Fathers are just WONDERFUL

I dedicate this poem to the two men in my life:

My super daddy who raised me up in the way of the Lord.

My super hubby, the best dad for Bionic.  

Happy Father's day!!!

source: google images

Fathers are wonderful people
Too little understood,
And we do not sing their praises
As often as we should...

For, somehow, Father seems to be
The man who pays the bills,
While Mother binds up little hurts
And nurses all our ills...

And Father struggles daily
To live up to "HIS IMAGE"
As protector and provider
And "hero or the scrimmage"...

And perhaps that is the reason
We sometimes get the notion,
That Fathers are not subject
To the thing we call emotion,

But if you look inside Dad's heart,
Where no one else can see
You'll find he's sentimental
And as "soft" as he can be...

But he's so busy every day
In the grueling race of life,
He leaves the sentimental stuff
To his partner and his wife...

But Fathers are just WONDERFUL
In a million different ways,
And they merit loving compliments
And accolade of praise,

For the only reason Dad aspires
To fortune and success
Is to make the family proud of him
And to bring them happiness...

And like OUR HEAVENLY FATHER,
He's a guardian and a guide,
Someone that we can count on
To be ALWAYS ON OUR SIDE. 

Helen Steiner Rice

 

Thankful Post Resumed

So my regular readers know I started a ten things thankful series in 2008 then I stopped. Well Thankful Post is back. There is something about being thankful even in the midst of difficulties and challenges. I think it is an attitude thing that no matter what you are going through you still find something to be thankful about.

So one key change: It will not necessarily be ten things I am thankful about. It could be more, it could be less. Also instead of Tuesday, I'll do them on Thursdays.

Here goes!

I am thankful for a wonderful family- both nuclear and extended. You hear of so much drama in families but I am grateful that it is mostly love than drama in my families- both my side and Baale's side

My mum turned 60 last week. My siblings and I went home to celebrate with her. It was a big celebration and a glorious time.  Going home made me appreciate the love and care I could see in the family. All her close friends and family were around. She also launched her second book called "The Ultimate Desire". My mum is just an amazing woman, gentle yet strong, principled, loving, prayerful, calm in the midst of chaos, a mentor and an example of what a mother should be. I love my mummy and I am grateful for her life. May she live long to eat the rewards of her labor in Jesus name.

I am thankful for my marriage to Baale, I know sometimes I whine when things don't go "my way" but I am learning not to focus on the negative but thank God for the man he gave me and my marriage. The devil is attacking marriages all around and I keep telling myself if not for God that was on our side, where would we be? It is only God! I ask him to make me the best wife I can be to Baale and I am getting there because I know I am not there yet...

I am thankful for constant provision....hmmmm...God has been faithful....

I am thankful for God's care over Bionic (aka Princess). Even when I can't be there to watch over her, her angels are there 24/7. The nanny we got for her who had been with us for 2 months and who I trusted was catch by Baale smoking in the garden. To say I was shocked is an understatement. This incident happened just a day before we were travelling so we promptly asked her to leave. She was apologetic and I felt sorry to let her go but Bionic safety and care comes first. Smoking is not my issue but my child inhaling second hand smoke is a BIG issue. Coincidentally Chichi just opened shop as a childminder so Bionic as been under her care. Talk about perfect timing. God always works things out for our good.


Still speaking about Bionic, I bless God for her life. She is growing up to be very smart and healthy. In the car I have been playing Hillsong's Shout to the Lord. The past few days I notice when a particular song  plays Bionic sings along so I play it continually. I am not sure what about this song is special to Bionic but the lyrics comforts me  and reassures me God is always with me every step of the way and I should trust him. Here's the lyrics and you can listen to the song here (I can't find the exact one we play in the car, but this works!). I have also highlighted the part Bionic loves to sing:

My heart will trust in You.

I'll walk closer now on the higher way

Through the darkest night will you hold my hand

Jesus guide my way

O you mourn with me and you dance with me

For my heart of hearts is bound to you

Though I walk through valleys low

I'll fear no evil

By the waters still my soul,

My heart will trust in You

O You counsel me and You comfort me

When I cannot see,

You light my path

My heart will trust in you



So what are you thankful for?

"I love everything about YOU"

Yesterday was Baale’s birthday. Even though we drive each other crazy some a few times, we certainly make the best team. In order not to go into any long stories, I will simply dedicate this song by Darlene Zschech to him which summarises how I feel :)


Love you babes!


I LOVE EVERYTHING ABOUT YOU

You chased me
I caught you
so glad we found each other
We whispered forever
to share our lives together
to watch our dreams unfold


And I love everything about you
everything you are
You'll catch a falling star
if I asked you
And I couldn't live a single day without you
You hold me in your arms
and once again, I know
that I'm the only one for you


The way you laugh, the way we dance
the way you hold my hand
the way you give, the way you kiss
the way you look at me
make life beautiful


Oh, I love the light that shines in your eyes
when you talk about our girls girl
and love the way you smile when they she walks  into a room

Oh, I love how you care about brokenness
how injustice moves your heart enough
to make a change
You give all you are

I love everything about you
You hold me in your arms
and once again I know
that I'm the only one for you
the only one for you
the love of my life
So glad I found you

M4WDMRSK9TJG

My natural hair journey

Two years ago today, I started my natural hair journey out of choice. My hair was natural “by force” from the age of 0 till 16 as my mother forbade my elder sister and I to relax our hair till we finished secondary school. After my final exams, I was so excited to relax my hair and that was one of the first things I did. But you see my hair is very soft and anytime I relaxed it my scalp would burn. I felt this shouldn’t be, but what else could I do to my hair. I started considering going natural but was scared to do it as I wasn't sure how I would manage my hair.

I gradually came to a point where I used to relax my hair twice/thrice a year. After a while I began to get tired of putting chemicals on my hair. I felt God gave me this natural hair, why am I trying to make it look different killing my scalp and hair in the process? I decided to check online, read articles, watched videos and bought a book on natural hair. I didn’t want to do the big chop and regret it.

I transitioned for a while and on that fateful day, Nov 1 2008 I took a bold step and did the big chop. I didn’t set out to do it but it happened (long story). Baale was not a happy bunny. I had been hinted to him I was going natural but I don’t think he took me serious. When he saw my chopped up hair in comb twists later that day he was in utter shock and didn’t speak to me for sometime. We have come a long way from where we were two years ago maybe because I have come to a silent compromise with him- I braid my hair and fix weaves some times. Those are the times I don’t hear any complains. I think he has come to terms with my natural hair (more like given up on me) but still hopes some day I go back to relaxing my hair.

Like Baale, some friends and family find it perplexing that I have gone natural. Some quietly wondered while some have asked me out rightly what on earth I am doing. Some people see it has your hair is unkempt. Well, I try to explain myself in one sentence because anything more than that might result into an argument. My hair is not a function of who I am, it is a part of me but I am not my hair. What I decide to do with my hair is my personal choice. The same way you have decided to relax your hair is the same way I have decided not to. I don’t judge you because you have relaxed hair. God loves us all and I doubt it is our hair that will determine where we end up when we die.

Some have even gone as far as saying, “if you like don’t relax your hair but if Princess wants to relax her hair don’t stop her”. LOL. My reply usually is to laugh and say I will tell Princess the same thing my mother said to my elder sister and I- “nothing touches your hair till you leave secondary school, after that if you want to put jerry curls on one side and tint the other side that one na your own palaver.” Hope that answers the question.

My natural hair journey in summary has been full of high and low moments. Frustrating days esp. when I can’t think of what to do with my hair. Right now I am considering chopping it all up and letting my hair grow again. Hmmm. Whatever the case I don't see myself relaxing my hair again.

I think it is safe to say that going natural isn’t for the faint hearted. It is probably against everything you know right now and what the BLACK/Africa media, culture, or society agree with e.g some African companies won't employ you because of it, some hairdressers will put their nose up and refuse to braid your hair, some will try to charge you more (happened to me). You need to make the choice for yourself and do your research. I am glad I have inspired one or two people in helping them make that final decision to go natural.

So today, I wish myself happy two years of going natural and will like to give a shout out to all the natural hair bloggers (as at the last time I checked) I know. It is a narrow road we are on (if I may say so myself) and only a few travel it so we should be celebrated.

Standtall, tygernity, favoured girl, tolatino, jaycee, archiwiz, FFF, Scarlet, doll.

If u are a natural girl like me, hola! For my relaxed hair friends as well, I love you too. Muah! ;)