Time Is Precious!

I read this poem by Dr. John C. Maxwell in the book Today Matters and what a way to underscore the point that time is indeed precious. Read it and be blessed!

To know the value of one year -
ask the students who failed their final.

To know the value of one month -
ask the mother of a premature baby.

To know the value of one week -
ask the editor of a weekly magazine.

To know the value of one day -
ask the wage earner with six children.

To know the value of one hour -
ask the lovers who are waiting to meet.

To know the value of one minute -
ask the person who missed the plane.

To know the value of one second -
ask the person who survived the accident.

To know the value of one millisecond -
ask the Olympic silver medalist.

 —John Maxwell

You Lazy (Intellectual) African Scum! by Field Ruwe

So I got this in my email this morning…

They call the Third World the lazy man’s purview; the sluggishly slothful and languorous prefecture. In this realm people are sleepy, dreamy, torpid, lethargic, and therefore indigent—totally penniless, needy, destitute, poverty-stricken, disfavored, and impoverished. In this demesne, as they call it, there are hardly any discoveries, inventions, and innovations. Africa is the trailblazer. Some still call it “the dark continent” for the light that flickers under the tunnel is not that of hope, but an approaching train. And because countless keep waiting in the way of the train, millions die and many more remain decapitated by the day.
“It’s amazing how you all sit there and watch yourselves die,” the man next to me said. “Get up and do something about it.”

Brawny, fully bald-headed, with intense, steely eyes, he was as cold as they come. When I first discovered I was going to spend my New Year’s Eve next to him on a non-stop JetBlue flight from Los Angeles to Boston I was angst-ridden. I associate marble-shaven Caucasians with iconoclastic skin-heads, most of who are racist.

WHEN LAST DID YOU…?

Some things are very important but we can’t just remember the last time we did them. Your responses to the following questions will tell us more.

When last did you call home just to say hi?

When last did you give your seat to an elder in public?

When last did you pray for a friend who is not in crisis?

When last did you pray for Nigeria?

When last did you read a Newspaper?

When last did you read your sermon notes?

When last did you read the label of what you eat/drink?

When last did you read the cast of a movie?

When last did you actually mean it when you not invite people to come and eat?

When last did you wash your plates immediately after eating?

When last did you buy a birthday gift for someone?

When last did you say ‘thank you’ to a waiter/cashier/commercial motorcyclist?

When last did you read an entire chapter of the Bible?

When last did you read the user agreement before installing software or signing up on a website?

When last did you visit OAU website when you have nothing to do on e-portal?

When last did you say ‘I love you’ to somebody?

When last did you blog?

If you answered positively to most of the above questions above, you are an excellent individual- worthy of emulation. But if your responses to most of the questions were negative, you have a nonchalant attitude. You need to turn a new leaf!

Follow @lahwahleh on twitter

ON IMAGINATION

That a man can be his own worst enemy is something some folks are finding difficult to believe. However is true if we consider some scriptures. In Genesis 11:16 we heard God said "Behold, the people is one, and they have all one language; and this they begin to do: and now nothing will be restrained from them, which they have imagined to do.
" As an organisation this true because in an organisition we there is no agreement (unity) things will always go wrong and such an organisation will go round in circles. It is also true with individuals in the sense that when a mind concieves an idea and a part of him is saying it is not doable. Then there is disagreement (even though he is just one person). So there is disagreement 'between' one person. The condition that a man disagrees with himself is an harbinger for failure. That is why, in the book of James, the bible says that a doubtful person (someone who disagrees with himself and God) should expect nothing for is request.
God honours our faith which stems from our imagination. And He says nothing can retrain us if we be of one mind. Hence Proverbs 23:7 says as a man thinks in his heart, so is he. So a man is a product of his imagination.
On a final note, Jesus said in John 20:29 that blessed are those who have not seen (physically) and yet have believed(in their minds). So learn to always put your mind to work and never let it go to sleep. You shall emerge!

ABOUT THIS BLOG

Help My Shine was specifically designed for those who want to shine.  And since there is no single person who does not want to shine, it then implies that it is not a question of whether or not you want to shine. It‘s now a question of how brightly you want to shine.  Everyone is shining in one way or the other. The brightness is what varies from man to man. My goal then is to help your shine. By this, I mean, with the inspiration of God, I want to provide you with ideas that will -in one way or the other- contribute to the quality of your life.

Shining may mean different things to different people, but the definition you and I will follow or continue to follow is that given by Jesus in Mathew chapter 5 verses 14-16.

“You are the light of the world. A city set  on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house.  In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.” – Mathew 5:14-16

So come along as we explore and exploit the secret of shining.