Thursday 30 August 2012

TREND OR CRAZE, OR BOTH?


                               

I know Nigerians to be stylish people who like to go with the trend. This is good. However, they tend to move towards an extreme. They usually 'overcopy'. How else can I describe the recent craze of Colour blocking that has taken over the streets. We now see Ladies dressed in outrageous combinations of different colours, especially primary colours. Oh, and the men are not left out. They tag along with the trend.

This one is just an assault on the eyes!
Personally, I've never been one to follow fashion trends. This is probably because I can't afford to change my wardrobe as often as trends change. Or maybe I'm just not that stylish. However, the average Nigerian does not want to be seen as unstylish. What is now called Colour blocking was what we called Colour rara( Colour riot) in school. This was a serious fashion offence, which if you were caught committing, would earn you some ridicule.What used to be an anomaly is now the norm. Anyway, Colour blocking comes in handy for me when I need to wear a particular pair of shoes and do not have a matching bag to go with. See, it ain't all bad. If only we would do it right.

clr blk2 300x237 Assault Of The Colours
Here's doing it right!

Thought this view might be less of an assault on your eyes :)
I cannot end this piece without also talking about the new trend of Skinnies for men. Just when I am yet to come to terms with Ladies wearing them tights and jergens  with tight, short tops, the men, especially the young adults and teenagers decided that they want to adopt the trend. While I'd have to admit that some of them look good in skinnies,I still see a lot of guys looking funny in their crotch-hugging skinnies. Those are the worst!

Oh! I wont also forget the Brazillian, Peruvian, Indian and all the 'ian' hair madness. I have nothing against wearing weaves made from all sorts of human hair, gotten all over the world. Whatever rocks your boat. But, I do have a problem with people over-doing it. Now, wearing a ridiculously long weave made from ANOTHER PERSON'S hair is not a nice trend, if you ask me. Moderation is key.

Well, enough of my rantings for now. We all know, it's been a crazy month in the news. We however, thank God for the gift of life, His blessings and pray that He continues to keep us from harm. On that note, I leave you with this great song. I danced to it all morning and night yesterday.
Catch ya......................

Monday 27 August 2012

Prayers Needed!

Debbie
Welcome to Linda Ikeji's Blog: Debbie has breast cancer and needs your help urgen...: Idiagbonya Osarere Debbie is a medical technician who is suffering from 4th grade Invasive Ductal Carcinoma - cancer of the breast and its ...

Funmi Lawal
Na wa o! God help us all. What's with young people having cancer? Few weeks ago it was news of Funmi Lawal with cancer. Now it's Debbie. What is going on? These are both young adults. Breast cancer does not know age again? It's really scary o. Considering I don't take the whole breast examination thing serious. God no gree o.
Meanwhile, please let's all try to help Debbie any way we can. In donation or in prayers. While we are at it let's pray that God will protect us and ours from all these diseases that are roaming about looking for bodies to enter.

Thursday 23 August 2012

WHAT'S THE STANDARD?


Before now, it was the norm to wait till you were married before having sex. In fact, it was an abomination not to. However, today the reverse is the case. If you are single and not having sex, you are considered weird! Below, you'll find what singles think of having sex. But really, what's the standard?
Read on.................

INTIMATE CONFESSIONS OF SINGLES
Hey, compared to Jerry Springer guests, I’m doing OK!
“I was married before so it’s unrealistic to expect me not to have sex.”
"Everyone in the singles group sleeps around.”
“I’m 40 years old and just want to be bad for awhile.”
“I’m so inexperienced, it will be a problem.”
“Surely God doesn’t expect me to go through life without sex.”
“Sexual sin is not unforgivable.”
“God made me sexual. It would be a cruel joke not to act on it.”
"Is it realistic to be a virgin?”
“We did everything but intercourse. I think that’s OK.”
“We had oral sex. That doesn’t count.”
“I know it’s wrong, but…”
“If you love someone, sex is OK.”
Raise your hand if you identify with any of these comments. They come from Christian singles. OK, put your hand down and let’s talk. Many Christian singles (and married people for that matter) have lowered their sexual standards. They have allowed the thinking of the culture to seep into the church and their personal lives. As a result, sin gets redefined.
Do not compare your sexual behavior to that of Jerry Springer guests, soap opera stars, “Friends” (the television show or the real deal), your neighbors, or your boss. Because if you do, you‘ll look like an angel.
You need to compare your behavior to the Word of God. What does the Bible say about sex outside of marriage? It says do not do it. We have standards to uphold regardless of how out of date they may appear.
God did not give us these standards to punish us or make us suffer. He created sex and is fully aware of the oneness of union that happens when two people become sexually involved. He also knows that the oneness operates best in the context of marriage.
Now I realize staying sexually pure is a tough thing to do in today’s climate. We are bombarded with sexual images and temptations daily. The amount of sexual material that you encounter just living your life gives new meaning to the idea of guarding your thoughts. It is an incredibly difficult task to guard your heart and mind.
So, prepare yourself to resist temptation. God would not ask you to do something and then not equip you to do it. It’s a tough assignment in today’s market to live up to biblical standards, but it’s not impossible.

_____________________________________________
Dr. Mintle – author, professor, Approved Supervisor and Clinical member of the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy – is a speaker and media personality, as well as a licensed clinical social worker with over twenty years in psychotherapy practice.
Linda S. Mintle, Ph.D. - Living The Life
Well, she's told you................

Wednesday 15 August 2012

FOR SINGLE LADIES ONLY!


Yes, this for all the single ladies waiting for the Prince who would end their wait. I want to share two great songs with you; the lyrics and videos that I could lay my hands on. Read, watch, listen and be encouraged. I know he's bounding over the hills just to get to you!




"Average Girl"
So what I'm not your average girl
I don't meet the standards of this world
Chasing after boys is not my thing
See I'm waiting for a wedding ring

No more dating
I'm just waiting
Like sleeping beauty
My prince will come for me
No more dating I'm just waiting
'Cause God is writing my love story

Boys are bad that's certainly not true
'Cause God's preparing one for you
If you get tired waiting till he comes
Gods arms are the perfect place to run

Sleep that's the only thing
For me 'cause when I sleep Gods
Preparing one for me




Average Girl is by Barlow Girl and it certainly spoke to me.





This next video is of a song by Fireflight titled: 
"For Those Who Wait"


This is for those who wait

Another day, another waiting game
A little different but it's still the same
I am here, but where's the one I'm longing for?
I'm having trouble feeling all alone
Will my heart ever find a home?
I want to hope but sometimes I just don't know
I know I'm not the only one

[Chorus:]
So we sing a lullaby to the lonely hearts tonight
Let it set your heart on fire, let it set you free
When you're fighting to believe
In a love that you can't see
Just know there is a purpose
For those who wait

I want to open up my eyes
I know that all I need is time
I'm growing stronger every single day
God, I'm going to lean into You now
Letting go of all my fear and doubt
I can't do this on my own so I'll give You control
I know I'm not the only one

[Chorus]

The pressure makes us stronger
The struggle makes us hunger
The hard lessons make the difference
The pressure makes us stronger
The struggle makes us hunger
The hard lessons make the difference
And the difference makes it worth it

So we sing a lullaby to the lonely hearts tonight
Let it set your heart on fire, let it set you free
When you're fighting to believe
In a love that you can't see
Just know there is a purpose
For those who wait...
(Set your heart on fire...)
This is for those who wait...



                             While you wait, don't worry. Yours is definitely coming!

Monday 13 August 2012

I AM NOT MY HAIR?



Natural......the first time
Yeah, I’m going natural……….with my hair. I started to get tired of relaxed hair in 2010. Oh, my relaxed hair was fine. I trimmed it often, cut it even. In fact, the scissors was my friend. But, looking at it just didn’t bring me satisfaction. I would take a look at my hair while it’s being done in the salon and say ‘I want to cut my hair’. My hair stylist would look at me with surprise. ‘Don’t cut it o’, she would say. She would tell me my hair was long, full and the colour was okay. Why did I want to cut it? I was tired of it, that’s why. My inner self no longer agreed with the hair. You know, I’d see people with great relaxed hair and think to myself how good it looked on the person but not want it for myself. Then, I would see another person with natural, unrelaxed hair and almost swoon. I would try so hard not to stare. I would wish I had hair like that. So, I started the journey to acquiring hair like that. I put away relaxer. For almost a year I did not put relaxer in my hair. I gr
If I had to choose a trade mark hair do,it would be this!
ew out my natural hair while fixing and braiding, then I cut off the relaxed part. Oh my happiness, when I could finally wear my hair natural, the way it grew out of my scalp. It was not even hard to manage. Moisturiser was the key. I wore my hair in a banded afro and I was proud of it. But, my happiness was short-lived. Law School came calling. I was due for Law School that year and as I’d been told, the first  Law dinner was held  a few weeks after resumption. What would I do with my hair? My friends and mum started to ask me. How was I going to look at the famous dinner with my hair? Even as I considered my options, I knew I did not want to go back to straight hair. My stylist suggested I blew out my hair with Sporting Waves Relaxer. However, after plenty of thought I decided to settle for ‘Jerry Curls’. Yes, you heard me. The first relaxer application did not go well. Few minutes after the relaxer was applied, my head was on fire. I just couldn’t take it. The relaxer had to be washed off after barely five minutes but it managed to straighten my hair some. However, I could not get the Jerry curl that I wanted. Instead, I got the straight hair I did not want!
I would later get it right though. That was in Law School, before the dinner. I totally rocked the Jerry. I got stares wherever I went in School. People wanted to know if it was my hair. Girls were coming to me to find out what I did to my hair. Outside School, people asked me if I was mixed race. Well, Jerry curl was good, while it lasted. I went back to straightening relaxer when I could no longer find my Proline Cold Waves Relaxer. I would have stopped retouching right then, but the third Law Dinner ( Call to Bar Dinner) came calling. Another ‘no weaves or braids’ event.
Finally, I have stopped relaxer applications. This is my seventh month without retouching. This stage is called the Transition Stage and it’s tough but it’s either this or nothing else. I’ve got a long way to go before I become J’odie but, I’ll get there.Well, am I my hair? One thing I know is, it's one of the ways through which I express myself.

Me one week after my last retouching
My most recent hairdo

Before I went natural the first time
 Have a great week!

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