Does maturity always comes with age or does age just come along?

What is maturity you may ask yourself?  Is it being a certain age?  Is it the fact that grey hair is visible all over your head?  Is it because you are living on your own?  Is it the degrees after your name? Is it because you are driving a fancy car?  Is it because you have become a parent?  Is it the fact that you take home a big paycheck?  Think again, because none of these come close to being mature.  They are just some of the many things that grown up do.

Maturity, on the other hand involves our state of mind, our ability to make good judgement, to bring a plan to fruition, to be able to make decisions and be accountable for your action, to be deeply aware of your responsibilities to yourself and to the society you live in.  To set a  trail of high standard, honesty, integrity and morality in everything you do.

Many of you might have experienced maturity early in your lives.  You might have gotten there because of the experiences that you gained as you grow older: the lost of a loveone, the heart break from a relationship, the lost of a job, losing your life savings, losing your home, just having your back against the wall.  All these may be painful at times, they may force you to re-think your current pathway.  You have no control about getting old, but maturity is the light that takes you to that next level in your life.  That is when you are ready to live this life to your best potential.

I am what I am today, because of the choices I made yesterday

Life is never void of choices.  Every day you are faced with different choices.  Some may be simple as to whether you want to go for a walk or lie in bed, whether you want to go to work to earn your daily living or stay home and laze the day away.  Some choices may be big, some may be small.  Some choices you have to make immediately, like when you are in a dangerous situation.  Some choices can change your life forever whether for better or for worst, but does the choices you made yesterday influences who you are today?

Yes they do.  The decisions you make in your daily life lies at the heart of who you are as an individual and these daily choices all add up to who you are today.  If you made bad choices, you  have to live with the consequences,  but there are lessons to be learned.  These lesson helps to build character in you and you become mature as an individual.  It is what is called a learning process.  If you do not have a past, you cannot have a future.  Therefore, as you mature you should think carefully before you make choices and ask God for wisdom, knowledge and understanding to make better ones.  None of us is perfect and it is through our choices that we will grow and be able to help and strengthen others.

Are you in an abusive relationship with food?

Are you proud of your food choices today?  Did you give thanks and really made a deliberate attempt to eat something that nourishes your body, that will makes you feel satisfied that your  stomach is happy, your blood will be pumping with more vigor, your whole system is strengthened, you have done the right thing and your body is grateful?

Well, did you know that food is one of life's greatest temptation.  There's such a wide variety of food that our taste bud keep flirting with our brains that it needs to be satisfied and it need it now.  Some of us eat when we have the time and that is a bad way to eat.  We have no time for breakfast, we grab a cup of coffee, a donut and off we go.  We have no time for lunch and then when it comes to dinner time we eat everything in sight, from the fries at a fast food, the pizza around the corner to the ice cream at 10:00 p.m.  Then we pull ourselves to bed with undigested stomachs and the heart burn and the night sweats and our aches for relief and we toss and turn all night, because we have abused the beautiful temple God gave us.

So are you really thankful that God made you and you are special?  That he gave you so many tasty and delicious food around you?  Did you know that a lot of the illnesses that we experience are all there because of our diets?  Are you an emotional eater, do you eat when you are sad, do you eat more when you are upset, when a boyfriend walk out, when you are lonely,  when you feel like life has let you down?  Well, it is not easy, but it takes one step at a time.  You have one body, there's only one you.  You've got to rise from the ash of despair.  Think before you eat, make a deliberate attempt to eat a balance meal, cut down on serving sizes, eat healthy snacks, an apple, a banana, a handful of grapes, a handful of nuts, just everything in moderation.  I am not encouraging you to go on a diet - just a change of life style and whatever you do, move your body.  Get tapes, stand in front of the TV and exercise, take a walk,  make love, dance, have some fun.  Take healthy groceries home, love yourself, love life, pray and ask God to help you to have a meaningful,  long-term  relationship with food.

Who Are We Outside The Church

Like ants on a mole hill we all gather together on Sundays in different churches to worship God.  We are involved in different ways: we are on the choir, we are playing the organ, we teach Sunday School, we are worship leaders, we usher, we serve on Pastor’s Board, we are deacons, we are pastors, we are greeters, we serve in all different capacities.  However, when church is over and we leave God’s house, who are we really, how does society sees us and how do we see ourselves?

Going to church is like wearing a different hat, but does it change who we are?  God’s word is the defining factor.  It says that we should not be conform to this world, but we should be transformed by the renewing of our minds.   So when we meet in God’s house it should be like being immersed in a spiritual shower, the songs that we sing, the words that we read, the prayers and the praise, and the message that is preached all goes together to prepare our hearts while we worship Him for life outside the church. 

If you are in a service industry like the medical field, banking, restaurant attendant, etc.  give of your service in a way that pleases God, give of your best, if you are a wife or a husband be sensitive to the needs of your other half, if you are an entrepreneur run your business with integrity, if you are a writer, write from the heart, if you are a friend, let your friendship be something to cherish.   Ask God to give you a clean heart each day.  Learn the freedom of forgiving, practice the joy of giving; open your hearts to other s with a smile.  Find time to relax and breathe the freshness of the morning air, be thankful and leave a rose petal of love wherever you go. 

Something to Hope For

Having hope is our bridge over troubled waters.  Hope enables us to see
sunshine when all around us is  dark with rain.  Today, everything may 
 seem to be  going wrong, but tomorrow all this may change for  the better.
Our lives are a reflection of  God’s grace  and wonder.  Hope helps us to reach
beyond our present potential, to take risks, to dream big dreams, to  fight feelings
of despair and to overcome the  challenges of this life.  A life without that

beam of hope deep within will never experience the brilliance  of the

sunshine  of success

Facing Valentine with an Empty Pillow

How many of you know what it is like to be sound asleep and you automatically reach beside you to touch someone that is usually there, but instead it is a lifeless, cold, empty pillow that rolls in your arms.  You sigh as reality hit you for that pillow will never be filled by that person, those arms will never warm your heart again, those legs will never loving wrap your warm body, life has taken a new turn and you wonder if it is true or maybe you are still dreaming.  Well, my friends this is life when you have lost a love one, whether by the breakup of a relationship, the end of a marriage or the death of a dear husband.

Valentine is almost here and you dread the day, but just bear in mind that this pain you are feeling is not here to stay, it will go with time.  Life changes and rearranges and you will be ok.  You have got to slowly start to get up out of the ash of mourning, and start to cherish the memories, if they were good ones, relive them and know they live on within your heart.  The bad ones will make you heal.  It’s like having a sore; it will begin to get better.   Keep that inner thought going and keep telling yourself “You are beautiful, God has made you special and He is preparing a way for you.”  Another door is about to open for you, it may be career, new friends, new hobbies, but it will get better with time.  The morning will come when you look through the windows and smile at the sunshine, see the rain, hear the thunder and lightning, see God courting you with the Fall leaves and realize that there are seasons in our lives. 

You may not be able to change the things that has happen around you, but you can start over again and find a new normal.  What is your normal, what is my normal, I cannot say I know, just know that day by day God will show you another door.  Yes, you never know what is behind it, but fear will lead to procrastination, which will never get you anywhere.  You have to face your liberation, find a meaningful hobby, make new friend, discover a new you, a new reason for living.  Later you will be at the stage that you can help others like you who are facing the same empty pillow and you can show them that it can become a solace of strength to propel them forward to an adventure of discovering a new you.  Valentine is just a day; your life is an ongoing journey of faith.

MY VALENTINE LOVE

Where is your love throughout the year

Where were you when I needed you near     
Spending your time where you can dance and dine
Promising to be home on Valentine

When last have we spoken as lovers do
When last have you bought me something new
You are always on a hurry saying no time
Remember I will be home on Valentine

So you are really home on Valentine
Holding me tight and saying be kind
But my Valentine love I am sorry to say
That love for me is not only for a day


A simple poem depicting the habits of some men.  They are never there when needed most, except when they think their needs are to be satisfied.  Whether Valentine or not, we all deserve someone who is there for us and who we can share our emotions, our good times and bad times.  We all deserve the best!