KEEP THE DISCIPLINE

I was thinking this morning.... Wow! It's another Christmas, meaning it's less than a week to a new year. Have you achieved your goals for this year or did you fall short? Can the umpire of life raise your hand that you actually won or like we say in Warri, did you fall your hand?

In 2019, one Inetimi Timaya Odon better known by his stage name Timaya, released a song titled 'I can't kill myself.' For those not familiar with the song, the chorus goes 'This life I can't kill myself, I can't kill myself, ohh I can't kill myself, Allow me to flex, oh'. In the streets, the notion was 'pidginised' to become 'I can't comma kee myself.' This song has today become one of the most negative influences on Nigerians and is at the root of what I refer to as the 'Timaya Mentality (TM).'

You started this year with a vow to embrace a healthy lifestyle. You promised to eat healthy and exercise more. You started well, avoided your favourite kponmo and borokotor and was walking an hour daily. Two months down the line, you started slowing down and by May, you looked around and said 'I can't comma kee myself,' and you went back to your old habits. Sorry, you are a victim of the 'Timaya mentality (TM).'

Many promised to be more spiritual this year. Few months down the line, they were face to face with their Achilles heels, which for some is a cold bottle of beer and others the urge to gossip. They thought for a moment, capitulated and said 'I can't comma kee myself.' Chai! They are now slaves to the Timaya mentality.

Many have been nothing but financially reckless and were at some point happy to join the Timaya choir to sing the chorus 'This life I can't kill myself o. Allow me to flex o.' They have flexed and now the year is ending with nothing to show for it.

2021 ends in 5 days and many are dying because they just couldn't hold themselves to higher standards of self discipline. Please don't kill yourself, just be self-disciplined so you can achieve greatness in the new year. 2nd Timothy 1:7 says 'For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline.'  Whatever good you've started to do just keep the discipline.

Stay hopeful. God's got your back.

Merry Christmas.

......Just the thoughts of a certain Wey Mey

PLEASE DON’T BREAK THE PEN

 

I was thinking this morning..... It's 12 days to the end of 2021 and many wise persons are currently retrospecting on the year and introspecting on what they can do differently. Though I have a magistrate in my immediate family, I've never been in a court room all my life and never knew until recently that judges break the tip or nib of their pen after sentencing an individual to death. Wow!

My sister never told me about this practice, maybe because she has never sentenced anyone to death. 'Why would judges break the pen?' I wondered. I found out two reasons why. One being that judges symbolically break the nib of their pen after sentencing a man to death so that the pen which is used to sign a person's life away will not be used to do that ever again. Another reason is that after writing or signing the death sentence, the judges have no power to review or revoke the judgement he has passed. Wow!

As I reflected on both reasons, I thought about 2021 and how so many have sentenced their offenders to emotional and psychological death. How? You may wonder. You had a bestie who offended you and you swore never to forgive nor speak to that person again. As far as you are concerned, that person is dead to you. You did not only sentence the person, you broke the pen.

There are some whom their parents had treated so badly and they are so hurt. They cut ties with their parents and assume them dead.

With six days to Christmas and twelve days to a new year, I beg you, do not break the pen used in signing the sentence you passed on your parents, siblings or friends because you were offended. Rather, review and revoke the judgement and start 2022 on a clean slate. Hebrews 8:12 'For I will be merciful toward their iniquities, and I will remember their sins no more.'

Stay hopeful. God's got your back.

Happy Sunday and merry Christmasis advance.

......Just the thoughts of a certain Wey Mey

THIS IS MAGICAL

 

I was thinking this morning..... about the magic of nature. With 19 days to year end, no doubt 2021 has been very stressful for many. While many may be suffering from 'Zoom fatigue' with the marathon online meetings that have become their life, others are just worn out physically. For me, the burial I attended at Akure last weekend afforded me an opportunity for a 'staycation' since Covid restrictions are preventing vacations.

Our day started when we took a short ride (about 24km) from Akure to the ancient town of Idanre, location of the famous Idanre hills. The sheer sight of hills on both sides of the road as we entered the town gave away how beautiful and breathtaking nature could be. No wonder, the son of Oduduwa that first discovered the magnificent range of hills was provoked to exclaim 'Idan ree!', meaning 'This is magic' in yoruba.

To kick start our adventure, we started at 'Ibi Akasu' at the base of the hill and climbed 682 steps to the top with 5 resting points. At the peak of the hill standing at about 3000 feet above sea level, the view of the new town was just stunning. As I stood with hands akimbo looking at the ancient town below, like Oduduwa's son, I shouted 'Idan ree!'.

At the top, we visited the Old Primary School, Igbo Ore elementary primary school built in 1896, and the first customary court built in 1906. When I saw how the hills were elaborately designed with one mimicking the face of a chimpanzee and others neatly arranged on each other, I asked 'who arranged these rocks?' With no response, I bellowed 'Idan ree!'.

Truly Idanre hills is not for the faint hearted. During the adventure, our tour guide gave us a simple instruction not to look back while ascending nor look up when descending. One of us made light the instructions and looked up on our way downhill. The view was so frightening that she froze and became a pillar, but this time not of salt like Lot's wife. When we finally got downhill, we laughed and my young wife said, 'now I understand why Lot's wife became a pillar of salt when she did not obey a simple instruction not to look back.'

The four hours we spent at Idanre hills was very soothing confirming the saying that nature is the antidote to fatigue and stress. Interact with nature by smelling a flower, listen to birds sing or go hiking because Psalm 147:8-9 says 'He covers the heavens with clouds; prepares rain for the earth; he makes grass grow on the hills.' In this season, if you can't afford a vacation, go for a staycation and if that is not possible, then try a 'solocation.' Whatever it is, find time to unwind and rest from all the stress.

Stay hopeful. God's got your back.

Happy Sunday.

......Just the thoughts of a certain Wey Mey

YOU JUST DON’T UNDERSTAND

I was thinking this morning..... in that Lipton Tea advert, Ade, the carpenter dad was seen telling his son, Shola to come help him with the woodwork but Shola told him he was more interested in drawing. The frustrated father asked 'how are you going to be part of the business if you don't learn?' and his son responded 'you just don't understand.'

That was my situation as I sat at the Service of Songs for the mother of a brother and friend at Akure days ago. Though I had the hymnal booklet raised, I can see the letters and words as written, yet I couldn’t understand what they meant, because it was written in yoruba. When the priest stood up to speak, I leaned forward hoping that finally I will flow with the event, but to my surprise, sound was made which I couldn't understand. Why is that so? Again, he was speaking yoruba and I just don't understand.

You can listen and hear and still don't understand. When your 6 months old child speaks incomprehensible words sometimes in the midst of sobs, some will say the child is speaking gibberish. No, they are not. We just don't understand.

The world is in a terrible mess today because we just don't understand ourselves. If you are married and treat your spouse badly, you just don't understand that you are hindering your prayers. Many parents still don't understand their children. Your child is home with you but withdrawn. He hardly speaks to anyone and only enjoys the company of himself. You think he is quiet? No! You just don't understand. Probe deeper to know why. The Dowen College, Lekki incident should teach you a lesson.

Seeking to understand is a much more greater virtue than listening. Stephen Covey defines this as the fifth habit in his bestselling book, "7 Habits of Highly Effective People." It's critical: Seek first to understand, then to be understood.

If you are married, strive to understand your spouse, because it could save your marriage. If you are a parent, seek to understand your children. Prov 4:7b says 'With all thy getting, get understanding.'

Stay hopeful. God's got your back.

Happy Sunday.

......Just the thoughts of a certain Wey Mey