A curious experience

Being in a new city on a cloudy 8Sunday morning may mean many different things to various people but to me, it mostly means standing up while being stared curiously at in response to this question.

“Is there anyone worshipping with us for the first time?”

And I dread the attention that question brings. This “new” church I attended recently brought more than that experience for me.

During the praise session as our eyes were lightly closed in worship, hands raised, heads bowed, gently mouthing words of adoration- suddenly the sound of someone jumping and shouting seized the room.

Opening our eyes we saw a young woman shouting, seemingly oblivious to the thirty something pair of eyes now placed on her. Her hands flew in several directions, It seemed to us watching, that control over her body seemed to have been borrowed by someone.

And indeed it was, for she had a message from the Lord. As an outsider looking in, it seemed somewhat comical. I had to consciously catch myself from laughing. It appeared so dramatic.

But Dr. Ken this was not reaaaaly the first time you’ve seen this at Church. Was it?
If you are willing to swim a decade back into my church memories, you will discover that it’s one of maybe hundreds.

I just could no longer feel in touch with that experience. In the churches I attend here in Lagos, we do things a bit differently.

We have less of the jump-oblivious-to-the-crowd-dance and more people writing furiously with a pen in a neatly torn jotter paper or whipping out their samsung/apple/whatever brands of smartphones they have to deliver these prophecies through mail to the pastor.

I wondered.

Could it be that the same influence that led to this jumping excercise could sometimes be civil enough to through the internet.

Or was it just
Same Spirit but Different People?

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My Big Blue Apron

I can remember vividly the comfy feeling of that apron. I would often put its neck piece over my head for the feels often during the holiday that followed primary class holidays. The gloves had two compartments that made it look like an unraveled crab pincer- it was a definite upgrade from the random piece of cloth we usually would have used to put a hot pot of soup down from our kerosene stove.

It was a gift I got for placing third in primary two- I remember it so clearly, I remember it to have felt like the softest foam draped on both sides by deep royal blue cotton . Top it up with patterns of big yellow sunflowers randomly scattered atop it and you’d get why it was so special to me. I’d even never allow my elder sisters use it- for what now? Ki lo fa yen?

Why am I telling you all these?

Not every time books as gifts,

Not every time messages on general group pages alone.

Can you give some thing useful to everyday life. Can you give an experience instead?

Take the person out?

Can send a PM, tell how they impact and why you will never forget them. Make them feel valued. The feeling of being valued is like how warmth and water mate to tempt a maize seed to peep outside its husk. It’s serious food for the soul and the spirit too.

Today, I don’t know where that apron is-it possibly has become a rag too but I can still smell it’s newness in my nostrils, feel, feel its warm feeling in my palms and incase I ever find it, my motherly instincts to protects its innocence.

A gift is meant to be an experience, to tell a story about how much you know and value the person.

A gift is meant to be an appreciation for the personality of the recipient and for some who have proposal rings or birth of babies as gifts-It is in appreciation of the promise of who they are going to be.

*Ki lo fa yen?; Warris all dat; What is the meaning of that

My Big Blue Apron

I can remember vividly the comfy feeling of that apron. I would often put its neck piece over my head for the feels often during the holiday that followed primary class holidays. The gloves had two compartments that made it look like an unraveled crab pincer- it was a definite upgrade from the random piece of cloth we usually have to use to remove a hot pot of soup from our kerosene stove.

It was a gift I got for placing third in primary two- I remember it so clearly, I remember it to have felt like the softest foam draped on both sides by deep royal blue cotton . Top it up with patterns of big yellow sunflowers randomly scattered atop it and you’d get why it was so special to me. I’d even never allow my elder sisters use it- for what now? Ki lo fa yen?

Why am I telling you all these?

Not every time books as gifts,

Not every time messages on general group pages alone.

Can you give some thing useful to everyday life. Can you give an experience instead?

Take the person out?

It acts on our sense of purpose and tells its recipient and we are doing something right. It’s serious food for the soul and the spirit too.

Can send a PM, tell how they impact you and why you will never forget them.  Spare no detail. Make them feel valued. The feeling of being valued is like warmth and water mate with the soil to tempt a maize seed to peep outside its husk.

It acts on our sense of purpose and tells its recipient and we are doing something right. It’s serious food for the soul and the spirit too.
Today, I don’t know where that apron is-it possibly has become a rag too but I can still smell it’s newness in my nostrils, feel, feel its warm feeling in my palms and incase I ever find it, my motherly instincts to protects its innocence.

A gift is meant to be an experience, to tell a story about how much you know and value the person.

A gift is meant to be an appreciation for the personality of the recipient and for some who have proposal rings or birth of babies as gifts-It is in appreciation of the promise of who they are going to be.

*Ki lo fa yen?; Warris all dat; What is the meaning of that

Surprise yourself!

Sometimes I surprise myself.

I come across some of my past writings from long ago and I ask? “Debo, were you that deep at that time?”

Mhen!

For the few months when I detail my daily activities in my journal and also write during my quiet time, I find that it has a therapeutic effect on me, I live a live that I can describe as connected, I sense how each day plays into the next. How something I read a week ago is an application of a situation I am currently in.

In this connection, I find a sense of depth, but like most other valuable habits, it does not come easy and I some times stutter, lose sight of the benefits and just evaluate it by the time it takes.

I however am learning everyday, the value of records and the stories they tell about us to others and to ourselves- its therefore not surprising a friend of mine said when she wanted to know what God was saying to her- she studied her journal in retrospect.

I learn so much everyday, I believe its my duty to educate the world and remind myself by recording every detail learnt, every line written in my thoughts, every one of my creative ideas, every single teaching of my experience or others experience.

More than being just a hobby, Recording is and should be a duty.

P.S. Yea it might seem like drudgery some time, but thats the balance-don’t take the fun out of it!

Shey na so life be?

Okies, So really whats this life about?

It’s not the daily come in, go out we are used to. Certainly.

One thing is sure though. To ever make head or tail out of it, you have to live intentionally

No second guesses.

I am no longer young. God told me that.

In this days where people graduate at 14, get their masters at 16 and get Phd’s at 20. I cannot, I repeat, cannot claim(at least sincerely) to be young.

As I take time to think (or more accurately as events unfolds) over my life, a get so dissatisfied with the current systems I have for handling things at times that I give up.

And as the weight of societal expectations and responsibility start flooding the world of the 20 somethings, It threatens to pull down my door.

Seriously!

Daily I am being asked to take “action” and sometimes, I find that I don’t have the proper “reaction”.

Where is the freedom we had, that “I don’t care attitude” we had as children ?

Whew! It went out that way.

And the thought that I will keep depending on other people for some parts of my adult life?

No not there! Check the other door.

So.

Before the responsibilities fully set in, the questions I ask myself, God and whoever cares to listen are questions of purpose and of meaning.

I think you should ask too.

Questions like…

Am I where I am supposed to be? Who am I? Where am I going…

This Blog is a Journey on finding the path to purpose and staying on track. There will be a lot of questions-definitely! Searching, Confessions and Plain Soul Talk. And I invite you to join me

But Beware!

I am not your usual voice, tipping you on how to find your purpose.

I’m just a voice. One voice of the 20 somethings. Those who do not accept the status quo, who choose to dwell on topics of Meaning.

20 somethings who God is leading on their way to purpose.

For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them. Eph 2:10 (KJV)”