Learning the ropes

I am back again today to post something short which I will explore later. Staying at home to take care of one's children does give people the impression you are doing nothing because you do not go out to work for money.

Since January I have been ferrying the kids back and forth and I know very well how tiring that is, and how little time that leaves me with, to focus on the writing. I am not complaining at all and rather feel privileged to be in this position. However if I am to fulfil my writing dreams, no matter how humble they may be, I will have to let this annoying assumption slide off me and get myself writing during the pockets of time I get. I am still learning.

Making the most of what you have

Make the most of what you have; this is something I have been telling the boys over a few months now when they are moaning about what they don't have and it is advice I have to take myself. As the saying goes, the grass always looks greener on the other side and it is easy to overlook the abundance in one's own life.

A few years ago I used to write a list of things to be grateful for each morning and it was interesting to see the list grow as I started writing but as with all good habits I have started, I have dropped it for no apparent reason. Someone has a bigger car and you forget that your old jalopy has driven you thousands of miles faithfully without any mishap. It is raining the whole week and you forget the two weeks before were warm and sunny. In my case, I have lots of good books to read and yet I go out searching for something to read.

Very easy to lose sight of the blessings in one's life until you hear something that convicts you or prompts you to remember what you have.

Make the most of what you have and when you get more added to you, your attitude will continue to be that of gratitude.

Thank You, Father for all that I have, Amen.

Grit your teeth, Nana

I had been feeling a little blue this evening but I am feeling much better now; a bit of prayer and also reading something by TD Jakes. Determination comes from deep within and no one else can make it happen for you but yourself. I know that, but sometimes, something happens and it cements your decision even more.

Restoration and recreation and recapturing of the independent me.

2008, here I come with God's grace.

Thanksgiving and sleep

I went out today, hoping to do some writing and ended up doing some shopping; necessary but I suddenly felt very tired and had to come home. I think I need some quality sleep. It is not always comfortable sleeping with a baby and Baby Sarah has to learn to sleep in her cot by herself.
Whatever the case, I am doing my best to focus and stick to the writing regime. Tomorrow is out for a library session but we can start again on Friday.
Thank You, Lord for Your grace.

What am I waiting for?

Sometimes it takes a really horrid event to cement things for you. The husband of someone I know from university took his life a few weeks ago and I have been wondering what drove him to such lengths. What makes us stay in a state of unhappiness until it is too late?
Fear, basically. Fear in various ways and I shudder to think that I would live under such a cloud that I would despair of life itself. Life abundant is Jesus's promise to us in John 10:10, that famous passage.
I receive that promise by faith and continue to seek to walk in the paths aright for me. Baby step at a time with each passing day. I cannot live under a cloud and be unhappy or discontent because I know I am not being true to what I believe God has put on my heart.
I own my vision of abundant life in Jesus' Mighty Name, Amen.

Passion for living

In the past few weeks I have watched parts of 2 old films as I have been trying to put the little lady to sleep and both have included some of my favourite actors, Julia Roberts and Morgan Freeman. Morgan Freeman, I almost literally droll over for his coolness and his charisma and presence on the screen. With Julia, it is her passion and her smile. Well, during the week I read an interview of Morgan and enjoyed learning a bit more about my almost favourite man. In his early years of acting, he struggled a lot with getting good parts and he muddled along until getting his first break as it were. To hear other actors rave about him and watch his performances, you would not think he had had it rough. And Harrison Ford has a similar experience to tell. In both cases, their passions kept them going in the faces of challenges, disappointments and difficulties.

Somehow it reminded me of the first year of being in England and how things were so strange to me and how lonely I was during the day with virtually no one to talk to. In an attempt to keep me occupied and my grey cells working, Michael paid for a basic accounting course for me. And yes, with my Maths background I was getting all the answerers right but was so bored and couldn’t understand why anyone would want to be an accountant. It was boring because there was no passion in there for me. It was just something to fill in the gap.

A few years later I read about a lady who was passionate about accounts and she explained it this way. “When I look at the accounts of an individual or a business it gives me a story about how money was been spent. A meal, an outing, books, investment, presents, etc, etc. I just get a thrill and a buzz from seeing how other people live and spend their money.” To say I was amazed would be an understatement. It was a light bulb moment for me. It just taught me that I had no business calling something boring when I had no passion for it.

If you do have passion for the things you are involved in, you somehow find the energy to keep going with it and you are energized when you talk about it or engage in this activity.

Just as the old adage says that an apple a day keeps the doctor away, I think a little passion each day will keep you youthful, hopeful and joyful.

God bless you all and enjoy your weekend.

Breakthrough nigh

This morning I woke up with the distinct feeling that a breakthrough is nigh very soon. I hope it is in the area of writing but I'll take anything. And I called a friend up in Ghana who said she has lots of ideas to share.
What a privilege to have a friend.
Thank You, Father for Your Word, Amen.

Exasperation

Sometimes I get exasperated when people view me as a mother only or a wife only or as someone who must have loads of time on her hands because I am a stay-at-home mum. Yes, I am all those but I am also an individual, just as I was before I got married or had kids or made the decision to stay at home to take care of the kids. I am a writer and a teacher and I would sometimes love to be able to sit and prepare a lesson thoroughly or just be able to sit and read and write without interruption from kids or husband but that is rare. Unless I go on holiday alone or bundle the family up and foist them on someone with the capacity to entertain, I have to make do with the times I get. I do understand that very well but it is still frustrating sometimes when people expect you to be able to remember all things mundane and related to them just because they perceive you in a certain light.
It is making a lot of sense now why a lot of experienced writers say that if you do not take yourself seriously as a writer, no one will. It is true indeed, especially with family, both nuclear and extended, who see you in a certain light.
At least I have vented out some of that frustration over here and I hope to translate that into a longer article later on in the day.
I am a writer, I shouldn't forget that or minimize it. I am a writer by God's grace and giftings, Amen.
I am a writer.

It is well

It has been a few frustrating days. I have had good intentions about writing but haven't done much about it. One must keep on keeping on. That seems to be my mantra for this year. Keep persevering and hope that you will experience a breakthrough soon.
1000 words each day or 15 minutes each day. I have to keep trying to do something that makes me feel proud by the time I go to bed and also to do something that brings glory to God on this planet.
It is well.

Thank You, Father

Yesterday was a good day for me; I noticed a lot of things that I have to adjust in myself internally. I have lots of good ideas but I have to be consistent in their application and stop looking at circumstances which get me discouraged. I have to press forward and stop looking backwards.
I am writing a lot of the lessons in my journal so that I can refer to them again for I will have to. It is a good thing to be reproved by The Holy Spirit.
God is good and I shall post another entry today, I believe. I have to keep up the momentum.
God bless Nana Yaa, Amen.

Self-sabotage and getting up again

It has been one of those weeks where I have been making internal resolutions and then breaking them; and also asking where to start from with all the books I have to read and also wondering about the preparation for Saturday school .

Decisions, decisions, decisions. So many of them to make, so few that will make the crucial changes. I keep praying for wisdom and believe that I receive it.

Somehow I have also failed miserably at keeping the weight off and I suspect that I am eating out of boredom. Self-sabotage once again. Thankfully I am hopeful that I can still get back into a walking regime so tomorrow I am going to do take a walk before I start the ever-present housework.

And we have had a lovely time with Kofi who went back tonight. On Saturday my mom will also be leaving.

Thank You, Lord for family and also for the weeks of summer left to help me regroup.

Thank You so much.

Writing gaps

It has been hectic around here for the usual reasons and I think now I certainly do feel like having lots of children to deal with. On the other hand I also feel like it is a phase and when the little lady is a bit more independent and I am a bit more organized, I will not feel so tired and pressured for time.
Then I will be able to blog more regularly and get into the groove. Thank God for His grace that abounds.
Amen.

Keep holding on

A few weeks ago, I decided to try to write for 15 minutes each day and it has not been possible to do that every single day. I have not even been able to blog each day and I am doing my best to stay positive about it even though I am sad inside . This phase shall pass and I will rebuild what disipline has been lost. Like I heard a woman of God say the difference between a dream and a destiny is that you can walk away from a dream but not your destiny.
Now it would be presumptuous at the moment to say I know what my destiiny is though I know it is something to do with Ghana but I know that I am constantly thinking about the writing and have things in my mind to try. Somehow I get to the PC sometimes and because I haven’t jotted my thoughts down, they have flown away but I have to persevere and keep learning and picking myself up after barren periods and times like these. Keep the faith and keep holding on and pick myself up.
Writing, Ghana, teaching, etc etc. I cannot walk away from my destiny so I keep getting up.
They that wait upon the Lord renew their strength indeed.

Stir myself up

Living by principle and not by emotion is what I am striving to learn this year. I just made a startling discovery that everyone also goes through negative emotions like I do! ( As if you didn’t know that!)

Is it not interesting that you sometimes know something mentally without actually comprehending the fact? Even the great writers have days on which they would rather sleep or vegetate but they show up behind their notebooks or computers and they write! I will not be the first one who is writing without inspiaration. The thing about a gift is that if you stir it up, it will respond. I believe that is why Paul told Timothy to stir up the gift within him. If you do not nurture what talents and gifts the Lord has bestowed on you, they will wither and remain dormant until such time that you work on them.

So it is important for me to stir up the writing and believe that the good Lord who gave it to me will also make a way for me to use it to His glory alone!

I am stirring myself up with every piece I write. Glory be to His Name, Amen.

Liberation Day

Yesterday was Liberation Day. I managed to do what I didn’t think I could do or rather hadn’t thought to do. There are no limits in God indeed. He is the Maker of Heaven and Earth and He lives in me! Hallelujah!
And all things are possible to them that believe!
I always am amazed at how much more there is to learn about God because He is immortal. And those who dare experience great and mighty things in Him.
He is awesome!

Bits and pieces

It is sometimes a bit frustrating for me to do things in bits and pieces especially when I am in the mood to do so but I have to get used to it. Such is the way of all mothers and I will not be the first who has to learn how to make do with the little time that I get in between tasks.
I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.

Being ready

I read a book called King Rat several years back and though I have forgotten the story, I remember that part of it was set in a prison camp and there was a particular guy who could get you anything you wanted at the right price. A bit like Red in The Shawshank Redemption. And he was appropriately known as the King Rat and almost revered among the prisoners for his connections and power in the camp. Like all kingdoms that are man-made, his reign came to an end when the war was over and the prisoners freed and King Rat was almost depressed about getting out. He was going out into a world where he would be king no more and as ordinary as anyone else on the streets. In captivity he had been king but in freedom he would be a commoner.

Letting go when you are used to being in control or authority is never easy; parents go through that in several stages when their child is no longer a baby, like the little lady who is completely dependent on me at this stage. Your child starts that journey to school and gradually through life, they find other people they want to hang out with and you are no longer the only person they listen to. It can happen during the change of government when one party ousts the other and a minister finds himself now having no voice, as it were, to sway millions to vote for him; he is now almost as common as anyone else on the street.

Jesus commended the shrewd steward who made friends with his master’s debtors for the time ahead when his master would kick him out of his job. I find that parable fascinating on different levels; not because I think Jesus was commending the dishonesty of the steward but there is an element of readiness, preparedness and anticipation all in the mix over there and much more. Jesus said this steward was shrewd because he had thought long-term instead of short-term.

A parent can put in the hours and time and love to make sure that even when the child is hearing other people, his will be the one that guides the child. There are several instances in the Bible where you can see this preparedness for the times ahead. Anna and Simeon waiting to see the Messiah. The ten virgins waiting for the bridegroom. Isaac sowing in the time of famine. The ant gathering food in summer. The church getting ready for the Second Coming of Christ.

A day at a time, diligently working towards what images you have or dreams in your heart.Every day is a gift to you to get ready for where you are headed towards,Nana.

The ball is in my court.

Amen.

Proverbs 24:10

I recently noticed Proverbs 24:10 anew and I have been thinking about it ever since .
Troubles come, hard times come, adversity comes to all; it is your response to what comes knocking that will determine how strong you are.
In this month of challenges with health, I have sometimes wanted to throw my hands up in the air and this verse comes to mind so I press on with faith, willing to believe that God is faithful and a healing God too.
I want to be strong, I will to be strong.
Thank God for His abundant grace forevermore, Amen.