The fact that right now, at this moment, you have peace?
Your family, friends? encouragements, or the critics?
The dirty dishes in the sink, reminding you that there is food, the dirty cloths in the wash room and the fact that you can even wash, that you have clean water....or an unkempt bed space...the one the homeless man on my street wish he had?
Good company? Education?
Dirty cloths?
Water?
The different occupation in the world, you know, everyone playing their role to make the world a little better?
Giving life or a shared smile?
Never take for granted the rainbow, earth, planets...the living and non living miracles we see in the world....never take God for granted.
Source: Youtube
Stop and think ....what are you taking for granted....it might be that little thing you overlook you know...
We often take for granted the very things that most deserve our gratitude. ~Cynthia Ozick
I know, I do too...sometimes... especially with all that's going on in the world.... Terrorism (The innocent Chibok girls haven't been brought back, another bombing in Borno state, ISIS in Syria), Ebola in Liberia, the Ferguson case, friends who died this year, and some ugly-heartbreaking stories we hear each day... A lot to be sad about (Sometimes, I feel like between me and God, there are a 100 questions to be asked and I need answers)
One thing that helps though is staying grateful for now....this moment....and finding beauty even in thorns.
I remember this convo with Opeyemi: Ope : One thing I will like to do when I make a lot of money is glorify God through plants
Me: Why?
Ope: Look.....
and he pointed towards a breath-taking sight- Yellow flowers blooming in the midst of thick brown bush. You have to look really hard, if not you will miss it. It was beautiful.
and then Ope said, 'I saw one like that in Togo...Red flowers blooming in a desert land. It was the only flower there, and I thought, maybe that's Gods way of saying in the midst of empty or lack or ugly, beautiful things can grow. That's hope'.
Quoting my nerdy little sister, ‘...rather than be depressed about the crazy world conditions, take your worries to God and help the world anyway you can....rather than whine about all the things you don’t have, why don’t you be grateful for all you have...'
Grateful for all the things I have.... like.....
1.
2. Family... oh! Nerdy sister graduated yesterday....So happy about that 'cos she got into school at a time that was difficult for us and seeing her graduate..Wow...My baby is all grown up :)
Also, for my beautiful family at So-said home and House of gold charity....Amazing people...
3. Life..... Loosing Phebe and Chukky this year was hard...really hard....but I am grateful for all the life lessons I learnt from them (they left awesome legacies, that I hope to leave too), and I've learnt to live each day with gratitude and to never take life for granted...and to keep pleasant memories. Life is beautiful...grateful for all the experiences that makes life worthwhile.
4. Food... all the delicacies...yum yum!!!
5. Grace.... Favors that I don't deserve at all. Forgiveness that is being extended always.
6. Beauty even in crazy situations
7. Friends... strong rock always..and all the people I meet each day...always something to learn from everyone, especially lil kids and our elders.
8. Broken relationships and New love...Yup, even that too...taught me strength and that God has a plan always...
9. Technology... cos I get to meet you!
10. Work... living a purposeful life...and motivations....
11. Speaking on another platform after the Tedx opportunity...Yayyyy!!!! So thankful that I get to meet more inspirers and innovators and motivators....
Excited and nervous about 'novel unveiled' on sunday..Dear God, please help :)
12. School... Not easy, but the knowledge and friends I've gained...Serendipity!
13. For Nigeria... that somehow in the midst of the chaos, we are together....and that we somehow managed Ebola. Good news...
14. Great/ Sacrificing/ Honest/ Loving people, like Dr. Adadevoh (the amazing Chief Consultant of First Consultant hospital) and personnel of First Consultant hospital, and all the amazing people to have graced earth...
15. Answered prayers, and even unanswered ones...thank you God....
16. Every little thing... laughter, beautiful convo, cloths, butterflies, blue skies, note pads....you know, those tiny miracles life gives us that we overlook sometimes.....
16. You. Yes, You!.... I'm so grateful for you. You are a gift.
One of my favourite bloggers-Marc and Angel wrote this piece below: (It's a snippet)
Be thankful for-
1. The unique privilege of being YOU 2. Every single experience that led you to today.
3. What your daily struggles are teaching you.
4. The gift of now.
5. The way every moment is a new beginning.
6. The familiar faces, places and situations you rely on daily.
7. A reasonably healthy body.
8. The fact that you are online reading this.
Afterthoughts
We all have a whole lot to be grateful for. So at the end of the day before you close your eyes, smile and be happy with where you’ve been and grateful for what you have experienced and overcome.
Life is rarely perfect, but it’s always pretty darn good.
2 words that make you feel like
you’ve done the greatest thing in the world. Maybe, it’s not the most important
words to say but it’s sure magical. 2 words I wish a little girl at Obalende
knew.
2 weeks ago, me and Ozzy, one of
my 'bestest' friends in the world, was at the bus stop waiting for a bus. While on the ‘extra’ long
queue, a little boy walked up to us to beg for money. As a principle, my friend
prefers to give other gifts rather than money, and so, she asked the kid if he’s
eaten, he said no and we bought him some chips and a soft drink. Apparently,
the other kids around, saw this and they came en masse asking for theirs (Would
never forget the Beautiful Chaos. Helping out is beautiful. Yes?). Everyone
took their chips or Fanta and left, except for this little girl (About 6 years old) who stopped, and then in the loudest voice ever, said "You did not
buy Fanta for me, Abi? Na only 50 Naira Chips you buy. My God go show you
and will buy my Fanta for me". You can imagine the stare we got from the people around. She gave us
this long ‘hissssssssssssssssssssssss’ and 'crazy' stare like she was going to
hit us. Thank God for the elderly woman who was standing in front of us ‘cos
she practically saved us from her.
The 'Great' Obalende
The woman also told us that she
doesn’t give that particular kid money. She said, she had given her 10 Naira before, and in her presence, the lil' kid TORE the money, screaming that the
lady had ‘insulted’ her by giving her that 'SMALL' money. Talk about choices.
The sad part about that day was
watching the kids give the money, food, and everything they got to a woman who was
waiting somewhere in the distance to collect these and then going back to the
long queues to beg AGAIN.
Thinking about that little
girl, I've come to realize that sometimes we act that way, you know, are
unappreciative of what someone gives us. We might not be insulting, but still, it’s
Thanks but NO thanks.
It’s same with our relationship
with God. When life is all rosy, ‘it’s I love you God’, but when it doesn’t
make sense, we tend to forget what he has done for us and spit out blames on
Him.
Thank You. 2 words that can
make a person feel special. Just say it. Mean it too. Be grateful even when you
feel it’s not enough.
Below are some of
my favorite quotes about gratitude to help inspire you and deepen your thinking
about finding an enduring place for gratitude in your own life.
Gratitude
Quotes
1. "Let us be grateful to
people who make us happy; they are the charming gardeners who make our souls
blossom." - Marcel Proust
2."We can only be said to be
alive in those moments when our hearts are conscious of our treasures." -
Thornton Wilder
3.As we express our gratitude, we must
never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live
by them. John F. Kennedy
4.At times our own light goes out and
is rekindled by a spark from another person. Each of us has cause to think with
deep gratitude of those who have lighted the flame within us. Albert
Schweitzer
5.The deepest craving of humannatureis the need to be appreciated.-- WIlliam
James
6."Be thankful for what you have;
you'll end up having more. If you concentrate on what you don't have, you will
never, ever have enough."-- Oprah Winfrey
7.He is awiseman
who does not grieve for the things which he has not, but rejoices for those
which he has." - Epictetus
I started this habit of keeping
a gratitude journal. Everyday, I write all of the things I’m grateful for and I
feel so blessed when I’m done. Reading and writing on my journal especially on
a bad day reminds of how much God loves me and how much I've been blessed and it helps me remain focused
on Gods power to help me through whatever storm I might be facing.
Here’s an entry…
One of my favorite pastime...Writing and praising God each day :)
Just encouraging you to try it
out.
Show your appreciation for
others. Tell God how much you are grateful for what He’s done for you. He loves our 'THANK YOU'S'. Tell
that Guy who holds the door open for you, THANK YOU. Even though it's her duty, please tell the lady that serves you at the food court, THANK YOU.
In primary school, we were
taught that ‘Thank You’ is a Magic word, being a kid, I said it out of mere
necessity but right now, I've grown to know its importance and it’s truly MAGICAL. Gratitude can lead to feelings of love, appreciation,generosity, and compassion, which further open
our hearts and help rewire our brains to fire in more positive ways.
So, no more ‘THANKS BUT NO THANKS’....Say
your THANK YOU and MEAN IT.
Wrote this little poem that makes me grateful for every
single moment of my amazing life. It’s called ‘Little miracles’. Also,
reminding you to always be grateful for something because someone out there
wishes they were in shoes right now. Like I always tell myself when I complain,
shut up and think again.
LITTLE
MIRACLES- By Ijeoma U
For the smile behind the sadness
For the hands that wipes the tears
For arms to hug the broken hearted
For toes that run to my loved ones
****
For thoughts to fill my graven mind
For eyes to feeds wisdom to my brain
For the man that lovingly holds me on those days
For the family that longingly hear my babbling
****
For learning innocence from kids
For learning experience from life
For feeling love from you
For gaining strength from the work of my hands
****
For insightful discussions in a crowded room
For the gift of water, bread, and bed
For strength to hold these dear
For contentment, peace and joy
****
For a neck to done grandma’s necklace
For shoulders to wear sisters bag
For ears to pique buzzing flies
And good health to help a failing body
***
For breathe to enjoy all of these
For friends to share them with
For courage to bear the losses
For the One who provides
****
For the little miracles in my life
My heart swells everyday
My feet dances
My waist sways
****
For the little miracles in my life
I, only I, know it
How priceless every one of them is
Even the closed doors.
The end…
I'm not lucky. I'm blessed'. Blessed beyond measures. Thanking
God for all of the amazing people in my life, including you (you took the time
out to read this post. Wow!!! You rock!!! Thanks). Also grateful for the storms and
rainbows. Yayyy :) Ps: Another reason to be grateful; It's my kid sisters birthday. 'Tis an amazing way to end the year :))
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
