Under His Shadow, We Pray Today…

November 22, 2015November 22, 2015 jacquelineobyikocha11 Comments

Dear Lord,

May our aching hearts find healing in your presence.

May we rise against the hurt and the destruction,

Which pervades our society today,

So that we can reach for the silver linings hiding in dark clouds.

Grant our minds a sublime state of being,

Where negative spirits of hatred, of distrust,

of aggression and its virulent forces cannot find root.

Let your peace that brings tranquility reign in our lives,

As you cast your shadow of protection over us.

May those who dwell in the secret place of the Most High God

Abide under the shadow of the Almighty.

Amen.

Please just take a moment and listen to the Jim Reeves below. Thank you.

Little rants · Social critic · Social Issues

Oh Yes! I Told Her Off And I Am Not Sorry I Did!…

November 20, 2015 jacquelineobyikocha60 Comments

There are loads of shopping malls over here in Dubai. Huge Ones, Medium Ones, Small Ones and with them come hordes of humans from all walks of life.

We went shopping for a no-frills plain white shirt for my daughter, which is required for a school programme (last week it was a red one, for flag day, I wonder what it will be next week) and mid-way trawling the shops she needed to use the ladies.

We duly went to the ladies and I felt it was also better to do a little tinkle just in case, luckily like every standard up-to-date mall, rest-room convenience is easily accessible and over here, they do a very good job at keeping it spick and span.

As usual, the ladies-room is filled with women; young and old, re-doing their scarves, patting and brushing their hair, dusting their noses, powdering their faces, pouting their lips and squinting their eyes as they apply the required make-up mask. It is really a bee-hive of femaleness.

My daughter came out and I observed that her skirt was somewhat askew, so I had tried to adjust it a bit and that required a little lifting to straighten the lining.

From the corner of my eye, the not so young lady stood in front of the mirror directly in front of our view (we were caught in her reflection) after all her primping, she started pouting her lips in all manners of contortions and NO! you don’t say, went clicking happily on her phone, taking pictures in the TOILET.

I counted to 10, telling myself to just go, but the little imp in me refused to let go of the bone.

I told her “my dear lady, I don’t think that taking photo shots in the restroom where other ladies are milling around is a proper thing to do!”

She stared at me in disdain. I don’t know if she understood English or not.

I proceeded to explain better in sign language gesticulating all over the place, asking her to check if her pictures had caught people in the rest-room and to delete it.

She simply went into a tirade of Arabic and left in a huff.

I also went into a tirade of Igbo (my native language) and left in her wake in a huff.

These selfie absorbed moments can get ridiculous at times.

How smart is a human who takes pictures in a public rest-room where you have so many other users? Why not wait until you get to your private bathroom and then you can say all the cheese and contort all the pouts required?

I don’t get it! I think rest-rooms should come with big signs of ”No Photography Allowed.”

Family · Inspiration - Motivation · Life · Love · Quotes For You · Social Issues · Success

A Nanny Goat and Her Young Ones….

November 19, 2015November 19, 2015 jacquelineobyikocha27 Comments

When we analyze the state of things and how it appears that norms and values, respect and everything have been eroded, it also occurs to me that as adults, parents, custodians and educators of the young ones under our care, we are equally failing in passing on these expected values, right norms, respect and all that is deemed to constitute a responsible human onto these young ones.

Behavioural skills, social norms and beliefs are learnt and they do not grow on trees. They are acquired through constant teaching and emulation. A child is only radicalized through the teachings of an adult or someone in a position of respect. A child is equally taught respect from early days!

The younger generation did not wake up spoilt! Not at all!

We the older generation loaded them with ammunition like kegs of gunpowder and it takes just a strike of a match for them to combust.

They watch and learn from us, add their own individuality and whatever the end result turns into is a product of that.

In essence a child is a by-product of his/her upbringing and society.

We should therefore hold ourselves 90% responsible for the spate of violence, moral decadence, loss of respect and every other vice that rears up its ugly head in today’s World.

We should not lose sight of the fact that we wield a lot of authority in helping these young ones form, therefore we should exercise it in the right manner.

A lot of times, when I take a look today at the my own life cycle, it does not fail to occur to me that the tenets which I have held mostly onto are those ones inculcated in me in my formative years and I daresay that those tenets are the ones that kept me from sinking, even when I furiously dug pits that could have caved in on me. “When a child is raised in the way that he should go, when he grows, he will not depart from it.”

Let me share a couple of African proverbs for today, and bid you a good day.

”When the nanny goat eats grass, it’s young ones watch her mouth and imitate.”

”If a child shoots an arrow that reaches the top of a tall palm tree, then it must be that an elderly person carved the bow and arrow for him.”

”The instruction of a child in youth is like engraving on a stone.”

”When a mother hen has been caught and killed, her chicks become easy prey.”

Once again, Chape thank you for inviting me to the quotes challenge. I shall extend the same courtesy to these awesome bloggers:

Danny

Maria Jansson

Jennifer Calvert

Kind regards,

Blogging · Family · Little rants · Social critic · Social Issues

Puhleez! Just Stop!….

November 17, 2015 jacquelineobyikocha52 Comments

It is hard for me to desist from ranting about this dark sexual communication nonsense, because I have never felt that unnecessary railing over social issues resolves the problems, but consistent positive acts are the only way our society can change for the better.

No, I am not a hater and I am not discriminating! I also appreciate the good side of sex very much, but that is hardly the topic of my vexation.

It is not a religious rant! Being a christian does not make me any better than anyone else out there, neither does it place me in a position to judge anyone.

I am just a community minded human, who sees the wicked seeds planted carelessly out there with disregard to its consequences and they are disguised under the ambiguous blanket of freedom of expression.

I have plenty of my own planks that needs to be removed from my eyes each day, but one thing that I will not fail to try is to respect others, their sensibilities and propagate as much positivity as I can.

In the bid to be politically correct these days, truth is shunned and lies encroach like a wily burglar that calls when the owner is not around.

Stop hiding under the voluminous cloak of seeking sexual equality rights to propagate your filthy degrading acts.

These prolific dark pornographic communication targeted at young children are no different from those of men who use the cloak of religion to perpetrate heinous acts!

Excessive propagation of insane, extreme sexual proclivities in the name of campaign for sexual equality, is very much part of today’s problem.

Do these adults who spend time in selling these items for material gains, infiltrating the entire web with filth that should be kept in their dark minds and rooms where it belongs realize the wicked seeds of indiscreet promiscuity, sexual degradation and laxity that they sow into the lives of the upcoming generation?

Nowadays, such materials are available at the click of a finger which is such a crying shame.

Young impressionable children are targeted and fed with pornographic nonsense which takes root in their minds and breeds so much more negative repercussions than you care to think of and most of these young ones have these gadgets at their disposal.

We all wish for a better World and it starts from each and every one of us.

If you think that your acts don’t count, please think again!

Do show some care for the future generation.

Life does not end with perverted selfishness.

An intelligent person can make their arguments known without the graphic bestial nonsense that is put out there.

I was thoroughly shocked this morning as I went through my reader and opened a seemingly innocent blog only to have my eyes pop with the graphic pornographic video content of this blog.

Nowhere did it indicate adult above 18 content.

I am not preaching to anyone to change their lifestyle.

Far from it! Someone’s lifestyle is their prerogative.

Just Act Responsibly! Or is the mental decency acuity dead as well?

This is simply irresponsible of this blogger and wrong on so many levels.

Pornography gives birth to hydra-headed monsters. You may like to read this article.

You know yourself and I am chewing your ears.

It might not mean anything to you, but know this and know it well, PROVIDENCE never forgets.

Have we become such a selfish generation filled with entitlement and gratification that we have become so desensitized while we are busy selling ourselves the mantra that it’s only our happiness that matters?

I rest my case.

Hope · Inspiration - Motivation · Love · Poetry/Poems · Social Issues

We can, Can’t we?….

November 16, 2015November 16, 2015 jacquelineobyikocha25 Comments

You know,

Empty dreams,

Don’t make beautiful Worlds!

The consistent actions of you and I, do!

So tell me, what do you propagate around you?

Are you engaged sowing seeds of accord or discord?

Would you just take a moment and check your circle of influence!

Plant that seed that you want to reap! It will grow into a tree of bounty!

Cease wasting time on wishful thinking!

We can be the World that we wish to see!

Shalom!

Images: Pinterest

Devotions · Life · Little rants · Poetry/Poems · Social Issues

Vive La Republique Du France!…

November 14, 2015November 14, 2015 jacquelineobyikocha52 Comments

I had my post for today all ironed out and set to go, until I woke up this morning and saw the news and I simply lost the desire for a light and chatty post.

A sick feeling settled in my stomach as I watched in utter stupefaction, the constant replay of attacks on innocent people gathered together for a concert, gathered to cheer their teams at the stadium; coldly murdered.

It wearies one to ask why? Why this hysterical, senseless killing? It just no longer makes sense.

Just several days ago we were reeling from this and now this.

I have a very special affinity for Paris and France as a whole. It means more to me than just a lovely holiday spot.

I am bilingual ( English /French ) a language that I spent 5 years to learn and I owe loyalty to this beautiful Nation for the opportunities it presented to my life.

For several years, I worked for the Embassy of France and the European Union.

I met my husband at “Maison de France” and I always feel like a part of me has come home when I visit Paris.

They welcome and throw their doors open to all and sundry who come to pay homage to this iconic city of European heritage and they are the least discriminating people that I happen to know from my sojourns in different parts of the World.

Shame on this infamy!

Shame on humans whose behaviour are nothing less than cowardly and dishonourable!

Even as the bloodbath and carnage of innocent ones soaks into the soil of its land, France’s pride and it’s beauty can never be cut down!

Hearts bowed in pain, we grieve.

Thrumming heat in our veins we scream.

Why do you kill me?

For I have done you nothing!

I have dined with you!

I have lain with you!

I cried with you and I laughed with you!

∴

Yet you gather like locusts,

To feast on my flesh!

Have I done you any wrong?

That you kill us in throngs?

A mother weeps for a lost child!

A father bemoans his loved ones!

For the souls cut down in cold blood!

Who have done you no wrong!

∴

Let our courage not fail us!

Nor our hearts cease to beat within us!

For they shall never know peace!

For the loss of the deceased.

The torment of their souls shall never cease!

Until they seek to find peace!

Peut les âmes des défunts reposent en paix/May the souls of the departed rest in peace!

Vive La France!

Life · Social Issues · The Daily Post · Travel

This Manner of Madness…

November 8, 2015November 8, 2015 jacquelineobyikocha37 Comments

No I am not a masochist. I don’t derive gratification from self inflicted pain, it is simply the desire to watch what goes on in an ever changing World of today, hence my torturing myself with today’s news.

Today is 81115 and my eyes are pulled to the television. I gravitate to the headline news, since I don’t have all the time to sit before the TV for endless hours, I pick and choose my moments.

Watching the memorial service for the 224 unfortunate lost souls on Metro-jet from Sharm el sheikh to Russia has been a sobering and solemn experience.

I don’t know anybody among them and I don’t have to know anyone of them to imagine the pain of the families affected.

These were ordinary humans like you and I, blown to smithereens. Little children, wives, husbands, sons, daughters, relatives, friends, sweethearts, colleagues…..HUMANS!

I watched the stricken faces of the Russian citizens, the bell tolled 224 times for these possible victims of a dastardly act of fanaticism.

Terrorists have staked claim of responsibility for planting the bomb that blew the plane apart.

Who can explain this despicable beast of destruction that has given rise to so much inhumanity?

Who can explain why the heart of some humans are desperately wicked?

Who can explain the senseless violence and killing which seems to dot every perimeter of today’s horizon.

Who can explain the raging wars that tears Nations apart, decimating and displacing its citizenry?

Who can explain these virulent dogmas of hatred sown in the name of convoluted religions?

Is there an answer anyone?

No? Yes? SILENCE.

If it is true that it was an undetected bomb, then this is the new ugly face of travel, which would really be a dilemma and game changer.

“The days are indeed numbered.” ”Each day a precious taste of sweet nectar.”

The Daily Post Your Days Are Numbered.

What’s the date today? Write it down, remove all dashes and slashes, and write a post that mentions that number.

Little rants · Social critic · Social Issues · The Daily Post

Liar, Liar, Pants on Fire…

November 7, 2015November 7, 2015 jacquelineobyikocha32 Comments

There are some humans who are such inveterate liars that even the combination of lie detector and truth serum will not be able to drag the truth out of them.

Lying has become such a habitual thing to them that they don’t even know the truth if it jumps up and bites them in the butt.

They have told those lies to themselves and others so much, that it becomes a distorted truth in their minds.

When such people tell you good morning, you better take a very good look out of your window. You shouldn’t trust them as far as you can throw them.

Honesty and integrity should be a key character for me to relate with any human and once it is clear that you are a liar, your trust quotient becomes non-existent and unfortunately, whatever you say will be heretofore taken with a pinch of salt, if taken at all.

I respect the truth even if it is bitter. It is better to deal with. Telling a lie about a bad situation simply makes it worse.

That said, if I come in possession with one vial of truth serum; I wonder why only one vial, I think I shall first test it on to all the lying politicians especially those from my home country.

They have been hell bent on robbing a richly blessed Nation blind in the bid to cripple it’s economy with corruption and to the detriment of its citizenry.

It would be interesting to hear them sing their confessions like canaries about where they hid their stash of stolen booty which they will be made to restitute.

It makes me so unhappy to watch citizens of a society richly endowed with natural resources live in penury, while some hopelessly unprincipled leaders selfishly and greedily grasp that which is for general commune.

The Daily Post prompt Truth Serum

You’ve come into possession of one vial of truth serum. Who would you give it to (with the person’s consent, of course) — and what questions would you ask?

Devotions · Family · Hope · Life · Little rants · Social Issues

How Can I Repay You?…

October 28, 2015 jacquelineobyikocha37 Comments

Today’s Gratitude challenge on Colline’s blog meets my heart filled with a lot of appreciation.

How can I repay the Lord for his goodness to me?
I will raise a cup of Salvation, I will call on the Lord’s name!
My times are in your hands and you are my God!
Even though I walk in the valley of the shadow of death,
I will fear no evil!
Unto you O’Lord, I give my all!

I am thankful that I am seated here right now talking to you and not at the hospital nursing broken bones or one of my young.

Yesterday evening, as I went for a walk with the children, we had just turned round the bend onto the zebra crossing which is a few meters from the house, when a Mercedes sports with it’s open roof came barreling round the bend. It appeared as if it even accelerated as it bore down on us. We barely managed to jump out of harms way by the whiskers of our teeth!

Luckily, I was clutching my youngest son’s hand as we dove for safety because he tends to lag behind. A lady with her child in the stroller, tripped over her Abaya as she also hurried along and fell in the process; luckily she wasn’t hurt and the baby didn’t tumble, except for her startled nerves and a small scrape. Zooming around in snazzy cars with a load of impatience seems to be the bane over here.

I will try not to exaggerate here, but as I shouted angry expletives, the fine lady driver stuck out her lacquered finger in an effing sign at us and zoomed along.

It was truly a struggle to stop the stream of swear words that were bubbling up to my lips and I am not sure if I would have stopped myself if not for my children. I try not to scandalize their senses.

Do I have a reason to be grateful or what? So many ugly scenarios had painted a picture in my head.

Thank God that Mercy said NO!

A heart filled with Gratitude, O’Lord.