DEFINE BEAUTIFUL!!!!!!

Source: Blogspot

I had the following conversation with an aunt the other day- holding her new born baby girl, I said ‘Aunt, she’s beautiful!’ and she replied, ‘Really? She’s dark. I wish she was fair. Fair babies are more beautiful, like you are.’ I sat there, staring at her, heart-broken for the beautiful baby girl I held in my arms. and I thought to myself, 'This is stupid! How can anyone define beauty based on a skin color. :(

I have a friend who loved this guy so much. He travelled. They were together. After some years, they broke up and while weeping to a colleague of hers, the ‘so-called’ words of comfort from her colleague were- ‘He found someone better, you know, someone more beautiful than you’. And I was like- Uhmm, excuse me, define beauty?

I know this girl who hurts herself, yes, hurts herself, by killing her self esteem. When I say she’s beautiful? She gives me all the reason why she is not....Someone is prettier, someone else dresses better, someone else has some guy. She is not beautiful.

I know this woman at school who was green here, blue there, red up and yellow down...Mismatched skin complexion, all in a bid to be light.

These are some examples of the battle people go through everyday just to be accepted. Just to be seen as beautiful. 

Honestly, what is beautiful- Dark Skinned vs. fair skinned? Tall vs. short? Fat vs. skinny? Longed hair vs. kinky hair? Filter or no filter?

Is your definition of beauty validated by what the TV and magazines and the world thinks? Hey remember, what you see on the media most times,  are 'Filtered' or 'Photoshopped' or 'the-perfect-picture-after-a-million imperfect takes' anyway.

OR

Do you say you are beautiful because you know you are- whether you are short or fat or tall or dark or no hair or long haired or flawed or not flawed?

What VALIDATES you?

Source: A puplesky

Many times, I hear people throw the word ‘Clean’ around. She’s Clean. He’s Clean. Automatically, she/ he is beautiful. 

Let's say you can't afford the next fashion statement and have to make do with rags- does that mean you are not beautiful? or Let's say, you have all the clothes there is- does that automatically qualify you as beautiful?

Don't get me wrong! It's good to look good- but is that what defines your life-looking good! Is that your definition of beauty?

For me, beauty goes beyond our physical attributes, and is deep rooted in the heart. 

I love how the bible puts it- Like a gold ring in a pig's snout is a beautiful woman/man (I might add) without discretion.

Really, what’s the point having all that ‘amazing features’ outwardly and inwardly you are rotten.

Source: Google Images

Beauty for me comes from within, cos like all things, one day, the face, and complexion and dresses and all the physical won’t matter, one day, you'll get old and wrinkled and then what?what matter is what’s within and the legacy you leave behind.

I love everyone. I think we are beautiful physically, in every way. I judge/ appreciate people from what they are on inside. That where true beauty lies.

I just listened to Lupita Nyong'o speech at 

the Essence Magazine Black Women In Hollywood award ceremony and I agree with something she said - ‘You can’t eat beauty. It’s something you just have to be. Having compassion for yourself and for others. That's true beauty’....

Developing Godly traits like love, kindness, patience, forgiveness, compassion, humility, confidence...You know, ‘never fading’ traits like that. That’s what sustains you and keep your story going, long after you are gone. That's what beauty is.

Look at yourself in the mirror. Smile at your reflection. You are beautiful. Flaws or no Flaws. Just go on being amazing from the inside.

Honestly, it’s unfair to judge someone based on the physical.... Beauty is so much more than what the eyes behold.

I love this talk by Lizzie Velasquez!

“What you do, the way you think, makes you 

beautiful.”― Scott Westerfeld


Remain Beautiful. Be beautiful. Remember, you are fearfully and wonderfully made.

Hugs :)

'ALL I ASKED FOR WAS WATER...'

Mother Teresa — 'Never worry about numbers. 

Help one person at a time and always start with 

the person nearest you.'

Google Images

The date was DECEMBER 1, 2013.

I was late already.
I rushed down from the bus, quickening my pace as Church was two minutes away, when he asked ‘Please, sister, I need water?’
I looked at him. He was old, disheveled, a yellow dirty bag lay by his side and he was eating rice from a black polythene bag.
I looked at him and honestly, my first thought was to give him some money to buy water, but instead, I heard myself say, ‘Sir, where do they sell water around here?’
He pointed at a direction and I bought him a bottle of water.  He smiled and said, ‘Thank You’ and God placed this question in my heart for him ‘Sir’, I said, ‘Would you like to come to church? My Church isn't far from here. It’s at city mall and the people there are really friendly and they would welcome you’. He looked at me, smiled and said ‘Yes. I would like to come, as soon as I am done eating’. I smiled and said ‘Thank you’ and hurried on.

As I walked into City Mall, I felt something holding my steps.  I couldn't move. 
This conversation was going in my head- ‘What if he comes and is turned away because he is not dressed like the rest of us?’ What if he forgets to come? What if he doesn’t find the church?’
I ran out of the gate as fast as I can, back to the old man.
He was surprised to see me again and I said ‘I’m sorry to be a bother but God wants me to wait for you’. He looked at me again; eyebrows raised, smiled and said ‘Ok’.

I stood beside him as he ate. A guy passed and asked if there were any problems and I said, ‘Oh, I’m waiting for my friend so we can go to church’. He shook his head and went on. Another friend from church saw me there and asked what was going on and I said ‘I’m waiting for a new friend so we can go to church’.
I called a friend in church, Collins and told him I was bringing a friend. I was so happy.

When he was done, he washed his spoon, drank some water and said let’s go.
I told him my name and he said ‘He is Christopher’. He could speak so well and I wondered what an intelligent, English speaking old man like that was doing on the streets.

We walked into church together.

When we entered into the church, due to the cold temperature of the place, his smell became prominent. Everyone turned back to look at us. I noticed that a few people were uncomfortable, maybe surprised, but some were really happy to see him.

Honestly, at some point, I became worried and thought ‘what if this wasn't from God?’  I noticed that he was coughing profusely and I worried that his cough was contagious. I also worried that he would harm us. But through the worrying, I still felt Gods peace. A son was home.

I sat with him and tried to explain what was going on.
But it was like he already knew.
My heart sang every time he sang along to the worship songs and knelt to pray, I praised God for him and prayed that He and God become friends again.

My church has this tradition where first timers were welcomed and he was really welcomed. The church family shook his hands and prayed with him.
After church, he was served some cake and he answered the alter call to receive Our Lord Jesus in his life.

My friend, Collins, whom I had called earlier wanted to meet my new friend and he actually thought it was the well-dressed man seated by my side. When I pointed to Mr. Christopher, he said ‘How? Where did you find him?’
A few folks in church asked who he was and I said ‘My friend’.

Collins, Tony (Collins friend) and I saw Mr. Christopher off to the bus stop. I wanted to treat Mr. Christopher to some meal at KFC but I had little money, well, I thought to myself ‘Maybe, next time, at least, he found God, and that’s Ok’.
Collins paid his transport fare to ‘somewhere’ and he kept muttering to himself, all smiles… ‘All I asked for was water….God eh.’

Tony and Collins walked me back to take a BRT bus  home, when Tony said ‘I saw him also and he asked me for water, but I did not look at him. It was a huge surprise seeing him at church.  I don’t like helping people but this experience has inspired me. You are so brave’. 

I told him to give God glory and that as Christians, we are called to love and be the hands and feet of Christ. I told him that it was God who helped me.

That night, when I got home, I kept seeing Mr. Christopher’s face and I had the kind of peace described in Phillipians 4:7.

I told a few friends and some said ‘He could be an angel’, another said ‘I should find time to hear his story. Really, what is a man like that doing on the street? Another said ‘That’s love. Hopefully we’ll take him out someday’.

Well on DECEMBER 8, I couldn’t attend church and Collins called me at night with some good news.
The conversation went like this ‘How are you?’ He asked.  ‘I dey’ I replied. ‘Guess what?’ he continued, ‘Mr. Christopher was in church today. Infact, he comes for midweek services. That man is clean. He has shaved his hair and beards and not smelly and wears clean cloths. He was asking for his friend- You’.

I was so happy. If I was that happy, I can imagine God and his angels and our Lord Jesus having a party for this son.

I am still humbled at this miracle. 

Today, when I think of it....My heart swells with Joy at the way God gives us beautiful encounters.

I've learned to show love. Infact, nowadays, I look for opportunities to walk the love talk. I've learnt to never look down on people and to let God use me the way he wants.

I pray this story encourage you like it did me.

You never know, you might entertain an angel without knowing it.


I haven't seen Mr. Christopher since, I don't know his story, But I know that wherever He is, God is with Him.

The Poet Rumi says- "Be a lamp, or a lifeboat, or a ladder." Reach out to someone, make them smile or laugh, or help them out with something.

Great Weekend!!!

:D

‘Coals of shame on their heads….’

Why are some people EVIL? Why some are people so ‘UNGRATEFUL’? Why are some people ‘USERS’- Only ‘loving you’ up when they need your help and after that they are ‘MIA (Missing in your life)? Why are some people just plain old ANNOYING? Why are some people so happy in my DOWNFALL? Why do some people act like DEVIL's on earth?

We can keep hanging on to our many WHYs…It can go on and on and on….Never ending…We can read all the many books written by the greatest sages in all of the world, but one thing is true…Evil-Ungrateful-Users-who-are-just-plain-old-annoying-and-derive-joy-in-our-downfall-which-makes-them-devils-on-earth will always exist. They are there at every turn and in every place.

Maybe, they are our so-called friends or relative or workmates, maybe, at one point in our life, if we are being honest, we've been that, plain old annoying.

They would always be there.

So, how do treat them!!!

REVENGE IS SWEET……… OR NOT?

LOVE THEM ALL THE SAME…. OR NOT?

God’s word puts it this way ‘If your enemies are hungry, feed them. If they are thirsty, give them something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals of shame on their heads.’ (Romans 12:20)...#word

My friend said something profound this morning. He said ‘Invest in good because tomorrow will remember’.

Whatever you do in life, do it for you and God and for tomorrow…not for ‘Mr. Mean old Annoying’ or for ‘Devil Charming’...But for your relationship with God (which is super important) and your peace of mind....

Love is ‘Covering up all sins. It’s giving others a clean slate even when they annoy you over and over again’.

Honestly, God gives us a clean slate all the time, even when we don’t deserve it. How much more us loving others, even when they don’t deserve our smile?

Evil-Ungrateful-Users-who-are-just-plain-old-annoying-and-derive-joy-in-our-downfall-which-makes-them-devils-on-earth will always exist. Some might change, some might not……But continue treating them with kindness…

God sees, hears and knows…Do your part, pray for the person….

Not easy though. Geez, sometimes, it’s easier to write this than to apply it (Argh!!! being honest), that’s why my new prayer is ‘Dear God, please help be like you…To love and treat others the way you treat us, most especially the 'unlovables'….in Jesus name, Amen!!!!

You agree?

I guess it’s true, this saying,  ‘To love truly is to love someone at that moment when you don’t feel like giving it…’

Have a beautiful weekend…

Thanks a lot for reading

Hugs and kisses :))

Random Acts of Kindness

Hello Dear,

How are you doing?

I’m a big believer of being KIND. You?

No act of kindness, no matter how small, is ever wasted. ~Aesop
It’s important and it doesn’t have to be big and costly and all. Love should guide us in whatever we are doing and one small act of kindness can go a long way in helping someone.

At times, I run out of ideas though on how to help (You?). I’ve been ‘kindness’ scoting the internet for help and here are some tips I saw…

Kind words can be short and easy to speak but their echoes are truly endless. ~Mother Teresa

Remember, let love guide you in whatever you do. Hugs J

Big thank you to helpothers.org and daretobeanangel.caom for many of these ideas :)

prepare a meal for a homeless person
 smile :)
3.    call your mother to tell her you love her
4.    write a handwritten note
5.    knit a beanie or blanket for a homeless person
6.    put change in the washer/dryer for the next person
7.    plant a tree
8.    send your favorite grade school teacher flowers
9.    write a thank you letter to your parents
10.                      pay the toll for the person behind you
11.                      tape a nice saying or thought to a bus window
12.                      instead of just thinking it, compliment someone
13.                      give a sad looking stranger a happy music cd
14.                      ask someone “how are you?” mean it. and listen.
15.                      make some baked goods for your neighbor(s)
16.                      hug your loved ones for no particular reason
17.                      make breakfast for your partner or housemate
18.                      call someone you haven’t talked to in a while
19.                      give someone a flower …or a dozen
20.                      offer someone else your seat on the bus/train
21.                      visit a senior center or nursing home
22.                      say “thank you” for the otherwise routine, mundane
23.                      pick up trash
24.                      donate one of your favorite possessions
25.                      give someone a fruit basket
26.                      collect clothes to take to a local shelter
27.                      stop to have a conversation with a homeless person
28.                      give an inspiring book to a struggling friend
29.                      leave your favorite book in a public place with a note
30.                      donate books to your local library
31.                      visit an animal shelter
32.                      volunteer at a soup kitchen
33.                      build a home with Habitat for Humanity
34.                      mentor local youth
35.                      pay for the person behind you at the drive-thru
36.                      buy dessert for someone eating out alone
37.                      pick up the tab for a random table at a restaurant
38.                      put $10 on a random gas pump
39.                      buy flowers for the cashier at the grocery store
40.                      visit an orphanage with some goodies
41.                      prepare a “to-go” breakfast for the morning mailman
42.                      mail a friend some cupcakes
43.                      send anonymous flowers to your office receptionist
44.                      buy an extra umbrella on a rainy day
45.                      give your waiter or waitress a huge tip
46.                      tape an anonymous joke to your boss’ monitor
47.                      send a nice card to a family member, just because
48.                      don’t lose any opportunity to say: i love you
49.                      leave a funny or kind note in an unexpected place
50.                      invite a non-local friend over for dinner with your family
51.                      read to a child
52.                      rake someone’s yard
53.                      be a courteous driver
54.                      hold the elevator
55.                      visit a lemonade stand
56.                      recycle
57.                      offer someone an unexpected tip
58.                      set up a free lemonade stand on a hot day
59.                      take some soup or hot chocolate to a homeless person
60.                      leave a collection of positive news clippings in a waiting room
61.                      practice patience
62.                      refrain from gossiping; speak well of others
63.                      act as if the glass were half full
64.                      turn off a leaky faucet
65.                      let someone get ahead of you in line
66.                      listen intently
67.                      prepare a nutritious sack lunch for a homeless person
68.                      babysit for a single parent
69.                      wave a “honk if you like to smile” poster at a street intersection
70.                      be bold in your appreciation of life around you
71.                      create an inspired piece of art and gift it to someone
72.                      give a lottery ticket to a stranger
73.                      compliment a stranger sincerely
74.                      run an errand for someone
75.                      send a friend an old photo and recall that time
76.                      send a random person in the phone book a small gift
77.                      send your sibling a small gift anonymously
78.                      donate an hour of your professional services
79.                      invite someone who is alone over for dinner
80.                      leave chocolate for your co-worker
81.                      spend time with the elderly
82.                      share your secret recipe with a friend
83.                      write a letter of appreciation
84.                      introduce yourself to someone you always see around
85.                      anonymously send a friend in need some cash
86.                      throw kids in your neighborhood a pizza party
87.                      tape some change to a payphone
88.                      put up anonymous, lovely post-it notes for strangers to find
89.                      donate blood
90.                      cook dinner for a busy parent
91.                      give a little one a lollipop
92.                      make time
93.                      speak gently
94.                      laugh heartily
95.                      share your last bit
96.                      one time, stop everything to help someone else

1. If you want others to be happy, practice compassion. If you want to be happy, practice compassion. ~Dalai Lama

Got this tips from lifehack.org. Amazing!!!!!

1.     Send someone a hand written note of thanks.

2.    Make a card at home and send it to a friend for no reason.

3.    Buy a lottery ticket for a stranger.

4.    Put some coins in someone else’s parking meter.

5.    Walk your friend’s dog.

6.    Give a compliment about your waiter / waitress to his / her manager.

7.    Send someone a small gift anonymously.

8.    Stop and help someone replace their flat tyre.

9.    Let someone jump the queue at the bank.

10.          Pay for the drinks on the next table at a café.

11.          Treat a friend to the movies for no reason.

12.          Give a huge tip to someone when they least expect it.

13. Talk to that kid in school that no one wants to talk to

14.          Give up your seat for someone, not just an elderly person.

15.          Write notes of appreciation at least once a week.

16.          Talk to a homeless person and have a “normal” conversation.

17.          Pick up some rubbish in the road which would otherwise be lying around.

18.          Compliment a work colleague for their excellence.

19.          Recommend a competitor to a potential client.

20.          Give another driver your parking spot.

21.          Give a piece of fruit to a delivery person.

22.          Help an elderly neighbour carry the rubbish out.

23.          Tell all your family members how much your appreciate them.

24.          Leave a copy of an interesting book on a train / bus.

25.          Buy an inspirational book for a friend.

26.          Send a thank you note to a person who has helped you in the past.

27.          Smile a lot.

Image Source:Motivational Memo

Remember there's no such thing as a small act of kindness. Every act creates a ripple with no logical end. ~Scott Adams

Big hugs to http://www.bukisa.com/articles/247610_top-70-random-acts-of-kindness-ideas for more ideas

 1. Pay for someones gasoline bill anonimously the next time you are filling up your car

2. Make it a point to smile at everyone you see and pass

3.Drive safely and be courteous. When another driver makes a minor driving error, instead of showing anger or aggression, give them a smile or a wave gesture letting them know you understand.

4. When visiting a patient at the hospital, take some time and stop into someones room who does not have any visitors at the time.

5. Drop off a plant or some home-made baked goods to your local police or fire department

9. Say something nice to everyone you meet today

10. Leave a kind note for a family member or friend

11. Smile and say "Hello" to people you don't know.

12. Wash a neighbors vehicle.

13. Give your pocket change to someone who is needing it.

14. If you're a boss of a company - allow your employees to leave a half hour early

15. Do as many things as you can by being anonymous. It's a wonderful feeling.

16. Take a parent out to dinner to their favorite restaurant.

17. Call a parent just to say you love them.

18. Take a meal to a family you know.

19. Drop off books and magazines to hospitals, nursing homes and doctors offices.

20. Sponsor an eye surgery for someone who is blind in an underdeveloped country.

What goes around is sure to come around – happy helping :-)

Brighten someone’s day!!!!

Thanks a lot for reading….Love you!!!

Hugs J

Too often we underestimate the power of a touch, a smile, a kind word, a listening ear, an honest compliment, or the smallest act of caring, all of which have the potential to turn a life around. ~Leo Buscaglia