Tag: Lifestyle

Featured Blogs

Featured Posts 95 – Share your posts.

jacquelineobyikocha

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‘PLEASE KEEP SENDING IN THE LINKS.’ 

Today’s featured blogs posts are:

Do step in and show some love.

Well cross that bridge: These might just be the words you need this morning to start out your day.

The success process: a short, well-enunciated encouraging post. Take a read.

Long may it wave: I wear a wry smile as I read Oneta’s short post which is so ironically true. We want it short, right now and so on and so forth, yet we all want long healthy life. Isn’t life just great 🙂

Porch Ministry: Michelle’s beautiful story took me back to the day’s of sitting in front of my parent’s verandah and shredding corn while listening to my mother or grandmother entertain us with stories. A lot of life went on in front of that verandah, a lot of tradition handed down and beautiful memories made. These days, people hide away inside, behind their doors, they don’t even know who their neighbours are anymore – because they can’t be bothered. It’s a sad shame!

In love with the Lord: these 20 words of Martha’s packs a deal of strength. I like it.

‘Do you want more eyes on your words?’

Well then, add your LINK INTO THIS LOOP.

P.S. Comments are disabled here to keep the loop tidy. Any comments or link you want to send can be added through the link in the post.

Thank you for your understanding and regards.

‘We create a cohesive community when we come together.’

Below is my first just published Poetry Book “Out of the silent breath” which is available on Amazon and Smashwords.

When you buy my book, you support me in an invaluable manner.

Stars, Five Stars, Logo, Icon, Symbol, Five, Rating

Wonderful, evocative poetry by a talented writer. Left me hungry for more. Jacqueline can write! Linda Bethea

Out of the silent breath

If you enjoy my works and would like to do so, you can fuel my creativity with a slice of cake or coffee😉

Everyday People

Get Pampered – Everyday beautiful people 83

jacquelineobyikocha10 Comments

Men pampering

A little bit of pampering and grooming goes a long way to boost our sense of well-being as well as  therapy for relaxing stressed nerves.

You need not spend a  fortune to obtain such little pleasures. Find out what works for you and indulge yourself 😊

Have a great weekend, folks.

Below is my first just published Poetry Book “Out of the silent breath” which is available on Amazon and Smashwords.

When you buy my book, you support me in an invaluable manner.

Stars, Five Stars, Logo, Icon, Symbol, Five, Rating

Wonderful, evocative poetry by a talented writer. Left me hungry for more. Jacqueline can write! Linda Bethea

Out of the silent breath

If you enjoy my works and would like to do so, you can fuel my creativity with a slice of cake or coffee😉

Echos Of My Neighbourhood

Night scenes of a sleepless city – Echoes of my neighbourhood 25

jacquelineobyikocha33 Comments

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

I would like to invite you to participate. The challenge is quite simple and you can find out more about it through this link.

This week, I bring you some bits of night life in my neighbourhood.

I don’t exaggerate when I tell you that this city is sleepless and as the weather heats up more and more, night business grows longer into the night and runs quite efficiently. The entire place glows with light therefore belies the true sense of the lateness.

I went to a Ramadan night market exhibition and up till 1 am, people were trooping in and out of the venue.

For a Middle Eastern city, it’s quite safe and people are comfortable to mill around that late.

On our e-travel on Echoes, Lady Lee brought us a smile and took us to Wales on caravan cabins and a tree house, the greenery at Giggles and Tales were quite lush, then those doors of faith from Making Peace with Life did give us some pause before we took off to Charles Waugh’s  beautiful, story book neighbourhood .

This is total fun and you shouldn’t be left out. Do share some bits and pieces of your World with us, please. Thank  you😉

P.S: You can join our online party this weekend. It’s always a good time:-)

Below is my first just published Poetry Book “Out of the silent breath” which is available on Amazon and Smashwords.

When you buy my book, you support me in an invaluable manner.

 

Wonderful, evocative poetry by a talented writer. Left me hungry for more. Jacqueline can write! Linda Bethea

Out of the silent breath

If you enjoy my works and would like to do so, you can fuel my creativity with a slice of cake or coffee😉

Midnight motivation and musings

Midnight Motivations and Musings 104

jacquelineobyikocha5 Comments

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To draw a line between fear-based and love-based decisions can be daunting even when our choices are made out of love.

However, we can get better hold and clarity of our choices when we invest a little time in thinking over the basis of our decisions. Am I doing this because I am afraid? If I wasn’t afraid, would this still be my choice?

Try to get to that fearless place in your imagination and figure out those thoughts and decisions that still have energy and those that their fire has dwindled when the steam of anxiety/fear is taken out.

Choices made out of love and true conviction are far more enduring.

© Jacqueline Oby-Ikocha

Below is my first just published Poetry Book “Out of the silent breath” which is available on Amazon and Smashwords.

When you buy my book, you support me in an invaluable manner.

 

I absolutely love this book of poems. My favorites are “Love Rations” (for those who love to give the silent treatment) and “Beggars Supper” (which definitely pulls at the heart strings). Two thumbs up!!

Out of the silent breath

If you enjoy my works, you can fuel my creativity with a cup of coffee or a slice of cake 😉

Midnight motivation and musings

Midnight Motivations and Musings #103

jacquelineobyikocha13 Comments

Inspiring others

Each awakening moment of our lives offers us two main choices.

A choice on how to  treat and relate to others and a choice on how to treat ourselves.

Think about it for a moment and you will realise that everything we do is centred on these two main player’s; ourselves and others.

I’ve found that a bid to make a positive impact on other people’s lives never leaves the giver empty handed. In caring for others, we inadvertently care for ourselves.

The rewards are life changing and sometimes beyond your expectations.

May the lamp that  you carry not only cast light on your path. Let its flickers offer some brightness to those you encounter on your way.

Shalom!

Jacqueline

Below is my first just published Poetry Book “Out of the silent breath” which is available on Amazon and Smashwords.

When you buy my book, you support me in an invaluable manner.

“Beautiful Poetry of Life and Love.” Amanda

Out of the silent breath

 

Echos Of My Neighbourhood · Travel

Creek side and pit stop at Al Ghurair Mall…Echoes of my neighbourhood # 24

jacquelineobyikocha23 Comments

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

I would like to invite you to participate. The challenge is quite simple and you can find out more about it through this link.

Last weekend I wanted to try out some fish recipes and decided to visit the fish market in Old Dubai instead of purchasing from the regular grocery supermarket where I shop.

It was a good excuse to drag dear Himself – who loves his good food and my squad along. I used the opportunity to while away some time at the Creekside, admiring the dinghy Dhows (local boats) and did a spot of shopping at Al Ghurair Mall.

Shopping malls and shopping centres dot this landscape like the spots on a Leopards skin and each has its own unique features as well as temptations vying to fleece the funds out of your pocket that your resolve has to be Rhinoceros thick-skinned to admire the temptations and pass on without whipping out your credit card otherwise you’ll be up to your eyeballs in debt.

The creek is situated in the heart of Dubai, flowing between Bur Dubai and Deira and this is where trade with the outside world began for the emirate more than a century ago.

A giant port has grown in the Emirates, but the importance of the Creek has not diminished, since it remains vital for regional traders, and is a vibrant reminder of Dubai’s development into a commercial hub.

These days, some of these Dhows are used by tour operators for boat cruises and it’s also a great way of seeing the city.

It was interesting to watch the men who journey for days and at times weeks offload their goods. They virtually live on these boats. A good number were found lounging lazily on their swaying boats, playing, eating and just passing the time.

We sat in our armchairs and quickly travelled through our e-apertures to visit Penrhyn castle with Lady Lee, we experienced some great Sunrise at Pamela’s Canepa, stopping over at Brigid’s Rosses was such a wonderful delight. Louise took us to SGreenwood’s Sherwood forest to meet the ghosts of Robin Hood and those handsome Knights and I got hooked.

We chilled out with Stella at the vivid rainbow panorama as we looked at random sights at Chez Sarah C of this n that.

This is total fun and you shouldn’t be left out. Do share some bits and pieces of your World with us, please. Thank  you 😉

Below is my first just published Poetry Book “Out of the silent breath” which is available on Amazon and Smashwords.

When you buy my book, you support me in an invaluable manner.

Stars, Five Stars, Logo, Icon, Symbol, Five, Rating

“Beautiful Poetry of Life and Love.” Amanda

Out of the silent breath

Everyday People

The words…Every day beautiful people # 73

jacquelineobyikocha12 Comments

“If you’re making mistakes, it means you are out there doing something.” Neil Gaiman

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The words on his T-shirt caught my eyes. It’s a familiar quote which says:

“No matter how many mistakes you make or how slow you progress, you are still ahead of everyone who isn’t trying.” Tony Robbins

The key word is to keep moving even it if it’s in snail progress.

Below is my first just published Poetry Book “Out of the silent breath” which is available on Amazon and Smashwords.

When you buy my book, you support me in an invaluable manner.

 

‘A Richly Layered and Passionate Read.’ Jan Cliff

Out of the silent breath

Gratitude · Life

For my benefit and yours…personal thoughts

jacquelineobyikocha32 Comments

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The past week has been a tough struggle to get to my inner place of happiness.

I struggled to isolate my thoughts as I would normally do in order to reach my state of sanctuary because I was troubled by World events.

I may not be able to isolate myself from the goings on because I also have an interest in life around me after all, no man is an Island, but for self-preservation, one has to separate themselves from time to time so as not to get lost in the deluge of happenings that cascades all over us.

My husband always says that I am too sensitive and possibly naive to an extent that things still manage to shock me.

I would have thought that having personally been through several valleys and shadows of death in my life, that I would have come up toughened, but I realise that the deepness of my scars actually makes me more vulnerable, more sensitive to others, more empathetic and possibly more naive at my wonder at life.

Our happiness should never be hinged on anything temporal because our truest form of peace comes from within.

At moments like this when I search inside me or through the Bible for words of courage, love and understanding, I am surprised how old knowledge takes on new meaning.

“We are told that in everything, we should give thanks to God.” for example 1 Thessalonians 5:18, Ephesians 5:20

It’s a hard sell to give thanks when it’s easier to be grumpy.
It’s a hard sell to a grieving soul.
It’s a hard sell to someone fighting for their lives.
It’s a hard sell for so many reasons….

…but as I continued to reflect on this in my mind, the Truth of giving thanks and being grateful expanded.

We give thanks not because we feel obliged to do so and not because of what we may have, but because it actually uplifts our minds.

We give thanks not because our lives are great, but because it could be worse and it expands the little we have to more.

Our thankful heart is less grumpy and experiences better health in that state.

Our state of gratitude inadvertently acts as a pep up for our spirit as it insulates our mind with happy hormones and refreshes it.

Truly, the struggle is real in the battlefield of the mind and one must not discount it, but it could be worse when we throw our sense of gratitude to the winds.

Yes, we must continue to advocate for peace, love and understanding. We may continue to remain baffled at the unfolding of events around us and wonder how selfishness has gained such toe-hold that it has become a blinding driver that the conscience of society dies one more inch each day.

However, in all these nerve-wracking things going on, we must never forget to uplift ourselves with thanks. We must never forget our sense of inner self-preservation for our true strength does not lie with the guns since we did not come to Earth bearing pistols in our hands.

A heart mired in ingratitude is indeed a bitter place to be. No matter how little, find something positive to be thankful for. Let it all end in praise.

© Jacqueline Oby-Ikocha

Below is my first just published Poetry Book “Out of the silent breath” which is available on Amazon and Smashwords.

When you buy my book, you support me in an invaluable manner.

Stars, Five Stars, Logo, Icon, Symbol, Five, Rating

“Beautiful Poetry of Life and Love.” Amanda

Out of the silent breath

Midnight motivation and musings

Midnight Motivation and Musings 101

jacquelineobyikocha23 Comments


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In ten days, we will be out of the month of June.

The first-half of the year would be done with and we’ll be sliding into the second half.

How have you been holding up with all the plans you set out for this year?

Have you taken the time to take stock and see where you are at?

There’s still a lot of time to get rolling with all those promises you made to yourself  for this year.

Earlier in the year, I published a post ‘why our resolutions are so last season,’ and it might be worth a quick peek.

All the best as you push along. Let me speak a bit of French here:

“Petit à petit, l’oiseau fait son nid.“ Bit by bit, the bird builds it’s nest.

The key word is to get building 🙂

Blessed be.

© Jacqueline Oby-Ikocha

Below is my first just published Poetry Book “Out of the silent breath” which is available on Amazon and Smashwords.

When you buy my book, you support me in an invaluable manner.

‘A Richly Layered and Passionate Read.’ Jan Cliff

Out of the silent breath

Everyday People

Sales! Sales! We love it…Every day beautiful people # 70

jacquelineobyikocha9 Comments

“A bargain ain’t a bargain unless it’s something that you need.” unknown

“Don’t find customers for your products. Find products for your customers.” Seth Godin

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Don’t we all love a good bargain?

Even fella’s are not left out of it 😉

Below is my first just published Poetry Book “Out of the silent breath” which is available on Amazon and Smashwords.

When you buy my book, you support me in an invaluable manner.

 

She is amazing at describing love and life in her poems. She creates such beautiful images with her words. Truly, she is a talented writer and I’m so excited to have her poetry book and to continue reading through it.

Out of the silent breath