WHAT IS IN THIS FOR ME?

Some situations in life are not meant for you to change, but the situations are meant to change you for the better.

A lot of times we get into situations that are not palatable and we begin to pray that God should change our situation. We pray that that noisy neighbor should move out of the neigbourhood; we pray for a job that pays better than the one we have presently; we that God should change that annoying/irritating person who is a specialist in doing/saying the wrong things; we sometimes, even pray that God should change our partners to be who we want them to be.

God is a perfect God and HE is all powerful. None of the prayer requests is beyond HIM. Infact, He does not need you to pray before He changes any situation or person. We must understand that sometimes, God is more interested in changing you than in changing the situation. He has a reason for bringing every situation you face and every person you encounter your way. He has not changed that irritating/annoying person yet because He probably wants you to change and be more accommodating; you have not gotten that dream job possibly because you still need to learn how to manage the little resources at your disposal or may be you have not fully exploited all the opportunities available to you on the present job.

We all must learn to look inward more often. It is easier to see and point out other people’s fault or short comings, it is also very easy to complain about our conditions and predicaments, but we never ask ourselves “what is in this for me” or “what am I supposed to learn from this person or situation. Sometimes, god decides to calm the storm, sometimes, he decides to calm you. Sometimes, all we need to discover our own short-coming is to spot/find them in someone else. Once in a while, it is good for us to mirror our lives through the lives of others.

The strive to be a better you must never stop. Instead of complaining about that situation or getting irritated about that person, while not ask yourself “ what is in this for me?” pray about it and you will know whether God wants to change the situation or He wants to change you before changing the situation.

Till we meet again, you can only get better. STAY BLESSED

THE NEED FOR INTERMEDIARIES BY HASHIM MUHAMMAD

I saw this post by a friend and I will like to share it with you. It was written by a friend Hashim Mohammed please enjoy:

I was discussing with my friend on religious stuffs and how humans are lazy in the pursuit of knowledge for the truth in religion as the Almighty has ordered for proper guidance than listening to humans like them who end up misleading many, He said to me, people believe in that which they can see that is why we have intermediaries, those who come as prophets, pastors, sheikhs,popes, uztaz, imams. They believe in these people to pray for them and connect them with GOD. But then I told him about the man in the bible who was close to GOD's own heart, the man with plenty concubines, he prayed for forgiveness by himself to GOD and he was forgiven because what GOD wants is that sincere intention of remorse and repentance, NO intermediary can place himself in that position of you when they pray. But then it later occurred to me that humans are not just lazy but callous in their ways , because they can ask the intermediary to pray for them but no one ask another to come help sleep with his or her spouse to produce children. Moral of the story, GOD has no secretary HE is the only ONE you should pray to, the other man is not a better person than you are.

Say He is Allah, The one and Only." (Al-Quran 112:1) - #‎ISLAM

"He is one only without a second ." (Chandogya Upanishad 6:2:1)- #‎Hinduism

"Hear,O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord." (The Bible, Mark 12:29; Deuteronomy 6;4)- #‎Christianity_Judaism

"There exists but one God, who is called The True, The Creator.. (Sri Guru Granth Sahib, vol:1, Japuji verse 1)- #‎Sikhism

"He is One. He is without an origin or end.  (Dasatir, Ahura Mazda)-

Written by Hashim Muhammad - Guest Blogger

PUNISHED IN ADVANCE

Growing up as a child was not just so much fun for me. I grew up with my Parents and my Dad was such a disciplinarian that He can even discipline You in advance (i.e, for offences yet to be committed). why that look on your face? You want to tell me that you don't understand what I am saying? Ok, let me give you the only experience I had of been disciplined in advance.

One fateful day, my Dad found out that someone had spoilt one of the devices we had in the house. based on His investigation, it seemed to him that I was the most probable suspect, and he did not hesitate to dish out some strokes of the cane on me. Minutes after I had received the punishment, my dad found out that I was not the culprit/offender or spoiler (mind my English) of the device. are you wandering if He apologized or made up with me?

well, just like you will be now, I was surprised by his response. My dad said "Kayode, I have found out that you were not the one who spoilt it, but I know you will soon do something that necessitates been flogged, that beating you just received is for the next offence you will commit." Are you surprised? or you probably are thinking 'guy, you must have been terribly stubborn ooo'. I think you are very correct. I was so stubborn that my dad, after beating me, will be requesting for Panadol. I won't forget days that after beating me, I will still be the one to help him massage his body.

Hmmmmmmmmmmm! Did I really deserve these punishments? I will leave that for you to judge. The beating I received in advance stands alone as the only one that happened that way. Others were received for ''SIMPLE'' offences like; been sent to the next street to buy ice (ice block as generally called) by 7:30 am and coming back home without the ice by 4:00 pm when it was supposed to take me less than 30 minutes to and fro. was the delay due to traffic congestion? that could not have been the case as I walked. Now, let me confide in you,(it is a secret oooooo, please do not tell another person). while on my way going, I saw some boys playing football along the streets and i decide to test my skills. By the time we finished playing, there was no need to go to the place they sell the ice as it wont be needed anymore at home.

As a kid, I used to love football (eventhough football did not like me). and most times, that is what is responsible for the delays I experienced whenever I was sent on errands.

But seriously, have you been disciplined or punished in advance before? the good thing about it is that, like having savings in the bank,it gives you the feelings that you have some room to be extravagant (with your behaviour). funny enough, I cannot remember my Dad giving me the benefit of enjoying what I had supposedly paid for in advance. I think I should just go ask him for it right away. lol

Till we meet again, keep striving to be the best. you can only get better. STAY BLESSED

A LADY OF OUR DREAMS

We live in a world where people look for different virtues, qualities and even maybe quantity from others. we all have our prescription or preference as to what we want or seek for in our dream guys/ladies. here, i will be sharing with you what is my idea of my dream lady(the take home to mama type #wink).

I dream of a female with self control, who is quick to hold her tongue. she delights in everything lovely and feminine and she is not afraid to speak her mind when needed. compassion and passion are two of her best qualities, along with nurturing, serving others, unselfishness and poise. she is passionate about her beliefs and she accomplishes anything she puts her mind to. Her peers respect her for being truly female.

Be a woman of substance; be a real woman. It is difficult to break down a real woman because she will learn from her mistakes, gather her strength from her struggles and overcome the obstacles courageously. she understands that it is a little girl that seeks revenge, a real woman moves on while karma does her dirty work.

***No man succeeds without a good woman behind him,wife or mother; if it is both, he is twice blessed indeed***

If a lady is sufficiently ambitious, determined and gifted, there is practically nothing she cant do.

a real lady does not just fight for gender equality, she takes responsibility for her life and actions.

 she does not just sit about hoping for the right guy to come, she works on herself to get the best of herself. She makes the most of every situation, and gives her best in all things.

When she finally find love, she loves with the whole of her life without holding back. 

An old woman once told me that there are no ugly ladies, only lazy ones.

questions to all MY LADIES reading this, are you a lady of our dreams?

till we meet next time, continue to get better. STAY BLESSED.

LETTING GO (THE MONKEY TRAPS)

Recently, I discovered the method used by some cultures in hunting for monkeys. Lots of hunters use the same method even though different devices, baits and processes are engaged. however, for the purpose of this discourse, i will use the style of the Indians as my point of reference.
Monkey-hunters use a box with an opening at the top, big enough for the monkey to slide its hand in. inside the box are nuts, bananas or other baits which the monkey can smell easily and find irresistible. the monkey grasp the bait,and now its hand becomes a fist.
The monkey tries to get its hand out but the opening is only big enough for the hand to slide in, but too small for the fist to come out. now the monkey has a choice, either to let go off the nuts (baits) and be free forever or hang on to the nuts and get caught. Guess what it picks everytime? - you are very correct. it hangs on to the nuts and gets caught. no matter how much the monkey yanks, it cannot escape as long as he tries to hang on to the treat. meanwhile, the hunter who sets the trap comes along, collects the monkey , and, presumably, heads back home in search of a cooking pot and fire.
The works because the monkey is focused on obtaining the food inside and doesn't understand that the price of obtaining that particular morsel will be its own freedom. to be fair to the monkey, it is not that it is stupid, it is just that letting go seldom occurs to it.
We are no different from the monkeys, we all hang on to some nuts that keep us from going forward in life. The big monkey trap, the one which dooms the monkey and can snare us if we are not careful is short-thinking; the ability to place immediate events into the context of what is in our long term interest. if only the monkeys learn to let go of the nuts, at least, it will live to search for food another day.
Like the monkeys, a lot of us lack the ability to look beyond the moment. "if i let go of this , where will the next one come from?" is the question that runs through our mind. we hang on to the wrong relationships, wrong businesses, people, jobs, etc because we are too conscious of the now. we are afraid to let go. Till the hunters (e.g emotional disaster, diseases, poverty, etc) catches up with us.
We have the nut of that bad decision or choice we made clutched tightly and can see the consequences closing in. But still, we hang on, convinced that if we let go, we somehow will lose more than if we just admit the mistake and move on.
Friends, my admonition to you is; DON'T BE MONKEYED, learn to let go.

Till we meet again, remember: you can only get better. STAY BLESSED

GETTING STARTED

Starting is never an easy part of any adventure. A lot of things runs through our mind. for example; how do i go through with this? will i get halfway and get tired? but most times, you don't discover what you can do until you take the first step.
I must let you know that i am highly inspired to do this blog because i know i am learning and can also pass some knowledge to you. I intend to make this blog a place where you can relax and have fun.
This blog is to share with you, My experiences (either personal or otherwise) and life issues generally. I hope to enjoy this ride as much as possible and i pray that God will give me the time and energy to be devoted to this course.
Till I write my very first issue on this page, keep improving on yourself because you can only get better. STAY BLESSED.