GOD'S AMAZING GRACE IN MY LIFE.....

Daily I marvel at God's amazing grace in my life. January 24th 2008, I visited my sister in Farnborough and during our chats, voiced my concerns about a cousin who was expecting a baby, and was almost two weeks past her due date. As a doctor and paediatrician, the implications of a post-date pregnancy are significant to me and I wondered whether her doctors were not considering intervening. Within the next hour I got a text from my brother in Nigeria, with the news that she had just given birth safely to a healthy baby girl, hence quelling all my anxieties.

We chatted further about stuff; friends, family, children and faith. She gave me some God-inspired insights into issues I was dealing with and I hope I did the same for her. I got home and after stuffing my face as I'm wont to do, lay in bed trying to sleep and listening to my favourite CD [or at least flavour of the month CD]. Then the words of a particular track spoke to my heart, "Seasons" by Lara George, as if confirming the dreams and desires God had planted there. No need for deep soul-searching [I do that constantly], thronging through scriptures to find a word or verse that would speak to me. No fasting [sometimes neccessary], praying or asking other christian friends to say a "prayer of agreement" with me.

As I lay in the twilight zone between sleep and wakefulness doing mundane things like listening to music, God used a song writer from Nigeria to speak to me, How awesome.....! No doubt those same words will speak to someone else, somewhere else, about something else, some other time. Who could arrange that, except our  God.... Lest I forget, He had just rescheduled a church meeting for me so I could attend another event; a global prayer session that was being held at the Westminster Chapel the following evening. The two meetings had initially coincided, and I'd pondered which to attend. I had finally decided on the church meeting, to which I owed my first committment. As I checked my emails that evening, lo and behold, the church meeting had been postponed for two hours, thus allowing me to attend the other meeting too, awesome or what???

On a more mundane level, as I'd arrived back at Waterloo Station from Farnborough, I was drawn to the "Sale" sign outside T. M  Lewin's. I went in, and browsed. Something caught my eye, an interesting shirt in pink, green and white stripes. I asked the sales assistant if they did it in a size 18 [I'm a well-rounded lady afterall]. She confirmed they did, and I remember thinking, just before I trifled through the selection, that if God wamted me to buy "that" shirt, they would have it in my size. They did have it, but I also found another lovely shirt in leaf-green , also in a size"18". What was I to do? No way was I going to buy two unbudgeted-for shirts, so I asked a sales assistant his opinion and guess which one he picked? Of course the 1st shirt; which was God's choice for me in the first place....

It may seem trivial to you, but for me, it just goes further to confirm what is becoming clearer daily. If we "let" Him, God will direct "all" our choices, imagine that....! Not only can we not go wrong, we will only have God's choices for us.....! What can top that? What a wonderous way to live?? As I've said, it's God's Amazing Grace, because I know I don't deserve any of this, but I accept it gratefully and praise God joyously all the time, Halleluiah.....!

FATHERS & FATHERHOOD...

This article was inspired by a much loved song by Luther Vandross; "Dance With My Father".

Fathers; we love, respect and cherish them. They sometimes confound and exasperate us, but we wouldn't ever be without them, at least I sure wouldn't be without mine.

The English Dictionary defines a father as; 'A male parent of a human being or animal'. I prefer the 2nd definition along; 'A man who brings up and looks after a child as if he were its male parent'. Further definitions include 'Ancestor -founder of a family', 'Founder -a man who establishes, founds, or originates'. There are several more definitions, but for the purposes of this article, I'll stick with the 2nd definition.

Fatherhood; bringing up and looking after a child, a rather onerous task, MAJOR, MAJOR RESPONSIBILITY, but when done well, ah the rewards it brings...! In todays changing world, where the traditional gender roles are in flux, the vital role of "Father", has sometimes gotten lost, downgraded [to donor of sperm], or left, like unclaimed baggage at the lost-property office. This is such a shame, I should know, cos I had and still have a fantastic relationship with my father. As an innocent trusting child growing up, as a young lady finding her place in the world, and now as a mature adult, discussing lifes issues and meanderings with him.

Guys, if you didn't know it already, you are the first hero your children, particularly your daughters will ever have...! You are the first provider, protector, teacher, knight in shining armour, your children will ever know. And you will remain so in their eyes, if the relationship is maintained and nurturted as the good Lord intended. Yes, they will come to know that you can't solve all lifes problems, that you are human and thus fallible. But they should also know that you'll always be there as a listening ear, to offer words of wisdom and support when ever the need may arise. Your principles and beliefs will form the basis on which they will build their own lives. Do you think you have laid a good enough foundation? If you have, I salute you, if you feel you have fallen slightly short, its never ever too late to improve [something we should all take note of].

I state these unchanging truths, because in todays ever so "changing" world, "the baby often gets thrown out with the bath water". Fathers roles are often disdained and overlooked, when sadly some marraiges inevitably break down. With women commanding ever more economic power [and I'm not suggesting we should return to the dark days of womens complete economic dependence], there is often the feeling that men are dispensable in the childrens lives . True, "men" may be dispensable, BUT FATHERS ARE NOT...! A man who is a "parent" has a defined role to play, and should be given every oppurtunity to live up to the task. If he fails, thats his own look out... And he will live to reap the rewards, as he has sown.

So guys, dudes, fathers, we do love, appreciate, honour, celebrate and need you, even if the world increasingly seems to suggest otherwise. And ladies, if you've got a good guy out there, a good father to your kids, do tell him so. Prompt him to pass on some of what he has learned over the years, to younger less experienced dads, as they too struggle to find and define their roles as "good" fathers. Lets not wait only until fathers day, to tell them we love and cherish them. Like us they sometimes have the need to be affirmed, in this increasingly difficult and complex world.

So to all the great fathers I know out there, and to my own father in particular, I say a big thank you, and dad I love you loads...

On my graduation day with my Dad and sister.

On holiday in my hometown with dad, during the Christmas of '93

Dad with his princesses on his 70th birthday.

The way I feel right now...

The way I feel right now, I would kick God if I came across him.

I would kick Him really, really, really hard,

On the shin bones, where it would hurt the most, or so I would hope...!

In fact since God is Spirit as we are made to believe.

I would wish that just for a moment he could become human so my kick would really have effect.

And I don't mean he becomes Jesus Christ again,

Who has already paid for our sins by his pain and suffering on earth.

I would want to inflict just a little "PAIN" on the Creator of this whole sorry mess,

as the world is today...

As you can imagine I'm rather angry with God right now,

In fact I am pissed off and seriously peeved.

I wish I could give Him a piece of my mind right now,

Which is what I'm actually doing by writing this article.

Maybe, just maybe, I'll feel better after I've vented,

Maybe by letting God know how vexed I am with him it may soothe the deep sorrow in my heart.

Because Lord [and you should know it already since you are omniscient]

You know I am SAD! SAD!! SAD!!! SAD!!!! SAD!!!!!

In fact so sad I contemplated taking my own life last night.

I just didn't have the tools or the energy to do it...

I don't even want to die [because that entails going on to another existence, heaven or hell]

I just want not to EXIST any longer, not even as a spirit entity!!!

I don't even want to go to heaven, cos I'm still so sad and angry.

And they say there is no anger in heaven, so that just won't do.

Some of you "holier-than-thou-art" types will want to castigate me for voicing my feelings,

Go ahead, I really don't give two f**** cos God knows how I feel, whether I voice it or not.

Or do you all want me to add lying to myself to the already dreadful way I feel?

I don't think so!!!

So kindly leave me and my God to sort out matters between ourselves.

Ehen God, back to you as I've said before.

I didn't ask to be created, you decided that all on your own,

Even though you were creating me to a life of pain and anguish,

A lot of it not of my own making..

That is why I will KICK you really hard if I ever get the chance.

You created the world and EVERYTHING in it, abi???

Which means you created the devil and all the EVIL, SICKNESS, ANGUISH AND HOPELESSNESS IN THE WORLD TOO!!!

I won't ask why you did, only you know your reasons,

Which is beyond any kinda reasonable comprehension to me at the moment.

But I will ask why you created ME.

I have the right to do so, or don't I???

I am just soooooo sick and tired of all this pain and anguish.

So please just let me be, just let me cease to exist, you owe me that if nothing else!!!

Otherwise just please appear before me in person and let me KICK YOU so it really hurts,

Just so you perhaps feel a little bit of how I'm hurting right now.

Otherwise you'll be a very WICKED and UNJUST creator,

Which is exactly how I'm beginning to feel at the moment...

By Christie Nonye Akumabor 05/05/10

Beautiful from inside out she is ♥♥♥

Beautiful from inside out she is, 

My strong, brave, big, black beautiful woman.

Comes in many shapes and sizes she does,

Courageous, loving, self-sacrificing, beautiful black woman

Mother to one, mother to all, those are her characteristics.

Regal is her bearing, demure her composure.

From all hues of the "beautiful black rainbow" she hails,

Ebony black, chocolate caramel, golden brown, toffee coloured and light cream,

Fat, slim, curvy or not, kinky-haired or permed,

They are all lovely, beautiful just as God created them.

Mothers of Kings, Princes, Freedom fighters and even slaves,

The beautiful strong black woman, loves with abandon.

Her love has no conditions, and she can bear any burden for love,

For the love of her man, her child, her brothers, sisters, and her tribe.

She asks for no payment in return, often receiving none as her due,

But still she loves, and loves deeply....

God gave the black woman a heart of gold, because he knew,

Hers was a heart that needed to be strong, brave, pure and long-suffering.

Brow-beaten by society, kept in bondage by norms and customs, for many a year,

The brave, beautiful black woman will not stay down,

Will never stay down.....

Like the beautiful phoenix, she arises from the ashes of her suffering,

To birth the dreams and aspirations of future generations.

Like Sarah of old, she will be given laughter for tears, joy for ashes,
Her rewards await her, in heaven if not on earth.

She does have moments of triumph however, small though they may be,

Like when her child succeeds in life and honours her,

The achievements of her man, delight her heart,

The coming of grandchildren, her crowning glory.

Strong, bold, brave, lovely, beautiful black woman, I salute you.

For never giving up, for loving despite the pain,

For triumphing over abuse, betrayal, rejection and abandonment.

For coping with polygamy, concubines, endless pregnancies and infant deaths.

For not succumbing to western ideas and ideals of what beauty is,

For redefining in a way only black women can, of what OUR beauty truly is.

For carrying on, when sometimes our men have given up.

For being there still, when all else have deserted,
Endurance is her middle name, the strong, courageous, beautiful black woman,

And what a lovely name that is....

From the lowliest of prisons, to the loftiest kings thrones, you'll find her,

Loving, supporting, encouraging her husband, her son, her father, brother or friend.

Her love is like a favourite blanket; soft, warm and encompassing,

Her lips sing lullaby's to babes in arms, her arms comfort the crying child.

She holds her man in high esteem, and if he treats her right,

Wow, he can barely cope with the delights....

Wild and untamed, passionate yet submissive, strong yet so soft.

Beautiful from inside out; wife, mother, daughter, sister and friend

I salute all the strong, brave, bold, lovely and loving, beautiful black women I know,
And especially for my dear late mum; Ogbuefi Mrs Ursula Nwanefuru Akumabor

Mbona, Dalu so, Nagode, Ekusé, Asante sana...

By Christie Nonyelum Akumabor 01/05/10

My Mum, Grandmum and Aunt.

Mum and daughter

 With my dear friend and sister Vivian

With my dear Aunt Nneka; "Mother is supreme"

Just moi


With my darling grandmother

My dear friends daughter, a beautiful Bini princess

The beautiful but stolen mask of Queen Idia of Benin

Another time, another look..