IF YOU WERE ARRESTED...

If you were arrested for kindness, would there be enough evidence to convict you?
It’s been said that people almost always forget what you said, and they usually forget what you did, but they never forget how you made them feel. What do you bring in to a room when you enter it that will affect the way others feel? Is it uplifting cheerfulness, optimism, or kind words -- or do you bring pessimism, criticism, sarcasm or cynicism?
One of the kindest things we can do is make another person feel better. So I want to complete my trilogy on kindness by sharing with you some of my favorite quotations about this vital virtue.

  "That best portion of a good man's life: his little, nameless, unremembered acts of kindness and of love"-- William Wordsworth
 
  "The everyday kindness of the back roads more than makes up for the acts of greed in the headlines". -- Charles Kuralt
 
  "Kindness is loving people more than they deserve." -- Joseph Joubert
 
  "We are made kind by being kind." -- Eric Hoffer
 
  "My religion is kindness." -- The Dalai Lama
 
  "Forget injuries; never forget kindness". -- Confucius

  "Remember not only to say the right thing in the right place, but far more difficult still, to leave unsaid the wrong thing at the tempting moment." -- Benjamin Franklin

  "You cannot do a kindness too soon, for you never know how soon it will be too late". -- Ralph Waldo Emerson
 
"Kindness is more important than wisdom, and the recognition of this is the beginning of wisdom"-- Theodore Isaac Rubin, M.D.

Courtesy : Michael Josephson

What makes a Dad?

I'm so sorry for my long absence. I was busy writing my final exams and defending my project. It was Father's day this week and even though it has already passed, I wouldn't forgive myself if I don't put up something to celebrate all fathers and potential fathers indeed around the world. So, to the men, this one's for you: 

God took the strength of a mountain,
The majesty of a tree,
The warmth of a summer sun,
The calm of a quiet sea,
The generous soul of nature,
The comforting arm of night,
The wisdom of the ages,
The power of the eagle's flight,
The joy of a morning in spring,
The faith of a mustard seed,
The patience of eternity,
The depth of a family need,
Then God combined these qualities,
When there was nothing more to add,
He knew His masterpiece was complete,
And so,

He called it ... Dad

GBO GBO BIGZZZ GIRLSSSSS!!!

Hey people! I found this on a blog i follow <gistddotcom.blogspot.com> and after obtaining permission, i thought i should share

Girls wont kill us these dayss....Everyone sha wants to be biggzzzz....Abeg who has heard of this new craziness called Brazillian hair oh? and Indian one ma? what of malaysian? high 5 jare if you are very conversant with these things that have become like a virus especially in 9ja girls. Dem no go let pezin hear word again!. Ahn Ahn! If you dont have money, you go suffer. Who say money no good?bring am make i woze am! Is it an easy sometin to look like Beyonce,, Ciara, ati be be lo?tell me?! Well these hair people finally showed us the secret to their long natural looking hair pieces abi na extension dem dey call am. You see ehn...when I was ignorant, i would spend the better part of my day trying to figure out how a black girl like me will have long mammy water hair. Wetin I do? I go just dey wonder.But we thank God! Breeze don blow and fowl yansh don open. I now know that I can resemble all these celebrities one kind if i combine lace hair and brazillian hair!Some people sef will do the lace hair n resemble ojuju, na wah oh....

Naija girlss....kai! Do you know you can be walking on the road and one kobo legged girl will just say ' excuse me, is it brazillian you are wearing?'...lol...she knows its is not brazillian, she just wan mumu you n bring you down. And you sef ode will say, 'oh no, its darling yaki'...Na dat one dey pain me pass. The koboleg will now say ' oh...i thot it was brazillian, so i wanted to ask where you bought it cos my friend told me that mine was a rip off, u wont believe i paid 120k for this hair!'....hmmm....she don loyal you be that! In just ONE sentence, she told you kpe you no reach, say levels pass levels, and she be BIGGGSSSS what? BiIIIGGGGSS Girls!

Nne and Nna's, gone are the days when you will do darling yaki, yaki flip up, sensational, yaki mirelle, and be feeling cool with yourself. If you want to know your levels for society now na by your hair. If you're not rocking brazillian yet, my dear, na u sabi. All these kain oppresion can make people commit armed robbery and aristocracy! Ehen now. You want to be bigs, and your boyfriend still dey 200 level mechanical, wetin you go do? na to enter igboro go find one old monkey wey senior your papa. The man will be arranging you and you will be sorting him in return. Well that option is for girls wey know say, nuttin nuttin i must be bigggsss.

The other option is to starve. If your allawi was kuku 20 k per month, you will sha make sure you save 15k out of it. Dont ask me what you will eat oh...all those girls i know them. They will visit Angelina today chop rice dia. Go to tope tomorrow and swallow eba dia, borrow money from Imabong and then after 5 months, money don complete and they r now what? Biggggsssss. Thank you! What happened to the good old days? I remember VIVIDLY, how me I like to economise on my hair. No be 400 naira pere for darling yaki? thats if i dont even price it down to 350 pa pa. And i will make sure the one i buy is very full so that one pack will b enuf for my head (i kuku thank God i have small skull ). And if the hair dresser finish d one pack before she finish my hair , na she sabi! Because I always warn them before they start my hair kpe, me oh, na one pack i dey use oh. If they say hair wey no full no dey fine, i go say na scanty hair dey fit me pass. I don ya were ni? abi na winch i chop? But that was in the past. These days, we gats shed our ayetoro mentality and become biggs naw. Slowly but surely.

Have you noticed something kpe, when people don fix this hair they will be feeling like they r more than themselves?as in their mind go dey totori dem? and it will be like they are walking on air. have u noticed?I notice all these little things jor. Its hard not to. Infact, i have studied the hair sotay....one glance is all I need to tell u boya its indian, peruvian, malaysian, brazillian or Aba hair (darling yaki dem dem).lol. But last time I checked, other hair extensions like pro 10 (price of two mtn 1500 recharge cards) were still in vogue. From nowhere this sudden tornado of Brazillian hair just took over 9ja. I still dont understand how. I f you want to die of oppression go to Lagos! at least for warri dem never jasi too much.

Brazillian hair is not the only thing oh. BB nko?infact, without that one, 'they' say you are a nobody! People no dey collect phone number again oh, na BB Pin,. If u no get and you are a girl in 9ja, your self esteem go drop! Ahhhhh...9ja girls can oppress. And you know ehn, when you hold BB, you no fit keep am inside handbag - what is worrying you?? you gats flaunt it naw...its not easy naw....c'mon naw! You will hold it n use it to point, touch, and gesticulate. One of my friends wrote on my wall (remember our topic on facebook manners?) and she said, send me your BB pin jor, mine is. blah blah blah. Wetin she dey try do so? She dey try make me look stupid. Olorun maje!!! I cant tell you how i replied her, but one thing is for sure, she will NEVER try it again.lol

I overhead this chic saying she cant even date a guy that doesnt use a Blackberry. E gbami! So blackberry naim dem go chop? She defended it by saying she wants somebody with status and that BB is relationship friendly. Na wah oh. Eyin guys, mo sorry gaaan! Una dey try. So BB now rates a guy? only in 9ja! Only! If you are even trying to be something in life n ur girlfriend just dey bug u up and down say all her friends r using BB and Brazillian hair what will you do? BB the cheapest is nothing less than 30 k, Brazillian hair nko? nutting less than 50 k..Lace hair is the killer...nutting less than 70k. how u wan do? All these girls, please take it easy oh. We understand kpe you must be bigs, but na small small.

Even me sef that im doing this tatafo...i shall not be found wanting. Before the end of 2010, I must be what? BIGGGSS.....Gbo gbo bigsss girls...I hail oh!!!! 

ps. If you want to be biggs, contact me cos i don dey sell d hair now sef :))))gistdottcom.blogspot.com

So What Makes Us Happy?

There is an ever-growing body of knowledge about the nature and causes of happiness.

For one thing, it’s clear that happiness is a feeling, not a circumstance. Happiness is more than just fun or pleasure. It’s a more durable sense of well-being.

Our happiness depends not on what happens to us, but what happens in us. In other words, it’s the way we choose to think about our lives. Abe Lincoln said, “People are generally about as happy as they’re willing to be.” A Buddhist proverb tells us that pain is inevitable, but suffering is optional.

So, what are the most common attributes of happy people? Well, it’s not money, fame, or good looks. It’s not even intelligence or talent. No, the two most important factors are gratitude and rewarding personal relationships.

The formula is simple: count your blessings and enjoy your family and friends.

Sadly, simple is not always easy.

People whose natural instincts produce a gloomy outlook and pessimism need to re-train their minds. It’s one thing to say happiness is not getting what you want but wanting what you get; it’s quite another to really be satisfied with what we have.

For many people, it takes discipline and practice to think positively.

Sometimes it’s just a matter of changing one’s perspective, choosing to see and appreciate the silver lining, the half-full glass. In other cases, what’s required is refusing to dwell on pain, disappointment, or envy, and instead force one’s mind toward good thoughts, including all the things we should be grateful for.

Interestingly, the ability to maintain a positive attitude is also important in forming and sustaining meaningful relationships – seeing and bringing out the best.

I want a guy...

Okay....i guess everyone has gotten over the pump and excitement of the Royal wedding of Prince William and now Duchess Catherine which took place last weekend. As much as I tried not to make any comments on that wedding, I can't keep up without saying a word or two, so all I'm going to say is former Ms. Kate Middleton must really feel like a Disney princess right now; having a fairy tale husband and wedding is something that only Cinderella could have and we dream of!!!

Long before that wedding, I've always thought of the kind of guy I'd want as a husband [yes o, husband and not boyfriend, no time for play anymore!] and what my wedding would look like.Their wedding rekindled that thought. So first of all I'd like to share on my type of guy...

I want a guy…

…who would think I was beautiful, if I dressed trashy it was classy      

 

…who would move my hair away from my eyes and then kiss me, 

…hold my hand in line at the mall and make all the girls jealous, 

…who’s very smart, intelligent and compassionate

…who would sing to me at random moments

…who buys me the littlest gifts over every achievement

…who doesn’t feel anyway inferior because of me or what I've achieved

...who encourages me to work

…who stands his ground for what is right

…who corrects me so lovingly when I do wrong

...who tells me he's sorry when he upsets me 

...who's not egoistic

...who's ready to drop his pride for the sake of our love

…who is very confident of himself but definitely not proud

...who's very principled

...who wouldn't look at any other girl because I'm all he wants

…who would let me sleep on his chest

…who would get mad at someone if they called me ugly or was mean to me,

…who would call me 3 times a day if he went away, 

…who would let me gossip to him and would just smile and agree with everything I said.

…who would get along with all my friends

…who would make fun of me

…who would look me in the eye and tell me something serious that was also funny and makes me promise not to laugh. 

….who’s just like my dad 

…who would make me laugh like no one else could. 

…who I smile about every time I think of him

…who would still want to listen to me even though I sing really off-key

…who, when I’m really sleepy, would wake me up and go with me to vigil

…who goes to church without any coercion because he enjoys worship with other people

…who respects me and is not afraid to show it

…who is not afraid to show his emotions

…who pulls his own weight

…who opens the door for me when we go out

…who listens to everything I say and is very sensitive to what I’ve not said

…who tells me everything that’s going on with him

….who trusts me so much

…who is committed to me

…who tells me exactly where he is at any point in time

…who enjoys reading the Bible with me

…who would never be afraid to say  "I love you'' in front of his friends 

…who would count the stars with me at night and make me laugh like no one else could and 

Most importantly, I want someone who would be my best friend and would never break my heart.

So I was saying...

One day, a poor boy who was selling goods from door to door to pay his way through school, found he had only one thin dime left, and he was hungry.

He decided he would ask for a meal at the next house. However, he lost his nerve when a lovely young woman opened the door.

Instead of a meal he asked for a drink of water! . She thought he looked hungry so brought him a large glass of milk. He drank it so slowly, and then asked, How much do I owe you?"

You don't owe me anything," she replied. "Mother has taught us never to accept pay for a kindness."

He said ... "Then I thank you from my heart."

As Howard Kelly left that house, he not only felt stronger physically, but his faith in God and man was strong also. He had been ready to give up and quit.

Many year's later that same young woman became critically ill. The local doctors were baffled. They finally sent her to the big city, where they called in specialists to study her rare disease.

Dr. Howard Kelly was called in for the consultation. When he heard the name of the town she came from, a strange light filled his eyes.

Immediately he rose and went down the hall of the hospital to her room.

Dressed in his doctor's gown he went in to see her. He recognized her at once.

He went back to the consultation room determined to do his best to save her life. From that day he gave special attention to her case.

After a long struggle, the battle was won.

Dr. Kelly requested the business office to pass the final bill to him for approval. He looked at it, then wrote something on the edge, and the bill was sent to her room. She feared to open it, for she was sure it would take the rest of her life to pay for it all. Finally she looked, and something caught her attention on the side of the bill. She read these words ...

"Paid in full with one glass of milk"

(Signed) Dr. Howard Kelly.

Tears of joy flooded her eyes as her happy heart prayed: "Thank You,
God, that Your love has spread broad through human hearts and hands."

There's a saying which goes something like this: Bread cast on the water comes back to you. The good deed you do today may benefit you or someone you love at the least expected time.  If you never see the deed again at least you will have made the world a better place - And, after all, isn't that what life is all about?

The hardest thing to learn in life is which bridge to cross.

THE LITTLE THINGS OF EVERYDAY

Hi people!!!

I don't think I ever mentioned how my blog came about.

 

Okay here's the story...when I was growing up, there was this frame that my mum hung in our sitting room. The frame contained an article titled 'THE LITTLE THINGS OF EVERYDAY' . It simply talked about how our little, ordinary shows of love and care to the people around us turn out to be extraordinary events and lasting blessings. Sometimes, though we may never know, these people see us as their heroes.

 

So after all's been said and done, i just want to share the stories of love and compassion that I've read and seen and heard over the years with you on this blog hoping that someone, somewhere,  someday and somehow would be touched and blessed by these stories; and be encouraged to help the next stranger that comes along your way....

N.B: I leave you with this thought:

 

"The beauty of life does not depend on how happy you are, but on how happy others are because of you"

 

EVERYTHING HAPPENS FOR A REASON

As you might remember, the head of a company survived 9/11

because his son started kindergarten;

Another fellow was alive

because it was his turn to bring in doughnuts

One woman was late

because her alarm clock didn’t go off in time

One was late because he was stuck on the NJ Turnpike

due to an auto accident

One of them missed his bus

One spilled food on her clothes and had to take time to change

One’s car wouldn’t start

One couldn’t get a taxi

The one that struck me was the man, who put on a new pair of shoes that morning,

Took the various means to get to work

But before he got there, he developed a blister on his foot

He stopped at a drugstore to buy a Band- Aid and

That’s why he is alive today.

Now, when I am stuck in traffic,

Or miss an elevator,

turn back to answer a ringing telephone…

All the little things that annoy me,

I think to myself,

This is exactly where God wants me to be at this very moment

Next time your morning seems to be going wrong,

You can’t seem to find the car keys

You hit every traffic light

Don’t get frustrated;

It may be just that

God is at work watching over you.

May God continue to bless you

With all those annoying little things

And may you remember their possible purpose.

THIS EASTER...

Once again, its that time of the year when Christians all over the world commemorate that great event that brought us salvation over 2000 years ago.

I wouldn't want to preach but for sometime I've been thinking on how we celebrate of festivals. Should this great season of Easter only be remembered within four days of April? Shouldn't it be a daily event? With full knowledge that the only reason Jesus was born into our world- which is why we celebrate Christmas- was to die and reconcile us to God [Easter]. Had Jesus not come into our world for his overwhelming work, our case would have been hopeless. I'd like to you to reflect on the season with these two short poems I wrote although I must admit I'm not a great poet-
Easter- a short summary of my personal experience of Easter;  and True Love:

EASTER

When I was at a loss
HE left HIS Heavenly gloss
to fight my cause
on a shameful cross

TRUE LOVE

Have you ever felt such true love-
like the peace of a dove from up above
or the gentleness of a twilight
that ushers a restful night;
Could it be the happiness of a rising sun
that brings forth a new morn
or does it feel like the savour
of living everyday in the favour
of my dear Saviour
But yes it is
this is what I see...
Only HIM and me
 together we'll be
a good company.

WHAT GOES AROUND COMES AROUND

  
One day a man saw an old lady, stranded on the side of the
road, but even in the dim light of day, he could see she
needed help. So he pulled up in front of her Mercedes and
got out. His Pontiac was still sputtering when he approached
her.  Even with the smile on his face, she was worried. No
one had stopped to help for the last hour or so. Was he
going to hurt her? He didn't look safe; he looked poor and
hungry. 

He could see that she was frightened, standing out there in
the cold. He knew how she felt. It was that chill which only
fear can put in you. 

He said, 'I'm here to help you, ma'am. Why don't you wait in
the car where it's warm? By the way, my name is Bryan
Anderson.' 

Well, all she had was a flat tire, but for an old lady, that
was bad enough. Bryan crawled under the car looking for a
place to put the jack, skinning his knuckles a time or two.
Soon he was able to change the tire. But he had to get dirty
and his hands hurt. 

As he was tightening up the lug nuts, she rolled down the
window and began to talk to him. She told him that she was
from St. Louis and was only just passing through. She
couldn't thank him enough for coming to her aid. 

Bryan just smiled as he closed her trunk. The lady asked how
much she owed him. Any amount would have been all right with
her. She already imagined all the awful things that could
have happened had he not stopped. Bryan never thought twice
about being paid. This was not a job to him. This was
helping someone in need, and God knows there were
plenty, who had given him a hand in the past. He had lived
his whole life that way, and it never occurred to him to act
any other way. 

He told her that if she really wanted to pay him back, the
next time she saw someone who needed help, she could give
that person the assistance they needed, and Bryan added,
'And think of me.' 

He waited until she started her car and drove off. It had
been a cold and depressing day, but he felt good as he
headed for home, disappearing into the twilight. 

A few miles down the road the lady saw a small cafe. She
went in to grab a bite to eat, and take the chill off before
she made the last leg of her trip home. It was a dingy
looking restaurant. Outside were two old gas pumps. The
whole scene was unfamiliar to her. The waitress came over
and brought a clean towel to wipe her wet hair. She had a
sweet smile, one that even being on her feet for the whole
day couldn't erase. The lady
noticed that the waitress was nearly eight months pregnant,
but she never let the strain and aches change her attitude.
The old lady wondered how someone who had so little could be
so giving to a stranger. Then she remembered Bryan .. 

After the lady finished her meal, she paid with a hundred
dollar bill. The waitress quickly went to get change for her
hundred dollar bill, but the old lady had slipped right out
the door. She was gone by the time the waitress came back.
The waitress wondered where the lady could be. Then she
noticed something written on the napkin. 

There were tears in her eyes when she read what the lady
wrote: 'You don't owe me anything. I have  been there too.
Somebody once helped me out, the way I'm helping you. If you
really want to pay me back, here is what you do: Do not let
this chain of love end with you.' 

Under the napkin were four more $100 bills. 

Well, there were
tables to clear, sugar bowls to fill, and people to serve,
but the waitress made it through another day. That night
when she got home from work and climbed into bed, she was
thinking about the  money and what the lady had written. How
could the lady have known how much she and her husband
needed it? With the baby due next month, it was going to be
hard.... 

She knew how worried her husband was, and as he lay sleeping
next to her, she gave him a soft kiss and whispered soft and
low, 'Everything's going to be all right. I love you, Bryan.' 

There is an old saying 'What goes around comes around.'- law of Karma
Today I sent you this story, and I'm asking you to pass it
on. Let this light shine. God works in mysterious ways and
sometimes puts people in our lives for a reason.

The Presence of His Love

The Presence of His Love
 courtesy:Rev. John F. Perling
  

      The passengers on the bus watched sympathetically as the attractive young woman with the white cane made her way carefully up the steps. She paid the driver and, using her hands to feel the location of the seats, walked down the aisle and found the seat he'd told her was empty. Then she settled in, placed her briefcase on her lap and rested her cane against her leg.

      It had been a year since Susan, thirty-four, became blind. Due to a medical misdiagnosis she had been rendered sightless, and she was suddenly thrown into a world of darkness, anger, frustration and self-pity. Once a fiercely independent woman, Susan now felt condemned by this terrible twist of fate to become a powerless, helpless burden on everyone around her.

      "How could this have happened to me?" she would plead, her heart knotted with anger. But no matter how much she cried or ranted or prayed, she knew the painful truth her sight was never going to return. A cloud of depression hung over Susan's once optimistic spirit. Just getting through each day was an exercise in frustration and exhaustion. And all she had to cling to was her husband Mark.

      Mark was an Air Force officer and he loved Susan with all of his heart. When she first lost her sight, he watched her sink into despair and was determined to help his wife gain the strength and confidence she needed to become independent again. Mark's military background had trained him well to deal with sensitive situations, and yet he know this was the most difficult battle he would ever face.

      Finally, Susan felt ready to return to her job, but how would she get there? She used to take the bus, but was now too frightened to get around the city by herself. Mark volunteered to drive her to work each day, even though they worked at opposite ends of the city. At first, this comforted Susan and fulfilled Mark's need to protect his sightless wife who was so insecure about performing the slightest task.

      Soon, however, Mark realized that this arrangement wasn't working - it was hectic, and costly. Susan is going to have to start taking the bus again, he admitted to himself. But just the thought of mentioning it to her made him cringe. She was still so fragile, so angry. How would she react?

      Just as Mark predicted, Susan was horrified at the idea of taking the bus again. "I'm blind!" she responded bitterly. "How am I supposed to know where I'm going? I feel like you're abandoning me."

      Mark's heart broke to hear these words, but he knew what had to be done. He promised Susan that each morning and evening he would ride the bus with her, for as long as it took, until she got the hang of it. And that is exactly what happened.

      For two solid weeks, Mark, military uniform and all, accompanied Susan to and from work each day. He taught her how to rely on her other senses, specifically her hearing, to determine where she was and how to adapt to her new environment. He helped her befriend the bus drivers who could watch out for her, and save her a seat. He made her laugh, even on those not-so-good days when she would trip exiting the bus, or drop her briefcase.

      Each morning they made the journey together, and Mark would take a cab back to his office. Although this routine was even more costly and exhausting than the previous one, Mark knew it was only a matter of time before Susan would be able to ride the bus on her own. He believed in her, in the Susan he used to know before she'd lost her sight, who wasn't afraid of any challenge and who would never, ever quit.

      Finally, Susan decided that she was ready to try the trip on her own. Monday morning arrived, and before she left, she threw her arms around Mark, her temporary bus riding companion, her husband, and her best friend. Her eyes filled with tears of gratitude for his loyalty, his patience, his love. She said good-bye, and for the first time, they went their separate ways. Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday... Each day on her own went perfectly, and Susan had never felt better. She was doing it! She was going to work all by herself!

      On Friday morning, Susan took the bus to work as usual. As she was paying for her fare to exit the bus, the driver said, "Boy, I sure envy you." Susan wasn't sure if the driver was speaking to her or not. After all, who on earth would ever envy a blind woman who had struggled just to find the courage to live for the past year? Curious, she asked the driver, "Why do you say that you envy me?"

      The driver responded, "It must feel so good to be taken care of and protected like you are." Susan had no idea what the driver was talking about, and asked again, "What do you mean?"

      The driver answered, "You know, every morning for the past week, a fine looking gentleman in a military uniform has been standing across the corner watching you when you get off the bus. He makes sure you cross the street safely and he watches you until you enter your office building. Then he blows you a kiss, gives you a little salute and walks away. You are one blessed lady."

      Tears of happiness poured down Susan's cheeks. For although she couldn't physically see him, she had always felt Mark's presence. She was blessed, so blessed, for he had given her a gift more powerful than sight, a gift she didn't need to see to believe - the gift of love that can bring light where there had been darkness.

      God watches over us in just the same way. We may not know He is present. We may not be able to see His face, but He is there nonetheless! Be blessed in this thought: "God Loves You - even when you are not looking."