Keeping It Light

Happy New Week!

It’s almost the end of November and I was thinking to myself this morning, “Why not keep it light today?”

So, I got some funny captions to make your day and week.

Still, I want to say this; Be real, be true to yourself, trust God, love yourself and others, never give up, do something new every day if you can (even if it’s trying out a new biscuit), make the right friends, live well and healthy, have fun, embrace success and no hating!

Enjoy the Pics below;

Have a blessed week!

Fork & Knife

Morning Darlings!

Happy Friday!

Recently, I was looking at a particularly delicious picture of the upcoming EIFF (EKO INTERNATIONAL FOOD FESTIVAL) and my mind traveled to the past (by the way, EIFF is another activity you can do for fun this December and it won’t cost you much, check out the Facebook page 'Eko International Food Fest' for more details).

This food poster reminded me of the first time I used fork and knife years ago.

Let me tell you a story; It was on a sunny day, my mood was bright, my dress was on-point and I was hanging out with my girls. We were at a restaurant eating, gisting, having a good time when SUDDENLY! A group of REALLY GOOD-LOOKING GUYS walked in.

I took time off in my head to check them out while they settled on the table next to us. You should have seen me, my accent picked up a notch as I continued gisting. Then I noticed one of the guys looking at me and I thought to myself “Yes! time to show him what I’m made of!”

Immediately, I switched my fork to my left hand and picked up my knife with the right (Yes, I already knew the right positioning of fork and knife, I just hadn’t tried it before). Thinking about it now, I’m asking myself “Why didn’t I just go for the rice?”

I zeroed in on a chunk of beef and began to slice it. (A little tutorial; When you’re using fork and knife, particularly when slicing anything, make sure to hold down whatever it is with the fork, while the knife ONLY do the slicing). 

Back then, I didn’t know this, so I was moving the beef, my  fork and knife also moving,  up-and-down, up-and-down while trying to smile like “it’s no big deal, this is the way I do it”  (with my friends giving me curious looks) , the journey continued until…

The Beef from hell (with stew on it!) flipped off my plate, swished and landed right near the guys’ table!!

I wanted to disappear. I wanted the ground (for once in its life) to open up and swallow me. There was brief silence while I looked down in shame, only to look up and see the guys from the table trying hard not to laugh.  What was a girl to do? I got up, told my friends we’ll see outside and I calmly walked out of the restaurant (the original walk of shame).

Today I can laugh about it. Back then, I wanted to remain hidden forever. The good thing though? It fueled my determination to master the art. Without blowing my trumpet, I think I’m PRETTY good at it now. *INSERT PROUD SMILE HERE*

 Reliving the memory teaches me about how we sometimes work so hard to impress others for flimsy social gratification instead of working hard to better who we are (become a better version of ourselves) so that one day, others can be blessed through us, making the world a better place.

My question to you this weekend: When last did you do something (anything) to make someone’s life better? No matter how small. It doesn’t even have to be money, many times, rendering service is more impactful and long-lasting than giving cash.

Think about it. The next time you’re tempted to complain about the country, the president, the economy, the world, the weather, your job/career, your irritating family members,  pause and thank God for His blessings in your life first, then think about what YOU can do to put a smile on someone else’s face.

Have a great weekend!

Ciao!

TRY THESE 6

Happy Monday Dears!

I woke up really excited this morning and decided to do something a little different. I’m advertising! Reason? I want you all to consider before you totally fold your arms, give up and say “I’ll just sit at home, cook rice and chicken to eat this holiday. There’s nothing else to do”.

Snap out of that dour mindset this second! You still have a chance to plan something nice for yourself, something simple, but fun. PUT SOME FUN BACK IN YOUR LIFE! You only have this one life to live, LIVE IT!!  Check out the options below:

1.       FREEDOM PARK, LAGOS.

This one I can personally recommend. I’ve been there a few times and it’s something to remember. Take a trip down history lane, find out why it’s called ‘Freedom Park’ . You’ll be surprised at the amount of information; things you don’t know about the history of Lagos; those who took advantage and those who fought for the advantage. Visit the different sections, eat all types of food (there are outlets for Vegetarians too! Just in case you are or you’re on a diet this holiday season). The park is beautiful and there are different lounges. I don’t want to give out everything, here are a few pics to get you interested.

Google it, visit the website, confirm for yourself, you won’t be disappointed.

2.       LEKKI CONSERVATION CENTER, LAGOS.

I don’t know if you’ve heard me say it before, but I’m a lover of nature. I mean, I take pictures of full moons when I see them (I actually have a picture of The Super Moon on my phone! You know, that one  we were all supposed to look out for?...I was thrilled to snap it! Doubt me? Ask me for it when you see me). As I was saying, nature is beautiful, God is the Greatest Artist that there ever was. That’s why I love when nature is beautifully preserved like this place is. If you want a place to just stroll, relax, picnic, have down-time with your loved one(s), then visit this place this holiday season. Here are some pics to whet your appetite.

Google it for more information.

3.       BADAGRY BEACH, LAGOS

This one too I can personally recommend. As a lover of nature, a lovely beach is ALWAYS spot on. The atmosphere is relaxing enough without adding any extra to it. For those who live in Lagos, I know Badagry is a little away from main town and you’re now wondering “why do I have to go ALL THAT WAY just for baech-experience?” But it’s not just about visiting a beach, it’s about literally walking in history. Let me explain; There’s an excursion package which includes taking a comfortable ferry across a river to a place called ‘POINT OF NO RETURN’,

Walking down the former slave route (seeing things, artifacts, evidence of man’s cruelty to man) to finally alight on an untouched beautiful white-sand beach, staring at the amazing blue sea (no kidding, it’s VERY BLUE). It’s something everyone needs to see, you need to have this experience. I implore you, visit these places in Badagry: the beach and the excursion sites. Plan it, you’ll be happy you did.     I’m not making this up, I’ve been there, walked this path. My only regret is that I didn’t have a camera on me at the time to snap pictures. I was so overwhelmed by it all and awed by my surrounding to do anything else.

Do more research about it. Find out for yourself.

There are many other places you can visit too. I just want to get you thinking about planning SOMETHING, ANYTHING with the options above. Get your fun-clock ticking.

Now, for those who are just planning a single event; a date with that special someone. Mix it up a little, don’t just go to a basic place where they serve basic food; Jollof rice, fried rice, chicken, beef, local soups. These meals are good, but Many Meal Options + Terrific Ambience is a game winner any day.  Here are 3 suggestions;

1.       EMBER CREEK, LAGOS

I won’t say anything about this, I want you curious enough to Google it, read about it, see more pictures and plan something beautiful.

2.       JAZZHOLE, LAGOS

You love good food plus good music, then here’s where you should plan your date. The experience is memorable. It will sing in your heart for a long time. Check it out online.

3.       ALALO, LAGOS

Put simply; Really delicious food, Really good environment (with stylish native setting), remarkable experience. Go see for yourself, confirm what I’m saying.

I noticed that I was a little (alright, a lot) biased about location. All these places are based in Lagos, but bear with me, I’m still venturing and I will definitely look at other states too. But if you’re in Lagos or will be in Lagos this holiday season, then here are 6 places you can treat yourself to. No more talk of “I don’t have anything planned” “There’s nothing to do” “I can’t travel, where’s the money?”

Even if all you do is go by yourself to one of these restaurants and treat yourself to a nice meal, then do it. You deserve it.

Oh! another idea just came to me this moment, download a nice recipe from the internet, something different from the ‘normal’ foods you eat and learn how to cook it. Once you’ve refined the art of the meal, invite a few friends or family over and prepare it for them.

WHATEVER YOU DECIDE, YOU MUST NOT DO THE USUAL THIS HOLIDAY! DO SOMETHING DIFFERENT! PREFERABLY, SOMETHING FUN!

Have a great week Darlings!

PS: Share this post to someone who needs it. You just might make someone’s day.

Monday's Food

Morning Darlings,

This morning I have one thought running through my head: ‘The decision you make today will affect your life forever’

It got me scared. I looked outside my window at the beautiful picture of a clear sky and started wondering:

“Does it mean if I mis-step, my generation will be affected?”

 “Why is such a heavy burden of responsibility on me?”

“Where is the time to just live for  me if I have to be conscious of everything I do so that my generation won’t rain curses on me for being irresponsible with opportunities?” and on the heels of this particular thought came the question “How do I know I’m being irresponsible/responsible with opportunities?”

 “Is this/that the right choice?”

“Am I fulfilling purpose or is there a different path I should be taking/should have taken?”

“What about wanting to make money? What about achieving all my dreams?”

“Ten years from now, will I be satisfied with who I see in the mirror? Or will I (God forbid) hate myself, hate my life?”

“How do I know what the right turn is or what the right move is? What if many moves feel right?”

PHEW! Yeah, I had to take a deep breath before I enter into panic mode. But you can see how these thoughts played a little havoc with my mind. I’d like to believe I’m not the only one who gets these thoughts once in a while. Do I have a witness? I believe I do.

Sometimes my Darlings, life can be like;

Responsible Adult, standing in the middle, wanting to make the right choice because it feels like the weight of the world is on your shoulders. Or in my case, you’re imagining the future and wondering what will be said or written about you. In generations to come, when someone asks about you, will the response be:

·         “Oh yeah, we know her/him, we read about and hear stories about her/him all the time. Great person, because of her/him, this and that happened. Thank God she/he did all those things, that’s why this generation is great or in a better place today”.

OR

·         “Yeah we know her/him! We’ve heard all the stories! Is it not because of her/him that we’re like this today?! I wish I wasn’t in this lineage!”

OR

·         “Who is she/he? I’ve never heard that name before. You said she/he was a great-great-great grandmother/father? Impossible, never heard of her/him.”

Some of us are grateful to our parents for the choices they made, some of us are disappointed with our parents for the choices they made, some of us wonder if our parents made any choices at all. Whatever the case may be, one day you would become those parents too, what will your generation say about you?

Think about this as you go about your day today. Forget the other thoughts like “My boss is so annoying” “My colleagues can be very irritating” “What will I eat during lunch break?”. Focus on the BIGGER PICTURE right now: What decisions am I taking and how do they affect my future?

I’m not a Motivational Speaker, I can’t tell you the ‘5 steps to making the right choice’ but I can tell you this; Pray well, plan well, believe and take that step you’ve been hesitating on. If it works, GREAT! If it doesn’t, re-strategise and take another step. The most important thing is not to sit back and say “I tried, it didn’t work, I cannot come and go and kill myself”.

Keep trying. If all you achieve is ‘trying’, at least posterity will remember you for it, people will say “She/he didn’t succeed at this but she/he never gave up. I love that spirit! And I’m going to emulate her/him, perhaps I’ll succeed at it”.

When they talk about you, let them say;

“She/he came, saw and conquered!”

NOT

“She/he came, saw and fizzled out.”

OR WORSE

“Sorry, who are you talking about?”

It’s not about struggling to be famous or striving for celebrity status, it’s about making a lasting positive impact. And trust me, when you make that kind of impact, you won’t need to strive for anything, it will come to you. Food for thought Dears.

Have a fulfilled week.

A Whole New World

It’s Friday again and many of you are already thinking TGIF!!! TIME TO HAVE FUN!

Great, that’s the spirit I’ve been pushing for; Be excited always, don’t let anyone steal your joy, hold on to God.

However, the events of the week (and the year, in fact) has me soberly reflecting on a lot of things this morning.

I’m learning that:

1.       The world is fast-changing, no more ‘business-as-usual’. Maybe it’s a sign of the End times, maybe it’s a sign of good times. Whatever it is, it appears God is showing all the Strategists, Smart Technicians and Brilliant Educators that He does what He wants irrespective of intelligent calculations or perfect predictions.

MORAL LESSON: Get your act together and stick to God like never before. No one has the power to predict anything in today’s world.

2.       Tenacity --especially when you ABSOLUTELY believe in your dream--  never fails. It may seem like you’re down and out, the whole world might be against you but keep pushing on, keep moving forward. Like they say, “It aint over till the Fat Lady Sings”

MORAL LESSON:  Nothing is irreversible until the final act is played out. Let me add that even if you discover you’re the only one who still believes in your dream, if everyone has left you, still move on.

3.       Your past doesn’t define you. If God wanted your life to be about the past, he’d have made one foot to face backward and the other to face forward, just in case you want to go back and JUDGE YOURSELF TO DEATH! Your feet face forward for a reason, God expects you to GO AHEAD.

MORAL LESSON: Stop looking behind or below, Look forward. learn the lessons from the past, but move on. He’s got you.

I don’t normally write Bible quotes here, but today, and irrespective of religion, I want us all to dwell on this verse in the Bible; 1 Corinthians 1: 27:

‘But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty.’

We live in a New World my Dears, times are changing. Don’t be stagnant, change with it but let God be the compass of your life and you’ll find that ‘one with God is majority’.

Have fun this weekend but be reflective as well. Think about the next phase of your life, imagine what it might be like, pray and hope for the best, get your future plans into action NOW.

Take care Darlings.

THAT 'D' WORD

What is Delay?

Dictionary defines it as:

·         Verb: to put off to a later time; defer; postpone: E.g; The pilot delayed the flight until the weather cleared.

·         Noun: An instance of being delayed, the period or amount of time during which something is delayed.

Let’s bring it down home;

Delay is like being in the Airport Waiting Lounge for Flight 6417 that’s supposed to leave by 12:00pm, then you hear the Announcer say “This is an announcement for all passengers on flight 6417 departing for ___________, the flight has been delayed for two hours due to weather condition, departure time is now 1400hours, which is 2:00pm. Sorry for the inconvenience, thank you.”

Or at the Bus Park, you’re packed and ready to go with your luggage. The reason you chose this particular Bus Company was because their Buses are quite comfortable and they assured you that they leave on time. In fact, you spoke to the manager personally and he told you “This our Bus, we don’t do like that here. Our 8 is 8” …But at the moment, you’ve been looking at your wrist watch and it’s now 10:00am. You confront the manager who apologises profusely and explains “Oga, it’s not like that. This is not our normal operation o. We’ve been calling our driver, Joseph, since. I don’t know why he’s taking long this morning”. 

At least in the two instances above, you know why you’re being delayed, you've been given a reason, however annoying it might be...Unlike in life situations where there’s no explanation; You are ready, you’ve crossed your  ‘T’s and dotted your  ‘I’s, you’ve prayed, fasted, you behaved well, you give to the poor and needy, help out a lot in your place of worship, you’ve re-focused your energy into thinking positively and being an optimist, you’ve done everything humanly and perhaps spiritually possible, but YET,  God is delaying something you’ve been asking for and you’re getting frustrated wondering why.

I don’t know who this article is for this morning, but listen Dear, this waiting period is only a Spring Board, a Space Shuttle getting ready to launch you into something great. I know you’ve heard this all before (and I might be sounding like a broken record right now), but God is working tirelessly behind the scenes on your behalf, trust me.

You know why it’s taking this long? Because He’s not just fixing the present, he’s also taking care of the middle and the future of your life. God doesn’t do His things half-way or in bits and pieces, he goes ALL THE WAY, then when it’s time, He unwraps the package for you to enjoy it whole. 

That’s why building a space shuttle isn’t something done or taken lightly.

Because when the shuttle is ready, it gathers all the momentum it needs and shoots up…keeps going…keeps going…keeps going…until it shoots clear out of the earth ahead of everything.

You know what else I found? Antonyms for Delay; Downtime, Reprieve and an interesting one, Showstopper.  Darlings, enjoy your downtime, you need all the energy you can get when you fly because m any planes might be flying right now, but your shuttle is about to over-take them all.

STAY HAPPY, STAY TRUE, TRUST IN GOD, KEEP MOVING FORWARD.

Have a beautiful week!

What Does It Mean?

Happy Friday Darlings!

A thought popped into my head this morning and on the heels of the thought came this question? What is the meaning of life?

While I subconsciously planned how my Friday would go, I kept pondering the question. I mean, what if we didn’t have Faith and Believe, what will life be all about? Just existing?

I know, for many of us, it’s our faith in God that gives us the hope that there can be more to life, even when nothing seem to be making sense. Imagine you and I didn’t have that, what would be the purpose of living?

Curious, I went researching and found many interesting views and concepts on this question. Some were quite inspiring, some I don't completely agree with, but in all, I gained a lesson or two.

The last one had me laughing. 

What I learnt about the different thoughts and views are; You exist, embrace and love your life to the fullest, make good choices, discover your gift, make the world a better place with the gift(s) you have as little or as much as you can, don't give up, everything that happens (negative or positive) is a spring board for the next phase of your life.

On a final note, I will add, hold on to God, let Him be the compass of your life. He is the Creator of life, He alone can give it the ultimate meaning.

Have a fruitful Weekend Dears!