DO YOU BELIEVE ENOUGH?

"Learning is not attained by chance, it must be sought for with ardor and diligence." - Abigail Adams

My over 70 years old friend - Mma Etuk; that's what her children called her - said to me sometime, "Son, the only prayer I pray now is, 'Lord, teach me how to follow you foolishly'". I was awed by that statement for many reasons. One of which was the fact that she was old, and the other was because she'd been a diligent follower of Jesus from an early age. She could die for the gospel's sake. I was amazed.

Thomas Hawkes was born in Essex, England. He later entered into the service of the Lord of Oxford. After the death of Edward VI, instead of changing his religious beliefs to that of Queen Mary's, Hawkes left his service and returned home. After returning home Hawkes' wife gave birth to a son. Hawkes refused to have the boy baptized according to Catholic tradition and was reported to the Earl of Oxford. He was sent by the earl to Bishop Bonner of London where he answered to the charge of contempt of the sacraments. On February 9, 1555 he was condemned as a heretic. Days before Hawkes was to be burned at the stake he agreed with his friends that he would lift his hands over his head if the pain was tolerable and his mind was at peace. When he was engulfed in flames and most people thought him to be dead, Hawkes suddenly raised his burning hands above his head and clapped three times. Those who understood this gesture broke into shouts of praise and applause as Thomas Hawkes sank into the fire and died.

BURY THE HATCHET

“You should either avoid quarrels altogether or else put an end to them as quickly as possible; otherwise, anger may grow into hatred, making a plank out of a splinter, and turn the soul into a murderer.” – Augustine

Argument, contention, controversy, difference, fighting, quarreling, and dissension refer to disagreement and conflict. Quarrel applies chiefly to a verbal disagreement between individuals or groups and is used with reference to a large variety of situations, from a slight and petty difference of opinion to a violent altercation: It was little more than a domestic quarrel. Their quarrel led to the bar room brawl.

Dissension usually implies a profound disagreement and bitter conflict. It also applies chiefly to conflict within a group or to members of the same group.

In July 1831, a volcano off the coast of Sicily erupted. Out of the water rose an island in the Mediterranean Sea. A British Royal Navy ship observed it and named it Graham Island after Sir James Graham, the First Lord of the Admiralty. Sicily also saw the military importance of the island and named it Firdinandèa after the King of Sicily. Not to be out done, the French claimed it and desired to make the island a resort. Immediately, diplomatic wrangling broke out. For five months conflict raged in newspapers and elsewhere as the different nations fought over the 200-foot high rock. Tourists traveled to the island to see its two small lakes. Sailors watched it when sailing by it. Then on December 17, 1831, officials reported no trace of the island. As dynamically as the sea mount had appeared, it disappeared, defusing the conflict of ownership.

BELIEVE IN YOU

"Believe in yourself! Have faith in your abilities! Without a humble but reasonable confidence in your own powers you cannot be successful or happy." - Norman Vincent Peale

There may be days when you get up in the morning and things aren’t the way you had hoped they would be. There are times when people disappoint you and let you down. That’s when you have to tell yourself that things will get better, and those are the times when you must remind yourself to trust your own judgments and opinions, to keep your life focused on believing in yourself. There will be challenges to face and changes to make in your life, and it is up to you to accept them. Constantly keep yourself headed in the right direction. It may not be easy at times, but in those times of struggle you will find a stronger sense of who you are. So when the days filled with frustration and unexpected responsibilities come, remember to believe in yourself and all you want your life to be; the challenges and changes will only help you to find the goals that you know are meant to come true for you.

Almost everyone believes in God to do or undo certain things for us. I like to add that, believing in God is not enough. We all believe in Him, even the Bible said that demons believe and tremble. I do not attempt to to postulate a theory outside of God's Word. No. But to arouse a type of mentality in you, that will cause you to have a consciousness that most of the time; what we are waiting on God for, God is actually waiting on us for - He believes in us, but do we believe in ourselves to be able to do what He wants us to do.

MOUTHOLOGY

"Give thy thoughts no tongue." - William Shakespeare 

Have you ever heard the aphorism "sticks and stones may break my bones but words can never hurt me"?

Well it's shocking to discover that words hurt you a lot more than sticks or stones can ever do. Someone once said, "make a speech while you're angry and you'll make the best speech you'll regret".

A Professor was traveling by boat in a remote area, where he'd gone for a research. On his way to his hut, from where he'd be conducting his research, he asked his guide who was the sailor:

“Do you know Biology, or Ecology?", he asked. "No sir", replied the guide in a funny English. "What about Zoology, Geography, or Physiology?" "No Sir", replied the sailor again. His response was "No" to his questions.

Professor: "What the hell do you know on earth. You will definitely die of illiteracy." He retorted in irritation.

DO TO OTHERS

"It is wonderful how much time good people spend fighting the devil. If they would only expend the same amount of energy loving their fellow men, the devil would die in his own tracks of ennui." - Helen Keller

A man saw an old lady, stranded on the side of the road. He pulled up in front of her Mercedes and got out. His Pontiac was still sputtering when he approached her; no one had stopped to help for the last hour or so.
 

“I’m here to help you, ma’am. By the way, my name is Bryan Anderson.”

All she had was a flat tire, but for an old lady that was bad enough. Soon he was able to change the tire; dirty and his hands hurt. As he was tightening up the lug nuts, she rolled down the window. The lady asked how much she owed him. Bryan hadn't thought about being paid. This was not a job; it was helping someone in need, and God knows there were plenty, who had given him a hand in the past.

“If you really want to pay me, help someone in need when you see them...and think of me.” He said with a smile, as she drove off.


A few miles down the road the lady saw a cafe. She stopped for a bite to eat, it was a dingy looking restaurant. The waitress came over with a towel to wipe her wet hair. She had a sweet smile. The waitress was nearly eight months pregnant, but it didn't change her attitude. Then she remembered Bryan.

TIME DOES KNOW

"Patience and time do more than strength or passion." - Jean de La Fontaine

 

Time

Once upon a time feelings and emotions were having a vacation at an island. According to their nature, each was having a good time. Suddenly, an impending storm seemed ominous and everyone was to vacate the island.

The announcement caused sudden panic. Everyone rushed to their boat; damaged boats were quickly repaired and commissioned for duty. Yet, Love did not wish to flee quickly. There was so much to do. But as the clouds darkened, Love realized it was time to leave. Alas, there were no boats to spare. Love looked around with hope. Just then Prosperity passed by in a luxurious boat. Love shouted, “Prosperity, could you please take me in your boat?” “No,” replied Prosperity, “my boat is full of precious possessions, gold and silver. There is no place for you.” A little while later Vanity came by in a beautiful boat. “Could you help me, Vanity?" Love cried, "I am stranded and need a lift. Please take me with you.” Vanity responded haughtily, “No, I cannot take you with me. My boat will get soiled with your muddy feet.” Sorrow passed by after some time. Again, Love asked for help. But it was to no avail. “No, I cannot take you with me. I am so sad. I want to be by myself.” When Happiness passed by a few minutes later, Love again called for help. But Happiness was so happy that it did not look around, hardly concerned about anyone. Love was growing restless and dejected.

Just then somebody called out, “Come Love, I will take you with me.” Love did not know who was being so magnanimous, but jumped on to the boat, greatly relieved that she would reach a safe place. On getting off the boat, Love met Knowledge. Puzzled, Love inquired, “Knowledge, do you know who so generously gave me a lift just when no one else wished to help?” Knowledge smiled, “Oh, that was Time.” “And why would Time stop to pick me and take me to safety?” Love wondered. Knowledge smiled with deep wisdom and replied, “Because only Time knows your true greatness and what you are capable of. Only Love can bring peace and great happiness in this world.”

It doesn't matter what you're going through today; it doesn't matter who has rejected, abandoned or ignored you. You might not look like anything right now, so much that nobody believes in you - you might not even believe in yourself. But understand this morning that the difference between "There" where you're headed and "Here" where you current are, is "T" which is "Time".

Just keep living, and with time you'll discover that all those who despised you coming to bow down before you. Time will make you into the you God's made you to be. Time will turn your rejection in acceptance. And in the midst of your rejection make love a part of your life. Just keep living your change, answer and desire is just up ahead!

MORE THAN A NAME

“Names have power.” - Rick Riordan

 

I am certain that you have heard about the “power of a good name”. Interestingly, sometimes we have not consciously thought on how a powerful or good name is obtained. The truth is a good name is a great asset, one with immeasurable value. A good name is transferable, can be used as collateral to negotiate a business deal. Literally speaking, the applications of a good name are inexhaustible. The question is how is a good name obtained?

After the American Civil War the managers of the infamous Louisiana Lottery in their bid to swindle the public approached Robert E. Lee, the American career military officer and education administrator; famous for having commanded the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia in the American Civil War. Robert E. Lee distinguished himself as an exceptional officer and combat engineer in the United States Army for 32 years and was a man of admirable reputation. The managers asked if he'd let them use his name in their scheme. They promised that if he did he would become rich. Astounded, Lee straightened up, buttoned his gray coat, and shouted, "Gentlemen, I lost my home in the war. I lost my fortune in the war. I lost everything except my name. My name is not for sale, and if you fellows don't get out of here, I'll break this crutch over year heads!"

GUARD IT

“There is no such thing as a minor lapse of integrity.” – Tom Peters

 

For more than four decades during the 1800's, Major General Thomas Sidney Jesup served as The Quartermaster General of the Army. Known as the "Father of the Quartermaster Corps," he was also a man of unshakable character and integrity. The event that shaped his character occurred in 1811. As a young lieutenant, he was appointed brigade Quartermaster on the Mississippi frontier, under the command of Brigadier General James Wilkinson. General Wilkinson had a somewhat unsavory reputation. And it was perhaps inevitable that the principled young lieutenant would eventually clash with his rather unscrupulous commander. While stationed at a cantonment in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, Lieutenant Jesup got permission from Secretary of War William Eustis to come to Washington to settle his Quartermaster accounts. However, by the time he actually

IT'S IMPOSSIBLE? THEN, DO IT!

"Throw caution to the wind and just do it." - Carrie Underwood

In 1883, John Roebling was inspired to build a bridge connecting New York with, Long Island. Bridge building experts throughout the world said it was impossible; they told him to forget it. It couldn't be done. It was not practical, it had never been done. He thought about it all the time and was convinced it could be done. He shared the dream with his son, Washington, an up-coming engineer.

Working together for the first time, the father and son developed ways on how it will be done and how the obstacles could be overcome. With great excitement and inspiration, they hired their crew and began. The project started. A few months underway a tragic accident on the site took the life of John Roebling. Washington was also injured and left with a certain amount of brain damage, which resulted in him not being able to talk or walk. “We told them so.” “Crazy men and their crazy dreams.” “It’s foolish to chase wild visions.” In spite of his situation, Washington was never discouraged and still had a burning desire to complete the bridge and his mind was intact. He tried to inspire and pass on his enthusiasm to some of his friends, but they were too daunted by the task.

DROP THE GLASS

“Some people think it’s holding that makes one strong – sometimes it’s letting go.” - Unknown

 

It's true that you're a slave to whatever you submit to. And because we submit to them, we become cornered, unable to move or break free. We're usually, almost every time the cause of our problems.

A psychologist walked around a room while teaching stress management to an audience. As she raised a glass of water, everyone expected they’d be asked the “half empty or half full” question. Instead, with a smile on her face, she inquired: ”How heavy is this glass of water?” Answers called out ranged from 8 oz. to 20 oz. She replied, “The absolute weight doesn’t matter. It depends on how long I hold it. If I hold it for a minute, it’s not a problem. If I hold it for an hour, I’ll have an ache in my arm. If I hold it for a day, my arm will feel numb and paralyzed. In each case, the weight of the glass doesn’t change, but the longer I hold it, the heavier it becomes.” She continued, “The stresses and worries in life are like that glass of water. Think about them for a while and nothing happens. Think about them a bit longer and they begin to hurt. And if you think about them all day long, you will feel paralyzed – incapable of doing anything.”

DON'T SULK

"You have to learn to move on in life without certain people, if they are meant to be in your life they'll catch up with you" - Anonymous

Joe and Sue, were love birds...there was so much love between them that could fill the whole world. Joe was sure that he'd heard God speak clearly to him about Sue; she was definitely his wife. Sue, had asked God for a husband and He'd told her to wait a certain number of years and Joe came in the nick of time. At the time that period elapsed. This was a match made in heaven.

All along Joe, had never stopped imagining living and growing old with Sue. She was his "everything", loved her with all his might. Didn't put anyone else above her. Joe at the time had just finished youth service and didn't have a good job. His job was barely enough for him to survive himself. He did all he could to survive, had extra jobs and took responsibility of Sue's job applications. He had her email password, she'd given it to him. They continued like this for a while. Until this morning Joe was cleaning up her mailbox; deleting old emails. He wasn't prepared for what he saw next as he deleted one more message.

"How's your new boy friend, Abas?", was what he saw next. In fraction of a second, Joe became feverish. He could hardly click the mouse button that had got him here in the first place. Sue's elder sister had never liked Joe; according to history he(Joe) reminded her of her husband who eloped with another woman. She did all she could to break Joe up with her sister, Sue. She disrespected and paid no attention to Joe except she needed help that only Joe could render. He didn't bother because Sue, wasn't concerned either. For love he took all the bad treat in good faith.

A MASTERPIECE

"Don't compare yourself with anyone in this world...if you do so, you are insulting yourself." - Bill Gates

Do you know that, it's just you? You don't have a copy; or spare. It's a remarkable, "in-duplicatable", and miraculous thing it is to be you. Of all the people who have come, gone and will still come on the earth, since the beginning of time, there's not ONE that is like YOU.

No one who has ever lived or is to come has had your combination of abilities, talents, appearance, friends, acquaintances, burdens, sorrows and opportunities. No one’s hair grows exactly the way yours does. No one’s finger prints are like yours. No one has the same combination of secret inside jokes and family expressions that you know. The few people who laugh at all the same things you do, don’t sneeze the way you do. No one prays about exactly the same concerns as you do. No one is loved by the same combination of people that love you – NO ONE!

No one before, no one to come. YOU ARE ABSOLUTELY UNIQUE! You're like you're creator; there is none like or beside you. You're not just Unique, you're a WONDER. Enjoy this uniqueness. You do not have to pretend in order to seem more like someone else. You weren’t meant to be like someone else. You do not have to lie to conceal the parts of you that are not like what you see in anyone else.

LEAVE IT UNDONE

"Besides the noble art of getting things done, there is the noble art of leaving things undone. The wisdom of life consists in the elimination of non-essentials." - Lin Yutang

 

How frequently have you ever heard about being able to leave "certain" things undone. In other words, understanding that we aren't supposed to do everything. As a matter of fact someone said long ago that, "show me a man who wants to please everybody and I'll show you a man who wants to fail". Attempting to do everything is a life lived in futility.

Confucius said once, "Faced with what is right, to leave it undone shows a lack of courage." There are things once done, that can't be undone. Yes, we should only put off until tomorrow what we are willing to die without doing. The bitterest tears shed over graves are for words left unsaid and deeds left undone.

Here's a poem:

WARPED PHILOSOPHIES

“There is a philosophy which is vain and deceitful, which is prejudicial to religion, and sets up the wisdom of man in competition with the wisdom of God, and while it pleases man’s fantasies ruins their faith; as nice and curious speculations about things above us, or of no use and concern to us; or a care of words and terms of art, which have only an empty and often a cheating appearance of knowledge.” – Matthew Henry

Yes, reading philosophy could have a negative impact on the life of a person. When people talk about nurture effects and the environment, they always think of what parents say and do directly to their children. It never occurs to them to think of the books children read that don't have violent or sexual content.

In 1980, Teruyoshi Fukunaga founded the Japanese cult called "Ho No Hana Sanpogyo". It was commonly called the "foot reading cult" because he conspired with senior disciples to "diagnose" problems of new adherents, mostly middle-aged housewives, by reading the soles of their feet and then urging them to attend costly seminars to cure their supposed ailments such as cancer. Soon Fukunaga claimed he was the reincarnation of Jesus Christ and the Buddha.

BEFORE A FALL

“Pride is at the bottom of all great mistakes.” – John Ruskin

 

Pride is a prison; it can creep into a man's heart and blind him from even a shadow of humility. Pride does not take into account the righteousness or the spiritual worth of the decision or choice but for selfish gains. It does not consider the ill effects upon those, from whom, it will be required.

James Anthony Traficant, Jr. was a former Democratic politician and member of the United States House of Representatives from Ohio. He was expelled after being convicted of taking bribes, filing false tax returns, racketeering, and forcing his aides to perform chores at his farm in Ohio and houseboat in Washington, D.C. During his federal trial, although he's not a lawyer, Traficant defended himself but he did not testify. His self-defense led to frequent clashes with the judge over what questions might be asked and how. He was sentenced to 10 years in prison and released on September 2, 2009, after serving a seven-year sentence. Traficant was a proud and arrogant politician before his imprisonment. His incarceration did not change his attitude. Upon his release, he said he was "proud of being an ex-con" and may try to return to Congress.

TIME & PLACE, JUST RIGHT

"All labor that uplifts humanity has dignity and importance and should be undertaken with painstaking excellence." - Martin Luther King, Jr.

I didn’t notice the hardness of the pew where I sat. I was at the funeral of my dearest friend - Mother. She lost the long battle with cancer. The hurt was so intense. Always supportive, mother clapped loudest at my school plays, comforted me at my father’s death, and prayed for me my entire life. When mother’s illness was diagnosed, my sister had a new baby, my brother had recently married his childhood sweetheart, so it fell on me, the middle child without entanglements, to take care of her. I was an honour.

“What now, Lord?” I asked. My life stretched out before me. My brother sat staring toward the cross while clutching his wife’s hand. My sister sat slumped against her husband’s shoulder, his arms around her as she cradled their child. No one noticed I sat alone. My place had been with our mother, doing everything to and with her; now she was gone. My work was finished, I was alone.