Legacy of faith

" I don't care whether my great grandchildren know my name or not... but there is a name. A name that is above every other name. A name that I would like them to know. because knowing that name will be the difference between life and death. " 
- Pete Bradbury (paraphrase)

I just want to take this time to say thank you to Daddy and mummy:

You see... I have not always appreciated my Christian heritage because when I was growing up I sometimes felt like it contributed severely to me being a misfit. I can remember a gazillion TV shows which everyone would be talking about at school that had been "banned" in our home. From Riviera to Sunset Beach and even Generations!!!(seriously??!) I even remember the time Daddy sat to watch Friends with us and when the show was over, he asked us to turn off the TV(which he called "the box") and discuss what we had learnt! (Aby's lessons were the best! Claiming to have learnt the opposite of what was being portrayed on the screen e.g "I learnt NOT to have sex before marriage" :-D hehehehehe)

Anyway... I also felt like because of you, many of my friends did not think I could not really understand many of their challenges at home. I would be kept out of conversations because "what did I know anyway?"

But I see clearer now. And I thank you.
Thank you for being exemplary. The faith you spoke about in public is the faith we saw at home. From how you dealt with the house-helpers (who in our home are called Domestic assistants and could even get rank promotions!) to the way you disciplined us. Your faith was never a show. It was real. I could see how it affected your lives. How it affected how you dealt with people from all walks of life.

Thank you for not being afraid to be vulnerable. Not hiding your weakness from us. Sharing even your doubts and struggles in the faith. Listening to you ask God "why" while still coming back to Him helps me overcome my doubts and struggles because I knew that even real Christians can struggle. And as we have grown older, you have increasingly opened up to us about many of your challenges in work, calling, marriage, finances, shared your lives with us and allowed us to really see you.

You have given many things to us but there is nothing more valuable than this faith. I am truly grateful that you shared your faith which is your life. Thinking of you I can confidently say that walking with Jesus does make a difference in life! I want to be like you when I grow up! Help me Jesus, I still falter way too much.

Thank you Lord for Daddy. Thank you for mummy. Thank you for Daddy and Mummy.

Work it!

This is how it starts..

       

But it can become this:

Does it take time, patience? Yes.

Does it take work, effort? Yes

(This seems pretty obvious huh? Yes)

Is the process the same for every plant type? No! Some people even get grafts to get them started but others, seeds.

Alright Grace, you know what you gotta do!

"Don't spend time praying for fruit when you are holding the seed in your hand. Its time to work it!" 
T.D Jakes (paraphrase)

May God help us to maximise the opportunities and gifts that He has given us, to do the work that is required to grow and become better so that we shall not be like that third servant that Jesus talks about in the Parable of the talents (Matthew 25:14-30). That even when it seems scary knowing how many things COULD go wrong, we shall step out in faith and do what we need to do.


Special thanks to google images for some of the pics captioned here;-)

Learning to be okay..

There are times that I read words that I just cant shake; such as the passage below which is an excerpt from Paul's letter to the Philippians: 

"How I praise the Lord that you are concerned about me again. I know you have always been concerned for me, but you didn’t have the chance to help me. Not that I was ever in need, for I have learned how to be content with whatever I have. I know how to live on almost nothing or with everything. I have learned the secret of living in every situation, whether it is with a full stomach or empty, with plenty or little. For I can do everything through Christ,[a] who gives me strength."

I still don't really know how to be okay regardless.
Whether people "get" me or not
Whether I excel  or not
Whether I have what I want or not
Whether I am here or not

Here refers to more than just Australia(geographical location) to include where I am at within myself, where I feel like I fit (or don't) within the society, where I am in my journey of life with reference to where I want to be...

Paul says he learnt "the secret" of living in every situation. It seems he learnt it so much that even though change was welcome, he was okay without it. Eh!!!! How do I be like that????

I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.
I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.
I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.

I am learning that that involves some of the stuff that Paul speaks about earlier in the chapter: 

Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done.  Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.

I am still learning. 

Speaking of learning.. there is this song! Do have a listen when you can. Not sure if these pretty girls still find time to sing together...But they are damn good!

Have a lovely end of week.

Marriage Foxes and Boxes

"Quick! Catch all the little foxes before they ruin the vineyard of your love, for the grapevines are all in blossom."

Song of Songs 2:15

Our wedding anniversary was about a week ago. I am still very excited that we have made two years in marriage - Yaaaay :-) I took sometime out to pray cause my heart was a bit heavy and I realised the bu foxes that were trying to disturb our vineyard. Thankfully, I have started chasing them nga bukyali. It is kinda hard to explain but I have tried and written about it below. For the first time ever, the husband is featuring on the blog in person!!! (He commented after I showed him my writing and I decided to include it :-) 

I pray that God will help you to see the things that could ruin your wonderful relationships so that you can face them and sort them and your love can blossom. Sometimes they can be really small things like sand in shoes...

Grace's Jazz:

No, you don't fit
You never have
The edges are too straight
The height is not right
You don't fit in that box

Or even in the other boxes that I read about on facebook
Or in romantic novels
Or in magazines or newspapers
No
You don't fit there either

Why do I keep forgetting this?
I guess maybe it's because I just find myself comparing you to what I have known
Or what I have come to expect
My extrapolations of my previous experiences
Or even those of my friends
Are projected onto you my love

I know that when you look at me
You see no cardboard
You see me
Strong and weak
Beautiful and ugly
You see me

I am sorry
For not stripping the cardboard
And seeing you for who you are
You
My love and the desire of my heart

The husband's reply:
I am happy that I do not fit in a box
I fit with you
I wasn't made for the box :-)