In View of My Cowardice

I have not been blogging for some days; I’m not sure I’m going to blog for a while. I don’t have the heart to. A few days ago, I disappointed God and I disappointed myself.

On a ‘Missions for Monday‘ post I wrote about a girl named Lola (not her real name but go here to read about her). A few days ago I heard that she was leaving. I went to her and tried to convince her to stay. But she was adamant that she had to leave; someone she trusted had betrayed her trust. I begged her and told her not to give up just because one person hurt her, but she kept sobbing and sobbing. I held her and cried in pain as she sobbed her heart out. I cried because I knew I was a coward.

I could have helped her. I knew exactly what she was going through and all I had to do was tell her my story. She was overcome with guilt and shame and if I had let her know that I had been precisely where she stood, once, maybe it would have lessened her pain and made her feel better. But I did not. I could not. I was not willing to go back and prod a wound that had taken so long to heal. I just couldn’t. I knew that I should have, not just for her but also for me…being able to help her would have brought some sense to all I went through. I would have known that even if I could not honestly have said it was worth it, it would have made a little sense. But I kept mute. I just held her and wept and wept; then I prayed with her and wept some more. It was a heart-breaking experience.

I wish I had the courage to tell her. But it was a story that would have hurt other people if she chose to be indescreet about it. That does not in any way justify my cowardice. I’m not sure I will be blogging for a while.

The Case for Working With Your Hands

By deciding to buy a sewing machine, I have made a conscious effort to learn to work with my hands. Not that I actually need one, but Matthew B. Crawford in his article on the New York Times provided justification for that. He wrote:

A good job requires a field of action where you can put your best capacities to work and see an effect in the world. Academic credentials do not guarantee this.

Nor can big business or big government — those idols of the right and the left — reliably secure such work for us. Everyone is rightly concerned about economic growth on the one hand or unemployment and wages on the other, but the character of work doesn’t figure much in political debate. Labor unions address important concerns like workplace safety and family leave, and management looks for greater efficiency, but on the nature of the job itself, the dominant political and economic paradigms are mute. Yet work forms us, and deforms us, with broad public consequences.

Read the whole article here.

In Nigeria, there is such a drive for education – not because of the wonders of being educated or the exposure it affords but for the job such a qualification can bring. Education for the sake of education? Really! But with the financial meltdown and so many people losing their jobs, do those qualifications stand us in good stead? We have so many wonderful traditional hand crafts that are dying or dead…crafts passed down from generation to generation-until they gof to my own generation then book interest took over. I am not speaking against book interest, I’m only wondering what alternative we have when that qualification fails to earn us the life we desire. Do we just go for more qualifications? A Masters Degree? A PhD? What do those letters after your name signify?

I am determined that if ever a day comes when my Law degree is no good, I’ll be able to sew my way to an income. At least, I learned in Primary Social Studies that three things will ALWAYS be in demand: Food; Clothing; Shelter.

Ten Things Tuesday

It’s been ages since I did the Ten Things Tuesday meme over at Mrs. Brownstone’s. Not that I don’t have stuff to be thankful for it’s just that thinking up 10 in one go could get a bit daunting. But hey, I did it today! I’m so proud of me. So, on this fine Tuesday morning, here are 10 things I’m thankful for:

My Blogging Friends: I have been a bit cut off from my non-virtual friends especially as they are not really into the virtual stuff and since I moved back home, I’m far away from everyone else. It would have been excrutiatingly lonely if I did not have my blogging friends. Not that it’s not lonely, but it is bearable. So I want to show my appreciation to two really special people; thank you!

My Brand New Sewing Machine: NO, I haven’t bought it yet, but I’m going to get it today (hopefully) and I am so excited! For some reason I feel as though it is going to open several possibilities for me. And it’s even more special to me because I’ve been saving for this machine for a while.

My Spanking New Blog Award: If you look to the right sidebar of this blog, at the very top, you’ll notice a glittering blog award. It was a surprise gift from a good blogging friend. It has meant so much to me and I’m still so overwhelmed. Definitely made my week!

A Beautiful Weather: The weather here has been awesome; cold but not so cold that I need to be huddled up under a blanket. The air is fresh with a sort of twang! Anyway, I find it really delightful and waking up to this weather each day fills me with joy.

Great Health: Coming back home was definitely the best decision I made. After months and months, struggling with asthma I have not had one attack in 9 months! It’s incredible.

My Little Guests: I have staying at the Guest House, 18 adorable 9-11 year olds. They came over for an interview to the Mission School and they’ve been all over the place! It’s nice hearing so much noise…the Guest House feels so alive!

My New Business: Yeah, I started a new business a couple of months ago-creating and managing blogs for people. No one was more shocked than I was when I actually started making money from it – ??? It’s so not work to me; it’s what I’d do for free anyway. I’m having fun.

Family and Friends: I got to appreciate them even more when I started my business. They were amongst my first clients. And yes, the link is to a blog I created. I think I’m making a blogger about of the owner (lol)

My Sweetheart: He has been a tower of strength and support and I love that gradually, we are getting to understand each other better.

His Faithfulness: God has been ALL that to me; He has shown me his faithfulness every step of the way. I am the person I am because of His grace, His mercy, His LOVE and his faithfulness. There is no other way to end this list!

Whew! So many links – forgive me. It’s just that the list wouldn’t be complete without these linke.

So hop along to Mrs. Brownstone’s and let’s know what you are thankful for, today.

Learning a New Thing

This week I am finally taking the plunge and buying myself a sewing machine! I have been saving for some months and I have finally completed the amount I need.

Now I do not know how to sew – yet. However, I have a friend who quilts and she’s willing to teach me how to do that. She says she cannot teach me how to sew because no one taught her, she was self taught. So I’m buing a whole lot of needles (as per her advice) and I’m going to try to teach myself how to sew as I also learn how to quilt.

I have always wanted to learn how to sew – for as long as I remember. I prefer it to crocheting and knitting because with sewing you can almost immediately, begin to see what progress you are making. I get bored when I knit and crochet.

I have this funny idea that everyone should have at least one hand skill. I really can’t say where I got the idea from but it’s been with me since my early teens. I always imagined a situation where my degree was useless and I needed to make an income somehow; wouldn’t it pay if I knew a skill? So now, after years of thinking about it and talking about it, I’m finally going to be the proud owner of a sewing machine.

I don’t know if it’s possible to learn sewing online. If it is, and you know any helpful sites, I would be eternally grateful!

Something For The Week

All things are lawful unto me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of any 1 Corinthians 6:12 (KJV)

You say, “I am allowed to do anything”—but not everything is good for you. And even though “I am allowed to do anything,” I must not become a slave to anything. 1 Corinthians 6:12 (NLT)

Same verse, two different versions.

A Delightful Surprise

Flickering Firefly Award

I just got the most delightful surprise. Karin from Flickers of a Faithful Firefly just awarded me a Flickering Firefly Award! I am overwhelmed! Here is what she said:

Sharon at The Reservoir is certainly not hiding her light under a basket, but flickering for all to see! Her words teach and encourage both her readers and those people lucky enough to be in her midst.

I read that and I thought, is that me she’s taling about?

Thank you so much Karin for this. I appreciate you!