This song was written by the worship and multicultural ministries pastor at my church and he’s the one singing in the video above. The song doesn’t sound like it usually does because at church there are a ton of other instruments and singers accompanying the instruments. The words are great!

So, what am I giving God the praise for this week?

1. For the way my parents love me. I have never doubted their love for me, and this feeling just grows. The older I get the closer I feel to my parents. I am so thankful for who they are and how devoted they are to my siblings and I. I am truly blessed.
2. The unbelievable generosity of my friends. I signed up to raise $1,000 for a cause dear to my heart (finding a cure for diabetes) and my deadline to raise this money is May 26, four months from today. Already my generous friends have helped me reach 39% of my goal. Every time I get a notification of another donation my heart just swells. By supporting me financially these people are also supporting my upcoming 5K run/walk and I am so motivated to train my heart out.
3. My “just enough and not too much” house. My colleague told me about a cute book with the title Just Enough and Not Too Much that teaches kids to be happy with what they have and to not want more things than they actually need because a cluttered life is often not a happier one. Although the book is for kids we can all learn that lesson. My two-bedroom house has plenty of room for me, but I have this tendency to be a packrat, to the point that I’ve been telling myself that I need a bigger house. But will that encourage more of my packrat behaviour? Probably, which will lead to me being grumpier and stressed (that’s what having too much stuff does to me!).
4. My church. I’ve been going to this church for just over a year and I feel freer and more able to express myself at this church than I did in my old church that I attended for 20 years. I know that my former church must have prepared me in some way for this church but it’s still so great to feel this way. The sermons too are really good (though I need to work on applying them).
5. People who are following their dreams and making things happen, because they inspire me. One really can go from having an idea, to posting pictures of it or publicizing it to Facebook, to registering a company or buying a storefront. I was very excited to see someone reaching the next stage in accomplishing their life goal.
6. Unanswered prayers, even though I’m disappointed by the answer. It’s funny because I don’t know if I actually feel thankful for this quite yet…but I hear you should give thanks in all circumstances so I’m trying this on for size!

I hope you have plenty to be thankful for! To close, here’s another original song by Pastor Paulo.

I’m really excited about what 2012 has in store for all of us. The sermon at church last Sunday was the perfect start to the year, and it was called A Fresh Start. I was reminded that we should not dwell on the successes of 2011 because they’re in the past. So if 2011 was the most phenomenal year ever, thank God for it but look ahead to 2012! We’re also not supposed to dwell on the failures of 2011 either because that will hold us back from progressing in 2012. So for all those goals that I’ve had since the inception of this blog in 2008 (yikes!), that I haven’t yet acted upon or achieved, I can no longer beat myself up about them. Even when I see other bloggers doing big things that I want to do, I have to look forward to 2012 and to making those goals happen this year. I have a lot more to say about that!

For now, let me share some things that I am thankful for:

1. That my father is home, even though it’s because he’s on leave for a not-so-great reason. He’s doing everything he can to get well and I am trusting God that my Daddykins will be healed.
2. That my sister is enjoying her new job. It’s a short contract that should end next month, but we’re hopeful that she will be retained.
3. That Babatunde, my youngest brother, is flourishing in his career, even before finishing school. He just has to fight the distraction of not letting all the opportunities that await him once he’s graduated stop him from actually graduating!
4. That my other younger brother has been rather pleasant of late (we have a complicated relationship). Things took a slight turn for the better on January 1 so I think that’s a sign!
5. For the generosity of a great friend…thank you, Allison!
6. That a friend who was supposed to travel late last year had his travel plans delayed because he was able to be there when his friend fell deathly ill and needed to be taken to the hospital. My friend was living with his friend at the time too, which I think was also part of the plan to ensure that my friend could see this serious situation and act promptly.

   I’m also thankful that his friend is getting better every day.

7. For enough to meet more than my basic needs. I got myself a new laptop and some other things I wanted recently. It is a true blessing to be able to do these things for myself once in a while.
8. For an upcoming collaboration that I’m nervous but also excited about. EEEEEEEeeeeeeeek! I squeal (out loud) every time I think about it.

What are YOU thankful for?

(And yeah, I know that image is not much of one but at least it’s a picture right? I did say I wanted to post more pictures with my posts!)

1. My sister’s help with a party I hosted last weekend. I could not have done it without her.
2. The new nose pads on my glasses. It’ll seem trivial to you until the nose pads of your glasses fall off, trust me!
3. Libraries. By not buying books I have a bigger budget for ijekuje (junkfood…bad I know!).
4. The lack of snow. Yes, Christmas is coming but without slushy snow everywhere it is so much easier to get around. I appreciate it!
5. My mother. She’s just incredible and SO LOVING and GIVING! I don’t know how she does it.
6. Time spent with girlfriends last week and weekend.
7. Time spent with friends every Friday…it’s relaxing and there’s no pressure to do anything but sit around and just chill. It’s very much welcome after a busy week.
8. A computer mouse. I really dislike using the laptop trackpad…who’s with me?
9. Christmas cards received in the mail…they always brighten my day!
10. WhatsApp, a smartphone app that lets me talk to friends who use smartphones without incurring charges. By “talk” I mean “message”; you can’t talk on the phone for free with the app. I like it better than other messengers though because you can keep the window open indefinitely; it’s basically one incredibly long conversation.
11. Healthier hair…I haven’t seen a split end in ages. I don’t enjoy the extra time needed to deep condition but thankfully I can see the results so that makes it worth it.

Most of my closest friends and colleagues don’t believe in God. While I don’t know if it’s my job to personally play a role in them changing their beliefs, I do know that my life should be a witness: the way that I live my life should make those I come into contact with wonder what I have going on that makes me so grateful, loving, and good to others (among other things). Sadly, I don’t think that I am doing a good job of that, but that’s ok because one thing I know is that I’m not perfect and by bringing my imperfection to light it makes me aware of areas where I can improve. When I think of some of my challenges and how I have contemplated dealing with them, I have to say that my colleagues have often advised me in ways that are far more God-honouring than my original plan. I am thankful that God sends me examples of how I should behave, and I find it remarkable that these examples themselves aren’t people who believe in Him.

What are you thankful for?

Here’s my list:

1. My cousin had a bouncing baby boy (hehe, why don’t we call baby girls ‘bouncing’?)! She, her husband, and our family have been praying for a baby for them for a while so the whole family is just thrilled.
2. The pot of stew that my mom made for me, with dried fish from Nigeria from my grandma! I can’t wait to have it with some rice.
3. Friends who give me good advice and a different (and helpful!) perspective on issues I’m dealing with.
4. My friend’s safe arrival in the UK to join her husband! (I’m also happy (for them) about all the smooching and loving that they’re both getting as a result of this reunion!)
5. The ability of certain Yinka Ayefele and Tope Alabi songs to lift my spirits when I’m feeling down.
6. That my brother is feeling better. I think he has strep throat or something: he couldn’t breathe and couldn’t swallow. He was pretty miserable but thanks to some medication he’s feeling better.
7. The upcoming Christmas party that I’m hosting. Everything is a mess and I’ll be stressed as the day gets closer but I do love organizing things for a party.
8. Black Friday! My friend and I will be leaving for some shopping later in the day and we hope to get some deals. For me the real thrill is the trip to the States and checking out the deals; I don’t usually buy much.

*Mo dupe means “I give thanks” in Yoruba

I’m thankful:

1. The elder of my two younger brothers turned 25 years old a few weeks ago. He’s such a smart guy but he needs to be reminded on a regular basis that he can be anything and do anything he wants to do (as long as he’s willing to work at it) so please say a prayer for him.
2. My youngest brother applied for and got an amazing 30-week job opportunity as a Windows Leader. He gets a free laptop and an all-expenses paid trip to the big city for the weekend (for training) and he gets picked up from the airport in a limo with three other people selected from our area! I’m sure the experience will be one of his fondest memories of 2011. I am the proud older sister, that’s for sure (and I want his old laptop…hehehe…actually I plan to convince him to give it to my mom!).
3. The string of green lights I got while driving to the bus stop this morning. Even though I wasn’t running late it’s still a lovely treat.
4. The gift of a new day. Every day that I wake up is a true gift and I appreciate it.
   

5. That my mom travelled to visit my dad and returned safely. That any concerns experienced during the trip did not have significant repercussions. That my parents love each other to bits.
6. That the lack-of-heat problem at my parents’ house is resolved…for now. Anybody have $6,000 for a new furnace?
7. Unanswered prayers. My colleague watched a Joel Osteen show on this topic and she said it reminded her of a situation that I’m going through, so she invited me to watch it with her. I enjoyed it and I will make a more conscious effort to be thankful when things don’t go as I wished. Some things he said were “Nothing can happen without God’s permission”, “Things don’t happen against me but for me”, and “The open and closed doors have been orchestrated by God”. Also, look at things not as a setback, but as a setup. It was a timely reminder.
8. An unseasonably warm November. Winter will not pass us by but at least we’re being eased into it v-e-r-y slowly.

What are you thankful for?

I am disappointed with myself that I have not posted my letter to my future spouse on my single ladies blog. The entry is done but the format of the post is something I’m struggling with. Hopefully I’ll take time during the weekend to work on it.

Additionally, I am thankful for some other things:

• My sister got a better job! It’s a short-term contract position to start but we’re praying that this will be the start of something bigger and much longer in duration. It’s a great start to her 30th year of life! I’m also thankful to my friend who allowed me to send my sister’s resume to her so she could forward it to the people in charge of hiring.
• I have good friends who care about me and build me up when I’m feeling down, and that includes you! Thank you for the responses on my last post and the care I read in your comments.
• Material blessings. Whenever I get into my car I smile and I remind myself that it’s just a thing. But it still makes me smile.
• Inspiration. I seem to find it everywhere! I haven’t acted on it yet but by God’s grace I will sooner rather than later. I must carve out time for what I need to do instead of lazing about during the evenings.
• Life. There have been quite a few “senseless” deaths in my city in the past week (two accidents and a suicide come immediately to mind) and I am thankful that I am alive. I was watching Oprah’s Lifeclass and she was talking about how she appreciates every birthday because she knows many who didn’t live to a certain age. I am so thankful that I realized how blessed I am in this regard some years back. I am truly thankful every morning that I open my eyes (I often smile to myself and say “Thank you, God”), even if I groan at the thought of going to work or even if my 32 year old face no longer looks dewy fresh. Life is a gift! Please be thankful that you’ve made it to another day.

What are you thankful for? Nothing is too small to list.

It’s been a little while since I did a thankful post. I’m thankful:

• that I was able to help throw a moderately successful Nigerian independence day event, even though it was planned in a short timeline and I was very angry with my fellow Board members for much of last week. God still blessed our efforts (and prevented me from killing anyone!). Bonus: I met happybbb/Alice and Lohi_O, albeit briefly! They are lovely girls (and too cool for GNG).
• discretionary income. Of course it’s a good idea to save money but I am grateful that once in a while I can indulge in a new shirt, grande peppermint white chocolate mocha (no whip, no foam), or lunch. This is a privilege and I appreciate it.
• that not all dreams come true. I’ve had some bad dreams in the past month that have scared me but I’m thanking God in advance for not making them a reality.
• for other people’s patience with me. I’m a terrible multitasker so when I’ve got a lot going on I can’t seem to keep blogging. As well there are people who are waiting for email replies from me and I’m thankful for their patience and the grace with which I know they’ll accept my delayed response.
• good advice. I receive so much of it…and I feel blessed.

***

Aloted babe tagged me and challenged me to blow my trumpet and come up with 10 positive things about myself.

1. I’m helpful and generally willing to help out with anything.
2. I’m very resourceful and can think well on the spot, especially when it’s related to decorating.
3. I don’t hate anybody…life’s too short for that.
4. I care about people and am interested in their lives. I’m blessed with the ability to connect with people. I attract people, even though…I guess I can’t say it because it wouldn’t be positive!
5. I’m sensitive and can be moved to tears easily. I see this as a strength as it means I am not afraid to be vulnerable.
6. I have superb attention to detail.
7. I genuinely like my personality, every silly aspect of it. My sister imitates a speech I gave her once about this very point and it always cracks me up.
8. I have difficulty staying angry.
9. My ears are so cute.
10. I am a good baker.

It wasn’t easy to come up with the list because this isn’t an exercise that we regularly do but we should! It reminds me of a YouTube video about a young girl in the mirror who was filmed doing her daily affirmation:

Imagine how positive your every day would be if you started it off like that!

This month has been so rich with things to be thankful for and there are other things that I’ve probably forgotten to recognize. On the other side, the loss of life always makes me somber and this week I learned of two people passed away: one was one of my grandmother’s closest friends (may she rest in peace) and the other was a leader of one of the political parties in our country. I have to admit I was particularly touched by this latter passing because people who manage to show a brave and optimistic face in the light of their battle with cancer always blow me away. Rest in peace, Jack Layton. He left a letter to Canadians which touched me.

1. Today is my incredible father’s birthday. He has faced many challenges this year so I am thankful that he has made it to another year. Please pray for him, that this new year he’s entering would be one of answered prayers with regard to his employment situation, impeccable health, and freedom from those things that cause him stress. I will always consider it my extreme honour to have been placed by God in this family as my Daddy’s daughter.
2. My mother celebrated her birthday last month. I’ve talked about her before, and asked for prayers for her before because she faces health challenges, but I’m regularly blown away by how she always manages to keep her high energy and optimistic nature. I tear up just thinking about the pain she endures daily without letting on: she’s always thinking about others and how we’d feel knowing she’s in pain, rather than allowing herself to be the one that is cared for. My father was not able to be there for her birthday (I mentioned very briefly in May that a family member moved; it was my dad) but we managed to find a way to make my mom’s birthday special. Her gift from me was a train ticket so she could spend almost two weeks with my dad and they enjoyed that.
3. My mom is healing from the surgery she had on her hand at the end of June. The surface is healing slowly but surely but the inside is taking longer to heal. Some dear friends have suggested physiotherapy so I’ll do my part to explore that option.
4. I bought a car! I have had it in my possession for three days and I love it. It’s my baby right now: I’m trying to keep it from getting dented or scratched. Sometimes I laugh at myself because if I’m acting like this over a car, imagine how crazy I will be over a child of mine? The car should be completely mine in four years (maybe one day I’ll be able to pay cash for a car!) so I will have to be disciplined in my spending moving forward. The whole car purchasing process was emotional for me and I could not have done it without my family’s support. I know a big girl like me should not need to count on anyone else but guess what? I choose to.
5. We (well, my parents) are hosting the family that have graciously allowed us to stay with them when we land in Lagos. The whole family (six people in total) are here for a few days in what I’m calling their “North American tour” and I just know we’re going to have a good time. The husband and wife are so generous with their time and money yet so down to earth. You don’t often meet people with that kind of humility, especially growing up with the blessings they have. They live in a society where showiness and flaunting of riches is en vogue so for them to be so low-key is refreshing.
6. My dear friend Chiddy who has been reading my blogs since 2005 or so (in the days before this blog) has arrived safely in the USA. I’m so thankful that her travels went well, without any mishap.
7. The church I have been attending for the past nine months or so has been such a blessing. I feel challenged whenever I walk out of the doors of the church, after a sermon. The music speaks to my soul; like my mom said you can’t help but reflect on the words you’re singing and often tears will stream down my face while singing certain songs. The sermon yesterday was about how we have a responsibility to share the good news of Jesus with others. I have always shirked my duty in this regard because I’m more afraid of what someone (a non-God-believing friend or colleague) will think of me if I tell them about my beliefs, instead of being focused on what God will think if I don’t use an opportunity presented to me to share with others. I also worry that with my many bad qualities that my life just won’t be enough of an example for them to want to be a believer too…gotta work on that.

   The pastor who preached told us that if we think this belief in God thing is so great, why wouldn’t we want to share it with others? This makes complete sense because if you found out about a place giving a great deal on something, you’d want to let others know right?

   I have to admit I like how Nigerian culture has God wrapped up in it. Even those who are going through the motions and don’t really believe in God have at least had exposure to people who believe in God, which I think makes it easier.

It is bedtime for this thankful and blessed girl.

Birthdays
I added another year to my life a week and a half ago and I’m very thankful for the honour of continuing to live on this earth. The older I get, the more time I spend reflecting on my life and when I think about my age (thirty-two; yikes!) and what I thought I would have accomplished by now, I’m disappointed with myself but as long as I’m alive I’ve got hope! My wish for this year is to finally get a car.

Restored friendships
I meant to follow up on this sooner. Remember the situation I had with a friend regarding awkwardness related to a guy who liked my sister? Soon after I posted the entry my friend contacted me and after exchanging a few emails (very useful for collecting one’s thoughts and understanding each other’s point of view) and speaking on the phone several times, things are good. We both had to work hard to get full reconciliation and I’m glad that we were able to sort things out. These sorts of things can ruin friendships for life so my relief that it did not happen in this case is huge. I’m thankful that we both valued our friendship more than being right.

Support
One of my closest friends has supported me by donating her time to helping with the Nigerian Blog Awards and I am so thankful for that. It’s a shame that you can’t see what she’s doing behind the scenes but her computer skills have been invaluable over the last couple of months. The best part is she keeps saying “Next year we’ll do this…”, meaning she hasn’t found me too demanding and that she’s enjoying what she’s doing. And she loves me :).

I was trying to debug something related to the awards a few days ago and I was getting frustrated. When I get frustrated, I cry (even at the age of 32). My mom was upstairs but she could sense my frustration so she came down to where I was and just sat with me. As I talked to myself and tested things, she asked how things were going and made suggestions when I sighed over something that wasn’t working. She had no idea exactly what I was doing but just having her there, knowing she believed I’d sort things out and knowing she’d help me if she could was so special. Of course her support was all the help I needed from her.

Friends made through blogging
I cannot believe how many close friendships have developed all because of blogging. It’s been amazing to meet people that I feel as close as family to. I’m also grateful for how technology has played a role in these friendships, allowing more frequent communication and providing an easy way to keep in touch with one another. Resources that are making my communications better are Rebtel (which has best rates for calling Nigeria from North America that I’ve found—8.4 cents per minute) and Nimbuzz (the app is free if you have a smart phone and you can call another Nimbuzz user for free).

The power of prayers
How many times have you prayed hard for something you didn’t know for sure would happen? And then it happens and maybe you remember to give thanks that things went as you were praying they would. But sometimes you might forget to give thanks; I know I do many times. I am grateful that my prayers still get answered. And speaking of, my mom needs your prayers again. She will be having surgery on her hand in less than twelve hours and I just pray that her surgeon will be skilled, her healing quick, and the procedure effective. Would you join me in wishing her the same? Thank you in advance (because I know you will).

What are you thankful for?