success, but wait a minute.

What of the glass ceiling that you have placed on your own mind? No one else will break through it and free you other than yourself.

In as much as there are things we are unable to stop from happening, we have the will power to choose how we react to these things.

Do we remain victims of our own minds, or do we break free from the bounds of mind enslavement of whatever it is that we are agreeing to and become victors?

The choice is yours. What are you agreeing to? What ever it is, is what your God will agree to as well.

I shall leave these little quotes here for you to dwell on.

‘It is not what you are called, but what you answer to.’ African proverb

‘As a man thinks in his heart, so is he.‘ Proverbs: 23.7

‘Be careful how you are talking to yourself, because you are listening.‘ Lisa M. Hayes

For the quotes challenge invitation, I thank Kaushal of Expressive Human for the invitation, and would like to invite the following awesome bloggers to participate in the 3 days, 3 quotes challenge.

No pressures at all to do so.

The rules are: