Fw: RISING ABOVE THE STORM

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-----Original Message-----
From: verasquest@gmail.com
Date: Sun, 31 Jul 2016 20:18:05
To: <Urielelisha.igwe@blogger.com>
Reply-To: verasquest@gmail.com
Subject: RISING ABOVE THE STORM

Today I'm going to share a story actually two stories of two people that had every reason to stay defeated because of what life dished out to them, something that they had no control over. One is a story of a girl who became deaf at age 3 from an overdose of a drug but eventually became a lawyer and the other a guy who had incomplete fingers on both hands but still became a drummer.

Before we get there, let me let you into my secret. Its been with me for longer than I can remember,just a couple of friends or those really close to me that know about it.
I'm partially deaf on both ears! Yeah I am. I wasn't born that way but I noticed it when I was in school that I couldn't hear well, except it was really loud or I was close enough to read your lips. This challenge had made me avoid the company of people,because you may have to repeat your self over again for me to get what you're saying or talk loud. That can be frustrating, especially when you see the look on people's face that shows that they aren't enjoying the conversation because they have to repeat themselves over again so I can hear.

I could have chosen to let that make me feel defeated and angry and ended up been less than who God has made me to be and quit on life,but I have made a choice to rise above my shame and make the most of life because truth be told, there is more to life than my two ears. There is more I can achieve and become so I chose not to focus on what I can't do, but what I can do. I chose to thank God for eyes,for hands for a creative mind and for God himself. That's my challenge to you today. Rise above the challenges and chose to focus on your strength then make the most of it.

So here's the story of first the Deaf lady who became a Lawyer and the Guy with the incomplete finger who became a drummer.

Enjoy:

Gotten from www.punch.com
July 30th 2016
Catherine Edeh

Catherine Edeh, who was recently called to bar, tells Nonye Ben-Nwankwo how she overcame her disability to study law in Nigeria

How do you feel achieving this feat of becoming a lawyer despite living with hearing impairment?

I feel more than good.  I have always echoed into every listening ear that there is nothing like 'disability'. People you see around on wheelchairs and crutches, with white sticks and dark glasses, those whose main languages are signs and gestures, do not live with disabilities in the sense many see them. We have so much potential but we need acceptance, support and encouragement from the society to be the best we can.

What was your dream while growing up?

Growing up as a kid, I did not have the dream of becoming a lawyer. I disliked lawyers because in my naive mentality, I always pictured them as callous people who made the innocent suffer. Right from primary three, I aimed to be a nurse; the rationale behind this being that unlike lawyers who hurt and victimise innocent people, nurses care for and cure people. I wanted to heal bodies and souls of sick and suffering people. But the devil struck. I became ill and went deaf in primary five. Subsequently, my family lost interest in sponsoring my education. I was asked to go and learn either sewing or hairdressing which I flatly turned down. To register his seriousness in his decision that I should leave school and go into sewing/hairdressing apprenticeship, my late dad refused to sponsor my common entrance examination when I was in primary six.

Months after my First School Leaving Certificate Examination, I was enrolled into a commercial school because I flatly stood my ground that I must go to school, deafness or no deafness.  This however killed my dream of becoming a nurse because the commercial school I was admitted into did not offer physics and chemistry.

How did you become deaf since it wasn't from birth?

It was accidental, a resultant effect of a high dose of chloramphenicol injection administered on me when I was very ill as a kid and was hospitalised at University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital, Enugu.

How have you been able to cope with it?

Initially, I used to hide the fact that I was deaf from as many people as I could, because of the stigma. But I thank God for the divine pathway He paved that led me first to Federal College of Education (Special), Oyo, where I was truly rehabilitated, orientated and re-orientated. Today, I manage my deafness very well because I understand almost everything relating to deafness and deaf people.

How was growing up as a deaf child?

Growing up as a deaf child was very challenging. This was because after I became deaf, I neither got rehabilitated as early as possible nor joined the deaf community till 12 years later when I got admitted into Federal College of Education (Special) Oyo where I started interacting with deaf colleagues and learning sign language. It has been an interesting and rewarding journey since then. Nevertheless, despite the challenges I had before I proceeded to Oyo for NCE in Special Education, I had supportive friends I met during my commercial school days, and my family, neighbours and relatives who believed in me and would always go out of their ways to make me feel comfortable, happy and protected.

Were there people who tried to discourage you by telling you that you wouldn't make it?

Yes, there were many people who tried to discourage me with their pessimism. But then, I had already been fully rehabilitated at Federal College of Education (Special) Oyo. I had grown to understand myself and the society. I had been tasked with the responsibility to go out and change the pessimistic views about disability of many in the society. So advocacy was my weapon against pessimists.

The schools I attended however were strong pillars of support to me. I made use of interpreters throughout my university and Law School programmes, with the total support of the schools. More importantly, they were financially responsible for the remuneration of the sign language interpreters and speech to text caption provider I used, thus making me the first deaf Nigerian/West African female to make use of the system, and even influence Law School to start adopting the system. I did not for once hide my deafness from any of the school authorities.

How easy was it with your studies?

It was not easy. Studying Law is a very difficult task for those who are not deaf. To a completely deaf person, the challenges can be argued to be ten times greater. I passed through so much unspeakable stress. But all these need to be kept behind. The fact that I have been admitted into the Bar has rewarded my efforts.

Were there times you were mocked or ridiculed when you were younger?

Yes, there were numerous occasions. It was not easy growing up as a deaf child in the SouthEast without rehabilitation. But I thank God all these are now in the past. I have been rehabilitated. The mockery or ridicule I passed through for over ten years before my rehabilitation also helped to remold and strengthen me a lot. So today, ridicule or whatever it may be no longer gets at me. Everywhere I find myself, I make it my primary responsibility to advocate for inclusion. The gallon of tears I have shed every night in solitude for so many years and the stigma have taught me that if I continue subjecting myself to endless tears without taking steps to redress the injustice, things will never change... My slogan throughout was 'Winners never quit and quitters never win' and 'Today's pain is tomorrow's gain...

STORY TWO
THE STORY BEGINS
Years ago in the 1980's I was born into the family of MR & MRS ALLY, a less prevailage home where we grew up happily and contented with the little we had.
I was born with a great challenge which made people say i will not be able to do anything with my hands and will not be able to even walk on my feet, but God in his mercy gave me grace and one day I stood up on my feet and walked. My family was so happy because I was not a cripple. I grew up loving music and drums became my favourite. Today I play drums so well with those same hands that was said I couldn't use to do anything. Sometimes I wonder why it has to be me when I watch and listen to some of my recordings both live and studio, but all glory goes to him
God has been faithful and gracious to me. I may not be where I want to be but the truth is that I am still not where I use to be. Believe in yourself, trust in God and have faith. All praise to the giver of gifts and talents(GOD) almighty. I will forever praise him with the gifts he gave me. I LOVE YOU LORD
They had every reason to be angry at God and stay angry but though they got angry but didn't stay angry. They rose above their 'defect' and are making a change.

What about you?

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RISING ABOVE THE STORM

Today I'm going to share a story actually two stories of two people that had every reason to stay defeated because of what life dished out to them, something that they had no control over. One is a story of a girl who became deaf at age 3 from an overdose of a drug but eventually became a lawyer and the other a guy who had incomplete fingers on both hands but still became a drummer.

Before we get there, let me let you into my secret. Its been with me for longer than I can remember,just a couple of friends or those really close to me that know about it.
I'm partially deaf on both ears! Yeah I am. I wasn't born that way but I noticed it when I was in school that I couldn't hear well, except it was really loud or I was close enough to read your lips. This challenge had made me avoid the company of people,because you may have to repeat your self over again for me to get what you're saying or talk loud. That can be frustrating, especially when you see the look on people's face that shows that they aren't enjoying the conversation because they have to repeat themselves over again so I can hear.

I could have chosen to let that make me feel defeated and angry and ended up been less than who God has made me to be and quit on life,but I have made a choice to rise above my shame and make the most of life because truth be told, there is more to life than my two ears. There is more I can achieve and become so I chose not to focus on what I can't do, but what I can do. I chose to thank God for eyes,for hands for a creative mind and for God himself. That's my challenge to you today. Rise above the challenges and chose to focus on your strength then make the most of it.

So here's the story of first the Deaf lady who became a Lawyer and the Guy with the incomplete finger who became a drummer.

Enjoy:

Gotten from www.punch.com
July 30th 2016
Catherine Edeh

Catherine Edeh, who was recently called to bar, tells Nonye Ben-Nwankwo how she overcame her disability to study law in Nigeria

How do you feel achieving this feat of becoming a lawyer despite living with hearing impairment?

I feel more than good.  I have always echoed into every listening ear that there is nothing like 'disability'. People you see around on wheelchairs and crutches, with white sticks and dark glasses, those whose main languages are signs and gestures, do not live with disabilities in the sense many see them. We have so much potential but we need acceptance, support and encouragement from the society to be the best we can.

What was your dream while growing up?

Growing up as a kid, I did not have the dream of becoming a lawyer. I disliked lawyers because in my naive mentality, I always pictured them as callous people who made the innocent suffer. Right from primary three, I aimed to be a nurse; the rationale behind this being that unlike lawyers who hurt and victimise innocent people, nurses care for and cure people. I wanted to heal bodies and souls of sick and suffering people. But the devil struck. I became ill and went deaf in primary five. Subsequently, my family lost interest in sponsoring my education. I was asked to go and learn either sewing or hairdressing which I flatly turned down. To register his seriousness in his decision that I should leave school and go into sewing/hairdressing apprenticeship, my late dad refused to sponsor my common entrance examination when I was in primary six.

Months after my First School Leaving Certificate Examination, I was enrolled into a commercial school because I flatly stood my ground that I must go to school, deafness or no deafness.  This however killed my dream of becoming a nurse because the commercial school I was admitted into did not offer physics and chemistry.

How did you become deaf since it wasn't from birth?

It was accidental, a resultant effect of a high dose of chloramphenicol injection administered on me when I was very ill as a kid and was hospitalised at University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital, Enugu.

How have you been able to cope with it?

Initially, I used to hide the fact that I was deaf from as many people as I could, because of the stigma. But I thank God for the divine pathway He paved that led me first to Federal College of Education (Special), Oyo, where I was truly rehabilitated, orientated and re-orientated. Today, I manage my deafness very well because I understand almost everything relating to deafness and deaf people.

How was growing up as a deaf child?

Growing up as a deaf child was very challenging. This was because after I became deaf, I neither got rehabilitated as early as possible nor joined the deaf community till 12 years later when I got admitted into Federal College of Education (Special) Oyo where I started interacting with deaf colleagues and learning sign language. It has been an interesting and rewarding journey since then. Nevertheless, despite the challenges I had before I proceeded to Oyo for NCE in Special Education, I had supportive friends I met during my commercial school days, and my family, neighbours and relatives who believed in me and would always go out of their ways to make me feel comfortable, happy and protected.

Were there people who tried to discourage you by telling you that you wouldn't make it?

Yes, there were many people who tried to discourage me with their pessimism. But then, I had already been fully rehabilitated at Federal College of Education (Special) Oyo. I had grown to understand myself and the society. I had been tasked with the responsibility to go out and change the pessimistic views about disability of many in the society. So advocacy was my weapon against pessimists.

The schools I attended however were strong pillars of support to me. I made use of interpreters throughout my university and Law School programmes, with the total support of the schools. More importantly, they were financially responsible for the remuneration of the sign language interpreters and speech to text caption provider I used, thus making me the first deaf Nigerian/West African female to make use of the system, and even influence Law School to start adopting the system. I did not for once hide my deafness from any of the school authorities.

How easy was it with your studies?

It was not easy. Studying Law is a very difficult task for those who are not deaf. To a completely deaf person, the challenges can be argued to be ten times greater. I passed through so much unspeakable stress. But all these need to be kept behind. The fact that I have been admitted into the Bar has rewarded my efforts.

Were there times you were mocked or ridiculed when you were younger?

Yes, there were numerous occasions. It was not easy growing up as a deaf child in the SouthEast without rehabilitation. But I thank God all these are now in the past. I have been rehabilitated. The mockery or ridicule I passed through for over ten years before my rehabilitation also helped to remold and strengthen me a lot. So today, ridicule or whatever it may be no longer gets at me. Everywhere I find myself, I make it my primary responsibility to advocate for inclusion. The gallon of tears I have shed every night in solitude for so many years and the stigma have taught me that if I continue subjecting myself to endless tears without taking steps to redress the injustice, things will never change... My slogan throughout was 'Winners never quit and quitters never win' and 'Today's pain is tomorrow's gain...

STORY TWO
THE STORY BEGINS
Years ago in the 1980's I was born into the family of MR & MRS ALLY, a less prevailage home where we grew up happily and contented with the little we had.
I was born with a great challenge which made people say i will not be able to do anything with my hands and will not be able to even walk on my feet, but God in his mercy gave me grace and one day I stood up on my feet and walked. My family was so happy because I was not a cripple. I grew up loving music and drums became my favourite. Today I play drums so well with those same hands that was said I couldn't use to do anything. Sometimes I wonder why it has to be me when I watch and listen to some of my recordings both live and studio, but all glory goes to him
God has been faithful and gracious to me. I may not be where I want to be but the truth is that I am still not where I use to be. Believe in yourself, trust in God and have faith. All praise to the giver of gifts and talents(GOD) almighty. I will forever praise him with the gifts he gave me. I LOVE YOU LORD
They had every reason to be angry at God and stay angry but though they got angry but didn't stay angry. They rose above their 'defect' and are making a change.

What about you?

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Memoirs of first time mummy Day2

After baby was born,something went wrong! He didn't cry!!!
What? After all my pushing? No tears?
N!o it can't be happening!
The doctors/nurses went to work to get him to cry or else it would mean something bad had happened or something really bad was about to happen...

They hit him several times,used a sharp object to pierce his side and my eyes was wide open,my ears waiting impatiently for that one sound! I asked the Doctor what was going on but she said if for the next five minutes nothing is heard,it would be bad new!!!!

Oh dear! I fainted!!!! You mean after all this stress this baby will now come and go and die...
No way Man!!!

Two minutes that looked like eternity passed and finally he cried!!!

My joy knew no bound! I forgot the pain that I felt earlier as I held the baby in my arms. he didn't even want to be fed,he just wanted to be cuddled...and cuddling I gave him.

But his crying didn't end. He cried to the point that people thought I did something to him. One nurse even asked me, "madam you pinch the pikin?".
What was I to answer. I was too weak to give a reply, he cried and slept off then woke up and picked up from where he stopped. To the point that after I was discharged, my name became "that madam wey him pikin dey cry all night"
Lolzzz I wouldn't blame them, as long as I had my baby in hand and he was alive every other thing was irrelevant.

Two days later we got home,happy and sound but he was still interested in singing the song of his people...

To be continued!

Hope you are enjoying the story so far?
Cheers!
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CAKEspiration...
Cake lovers... This is for you! Enjoy

Feed your eyes and mind. Hope it inspires you to be more creative..

Have fun!
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MEMOIRS OF A FIRST TIME MOMMY

DAY1.
"Eh, you mean its a male doctor that will 'shock' his hands inside my VG and start the induction. Ha! No oh"

"What of that female nurse na?..."

Well that was me about 48hours before our son was born still making mouth upandan...lolzz.
Let me take you to the beginning how it all began...

I went to the hospital that day for my normal routine checkup as I was already 38 weeks gone. It was on a monday and my EDD(expected date of delivery)was two days away on wednesday. There was no sign of labor yet save for the normal feeling of carrying a heavy 'load' and waiting to 'drop' it soon.

The story soon changed when I got to the hospital. I was told that my blood pressure was dangerously high,something had to be done else the baby was going to be affected tremendously, so I had to be put on admission and induced and soon the preparatory process for induction began...

Nothing happened the first two days after the male doctor has inserted the little induction drugs inside me. I was busy smiling 'Upandan' and browsing with my phone and even greeting the women in labor until the early hours of wednesday morning, my son decided to look for my trouble. Labor started!!!

"Madam how are you feeling" the nurse asked when she noticed the wince on my face. My response: "its paining me oh!!!!"

Oh dear! It began and I soon forgot my name or where my phone was. I was pulling my hair and screaming "HELP"!!!!!!!!!
I was rushed to the labor ward and saw other ladies who cursed their husbands, their lives and their first sons due to the pain they were feeling. Trust me sometimes, your reasoning is thrown out the window I had to laugh in the midst of my own pain, it was hilarious!

Things started out slowly and soon it started out fast like I was going to burst open in the next moment. And then came the announcement that I was fully "dilated"

"Oya Madam Push..."
And I pushed.... First time, second time and the third. I gave up,I told them I'm not doing again that they should just kill me. One kind nurse slapped me hard and shouted "so you wan kill your pikin?" Oya push.

I gathered my self again and pushed. What came out was an embarrassment. I was trying to bring the young man out from my stomach, he had other plans in mind. Instead of coming out he pushed my "poo poo" out.

Oh dear! I could see the grimace on the faces of the nurses... Chai!!! I don suffer. I apologized a thousand times to them because to be honest eh! It smelled awfully. Lolzzz it aint my fault. Its the baby within... The doctor told me not to apologize that the nurses were paid to clean us the mess, but on their faces I was dead meat if they had the chance to let me be one.(Thank God for doctor...)

After a couple more poo poo filled pushes, He finally arrived!!!!
Our son was born and I immediately forgot all the pain and embarrassment I felt...but something wasn't right...

To be continued

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I bet a lot of us has watched the movie Pirate of the Caribbean.
I loved that movie a lot and it would rank as one of my best movies so far.

But did you know that Johnny Depp (that is Captain Jack Sparrow character) was told that he was ruining the movie with the way he was acting?
The Disney executives actually told him that he was confusing them.

His response was epic! He told them that they should actually trust him or let him go!

Wow!!! He didn't 'beg'. He knew his worth and he was confident in himself that he knew what he was doing.
That made them trust him and honestly I can say the movies was a hit because of his role and the way he acted out his role.

I said this to say this, that there is something unique and special about you!
Yes you! Everybody under heaven created by God has something unique about them. You may not know that now but you are unique.

Find your uniqueness and stick to it.
Don't get caught up in the light of others that you forget to be you.

You are different and unique in your own way. Stick to it and make the most of that uniqueness while you can. There are a lot of people waiting for you. Waiting to receive that bit that only you can give.

Don't disappoint them, they are waiting for you.

Shallom!

Please feel free to share if this has blessed you!
Cheers
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This got me cracking...
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MEMOIRS of a FIRST TIME MUMMY

So for the next couple of days,I would be sharing with you a few personal experiences of my son and I. The laughters, joy and fun and yes pains we have had together. So stick around this page for more and feel free to share yours too.
Cheers!
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WORSHIP GONE WRONG

In today's world, some christians engage in a wrong habit that Paul frowned at in the church of those days. That is they tend to magnify the preacher above Christ. We see that a lot today. Some people have even taken it a step further, they go to a particular church because a particular pastor would preach that day or that sunday.
Don't get me wrong its good to love preacher and the way they share their message.

However, it soon becomes a problem when you start to feel or think that one preacher is 'important' or 'better' than another.
To drive this home better, let me tell you a conversation I had with a lady some years ago.
The lady in particular told me that she prefers the main church at the town where she was coming from to the branch church she was currently in and her reason was that in the main church the preacher does a lot of greek and hebrew deserting of the scripture and has a good command of English and other stuff while here the preacher just 'talks'. On a normal day the branch preacher preaches fine but since she was comparing everything was suddenly wrong with Him

I looked at her and said, as long as a preacher teaches God's word truthfully, and I hear God from his message,that would do! Because each preacher truly called of God has a certain grace upon his live to 'plant' God's word in the heart of men. And every preacher/teacher/pastor was given to the body for its edification. Not to make them our idol.

The Corinthians church fell into that trap too. Some said,I follow Paul, other said Apollos, and still others said Christ.
He then asked a question, is Christ divided? Or was it Paul or Apollos that died for you. He turned their focus away from themselves(preachers) back to Christ.

Every grace,giftings and ability to preach the word and teach in a great manner was given by God to those people. So don't let your focus be on the grace carriers or the gift carriers but rather let it be on the God that gives the gift. He gave those gift to people to enable them build his church not to take His place. Make sure you search your heart and find out where your worship truly lies. With God or with the preachers?

The next time you get tempted to magnify any teacher/preacher above Christ, don't forget that their job is just to 'plant' and 'water'. Our focus Should be serving the God that gives the increase.

Hope this was helpful?
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DOES YOUR CHILD INSIST ON
WATCHING THE SAME VIDEOS
OVER AND OVER AGAIN?

Now, in this day and age where children are surrounded with all sorts of disturbing content, you can understand my delight when I discovered my daughter walking down the 'edutainment' path. So to both encourage and reward her interest I recorded all available episodes of the series. I was so sure that by introducing this wide array of variety, I was doing her one huge favour which will leave her thanking me for the next many months. Or, at least, until she finally grew tired of all 39 recorded episodes. But boy, was I wrong!

You see, my toddler wasn't particularly
interested in variety. Once she had sampled a handful of the episodes, she decided that going forward, all she wanted to watch was Season 2 Episode 18 of the series. As in, she became hooked on this particular episode which had to do with ballroom dancing. So morning, afternoon and evening, whenever the television was turned
on, she would request for this same, old episode where the same, old 'Sid and Rebecca' take on the same, old steps, while the same, old music
played on in the background. Then as soon as the 20 minutes episode was over, she would immediately request for a replay.
What!? To be honest, what I find especially fascinating about everything is the fact that each new replay is most times watched with as much enthusiasm as the last. Now though my mind always goes, 'Goodness,
aren't you tired yet?', I hardly let her in on my exasperation. Instead whenever she sings along, acts along or delightedly squeals out, 'mommy
see that..' or 'mommy watch this…' I am always careful to match her excitement by responding with a ''Wow…' or an 'Oops..' or an 'Oh..oh..' or a Big, hearty laugh.
Yes, though I sometimes find this repeated activity exasperating, I still haven't found enough reason to burst her bubble. Nevertheless playing along hasn't stopped me from questioning why in the world she would think that a plot we watched about 20 minutes ago would still spark this much surprise and excitement in me? Or should I say a plot that we have watched about 3 times in the last hour? Or better still, one that we have been watching
about 10 times (per day) in the last 30
something days of our lives?

I'm sure you must be aware of the fact that children are crazy about repetition and that's why long after you've gotten bored of 'Óld Mc Donald had a farm', they are still having a blast singing along. As tiring as this may sometimes prove to be, it's important that you do not shut down this repetition for the following reasons:

1. Repetition teaches the child the concept of consequence. So s/he
learns that 'If this and that is don 'This and that will automatically
follow'
2. Repetition affords the child the opportunity to practice. For example,
after hearing the words 'Ballroom Dancing' over and over again, my
toddler can now pronounce them right.
3. Repetition builds a child's memory by helping him or her remember. For
example initially, when I asked my daughter the names of the characters
in her beloved series, she went blank. But now, after repeat watches, she
remembers that they are called Sid and Rebecca.
4. Beyond remembering, repetition helps the child understand. For example, even though her favourite
episode is about ballroom dancing, my toddler didn't really understand what ballroom dancing was all about. But now I see her following the story with more understanding as she calls my attention to specific scenes, bursts
into laughter when certain actions take place,reprimands or praises the characters, etc.
5. Repetition gives children the pleasure of celebrating success. For
example, now that my toddler is better at following and understanding the
storyline, she celebrates her milestone by excitedly participating in the story. For example she sometimes completes
the characters' sentences or tells me what will happen next,etc.
Watching her predictions materialize is something that creates a sense of
accomplishment in her.

Culled from: mommymomentsng.com
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Hey everyone! Hope we are having a swell time?
No matter where you are or what you're doing now,there's never a better time to smile than now.
So just Smile!!!
Yeah! You heard me, Smile!!!

This should help you:
Who is the funniest?
1. HAUSA man who removed his shoes to enter a taxi.
2. IGBO man who went to the bank with a spanner to open a bank account.
3. A YORUBA man who went to bed with a ruler just to know how long he slept.
4. A TIV man who watched the news and waved at the news news caster.
5. AN EFIK nurse who woke up a sleeping patient simply because she forgot to give him sleeping pills.
6. AN IGALA man who lowered his TV volume because he wanted to read a text message..
9. AN IKWERE man who polished his shoes to take a passport photo.
10. AN ISOKO man who climbed a mango tree to check if the mango was ripe enough then came down and started stoning it.
11. A FULANI man who chose to drink Fanta because he thought sprite was unripe.
12. AN IDOMA man who put his radio inside the refrigerator because he wanted to listen to Cool FM
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Have you noticed a certain kind of joy you feel when power is restored in the house (that's the english way of saying 'when NEPA brings light'... I know some persons didn't know that's what its called,lolz well now you know...)
Anyway,you know the joy that goes with that. It just can't be explained or reasoned away. Even if there may not be anything you really want to do with the light,just knowing that there's power supply gives you a certain feeling...I'm sure you know that feeling all too well...
The reason for that is the very nature of light itself. Light disperse darkness and it illuminates... You don't have to struggle to find your way around because you can see clearly
But when the light is dim though you can see with it, there are however some things that you can't do with it. Its usefulness would be limited.
Every Believer is a light. A light to the world,a light in this piercing darkness around us. We are called to shine and not just to shine, Jesus says to 'shine so bright' for the world to see...
Don't just burn, but burn brightly...
Don't be afraid to shine your light,shine it brightly for the world to see and get to know about the light.
As the nature of light is,it attracts things and people to itself, so when people get attracted to your light,which is an inevitable consequence, don't forget to show them the source of your light...
Don't forget to show them the greater light that lights us all up. Point them to your source,point them to Jesus because that's the purpose why we shine.
We shine so that when men see us,they will glorify our father who is in Heaven.
Sent from my BlackBerry wireless device from MTN

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Hey Guys!!!
Its been a while and I'm so eager to get back.

Been pretty much distracted lately. Distracted by how good others are when it comes to writing or how others do a lot of things better than I do, and you know you start to feel maybe you should quit after all.

Maybe that's where you are right now and that feeling of 'I don't think I'm good enough' sets in.

I gat good news for you, you may not be so skillful as other are or so graceful and talented at others are,but you still have something to offer to the world.

So, instead of just standing idle and admiring the 'florescent light' of someone else, shine yours even if its just a 'candle light' because that maybe all that someone needs to help them not lose their way...

Meanwhile, here is the story that I wrote for the ongoing okadabooks competition. for those who may not have had an opportunity to read it yet, well, now you do.

So enjoy and don't forget to leave a comment,I love it when you do.

THE INFAMOUS FATHER HEN.
- How jollof rice saved my life-

I had taken few steps away from the black caravan that harboured asorted liqueur, confectionary, food drinks & food stuffs, before he called me back.
Nobody living in that street would pass him by without acknowledging his presence and paying him homage.
Jasper, a hairy, stoutly built, dark-skinned guy, about three inches beyond six feet in height, pointed across at a squalid plot of land bearing a dilapidated building, one of the most favourite spots of cannabis lovers in that zone.
I reluctantly trailed him to the compound until he sat down on some bricks. "sit down." He said, tapping the next set of bricks laying close to him.
Myriad of thoughts fluttered in my head as I tried to unravel the prequel of my meeting with " The Godfather." I could hardly plug any fuse when his strident voice blared out my name.
" Ogaga." He called with bland expression and I couldn't just help reminiscing the image of my late grandfather.
" I have told you before to leave that girl but you don't want to heed my advice."
" But how?" I cut in. "How can I just leave a girl I love so much?" "How can I leave someone that has done nothing wrong to me since we've been dating?" " How can I break up a relationship that both of us have sacrificed so much for to keep alive?"
Jasper blanched when he heard my questions. His eyes were soaked with pity and frustration, and anger arrested his ashen appearance. Then he intoned a grave warning.

"If you don't listen to me, you'll die like a rat."
"You sound like a babalawo." I retorted. " Bros. for once, be straight-forward." I adviced.

" About two years ago," Jasper began. "I went out with my friend, Tonnie, to his girlfriend's house. Her father, retired major general Aminu Usiaka was known to be a cantankerous old soldier."
Jasper paused, took a deep breath and sighed heavily.

" We got to his girlfriend's house that afternoon," He continued. " While I waited in the car, Tonnie went into the compound to see Monika, the major general's first daughter. He promised to make the visit brief in order to save my time. A few moments later, I heard a thunderous sound, girls screaming and thudding towards the gate. I stumbled into the compound and was thunderstruck at the sight of Tonnie staggering towards me."
Jasper started to sniffle, his eyes became misty and cloudy, lachrymose sounds erupted as he spoke.

"Tonnie threw himself at my appearing." Jasper explained. " I was too overwhelmed to catch my friend." At this point tears voluntarily rolled down his cheeks without caution.

" My back was resting on the wall of the security building as we sat on the ground. Tonnie was covered in blood like a helpless prey. He tried to speak but could only squeal and squirm. I placed my hand on the left side of his belly to relieve him of the duty. Tonnie tried to mutter some words but blood gurgled through his throat, his iris had gone and all I could see as his eyes was cornea.
As he convulsed, I was clothed with a medley of emotions. I attempted to retrieve my hand from the part of his belly that accepted bullets from the gunshot and it was greeted by a warm, slimy and squidgy sensation. His guts were out on my palm."
Jasper buried his head between his elbows while his palms were clenched over his flat-top hair style, then he snivelled bitterly.

" He died on my tigh. I couldn't help him, I couldn't help my friend. He died just like that."
Jasper kept quiet for a moment and fixed his gaze on the withered weed beneath his feet.

" The general called the police and lied to them that Tonnie tried to rape his daughter in his house." Jasper explained to me with regret.
"He gave Tonnie's family a huge amount of money and apologized them, claiming that it was an accident."
Jasper wiped the tears off his cheeks, turned his face toward me and said, "It wasn't an accident, it wasn't an accident at all."
"How do you know that it wasn't an accident?" I inquired curiously.

" Because one year later, two other guys were victims of his wickedness. One was shot on his right hand which was amputated. The other guy was shot on his leg. As usual, he paid their medical bills and compensated them."

"Can't he be dealt with by the law?" I enquired angrily.

"Guy forget law, that man has some kind of immunity. His wife was a judge before she died. The man has affluence and influence. He'll kill you and nothing will be done to him."

"God forbid," I said within myself. "No be me him go kill."

"Ogaga, I take God beg you, just leave I'm pikin for am." He appealed, got up and walked out of the compound.

I couldn't utter a word as I walked home with the stuff I went to buy still in my hand. I was determined to see my girl. " But first of all, I have to deal with Issa." I said to myself.

Issa is Amina's seventeen year old younger brother who has been at loggerheads with me. We have been getting along from day one until four days ago when he asked me to give him the key to my apartment to enable him have picnin with his girlfriend. I declined. Now I'm at war with my brother-in-law to be.

Jasper's story and counsel would have made my heartbeat normal if Issa's temper has been quelled. The thought of changing my course of movement kept hitting like drops of rain on a metal sheet. As a last resolve, I summoned strength from my soul's reservoir so as to dispel the restricting idea and make my meeting with Amina a reality.
I felt vibration at the left side of my trouser. It was a message alert on my cell phone. When I checked it, Amina was already anxious to see me. The message read, "My prince charming, my heart is trotting, my eyes popping and I can't believe that I'm drooling at the thought of your anticipated arrival. Please come quickly to your baby. Waiting."
My heartbeat skipped, blood surged through my veins, I felt saliva running from my chest into my mouth and my pace increased.
I wished I had the wings of a dove or I could appear at Amina's house. I had hardly finished my train of wishes when I saw the gate of Amina's house a few metres away.

I breezed pass Ibrahim, the janitor and made way into Amina's sitting room. She was there waiting for me in patient anxiety. She flung herself on me as she saw me. We both fell on the couch, laughing. After some minutes of sentimental pleasantries and cosset, she took the stuff I bought to the kitchen. As she stepped into the kitchen, a disgruntled young man walked out.

"Issa, what's up. How's your day going?" He walked pass me like I was not there and went into his room.

"Leave that frustrated Romeo alone." Amina urged me. "He thinks Juliet is in love with him but he doesn't know that the little girl is in love with her friend's brother."

"Who told you that?" I questioned.

" Her friend did. She's my protégé, she tells me almost everything about herself and her friends."

" Why is he still upset? He ought to be celebrating."

" Sweetie," Amina called. " Leave Issa alone, I think his problem now is hunger."

" Hunger? " I questioned with surprise. " Has he not had breakfast?"

" He has. He's looking for something to eat before lunch and he said he can't wait for our house-help to return from market and prepare lunch."

Amina walked down to where I was sitting and gently lowered her light weight on my tighs and rested her head on my chest.
The sight of her lustrous hair, the fragrance of her cologne and the feeling of her luscious skin sent electrifying tickles from the crest of my head to the cradle of my feet.
My hand was gliding on it's own from Amina's shoulder down to her fingers, I was breathing heavily and sweating profusely. Every part of my body was thinking on it's own.
Contradicting words were resonating in my head. " Do it. Don't do it. Stop. Continue. She likes it. She doesn't. She's angry. She's excited." I was agitated but I couldn't stop.

Amina slowly raised up her head and gave me a passionate gaze that sent goosepimples all over my body. Her eyelids were swollen with erotic burden, a beautiful warm blush covered her cheeks and her pink coloured lips softly moaned some words.
My senses were suspended by the euphoria which prevented me from hearing what she said. As she continued to speak softly, my lips lost control and attacked her's only for me to discover that my tongue was partly buried in her mouth and it was trying to find the root of her tongue.

We were engulfed in a vortex of emotion.

I heard a voice behind me telling me " This is not the way you should go." But I didn't walk in it.

My hands moved carelessly like abandoned orphans as I shut my eyes, not knowing how to stop. The froth made my stomach lurch until I heard the creaking of a door and a quiet footstep.

My mind became alert. "Issa is going to the kitchen to get a knife and attack me because I'm stroking and osculating his sister." My eyes instinctively spread wide open and I saw nobody entering or coming out of the kitchen.

Amina patiently retrieved her lips from the clutches of mine. She smiled at me with speckles of shame and excitement on her face and said, "I told you that I wanted to go and dress up so that we can go to your house, you just took over me as if I wanted to run away."
I couldn't believe that was what she said and I was too embarrassed to tell her that I didn't hear her.
She stood up, adjusted her sleeveless top and skirt, stared at my groin and adviced me with a chuckle. "Please, tell the incredible hulk that there is nothing to smash yet. He needs to calm down."

You're such an embarrassment, big for nothing, shameless male prostitute. I told you to stop but you ignored me." I mentally snapped at myself. "You just fooled yourself. See how she's making fun of you."
Then Amina stooped and whispered into my left ear. " I just want to be in your arms and talk to you until I fall asleep. Nothing more for now."
She gave me a smack and walked into her room. I stood up and stared walking towards her room when I heard a familiar but more matured voice.

"Ibrahim, just leave them on the veranda, the kids will take them inside the house."
Before I could think of anything, the door was open.

The man was in the sitting room facing me. He was about seven feet tall, dark and hairy. The only feature of his face I could see distinctly were his eyes.

"Who are you?" He roared as his eyes moved from my face to my groin.
Unfortunately for me, hulk was still up.
There was a gulf between my brain and my vocal cord. If only Jasper had given me a perfect description of this man, I would not have embarked on this suicide trip.
The next thing I saw was a gun pointed at me.
" Young man identify yourself before you drop dead." He yelled at me. My mouth was moving without sounds as I stood before him like a statue.
I saw flame accompanied by a bang from the gun. I was on the ground, my heartbeat racing like the drumbeat that intoxicates masquerades.
In a blurry sight, I saw the retired major general Aminu Usiaka standing over me with his pistol pointing at me for the final shot.

The next sound I heard was Issa's voice.

"Daddy he's my friend."
The last sight, darkness.

"I am dead. All I can see is light everywhere. I am dead." I muttered to myself.

"You're not dead." Amina informed me as she squeezed my palm fondly.
I was in a hospital with no bullet in me.

"How come I'm still alive?" I asked Amina.

" You fell down out of shock before my dad pulled the trigger. He would have done something terrible to you, but thanks to Issa. He went to the kitchen while we were in cloud nine and ate the two plates of jollof rice that you bought for us."

"Just like that?"

"Yes." Amina replied. "He told my dad that you were on your way to the bathroom when my dad called you a thief and a rapist because of what he saw below your belt."
" He has paid all your medical bills." Amina continued. " He also gave me some money for your medical excigencies."

It sounds unbelievable that food could placate an irate teenager, but that's how jollof rice saved my life from the infamous father hen.
Sent from my BlackBerry wireless device from MTN

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