The Treasures of Mariam's Experiences

What can a grateful heart give?

2021-07-24T13:28:00.001+02:00

I am grateful to God for life.

I have passed through the waters

I have crawled through the storm

I persevered the heat of the fire

My bones didn't break when the cold got too bad

I bless the name of Yahweh

I am who I am

Because He is who He is

The past the present the tomorrows

They don't change the glory of His rule

I am grateful for family

Even though I came to the world alone

I also didn't come alone

I had I have I will have people around me

They have my back always

I am grateful for a God who loves me

His kindness has been a cloth for me

It keeps me warm and pretty

His mercies ensures that I can hold my head high

His grace is the reason I wake up every morning

I am grateful for health

Effortlessly I stood up from my bed today

I pass out waste with the aid if a pipe

I eat and it doesn't come back up

My fingers can move on the keyboard

I am grateful today

Not because I am better than anyone else

Neither am I more beautiful than I was yesterday

But I have a brain that can form this words

A heart that is grateful.

~ Mariam Campbell July 2021

How can you change the direction of your life?

2020-02-03T22:19:00.000+01:00

A lot of us have been stuck in a rut. Not knowing what the next step is or how to rise above the joke our life has become is a major challenge for many. All around us people are loosing their jobs. A lot leave school and can't find jobs, some are under employed or over qualified. While we have a lot who are dissatisfied with where they are in life.
Nothing will satisfy you better than riding on the high that you get from doing what you are passionate about.

Over the years I have been riding on the high that my passion gives me. These pictures speak of a journey in teaching craft.

Higher Above

2020-02-01T16:48:00.000+01:00

The air is clean

The breeze is fresh

The sun is kind

The moon a delight

The stars wink at night

Just as a friend does in jest

The rocks massage your feet

And knocks away the feel of pain

How wondrous and how beautiful

The works of a God unseen

Who makes things bright and new

Bless Him bless Him everyday

©January 2020

From the top of the mountain

2020-01-28T16:39:00.000+01:00

Go to the top of the mountain

Look around at all your eyes can behold

The expanse of land below

The beauty of the sky above

Man seems so small

Troubles become insignificant

The birds are closer to you

The dew of heaven cold on your skin

Go to the top of the mountain

Wonder at the miracle of the trees

Growing out of a hard rock

The skies are closer

With your hands stretched to touch the sky

The beauty of a God so magnificent

A coordinated and organized creation

From a being so great

It’s impossible to see the end of His greatness

Even when you are at the top of the highest mountain

©January 2020

Empowering the younger generation

2018-09-02T13:09:00.001+02:00

Entrepreneurship and growth is the key to growth in Africa.

It is important that we open the door of entrepreneurship to the new generation, the teenagers and the youth in our community.

This is how we do it - combining teaching with mentoring....

Fabric accessories from Old T-shirt

2016-10-11T22:59:00.002+02:00

Most of us have our old T-shirts at home and we either throw them away or give them out. Those old T-shirts are made from cotton and can be converted to necklaces or scarves and lots more.

Materials needed

Old t-shirt (or new one if you like)

Tape rule

Scissors

Needle and thread (you will be needing the long hand sewing needle)

Anything to embellish it

Steps

1.      Take the T-shirt and place on a flat surface like a work table of the floor.

2.      Measure the width or length of the T-shirt and your neck length.

3.      Cut the t-shirt in strips. You will have to cut 2 sizes. 8 short ones and 18 long ones. Then cut for short strips that are much thinner in width than the rest. Also cut 2 wider short strips. This will be used to cover the joining areas.

4.      Arrange the long and short strips together and place separately.

5.      Thread the needle with a colour

that matches the colour of the t-shirt. Take the long strips by one end and the short ones by another end and join together by sewing them with your needle and thread. (Ensure you sew together firmly.)

6.      Do same for the other side. Take the thing short strips and sew on one side of the necklace but don’t sew the other end so that one end is free and extends down like a sort of embellishment.

7.      Now what is left is to cover up the joining sections on both sides of the necklace. Take one of the wider short strips place it round the joining so that it meets at the back of the necklace. Then sew together ensuring that the area where you sewed the long and short strips together is perfectly covered. Do same for the other side.

8.      And so you have it!

9.      Check mine in the picture below………………..Enjoy!

Ankara craft training

2015-11-02T19:31:00.000+01:00

2015 is gradually coming to an end. Don't end the year without having a skill.
Learn ankara craft!
The cost of the tuition for each craft is as follows (please note that trainees will have to buy their own materials and tools);
1. Wallets (male & female) 5k per design of wallet
2. Clutch 5k per design of clutch
4. Hand bags (sewing and non-sew) 8k per design of handbag
5. Bow tie (bonus craft if you do all the others)
6. Hair pieces (3 designs 5k)
7. Belts (male & female) 5k
8. Costume jewellery (necklace, earrings, and bangles) 15k for 3 set designs
9. Slippers (female) 15k

Weekend and weekday training available.
Please contact Mariam Campbell 08177165365 (calls, text or whatsapp), 7F679ED8 (BBM Pin) or email purehoneykreativiti@gmail.com.

Some say we lack Leaders...............

2015-09-01T23:19:00.004+02:00

Some say we lack leaders
Others say we lack followership
Some have gone as far as saying
Leadership is a result of the followership

Nigeria does not lack leaders
Nigeria lacks a leader with a vision
We lack a leader who can see beyond his stomach
We lack a leader who can see beyond the need of his situation

Nigeria used to be a giant
But the need for today has put its tomorrow in jeopardy
Now everybody, leaders and followers
Do not want to see beyond today as they fear for tomorrow

Even the WORD asks us to WRITE the vision
Visions are never for today
They are for tomorrow
A tomorrow that is far into the future

Nigerians need to begin its search for a visionary Leader
A leader like Joseph who saw tomorrow
Because of it he didn't allow today to suck him in
His vision made him the first Prime minister ever

Nigeria needs a leader like Nehemiah
He saw the desolation of his land
But he also saw the greatness of a better tomorrow
He fought for and worked for that tomorrow

Nigerians need a leader that is not afraid to champion a cause for change
A leader like Elijah
He challenged the prophets of Baal and the whole of Israel
He made them see that God reigns over all

Nigeria does not lack leaders
We have leaders
They are not just the type we need
What we have is a shadow of leadership

We need leaders with vision
Leaders who can run with said vision
Leaders who see a great Nigeria
Leaders willing and ready to build that greatness at all cost!

This is what we need
This kind of leadership is what we deserve
It is the leadership that ensures that followers "follow"
Nigerians must demand for their right!

~Mariam Campbell 2015

Dreams Can Come True!

2013-10-25T10:53:00.001+02:00

On Tuesday I saw a girl in uniform (don't get me wrong, I see students in uniform everyday) but this one hit a chord. Why? It did because as I looked at her I remembered I was that small (she was very small!) and at that age I had so many dreams. My mind was and still is very imaginative and has the ability to dream far into the future. I would pen all my ideas and save them. Recently I looked at some and wondered to myself, “did I do that?”

Some of my dreams I have been able to run with and bring to reality. I remembered back in the late 1980s that anytime I watched ‘Youth Scene’ that popular program on NTA I would tell myself I would be able to meet with the anchor of the program. Today I can safely say that I have fulfilled that dream or part of it. I used to tell myself I would never work for anyone, well maybe I worked for someone for a while but today I work for no one but myself and my clients. I remember also saying that I would grow up to take care of my parents, a lot of use wish for this but few can actually say they do. I am grateful to God that he has given me the grace to fulfill this dream. I still have so much and so many dreams that are yet to be made a reality and so many that are already a reality. I write for a living, a passion I get satisfaction from. I talk for a living a dream that is a reality. But I still have a long way to go and if God has brought me this far, I am very sure he will take me to the very end of the road. Let us all remember that dreams can come true. All we need is the power to be able to run with our dreams!

Dreams of a little girl

2013-10-25T09:54:00.005+02:00

I remembered back in the late 1980s that anytime I watched ‘Youth Scene’ that popular program on NTA2 Channel 5, I would tell myself I would be able to meet with the anchor of the program. Today I can safely say that I have fulfilled that dream or part of it as the anchor then is my mentor today. I used to tell myself I would never work for anyone, well maybe I worked for someone for a while but today I work for no one but myself and my clients. I remember also saying that I would grow up to take care of my parents, a lot of us wish for this but few can actually say they do.

I am grateful to God that he has given me the grace to fulfill this dream. I still have so much and so many dreams that are yet to be made a reality and so many that are already a reality. I write for a living, a passion I get satisfaction from. I talk for a living a dream that is a reality. But I still have a long way to go and if God has brought me this far, I am very sure he will take me to the very end of the road.

Let us all remember that dreams can come true. All we need is the power to be able to run with our dreams! There is a quote I love so much from the good book (the bible) and it says “Write this. Write what you see. Write it out in big block letters so that it can be read on the run. This vision-message is a witness pointing to what’s coming. It aches for the coming—it can hardly wait! And it doesn’t lie. If it seems slow in coming, wait. It’s on its way. It will come right on time." Habakkuk 2:2-3 MSG. I like it a lot because it refers to our dreams (vision) as something that points to what is coming and not that will be at the right time.

As I looked as that little girl as small as she was, I remembered that I was that small and now I have grown (still growing). I realised that time waits for no one and its what we make of our life now and how well we invest in our future that will determine how fast we rise to the challenges that life deals out to us.

What money cannot buy............

2013-06-09T10:38:00.000+02:00

This week I came across a very beautiful woman who was nicely dressed. If she did not open her mouth to speak you would actually pray to have such a beautiful woman as wife. But when she opened her mouth to speak I almost cried. All I ended up doing was pray and pray. Today going back home I saw her again and I realized it is impossible to value sanity until we actually see those who have lost it. Beautiful people who are in a world of their own not knowing or recognizing life as we see it. Place much more value on the little things please because they matter. Little things like the ability to swallow, smell, feel, go to the loo, bath yourself, reason, etc are daily miracles and gifts from our maker who gives us a tune-up each day before we wake up. Wake up count your toes, fingers, speak and hear, touch and feel, brush your teeth and take your bath, go to the loo and do tha' thing. Open your eyes and behold the beauty of a new day! Recognize your siblings, husband, children, and home. Money will buy you cloths but not the skin to put it on, money will buy you shoes but not the feet its worn on, money will buy you books but not the eyes to read or mind to understand, money will buy you food but not the tongue to taste or the mouth to eat, money will buy you perfumes but not the nose to smell it, money will buy you a lot of things but then money will never buy you those things that we take for granted and which we sleep with and wake up having. That is not the end of it. Very few people who have an abundance of money do not have that which you wake up with; peace in your heart and home, joy that runs deep and a happiness that cannot be bought. The ability to think and create is a miracle, a special gift that everyone should have but not everyone does. We say common sense is not common, but do we know that money will not buy common sense? The ability to think and differentiate wrong from right, the ability to chose right in itself is a gift that we need not take for granted. Why? There are a lot of people out there who would love to be able to think straight and make the right choice but then they just end up making the wrong choices every step of the way. When we were asked to "count our blessings and name them one by one", the author of the song did not mean those things which we have worked for and bought with our hard earned money; those things that money can buy. The actual fact is that he meant those things which no amount of money can buy; those things that we wake up each day taking for granted. Our senses of sight, smell, hearing, taste, feel, or organs - the beating heart, functioning lungs, working kidney, our spleen, pancrease, bladder, brain; our limbs, even our natural clothing - our skin. Its so beautiful to have them and to have them working perfectly without any external use or aid. Learn to value those things in your life that money cannot buy, they matter a lot and the value of it cannot be quantified. God has made a perfect machine in us, one that cannot be replicated, duplicated or disengaged. That in itself is a miracle!

A man of service

2013-01-31T17:05:00.001+01:00

Obed Edom was recorded as the most wretched man in the land of Israel during the reign of King David. This prompted the King to order the Ark of God be put in his house when it killed two of the Ark attendant. Many would have been scared thinking they would also be struck dead. But NO! Obed Edom used that time to be of service before the ark and every day he served he got a good report direct from God. People around began to notice and wonder. They marveled that is this not the wretched man? Why is he still alive and not dead? Obed Edom's life experienced a change that people noticed, gradually this brought him before the king. Before long he got the King's attention and the Ark of God was brought out of his house by the order of the king with joy and dancing. Since that day the most wretched man entered the book of history as the man who due to his service became elevated to a place of prominence. What is that situation that you are going through? It must not have been easy for him the day the Ark entered his house especially after the reports gotten of what the Ark did in the enemy camp and even when the Ark came into Israel. He must have thought so this people want me to die like the two levites. He was poor and did not have a say against the order of the King. His life had no value and was not of importance to the throne so if he had died the land would not have gone into mourning. But he did not go into self pity and was not dejected. Instead he would sweep and clean ensuring that the Ark was kept in a clean and as proper a place as it could be. He spent time making his home habitable and presentable. As he swept he got gold dust and I am sure the first time he would not have believed it. Most times God takes what we see as a dead end to take us to a place of notice and attention. Whatever we are going through let us remain to be of service. Leave self pity out of it, don't see where you are as a place where you must lie down and die. Continue to render a good service, be noted for your good works because people are watching. They notice and are keeping count. Soon the people watching waiting for you to give up will be the one to start spreading the news of your works. Have a wonderful new month!

THE “EMBER” MONTHS OF REMEMBRANCE

2013-01-31T16:58:00.000+01:00

As I grew up the "Ember" month was the count-down to Christmas. For children it was that time you began to sing the song “Christmas is coming, Papa buy shoe for me” and the joy of coming to the end of a year in one piece began. But as I grew older and began to understand the ways of the adult, I realized that the last four months of the year otherwise known as the “ember” months bring anxiety instead of anticipation. The adult become more careful (at least the ones I grew up with) more prayerful and more watchful. To them the “ember” months were those that played a lot of havoc and ones in which crimes are perpetuated. It’s funny though since the worrying of the adults did not change the names of the months and it most definitely did not make the months either bad or good. In fact the months just kept answering to its name. Now I prefer to call those months the “remember” months. It is during this period that we all remember those things we have left undone; we remember God’s promises that are yet to manifest, we also remember all our clients that are yet to pay for our services. However for me it is that time I began to count my blessings as I gradually write the last chapters of the year. We have 12 chapters each year, towards the end of the book you must ensure that the reader remains captivated so he can read to the end. Or else he will set the book aside and move on. I remember one of Gloria Estafan’s songs “remember me with love”. The “ember” months are those times when we remember with love the goodness of God and bless his name for life. Lastly just as it rightly says, the “ember” months are periods in which the dying flames (embers) of our hopes, faith and life are to be stocked so they can burn more fiercely. Remember what the bible says about Adam and the animals? It is the name we give to a thing that it will be called and it shall act in accordance to its name. That is why my people say “we look at the home before giving a child its name”. Therefore it is the name we give to these months they would answer to. Have a wonderful “EMBER” months as we round-off 2013!!!

My people suffer for lack of Knowledge

2012-11-19T21:14:00.000+01:00

You know a few months ago someone told me that my issues don't come because I had enemies or not. He told me just one simple phrase. He said and I quote "You lack understanding". Truly I was insulted and a little angry, but because He was older and a man of God I kept quite. Plus the fact that my mum instilled in me that you listen while people talk. So I kept quite and listened to him talk. Truthfully, I had this believe that I might not be very knowledgeable but that as long as I had the internet nothing was far from me. But that one phrase really undid me and kept me thinking. Today I know for a fact the meaning of what God meant when he said "My people suffer for lack of knowledge". God's knowledge is not the same with ours. The knowledge he was speaking of is not the same that I was thinking of. It was not the knowledge of what I could read online, neither is it the knowledge of what I can read in the bible. Yeah! I know we are all wondering her what I mean by "not the knowledge of what we read in the bible. But the truth of the matter is that like me a lot of us just "read" the bible and not get to "know" God through the words. I know that sometimes I would read and just sleep off, other times its like reading the same novel all over again. It was so bad I had some passages I loved to read and some I dont bother to open. I would read the book of Esther, and jump past job, I would read Isaiah or Ezekiel and past Jeremiah and Lamentation. I rarely read Revelation but I would glance through first four books of the new testament. Then someone told me that I must read a chapter of the bible every day and I just said okay. I tried doing so mainly because he would ask me everyday if I read my bible and I could not tell him a lie that yes I did. But after the experience and time getting to know i my suffering because I did not know God as I should things changed. Now I really do want to know God and in knowing God I am becoming more confident and doing away with old habits one at a time. Now I know that those habits are there because because I let them stay. I gave them room and bed to sleep, but now they have had to vacate and the power of the Spirit of God and His word is working miracles. Its a good thing that this is happening now because it is God's perfect moment. I really don't know of this is making sense but I hope that just one person gets what I am saying. That knowledge of God and who He is helps us to know who we are and the power we hold. Now I know that when I dream of eating I remember God's word that "I would feed and lay down and I shall not be afraid". At times when somethings come to mind and thinks it can scare me I remember the words of Apostle Paul is Colossians 2 "He stripped all the spiritual tyrants in the universe of their sham authority at the Cross and marched them naked through the streets." So I know that their power has been taken from them and they are exposed. So I don't have anything to worry about, just let God do His bit while I do mine by believing all of his promises. Now there is no room for any kind of doubt not one. I am not there yet my friends. Don't get me wrong. I still stumble sometimes but just like a child is with her precious dad I just smile at my dad and look up because I know he would kiss the pain away and make it better. In all truth I never meant to write a note, I was going to put up a status update but knowledge I know is of God and the note is a way for me to say thank you. I heard from somewhere that a lot of times we never give testimonies for things in our lives. We don't have success stories either or we do but don't share it. Most of us are worried that if we share our success stories something bad would happen. Don't worry I used to think that way but no more. I am happy to shout the good of God in my life, but when I am facing challenges I also know I can't walk it alone and I would share that too. Let us learn like me to actually take time to know God and not be one of those that only "read" the bible.

BRINGING FULLNESS OUT OF THE VOID WE SEE OR FEEL!!!

2012-07-08T18:14:00.000+02:00

Most times we look around us and find nothing! We turn right, left, we move front and back and all we see is the void and emptiness. It’s a wonder why and how we can make sense of it all. Most times we just give up and make do with the emptiness. What is a void to you? Does your life seem to be empty? Or maybe it’s your business or the work you do. Are you finding it difficult to find fulfillment in what you do and how you do it? Sometimes it seems as if we have purposely put ourselves in bondage with no way to get out of it. Our life seems to be one form of emptiness after the other and we don’t know how to fill it up.

Well let me tell you or should I say it this way; “let me take you back to the beginning of life itself?” And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. Most times darkness and emptiness goes together, you hear people say; my life is a void, my life is empty, some say my life is going nowhere fast or maybe I feel a darkness inside of me. It a form of existence where everything to you is moving on but for you life is at a standstill. It’s like you are waiting for something or someone but you don’t know what. For most of us that time never comes for some we don’t know when it come, it just does and while for other something provokes the coming. However or whenever all it means is that we have been able to bring fullness out of the void or emptiness we find inside ourselves. We have been able to make something out of nothing. We have in essence become creators and drivers using the utmost capability that has been given to man to make something of the emptiness we feel inside of us, at our place of work, in our businesses. The hopelessness we feel has been converted into something with meaning and hope. Most often than not for most of us what we need is already inside us. All we actually need to do is to listen and be very attentive. Most times we are burdened by so much of what is happening around us that we fail to even listen to the voice and the creativity inside of us. We might come to this world naked with no cloths on but we never came empty, we came bearing gifts; we came full and brimming with those things that would make us stand out from the crowd. But the truth is that like the earth we must bring out of that formless void and darkness that has shrouded our fullness the great potential that we are. No one can do it for us, not even the God that you have will. It is your birthright to choose to look inside you and listen to the voice calling to you. Only you can hear it, only you can make sense of it, you alone can interpret what it is saying and make something of it. The beauty of who you are is that you are not empty, you are not a void, you are not a failure; you are unique human being born with talent and gift that which the world is waiting to celebrate. The only thing is this; what space will you fill. Who will benefit from the fullness and how will they benefit from the fullness? These questions are the things that are making it difficult for us to actually bring fullness out of the void of our lives or businesses or ideas. We fail to think of others or listen to the sound of their groaning. We most times focus only on our own pain and in focusing on our pain alone we fail to reach the maximum potential of our creativity. I could go on forever about this but in essence what I am saying is this; “we alone are the ones that can make our lives and those of the ones we love a better one”. Think about it!

OPERATION BUILD AND WATER!!!

2012-06-11T02:28:00.000+02:00

Developing the entrepreneurs mindset in the next generation should be the priority of the present generation of Nigerians. If you have children or pray to have children start building the spirit of an entrepreneur in them. That is the only thing that can assure their future. Not your money, not the education, most definitely not your connection! Start while they are yet young!

In the book of exodus the word of the Lord came to Moses; "You have stayed too long at the place, tell my people to move forward!" Nigeria and Nigerian must listen to the words and relate to it. Not only in nature have we stayed so long in one place; waiting for the government and society to do what we can do and in some cases we even wait on God to do that which we can do. It is high time that we learn to begin to move forward and begin to build and water along the way. Our children will not thank us neither will they bless us when we do not leave anything behind for them to enjoy. You know at the start of this note I started with a quote and had an entirely different angle of focus in mind but then I realized that my mind just turned in a different direction from where it started out from. Entrepreneurship and not national cake or the break of a nation is what can build a nation that is gradually going from a position of light to darkness. Nigeria is a country blessed with what a lot of other countries don't have. We have intelligent people who have had their creativity suppressed for whatever reason you can think of by society, family, parent and even the individuals themselves. We have allowed the society and people determine how we grow, create and multiply. This should not be so! We have to; from this point forward begin to build in ourselves and our children the the mindset of what Africa stands for. Africa (especially Nigeria) is a group of people so blessed that we could actually be self sustaining but we have allowed ourselves to be ruled by our stomachs which has killed our ability to create. Creation and multiplication is a very important part of human existence which is why it is the first command that God gave to man - Be fruitful and multiply! Working in opposition to that order is against humanity. Therefore I implore us that from this day forward we begin to develop the mindset of an entrepreneur in our children. If you cant use it to create solutions and opportunities don't study it in school! This is what we need now. We need enough youths from the growing generation who are not afraid to create and multiply. Let it not be said that the break came in our generation or that of our children. You know I go round and I ask youngsters around what they plan to be in the future and non of them even think of starting a company or inventing a cure or innovation. They all want to be rich and powerful but they do not want to know how. They have no foundation and we know that a house that is built without a foundation will not stand.

So I am begging us; parents, soon to be parents and everyone who will be parents at one time or the other to begin to think of the well-being of their children. Well-being is not money or gifts its what future they can have even when you are not there to help them. Think (God forbid!) what happens to you 15yr old son or daughter if you die today? Can they face the would and its challenges head on or will they bow to influence of the society or friends? Will your 15yr old daughter turn to prostitution or other worldly devices because she does not have skills neither does she know of any other way she can take care of her needs? How about your sons?

How will they survive and cope once they are no longer under your roof? Can they stand strong? Remember any child with a sell-able skill will eventually look out for any way to make ends meet as is the nature of man. He would survive in any way he can! Begin today so that you do not regret when it is too late to help them! God bless Nigeria and God bless you as you read!

Are you eating or sowing?

2012-05-29T23:07:00.000+02:00

“That he may give seed to the sower and bread to the eater” This is a phrase that brings questions to mind. It begs the question “are you sowing seeds and what type of seed are you sowing? Or are you a eater, one who eats without giving back? The quote above is from the book I love most; the Bible! Here we understand that opportunity and time is open to two categories of people. 1. The sower of the seed 2. The eater of bread A lot of us find it hard to move forward due to the fact that we find it difficult to sow, especially within our youths in this present generation. We see our friends in big cars and flashy cloths but what we fail to see is the time they have put into acquiring that which they have. It has become difficult for us to actually have the mindset to sow and wait patiently for the harvest while we prune, weed and cultivate the land in other for the seed to germinate and produce the good tree and hence good fruit. The eater is only concerned with today and the satisfaction of the stomach. They find it difficult to wait for the process of productivity and the time taken to sow and harvest. The eater can only see the now and not the future or the idea of the small mustard seed become a great tree. To them they look out for immediate benefit or gratification. No! They are hungry now and so must be satisfied. The word tells us that the rain water’s the ground that it may bring forth and bud to give seed to the sower and bread to the eater. The question now is you a sower or an eater? Do you look out for the now and present not thinking of the repercussion for tomorrow? Or do you sow a seed of goodness and growth for yourself and your business? Luckily for most of us reading this words; we have heard the saying that “patience is a virtue” whether that is true for us or not, we must know that the energy you exert in running a hundred meter dash is different from that for a marathon. As individuals we need to realise that he who sows lives to eat bread for many days to come. But he who lives to eat bread will eat for today and begin to look for where to get bread for tomorrow. In business sowing your seed; means you are saving towards your future to ensure that your business grows and becomes great. That we must plant and water thinking of tomorrow and while we are patient we continue to water (follow-up) on the seed we have sown. The follow up and level of management input says a lot about the harvest we get when it is time to reap the reward of the labour of sowing. The farmer is a very patient man as he would work diligently to have a good harvest by going to the farm daily to prune, weed, fertilize and continually ensure that pests or unwanted harm does not come the seed he has sown. This should be the same with every entrepreneur with our business as we work towards having a good harvest. Entrepreneurship and business is not about the here and now but about the solutions we can provide for tomorrow. So now let us start by asking ourselves the same question; am I a sower or an eater? Do I live to eat or do I live to sow? This will give us a better perspective of who we are and how the future will be.

The Humour of my Day!!!

2012-05-06T00:14:00.000+02:00

This morning I woke up gearing to go! I had planned my day and meeting and had set the time to leave the house. Then all of a sudden it began to rain and it rained but I just knew that I would have to leave the house in the rain. Don't get me wrong; I LOVE THE RAIN!!!. I went for my meetings which was very fruitful by the way. Thank you. Then the rain started again. This time it really rained and because the meeting was fruitful I could relax and enjoy while me and my colleagues had a nice chat about life in general. Okay then we decided it was time to head home and we left; hold I am not there yet just getting started. I boarded a tricycle and since it was still drizzling I wanted to seat on the side that had the shield from the rain but to my dismay a man (who I termed as not been a gentleman) boarded and decided that he just HAD to seat at that angle. I was pissed big time. In my mind I was like this is not a gentleman just as the tricycle moved in traffic and I gradually got wet and he remained all dry and dandy. Wait........................ The best part is yet to come! Okay now I am at the last leg of my return home and I have to board another tricycle which I did. Now things had switched and I was the one on the side with the shield from the rain and a man was on the side without the covering. The guy hala ehn! When it was my turn all my grunting and anger was inside not voiced but this nice man voiced his own grievances and I just began to laugh. I just could not help it (please o! It was a silent laugh). You know why? I just remembered that this was me a while ago and I also remembered that this is how we react to things that happen in our lives. We complain when things happen to us even at times thinking why me why not the other guy. But why must it be the other guy who has to get wet? What's wrong with you getting wet for a change? Truly I really got the drift when it came to mind and I just could not help but say thank you God that it was me who got wet. Let us remember that things happen to us not because we are special or better off; not because we are worse off either. My friend says "it has your name on it" lol. I wonder where she got that from. But Just enjoy getting wet and don't expect the guy to be a gentleman and get wet so you can be dry. Enjoy the rest of the weekend and God bless Nigeria!

CHURCH PEOPLE

2012-04-12T17:33:00.001+02:00

I would be very free on this post and i expect all my readers to flow with me.First of all I would want to ask ''WHAT IS A CHURCH''?. I am sure I would have a lot of spiritual and religious definitions.Well, to a lay man, ''A church is God's house where His children gather every other day for fellowship''. Going by this definition,is the church really a home for God's children or a mere building that is governed by the commander(The Pastor)? Some pastors have converted many odd places into Churches,their living rooms hotels,sex brothels,schools,family halls and the roads.
I want to take us through some very ugly trends that i have witnessed in our Churches especially here in Nigeria and lets see how we can correct them.
I am not against the Church but I must say most of these points are threatening the very existence of Christianity hence forcing many to turn against the faith.The issue of tithing is first on my list,the way most pastors stress on it as if you don't give you hate God and would invoke God's wrath or create an opening for the devil's punishment,most pastors go as far as pronouncing curses on those who dont give or give in smaller denominations.As far as i am concerned,God loves His children,our giving only expresses our love for Him and not that is acts as a sure means to bribe God cos if all you do is to pay tithes and offerings and you dnt leave a holy life all na zero o. Another is when pastors are raising offerings they would start with high amounts,only the rich can afford the sums, denying the poor of the blessing; that's one thing that has led people into living a fake life,they want to impress the pastor and the church so they would come out even when its not convenient for them; money that can be used to pay their children's school fees or help in setting up business would be used as offering cos they believe if they don't give, then they don't love God (too bad). Well, that's a wrong motive for giving cos the Bible clearly states that God loves a cheerful giver. Its not only in the quality or quantity but the motive for giving to God.
This brings us to another issue plaguing the Church.Unbelievers now see the church as a money making venture: The Church is now a sole proprietor business,one man show as some may say.No one accounts for Church funds cause the signatories to the accounts are the Pastor,his Wife and most times Close family pals...Na wa!.This is why many people are scared of giving to God cos they believe they are enriching just one man.These days you'll find pastors soliciting for funds to build church projects that upon completion would be converted to their personal property. This brings me to a big question,what does the church do for the Church (its members?).What is wrong if the church gives Scholarships to the poor ones amongst them?. Why can't the Rich use their influence to help the unemployed to get jobs?. Instead of building State of the Art edifices just to show that the Church Building is world class,(i am not saying its a bad thing ooo), why not channel most of the resources into low cost building for poor church members?. The very rich in the church can have a project to sponsor some members for professional courses abroad.Why can't we have free schools as the Catholic Missionaries used to?; Why can't the Church have free medicals regularly for the elderly ones? .Yes the church can if they want but the Pastor may not promote it cos if he does, people would reduce their 'SEED SOWING'.. we all labor to give to the church through our offerings,tithes,special levies etc,apart from God's blessing that comes from Him directly and the joy of fellowship as brethren what other benefit?. Some Churches don't help in anyway(Marriage/Weddings,Burials,Dedications etc) you must pay a large sum even as a church member to use the Church premises for occassions.Infact they would ask for officiating ministers offering etc. In the early church in Acts 3 you'll find out that the rich sold their properties in other to help the poor we don't see these things again.The Rich now have a clique in Church.When they are not around the pastors would go to their houses to look for them. When their dogs die pastors are there to console them. The poor ones are not giving such preference; in fact pastors don't have their numbers, neither do they have access to them. Jesus ministry on earth was for all and not for the selected few.Why this ugly trend of favoritism?
Another ugly trend is what I call fashion madness. Since the late 90's when the church movement changed to come as you are, so as to embrace everyone putting aside the old religion of discriminating certain (Unbelievers), people now dress to church anyhow. On sunday, I worshipped in a Redeemed Church at Lekki.I must tell you it was a lovely service.The worship session was awesome;just as Iopened my eyes after being over taken by the worship,what caught my attention was a lady who wore a mini gown to church.As i was boiling, another girl's hot sexy gown provoked me the more.As the service came to an end on my way out i saw things that nearly made me cry.Even the angels in heaven would exclaim;"oboy eyyye" with eyes popping wide.Mehn this drama queen wore a panty hose with a tight,short club top with serious heels to church(which levels). I began to wonder how many men who saw that were be able to concentrate in Church.That was pure distraction to me.I am not saying one should dress shabily to church but the key word is modesty and decency. When people,especially girls wear indecent clothes to Church, what do they have at the back of their minds?. Is to seduce men and the Pastor, to look hot or just fashion?. We need to checkmate it. It wasn't so from the beginning. We can save our hot gowns for parties,clubs etc. In fear of not to losing members, no body would frown at it; even pastors wives now fix long nails,lashes,wear short dresses, no much difference between them and the so called unbelievers that the Church criticise and that is what their members emulate.
Lastly on this Church trends are those who steal in Church. You can imagine I heard a woman lost her car during a Church Crusade.People steal things in Church... too bad. God is watching!. People no longer fear God in Church. That's where you would find the worst things going on: Church members dating each other,Choir master sleeping with Choir members, Church leaders masterminding crime in their places of work etc.
This is not a post to criticize any one but to help check mate us. All these points raised are the truth and they need serious attention.The Bible says God is a Spirit and we must worship Him in Spirit and in truth. We must learn to call a spade a spade.We can all contribute to making things better by addressing the ones that affect us,eg the issue of giving.Let's not give out of compulsion or to show off to satisfy the Pastor.It is God who knows our hearts and would reward us not the pastor.Based on the issue of discrimination,let us show true love to our brethren,visit and encourage the needy in our church and environment,not just in words but also in kind; not that you would give a bag of rice to someone and announce it to the neighborhood or turn the person to your slave just because you paid the person's school fees. As for those who are fashion icons save your skimpy gowns for other outings,don't drive another woman's man into fornication or adultery,dress modestly,don't draw attention to your self with your possessions. Let your life be an example to the unbelievers, not that in your neighborhood you are notorious for looking down on people just because you have a car etc.As for those who steal in Churches, please change your ways,don't incur God's wrath upon your generation... Eheen,as for our Pastors lets keep praying for them that God would open their eyes to the truth and help them to get it right,and also if you have the boldness to advice them on it please do so...let's practice Christianity as it ought to be and stop allowing the hidden sins to make a mockery of our Faith.
Finally, I want to say that the Church is a place where people go to and expect love,show love,act love and be an epitome of love..Peacexxx

"JUST BEFORE YOU SAY I DO"

2012-04-10T15:55:00.003+02:00

The rate at which marriages are breaking gives me serious concern and breeds so much fear in me.I know of couple who had dated for almost 9years,they had a very big society wedding,with all the glitz and glamor,there was so much fun,love and happiness in the air,friends, family and well wishers,where are present to witness and celebrate their unique friendship which blossomed into marriage, infact most people concluded that the wedding was just a mere party owing to the fact that the had courted for a very long time.At the end of the day,every one went home and left the 2 love birds to continue their lives,Exactly 9 months later rumors hit the neighborhood that their marriage was at the verge of breaking,in another 2 months it was now glaring,they were apart,the lady moved to another city unknown to the man and moved on with her life...i was so heart broken with the news considering the fact that i was at the wedding,i witnessed the show of love and affection. The rest is history now,that marriage is no more,and no one has been able to get the real fact why they both couldn't keep their marriage. I know of another couple who have been married for over 24 years,they are always having issues,for years they dont talk to each other but they leave under the same roof,i begin to wonder,cos i heard this same people where love birds in the past. What went wrong?
I have come to understand in my very short experience with relationships that love is not what keeps it going its the mutual understanding and trust that does.Many times women go over board with our emotions,we nag,we suspect a lot,we allow our intuitions to be governed by our immediate emotions etc.Men have their own weakness too but i believe in every relationship a woman plays a more significant role in ensuring its sustenance.
I want to say that most young people dont understand marriage before they jump into it,they prepare for the ceremony and not the main thing,thats the reason why when the they are faced with the challenges that come with marriage,they chicken out easily. I always say that single hood is a unique period of our lives,we must seize the opportunity to prepare for the the future.Most girls believe marriage is all about going to leave with the one they love and can spend the rest of their lives with etc,that is a very wrong notion,a woman is created to complement a man,help give meaning to his life,thats why the bible refers to us as a help meet, ie someone that has a mission to accomplish in a mans life. when women start thinking towards this direction,it would help in preparing them for the task ahead. as for the man,he must start seeing himself as a man with a divine mandate to establish a generation,he must come to a point where he knows he needs a woman not a girl in his life not just as a companion but also as a complementer,with such mindset his choice would be easier and wouldn't be carried away with vain beauty that is been paraded everywhere. If singles really take out time to think and pray about marriage it would be much more easier.
Just before you say i do, it is not too late to walk out,its better to walk out one minute before your exchange bands than after. Another reason why marriages fail is that people dont truly fear God,if they do,why would you stand before the alter of God been witnessed by friends and family and when crisis come instead of asking God for solutions you would damn Him(God) and walk out from the marriage allowing the devil to have his way.
Friends,if the relationship aint working,it aint working,let go and take some time to work on your selves to give it a 2nd trail,if it doesn't then let it be,dnt allow mere emotions or pity drive you into what you wouldn't enjoy for the rest of your lives. Long courtship or love is not the main criteria why you must marry some one,if you both aint compact able, why push it? family,societal,religious,influences should not be considered when making your choice,reasons been that they would stand by you before and not after the marriage.Also the church and other religious institutions should help prepare couples for life after marriage not only taking them through marriage classes and test but see to their progress after marriage.
Finally,i want to say that we young people should not just look out for someone who has money,prospects etc but also a man/woman that has a teachable spirit,forgiving heart,humble,easy to understand,can let go of grudges and above all, one that fears God from the heart and not lip service,to me this are the basics the rest can be improved upon. Take out time to prepare,for the women,learn to cook,wash,basic home keeping,dnt rely on house maids,develop a particular skill that can generate funds for you to assist the man in running the home(Yes of course,a help meet has to contribute no matter how small) dont be a liability,be a treasured asset. As for the men,work hard now so your family would be well taken care off,develop other skills to create funds,be a defender and not a nuisance.Read the bible,books and other helpful materials on marriage and look out for a mentor who would influence you positively. I look forward to seeing long lasting marriages. Stay blessed.

THE ESTHER'S GENERATION

2012-03-31T17:11:00.000+02:00

We live in a age where moral standards are falling,people no longer hold on to core religious,moral and social values,parents/guardians are losing grip on their children. What a generation! Fashion has gone wild,we want to wear,act and potray all we see in the movies,even mothers who are supposed to uphold these values have joined the trend in a bid to look "sweet sixteen",the society no longer frown at skimpy dresses,even the church in a bid to have more members have coined the saying;"come as you are" the common slogan;Mind your business" is what you get if you advice! This is not an article to criticise anyone but just a peep into our topic of discuss. This brings us to my point,every lady wants to be have the Esther kind of grace and favour but no one wants to pay her price, I took time to study the life of Queen Esther and I drew a lot of inspiration some of which I'll be sharing with you. I can bodly say its rare to find her amongst us today, young women today are driven with the passion to look trendy,to be a "Tush chick","What's up girl" this same passion has driven a lot to indulge in nasty things just to earn them the looks. I aint negating the fact that a woman should look good and flashy but let it be modest. This brings us to a big question...Does just external/surface adornment make a beautiful woman or wife? The answer is best known to men but for me,I'll say a big NO! Last year,I met a handsome,charming dude called Sonny,we met through a friend,we met a few times and he indicated intrest in me,instantly I liked him,cos he was a gentle man,after a while he kept a distance,I was deeply hurt cos I liked him. One day after about two months,we had a chat and I asked him why he disappeared into thin air,he said the day we went out that I wasn't wearing any make up,he didn't percieve any fragrance from me,he complained about my size etc! Wow! I was amazed and I thanked him and moved on,.for the fact that I didn't have those,made him feel I wasn't in tune with the trend but he liked my person...but to me I was a super woman that I didn't meet his "Standards" doesn't reduce myself worth,it only brought me to the conclusion that most men are moved by what they see. Back to our topic,Do we still have Esthers in this generation? From my research I found out the following characteristics that made Esther a real queen.First to note, Esther was from a slave background,today people have the notion that only those from rich backgrounds are queens. Esther was comely(Esther 2:7-18), all other maidens took extra time to adorn them selves but she had this inner glow and a heart in tune with God,that goes to show us that it's not about the make overs etc but the grace,she had a teachable spirit,most young women today wouldn't follow simple instructions because they think they are strong on their own,we all need mentors and people who we look up to for positive influence,Esther knew her self worth,inadequate preparation and sloppy performance didn't suffice for her,she was quick to understand her divine mandate to save her people. Another very important attribute of Esther was her humility,which I believe was what endeared her to the king.For this same reason Queen Vashti lost her queenship to Esther.Never allow pride and arrogance to deprive you of your rightful position, Just before we take out some actions,we should always know someone out there is watching. What is the essence of beauty with out character? Same as beauty without brains.Pride has taken over the sense of reasoning of so called beautiful girls,they find it difficult to exchange pleasantries with people,they place themselves so high that even a man that has genuin intentions wld be scared of going close to them. Every man wants a woman that is humble and down to earth,a woman that can treat his family as hers. Lastly,Esther never forgot her background,she kept in touch with her people.Don't be too busy or carried away with positions and forget your background.When people get new jobs or appointments,they spend money buying things to look good and forgeting their origin,they try to cover up or pretend to be what they are not,they dissociate themselves from their family &friends,some go as far as denying their family.Esther was proud of her people no wonder she sacrificed her life in exchange of their freedom.If she was too busy for them,she'll have lost her entire people and probably her life too. In all,Esther's life is a complete example of what a woman should be.let's all draw inspiration from her and choose to be different cos they are still kings out there who are not moved by what they see.If we truly want Esther's grace then face her race. True beauty lies in our inner strenght and a real woman is one who sees her self as a hand maiden who is uniquely prepared for a special calling to fufil in her family,and the world at large. Rather than enhancing just beauty,but also how to groom our selves into role models.Best wishes!

Build A JAMB Result Checking Website To Win 150,000 Naira

2012-03-31T17:00:00.004+02:00

This is the latest from Nigeria's own Oluwaseun Osewa the owner of nairaland forum. In the past he has contributed to the trend in software and application programming initiatives that encourages the youths in IT in Nigeria to challenge themselves towards been creative. This Competition is open to unemployed application / software programmer. If you are a Nigerian and can write a program in python, cherrypy, MySQL or HD in google code PLEASE ATTEMPT THIS!!! To get the full gist and read the comments of those interested in the contest please visit http://www.nairaland.com/904050/build-jamb-result-checking-website Hello Guys & Girls, The JAMB website goes down every year when results are released. It's a national embarrassment, and it needs to be fixed right away. I bet the JAMB website is going to crash again after the next UTME exam if we don't show them how it's done! I hereby announce a programming contest to create an open source JAMB result checking script just to show the JAMB Tech guys how it's done. You're to create a simple JAMB result checking website that works just like the official version and can handle millions of candidate records and heavy traffic from all of them trying to check their results on the same day. I'm also offering a prize of 150 thousand naira to the person who writes the best JAMB result checking script, but in order to win the prize, you must satisfy certain conditions: 1) You must be unemployed or employed/self-employed and currently earning less than ₦251k per month. 2) You must develop your JAMB result checker with Python 3.2, CherryPy , MySQL 5+, & hg on Google Code. 3) You must indicate your interest before 12 noon on Sunday 1st April by posting a link to your repo here. 4) You must complete the result checker before 6pm on Friday 6th April and link to it on this thread. The writer of the best result checking script as assessed by me and other judges will win One Hundred and Fifty Thousand Naira only (N150,000), provided you qualify and follow all the rules. The money will be deposited into your account about 3 days after the submission deadline. Ask me any question about this contest and I'll try to answer you promptly. May you win the One Hundred and Fifty Thousand Naira only (N150,000). Good luck! Oluwaseun Osewa Founder Nairaland

Creativity and beauty - the beginning

2012-02-07T08:13:00.000+01:00

My Clock Still Ticking - Thank you God!!!

2012-01-30T19:25:00.001+01:00

In a couple of days I will be a year older!!! Yeah for me it is a day of joy, although I might be working on that day or not, I can't help but go back and in remembering bless God for how far I have come. I remember those years when I could not even speak out due to been shy and thinking what would people say or think? Do I have anything sensible to say? I remember when I was so insecure it was difficult to succeed at work. I remember when I started writing for the first time. I remember with love over the past three decades the people who have had positive impacts in my life. Let me tell you the ride to this point has not been all jolly fun. But even with the bumps and rough times, I would not have had it another way. This is 2012 and I have so much more I want to do, so many places I want to see, so many lives I want to touch, so many people I want to meet. But above all I give all the thanks and glory to God for wisdom, knowledge and understanding. From the topic, my life clock is still ticking; unlike so many. It has not stopped entirely, it has not malfunctioned, neither has it been stolen. My time is still moving at the right speed and is maintained by the maker on a regular basis. At anytime you check my life's clock it is always right, whatever season whatever time! Oh and I thank God its not moving backward either. Lol. This is me wishing myself and all my friends who have their birthday this month A JOLLY MERRY HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!

Nigerians and the effect of the fuel subsidy!

2012-01-26T20:08:00.000+01:00

Today is the beginning of the New Year and in Nigeria the overall man who went to school without shoes decided the best way to wish his fellow Nigerians a happy new year is to remove the non-existent oil subsidy. After the plea, threat and entreaty of Nigerians that this would be a bad idea he still went ahead to do as he pleased. I wonder what it means to be a leader. Are we in a democracy or a dictatorship? Was he elected or did he inherit the position? Even kings listen to their subjects. This is the summit of a rabid dog barking and looking for whom to bite. The dog has done its worst and it is left to its owner to either put it out or allow it to continue in its rampage. The minutest of service will have an increase in its fee. If you happen to go to the market tomorrow and bought pepper of N100.00 be assured that at the least you would pay the same amount to blend the pepper if not more. You dare not go to the barber tomorrow or for women don't bother asking that the generator be put on to dry your hair in the event that there is no electricity. What this means is that the cost of not just doing business will increase; it means that the cost going to the toilet would probably increase why? If you leave in a house where there is no bore-hole and you have to buy water from the "Mallams" then the cost of buying a bucket of water will increase from N15 to N30 naira. This is where we have what Fela called expensive shit!!. Meaning you must monitor how you go to the toilet and how you use water. It also means that pure water of N5 must increase to N10 abi how do we expect them to meet their cost? To add insult to injury we have been told to all go buy bicycles very funny indeed!!! It is not enough that the man living below the standard of living cannot afford to send his child to a good school because of the high fees at whatever level now what they are saying is that the hard working low income earning Nigerians have now become foreigners in their own country. The only citizens that Nigeria has now are the elites that will be able to afford the high cost of living. This means everybody will be striving at all cost to become a member of the class of the elites which will result in an increase in crime, touting, fraud, Yahoo-yahoo, ritual killings, kidnappings, and all the sorts. Abi how would the average man be able to make ends meet? The sad part is that most of the crime would be perpetrated against Nigerian citizens who are also struggling to make ends meet. Even LASTMA and the men-in-black will increase their toll at all the check points at least "man must wak". Will Nigerians fold their arms this time also and leave everything to God in prayer? Are we going down on our knees to ask God for a miracle? Will the "oil subsidy" be miraculously removed by prayers? I wonder what the sermons will be in church this year since a lot of people might find it difficult to go to church as a result of the high cost of transportation and the fact that they would rather spend their tithes and offerings on their family instead of taking it to church. I would love to be a fly in the churches now to hear how the religious leader would walk us through this. Well I am sure that even the law enforcement will soon have their hands full before the middle of the year if nothing is done to alleviate the rubbish that has been dumped on Nigerians by THE BADLUCK WHO WENT TO SCHOOL WITHOUT SHOES OR BAG and expects every other Nigerian to do the same. Must we all pass through the same picture that he painted during his campaign before we realise that this is not the way Nigerians should live? Which way Nigeria? Which way Nigerians? What next after the removal of the "oil subsidy"?