On Replay....

THANKSGIVING!

Thanksgiving is a celebration peculiar to America and North America. This year however I chose to write specifically on this day. Thanksgiving really should be a daily lifestyle and not just a marked event. Some people did not live to witness this year's thanksgiving but we can be thankful for everyday because everyday is a gift.
Lesson 1: Don't wait until thanksgiving to be appreciative/thankful cos it might never come.


Also we tend to give thanks for the heights we have reached, things achieved, victories won and grounds conquered. How about being thankful for the things we think we lost? the promotions denied? the setbacks we think we experienced? the loved ones lost? and everything we think we want/want to be but have not attained yet? We ask the why's and try to reason why the situation seems so daunting and impossible..... But the truth is asking so many Why's and seeking the Reasons for every situation that we think has gone pear shaped, will steal the joy of today and consequently impact on our determination to approach tomorrow with fearless confidence.

Lesson 2: Be thankful for every situation because in the end we find out that they are just detours and truly they have already been predestined by God. One thing is certain for those that love God and the summary is that be it good or unpleasant, it all works out for our good!


Now  when it comes to thanksgiving, its a show of gratitude to God and the celebration is with family. What does that say? That in the end, after the struggle, what really matters, is our response to God and our sacrifices and love for the people that have become family. Not just by blood but by the way we have touched their lives.

Prayer: Lord today I am thankful for your love, your mercies, your grace upon my life, for the things you have saved me from, from the blessings you have brought my way, the dangers you have protected me from, the family you have put me in, the people I have been able to bless by your grace, for people who have blessed me in so many ways, for the tears that I have shed because it increased my dependence on you and has caused me to view life in a more realistic way. I am indeed thankful for I know with firm confidence, that greatness awaits me tomorrow. For all these and more I bow before you and pour out my heart to you in gratitude.

Todays Thoughts....

Few weeks ago, I was in NY and attended a service in the hillsong church at the Irving place downtown Manhattan. It was a really lovely service and I ended up buying a book: Live Love & Lead by Brian Houston and I just got to start reading it a few days ago. Yesterday however, a statement by the amazing Oscar Wilde which Brian stated in his book really got me thinking. I actually shared it with my team at work and this morning, I have still not been able to get it off my head. So here it is, to make it simple, I used my quote maker to send the message home quickly... (hahaha)
Have a great day guys as you reflect...

Feminism & Sexuality!

I get to read some interesting journals, and look what I found today from a feminist perspective. Interesting!

What has transpired in the last two decades was that for every image of a woman achieving a milestone in her business career, there were hundreds of images of women degrading themselves and using their sexuality as commodity. As a result, the businesswoman image was muddled with the sexually commoditized woman. In numerous instances, men in business were looking at the businesswoman, doubting and questioning, “Which woman are you?” (Women: Feminism, Sexuality, and Equality in the Work Place Lana Nino  .Whittier College Whittier, California, USA) 

The Little Things....

My mum called me and she starts singing " I just called to say, I love youuuuu"-Stevie Wonder. at that point I forget that I had a hectic day at work, and I was coming home to more work and despite how "wonderful" a singer she is(hahaha) I couldn't help but smile and instantly I just felt energy surge back. The little things in life I say that have a massive impact. A lot of parents celebrate their children, when they are successful, but mine have celebrated my brothers and I sooo much, we have no choice but to turn out successful. And when people say, "Elly you are doing really well, where do you get the energy from?" I just smile and thank God for blessing me with the best parents and because of their support, I have no doubt, the sky is my starting point! For the first time on this blog in three years, despite my private approach, I choose to celebrate them publicly here. And I pray God blesses every good parent out there! Bisou! Bisou!!

Todays thoughts....

www.linkedin.com

On Replay....

Tick! Tock!!!

I had my coffee in one hand and ate my eggs and sausages with the other while I still chatted with a friend who suggested we spend Christmas in Paris. As it is my routine, I have the news channel  on as I get dressed for work and its the first channel I put on when I get back. And I had sky news on and there it was breaking news! Terror in Paris. I watched in dismay as the death toll kept rising. Some are having coffee and sausages and others are dying and others in anguish. As if that was not enough, I received a message via whats app, my friend and her hubby were in Paris for the weekend and were right in the middle of it all and she sent the message as they took cover on the floor of a nearby restaurant. I was making plans, and these people also had great plans for the future. To man belong the plans of the heart, but God decides which comes to pass(Prov 16:1) I am yet to get over the Russian airline, that crashed with photos of families that just wanted happiness, most on their way back from vacation. In Syria, Nigeria and lots of places people are dying from terrorism, war, poverty due to corruption of greedy and corrupt leaders.





In the midst of it all, we act like we have permanent residence here on earth. Tomorrow is not guaranteed and nothing is for ever. Death however is guaranteed though the form of exit for each of us might be different. When it finally happens, will you be ready to face your maker?? We are in the end time and the bible says evil will be on the increase. Have you made peace with God? Today is another opportunity.

I sincerely pray for all the families that have lost loved ones due to terror, plane crashes, sickness and disease. A lot of pain in the world. God help us all. We will not faint. God over all!

Todays Word......

On Replay.......

Not My Spine-Part 2

"In my book, there is an angle of negligence and inattentiveness which both contributed greatly to my suffering. I believe people will learn to dig deep into issues before giving up or concluding on it. And this does not have to be with their health but in other areas of life. It is needful to ask probing questions, ask for 2^nd 3^rd opinions if that is what it takes to get to the root cause of an issue. My story also shows that there is still hope for mankind"

Get a copy from:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Not-My-Spine-Untold-Story/dp/1504927605/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1443732401&sr=1-1&keywords=not+my+spine

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/not-my-spine-esosa-ruth-ikolo/1122709517?ean=9781504927598

On Replay.....

Life & Death...

Yesterday I went up to the city after work about Charing Cross to meet up with a friend and as we walked across to get to the other side of Piccadilly, we saw a man who had slumped and initially I tried to understand what was going on as the crowd started growing, and I observed his heavy breathing, his eyes changing, people frantically calling the ambulance emergency service, I was a bit confused. I wondered if he was asthmatic and was having an attack until it finally dawned on me that this man was actually having a heart attack. We watch all the symptoms on TV, attend first aid courses, know the rescue positions and are glad we are equipped. But when the chips are down, we find out our nerves get the best of us and its a different kettle of fish. Anyways some individuals came to the rescue, however before my very eyes, this man was gone! What a sight.... His daughters broke down in tears, and more individuals tried to continuously administer CPR, there was a pulse at this point but it was not good enough as he lay lifeless, the emergency services had arrived at this point and I didn't want to watch the end of it but silently kept praying that God would have mercy and keep him. I couldn't bare to look at his three lovely daughters as they cried and were in extreme shock. As we walked away just within hearing distance, there was a flash mob kind of thing going on and some young individuals were displaying their acrobatic skills and there was still another crowd.... Distances apart, two crowds, one man struggling to live, and another displaying so much life..... As I think about it all, a constant reminder is that there is a thin line between life and death.... You just never know. The bible says if the Lord does not watch over a city, the watchmen watch in vain. You can never be too careful. If we live, we should live for Christ and when the inevitable happens(death) we should also die in Him. Have you made peace with God today? If No is your answer and you are reading this,then the opportunity presents itself. Having a relationship is different from being a church goer or ticking the box christian. The question is do you really love God??? And do you have a relationship with Him? All the while, through last night, this song played in my head and I said the prayer in my heart. May God keep Us.....

Not My Spine.... A must Read!

I met Esosa for the first time in 2010 at a friends baby shower and her warm personality endeared her to me. If you know me, I love when ladies have their head straight, clued up on what they want and are daring to get what they want. And for ladies like Esosa who go a step further to venture into the so called "men world of engineering", I respect more LOL! That's on a lighter note... However some stories are not told, because they are not just stories but life defining moments, that not only change our perception but could change the world if we are willing to share our experiences. And these experiences are shared at set times and the time is set for us to tell the world this story........ 

Not My Spine.......

This memoir is a true, compelling and inspiring story about a woman’s experience during the pregnancy of her first child, and also after the birth. Esosa nursed her dream of being a great mother when she became an expectant mum, but this dream became somewhat crippled when she began to suffer from a mysterious illness.

With the expectation that when baby arrives she’d get better given pregnancy comes in different guises, Esosa’s condition went from bad to worse. She became incapacitated and so was forced to leave her new baby to the mercies of strangers while she lay dangerously ill in hospital. Faced with the very real possibility of permanent paralysis, she fought to get back her lost willpower and hope, in order to live the life she had always dreamed.

Through this traumatic experience, Esosa now understands how the ignorance about the symptoms of this disease and the range of sites within the body it affects can be detrimental. If her doctors missed it when it initially presented itself, so can anyone considering the subtle yet grave symptoms which mimics several other illnesses.

A thought provoking, revealing and uplifting story which shows real faith and strength come to life in the face of adversity. Her courage to share what she suffered from as a result of this ordeal is gripping and unravels so much information for everyone. This insightful book is a must read for everyone living in every part of the world who cares to know about a killer disease which can lurk unsuspected for several years before reaching out to harm. She hopes that through her story people will be inspired as well as armed with potentially lifesaving information.