MUSINGS FROM LIFE

For a long time, I thought my provision was a thing—something I had to strive for, chase after, and secure. I believed my healing was a thing—a remedy, a process, or a breakthrough that I had to find. I thought my progress was something I needed to measure, achieve, or attain. My goals in life? I saw them as things. My purpose? Another thing to discover. I saw my protection, happiness, strength, victory, and freedom—all as things. But then I received a revelation that changed everything. The Revelation of I AM When Moses stood before the burning bush, trembling with uncertainty, he asked God for a name he could give to the people of Israel. God’s response was profound and eternal: “I AM THAT I AM” (Exodus 3:14). In Hebrew, this name is Ehyeh Asher Ehyeh , which carries deep significance. It reveals: Self-Existence – God is not created; He exists by own His power. He is the source of all life, unchanging and independent. Eternal Nature – He is always present, always the...

Sparrows cost a few cents   But only at your Heavenly Father’s consent   Will any of them suffer a    fall  He watches    over them though    so small  So why are you afraid of dying? Why do you quake when you think of flying?  Doesn’t    every hair of your head have its number?  And your value to Him nothing can outnumber? So fear not and live with zest  Dive    into life daily with your best  Be bold to take your stand  For your life and being are in His hands. 

Know Hell is bent  On stopping you wherever you are sent  Whether by subterfuge and subtle influences Or forcible and painful experiences  Enemies will circle around you like a wolf pack   Ready to pounce on a prey they have tracked  Even if it seems so,know the field is not friendly   Sometimes it might even be deadly  This is the reason why you must stay awake  Harm no one, but be wise as a snake Be wary of mankind and look at their fruits   Even if they come to you in a sheep’s  suit  Your success is in your watchful prayers  And your perseverance in spite of naysayers  Accountability  will be your guardrails  And humble discretion your destiny ship’s sail

On my way out today, I spotted my snowblower gathering dust in the garage. It is summer and of course snowblowers are not needed in summer. its counterpart, the lawnmower is having its day in the sun.   This contrast inspired this muse.  ******************************************************************************* This is my snow blower, sitting In winter it is the reigning king   In summer it idles in my garage   Showcasing dust like a collage   But this morning it taught me two lesson A quick one for every person   Who would like to be happy And bid goodbye to emotions often crappy   Lesson Number One   Stay useful or you’ll be gone   Be relevant for every season   Or be benched for good reasons     Lesson Number Two If unprepared, seasons change on you   And the lawnmowers fit the time best   Accept it’s their own time in the sun and take your rest Winter is coming   You’ll soon be back and humming.

Was heading home yesterday when I spotted these roses growing on the front lawn of where I had been. ⁣ ⁣ I was fascinated and I thought to myself. “Hmm, let me pick some roses for Debo and Pearl (our daughter).” (Would have picked for the boys but I know the gesture would make no sense to them. We guys are just like that you know ) ⁣ ⁣ Ignorantly, I had no idea that these roses grew with thorns. I never imagined something so beautiful and attractive would have thorns. So I put no caution- A couple of seconds later with painfully pierced fingers, I learned my lesson. ⁣ ⁣ However, the thought of a rose with thorns wouldn’t let the poet in me rest. To free myself, I had to put a couple of quick haikus together about how life often comes with both the tough and the tender because precious things must be protected. ⁣ ⁣ Rose with thorns ⁣ Beauty wields pain ⁣ The precious must be guarded.⁣ ⁣ Rose with thorns ⁣ Love and sacrifice ⁣ Must both live together ⁣ ⁣ Rose with thorns ⁣ The gli...

  Conquer your fears and take that step. ⁣ Maximize your life. ⁣Did you know that people who are dying often express some regrets looking back over their lives? I am currently reading a book “ The Top Five Regrets of the Dying: A Life Transformed by the Dearly Departing” written by  a palliative nurse who spent lots of time with people as they approached their deaths. ⁣ In my next few posts I will share with you these top five regrets. I hope these wishes of the dying will inspire you to actually live the life you were meant to live while you have the chance..⁣ 𝐇𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐢𝐬 #𝟏⁣ 𝟏. 𝐈 𝐰𝐢𝐬𝐡 𝐈’𝐝 𝐡𝐚𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐚𝐠𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐥𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐚 𝐥𝐢𝐟𝐞 𝐭𝐫𝐮𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐦𝐲𝐬𝐞𝐥𝐟, 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐥𝐢𝐟𝐞 𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐞𝐱𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐨𝐟 𝐦𝐞. This was the most common regret of all. When people realize that their life is almost over and look back clearly on it, it is easy to see how many dreams have gone unfulfilled. Most people had not honored even a half of their dreams an...

We were all looking forward to the camel ride. We had seen people do it on TV and also seen pictures of people who visited the desert and rode on camels. I was especially excited because I had never ridden on any animal before in my almost 47 years of life. I mean none … nada. Not even a horseback ride. The merry-go-round   horses don’t count here.   So we get to the camel place. There were three camels all connected together by a rope.   The man I will call Camel Commander with his staff, hits the leading camel gently on its body signaling for it to bend down low so we the riders could climb on it. The 3 camels coupled but they let out a sound I had never heard before in my life -the camel sound.   I don’t know how to describe it but something about that sound hit me in my deepest part. I felt I heard and understood the camels’ cries. It registered in me as a cry of resignation, boredom and weariness all expressed together.As we climbed on the camels bowed and sitti...

I had read a lot about deserts, watched movies on deserts, taught about deserts, so obviously I had this feeling that I had been to a desert, that I knew deserts. It wasn't until last week during a trip to the United Arab Emirates when we went on a Desert Safari when it actually dawned on me that that was my first time being in a desert. So much to unpack from actually being in the desert. My next few posts will explore different flashes of thoughts that came to me from my experience there.  Today, I want to talk about desert feet.  Before we began the journey, I sent a text to our guide asking what kinds of shoes to wear. We concluded it was better to wear our slides or sandals rather that our tennis or dress shoes. I understood that later as we got on the desert. Had I worn those, the dust from the desert would have at  the least sentenced them to a great deal of washing to restore them. So the slides were just perfect.  By  the time we were done for the day...

It was yesterday We had just returned from vacation a day prior I drove out of my driveway And saw the entire front lawn infected with weeds Not just some type of weed but several of them Some spotted bright flowers; Some were sprawled all over portions of the lawn. Hedges were untrimmed And flower beds overgrown with dandelions With this messy backdrop, the house looked unkempt and neglected. Spring just set in a few weeks ago after a brutal Chicago winter Busyness with other tasks took my attention away from the yard Leaving it to the whims of natural entropy I drove away unhappy My mind remembering the wise words of Solomon: "I passed by the field of the sluggard And by the vineyard of the man lacking sense And behold, it was completely overgrown with thistles; Its surface was covered with nettles, And its stone wall was broken down. When I saw, I reflected upon it; I looked, and received instruction. “A little sleep, a little slumber, A little folding of the hands to rest,” Th...