Preschool, pretty girls and valentines

I didn't hear much about this day until I was at University.
Over here it fits right in there with Christmas, Easter and Thanksgiving

I remember how during my first year on campus the place would go into a buzz as the day drew near - people praying for cards and flowers, others making sure things were good between them and their boyfriends. Me trying to fit in but not really getting it because I didn't have "a" boyfriend but had boys who were my friends.

I shared a room with a girl who took this day a little too seriously, she sat up all night "val" eve waiting for the clock to strike midnight hoping that her boy friend would show up with flowers, or else . So while some of us tried to get some sleep she was checking the clock and talking away.

Guess what?! it struck midnight, 10 passed, 20 passed, and there was no knock at the door. After a while she calmed down, figured this dream wasn't going to come true and resigned herself to sleep.

On the d-day, there was lots of talk about who had received flowers, who was still in waiting, who had broken up, who had chosen to "cut" lectures, who fell sick, the whole shebang.

My dear roomie finally got her bouquet after a whole day of nerves and then we had to sit quietly in the case of those who didn't.

Mich brought home a circular with the names of all his classmates, apparently he is supposed to write a val card for each of them.

People, he is only 4, what will he be learning by the time he is in grade school? Am I becoming old school already?
What is the concept here? I get the idea of appreciating your classmates and all but you should have seen his frustration when he was signing cards for kids he barely knew. I explained to him how all his classmates are special and that it would make them feel good (plus we have to abide by school rules).

I was at a loss for words when he said "only the pretty girls get cards", then he mentioned names of the girls who were pretty and the ones who were not. Obviously I had several questions - where did you get that idea?, who makes for a pretty girl? who doesn't? eish!!!

What I wonder about is whether it's a day for celebrating friendships? a day for lovers? a day for secret admirers? a day to state intentions? all of the above??

Is it supposed to go both ways? or is it just the guys giving the ladies? (but giving a guy a bouquet is just wrong).

Does it depend on the crowd? say for example;

If you're in kindergarten - your classmates, teacher and parents

In high school - your crash

In college - your date, some one you secretly admire

Work - making your intentions known

Married - your spouse, or in some cases someone you secretly admire

Maybe I should research this whole Valentines day thing but I must say who ever thought it up/ created it/ whatever, would be happy to know that things go crazy around this time every year.

Oh by the way in case you were wondering, to my shock and surprise I did get a Valentines card that first year on campus and only figured out the sender 3 years later.

Heart to Heart

Church was just the best today.

It's nice to walk into church and say hello to people, give hugs, handshakes, smiles that kind of thing. Since I'm still a newie I'm taking it slow but it's just great having all these people rushing over to say hello. It's clear they are not doing it out of duty but genuine concern.
I like that after the worship we get to greet our neighbours. Which reminds me of what that felt like in KPC, I actually believe people prayed that Pastor Gary/Chris/Julius would not say "turn around and greet your neighbor". The times I was not in the choir I sat around some people who kept their eyes glued to the pulpit, kinda like they had neck trouble.
Then it was like they didn't hear when the pastor actually said turn and greet your neighbor, but maybe it was just me.

Okay, I was telling you about service today. So I walked in feeling a little distant from God, my prayer was "Lord, draw me close to you".
Ann (the worship leader) did a number that reminded me of my backup days in the choir with my girls - Sheila, Edna and Flash, sweet memories.
Now, that was like song number two, song number three was "Lord Iam amazed by you", I really got in and was telling God how amazed I was.
Right there, at the moment God and I had a conversation that went somewhat like this,

God-"are you really amazed by me?"
Me - "ye..",
God - "if you are then what's all the fretting about?, is it to say I can't?"

See, Sam and I are facing a pretty tough situation right now and I must admit there has been doubt, fear, wondering how we going to pull through this, thinking maybe we dreamed too big and out of God's will.
These questions stopped me in my tracks.
Wow! I get the point Lord, I do.

While I was still getting my head around that, song number four "Be still" literally opened the taps, memories of Nziiza came flooding back - I was undone.

And then we sang "How Great is our God", my, my! absolutely powerful.
The the pastor wrapped it up for me by preaching a sermon entitled "No Loss is Too Devastating For God" and then this video of Derek Redmond.

Okonkwo

I just finished re reading one of my all time favourite books by Chinua Achebe - Things Fall Apart.

Quite apart from the thrill of recalling the events in Umofia and Okonkwo's life, it was a fun trip down memory lane. Back to secondary school, literature class, the discussions, arguments and essay writing ...

Coming across names like Ezeulu, Obierika, Ikemefuna was like stumbling upon old buddies .

Hey, Unoka, I remember you, Okonkwo's dad right? boy was Okonkwo ashamed of you, you're probably the laziest man he ever knew. You just liked to party didn't ya?!, I hear you were most blissful drinking, playing your flute and dancing with the locals.

Obierika, man! you represented the epitome of friendship, the way you stood by Okonkwo when he had been exiled to Mbanta ( his mathez home) was really commendable.

Uchendu, you were one dry fellow, you didn't mince your words around your nephew Okonkwo. As you knew how to rub salt in a wound?!, but I guess it was sawa because then Okonkwo sobered up and faced his situation like a man.

Ikemefuna, things were tight for you, I mean first they grab you from your home (no fault of your own), they take you to live in a different village, then the man you ended up calling father (Okonkwo) killed you just like that.

Looking at Okonkwo, it seems that even though he despised his dad's laziness, and worked mighty hard never to be associated with such "fakeness", when it came to their demise, they both died miserable men. Unoka died an old, poor man with a lousy reputation - Okonkwo hanged himself.

Is it that the very thing we loath in our parents is what becomes our destiny some how?

Happy Birthday

You turned 69 today, how awesome is that?!
I thank God for keeping you around this long and pray that He grants you many more years of good health.
It was great talking to you this morning, I felt the emotion sipping through the waves.
Thanks for the reassurance that all will be well because you know a good God who never lets His children down.
I was glad to hear you say, "this too will pass, life has ups and downs", you have been there and came through just fine. It was comforting.

I now find tears rolling down my cheeks just thinking about you.
We have been through some pretty tough times these past few years, sometimes I wonder how you kept your sanity because they were extremely dark for you in particular.

I remember quite vividly the day I knelt down in my room almost 25 years ago, praying and asking God to please find you and mom before He called you home.
I'm thrilled that He did.
He answered my prayer, I didn't know when it would happen but I kept praying.

Thanks for looking after mom and all 6 of us, you certainly set a good example of what a father ought to be.
Thanks for making sure we got a good education.
You introduced us to the wonderful world of books for which am forever grateful.
You made it a point to buy the latest LP's and cassette tapes, that was so cool.
Your taste in music was great, how else we would have stumbled on all time musicians like Bee Gees, Shalamar, Lionel Richie, Billy Ocean, Kenny Rogers, Michael Jackson, Donna Summer...
You encouraged us to bake and bake we did, I can still recall the time you bought the Ken wood mixer and baking dishes, it was exciting.
I never knew a man with a worse temper, by the way what happened with that? I mean I don't see it much any more.
Love the souvenirs you brought home from your world travels.
Did you know that my love for pets came from you?
I remember how you emphasised the benefits of waking up early, well I still struggle with that, sleep is sweet.
We know how to watch out for each other because you taught us that many times family is all we got.
The importance of being a friend?!, it's not so much what you say but how you live it out before us, the message is loud and clear.
Mummy is always number one.

By the way Mich was happy talking to you this morning. I informed him of your birthday a few days ago and he marked it on the calender with a smiley face.


The reason the smile is crooked is because you are a grandpa (talk to Mich).

Thanks for being the best, I'm glad you made Jesus your Lord, I wish you many more happy days and may God bless your every waking moment.
Love you

Me

Will the center hold?

We all feel the pinch... pinch?? Sting certainly captures the emotion better and it's humbling.
These people who start expensive avoidable wars and those trading in invisible cash have really done us in(my explanation for the financial crisis).
Ok may be we were Living the dream and then some but reaaaalle, things have never been tighter. Chinua Achebe's book title "Things Fall Apart" doesn't even begin to describe the chaos up in here.

I started smelling smoke when Oprah gave out some pretty odd favorite things this past year. CD's, treasure boxes, gift baskets, a nice book to read, she even encouraged swap parties where people exchanged items instead of buying new ones.
Now I know y'all Ugandans would be going gaga on this stuff, seeing as gifts at Christmas or any other time of the year are like Nsenene (grasshoppers) in June.
What you don't get is that, Oprah's favourite things in 2007 left me smitten, floored, speechless. Oh! how I wished I had a fairy god mother who would show up and wave me into her audience with a magic wand.


Scrabble - the best game ever. Standard mixer, I like baking so this would look good in my kitchen.

A camcorder would definitely make blogging so much more

HDTV Refrigerator with Weather and Info Center from LG Electronics??, soft sigh. How could one person get all these things for free?

But today my friends, today, it's a different story.
America and the world at large (ripple effect) is going through a crazy time.
People are losing jobs like a plague, we are learning to cook instead of eating out, switch off the lights, take the bus, ride the bicycle (the car is reserved for emergencies). Two or more families staying together isn't such a bad thing after all, unplug gadgets that are not being used, learn to layer on clothes we ain't gonna run up our heating bill. Businesses are closing, items are on sale, and coupons are a sweet sound to the ear, ok you are getting the idea. Obviously some of these things go with out saying for some African Ugandans like me who regard some of these pleasures as sinful. This is probably the worst recession since the Great depression (1929 - 1939).

This ad just about puts things in perspective

I watched the inauguration of America's 1st black president in the comfort of my home.
Now I get to feel the recession/crunch in my home and pocket.

Mapengo already?

Last week Mich picked up an apple to eat and gave up on it before I could say "when".

He nibbled a bit and put it a side, when asked why he'd lost appetite so soon he said, "I tried eating it from this side but I wasn't biting, then I tried it on this side and I wasn't biting". He was basically trying to use his molars to bite into the apple.

I did a dental check and found out that my baby, my little boy, my cutie pie, is about to lose his first tooth.

Childhood memories came flooding back, I recalled the fun Simon and I had shaking loose teeth until they came off.
Simon was the crazy one, he once tied a loose tooth with a piece of thread and attached the other end to a door nob, and... I leave you to figure out the rest.
My elder brother Peter lost a tooth while munching on his bread one morning, I don't quite recall if he found it or just discovered it was missing - meaning he swallowed it :-).

Emphasis was placed on the importance of presenting evidence and informing adults once a tooth was out because they were the middle men between the little people and the rats/mice. You wanted to obey that rule because otherwise you risked missing the gift.

Speaking of mice and teeth, I'm wondering whether I should do the whole tooth fairy thing with Mich. For starters it's not true, but it's lots of fun for the kid. I remember my imagination running wild just thinking about this rat that travelled from miles away carrying a present on it's back because he had been informed I had lost a tooth.
Several years later I figured it out, I don't think I was disappointed but again, it's not truth.
I'm thinking of just letting Mich know that I will give him a little something for each tooth he loses but then I might inspire him to knock them all out so really..., advice anyone?

The part I didn't like was being called "mapengo", a Swahili word for toothless.

But wait!, Mich is only 4 years old, how is this happening so soon? Isn't this supposed to happen at 6 or 7 years of age?
But on the other hand, it makes sense, this is the same boy who started teething at 4 months. You can imagine my shock when I set him to breastfeed and the fellow was sharpening his incisors on me.
4 months people! what ever happened to 6 months, 1 year, you know, like the books say?
At the same time my insides feel like jelly - my baby is growing up, before I know it he will be a teenager, a college grad, a husband, a father, a grandfather eh! this is getting spooky.
How do you describe the state of being exhilarated, anxious, hopeful and elated all in one word?

Parenting is an amazing package, full of surprises, ups and downs, In's and outs and everything in between.

Desperately desperate

If music be the food of spiritual growth, play on,
Give me excess of it; that ...

Unlike Orsino I have not and do not want to reach the point of surfeiting.

In about two weeks Chris Tomlin and Israel Houghton will be in Dallas for the Hello Love tour. These guys are on my list of favourite musicians, so I'm certainly excited and looking forward to attending the concert.

Being a christian artist must be quite humbling because even though we love the musicians we are not in it primarily for them but for what they can do. They are mere talented people who God has chosen to use, so we gather to ultimately give Him the praise.

Oh! but what really gets my adrenaline going is seeing a man passionate about God, a man desperately desperate (as I like to put it).

A man who puts all dignity a side and says "I have got nothing to loose, Jesus, it is me and you". I listen to groups like Mercyme, Casting Crowns, and guys like Jeremy Camp and oh my goodness the lyrics to their songs are inspiring and then they sing like their lives depend on it. That really gets me going. It's clear that they are giving their all, their very best and yes, that is what God desires of us in all areas.
But something about music and singing takes things to another level.

I appreciate the depiction of helplessness in this picture and I like that it is a man, women know how to get to this point naturally but no so for most men. The display of emotion, not only with the passing of a loved one or a business deal gone bad but a desperate need for his maker, now that is something to behold.