Rosalia Mera(Zara)-Self Made Woman!

I was going through the Forbes site a few weeks ago, and I stumbled on this article about Rosalia Meras death. What struck me however, was the terminology used to describe her "self made woman". For most of us we let our present circumstances, the past failures, the outcome of the people around us, determine our perception of success or hardwork. Some strongly even believe, you have to be born into a particular family or a particular part of the world to be successful. However amazing things do happen most times when we break out of tradition. She dropped out of school at 11years of age, sure in this day and age, she would be described as a complete disaster however that didnt define her later on. She started sewing from her living room, hmmmm I was discussing my business plans with a friend over dinner last night and she goes Wow elly! how did you think about this and I smile and reply, I have got a lot I want to do, but the capital is the issue. Familiar story??? Dont wait for the capital, start from where you are. She started from her living room.

The article really inspired me, hope it does same for you too...

Rosalia Mera, cofounder of Spanish brand Zara and the wealthiest self-made woman on the planet, has died. She was 69.

Mera was vacationing on the island of Menorca with her daughter, Sandra, according to the Spanish news site ABC.es, when she suffered a brain hemorrhage on Wednesday the 14th of August 2013. She died 24 hours later.

Mera dropped out of school at age 11 to work as a seamstress. With husbandAmancio Ortega, she started making dressing gowns and lingerie in their living room. Together, the couple built their business into a 15.9 billion euro ($21 billion) global fashion empire, best known for its Zara brand. Ortega is now the fourth-richest person on the globe, with a net worth of $51.3 billion as of Thursday’s market close.

Mera was a billionaire, too, among the elite set of self-made women who could claim she’d earned her way onto the Forbes billionaires list. Although she and Ortega divorced long ago, Mera retained a 5.1% stake in the $21 billion (2012 sales) Inditex, the basis for her $6.1 billion net worth as of our latest Forbes count.

Mera diversified after the retailer’s 2001 IPO, which netted her $600 million at the time. She placed her money in causes dear to her heart: a marine fish farming group, a company that looks for cancer treatments in products from the ocean, and a maker of a fingerprinting system for newborns. She was also a major investor in London’s exclusive Bulgari Hotel, and ran a contest for young jazz musicians in Spain. Her Paideia Foundation works to integrate people with physical and mental disabilities, like her son Marcos, into larger society.

Mera is survived by her daughter, Sandra, and son, Marcos. Ortega’s youngest daughter, Marta, has a different mother.http://www.forbes.com/sites/erincarlyle/2013/08/16/rosalia-mera-worlds-richest-self-made-woman-dies-at-69/

People Collector!

If I have not learnt a lot in life, I have learnt that every single thing as well as every single person in our lives, happens for a reason. And if you have an understanding of Gods purpose and planning, you will understand more what I am trying to say.

We have the option of choosing friends but definitely not our families, so if you have a problem with yours, if you feel its dysfunctional like someone recently told me about theirs, or if you feel you dont belong there, its a shame hun, DEAL WITH IT and start bringing about change because you definitely didnt have a say in the choice of your family, so start WORKING on it and start LOVING it! Lesson 1

Photocredit:dorkhorde

With friends however, we feel very much in control and we call the shots whenever. We decide to keep some, drop some, love some, or hate some. I was having a little chat with a friend who just told the man in her life off, and listening to the conversation, she also showed me an email she sent him, and I read it standing but when I delved deeper into it, I had to sit down, because the contents where quite carcinogenic! I always say DONT BURN BRIDGES! In the real world, however sometimes all we want to do is burn the bridge to rubbles and never remember that a bridge once existed, but that should not be the case. I went ahead to explain, that the emails we send, the text messages, the chats, pings etc most times leave lasting impressions in peoples lives, than we intend them too. Lesson 2; Think before you write!


Abraham started his journey with Lot, but didnt end the journey with him!
Lesson 3; Not everyone who starts the journey with you, should end the journey with you. Goodbyes are hard, but learn to say them when the time calls for it!

I have got this friend, I have known for a while, who is about seven years older in age. At some point, I got so upset with him and he is the last person to get into an argument with anyone, he will say what he has to say in his usual calm self, but on this day, trust a girl to raise up her voice, and I actually said " Shut up and Get Out!" Ouch! that was like two years  ago though lol! Yea some times we think we have worked on our characters, but its a continuous process, learning never ends!
Lesson 3b; Keep working on you!

However even though I told this young man off and felt right in  every way, and trust me I was right or so I think lol!, few days after, he calls me and he says "Elly I cant believe all you said" It was not necessary but I believe you were worked up and now that you are calm, I believe we can talk. And till date, we have an amazing friendship, he goes to the extent of seeking my opinion of the women he dates. Life is really simpler than we make it to be! I have always believed women are very patient people, but I have met some very patient men in my life, that have made me have a rethink. Just yesterday, I was speaking with an amazing young man, who I felt was being taking advantage of and I was already getting so furious, and he goes, "its only money Elly, and I have it enough to know that money, is not the source of happiness but for them, they will have to learn that with time!"
Lesson 4; Most times,Its not about being right or wrong, but about sacrificing our EGO on the altar of PEACE.

Saul hated David and did all he could to eliminate him. David on the other hand, had an amazing relationship with Sauls son Jonathan. Hmmm sometimes we find love/friendship in awkward places. Joseph was sold into slavery by his brothers, but at reunion he told them, you intended evil but God planned good. When we get some phone calls, unconsciously we ask ourselves what do they want? hahaha cos some will only call when they need our help. Likewise we only make some calls when we need peoples help, yea lets swallow the bitter pill! Regardless of how  good we think we are, some will hate us, some will despise us, some will use us, some see us as a threat, some as competition, some really love us, some are always there for us and it goes on and on. But in all of these, we are a product to a degree of how we treat the people in our lives or respond to the treatment of others.

Lesson 5; Regardless of what people think of us, or vice versa, remember that at some point, you will only be a memory to some. So do your best to be a GOOD ONE!
                                                                                EllyEleanor....

Blessed! Blessed!! & Blessed

Check out @ellyeleanor1's Tweet: https://twitter.com/ellyeleanor1/status/371669963276582912

MARRIAGE - A Vow of Small Things

If you constantly read this blog, you will realise that severally I have said, its not about doing big things most times, but doing small things differently that leaves lasting impression. A call here, a text there, a card there, little acts of kindness that make a difference in the ones we love and the lives we intentionally and unintentionally affect.

I belong to this group, and someone  posted this beautiful piece, and I just had to share.... There is always room to be a better person....

  "Small but frequent gestures of affection and care may appear to be insignificant, but grouped together over days and years they become the

  undeniable evidence of your highest love and deepest devotion." (Dr. Ronn Elmore)

  If there's something we've (Steve & Cindy) learned, it's that bigger doesn't mean better and small doesn't mean insignificant. God fed the

  multitude of people with a small boy's simple offering. We've found that  some of the most meaningful gifts we've received have been that which didn't cost much.

  A foot rub when your feet are tired and swollen, or a back rub when you're hurting after a long day, a cold glass of ice water given when you're

  outside working in the hot sun are priceless gifts to you when your spouse gives them to you lovingly and without being asked.

  As we're writing this message, I'm looking at a homemade "Certificate of  Achievement" that hangs over our desk that our sons, David and John made for us many years ago when they were young boys. It says, "This is to certify that Steve and Cindy Wright are the best couple in the world."  It's signed by both of them and put into a simple hand-made frame.

  It may not have taken a long time for them to make or cost them much to put together, but to us it's a priceless, treasured item. Small and

  inexpensive can still be priceless when it's motivated by love.

  In the same way, small gifts and features can warm our hearts with love when given to us by our spouse. Sometimes a simple bouquet of handpicked wildflowers or a single rose means more to us than a dozen long-stemmed roses in a sterling silver vase, when we know our spouse took the time out of their busy schedule to think of us at a time when they knew we needed it the most.

  Dr. Ronn Elmore writes more on the importance of these smaller gifts of love in his book, "An Outrageous Commitment…The 48 Vows of an

  Indestructible Marriage," published by Harper Resources. In it he writes:

  "Perhaps more than anyone, marriage partners need to remember the worth and beauty of small things --the tiny, seemingly insignificant gestures that often go unnoticed by long-married spouses. It is through these acts of consistent, tender selflessness that your and your mate's aloneness may eventually be dispelled.

  "Grand gestures say, 'I choose to care about you.' But the tiny acts of generosity, the briefest words of reassurance, the unexpected hug, and

  admiring glance, and the offer of assistance when you didn't ask for it --these tiny offerings say, 'You matter to me.'

  "Grand-scale displays of affection require extraordinary means. Yet small tokens of affection require little more than choosing to say yes to one of countless daily opportunities. Give in to the part of you that would stop to show your tender kindness if you weren't in such a hurry to other

  seemingly significant obligations.

  "The final week before I was due to turn in the completed draft of my last book was extremely stressful. Along with the anxiety deadlines always stir in me are the computer glitches (stubbornly slow printers, disappearing chapters, and the unfamiliar hieroglyphics that show up on the screen right where intelligible words once were).

  "Under this kind of pressure, my wife Aladrian saw me become a preoccupied  presence in our home. I was totally unaware of her and seldom offered any more than an occasional one-word response to her questions as to my progress.

  "Ever generous with her time, Aladrian offered to help. Did I need her to "decode" my scribbling from my yellow legal pads onto the computer? Did I want her to proofread every page and correct the countless typing errors hiding there? Or would I be better served by her canceling all her

  appointments that day so she could stay near me for moral support?

  "Any of these would have been an enormous sacrifices of her time and  demonstrations of her love for me; but at the height of my anxiety and

  fatigue, none of them would have meant as much to me as the one tiny, perfect gesture of her affection that she performed.

  "Aladrian simply knelt down, removed my shoes, and silently, tenderly massaged my feet, then got up and went about her business. It was a small thing, yet I have never felt more loved and less alone than at that unforgettable moment.

  "As you build a life together, over time, it will be your appreciation for the small things that will most likely to be overlooked. You must cling to

  the commitment of continually making small offerings. If not be given, your mate will always hunger for them.

  "Turn and bless each other with your modest favors and marvelous things will happen. The more you give them, the more you'll recognize and

  appreciate them when they are returned. You and your mate will discover the pleasant challenge of finding new ways to give until these tender

  exchanges become a part of you."

  ………………………………...

TODAYS Tots

            FIND SOMEONE

               WHO WILL

                 CHANGE

               YOUR LIFE

                 NOT JUST

                    YOUR 

       RELATIONSHIP STATUS

Imprints In Life

I met an  amazing man alongside my parents, I needed a very sensitive and tactful job done, and I needed someone of very high intelligence, who knew what to do and not just an inexperienced amateur whose temperature was determined by a few notes flashed across the face and I was given his details.

This guy however just on my second meeting with him, made me think deeply about my perception of life, and the reality of the faith I profess, while being as compassionate as I can ever imagine. After we left him, we were all gobsmacked and I asked a rhetoric question; "Do such people still exsist"? And as we spoke about him, I just let out a Wow! I Love this Man to which my mum bursts into laughter as she affirmed that he was really a rare breed!

The bible says do not be weary in doing good, and in the world we live in, its quite difficult to keep up with good practices. But in reality, Kindness is never enough, or given/shown in excess.

As I penned a few words on the thank you card, I wrote "you have gone above and beyond to help and your kindness will not be forgotten in a hurry" and as I wrote I paused in my tracks and began to imagine if I had, had such positive impacts on people which they would never forget. Its easy however, to do the opposite, which is leave a very bitter taste in peoples lives.

But the more we evaluate our actions, the better we become. Touch a life positively today, you may never get a second chance to do so. And the seed you sow, just lives on, and comes back to feed you somehow.

KINDNESS IS INDEED, A BIG DEAL!!!

TRUST YOUR BIBLE. IT’S TRUE!

As I read, today's devotional, I just say to myself, the word of God, is really timely! There's a word for every situation. If only we can meditate more, trust more and obey more how different our perception of life would be. Nothing in life is as beautiful and attractive as a life that has been touched by God. My dads physician happens to be such a man. I have never met such a man in my whole life, tell me about compassion, faith, understanding and genuine interest in an individual and I will show you this man. Its amazing how we might be from different backgrounds, races, cultures, and infact worlds apart, but the love of God unites us all. Deepen your intimacy with God, its the beginning of a life of peace and fulfillment.

‘…that the writings of the prophets might be fulfilled...’

Matthew 26:56

The death, burial and resurrection of Jesus fulfilled no less than twenty-nine different Old Testament prophecies. The odds of that happening are virtually impossible! Mathematician Peter Stoner explains it this way: ‘If you were to cover the state of Texas two feet deep in pound coins, then on one, place a mark. What is the probability that a blindfolded person could, on their first attempt, select that coin? That’s the likelihood of just eight prophecies being fulfilled in one lifetime. And Jesus fulfilled twenty-nine of them in one day!’ Let’s look at some of the prophecies He fulfilled: 1) ‘…They pierced My hands and… feet’ (Psalms 22:16 NKJV). 2) ‘They divide my garments…and…cast lots’ (Psalms 22:18 NKJV). 3) ‘…in that day…I will make the sun go down at noon, and…darken the earth in…daylight’ (Amos 8:9 NKJV). Jesus predicted both His death and His resurrection. He told His critics, ‘…“Destroy this temple, and I will raise it again in three days.”…the temple he had spoken of was his body’ (John 2:19-21 NIV). Jesus orchestrated every event, including Judas’ betrayal, the high priest’s hypocrisy, and Peter’s denial. Why? ‘That the writings of the prophets might be fulfilled.’ So you can trust your Bible because it’s true. And something else is true too. God is ‘…able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine…’ (Ephesians 3:20 NIV). Note the words ‘immeasurably more.’ What seems impossible to you at the moment, is all in a day’s work for Him. So start trusting Him to work on your behalf.

(http://www.ucb.co.uk/word-for-today.html)

THE CANCER KNIFE

Cancer is really at an all time high I think. In recent times, almost one in ten people I have come across, has got cancer, or a family member who has been diagnosed of the deadly disease. Just a couple days ago, a client relived a very sad incidence of how she was planning for her second child, and she just went to her GP, to ensure all was well and to do the preliminary checks, and in 24 hours, her phone was buzzing with distress calls from the surgery, only to be told to come back to the surgery ASAP, and trust me, when your surgery gives you such calls, its hardly ever positive feedback and in this lady's incidence, that was how she began her battle with cancer. Very sad indeed. I have said in a couple posts, that all we can do is make plans, but the outcome, is entirely out of our control. And if you are like myself, that has strong faith in the power of God, your perception and attitude to life, is changed by the realities of life.

However, thank God for doctors and the researchers among them who keep on looking for ways to make life better, and when I watched this documentary on the new surgical knife that detects cancer, I was overly impressed and her to share the write up written by Maria Cheng;

LONDON (AP) — Surgeons may have a new way to smoke out cancer.

An experimental surgical knife can help surgeons make sure they've removed all the cancerous tissue, doctors reported Wednesday. Surgeons typically use knives that heat tissue as they cut, producing a sharp-smelling smoke. The new knife analyzes the smoke and can instantly signal whether the tissue is cancerous or healthy.

Now surgeons have to send the tissue to a lab and wait for the results.

Dr. Zoltan Takats of Imperial College London suspected the smoke produced during cancer surgery might contain some important cancer clues. So he designed a ‘‘smart’’ knife hooked up to a refrigerator-sized mass spectrometry device on wheels that analyzes the smoke from cauterizing tissue.

The smoke picked up by the smart knife is compared to a library of smoke ‘‘signatures’’ from cancerous and non-cancerous tissues. Information appears on a monitor: green means the tissue is healthy, red means cancerous and yellow means unidentifiable.

To make sure they've removed the tumor, surgeons now send samples to a laboratory while the patient remains on the operating table. It can take about 30 minutes to get an answer in the best hospitals, but even then doctors cannot be entirely sure, so they often remove a bit more tissue than they think is strictly necessary.

If some cancerous cells remain, patients may need to have another surgery or undergo chemotherapy or radiation treatment.

‘‘(The new knife) looks fabulous,’’ said Dr. Emma King, a head and neck cancer surgeon at Cancer Research U.K., who was not connected to the project. The smoke contains broken-up bits of tumor tissue and ‘‘it makes sense to look at it more carefully,’’ she said.

The new knife and its accompanying machines were made for about £250,000 ($380,000) but scientists said the price tag would likely drop if the technology is commercialized.

(www.imperial.ac.uk)

Gods selection; People who don't know your story, cant share in your glory!

During my meditation this morning, I read the entire chapters of 1Samuel 9&10. It centres on how the Israelites needed a leader because they wanted to be like other nations around them and to satisfy their vain thoughts God gave them Saul.

The selection of Saul however was an amazing one because, he least expected it, in my own opinion, he was not qualified for it, he was so timid and not comfortable in his own skin. A very shy person who had to hide when he knew he was going to be selected and other traits which indicate anything but a good leader. But you know what? When God chooses you, he qualifies you.

Yes we are constantly reminded that we have our own part to play in our success story, but the entire procedure however in Gods terms might be really unconventional to the norm. He does this to show us that He is God and He's ways are not our ways and our approaches are not usually the same.

When Saul however got anointed and he went down the hill and saw a band of prophets and began prophesying, the people mockingly said, "is Saul also among the prophets"?? That is because, people who do not know your story, cant share in your glory.

As always I really love searching through the scriptures as it really develops my intimacy with God. Today however, there are key points which have inspired me and I am happy to share a few with you.

COMPETITION: The people came to Samuel and said, we want to be like other nations, we want a king..... The bible however says they that compare themselves with others are not wise. Also Gal 6:4 says likewise. Don't get me wrong, I daily learn from people, I aspire to be great and I take cues from people I consider my mentors. Competition however will rob you of your joy, peace, and self esteem as you constantly feel inadequate because of failure to be like someone else or exceed some other. Work hard, set your priorities right, be content with where you are, wait for your time, and most of all realise that the blessings of hard work come from God, and only then will you be on the highway to success.

INTIMACY: Nothing in this world and again I say nothing can take the place of an intimate relationship with God. When God is all you have, the He is all you need. People who didn't know the transformation that had taken place in Sauls life mockingly said  "is Saul also among the prophets"?? But when you know who you have been with and what He has said concerning your life, peoples opinion don't really count. God is a God who is able to take a man from the dungeon to the throne.
Discover Him for yourself today and experience eternal peace and fulfillment

Todays Tots....

one day, you will just be a memory for some people.
Do your best to be a good one!  

THE SET TIME

For some time, I have come to realise that everything that has happened in my life, has been for a reason, and the timing, place, people and even the circumstance has been for a reason.I remember on the 30th of December 2012, from no where I stumbled on an old friend, I hadnt seen him in a long time, and usual me, I would not discuss my plans with just anybody, except you mean a lot to me because I dont want negative people telling me, what I want to do aint possible. But on this day, I just spill the beans and tell him all my plans for the new year, and you wont believe it but he was already on the route I was hoping to follow and I was getting the whole procedure wrong. And if I had seen him a day later, I would have messed the whole process up and started the new year on a wrong footing. Now meeting that young man, on that particular day and even discussing my plans with him, wasnt coincidence, but Gods perfect timiing. Thinking back, at the jobs I have lost, the people I have met, the places I have lived in, has all been for a reason. Looking back, I remember when I felt so upset about a contract ending for a job I was doing or even losing a job, and how sad I felt, but today I look back and I say thank God, it happened the way it did, and at the time it did. I have come to believe, that to have your Isaac, you have to let go of your Ishmael. There is something about Gods timing. a couple days back I was speaking to a friend about 2Kings7:3-10. The lepers had to move, at that time after making the prompt decision, at the set time. It wasnt coincidence, but Gods perfect timing. The God we serve, is not a God of coincidence but a God of precision. And this week, I have had this conviction in my spirit, as I listen to the still small voice that reminds me that the timing is for a purpose as I ask God about the recent death in my family. And its no coincidence as I suddenly come across Joel Osteen speaking about Gods timing. I call God, MY PERFECT PLANNER!

The Beauty Of August!

Its the month of August guys, the most special of all the months in the year, Yea! Ask me why, and I will show you the beauty, strength, bravery, faithfulness, daring attitude possessed by most individuals born in this special month. Before you go so green with envy, I must say, its not just my belief but its actually proven lol! Show me a lovely, homely, hardworking, determined Individual, and I will show you the August Born! I must say that I dont believe one bit in horoscope but most times the analysis of the temperaments(sanguine, melancholic, phlegmatic, and choleric) as well as the study of various individuals, most times really fall in place. Anyways this month, I specially wish you all the best and nothing short of the very best, and if you are discouraged by your past, remember He says in Isa43;18-19, that you should forget the former things, because He is going to do a NEW thing! Keep Believing! The Lord is good.
And now I present to you, some of the lovely people born in  ,

Cameron Diaz

  

Roger Federer

Alexander Fleming

  

                                                    

Halle Berry

Madonna

Whitney Houston

Sean Connery

Mother Theresa

Usain Bolt

Bill Clinton

Michael Jackson

Alexander Burke

Robert De Niro

Kanu Nwankwo

Queen Elizabeth, The Queen mother

Fidel Castro

Elly Eleanor

Barack Obama

    Cheers To You All Out There Born On This Special                                         Month!