Chores and more chores

It has been a very busy day doing chores and running errands. And the time just seems to have flown by. What to do but to thank God for all that has been achieved today?

I have folded some clothes and hang some of them up so that is progress.

Not done much writing but still pressing in and pressing on.

Thank You, Father for today and thank You for Your presence in all ways.

Thank You, Lord, Amen.

My ruffled feathers

This is the time when I wish I could write Twi and pray in that mother tongue as well. The challenge I find myself in means that I am vulnerable to all sorts of criticisms and even though I am the innocent one, I am the one that gets the impatience and the talking down to when I tell people about this particular situation.

Jack Canfield says to take a 100% responsibility for oneself and I do. Though I have not committed the "crimes" involved, I take responsibility for allowing them to take place and just looking on. So I will take the insults and whatever and pick myself up and focus on what needs doing because yes, I am making progress indeed; and let that fact soothe my ruffled feathers into place.

A day at a time, an idea at a time, a step at a time for my God is faithful and will bring me to an expected end if I keep trusting Him and Him alone.

Thank You, Father.

My tennis lesson and my generous coach

I had a tennis lesson today and it was very good. Is it not amazing what goodwill and compliments and kind words can achieve? I know this so well mentally because I respond to these things very well myself and yet it is difficult to use on my kids and I have to keep repenting about being too harsh with them.

Well, my coach today at the lesson was so encouraging and very generous with his compliments. He kept saying how much of a star I was and I kept giggling like a schoolgirl throughout the lesson and of course I learnt a lot during the session.

I really love the game and it is not as easy as it looks to play the game especially with the technical bits but I am in a learning mode for the rest of my life and I hope that I will be able to play a reasonable game of tennis by the end of summer.

Lord, thank You for this opportunity to hit a ball.

Growing steps

I am re-reading Jack Canfield's book called "How to get from where you are to where you want to be". It is a very practical, readable book and at the same time a very deep book. Some of the points he make are that successful people take action and ask questions and do not let rejection get them down.

I am good at asking questions but not so good at taking action or getting up from rejection. Thankfully I am learning rapidly because I have observed that to be true. It is only a few actions that separate the good from the great and it is never too late to start taking action. It is why I keep writing about the daily progress. Even one action daily does so much to add to one's confidence and propels you to the next level, because one fine day you will find yourself at a place where all the little, baby steps have resulted in a giant step.

So I am doing my best to make progress daily and also to keep myself accountable to those who keep encouraging me to move forward. 

Daily progress, taking action, asking questions and learning from those who have gone on before is all part of the growth process.

Thank You, Father for today. Thank You for Your grace and Your mercy.

Thank You once again for today

Thank You once again for today and for being at peace with my friend. Thank You, Father for understanding and also for humility. I am humbled by Your mercy and by Your grace each day. 

Please teach me how to worship You more and more in my waking moments and even in my sleep. May I just worship You constantly. And help me hear from You about how to conduct my affairs, financial affairs especially at the moment.

Thank You, Lord for today, Amen.

Negative emotions

It is really a good thing to give thanks to the Lord and it is a good thing not to make decisions from negative emotions. Being tired, angry, depressed or discouraged are states of being that pass and one must not take decisions when you find yourself in any of those states, or any like crippling emotion.

These days I have stopped struggling with tiredness in the evening and just retire when I feel so tired, I can't do anything. There is no point fighting a certain kind of tiredness and what I find is that I wake up more refreshed and raring to go.

Lord, I thank You for the lessons learnt daily. The next one is to live at peace with all men all the time.

Thank You for today and for Your goodness and Your faithfulness.

Thank You.

Another day...

Today has been another day; started off very well with my lesson. The student is not as weak as her mother thinks and I believe there is time to prepare her for her exam in May. A day at a time with lots of prayers and also attention to detail. We had about a 2 hour lesson today because I wanted to go through a whole paper with her. It was a good lesson, I feel. Lord, lead me.

Then the afternoon was spent on shopping and being told off again by a good friend; I am beginning to think I must just chill and have some results to show one way or the other. I feel like a spare coin who is constantly going from one person to another with one sad tale after the other. Maybe it is not quite as awful as that but you get my point; I have to have something to show for all my talk.

Lord, without You I can't do it and I need You to teach me and direct me; please help me fulfil my destiny. Help me, please. I am at that point now of just wanting to lead a quiet, calm, non-intrusive life which affects other people in only the most positive ways.

Thank You, Father.

Back on track

Today has been a much better day for me; feeling lighter in spirit and in feet as well and I have had a good day overall. Thanks be to God for that. 

I have been jotting down some thoughts to do with the writing so we are back on track. God is good. I went for my tennis lesson today which was cool but my jogging bottoms are not cool at all. I really must get something more flattering and something that holds me in a bit and does not let me look flabby. The ladies I was playing with today looked so taut and I was looking like a sack; not good at all. Well, I enjoyed the session very much and hope that next week I will not be scooting off in the way I did today.

It was good to despatch some medicines a friend wanted to send to Ghana and I feel like one good deed done.

Thank you, O Lord for Your grace and Your mercy.

Thank You, Father.

Distractions

I have been distracted for about a week now with issues that I thought were resolved. One cannot assume things for another person at all; you can only be responsible for yourself, for your emotions and for your responses to other people's pettiness and nonsense.

Anyway, trying to regroup and get back on track with my daily progress in all areas. Life is not set in stone and when curveballs come your way, either dodge them or throw them back!

Just get back on track, Nana, you were doing so well. Indeed.

Life is really simple

In my opinion, life can be really simple and one can live in relative peace with all men and women. Life is a matter of choices and one does not need to bow down to the conventions and norms of society if one is not so inclined.

I think a lot of us complicate our lives by not being sure in our hearts what really matters to us but rather go down the route of the wide and broad and choose to do what others are doing. And since those choices do not resonate with us, we tie ourselves into knots about what we have and don't have and strive to meet the expectations of others.

How liberating it is to live true to yourself and do what you know really matters to you. And a lot of times it is not about money; it is about the value that you place on your choices.

I am not where I want to be yet but I have unshackled myself from what people think or say. 

I choose to do the things that speak to my heart and above all to please the Father in all things.

Thank You, Father that Your grace makes life really simple, even when I am going through challenging times like this evening.

A poem from November 2007

Temperament theory

One of my pet loves is reading about temperaments and though there are several methods or theories surrounding personalities, the one I am familiar with is the four temperament theory. I picked up a book today on these temperaments and it has been great fun revisiting some of this knowledge.

It is a tool I have found invaluable in understanding what makes me tick. Some people think it boxes them in but I find it liberating to know why I do what I do. Knowing your temperament is not an end in itself; to me it is just the beginning to an interesting journey and discovery to being the best you. With God's Help, I want to be the best me that I can and I yield completely to the discipline of His Word.

Thank You for Your discipline, Father. Thank You for today.

2nd day of coaching

It has been another amazing day for me, away from the family enjoying my time on the coaching course. Not a jot of guilt because I know we are all going to benefit from my time away on both these weekends ( last weekend being the one for writing)  and I am definitely going to have something to show for it this year.

I have finally broken through the comfort barrier and know that the Lord has done a marvellous work in me, providing answers and direction through the people around me and also through the materials I have been coming across.

No, I haven't reached the end point but I feel like "second wind" time in this phase of my life. Seedtime, planting time and preparation time all happening now and the anticipation and expectation of the fruits from these seeds. 

As Ephesians 3:20 says, the Lord does more than we can ever ask or imagine in abundance. I am anticipating much more than I can imagine and as the verse 21 says in the same chapter of the same book, to Him alone be the glory due His Holy Name.

What else can I say but thank you for this season I am in?

Thank You, Father, thank You, Jesus, thank You, Holy Spirit.

Coaching event

Today I attended the first day of a 2 day coaching event and it was very good. It has made me a bit subdued and thoughtful this evening and in a very quiet way, for the first time in a very long time, I now am feeling very much like all things are indeed possible with God's Help. I believe I have made strides in getting more independent and disciplined with myself. I am truly grateful for that since it has been a long time wondering around in the desert.

I have to have something to show for this year, definitely. There are many who have invested their time in me and their emotional energy in encouraging me and touting my wares, so I have to deliver.

Tomorrow is another long day but with God's grace we will go through it and have something to show for it. Thank You, Lord for Your infinite compassion and mercy.

Daily progress

I seem to be writing about daily progress so much since my resolution to follow that path instead of setting myself impossible datelines and now I am almost getting to the point of excitement about it because it is working for me and I am not getting myself worked up about what others feel I should have achieved by now. Much better to learn how to motivate myself each day than to try what others think will work for me.

I have been out a lot today but I still managed to send out today's column even if no one will read it and I am also writing this blog. Small achievements but big in my books because I am operating above my emotions and feelings at this point.

I am so grateful, Father, that unlike human beings, You always give a second chance and a third and a fourth and even more. Thank You, Father for another chance to break through with the writing. Hallelujah to Your Holy Name, Amen!

My visit to my mentor

I went to visit my spiritual mentor today and as always it was a blessing. I always enjoy being with her because she is such an encourager and always has something new to share. New as in a fresh revelation of the Word of God and I treasure that a lot. She is very excited about the new levels she is reaching and I am excited about that because it means if I listen to her diligently and put into practice the things she talks about, I will also reach those higher echelons too. And she is constantly asking me about the writing too which is always nice.

Thank You, Father for Your grace and the mighty work that you are doing in our lives.

The goodness of the Lord

I have been praying that the Lord teach me how to praise and worship Him much more so that I just close my eyes and I find myself in Him; and being as faithful and as loving as He is, He is leading me.

I bought some praise and worship music in an Oxfam shop yesterday and it was quite a find. I need to speak of His goodness and testify to His faithfulness, His love and His mercy. He is always providing and He has never failed me before. It is an exciting time in my life as I am learning from my spiritual mentor and she is growing in her leaps and bounds herself and being ushered into her destiny.

It is humbling, it is exciting and it is awesome. Lord, I need You more and more in my life. Please help me heed Your Voice and what You are leading me into.

Thank You, Father in the Name of Jesus.

The day's report

It has been a very busy day which has whizzed by in a sort of blur. I need to centre myself to seek the Lord more aggressively once again. I think being busy over the weekend has kind of made it seem like I have been away for a long time.

Didn't manage to finish the cooking especially because of the lack of working equipment but made a good start which I hope to finish tomorrow.

It has been a long day and my eyes need some rest now. Thank You, Father for today and for reminding me that hearers deceive themselves but doers actually grow.

Thank You for Your faithfulness and Your kindness to me.

Thank You.

Travellers Tales weekend festival

Yesterday was another amazing day at the Travellers Tales festival and yes, I got to meet Alexander McCall Smith. What an elegant, charming gentleman! He was such an entertaining speaker and I believe everyone who heard him was touched by his grace.

I enjoyed the day very much and the whole event very much and know that it will be one of those markers in my life. We are in the merry month of March now and time is ticking by which I am aware of so I have to be using those pockets of time properly and get some writing done anytime I can sit to write.

A word at a time, sustained efforts and focus on a few things will get me to the appointed destinations. 

Thank You, Father for yesterday's opportunity.