Friday, July 17, 2009
Now I'm here...then I'm not...
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!
Tuesday, July 07, 2009
What's in a Name?
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?
Wednesday, July 01, 2009
And I'm here again...
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
Wednesday, June 03, 2009
Everything burns..
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!
Tuesday, May 26, 2009
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
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
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?
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,
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
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
Wednesday, May 20, 2009
It's Wednesday!
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!
Saturday, May 16, 2009
A Writer Writes...
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!
Tuesday, May 05, 2009
Would you let them stay?
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?
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
My Humourous? Letter of Thanks
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,
Sunday, April 19, 2009
Becoming my mother....
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?