Hang Your Bag…The big book of list.

February 19, 2016February 19, 2016 jacquelineobyikocha29 Comments

When La Duchesse Derat started this challenge my thoughts wavered on whether I could cope with adding it to my list , now it’s become a feature I look forward to weekly and this also goes to prove that you can go the extra mile and further if need be.

This week’s TGBOL prompt asking us to make a list of the ‘the words that matter to me‘ is what we refer back home as ‘buying market‘ or ‘inviting the insect infected log,‘ because yours faithfully Jacqueline has a lot to say, but I shall restrict my enthusiasm to 10 quotes.

1. ‘Hang your bag where your hands can reach.’

My parents used this phrase so much *in Igbo language * to teach us how to be contented with what we have and never be greedy for that which belongs to someone else.

They taught us that if you worked hard and with integrity, that yours will come and this is so true.

I can truthfully say that I have never owed for a day in my life because at every point in time even when it requires living the life of minimalism, what I have at that point in time is always enough and I even strive to create surplus from the little bit.

I endeavour never to buy that which I cannot afford to pay for, no matter how beautiful it is and for that, I have peace.

2. ‘For my Grace is sufficient unto the day.

The grace of God is free and belongs to all who seek for it. We all live by grace.’

3.’ As a man thinks in his heart so is he.’

Those things that you dwell on consistently, gradually erodes your mind and heart and becomes you, in the sense that you exhibit them and they control you.

4. ‘Never give up on yourself.’

Even if the World fails you, it’s only over when you fail yourself and stop believing in yourself that’s when it’s really over.

5. ‘For I have not given you the spirit of fear but of love, of power and of sound mind.’ 2 Tim 1:7

6. ‘Dare to dream big for the journey of a thousand miles started with a step, but you need to take that step and keep moving.’

Let your dreams be large. Then take them on. Even if you don’t arrive at that precise goal, you will have a heck of a good time getting there.

7. ‘Be appreciative of the simple things of life and be contented, for there in lies your sense of peace.’

The love from my family and the time spent with them is beyond priceless.

8. ‘Give. Be happy to share out of your bounty as well as your scarcity and you will see even more.’

Giving is not only when you have money in your pocket to hand out. If you do, all the better, but giving starts from the mind. Give of yourself and of the little that you have. Your resources well up and brim over.

9. ‘Be the light that you would like to see shining in others and do unto them as you would like them to do to you.’

10. ‘Be bold and be strong (courageous) for the Lord your God is with you.’ Deut 31:6

Inspiration - Motivation · Life · Lifestyle · Midnight motivation and musings · Quotes For You · Self Help

Midnight Motivations and Musings # 11..

February 18, 2016 jacquelineobyikocha22 Comments

I deliberately did not use the word ‘Suicide,’ just in case you are wondering. I chose murder, for those who take steps to snuff out the essence of who they are in an attempt to replace themselves with who they are not.

It’s a shame to see people suffering setbacks and deep insecure troubled lives due to lack of sense of self and identity crisis and it seems this situation is getting worse in recent times.

They have lost all sense of belonging and have forgotten that they are not mistakes, but are unique, wonderfully made individuals with purpose and a lot to offer.

Some spend their entire lives apologizing for being themselves, the colour of their skin, their background, physique, financial state, religious inclination, gender or physical disabilities and a whole lot of unmentioned issues.

Due to these things, they feel pressured to please and change and fit in until they are totally confused, depressed, oppressed and demoralized.

You owe no one apologies for who you are.

You must own who you are and cease trying to be every woman or man, thus developing confused multiple personality syndrome and having deeper issues.

It’s okay not to be liked by everybody, but the most important person that should like you is you!

You are a hero within yourself and all you need is to surround yourself with the people who love and accept you as you are, and rise to the person that you are meant to be.

Humor - Bellyful of laughter · Inspiration - Motivation · Lifestyle · Poetry/Poems · The Daily Post

Splashes…

February 18, 2016February 18, 2016 jacquelineobyikocha18 Comments

Life is not lived

On a black and white palette

For there are lots of shades

As well as tints of gray

Life is not a mad dash

Done in a big rush

For with such quick flash

You’ll combust into ash

Life is a sweet saunter with swag

Of swinging Calypso in beautiful sashes

And making bold, colourful splashes.

The Daily Post prompt Mad Libs.

I was parked behind the big bus when this prompt came in an hour ago, so we chose the word ‘Splash.’

Blogging · Inspiration - Motivation · Self Help

We ARE 1,000 and Counting…

February 18, 2016February 18, 2016 jacquelineobyikocha115 Comments

I received this badge several days ago and after doing a jig and a wiggle of the waist dancing, I made myself a homemade cup of Caramel Macchiato to drink to my health and yours, then I filed it away to mull over it for a little bit.

I didn’t get here all by myself, but I got here through all of you and it’s to all of you that I raised my mug.

A MILESTONE! Yup! That’s what it is and it’s been a jolly good ride.

When I started blogging 9 months ago, I started without expectations and now I feel like I am pregnant with so many expectations.

Each day, the building blocks of my mind gets firmer and my aspirations more refined that I am able to see many doorways opening up.

When I started blogging I thought I would just write my mind and maybe occasionally, some person will stop by and say hello, but to my amazement and I still stand amazed each day, I see so many faces stopping by to say hello.

I had told myself at the very onset that I am doing this first for me and to never lose focus of that by running after things that are simply peripheral.

However, if truth be told, I also told myself that there will come a time, when a labourer should have some just reward for his/her efforts.

I am actively searching for ways for my labour to earn something and as a way of marking this milestone, I am going to apply for WordPress to add WordAds to my site and I will also explore the affiliate marketing programs to find what would suit me.

I will definitely keep you informed on what my learning lessons are and the benefits as well.

I have always believed that when we share resources, we only get better and when you lift others, you equally rise along with them.

To Our Sustained Growth. Thank you for helping me to grow.

Dubai · Echos Of My Neighbourhood · Photographs · This Is My Life · Travel

– 6 degrees! The First Sub-Zero Lounge in the Middle East. Echoes Of My Neighbourhood #10

February 18, 2016February 18, 2016 jacquelineobyikocha56 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.

Some are praying for the blistering cold weather in their area to cease, while some of us have to pay some money to get a bit of the real Winter chill. Several cups of steaming hot chocolate and I was glad to leave, which is the good side about Chill-Out Lounge, you can leave when you want to.

The temperature is maintained at – 6° no matter how hot it gets outside, so you better cover up well, though they give you thermal jacket and gloves.

Last Week Echoes harvested quite some peeks of different neighbourhoods, so board the flight with me and let’s go have a look see 🙂

This is good way to spend a calm Sunday from Writing in North Norfolk. Relaxing

How many of you have seen this lady bag-piper before? My first time thanks to Dancing Palm Trees. You can learn how, maybe.

Sarah’s Planes, do you want to hop aboard. Come along.

Lovely photos from Malmo, Sweden by Giggles and Tales. You will like it.

Pretty and Serene. From Dollops of Heedful Ramblings. Take a peek

A good hideaway for lovers and fairy tales presented by Kat. Inspires the weaver to spin some yarn.

Some good pick me ups on a Tired Thursday from Mandibelle. Are you tired? A cuppa always perks you up.

I would be Sleepless in Seattle as well. I have something going for this city. Thank you Paula You should find out.

This is some of my Lagos and Oba’s Lagos. We love Lasgidi! There is no place like Lagos.

Open Sesame! Peeks of NY and Brooklyn from Jazzy Tower.

I am loving these views, aren’t you?

So, when can we get a peek at yours? Pllllleeeeeaaasssseee with a cherry on top 😉

Regards,

Poetry/Poems · Quotes For You · Uncategorized · Weave that Dream

Brevity…Thursday Trivia

February 18, 2016 jacquelineobyikocha15 Comments

Sometimes,

The brevity of my words

Is not for lack of what to say

….But a reflection

Of the state of my mind

Where the invasion

Of dream-filled thoughts

That pervades them

Leaves me breathless

…..Unable and reluctant

To trap them in words.

So,

I let them float free.

Inspiration - Motivation · Life · Lifestyle · Midnight motivation and musings · Self Help

Midnight Motivations and Musings #10

February 17, 2016 jacquelineobyikocha18 Comments

Sometimes, we get so consumed in the daily automated actions of getting through our days with minimal reflections given to the things that we are doing and the things that we need to do.

It’s far easier being on cruise control, than to pause and think.

Yet, we have dueling desires in our heart to live our dreams, to aspire to greatness.

Aspiring to greatness means leaving mediocrity behind.

Aspiring to be better requires conscious and dedicated efforts coupled with lots of deeper reflections.

Are you willing to go the extra mile?

Humor - Bellyful of laughter · Poetry/Poems · The Daily Post

What’s In Your Secret Box?…

February 17, 2016 jacquelineobyikocha19 Comments

Shall I peek into your secret box
And sniff around like a little fox
What are those bones
And these mill stones
That drags you down
And makes you frown

Shall I peek into your secret box
Oh my it has too many locks
Will I find rainbow dust
Or a witch with a fiery gust
Be it Ogre with a wicked temper
Or Prince who knows how to whimper

What’s in your secret box
Please do tell
I shan’t ring the bell
And if you tell
You won’t go to hell.

P.S. My dear WP, this is an evasive poem written in avoidance of your nosy self 😉

The Daily Post Evasive action

What’s the most significant secret you’ve ever kept? Did the truth ever come out?

Devotions · Family · Gratitude · Inspiration - Motivation · Life · Lifestyle · Poetry/Poems

Be They Little…

February 17, 2016 jacquelineobyikocha27 Comments

Mummy, I want to let you know what you mean to me.

You are like an Angel in the sky

Even at night you shine as bright as a star.

I want you to know, I love you mummy.

Why do I do these gratitude challenges every week? So that I don’t forget to pay mind to the little things that I would have probably taken for granted in the bigger scheme of life’s rat race.

It’s done as an open confession of little positive affirmations in my life, both online and real time. Of course it can be done through private journals *I still do that*, but then an opportunity would be missed to inspire even one person to embrace the attitude of gratitude.

The private journal practice becomes easy to forget or set aside at times when life gets hectic and we continue to roll along until it is completely left unsaid.

This way, I am compelled to pause and appreciate these things openly. It’s like unwrapping a present.

The attitude of gratitude has expanded the coast of my mind and it keeps growing in very positive ways. I find that more and more, I dwell barely on negativity because it’s almost as if my mind is on training on how to swat negative thoughts.

Ordinarily, I would probably have taken for granted the small hands that helped me push my shopping cart, weigh my fruits and tick off my shopping list *making me buy one or two extra tidbits, with a grumble and secret delight.

How will I take for granted how you all supported my blog party over the weekend?

Try cooking a large array of dishes (in this case, blogging hard for days) and inviting people to eat and they don’t turn up. You will be sorely disappointed and upset.

The essence of Valentine might have become subsumed in the cheesy commercial aspect of things, but there is absolutely nothing cheesy about the extra doses of love and attention that I received from my family, from hand-made cards to shop bought rose and chocolate with their pocket money, coupled with lots of pampering 🙂

There are so many little things to be grateful and thankful for. What are the things that decorate your life, be they little or large?

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