Deep Stuff (Digression, i know)

We trade in our pitiful iPod for a pretty impressive iPhone. We chuck out our winter Ugg boots for summer's gladiator sandals. We tip the old digital TV for the latest HD model. And sometimes, unfortunately, we transfer our 'out with old, in with the new' attitude to people. If somebody's getting a bit needy or old, or they just can't look after themselves as well as they used to, we treat them like last year's model. We dump them on the slag heap. But that's not the attitude a Jesus follower should take. We should be more like the geese. When a bird is too old or ill or injured to carry on with the flight, the other birds don't leave them for dead. What happens is that two stronger geese leave the formation, flying with the 'patient' safely between them, finding shelter, food and a new home for the needy bird. These stronger birds stay with the weaker one until it either recovers or dies. What a lesson in self-sacrificing love. Paul's first letter to the Corinthians says the same: 'God has combined the members of the body ... that its parts should have equal concern for each other. If one part suffers, every part suffers with it' (12:24,25 NIV). God hates it when we treat people like disposable rubbish: 'Never walk away from someone who deserves help. Your hand is God's hand for that person' (Prov. 3:27). If a simple bird can do it, so can we.

credit to: UCB Word for Today

Life spent constantly traveling has its low moments and tonight counts as one of them. To pass away time, I came out to a local lounge to relax.

Took off before I could be assigned more work :)

Driving back to Pennsylvania

Finally up! Close to 200 dishes staring me in the face (: Time to work

As a young man, I need sleep and I'm taking that bull by the horn right now, goodbye!

At this point, whatever is left of the moral burden has vanished and I'm back in bed with no care for explanation as to why I have postponed completing the work

After 30 minutes of early morning work, lifting close to 200 dishes from the basement to the next level, I'm drained, grumpy and feel like I never slept at all

As much as I would love to stay in bed and continue to sleep, I feel a moral burden as a result of my culture to get up and offer assistance. (Insert sad face)

Its 6am and I'm woken up by the sound of dishes. Its appears my Aunt is up early to start cleaning and sorting the dishes for a coming wedding.

Finally get to eat some dinner --- Jollof rice and chicken stew, yummy!

It fascinates me how the yoruba culture places a lot of emphasis on respect for elders sometimes going to extremes. I love it though.

She finally asks "dinner for you?" YES! Just what I was waiting for.

So here is my hungry self sitting patiently waiting for her to finish her conversation with a wedding planner.

Staying the night at my Aunts place. And as much as I'm starving and want to dig into the fridge for food. I have to 'politely' ask first.

On the surface, it does appear these set of workers have remained stagnant over a 4 year span of time but that may be terribly wrong ofcourse.

Job? Accommodation? Automobile? Or some kind of inner satisfaction?

What is a fair way to measure economic progress?

Not sure what to make of this. I visited an auto shop today after a year and nothing seemed to have changed. Same mechanics from the last 3 years or so.

Rzsq

Its interesting when a fellow Nigerian doesn't recognize you, or maybe just pretends not too

How random is this? I get to an auto shop to get some work done and I hear a 'familiar' accent trying to sound American. Why try when its pretty obvious to all?

What is it about the African accent that gives our identity away so easily? Most conversations end in a curious "where are you from?" There's no hiding place

May I also add that I am a christian. I must say I respect the religious view of ALL however I make no apologies for mine. You can expect a bit of that daily

Interesting read

Next time you're exercising your worry muscles over a pimple or a split end, you want to look heavenwards to our feathered little friends. That's what Jesus says: 'I tell you not to worry about your life ... Look at the birds in the sky!' Now this isn't hippy-speak from the long-haired one; there are lessons to be learned from birds. Take geese for example. When geese fly south for their jollidays they don't pack a suitcase for one. Geese fly in droves. They group together in their famous flying 'V' formation, because when a bird flaps its wings the air movement created provides uplift, easing the workload of the bird behind it. Together, their flight range increases about 71 per cent. Even the youngest, weakest and oldest geese can make the trip. They accomplish together what they could never achieve separately. There's a lesson here. The Bible says, 'Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another ...' (Heb. 10:25 NIV), or in other words: no flying off solo. Why? Well, when a goose strays off from the flying 'V' formula, he soon finds he's cream-crackered. He loses altitude. He's doing the work of a hundred geese all by himself. What about you - are you in a flap, doing the work and worry of ten men when you could be soaring with God and His people?