Goodbye 2014! Thank You God for 2015!

 Another year, another 12 healthy eggs months, gone!


2014 has gone so fast. I have enjoyed some parts of the year (mostly those spent in class) and have had fun in others with friends and family. I am grateful to God for 2014.

No! Am not scared, neither am I complaining. Am only raising my point of concern... and I confess that it is not that easy for me to write out this and post it on my blog.

 I am very happy as an independent woman. I love being in control. I enjoy my freedom, a lot. However, I am concerned that time is moving so fast. Sometimes I wish that I could stop time from moving.

I don’t know if you’re aware of this, but there are LOTS of  “have to’s” that we each live by.  Many of them come from “the experts”, from our parents, from our teachers, etc.  We are continually taught these hard and fast rules about life.  This is what you MUST do to be ….. a success. A good person. Responsible. Have a good life. Be a good christian. And on and on.  This is the path you MUST follow or you WILL destroy your life.  Now let me say that everything that we’re taught, isn’t bad.  Much is really good and we need to hold onto those things.  We especially hold on to the truth of God’s word, for it is ALWAYS TRUE.  And we need to live within the laws of our society as along as they don’t go against God’s higher order.

But there are things that we are taught, that are accepted as an absolute truth, but aren’t. ( Stolen from my friend, Alecia )

As I grew up, I remember being advised by my older relatives to keep off boys... that boys are bad, and that they are out to ruin girls' lives (I even believed that I could get pregnant by sitting on a chair that a boy had sat on :) ). I was also advised to study, study and study... and that education is the only thing that matters for a happy life. I faithfully followed their advice.

Now that am all grown up, I realize that education is not everything. There are other important things that can bring about happiness. I have come to this realization through observing my friends and former classmates that have taken the leap of faith to start families. No, am not jealous of them. I admire the happiness and contentment in their eyes.

 This is real, people! I never thought that I would get to a point in time where I would have concerns about getting children.

Anyway, for 2015, I have a resolution that I have never made before. I will allow myself to be vulnerable, to be free, and to dare to trust.

I pray that God walks with me in this unknown journey.

 God isn’t limited to operating within a certain system.  He is a creative God, with limitless creativity.  So when we walk with Him, the possibilities are endless!

It is not easy to get it. (Video)

I have been wondering why camel milk is expensive. I've found the answer! It is not easy to get it.

My First Time Doing It

No! No! No!

Am not talking about popping my cherry here. No!

This post is about my first time taking camel milk. Got ya! Right?

I have been spending a lot of time at work with my friend, Mohamed Yusuf. Mohamed introduced me to the sweet and healthy camel milk.

To me, the whole concept was plain weird. Who wants to drink milk that comes from a camel?
They spit, they kick, they smell, they grunt and a whiff of their bad breath is enough to make you pass out.

However, I decided to take the risk to go ahead and take it.

Before buying camel milk, Mohamed had warned me that for some people, the first time one takes camel milk can cause a stomach upset. I was pretty prepared for that.

For starters, I purchased a litre of camel milk. Mohamed had advised me to take it raw. As I poured the milk into a glass, I could smell an unpleasant odor. The smell did not stop me from taking it.

The milk is a little salty but tasty. I loved it. Unfortunately, I was unable to complete consuming the whole glass of raw camel milk. I couldn't stand the smell.

After about an hour of waiting for a stomach upset, nothing was happening. No pain, no running stomach.

I boiled the rest of the milk and took it hot. It was amazing.

Since then, I don't like staying without camel milk in my house. Despite its high cost, I believe that it is worth every dime.

I will explain the benefits of camel milk in the near future, on this blog. 

Still Waiting...

 Another Letter to My Future Husband


Dear Future Husband,

I really don’t know how to start. The wait is really hard. I feel depressed frequently and upset when i see many people date. I long to meet you someday for I am waiting for God to transform me completely.

I can be very insecure and emotional. That could be the reason I haven’t met you yet is because I need more of HIM than you. I am praying for you that the enemy doesn’t deceive you. I am soaking myself and trying to spend more of my time with HIM, hoping that I would be more like Him. I have a great desire to be a man after His own heart. My mind at present is not according to His will. I have to get rid of so many fantasies which are not worth speaking of. 

 Please do pray that I must meet you as God wants me to meet you, I certainly believe that God has thought of us together. Please don’t rush into giving yourself to another person. Everyday many distractions come on my side too. I am constantly thinking of you. One day when we meet I will give myself to you completely. I will tell you how many times MY SAVIOR Has kept me safe. Maybe it’s because you have prayed for me or your parents have prayed for me. 

Thank you so much for waiting for me. The Lord is preparing our hearts. 

Pray for me as I am praying for you.


Your Future Wife,
Judy

Women Are Not As Complicated As They Seem!

This one is to illustrate that a woman is not as complicated as she seems: 

A man woke up with a terrible hangover and a throbbing black eye. He turned to the other side of the bed and, instead of his wife, he found a red rose with a note attached to it: “Honey, breakfast is served. I went grocery shopping to cook your favorite dinner tonight. Love you!”

Still puzzled, he got up, went to the kitchen and, sure enough, breakfast was there – scrambled eggs, French toasts, orange juice, coffee, the works; and his eight-year-old son sitting and waiting for him.

“Johnny”, he asks the boy, “what happened last night?”

“Well, dad, you got home drunk again, stumbled on a chair and got yourself that black eye.”

“So, why the rose, the breakfast and this love note from mom, son?”

“Oh, that? Mommy had to drag you to the bedroom and while she was trying to get you undressed, you started to scream, ‘Let go of me, I’m a married man!’”

In other words, she would put up with his binge drinking because at least he was a faithful husband even while he was drunk.

Women put up with a lot of stupidity from their husband. In general, they are much more forgiving and willing to offer their spouse another chance not to lose their marriage than their husband. They put up with stuff that most men would not.

Therefore, husbands, the least you can offer your wife is your faithfulness. It is not all that she wants, but it matters a lot. In a world where women come onto married men and married men change wives like they change their cell phone, a faithful husband is a precious gemstone rare to find.

A woman of self-respect is willing to put up with a lot of stuff from her husband. Cheating is not one of them.

This is the least you can offer her.

As I Wait...

 A Letter to My Future Husband

 To my future husband,

Sing me the Song of Songs with your love. Love me with the fierceness and tenderness that reflects the love of Our Father.

 Unite your heart with Him, so that when our hearts meet, the three become one. Push me to be the woman God is calling me to be. Push me, but be gentle. Push me, but wrap me in your arms when I fail.

 I want to love you with the love of God. I want my heart to be so lost in His love that when our hearts meet they are one in HIM. I want your happiness and well being, even now before I know you. I promise to love you with all I have and to give for you daily.

I will try to forgive when I can and try harder when it seems I can’t. I promise to stand by you every day. 
Forgive me if I fail. Be patient with my faults. Love me at my best and my worst. 

I may get impatient waiting, but I know that as I wait, you are on a journey with God. If you get impatient, don’t give up on me. I’m coming, just know that as you wait God is forming me into the woman He designed.
 
 Please keep me in your prayers as I keep you in mine.


Love you already,
Your future wife,

Judy.


PS: I pray that YOU'll really read this letter.

Bade Achhe Lagte Hain: Priya and Ram Kapoor

I have always been in love with Indian stuff. The people, the place, Taj Mahal, the music, their way of life (minus religion), and of course their entertainment.

From  3 Idiots to Besharam to, from Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi to Kahaani Ghar Ghar Kii. I've loved them all.

My latest Indian addiction has been this soap opera: Bade Achhe Lagte Hain. I don't recall the last time I watched it and did not end up in tears. The love and chemistry between the stars is undeniable.
 Ram Kapoor and Priya Ram Kapoor (Sakshi Tanwar) always move me, they are a mature couple who got married through an arranged marriage when they were both older than 30. The soap takes us through how they find love in each other, in marriage.

Here are two pics of the couple:

Am almost tearing up, thinking what they've gone through.


 Here's a link to their theme song:
Ram and Priya Kapoor

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6fv48XyPdBw

Short, but important.

Sometimes the most important things in life are not at all. People who make you feel loved and cared for are the most important!

I have come to realize that nothing in this life matters as much as love.

Work, education, knowledge, business... and all other things are important are not as important as people. People are very important. I love people.

Purpose to love someone today.

Love, it is free. It is the easiest thing to do.

Am with Israel on this!

http://www.idfblog.com/blog/2014/07/16/idf-done-minimize-harm-civilians-gaza/

Lord, Would You Hold Me While I Cry.

Lately, this song has been on my mind. I thought I would share it out with you, my friends! I have shared the link to the audio version.

 WOULD YOU HOLD ME WHILE I CRY

 

It's been one of those days
If anything could go wrong it went wrong
I know I'm feeling sorry for me
There's a lot of self-pity going on
Tomorrow I will be okay
The dawn will bring a brand new day
I'm sure by then I'll be fine
Lord today I really need a friend
I know that you would understand
Would you hold me while I cry

I take a lot of your time
When I should be strong
I should be standing by now when it's you I'm leaning on
You've always kept me safe from harm, like a child in your arms
You've cradled me through hardships faced in life
Lord it's just one of those days I've been fobbed in every way
Will you hold me while I cry?

I try to be strong but if anyone can fall apart, I fall apart
I run back to you again and you heal my broken heart
You have truly been a friend, reaching out to lend a hand
Lord when you could have passed me by
I'm asking for your strength today
Lift my spirit Lord I pray
Will you just hold me while I cry

I take a lot of your time when I should be strong
I should be standing by now but it's you I'm leaning on
You've always kept me safe from harm like a child in your arms
You've cradled me through hardships faced in life
Lord it's just one of those days
I've been fobbed in every way
Will you hold me while I cry

You've always kept me safe from harm
Like a child in your arms
You've cradled me though hardships faced in life
Lord it's just one of those days
I've been fobbed in every way
Would you hold me while I cry?

Would You Hold Me While I cry- Karen Peck 

Happiness!

Two men, both seriously ill, occupied the same hospital room.
One man was allowed to sit up in his bed for an hour each afternoon to help drain the fluid from his lungs.
His bed was next to the room's only window.
The other man had to spend all his time flat on his back.
The men talked for hours on end.
They spoke of their wives and families, their homes, their jobs, their involvement in the military service, where they had been on
vacation..
Every afternoon, when the man in the bed by the window could sit up, he would pass the time by describing to his roommate all the things he could see outside the window.
The man in the other bed began to live for those one hour periods where his world would be broadened and enlivened by all the activity and color of the world outside.
The window overlooked a park with a lovely lake.Ducks and swans played on the water while children sailed their model boats. Young lovers walked arm in arm amidst flowers of every color
and a fine view of the city skyline could be seen in the distance.
As the man by the window described all this in exquisite details, the man on the other side of the room would close his eyes and imagine this picturesque scene.
One warm afternoon, the man by the window described a parade passing by.
Although the other man could not hear the band -he could see it in his mind's eye as the gentleman by the window portrayed it with
descriptive words.
Days, weeks and months passed.One morning, the day nurse arrived to bring water for their baths only to find the lifeless body
of the man by the window, who had died peacefully in his sleep.
She was saddened and called the hospital attendants to take the body away.
As soon as it seemed appropriate, the other man asked if he could be moved next to the window.The nurse was happy to make the switch, and after making sure he was comfortable, she left
him alone.
Slowly, painfully, he propped himself up on one elbow to take his first look at the real world outside. He strained to slowly turn to look out the window besides the bed.
It faced a blank wall.
The man asked the nurse what could have compelled his deceased roommate who had described such wonderful things outside this
window.
The nurse responded that the man was blind and could not even see the wall.
She said, 'Perhaps he just wanted to encourage you.'
Epilogue:
There is tremendous happiness in making others happy, despite our own situations.Shared grief is half the sorrow, but happiness when shared, is doubled. If you want to feel rich, just count all the things you have that money can't buy.
'Today is a gift, that is why it is called The Present.

AN OPEN LETTER TO AL SHABAAB

Dear Mister Terrorist Sir,

RE: WE CAN DO BAD ALL BY OURSELVES


Mr Terrrorist,

I hope this finds you well, and I hope you’re having a blast. No pun intended. Okay maybe a little pun. Please don’t blow me up. I know as you read this, you were probably mixing some fertilizer in a plastic bottle for a bomb or trying out a nice camera for you to make a threatening video and upload it on you tube. Put down the bottle and read this. Put down the bottle slowly. Don’t blow yourself up just yet.

See, Mr Terrorist Sir, I know you take great pride in your workmanship as you thoroughly enjoy your job and always have a blast while at it. Now, Mr Terrorist, there is a little matter I would like to bring up with you. It involves the way you execute your duties. I know you have recently expanded your portfolio to include buses and hotels and shopping malls and pubs and restaurants and churches. And believe me you’re doing a hell of a job. We are all very terrified. No doubt that was your goal.

Mr terrorist, i am however concerned that as much as you’re trying to be the bad guy here, unfortunately Kenyans are outdoing you. I mean, we can do bad all by ourselves.  I know you’re probably wondering what I mean by that. Look Mr terrorist, you came and shot 70 of us at the Westgate mall. In retaliation, we killed over 3000 of our own in road crashes. 3000, sir. Then this year you decided you felt a craving for churches and shot up babies in a church at the coast. Do you know, Mr Terrorist, that while you were busy shooting the milk bottles off the hands of toddlers and infants, we were letting thousands of them die of curable diseases like malaria and cholera? Come on, Mr Terrorist, even you have to admire that.

Mr Terrorist, can I call you Mr T? No?  Okay.  See,  recently you played around with some grenades and killed ten in buses on their way home. And the following day we outdid you. We killed 90 using illicit brew. Pure ethanol. Can you believe that? In less than 96 hours! You can’t beat that, sir.

Mr Terrorist, I know you hate us. But the evidence here suggests that we hate ourselves more. So I would suggest that you just leave us alone. If you want us dead, trust me we can accomplish that all by our lonesome self. Our university students can be relied upon to block roads and rob and harass motorists whenever they deem fit. Our power company can be relied upon to throw the entire country into blackouts at their convenience. Our bus drivers will happily crash their buses without the aid of grenades thrown into their windows. Did you notice, that of all the buses that had grenades thrown at them, none crashed? And that of all the buses that crashed, none had grenades thrown at them?

 Mr terrorist whenever we feel like getting shot at, our police are always very eager to comply and they shoot all manner of projectiles at us. From live bullets to tear gas cannisters to rubber bullets. Or is it our economy that you would love to see destroyed? We are doing a splendid job of that already. We are paying off anglo leasing companies amounts of money that we cannot afford. And have you seen the wage bill? Or the way we are taxed? How did you not notice all this Mister Terrorist while you were doing your research? Have you seen how our matatu conductors extort money in the name of bus fare? Especially when it rains, El Terroriste. You would be forgiven to believe that it rains money. La Terrorista, imagine we are worse than you. And I do not mean that in a competitive manner.

Don’t blow this out of proportion. Just that we can achieve and exceed your requirements just as we are. We use less dramatic means to achieve bigger results. That is called working smart, Il Terroristi. The rainy season is almost here. I know that is a foreign concept where you are from, sir. But we shall have floods. I mean huge masses of water from the heavens flowing furiously in one direction. Wait and hear how many we managed to wipe off the face of the earth without firing a shot. So, if it is death toll you are looking for, we out toll you, son.

Go home Mister Terrorist. You are tired. And sleepy. We shall only frustrate you. Instead,  go home and watch from a distance. Given enough time, we shall destroy ourselves. We are already on self-destruct mode. Or better still; send your people here for training. We make much better terrorists than y’all. Don’t wish us bad things. Like I said, we can do bad all by ourselves.






 ~~~~Stolen from Mr. Benson Kabugu Wamwea

Where It All Began!

 This is a series of why Africa needs to wake up!

First: Some history....

 

 

Beginning around 1650, the British government pursued a policy of mercantilism in international trade. Mercantilism stipulates that in order to build economic strength, a nation must export more than it imports. To achieve this favorable balance of trade, the English passed regulatory laws exclusively benefiting the British economy. These laws created a trade system whereby Americans provided raw goods to Britain, and Britain used the raw goods to produce manufactured goods that were sold in European markets and back to the colonies. As suppliers of raw goods only, the colonies could not compete with Britain in manufacturing. English ships and merchants were always favored, excluding other countries from sharing in the British Empire’s wealth. 

 

Between 1651 and 1673, the English Parliament passed four Navigation Acts meant to ensure the proper mercantilist trade balance. The acts declared the following:

• Only English or English colonial ships could carry cargo between imperial ports.
• Certain goods, including tobacco, rice, and furs, could not be shipped to foreign nations except through England or Scotland.
• The English Parliament would pay “bounties” to Americans who produced certain raw goods, while raising protectionist tariffs on the same goods produced in other nations.
• Americans could not compete with English manufacturers in large-scale manufacturing.

The Navigation Acts severely restricted colonial trade, to the benefit of England.

The colonists initially complained about these strictures on trade. In New England in particular, many colonists evaded the restrictions of the Navigation Acts by smuggling. But although relations between England and the colonies were often full of friction (as in 1684, when Charles II revoked the Massachusetts Bay Colony’s charter as punishement for smuggling), the two sides never came to any real conflict. Instead, England developed a policy of salutary neglect toward the colonies, which meant that the trade laws that most hurt the colonial economy were not enforced. 

 

Threatened by the presence of the French in North America, British officials knew that at some point they would have to clash with the French over the domination of the continent, and they needed the colonists to support them when that time came. The British did not want to alienate their much-needed allies through aggressive trade restrictions.

With the prospect of war against the French looming, the British employed salutary neglect to maintain the colonists’ loyalty.

The Triangular Trade

British mercantilism manifested itself in the form of the triangular trade. Trade routes linked the American Colonies, West Indies, Africa, and England. Each port provided shippers with a payoff and a new cargo. New England rum was shipped to Africa and traded for slaves, which were brought to the West Indies and traded for sugar and molasses, which went back to New England. Other raw goods were shipped from the colonies to England, where they were swapped for a cargo of manufactured goods. 

 

Mercantilism and the triangular trade proved quite profitable for New England tradesmen and ship builders. But in the Southern Colonies, where the Navigation Acts vastly lowered tobacco prices, economies suffered. The triangular trade also spurred a rise in the slave population and increased the merchant population, forming a class of wealthy elites that dominated trade and politics throughout the colonies.

 

 

 

On Christ The Solid Rock I Stand!

Hello Friends!

I sincerely apologize for taking so long without updating my blog. Lately, I have been unusually busy with school and examinations. I thank God it's all over (for now).

This hymn that has been occupying my mind in the recent past... I thought I might just share it:

"In Christ Alone"

In Christ alone my hope is found,
He is my light, my strength, my song;
this Cornerstone, this solid Ground,
firm through the fiercest drought and storm.

What heights of love, what depths of peace,
when fears are stilled, when strivings cease!
My Comforter, my All in All,
here in the love of Christ I stand.
In Christ alone! who took on flesh
Fulness of God in helpless babe!
This gift of love and righteousness
Scorned by the ones he came to save:

Till on that cross as Jesus died,
The wrath of God was satisfied -
For every sin on Him was laid;
Here in the death of Christ I live.
There in the ground His body lay
Light of the world by darkness slain:
Then bursting forth in glorious Day
Up from the grave he rose again!

And as He stands in victory
Sin's curse has lost its grip on me,
For I am His and He is mine -
Bought with the precious blood of Christ.
No guilt in life, no fear in death,
This is the power of Christ in me;
From life's first cry to final breath.
Jesus commands my destiny.

No power of hell, no scheme of man,
Can ever pluck me from His hand;
Till He returns or calls me home,
Here in the power of Christ I'll stand. 

 

 

God bless you, muchly!

 

I Belong to You!

My will wants to be god and have life in itself- to be self-made, self-defined. It seems a blow to its pride to think that I am created- that the source of my life is You, that I receive from You all that I truly am. To myself, however- to my eternal self- it is the greatest delight- to live only in You, that You are my Creator and that I belong to You.

It is humbling and exulting at the same time- to think that my Creator should come down to me and become like me- suffering with me in all that I suffered, living and dying for me and raising me with Him into His own life; that I should be able to know Him made manifest.

I long to let all the love in me flow up to You. I have nothing in me to give You that did not first come from You. It came from You and returns to You, but through me and is therefore precious and delightful to You, because I am the creation of Your desire- I exist because You desired me to exist.

I do not have life within myself, as You and Abba do- the life I have within me is Yours. You could take and receive life and love only from within Yourself, but You desired to so through others, who are delightful to You in themselves and in this way, the love is even more delicious to You and so I return myself, my life, to You, my Creator- Jesus! I give myself back to You. I live only in You and only for You- I am only for You and no one takes of me but You, because all that I am is only Yours and consecrated to You and sealed by Your Spirit to You.

          *  *  *

Not angels, nor demons, no power on earth or heaven
Not distance, nor danger, no trouble now or ever


Nothing can take me from Your great love
Forever this truth remains


I belong, I belong to You


Not hardship, nor hunger, no pain or depth of sorrow,
Not weakness, nor failure, no broken dream or promise,

Nothing can take me from Your great love ,
Forever this truth remains!

I belong, I belong to You!

~ Kathry Scott

Take Time to Be Holy

Take time to be holy, speak often with thy Lord, 

Abide in Him always, and feed on His word.

Make friends of God’s Children, help those who are weak

Forgetting in nothing, His blessing to seek.

Take time to be holy, the world rushes on,

Spend much time in secret, with Jesus alone.

By looking to Jesus, like Him thou shall be,

Thy friends in thy conduct, His likeness shall see.

Take time to be Holy, let Him be thy guide,

And run not before Him, whatever betide.

In joy or in sorrow, still follow the Lord,

And looking to Jesus, still trust in His word.

Take time to be holy, be calm in thy soul,

Each thought and each motive, beneath His control.

Thus led by His Spirit, to foundations of love,

Thou soon shall be fitted, for service above.

Funny moments in class

Today (28/02/2014) in management class:

We were learning about how to prepare departmental and organizational budgets and how manage your subordinates with regards to budgets.

Instructor: Make sure that your employees put their figures in the budget.

My lovely and beautiful desk-mate was absent-minded… but she managed to hear this statement. The problem is that she heard the instructor say: Make sure that your employees put their fingers in the budget. She interrupts the instructor and here’s their conversation:

Desk-mate: Excuse me sir, why should they put their fingers in the budget? Shouldn’t it be their minds?

Instructor: (Deeply concerned that he probably didn’t hear what she said). Excuse me?

Desk-mate: I think they should put their minds, not their fingers in the budget.

(The whole class bursted in laughter.)

My desk-mate was shocked, she was wondering why everyone was laughing. She tried asking me why we were laughing, I couldn’t tell her with all the laughter that was in class.

About 20 minutes later after the incident, she asked me why we were laughing. When I whispered and explained  it to her, she bursted into uncontrollable laughter: alone in a quiet class, everyone looked at her and wondered what was wrong with her.

You made my day, desk-mate!

I love you.

Another funny moment:

Earlier this week in a Micro-economics class, some guy interrupted our lovely lecturer to correct a mathematical expression she had written on the board. The problem was that his correction was “1+0=0”... that was what he thought. Of course our beautiful lecturer was right: "1+0=1"

Beautiful Love!

It is slightly over a year now since I thought of writing about this.

 I had just completed my undergraduate studies when I first went to my church. One conspicuous thing that I could not fail to notice was one of the ladies in the praise and worship team. She had an angelic voice that was inspirational. She played, and she still has been playing, a key part in leading us to the worship throne. Her name is Peris.

Peris has always sat next her husband, Jeremiah, each and every Sunday without fail. She has always looked at him with lots of love. She always holds his hand through-out the service when she’s sitting next to him. Sometimes they whisper into each others’ ears and smile at each other. They seem to have been married to each other for about a decade and they still love each other like newly-weds. I see the beauty of their love from far every time I see them.

I don’t want to be judgemental but man! I don’t know what they’ve been through but they MUST LOVE EACH OTHER. I would love to have such a marriage someday.

May God bless Peris, Jeremiah, and their marriage.

May God bless all marriages. May they blossom with love.

Amen!