Got Mercy in Your Bowels?

Bode was your driver, he drove you everywhere, sometimes took your friend to places and sometimes, he drove your kids and family members around. He worked with you for about two years and he never once changed his slippers. Yeah, he changed it once, someday you were going for an occasion and you thought it would be a disgrace to have someone like that seen in association with you.

Tola lives in your neighbourhood, she is of school age but she doesn't go to school. 'Why do some people just waste their lives'? You say and then move on to your daily activities. Everytime you see her, you keep wondering, can't she go to school already or find something to do with her life? You shrug.

Your housemaid has been living with you for some months and still wears the same clothes she brought from the village a few months back. Oh and everytime you remember to tell her she is stinking and her clothes are too dirty. You scream at her for having improper behaviour. She continues working with you, and her life never gets any improvement, she has no education and you can't even let her learn a trade...hmmm.

Remember how your parents strugled and paid your way through school, when you graduated, they heaved a sigh of relief. You live in the city now, you have a good job, a comfortable life, well you're not the best among your peers yet but you can afford your three meals and some excesses. Your parents hardly hear from you and when you give them anything, it's because the guilt has almost eaten you up. I shudder.

Your gateman keeps opening your gate, and you don't even know what's going on with him. He looks perpetually sad but you never notice, you're too much in a hurry to go out and come in anyway. Why bother with someone who can't find something better to do with his life?

It's an endless list of things we notice but refuse to notice or more like our lives are too busy to notice. We go on about our lives, it's all about me, myself and I. So long as I'm fine and my immediate family is doing well, glory to God, we can sleep at night.

Do you know what the bible calls true religion? You who goes to church every Sunday but refuses to be a blessing to anyone around you. Trust me, there's someone around you who needs you, who needs something you have. Please, go read James chapter 1, true religion is in caring for the widows, helping the helpless.

I remember Jesus saying how He would cast out people because when he was hungry, thirsty or needed help, they refused to help Him. They'd ask when was this, and He would say, when you didn't do it to any of your brothers, well you didn't do it to me. And He would openly welcome those who have helped out a neighbour, given them a drink, fed the hungry, visited the prisoners, he would welcome them because they did it for Him.

When you can help your brother or sister out, why not do it, instead of praying hypocritical prayers that God should help them solve their problems when the answers lie with you. What good is throwing away your leftovers when your neighbour (not necessarily someone living in your house) is hungry and can't even afford a meal? How rich is your life when no one wakes up in the morning and is able to thank God for you? It doesn't have to be huge but your life needs to be a blessing or it's wasting.

Do you remember the story of Lazarus and the rich man? I bet I don't need to recount it. The bible encourages us to do good to those around us especially those who are in the household of faith.

Don't shut your bowels of mercy. When you see that hungry guy, be nice, that thirsty guy, be nice, you never know when God is testing you and sending an angel your way. And even if it's not an angel, don't you have a thrill when you do something great for someone and they're too blessed they don't know what to say? Selah

PS: This post was inspired by the message my pastor preached on Sunday. I'm still working at it myself!

I'm Grateful!

I will bless the Lord at all times and His praises will continually be on my lips. No matter what my situation or circumstance is, i will bless the Lord. He alone is worthy of praise, honour and adoration. The Lord who shut the mouth of the lions and preserved Daniel in the lion's den is worthy of my praise.

Lord I could go on and on about the wonderful things I read in the word that you have done, infact I could recount a lot of impossible things I have heard you did...I would write a whole page and there would still be more, He is worthy of praise.

I'm grateful for life. Only the living can praise the Lord, only the living have plans and goals. Only the living have a purpose and can think of fulfilling. I thank you Lord that I have life, my family members and friends have life. I praise you.

I'm thankful for my marriage and for a wonderful man who is able to share his heart with me. I thank you father because you keep showing me what love is all about and how to love. I thank you Lord because I have a great marriage and I do not take it for granted.

I'm thankful for doors of opportunity that you're opening. You're the one who opens doors and no man can shut them. I am indeed grateful Lord for the contacts you're giving me. You have set before me an open door and no man can shut it, halleluyah!

I thank you Lord for direction. Your word says I will hear a voice saying this is the way, walk in it, you keep nudging me in the right direction and giving me instructions. For this Lord I am grateful. I thank you that I am not without help.

I'm thankful that I found the car key I was looking for today. I searched everywhere two days ago after i misplaced it but you quietly assured me that I didn't need to stress, I would find it, you made your word good and today, it was right there in the corner pocket of my bag, peeping at me.

Thank you Lord for safe journeys for both my sisters who did a lot of travelling this weekend. I also thank you for keeping my husband in his going out and coming in, he travels a lot but you preserve him, halleluyah!

Thank you Lord for the many answered prayers, even the littlest ones, I don't take for granted. You're a faithful God. I thank you for everyone who will read this post, may they be able to count their blessings. Halleluyah! You're a good God.

Now I'm here...then I'm not...

Earlier this year, I found it easy to update twice a week, i would do a thankful Wednesday post and another post on Sunday or some other day of the week. It came naturally and I was sure I could keep it up. It was with the same optimisim that I started the year that I was blogging. I had so much energy.

I suddenly found myself not updating in a week or in two weeks. It's becoming consistent and now that I'm thinking about it, it's probably something permeating other areas of my life. I don't have as much energy as i did and I need to get it back. It only took my laptop falling ill to fall into a total blog drought. I'm not motivated to update my blog, I'm not motivated to read other blogs.

A few people (bloggers) have asked me what is going on and the truth is, I don't know. I just don't feel up to doing my blog rounds. Please bear with me, maybe I will get my groove back and come to all your blogs and leave comments. I've even read some posts recently and i just didn't feel like leaving comments so i quietly shut the door and walked away. Maybe it's not even a lack of energy, maybe I sometimes get very busy and blogging seems to be taking too much time.

I'm not quitting blogging, I blog because I love to write. I'm just going through a phase that will hopefully pass. Writefreak wants her blogging mojo back but it seems it's not coming back. I think it's something that has to do with more than blogging. Ok, I think I'm rambling as I usually do.

Yesterday I let things get to me, I broke down and stayed in the dumps, the whole day passed and I didn't even have a meal but by the end of the day I was out of it, I'm grateful for that.

Something great happened to me last week. I have a friend, we were best friends in JS 1 to 3 and then we both changed schools and managed to keep in touch for a little while. In those days, there were only handwritten letters, I think we got tired of sending letters back and forth. I ran into her sometime in the late 90s but we didn't talk much and that was the last time I saw her. Last week I started thinking about her, I looked on fb, I didn't see her. It occured to me she might be married and she won't even bear the same surname anymore. I asked someone who thought she could find her, she said she would try to find her. Then four days later, I ran into her in a restaurant, just like that! She lives in this city with her husband and her twins. It was a happy reunion. We've been hooking up since then. It's like picking up from where we stopped and it's amazing that we just found each other like that.

We found a church that we're at home in here in Abuja and it's cool. We didn't want to sample too many churches and God led us to the right one.

My neighbour's children are on hols and they're driving me nuts. I love them but they can be annoying because they're quite rude and don't listen to instructions which drives me up the wall. Yesterday, the oldest one knocked for several hours and I just plain refused to open the door cos I needed to get some work done. Can someone please tell schools to reopen? The summer break has got to be over already.

I'll try swing by your blogs...I have a lot of work on my plate...and it's not going to get lighter. It's good I guess.

See you around!

What's in a Name?

When someone says Writefreak, i answer, even if it's not on blogville because it's something associated with me. It's a name I have chosen to give myself and everytime I hear it, it reminds me of something I am committed to. When I hear Writefreak, my head goes...you write and you can't but write, infact you're a writing freak. If someone calls we Writefreak atimes and I haven't put pen to paper in a while, I kinda start to feel guilty. That's me, case in point.

When I hear Joy, I tend to expect that the person bearing the name exudes joy, or at least brings you some form of happiness...don't blame me, blame the person who named them Joy. lol....There are often times you see someone acting contrary to their name and we tend to think, how can her name even be this? I'm not automatically saying your name determines who you are or are not but a name is an identity.

For a few years, I've heard people name their kids and the thought in my head is 'what were they thinking'? When a child is named, it's like a prophecy, it's more than just something to call the child. Why do we avoid cursing ourselves or using negative words on ourselves especially as Christians? Because we know the power of life and death is in the tongue and the bible lets us know that those who love it will eat the fruit thereof. I don't want to be calling my child any name that makes no sense.

In the days of the bible, whenever God wanted to change a man's life, He changed His name. He changed Abram to Abraham, he became a father of many nations. Sarai his wife became Sarah, God changed her name and changed her story. He changed Jacob's name to Israel because Jacob met with God. Jabez's name was not recorded as literally changed but I remember the bible saying his name meant sorrow. What kind of a mother names her child sorrow? His life was hopeless, going nowhere cos the sorrow followed him about until he called out to God and then he became more honourable than his brothers (1 chroniceles 4:8 -11). What's in a name you ask?

Saul became Paul when his days of persecuting Christians became over. His name changed and his life and lifestly change. He became the most popular Apostle....there are a lot of examples in the bible, these are only a few.

I'm not totally for changing surnames because I believe some people have carried it to an extreme and I believe when you become a child of God, your history changes and your past becomes hidden under the blood of the lamb. I understand that for some people though, there is a need to change their names. They need something symbolic to know they have escaped their past and hey it happened a lot in the bible. It's a matter of personal conviction i guess...

What I don't understand is people who have a choice giving their children names that will affect their self esteem. Aside the spiritual implications of the name, there's also the psychological implications. We all know how people get taunted by their names in school. Classmates can be mean, who wants their child to be the object of some mean children's bullying?

I got thinking last week in church when there was baby dedication and the pastor asked parents for the names of their children, why they gave them the names and in some cases, the meaning of the names. It got to some guy's turn, they had twins, most of us were busy wowing and awwwing,then it came time to say their names and he said 'their names are gotten from the word salvation'. Pastor asked again what the names were. He said the first one was Salvo..hubby and I were like what on earth! Then hubby said 'ok, ok, it's the Italian word for salvation'. We were cracking up..see..we were already having fun at the child's expense unknowingly. Then the second one, he said the name is 'Salv' or will it be spelled as 'Salve' now. The whole church gasped and some laughed. I was like what in God's name was this man thinking? Was he not thinking about this children? Well I have a single advise for the little ones, once they get to school age, they should quickly start using their middle names as their first names, that's hoping those make some sense. I might be hoping for too much.

I've heard all sorts of names, someone called his kid Senator, is that even a name? I said well he could have called him Accountant since it's by position now..Aloted told me how twins in her church were named Barrack and Oba,a. Dear Lord, do some parents even think? A friend told me how a couple had not decided the name for their child on the day of the naming ceremony. They kept the pastor waiting over 30 minutes. Dear Lord, they had at least 9 months to do that.

I think a name should be well thought out and even prayed about. You don't want people speaking negatives into your kids lives everytime they are called. You don't want them taunted all the time either. My kids won't be having names that mean nothing or names that will make them the object of being taunted..

I ask you, what's in a name?

And I'm here again...

Dear Lord,

Yes it's me, your daughter, the one who said she would be here on wednesdays to give thanks...you know Lord even when i don't write publicly here, my heart is grateful to you (or maybe not atimes). I don't even need to say it when you see right through me. You know my deepest thoughts.

First of all Lord, I'm grateful that you've brought the first half of the year to an end and I am alive to start the second half. Then I'm reminded that the year is going so fast and I'm not even sure of the achievements I've had this year. Ok, I shall not whine about that Lord, I'm grateful to be here, nothing missing, nothing broken.

Then I'm thankful that I got to be a year older exactly 2 weeks ago today. I didn't have any plans for it, but the wonderful man you gave me made sure it was a good day. You know Lord how I always love to wear new things on my birthdays, well he made sure I had two even. And for that new laptop that I needed so badly...
Lord thank you for my birthday...and for the wonderful man...the hubby.

I'm grateful Lord because even in my darkest hours and when I have disappointments, you are always there. When I decide I don't want to talk to you, you stay with me, you keep nudging me till I surrender. I'm grateful that you never leave me alone. Because without you, I would be a wreck, I would be shattered. In you I find my completeness.

I'm thankful Lord for the resilient spirit you have given me. When others would have given up and thrown in the towel, most times, I'm able to stand and persevere. It's not easy Lord but I'm able to do it and I'm thankful for that inner strength you have given me. I don't crumble easily and it's by you.

It's amazing how you can make me laugh in the midst of the storm. You constantly give me a reason to smile, and even when it's not a full laughter Lord, when I think I am unhappy, you show me a reason to smile and gradually, it turns into a laugh. You always show me a silver lining...I'm grateful Lord.

I have questioned you Lord of times Lord about why I need to go through some things, why life is easier for some people and I seem to have so many trials but you told me I need to go through the trials, I need to be refined because there is a greater purpose. I might not see it now but I trust You. And I remembere You even said there is something You see in me that makes me qualify for the trials. I will still question Lord because I'm human but I am thankful that You count me worthy for your greater calling and purpose.

Thank you Lord for my friends,they are wonderful people. They are not many but you chose them for me Lord and they are just beautiful people with great hearts. I know I can count on them. And for my neighbour who is a friend, I'm grateful.

My heart is full Lord, there's so much I want to say to you. You are my rock, my friend, my all in all and without you I know I would crumble like a cookie and fall like a house without a foundation.

For everything dear Lord, this daughter of yours is grateful and stands to say if not for you on her side, she would be nowhere. I will be back Lord....I just wanted to register my thanksgiving.

Oh and God I can't sign my letter today because I lost my signatre with the old laptop...will have to get a new signature soon again. And thank you Lord for the person reading this, help them see reasons to be thankful.

Your daghter...
Writefreak

Everything burns..

I was going to blog about something else, infact I started writing the post but this is something that I'm thinking about right now..so welcome to my mind. I pride myself in being able to multitask, infact sometimes I say that's one of my strengths but recently, I'm beginning to think it might actually be a weakness. I'm that lady who is talking work on the phone, chatting with a few friends while writing a script and at the same time doing chores. And no, i don't have 10 hands. I have only two like everyone else.

Really I think I multitask well, only sometimes, it backfires. I might be cooking and then decide that I need to do some chores or quickly send a work mail and there goes my presence of mind...I refuse to say I'm absent minded. I gat the Holy ghost and He reminds me of all things...Can i hear an Amen?

But really in my world everything burns, every single thing! Hubby even jokes about me and reminds me not to worship him with my burnt offerings...Don't get me wrong, i don't burn food all the time but i have the tendency to forget i've put things on the fire when i start to do other things.

I was talking to a blogger today, and mentioned to her i had not eaten anything as at 3pm..actually i was going to but kept putting it off...yeah i also procrastinate. She chased me to go eat, she was supposed to call me about some stuff we're working on together and she threatened not to call anymore. So i told her i was making noodles and she said 'burnt noodles is not sweet' and i said yeah i know, i'm only boiling an egg now. Well, she stepped out and my neighbour came in and we got talking about our our DSTV was acting up and bla...then i heard something pop in the kitchen...She asked if i had someone in the house...Yeah you got it right, that was when i remembered I was boiling an egg...and yes, my egg popped cos the water had dried up. I came back and told the blogger my egg got burnt and she was like wow...who burns boiled egg...Yes, who burns boiled egg but Writefreak...

So i burnt a boiled egg today and i'm ashamed to say the noodles also got slightly burnt! I just hate staying with food in the kitchen, i feel it's a waste of time when i have other stuff to do. But I'm beginning to think i might have to rethink it...maybe i should start carrying my computer to the kitchen? en? what do you think my blog family?

On another note, why do Nigerians always feel a need to swindle people especially when they know they're JJCs or foreigners? It's annoying me so much right now! Today my neighbour (who is Bulgarian) and I had issues with our DSTV and we called a technician to come and look at it. He did mine first then went upstairs and after he was done with hers, he came to tell me he was charging us 2k each. 2k is not a lot of money, but for what he did, which was to just touch the dish and do a little manipulation,t hat is just swindling! Unfortunately, she had paid him...i told her next time she should call me and let us agree...i eventually gave the guy an extra 1k and slashed 1k out of what he originally asked for...nonsense. lol

A few bloggers and I are writing a series...it's originally Favoured Girl's idea and there are about six of us...y'all should check it out here and give your ladies some support.

Hope your week has been good so far! laters! I'm cooking..need to go check it out! lol

Oh and by the way, it's my birthmonth and I'm starting to accept gifts o, y'all should start donating your gifts. June babies rock!

I Asked for it!!

Honestly when I saw all the questions like Temite said, I was like gosh I have gone and put myself in hot water. I then thought, come on, you can do this, so here is my attempt at answering all of your questions. Hope you enjoy a glimpse into Writefreak’s world.

Adaeze said which city DO you live

I live in Abuja, FCT, Nigeria

Beulah said WriteFreak, I love your writing style. Have u ever published any book (i mean novel)?

No i haven't published any book yet but i have written my first book and i'm looking for a publisher at present. Thanks for the compliment dearie

chayoma said what got you blogging?

My friend aloted inspired me to start blogging in 2006. I used to work in customer care in telecoms and i think i did my first post i think while i was on a night shift. lol. Yeah so Aoted got me blogging and some boredom..lol..

OPTIMISTIC_alyzzz said I really want to know what type of person u are outside blogsville, are u quiet loud, do u smile often do u make friends fast, are u happy?

I won't call myself quiet, neither will Isay I'm loud. I can be sanguine but I also have a chilled out side to me. Yes I do smile often and I make friends fast. You don't wanna know how many friends I've made on blogville! lol. I would like to say though that the people i call friends are really few. Oh I am very happy! Well I would want to use the word joyful because joy is of the heart and I think happiness is fickle. Happiness comes from a particular thing, joy is a state of mind. I would therefore say I'm joyful, this translates to me being happy...lol..did I confuse you yet?

goodnaijagirl said

You want a question eh?

What do you see as the best parts of your character, and what do you see as your flaws?

Girl, what's your own now? Mscheew..Ok here we go sa

Best parts: i'm friendly, i forgive easily, Some people have described me with the word kind, i am open, infact sometimes i say i'm like a book, you can read me easily, is this even a good part? For instance, the mr can tell i'm upset once i start singing some songs..lol. I'm motherly, i tend to want to take people under my wings and look after them and i think i'm homely. Someone also recently described me as having a good heart. I have tenacity, i know how to stay with something and make it work...Errr..i'm still thinking, when i come up with more, i'll let you know.

Flaws: I tend to please people even at my own detriment (i'm working on that with pple like you on my case(sticking my tonge out at you)), I am quite sensitive and little stuff can get me upset. I can be lazy when i want to be. I could sit down all day doing everything else aside my work, oh yes and i procrastinate, i tend to move from one project to the other without completing the first, i'm working on this. You should see me when i'm doing chores, i'm doing dishes, then i remember something and leave it and go do something else in the bathroom. I might be too trusting, i just believe everyone is speaking the truth, sometimes my husband is amazed at my naivety. Oh and my sense of timing seems sometimes lost, I always push things till the last minute. I've been known to get to interviews at the nick of time...lol..with a lot of stunts inbetween. And lastly, I can be impatient. I really hate waiting....

Then she had a brain wave and said : One more question: If you weren't a writer, what do you think your career would be?

Hmm what would my career be? I honestly don't know. I'm one of those kids who was never really sure what they wanted to be growing up and hoped to find themselves as they went along. I'm glad i did. Oh yes, I think I know, I would probably teach nursery...yes i love kids like that! Someday I am going to have my own preschool and maybe full school alongside being a writer.

Original Mgbeke said

1. What have been the greatest challenges that you faced since becoming a Born Again Christian?

2. When and why did you decide to give your life to God? Have you had any serious slip-ups since then?

3. List 3 things that you consider to be your best character traits, and 3 of your worst?

My greatest challenge i think was being at loggerheads with my dad after i got born again. He's a Catholic and i stopped going to the Catholic church. In retrospect, I'm wiser now and I might not do some of the things I did back them but a lot of times I got sent out of the house several times after getting back home from church. I would do things differently now though.

I think i already answered this question but i would say it was 1996 that i had a total change and since then, no i haven't had any slips! I thank God for that.

I answered the third question already :-)

a.k.a BaGucci said: What one or two or three thing(s) can you say made the difference for you in your walk of faith?

Interesting question. First, the friends i had. I thank God for godly friends. I became a Christian when i was in JS1 in 89/90 for the first time but i promptly forgot about it lol and over the next 6 years i kept giving my life and taking it back. Then in 1996, i met a set of wonderful friends my age, we were leaving secondary school and their waslk of faith challenged me. When people spent their spare time waiting for uni partying or lazing around, we spent most of ours praying and sharing the word. It made a whole lot of difference. I can never forget those friends. Over the years, I've been blessed with godly friends.

The second thing i would say is attending a bible based church.

babajidesalu said

1) How do you deal with Sadness?

2) Do you have a mood you have to be in before you post to your blog?

3) What areas in your life do you think we ought not to be aware of?

4) Would you ever reveal your identity as a blogger?

5) How would you defend Nigeria as a nation in spite of its reputation as a corrupt nation?

6)At what point did you realise people appreciate what and how you write?

7) Has there ever been a 'eureka' moment in your life?

8)Name a good writer in your humble opinion and why?

9)What was your background like at home, if you care to share?

10) Finally, WHAT WILL BE A GOOD TITLE FOR A NOVEL?

10) Finally, WHAT WILL BE A GOOD TITLE FOR A NOVEL?

Haha! So many questions! But i think i'm up to the task, catch me if you can.

How do i deal with sadness? Well i would say that sometimes i enjoy a pity party, i know i shouldn't but tears are sometimes therapeutic. Then like David, i encourage myself in the lord, i read the word concerning my situation, speak it to myself and then i play some good praise and worship songs...that's it!

Blogging, yes sometimes, i have to be in the mood, if i'm having a rough time personally, then i might not be able to blog around that time.

I don't have skeletons in my cupboard. But there are some things about my personal life that i wouldn't share openly, i think we all have those stuff.

As a blogger on my blog, maybe I won't reveal my identity but i'm aware i'm not totally anonymous. I'm friends with a number of bloggers, some i met while blogging and some before. And even some people who know me personally visit my blog.

Well i would say this, Nigeria might have a lot of corrupt people but other nations have them too. Also the fact that a portion of the populace is corrupt does not make everyone so, there are people like me in Nigeria lol...that;s what i would say. Don't generalise, not every Nigerian is corrupt.

I think i've known since i was a child that my writing is appreciated. My sister and i used to write silly stories as kids.

Yes i have had a number of eureka moments, one that stands out right now was the day i walked hand in hand down the aisle with my prince charming!

I think Abidemi Sanusi is a good writer, i like the way she spins words and her humour

My background? Well, my mum is a teacher and my dad is a retired civi/public servant (he's been both). I am the first of 5 kids. I think that's all i want to share.

Well, a good title for a novel? I'm not sure, still trying to come up with one for mine! lol

downtheaisle said:

Do u have kids???, if yes, u never blog about dem y?, and if No, why (I'm just curious)

No i don't have kids yet and I believe we will have them at the right time, in God's own time.

Tigeress said:

Anyway my questions:

1. do u ever face temptations and how do you deal with it

2. what are the most important things to look out for when looking for a partner

3. How important is God in a relationship

4. Is IVF not having faith in God

5. When Paul spoke about the thorn in his flesh in 2Corinthians 12:7-9. Pls pls pls tell me you know what it means. I think i know what it means but i'm hoping i'm wrong.

I don't know the sort of temptation you mean but yes like every human being i face temptation, e.g temptation to tell a half truth. I usually remember what God's word says and i try to apply it to that situation, sometimes i speak it to myself or roll it over in my mind and that helps me get through it. Sometimes though, i fall but i rise again!

When looking for a partner, i think godliness comes first, does he believe in God? is he a believer? Next, character. Check how he relates to his family, his siblings and people around him. Can you deal with him treating you like that? Purpose. Does he have something he's doing and something he's aiming for? Does he know where he's going or at least have an idea? For me, someone's present isn't as important as their future. There are more but i think those are the most important.

I would answer the third question with Amos 3:3. 'Can two walk together if they don't agree'? If God is no 1 in your life, then he should be in your partner's life. A christian marriage is a relationship between two people under the umbrella of God.

I don't think IVF is not having faith in God. God gave doctors the wisdom they use. You're not going against His will by seeking medical help to have a child so I really don't think it's not having faith. God can use different channels to bless us.

Thorn in the flesh? Hmm Tigeress me i don't know o! lol...i think it might be a cross one has to bear, honestly i will need to find out on this.

aloted said: do you think life is clear cut black and white...or are there any grey areas? Please explain

No I don't think life is just black and white. I believe there are grey areas, even , the greys could be in different shades. Some things in life are not just clear cut. For instance i personally believe abortion is murder but i'm aware there are cases where it might have to be done. There are some cases where it's the mother's or the baby's life. I'm aware one can never say never until you're in a particular situation.

Enkay said: one question - Will you ever post on this blog excerpts of any of your written works?

Yes I will and i have done that before, i have posted two short stories on here before. If you want to read them, i can try to get the links for you.

justdoyin said

question? what do u consider ur strenghts and weaknesses?...

Why do you all want to know these? lol...anyway i answered this question already! lol

Phew...i think i've answered all the questions already! I'm giving myself a standing ovation. lol.

Thank you all for letting me share of myself with you!

Ps: Please swing by soulsistas, did a post there last week.

QMoney: Thanks for the support my sister. You didn't ask any question but you gave me moral support, thanks dearie

It's Wednesday!

I missed my thankful series last week. I had a lot going on. I had a deadline to meet, a friend staying over, and a lot of other stuff but I'm back. I realise I might not do this every week but I will always come back to do it because I always have reason to be thankful. I will choose to always focus on the things God is doing in my life and the blessings and the positives because it means that's all I need now. If I don't have it yet, I don't NEED it yet... Really, what don't I have that I can't do without?

So Aloted had an idea that we should list 5 things starting with our name that we're thankful for. This isn't premeditated so I am just going to do this as we go along. I'll be thanking God for 5 things that start with W, let's see if I can do this...lol

I am thankful it is Wednesday. This is the day I have set apart to reflect on my blessings and focus on thanking God. It's a day that I am reminded that I have a good life and it can only get better. Wednesdays to me signify Worship.

I am thankful for a Working marriage. I realise a lot of marriages are suffering, couples treating each other to silent treatments, arguments and disagreements all the time and a host of other things but I have a blessed marriage which i don't take for granted. Ours isn't void of disagreement because then it will be a sham but we find a way to resolve our issues without them degenerating.

I am thankful for the Weather. It's bright and sunny. I sometimes complain about the sun being too much in this city but i realise some people are longing for the sun to come out. Oh and the shining of the sun reminds me that no matter how dark a situation is, there is always light at the end of the tunnel. I read a Karen Kingsbury book recently and learnt something fromt the character with Downs Syndrome ; 'when it's raining, you only have to look hard enough at the sky, the sun will be ready to shine'.

I am thankful for Water. I watched a documentary recently where people had to store rain water all year because they just didn't have water. I have the tap running in my house 24 hours of the day. It might look small but it isn't to me, water is essential to life.

I am thankful that I am a Writer. I have found my gift and the ability to express that gift. It is not a small blessing and for this I am thankful. For several years after University, I knew what I didn't want but I needed to know what I really wanted. I am glad to say I am finding myself. It might contradict the average person's definition of success but I am at peace and I know for me the definition of success if finding that thing you love, that God has destined you for and being able to do it.

And to show you I can find something else, a 6th thing...lol, I am thankful for Writefreak who is a work is progress. I am thankful for the total ME.

Ps: I realise this is my 101st post, and I want to give y'all my friends the opportunity to ask me a question or the other which i will tackle in my next post. It will give me motivation to blog the next time. I'll leave it open for a few days or maybe till the weekend and then I will answer the questions. Please note that I would appreciate a sense of decorum and polite questions. If i find a question offensive, then I reserve the right not to answer it.
This is your opportunity if you've wanted to ask me anything about myself...gosh, i hope i don't regret this.

Have a nice rest of the week everyone!

A Writer Writes...

I haven't been on my blog in almost a week...i haven't been reading blogs, neither have i been commenting. Only aloted made me come out of my sabbatical when she said my attention was required on her blog. I was wondering what trouble i'd gotten into..lol. Turns out i didn't commit a sin afterall.

I've been Mega busy, writing and trying to concentrate so i decided to stay off blogging, and i actually succeeded. I think deadlines help me because when I dont have them, I just typically keep procrastinating. With deadlines though, I would still push till the last minute. Gosh I could win an award for being a 'crash worker'. *sighs*...wish there was an award for that.

I've been doing what i should do as a writer, and it's to write. I should be doing more though and I plan to. I was busy rewriting a script which I just finished. I've come up for some fresh air. I need to start working on something new, cant lose the steam. You know how good it feels to be paid for something you love doing? It feels so good...I won't even talk about that now.

So I have a publisher dilemma and I'm trying to decide what to do. I know some of you guys have published stuff or are in the process of doing so, I need your advice. I submitted to two of the high flying ones but nothing was forthcoming. I sent to a publisher in Ibadan sometime late last year and he only recently said I should send the rest of the book as they can't make up their minds based on the first three Chapters. It's been with them about 8 months now, and he said it might take another 9 months to reach a decision. *sighs*. I'm a bit skeptical about sending the whole manuscript but I know I'm not really experienced in this, so I want to ask, what do you guys think? Should i send it? Are there other publishing houses that will be willing to work with an unknown writer like me? Should I go the self publishing route? I don't want my manuscript to be another one that never sees the publishing daylight. I completed it over a year ago and I don't want to give up. I haven't been motivated to write any other long stuff cos I just want this one published!

Any ideas from you good people in the house? While I wait though, i will continue to write because that is what I love to do. I am a writer, I love to write. A writer writes!

PS: I just noticed this is my 100th post...it's interesting considering I've been blogging since 2006 though i used to be what you;d call a seasonal blogger..lol. So happy 100th post to me!

Would you let them stay?

I grew up always having relatives and older people in our house, although i am the first child of my parents. Looking back now, i can't remember a time when there was no aunt or uncle or cousin staying with us. Some of those people have helped to shape in who i've become today and some of them have left a bitter taste in my mouth.

First was my Aunt Y whom i loved so much and i still love a lot. She's my mum's half sister and she made the house fun. She was so loving and hardworking. We all simply adored her. At the same time Aunt Y lived with us, we had Aunt B who is my cousin actually on my dad's side. Aunt B had a meanness sent from hell and a special dislike for me. Till this day, I don't know why! Maybe cos she knew i was close to my mum. I don't know. Aunt B grew up to become promiscous and unfortunately,Aunt Y had to stop living with us. She was our shield from Aunt B's wrath and i cried when she left us. I love her so much.

Then Aunt B alone lived with us for a very long time and when my mum was running a course which took her away from home a lot, Aunt B brought home different men and sometimes didn't make food for us. I was only 6, there was little i could do. Aunt B beat me so much i took to running away from home to stay at my mum's friend's a lot of times. Gosh i was so afraid of her! At a time, us kids planned to deal with her and we all said we'd teach her a lesson and beat her...well she came in and only my immediate sis had the guts to pounce on her, rest of us were shaking like leaves. Oh! My poor sis got the beating of her life that day! Sis, i'm still sorry we were all cowards that day! We shoulda fought and taught her a lesson. Maybe the abuse would have reduced if not stopped!

I have a scar on my right arm because of aunt B's disappearing act. My mum was out to school and it was getting rather late. There was no dinner. I was about 6 or 7 and we were all hungry so i decided to fry plantain. Well i did fry the plantain but ended up with a swollen thumb on my right hand for about a month. I had to go dress it at the clinic and all that. I almost hated Aunt B

Fast forward 20 years, Aunt B is a mother of 2 who abused her pastor husband to the point that he left her when his manhood was almost taken from him. Guess what, Aunt B wanted moi, yes moi, to assist her with money and stuff like that. She actually came begging to my house. I am generally not a heartless person and i did give her some money but i made my dad warn her not to come back. My parents did their best to bring her up in the right way and after all they did, i shouldn't have to continue! What goes around comes around. Maybe she remembered her ill treatment of me or not, i really don't know.

While Aunt B lived with us, several other cousins used our house as stopovers or a place to fill in the blanks in their lives either temporarily or not! My mum, God bless her, she's too accommodating. There's an incident that's never left me, i was about eight, i was lying on the bed and my cousin, a guy said we should wrestle. He was short, very short and must have been about 8 years older. It sounded like fun and i was all for it till he was lying on top of me and i just felt what he was doing didn't make sense. I told him i wanted to stop. I got off the bed and left the room not really understanding what happened till several years later. I remember on a particular day he locked me and a guy in the room and i kept screaming and throwing stools before i was let out. His intention, i don't know till today but i'm glad i came out of it untouched. He still visits, he's close to my mum, but somewhere in my head, i can't get over it. I never told my mum though.

I won't ramble on and on, there were too many...too many of them and some of the experiences were horrible. It was an older cousin who made sure we never had whole pieces of meat to ourselves for a long time. She'd divide them, we were too young to eat whole pieces of meat. It was the same cousin who made sure my sis who i'm only a year older stop calling me by my name and added the Sister prefix, i think that 'almost' killed our relationship and i'm not sure we eevr recovered from it. I wish i could rewind and fight her with all my might now!

There were too many incidents but I've come to a decision, while my kids are growing up, i shall have no relative living with me. I don't want a wedge between my kids and i. I don't want them influenced wrongly, i don't want so many things...

This post has made me very emotional...it was inspired by GNG's post. I just went down memory lane. I know it's not that bad and a lot of people when through worse things. But i'm angry i did, i'm angry there were too many people in our house, i'm angry for a long time, we didn't get to be a real family....but i guess there's some therapy in writing.

I won't let them stay, call me a witch or not but i will protect my kids from external influence as much as i can and trust God to do the rest. Would you let them stay?

My Humourous? Letter of Thanks

Dear God,

I'm not going to ask how you are today because i know you're always fine. You're probably even laughing right now, the bible says you laugh in heaven. How're the angels? I know you always dispatch them to me. Maybe i should still ask though, i hope you're fine up there...if so doxology (lol)

Well I'm fine down here. You keep giving me a lot of blessings, a lot of which I don't even deserve. The purpose of my writing this letter to you is to tell you how grateful I am to you and to let you know the reasons that I'm grateful. Who knows? I might even get more blessings! (yes i'm greedy like that lord)

I'm very hardheaded, i know dear Lord but you take me as I am, you let me throw my tantrum, sometimes permit me to go my own way and then you wait for me to come back to you. Thank you for always giving this stubborn, hard headed child of yours a second chance and never giving up on me.

I was wondering God about my husband and my marriage and I'd like to know why you blessed me so much. I guess I can say it's grace. We have no problems here, and I'm grateful for that. Infact Lord, the hubby has been very wonderful to me (i know it's thanksgiving but can i just make a lil request that you let it continue this way...i know, i know i'm oliver twist! oh and can i also ask that i continue to be a good wife also? and one more thing Lord...ok, i know you know it already!..).

You know Lord, i was wondering about what makes my life so blessed and my friends are a great reason. You've given me very few great ones and i love it that way. I really am not sure i could cope with a lot of them. You know how i like to be all lovey dovey and connected with my friends. Well they're simply amazing and wonderful and i wanted to just say i love them and i'm glad you gave them to me.

Oh we've been enjoyin good health too and i just wanted to say i love how that has been. No one in my family is sick. Mr and i are in good health. All my friends are well and i don't take this for granted. You know how those ulcers were really bothering me, i'm glad that they're mostly gone. They're not as frequent as they used to be and i thank you because soon they won't even come back anymore...i'm sure you know how much of a pain they can be. The little buggers! (Do you even like that word i just used?)

I'm grateful how you keep bringing the right people my way, the ones who can help me, the ones i can help..the ones we can share stuff with each other..My sister, i'm thankful how you made her journey safe and despite her running around everywhere like a headless chicken, you continue to keep her.

I know i've been whining a lot lately and i know you just wonder why i do it. I know i shouldn't. And I just want to say I'm thankful i have people who look up to me and i can be a blessing to materially or otherwise. You have given me much and much is required of me..

You know sometimes Lord, i wonder why i go through some things and why i just won't let me scale the hurdle like a lot of people would so easily but i know you have given me strength and i'm thankful for that strength. I'm a strong woman, and i thank you for it. I'm thankful for those i've been comparing myself to also (and as an aside, i'm sorry), for all that you're doing in their lives.

You know i could write on and on and there'll be so much to say but i need to go and do that script i've been procrastinating (did i even spell that word right?) . But you know how grateful i am right? I really am grateful

Oh i should let you know about that chic in the hospital who took my blood yesterday. I'm thankful she didn't break the needle in my arm. Sometimes she seems to like her job, at other times she's so insensitive but that doctor that made me smile...thank you for him, you know how to bring me a smile even when i'm scared. So thank you Lord that she didn't break the needle in my arm again!

Let me drop my golden pen here so that i can go and do some work. But before i do that i will like to say you're the butter in my bread and the sugar in my tea. Infact you're the real ISH!

Yours Sincerely,

Becoming my mother....

When i was a kid, my mum would not let us especially me being the first child sleep till the living room and kitchen were sparkling clean. Behind her, we all called her a freak. Like really, couldn't it have waited till morning. No way, you couldn't reason with my mum on that.

If she woke up at 2am and the house was untidy, trust me, she was heading to my bed. Initially i used to argue and beg her to let it wait but i found out that never worked. I would spend several minutes begging her, then spend the rest tidying up, so i decided to do it in good grace always telling myself that one day i would have my own home and be able to make my own rules.

Trust me, i love my mum so much, she just had her idiosyncracies. A lot of our times spent together, which was most times with my siblings, we'd all tease her and tell her she needed to relax or else her grey hairs would increase. lol..well that never stopped mama writefreak.

If you were sleeping at 6a.m, my mum thought that was a huge offence, even on Saturdays. It took my dad's intervention for her to allow us sleep in a bit on Saturdays. And even at that, she'd walk all over the house, making comments about how we all were refusing to get up early in the morning and asking what we were still doing in bed. Considering i am a light sleeper, i used to just get up in annoyance and say 'ok mummy what do you want me to do'? My siblings would just hold the covers over their heads tighter.

Can you imagine that even after i got married, my mum still did this and my husband and i just teased her and said she should relax cos we weren't getting out of bed yet. Lol...she got the message and we all had a good laugh about it. It doesn't mean though that if i go tomorro to visit Mama and Papa Writefreak, she still wouldn't try her luck...lol. My mum is just an amazing woman, so strong and clean.

Fast forward 10 years after this, Writefreak has been married a while, has her own home that she dreamed of and can do anything she likes. Yeah anything she likes! First thing Writefreak will notice when she had a few siblings staying with her was anything that wasn't in place. Calssic Mama Writefreak attitude, infact, my mother would start asking why some things were not in place as she settled down once she entered the house. My siblings pointed out i was exactly like our mum and i said rubbish, you're just lazy...

Recently, i found myself tidying the sitting room at 3 am and i didn't think it was wrong, i only wanted to do it so things would be easier for me when i woke up the following day. Wait, isn't that reasonable? What if that's what my mother would have done.

A few days ago, night owl that i am, i was chatting with a few friends and working at about 2:30 am when i got very hungry. I decided to get a slice of bread from the fridge (yeah, yeah, i know better, it's not healthy to eat at such od dhours and bla bla..), i got to the fridge and i promptly ignored the bread. Yours truly noticed some dirt spots inside the fridge and just swung into action. I cleaned two layers and then it occured to me it was the early hours of the morning already. I got my bread deliberately and came to the living room but i just couldn't take my mind off it. I really wanted to clean the fridge at that time. I forced myself not to, it could wait till morning. It took a lot of will though. My mother would have done the same, maybe even done the cleaning at that time.

Help! Am i becoming my mother?

Enter His Gates....

Giving thanks keeps things in perspective. It makes you focus on what is going right and shift your attention(even if temporarily) from the negatives. It makes you acknowledge that things are not so bad.
When you graduate from thanksgiving to worship, it gives you a sense of reckless abandonment. You move your focus entirely from the natural to the supernatural and it's almost a case of 'i don't send, God's got it all now'.
Singing praises, giving thanks open doors to great things. Closed doors are open...

'But at midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them. Suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken; and immediately all the doors were opened and everyone’s chains were loosed.'. Acts 16:25-26

This is my 10th thankful post and i am not giving up...I am thankful for the following:

1. I am thankful for the death and ressurection of Jesus. So many lessons to learn from it!

2. I am thankful for the Easter holidays, it's one of the best Mr and i have had in a long time....talk of just lounging. No details all you aprokos...lol!

3. I am thankful for my marriage, for a man that loves me and whom i love in return, for the ability to continue seeing the best in each other. I don't take this for granted

4. I'm thankful for a safe trip. Mr and I went to Lagos and came back safely

5. I'm thankful for my family. I saw all my siblings except one last week and I'm glad they're all doing ok.

6. I'm thankful for my nephew and niece who seem to be growing in leaps and bounds.

7. I'm thankful for my health. Sometimes my digestive system just seems to be on a break, it was yesterday but today I feel a lot better.

8. I'm thankful for good and godly friends and the ability to be able to stick together in good or bad times.

What are you thankful for?

ps: i'm seriously beginning to think i should be able to get paid for blogging. i'd rather blog than do my work...help people! but erm, i'm beginning to think if i got paid for it, won't i also start seeing it as a job, not so? i love blogging jo! lol

*Pls swing by soulsistas to read our latest post*

What's with the tagging sef?

So i got tagged by Temite and i thought i'd just ignore her and not do it but then...i can't say no to her...so here i am doing a tag on a Saturday morning...mschew.

Here are the rules

*Use the first letter of your name to answer each of the following questions.
*They have to be real...nothing made up! If the person before you had the same first initial, you must use different answers.
*You cannot use any word twice and you can't use your name for the boy/girl name question.
* Dont google ur answers.
*Make it as interesting and fun as you can.

1. What is your name: writefreak
2. A four Letter Word: Warm
3. A boy's Name: Wonuola
4. A girl's Name: Wunmi
5. An occupation: Writer; writers rule men!
6. A color: White
7. Something you'll wear: White PJs
9. A food: Wice (i can't think of any food that starts with W now jo and some people actually get away with pronouncing it like that)
10. Something found in the bathroom: Water
11. A place: Warri (maybe i should take a trip !mistook 12 noon for 12 midnight! lol
13. Something you'd shout: WHY ME! lol
14. A movie title: Wanted
15. Something you drink: Water
16. A musical group: West Life
17. An animal: Wild animal...hehehehe...which animal name starts with W sef? mscheew
18. A street name: erm...what if i create my own street name? Wale street...lol
19. A type of car: Wine Range Rover!
20. The title of a song: Worship Again

Got some very bad news yesterday. Our friends; a couple had a baby yesterday, a little girl and they lost her, i'm just trying to understand it but i've found out i can't. Please help me say a prayer for my friends..i can't imagine the grief they're going through right now. I won't question...whatever the case is, i know God loves them and He loves us all. It is well. *sighs*


Ps: It's my lovely friend Aloted's birthday today. She's such a wonderful person, y'all give her a shout. Babe you know there's nothing but love for you here and may this be the best year you ever lived!
Oh it's Enkay's birthday too...happy birthday babe. May it be your best year ever!

Have a great Easter everyone!

Only By Grace...

It is by His grace that we're not consumed. It is by His grace that we shut our eyes to sleep for the night and wake up and it's morning. You lift your hands, they're working perfectly...the eyes see, your legs work, your brain hasn't shut down. Your family is intact, you can think clearly...it is only by His grace. C'mon someone must be behind all that...it is God and He deserves some praise.

Atimes we don't think clearly, our problems seem to be so huge that we forget the goodness of God and His faithfulness to us. What i hear clearly in my spirit this morning is that even if you're going through stuff, things that you don't understand, you're going through them only because you can bear them, you're strong enough and at the end of it, you will come out tried and tested, purified! Can i get an Amen? I am speaking to myself and I'm speaking to you...whatever you're going through right now is not permanent..it will COME TO PASS....

Just look very well, think deeply, there is at least something you can be thankful for even in the eye of the storm!

So here goes my own list:

1. I am thankful for grace. Grace is what makes it possible for me to keep having several chances with God.

2. I am thankful for my life companion, the man God has given me, what we have is special and i'm just glad I have him to walk life's road with.

3. I am thankful for great friends, those who will listen to you rant and not think you have a nut unscrewed in your head....those friends like sisters who are ever there to catch you when you seem to be falling. It's a blessing and I don't take it for granted.

4. I am thankful for my health. Every part of my body works, it is only by His grace.

5. I am thankful for that phone call...the one that got me searching my soul and got me saying some things over and over to myself. Thanks for that sis, it was a blessing and i know i'm blessed!

6. I am thankful that I finally got to take that step...it just might be a window to great things...

7. I'm thankful that hubby got to stay home with me instead of being away for two days. I hate the home alone days and when i got that text saying 'have you been praying about my journey?' I knew he was staying home...yay! lol

8. I'm thankful for Midnight crew and their inspiration to sing IGWE....i'm just so hooked on that song at the moment...yeah yeah, i know, i'm beginning to sound like a broken record. I'm still thankful for them anyways!

9. I'm thankful for blogville....it's just a blessed community.

That's my list, are you making yours?

Happy midweek!

Ungrateful like GNG + IGWE

I'm loving this song...i am so loving it...it's been on repeat in my house since yesterday...i'm playing it now and i don't know how many more times i'm going to play it today. It's not that new i know, infact i've heard it several times before but all of a sudden, i just lurrrrrve it. I love the beat and it just lifts my spirit!

No king like God now...abi? So i'm loving Midnight Crew's Igwe and i was playing the CD and dancing in ma living room yesterday when ma (former friend Good Naija Girl came online. I couldn't contain my excitement so i asked if she'd heard the song before and she said she'd look for it in YouTube. She found it right...and got hooked, she was loving it! So i asked if she'd thank me for helping her find some good music for her soul on a good Sunday afternoon...guess what, she refused to pay for this awesome service i did her, neither was she grateful. Instead, she told me she'd give me the honour of remaining my friend. What! Isn't that just the most conceited thing i ever heard? So i said i will report her to the gbogbo blogville o! What do you guys think? Should i remain friends with her or not? She said you guys will take her side, is that true? I'm about to make her a former friend, shouldn't i? GNG, you ain't got nothing on me!

And then i got my lovely sis Temite to listen to it, she loved it so much and i could hear her gratitude over the phone when i spoke to her. GNG, you need to learn some tips from my aburo. She sure knows what gratitude is! That's how she got hooked o and was playing the thing over and over too...and i thought...see what you done Writefreak! You've inspired another Igwe addict. Nurrin do you jare aburo mi. I love you like that.

It doesn't matter i had to tell them both what Igwe means although i'm not Ibo and i don't understand most of the words in the song...hehehe...See...GNG, another service i rendered, translation...one more reason to be grateful and to get paid! lol. So i said i would get Temite to side with me ( i know she knows people who know people who know people...that can...GNG, you berra watch ya back!) . I think she's got a mafia boyfie sef. GNG, are you shaking yet? Temite, over to you, time to fight for your big sis!

And btw GNG, i have tabled your matter to aloted. You know we're like 5 and 6 and she's got powerful people in blogville. You should be shaking already. Gosh, i'd be scared in your shoes!

So y'all enjoy these videos from Midnight Crew (after all the messing around). Take your pick, they have two vides for the same song. IGWE. I can almost hear that word in my sleep. lol





Have a nice week my good people!

Thank you dear father

I missed my thankful post yesterday, it doesnt mean i'm not grateful, it just means i was tied up...but God sees my heart and he knows that i love Him so much...He's afterall the giver of life, He's the one whogives me hope, makes me wake up each day and know i want to continue living....because with Him, life is just starting!

He's afterall the one who can turn around seemingly hopeless situations and infuse life into them...i've seen Him do this, so i choose to not believe otherwise. I'm going through a phase, sometimes it's tough and i feel like i can't go on, but then my eyes are open to the things that are working and i know for a certainty that I am indeed blessed! I shouldn't even think otherwise...

Ah, this was supposed to be a thankful post and that is what it shall be, not a random one! Gosh, i feel so random! Lolo

So i am thankful for the following reasons:

1. I am thankful for hope and faith. Two days ago, i felt like i was in a hopeless situation. I questioned God, i despaired, i grieved...but He infused hope into me again, His word is my anchor and I will not let go! He is the giver of hope! And someday I will smile over that situation (pls say Amen)

2. I am thankful for a husband who loves me deeply and thinks about me. The little things He does makes me thank God and i am not taking them for granted. He considers me and will still buy me ice cream and sharwama (without me asking) on a day that I'm feeling blue and have forgotten to eat...gosh, i love my husband and God i thank you for Him.

3. For the wonderful friends He has surrounded me with. It's sad to walk life's journey alone and i'm blessed i don't have to do that. They might be very few, infact a trickle, but they're lovely.

4. I 'm thankful for that ray of light that is shining through, it might be very faint now, but i see it there...and i know for a fact that it will get brighter.

5. I'm thankful for the script He just gave me the grace to complete. For the friends that i peppered with questions...and for the fact that I know it's going out in favour!

6. I'm thankful for provision. He continues to meet our needs...these are difficult times but He keeps giving us a song...and i can confidently say 'when men say there's a casting down, we say there's a lifting up'

7. I'm thankful that although i dont have a grand plan written out for my life, i consistently know what to do and where I'm going...

8. I'm thankful for life and love...for the laughter i share with my husband and the people close to me.

I'm thankful! What are you thankful for?

He makes all things beautiful in HIS time....Amen!

My name is Writefreak and...

This is probably the randomest post you read from me..brace yourself! Lol

I don't know why I fight wearing my glasses so much! Actually I can see clearly without them..but I get these huge headaches when I neglect them like a reminder to pick them up. Hubby bought me this posh Ferre Gamo frames but o ti o, yours truly will hide them in the bag. Well staring at my system all day hasn't helped so much so I have decided to be friends with my posh glasses...don't advice me to wear contacts! I think it's torture!

Or is it cos I've been looking like a nerd that I avoid wearing them glasses? With my braids packed up and the glasses, I think I'm a perfect fit for a nerd or is it a strict teacher? Not sure...wish I could post pictures...lol

I'm very clumsy! Yes! I hit things, I get burns and scratch myself so many times. I just can't help it. I try so hard. I'm not as bad but Susan in Desperate Housewives remind me of myself! I try but maybe I really don't care. *shrugs*

The past one week has seen me sleeping at some very odd hours- 5a.m, 6a.m. I write late into the night and do some chatting. The guilty parties know themselves! Keeping me awake all night but really it's more of working! I have now decided to be a normal human being so I shall not be staying up longer than 2a.m anymore so help me God!

There are honest Nigerians and I believe in this great country of ours. I left my second phone on the car yesterday mistakenly. Mr and I went to cut his hair and we were there for like ages...actually we were the last to leave the shopping centre. The gateman came to us as we drove out and wanted to know if we lost a phone. I was so sure, I said No. The guy wouldn't let up so Mr asked him for the fone and dialed it, voila, it was mine! It's a cheap phone but replacing would have been an agony! We gave him a tip and Mr said to him 'with people like you, there's hope for Nigeria'...yes there is! Thanks Titus for being a honest Nigerian.

I hate not getting what I want when I want it! It sucks when I don't but delay isn't denial. I'm learning that God knows what I need per time and I should just trust Him. I hear him saying daughter, just trust fully, one day at a time. I make all things beautiful I'm MY time. Teach me to trust daddy...my life is in your hands.

I'm thinking of moving to MTN blackberry. Zain has been ripping me off! Why pay more when I can pay a flat rate? Ehn?

I love sleeping in. Why can't everyday be like Sunday? Dear God forgive me, I didn't go to church yesterday. But I woke up after noon and I felt blessed. The whole house was tidy..Mr had done all the chores. Dear God, I want more Sundays!

I shop for food once a month but I absolutely don't like it. I need a paradigm shift. I wonder what can make me like it now..it's that time of the month when my fridge is getting empty and I'm thinking oh God not again! Lol

Is it wrong for me not to have all them grand 5 to 10 year plans? I do have things written down and I know where I'm going. I just like to live one day at a time resting it all in my Father's hands!

I have less owambes to attend and I'm not feeling guilty about it. Now when I'm invited, I have the luxury of sayin...'Eh ya and I'm not in lagos o'...that is such a tenable excuse! And I'm loving it!

I miss my Mom! Am I too old for that? I wasn't home throughout last year, mostly cos she and my dad visited us a few times but I still miss her. I think I might spend some time with them over Easter!

I've been wishing I could be a child again! Honestly this growing up business isn't just for me. What happened to the days of not thinking about anything and having all my needs met by someone...having my bath in the rain though I knew it would make me sick. That's it! I am declaring that I Writefreak refuse to become an adult, I am still a child...maybe my dream will come true if I say it long enough...but wait o, there is a time for everything. God! You just know how to put me right!

My brother got posted to the outskirts of a city in Imo. He's going to be a secondary school teacher. There's no light, as in NEPA hasn't been giving them at all (not like we're better off here) and his salary from the school is 2k...I'm rotfl as I say it...isn't that just a joke. Isn't it time the govt did something about corpers' allowance? 7k5 or 9k..absolutely ridiculous!

Abuja drivers are driving me nuts! They just plain can't drive or is it that the roads are too wide and too good to be true?

I love my two year old nephew who wants to talk to me on the phone all the time! He doesn't know how to say l, he says n..so he says to me all the time - 'I nove you aunty...he says the l in my name with an n'. He's adorable! And everytime I speak to him now, no matter the time of the day, he says 'I haven't eaten all day aunty'. I hear his mum screaming 'it's a lie'. Children are such a delight!

God gave me a new sister and she rocks! We happened on each other and she's just so cute! I've learnt a lot from her and I dare to call her 'my blessing'. Temite my lovely sister with a pink heart who can't spell... I love ya! You're my blessing and I won't stop believing in you.

I forgot to add that I did this whole entry on my phone! Am I an addict or what? That's a whole entry on its own!

The first time..

The first time for a lot of people is always the best, for some it's memorable, for some it's very embarassing....

X was a sophomore student in the University and had just made a decision to change her place of worship and found somewhere more comfortable on the campus, a fellowship that made her feel at home.

Part of the requirements for new members was to attend a basic class called Foundation school. Students were divided into small groups with volunteer teachers who were also all students who had been in the fellowship for a while.

Her friend Y, was a teacher at the Foundation shcool and she wanted so badly to be in her friend's group. The list came out and she was disappointed to find out she had been put in the class of someone that she didn't even know. She went to ask her Y why she wasn't in her class, why gave an unintelligible answer. X expressed her disappointment for being put in A's class.
She turned her nose up, disappointment and cynicism written all over her face and she turned to Y and asked 'please tell me who is that A sef?'. Y smiled and X was irritated. X persisted in her quest to know. Please tell me, i hope he's a nice person and not someone that'll put me off this Foundation school o.

The answer came soon enough, 'he's right there behind you'.
X felt like the ground should open up and swallow her. Embarassment written all over her face, she turned and said 'A, nice to meet you. I didn't mean what i said the way it sounded'. A flashed a smile and said 'it's ok don't worry, see you in class'. He sauntered off leaving X all purple faced.
Interestingly, their relationship blossomed after that, they became best of friends and six and half years later, they got married.

Yeah, that's how Writefreak met her hubby the first time...lol, you wanna share how you met your husband, wife, fiancee/fiance or boyfriend? Would love to hear...

Hope you all had a good weekend. Wish you a pleasant week ahead!

Baba, you're too much!

Our God is worthy to be praised!

A scripture says 'though he slays me, i will praise Him'. What manner of faith! I wonder if i can have such faith, He will not slay me, i know but even if i go through the storm, i know He's there with me. He's an awesome God and i hope somedayi will be able to have as much faith as to be able to say 'though he slays me....'

I thought of Job and all He had to go through and His faith was still strong inspite of all the trials and tribulations. And i asked the Lord to increase my faith. He will not allow us to be tested more than we can bear but when i am going through that which He knows i can bear, may i not give in to fear and doubt, may i be able to stand strong in my faith knowing He will not allow me to go through what i cannot bear.

God is awesome and i praise Him for these reasons:

1. For my wonderful husband, he just sent me a text message that made me smile and think oh God, you gave me the best man! I'm thankful for a man who is not afraid to acknowledge his shortcomings and is willing to walk hand in hand. And oh, should i say i'm thankful that i have him to walk this journey of life with?

2. I'm thankful for my friends. A good number of them are pregnant, i pray for them everyday and God is keeping them and working in their lives.

3. I thank God for friends who help me when i need it, whether virtual or real life. Thanks FG and No Limit for your contributions to the work i'm doing now

4. I'm thankful to God for constructive criticism because through it, i get better

5. I'm thankful to God for a second, third, fourth, fifth and uncountable chances He continues to give me. Even when i choose to be faithless, i am able to go back to Him and He restores my soul.

6. I'm thankful to God for helping me be a blessing to people around me. He gives me a word in season and i am able to encourage!

7. I'm thankful to God for provision. He's an awesome God. I never lack and good thing

8. I'm thankful to God for this work in progress (me) that He keeps guiding and leading by the hand

9. I'm thankful for Standtall and what she's doing. Yours truly is this week's celebrity, Standtall has the privilege of interviewing me (hehehe, how conceited), you ran read it here.

10. I thank God for my Ayefele cd which is now my dance exercise cd..lol

11. Lastly, i thank God for you all!

Baba you're too much! May you continue to bless all my friends in blogville and their families!