olaoluwatomi

That is the first word on my 100 word list! And it's self-explanatory! So here is my thanksgiving list for the year 2013 1. Thankful for disappointments, plans that fell through, tears shed, periods of mourning, despair, frustration and whatever it was that I perceived as negative. In some strange way, I came through stronger, better able to appreciate that life is full of ups and downs, and that things that look like mountains actually are not bigger than mole mounds when you come nearer or when you put on the proper viewing glasses. So I am thankful for the many things I did not regard as blessings and for those that look nothing like blessings now :) I am still learning. 2. I am thankful for an awesome family! The older you become the more appreciative you are of the community into which you were born. I am thankful to them for the wonderful words of encouragement, the support on every side, for always being available on the other end of the line/ screen to  listen to m

Over the past year I think I have blogged the least in the life of my blog since I actively started blogging! Why? I really have not felt like writing much. Writing seems to have become much more of a chore now and I guess I found other ready outlets for the frustration that served as a tonic to write. Nigeria is one big issue that my writing juices used to itch to write about, now I guess I go around with a much more passive attitude about the things that happen in my country. You can say I have grown up and realized albeit much later than the rest of my peers that writing about things does not bring change. I don't yet know what does, you could say I am still searching.... To overcome my writer's block I will start the 100 word challenge. Over the next couple of days I will try and compile a list of 100 words that mean something to me or bring up a memory and I'll try to frequently write a blog post about one of the words so hopefully that will make my blog a much

Sometimes it's easy to fall into the 'grumbling' trap! These days I tend to pull myself up by my bootstraps and lift myself up before I wallow in the depths of despair. And do you know what I have discovered? it is not worth the effort to grumble, you make yourself grumpy, sad, depressed and every negative thing you can think of! I turn on my praise music and set my feet to dancing! I don't need a dancing partner to lift my spirits out of despondency and set my heart alight with joy! Choosing gratitude and Joy is intentional and sometimes has to be done on a daily basis to prevent the clouds pouring out the rain of despondence. Think of it as choosing to let the sun shine instead of accepting a downpour! I am happy, I am blessed, I am favored, I enjoy life, I have a wonderful heavenly father who looks out for me. I am one lucky gal! :)

Many years ago!  It's my mum's birthday today and with every passing year I am reminded of just how lucky I am to have a mother like her. She is so many things to me and while the cliches of one in a million are bandied around, I can't help but say that she is indeed a rare gem. One diamond that my dad was lucky enough to find! So here's wishing my mum a very Happy Birthday, may you live to fulfill your years on earth, may God's peace continually surround you and may you live to see your children's children's children :) A couple of years ago! Not too long ago!

I decided to do this post in my native tongue! Caveat- I am actually not as fluent in it as I would like but here goes. There are no accents as I do not have a Yoruba keyboard but I do hope you can make some sense of it all. Modupe fun 1. Awon ore mi ti olorun fun mi. Akoko ninu won ni ikeji mi Oluwatoyin! Modupe lowo olorun to fun mi lore lati orun wa. Ore to fe mi gan, to mo si fe gan. Oluwatoyin je enikan ti o momi dele, to si ma sooto fun mi ni gbogbo igba. 2. Modupe fun awon ore iyoku ti moni, adura mi nipe ki Olorun fun yin ni gbogbo nkan ti e ban bere lowo oluwa fun. 3. Orin Ayo ati Orin ti a man fi sin oluwa. Leni mo joko gbo Orin Sinachi 'Mo me eni ti mo je'. Ayokun lokan mi ni igbati mo bere si korin ati bere si ma jo niwaju oluwa. O da ka yin oluwa logo ni gbogbo igba! 4. Awon obi mi ati awon ebi mi. Mo ba won soro lori ero abanisoro lose to koja, inu midun nitoripe ayo ni gbogbo won wa. 5. Ileri mi bi omo olorun. Ojo kan bo ti gbogbo wa ma duro ni iwa

Thankful for the many reminders that thanksgiving precedes the testimony Thankful for God's word that comforts, encourages and reminds us of His promises that never fail. Thankful for commitment, focus and articles that make me hone my skills. Thankful for options. Thankful for a network spread across the world. Thankful for my little brother and good news from a far land. Thankful for my cousin who is a year older today, grateful for his life and future. Thankful for friends who encourage and constantly push one to aspire to do more. Thankful for barbed words which push me out of my comfort zone. Thankful for the doors of opportunity that I pass through on my way through life.