Snippost: A Little Bit Of This & That
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Snippost
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On Cheating: Cheating in relationships is getting so old. I'm tired of hearing and reading the statistics. I'm equally tired of hearing justifications from those who cheat or are cheated on. I only have that strength to pray and watch that mine doesn’t!!! Sometimes I wonder how I would react if it happened to me. Some women just shrug off it off…business as usual. That ain’t right, right?
Which is why this is frigging hilarious: A guy friend of mine took this babe he really likes out on a date. He said while they were trying to iron out the terms and conditions of their relationship, he mentioned that once in a while, he'll cheat on her. That's just the way I'm wired, he said! He was pleasantly surprised when his date said that it was fine if he cheated every once in a while. After all, he’s a guy and it is to be expected. He said he couldn't believe how cool that babe was. Whaat...he has hammered! But his triumphant smirk was wiped clean off his face when the girl continued, "If you cheat on me, then I hope you don't mind if I cheat on you too. Oh, and I won't cheat on you with just about anybody...nah! I will cheat on you with a guy that is better than you in all ramifications and I'll rob the entirety of your face in it! If that is fine by you, then by all means cheat on me every once in a while!”
I don't think they ever checked "I Agree". Attagirl!
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So, one day I decided to ask his teacher what it is she does specially that keeps Chets in check, without hassles. Its crazy but kids are sooooo well behaved around their teachers one would think they've been hypnotized. Her answer was so simple it was shocking. Bribe, she said. The promise of what he wants extended over a period of time and redeemed after said time would do the trick.
Unu anukwa?
Anyways, I tried her system last week. Worked like magic. My son loves to read. I promise him on Sunday last week that come Saturday, if he was a good boy all thru the week, we'll go buy story books and a racing car (he added this to the bribe) for him. Just me and him, hand in hand, strolling round Iponri market, buying books...and racing car, he reminded me! He was hooked
And so, each time he was being naughty, I just say, "Saturday..." and he completes, "...will not happen!"
Saturday happened! He was a such good boy, well relatively, all through the week. And, I already have my next bribe lined up...a trip to Fun Factory in 2 week!
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On Building A Relationship: This particular day, i had just got back from school runs {was on leave} and i was trying to juggle bathing the kids and feeding them as quick as i could before they nod off to sleep in the midst of bathing or eating. I had just settled the boy to his food and was trying to arrange Zi in the bath when i noticed this huge patch of water on the rug in front of the loo. Running out to investigate, i found out that for some strange reason, i had been blessed with a swimming pool right in the middle of my toilet space, and the water having over flown its banks, decided to bless my rugs too. I HATE untidy spaces. Seeing the humongous patch was like waving a red flag in front of an irate bull! My hackles went up. Here was i being the good wife and mother and this stupid water tap will not just allow me to be great. I was tres frustrated. Where else to channel my frustrations except to the hubby, my problems solver! It didn’t matter that he was at work or might be in the middle of a meeting...i didn’t stop to think. I just called and as soon as he said hello, i jumped in with “Where’s the plumber?” Poor guy must have been confused. I still didn’t stop to think....i unpleasantly offloaded my frustrations on him. He made the colossal mistake of uttering the wrong words, “Sweet, there’s nothing i can do. You know i’m at work!”
I saw that red flag again. What does this man mean by there’s nothing he can do from there? With all these hoops his children are making me jump? Why can he be considerate and think of me sef? I worked myself into such a state, it was so easy to compose the stinker i texted him. Of course my hubby, being almost exactly like me, sent a stinker back....and his came with double the stinking strength. Oho, i said, this man wants to try me today. Does he not remember i’m a blogger? Composing a stinker with triple stinking capacity is a piece of cake!
I dropped Zi on the floor, arranged my phone to compose the stinker and somehow found myself writing:
I’m sorry love. I didn’t mean to sound so harsh and negative. Its just that its been so freaking hard juggling these kids and house work without any help. I’m just tired and now, instead of catching a much needed 30mins of rest, i’ll have to start mopping the floor so the kids don’t fall when......blah blah blah. Pls forgive me.
God knows that i didn’t mean one single word of that text, honestly! Not one...especially not the first sentence and the last one! I was still berating myself for stooping so low...
...when i conquered! He wrote back:
I understand, love. And i thank God everyday for giving me a wife like you...blah blah blah.
I think i got a bottle of perfume out of that incident. Change starts from that one person. Be that partner!
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Happy Thanksgiving to all my American blog friends!
For Love Or Money
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CBN rolled off the side of its bed one morning, rubbed its hands together and thought,
“What shall I do today?"
“I know”, it cackled, “I shall harmonize all bank account numbers”.
And it gave the mandate. It didn't matter that its minions working in the various banks nationwide had to work weekends in addition to the grueling 5day-work week. No it didn't matter...harmonizing the numbers was the greater good!
Bank accounts were harmonized to 10-digits numbers across all banks.
A few weeks later, CBN and its head honchos thought again,
"Lets 'excite' the citizens a bit more. Now that the harmonized accounts are in place and functioning seamlessly, let us introduce a cashless Nigeria where less cash would be in circulation and most monetary transactions would be card or internet based. BUT let's not give the citizens collective stroke by implementing immediately. Let us allow the idea simmer a bit in their minds then until sometime in 2012 and then we will unleash…full force”.
The citizens balked at the idea. Persons and organizations who have the ears of the apex bank voiced their arguments against the idea; chief amongst the concern being the security of these transaction portals. A very hungry and determined fraudster will make mincemeat of the supposed security in place. Their fears were noted but it changed nothing…that ship is still set to sail come June 2012.
Banks went to work. The internet banking platform was and is still being deployed to every human that requests for it; the magnetic-stripe cards were traded in for the chip-and-pin cards {to reduce fraudulent withdrawals}; POS machines are being deployed in droves and ATM galleries are sprouting everywhere.
We are getting ready for this cashless thing sef….and so is the fraudster.
The face of fraud these days does not wait by the ATM and soak up your pin by osmosis after which you are robbed of the card. No. The face of fraud does not send mails anymore; mails asking that provide your bank card/pin details to authenticate ownership. No, people have wizened up….and so has the fraudster.
These days, the face of fraud has decided to be your friend…your boyfriend in fact. And so is the case with Debbie, a 20-something year old final year student of Law.
Mike told Debbie he is a practicing Medical Doctor in National Hospital, Abuja. He dressed the part. They were introduced by a mutual friend. Their relationship commenced and blossomed via BBM and after three weeks, Mike told Debbie he was coming to her school, all the way to Enugu, to visit her. His annual vacation starts in a few days and he wanted to take the time and come see his new love!
Things were rosy until a few days into the visit when Debbie discovered her debit card inside her bobo’s wallet. “What in God’s name is my debit card doing in his wallet”, she wondered! She asked him and he said she gave him to hold for her the night before. She does not remember any such incident but she didn’t raise alarm. Instead, she quietly left him and rush down to the ATM to confirm her balance {smart girl} but lo, her money was all gone! She had a couple of hundreds in the account; her current balance read 2.5k.
Oh, she’s got credit/debit alerts on that account but the phone that it usually goes to was with the boyfriend, whose phone was being repaired because it, accidentally on purpose, fell into water.
How did he get her pin? Her phones are usually password-locked. Humans are victims of habit. Once we have a workable password/pin, we generally tend to use same for everything. She gave him the pin to unlock the phone whenever it auto-locks! He guessed right…debit card pin and phone password were one and the same!
Mike has disappeared but some more debit cards and laptops were found in his place! Dude is a practising scammer. The police are after his hide but I reserve my comment on the efficiency of our police force! Oh, and he’s no doctor! Doctor oshi!
This is my little contribution to this war against fraud: Your PIN is your identity. It might be difficult but...Do not give away or lose your identity in the name of love! Not unless he/she has put a ring on. In which case its totally fine to lose your identity. After all, two has become one! Until then, biko, GUIDE YOR PIN JEALOUSLY!!
Mom-Sense {II}
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Continuing from where I stopped yesterday…
6. Develop a sense of patience. Ask God to help you learn how to wait and deal with stressful situations without becoming irritated or upset. {I’m asking right now!!!}
7. Develop a sense of respect. Ask God to help you model the Golden Rule: treating other people the way you’d like them to treat you.
8. Develop a sense of consistency. Ask God to help you become a reliable and faithful person who your children can count on to be there for them when needed. {Dear Lord, I ask You to bless my hustles, so I can be there for my kids}
9. Develop a sense of perspective. Ask God to give you the right perspective on challenging situations so you can focus on what matters most.
10. Develop a sense of self-control. Ask God to help you live with self-discipline in a world that’s often self-indulgent, so you can avoid some sinful and destructive choices.
11. Develop a sense of calm. Ask God to give you the strength you need to be calm even in the midst of chaotic situations, and to help you create a peaceful atmosphere in your home.
12. Develop a sense of joy. Ask God to help you enjoy fun times together with your family at home and maintain a sense of humor.
13. Develop a sense of love. Ask God to remind you regularly of His unconditional love for you, and let your gratitude for God’s love for you motivate you to love your children unconditionally.
14. Invest in relationships with other women. Don’t neglect your relationships with other women, even when parenting demands are keeping you extremely busy. Make time to keep up friendships, and ask an older mom with more parenting experience than you to mentor you, as well. {This is sooo important…I cannot over-stress it}
16. Keep growing closer to God. Make your relationship with God your top priority. A close connection to God will transform you into the kind of person who can love and serve your children well. Pray and read the Bible regularly. Worship and serve in a church every week. Keep choosing to trust God with every part of your life, and looking forward to the future He has planned for you and your family.
Adapted from MomSense: A Common-Sense Guide to Confident Mothering, copyright 2011 by Jean Blackmer. Published by Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group, Grand Rapids, Mich., http://www.revellbooks.com/
Mom-Sense {I}
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Momsense
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First time I saw this, I didn’t really care for what it had to say…hunger had me well in hand at that moment. I thought I clicked on the “Delete” button. Today, I saw it still marked unread in my mailbox…
I read it…
I want to share it…
How to Become a Confident Mom
Editor's Note: The following is a report on the practical applications of Jean Blackmer's book, MomSense: A Common-Sense Guide to Confident Mothering
If you feel overwhelmed by the responsibilities involved in raising your children or afraid that you’ll fail to fulfill them well, take heart. No mother is perfect in this fallen world, but you don’t have to be perfect to be a successful mother.
God – who created you and your children – knows that you have what it takes to be just the kind of mom your children need. And God has given you “MomSense” (a combination of intuition and common sense) to help you figure out exactly how to do so. When you use your MomSense, you can become a confident mom. Here’s how:
1. Realize that you know what’s best for each of your children. As your children’s mother, you and their father know better than anyone else what’s best for them. You’re an expert on each of your children.
2. Don’t look for “one-size-fits-all” parenting methods. Such methods don’t exist, because all families are different and need to seek God’s guidance for their unique relationships rather than trying to follow a uniform parenting plan. There’s no shortage of parenting advice for you to consider from other people, but much of it conflicts, and what works for them may not work for you. Pray for the wisdom you need to choose the parenting methods that God intends for you and your children distinctively.
3. Consider what you can learn from your own mom. Reflect on what your mother did well when she was raising you, and decide to follow her good example in appropriate areas of your own parenting. Then think about the ways that your mother struggled as a parent and how you can learn from the mistakes she made.
4. Develop a wise decision-making style. Determine your values – what’s most important to you and your family, and why. Then build your priorities in life around your values, and make your decisions according to your priorities while staying in touch with God in prayer. Don’t compare your choices to other people’s choices; simply do what’s best for you and your family. Set time limits for making decisions rather than agonizing endlessly over them. When a single right answer isn’t clear and different good options exist, have the courage to go with your gut feelings about what you should do. Expect the unexpected to happen sometimes; be flexible so you can adjust your decisions as necessary. When you make mistakes, learn from them instead of worrying about them.
5. Strengthen your marriage or find a parenting partner. If you’re married, invest time and energy into your marriage regularly. Your children will benefit in many ways from seeing God’s love in action in your marriage relationship, and sharing the parenting responsibilities equally with your husband will help prevent either of you from getting burned out. If you’re not married, find another person who loves your kids and is willing to partner with you in raising them (such as one of your parents or siblings, or a close friend), since you need regular encouragement and practical help as a mom.
I’m gonna post Part II tomorrow. Feel free to share with other mothers or mothers-to-be. We need all the help we can get raising our children, our gifts from God, the right way.
Until tomorrow…ciao!
All I Want For Christmas...
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Xmas Wishlist
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Someon....anyone, make this happen!!!
HM QuikLinks Special
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HM QuikLinks
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I Am Simply Phury wrote about God’s Grace that saw her through a difficult time and is still available to her, daily!
“I tell God everyday how i promise not to be naughty or engage in any sexual activities of any kind. But next thing I'm kissing some guy with really beautiful lips or dreaming about licking another. And yet with all my short comings I'm still loved by God. I bet when i have conversations with him, he chuckles every time. I bet he thinks 'Phury, what would i do with you'? I grin sometimes when i imagine him too. And i love to tell him how utterly graceful, loving, forgiving, honest and slow to anger he is. When i feel like his patience may be running out with me, i get on my knees and pray to him. I apologise for being a naughty girl, I apologise for being proud, I remind him that just because i haven't prayed doesn't mean that i don't love him with all my heart. I apologise for not going to church or paying my tithes. Then i thank him for his patience, my family and for life but most especially for sending Jesus to die for me. I ask him for strength to fight temptations and he gives me that. He always gives me that benefit of doubt. I pray for my enemies, which is a big deal as I've only just learned the act of forgiveness. Its a given that he knows my future and sees into my heart. But honestly, where would we all be without his grace? I'm a sinner. I know this. He understands this”
“Who Is He?
On His mother's side He was hungry but on His father's side He is the bread of life
On His mother's side He was thirsty but on His father's side He is the living water
On His mother's side He was been nailed to the cross but on my father's side He rose again
On His mother's side He slept on the boat but on my father's side He commands the storm in the sea
On His mother's side He died and was buried in the grave but on His father's side He raise the dead from graves”.
Two posts, two questions...
Where would we all be without God’s grace?
What if God got tired of forgiving us?
Two Weddings And A Garden
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| I quite like the clay pot twist to this fountain. Very original! |
I finally got to visit Shodex Gardens, located opposite Anthony Village across the Ikorodu Road, last week and if i didn’t take anything away from that day’s excursion, at least i was reminded yet again NEVER TO JUDGE A BOOK BY ITS COVER!
I honestly never think of Shodex Gardens except in passing...literally...on my way to the island and i firmly believed that place had nothing to offer. My friend, Miranda, invited my brood and i to come hang with hers there. I never pass up an opportunity for outdoor entertainment for the kids...they must feel caged being indoors almost all the time. Plus the promise of physical and mental exhaustion is a powerful incentive; makes for less whining from the kids, more rest time for me! #winning
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| Chets, his paddy Bubu and Zi |
Anyways, Shodex Gardens is such a serene place. Its much more than a botanical mire. In fact, its got a mini zoo within the premises. Chets couldn’t contain his excitement. He saw a spider monkey, not the Ben10 version, up close and personal. Ostrich, owl, crocodile, rabbits, fishes in the aquarium, ducks...he was sooooo excited i knew leaving for home would take the special Grace of God. That and sheer force on my part.
While we were walking the lush green grounds, we sighted this couple having a quiet wedding in one corner of the garden. WOW...Just the two of them and their pastor {we later found out a couple of their friends were outside the gates; the pastor just wanted a quiet moment with them}. This was a Thursday so you could imagine our collective astonishment at the setting. Miranda insisted we talked to them. Apparently, they wanted a micro-small wedding for no reason other than they would rather channel their energy and resources to making the marriage work. Sounds like a good plan to me. I bet their marriage would last more than 72 days too.
In hindsight, i should’ve had a micro-small wedding too, on a beach, just before sunset, just the two of us...and the Priest, and our witnesses, and our parents, and... See, the number don dey increase. But wait, I did mention the beach setting to my mother. She made a long speech. I swear i heard only two words: water spirits and deliverance. I booked the church next day. Oh, but i digress!
Came Saturday the 29th i went for yet another wedding, this time sans kids. It was a re-union of some sort. The groom was a “staff kid” {and thats what we called kids whose parents were lecturers in UNN} and the bride is a colleague. The crowd at the wedding was mostly guys and a few babes i knew from UNN. Major fun!
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| @Maynezee |
Meet my friend @Maynezee. We met on twitter a month ago; met her in real life 2 weeks ago and shes such a sweetheart. She was alreay coming for the wedding. Turns out she knows nearly all the UNN gang. It was like re-uniting with an old friend!
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| @Maynezee and Kimmy A |
I told y’all it was major fun. Look who i ran into! @Sphinx640 thinks i had a crush on him back in school. According to her and i quote, “You did have a crush on him which you refused to act on and was just there blocking the rest of us!”...unquote. She’s been my bestie since year one...what does she know? Until i breathe my last, i stay denying that notion.
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| We were so into that gist we forgot we were supposed to be posing for this photo |
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| Hazel & Ginika |
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| Hazel |
Like my dress? Kimmy of VraiAmour hooked me up with this number. Made to measure, tailored to fit. I mostly loved the attitude at the back of the dress {sorry i didn’t get a picture of the back...im unbelievably awkward in front of a camera}
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| Kimmy {BossLady, VraiAmour} |
Kimmy does really good work. Im totally impressed with all the pieces she's made for me so far. She has a few of her work up on her blog VraiAmour. Go check it out.
How has everyone been?
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