A Letter to Mum

Dearest Mum,

Did you know you are the only mother who will die to save me? Of course you know that and I will do the same for you too. You are the most wonderful woman in my life. Surely! Any woman that is going to come into my life has a lot of compete with. Mum I can’t talk about you in any place, on any platform without talking about you carrying me in your womb for nine months. 9 solid months going around carrying a huge head like me. That will be stressful and tiring. I’m sure in those times at least, at least mum, if it was possible to give me to dad to carry you would have done it. Or wouldn’t you? lol Honestly mum I don’t think I can carry someone with a huge head like mine in my stomach for 9 months! 1 day will be a nightmare, not to talk of 9 months! No mum, seriously,  9 months! Someone in your stomach slashing down what you eat by 50% if not more, then makes you look huge and out of shape and to top it all have a person use your womb for football and boxing practice. Wow! I want to tell you I’m glad you carried me in your womb because if you gave me to dad I don’ think he could take the heat. LOL.

I really wanted to write to you today because I was touched during your graduation. A few days ago you graduated BA in Entrepreneurship with a 2^nd class upper. I was so touched! Why? There are many reasons, mum. First, you also told us that when you stopped high school (sixth form) because of so many reasons you didn’t even dream you would go to the university but today look you are graduating from one. Second, you kept your responsibilities as a mother and a wife during the school period. It is tough, I know. Even for me who does not have half of the responsibilities you have it is tough. I can’t begin to imagine how you coped. You made sure the house was in order always before you left for school. There were even times when you had to study for tests and exams, many times you felt tired after doing the house work and were unable to study but you made it. Third, you went to the university for the first degree at age 47 if my calculations are right. At that age, mum, to cram information, study and come out with a 2^nd class upper, you deserve some credit. Because being a mother and going to school at 30 is even difficult, even at 27 with one child, how much more at 47 with three children, a nephew, a husband and an entire household? Difficult is an understatement. Even that only I have left out the details because learning and being there for your children and bringing them up the right way is hard work and mum you worked hard. When I attended your graduation you were 50 years.

Mum you have really inspired me and many others out there and although I know you won’t stop there, you have done a lot. Mum, many students at my age with less than half the responsibilities you have come short of a second class altogether, to even talk of an upper is a dream. To them a 1^st class would be a miracle, simply unattainable! For me it is a challenge, because if my old mother came out with a second class upper, I should…in fact I must come out with nothing short of a first class.

One more thing, can you believe how many males out there can actually cook? Very, very, very few! Mum you taught me how to and I appreciate it so much. I’m able to prepare my own delicacies making me the envy of my male companions everywhere. You also thought me how to pray since my childhood days. When you woke up at dawn, you woke me up too, to pray. Sometimes I disliked the fact that you cut short my sleep but now I know the importance of someone who prays. Mum you brought me closer to God. Your devotion alone to God is enough to spark a fire within me to get close to Him. For me personally I really want to say a big THANK YOU to you and dad; being your firstborn and only son you trained me right from birth to be the man I am now and now I think it is my responsibility to guide those after me to the path you put me on. Thank You.

Mum you are truly an inspiration. Every time I think about it, I’m moved to do great things. I won’t let you down mum. I love you so much.

Your only son, scholar, prophet and professor,

Edwin.

If we are to be really great people, we must strive in good faith to play a great part in the world. We cannot avoid meeting great issues. All that we can determine for ourselves is whether we shall meet them well or ill.

Theodore Roosevelt

P.S. Dad don’t worry if you think I’m discriminating lol this is mum’s letter. You have done so much but this one goes to mum.

 

A Letter to God

Dear Daddy,

Today I was lying on my bed trying to inspire myself to write, tossing up things in my mind. Then I thought about all your goodness towards me. So I decided to write a letter to you. Of course Daddy, I know that you already knew what I was going to write before I sat down here this dawn. That’s almost a very strange concept because I don’t even know the exact things I’m going to write.

Yesterday like I said thoughts were running through my mind. I realized that You are the only love I can say has truly loved me ever since. Yes! Very true! Daddy, even before I was born, You sacrificed Your only begotten son to die on the cross to save me from my sins. (John 3:16) I wasn’t even born then but you thought about me. The moment I was born You told me that You knew me before I was a clot of blood in my mother’s womb and that made me feel so loved (Jer. 1:5) that I cried out loud when I came out from the womb not knowing how to express any emotion. To top in up You whisper into my ears that before I was even born, You told me you had a plan for me and the thoughts You think towards me are of good and not of evil. From then on I decided to leave myself into your hands for You to take absolute control of me. (Jem. 29:11) I know also that Your love is so true because others will have good plan about me but when adversity and troubles set in they are nowhere to be found but Daddy You are different because You said when I pray to You, You will listen (Jem. 29:12) and not only will You listen but when I call on You in times of trouble and You will answer me. (Jem. 33:3)

Day in and day out You have provided my daily bread. I have not lacked anything. You have supplied my every need right from in the womb to now when I’m in my second year of university. Daddy there are times when I don’t have enough money but I don’t want to ask my earthly daddy sometimes because I feel it is too much and he has done a great lot for me. In those times I was lost in worrying that I forgot about You and how You have provided for me in the strangest of times. Yet still Daddy, yet still in my ingratitude You still provided for me. Daddy honestly when I think about it there’s none who loves like you do. None!

Twice the enemy wanted to take my life through car accidents but You saved me from it. You didn’t even allow me to be in the car to be scratched. I love you Daddy. When I think about Your saving grace, I can’t stop to realize that there are many more things You saved me from that I don’t even know because even when I sleeping My Daddy is working behind the scenes.

Like is said in the beginning You knew how my words were going to come out because I didn’t know but here’s the main reason I set out to write to You: Daddy there’s no-one who loves like you do. You even love people when they are cursing you, ungrateful, saying that You don’t exist, doubting the things you have told them, when they don’t love you, when they abandon you, when they make other things and addictions their gods instead of You etc… You even love us when we hate ourselves.

If there’s one thing I have learnt about love from You Daddy is that Love is not a feeling, it is a decision and a commitment. Love is giving the best of yourself to someone even when they don’t appreciate or love you back. It is the hard but that is what love is all about – GIVING YOURSELF TO OTHERS –as in giving your time, money, goods, etc.

Daddy, I want to use this letter to tell everyone that if someone says they love you and they can’t give you their time especially, then they don’t. Whoever can give of himself or herself will give you their time. Note, it also applies to you the same way, if you can’t give, you don’t love. Look at the best example of love, My Heavenly Father gave to mankind His Son even when we despised Him.

Daddy, thank you for listening to me. You always do. Thank you for loving me even when I don’t show it back. You always do.  I LOVE YOU DADDY.

Your son,

Edwin.

 

EVER MINE, EVER THINE, EVER OURS

Adore you, I do

In love with you I am

My heart and soul is yours to keep

For they serve me no purpose

Without your love in them

Cherish you, I forever will

Desiring you, I always have

Without you I may die

May are out there

To devour you, they will try

But my love, I pledge to you

Time, I will wait

For our fruit to be yet ripe

To consume our love, we will

 

21 Years of Marriage and still going…

happy 21st anniversary

My parents celebrated their wedding anniversary a few days ago on the 1^st of Oct. they have been married now for 21 years and mum and dad I say a Happy Anniversary, the whole world wished you well when got married in 1988 and by God’s grace today you have raised a standard, a legacy of love and commitment for your children to follow and so we will.

 

You the funny thing I like about my parents wedding anniversary is that by calculating from the 1^st of October to the 1^st of July (my birthday) are exactly 9 months. I like to think of it that I was conceived on the wedding night. lol Well I was so waiting to come into this world, huh?

 

I know many people too haven’t seen the people who birthed them live together in love in one home for many years but today I tell you that it is very possible. Perhaps you didn’t get that but you can change and decide that when you find someone you love you will stay committed to them till death parts you.

 

Of course my parents aren’t the most perfect people on earth. They have had differences before, I have seen them disagree on so many issues but in order not to make the thing venture into unpleasantries one would have to let go, be it mum or dad. They both may not know it but they have thought me so much about marriage that they can imagine. My parents haven’t really talked to me or any of my siblings about love and marriage and all that but they have shown us how it is done and that is the best example anyone can receive. They have thought me that when I find the woman I love, there will be ups and downs. We can’t runaway when there are bad times and stay when there are good times, that’s not marriage, that’s CONVENIENCE!!! Marriage stays through the thick and the thin, good times and bad times.

 

Mum and Dad we look forward to celebrating your 50^th wedding Anniversary with both of you still strong and alive, with all your children, great-grandchildren, and the huge family saying ‘well done’, ‘what a leagcy’ and ‘Thank you, God!’ I pray that God Himself who started with you will end with you successfully such that when you go, you’ll be laughing and smiling and people will be crying not because you have departed but because two great repositories of love have gone. We pray strength for the many years ahead. I love you

 

>>>THE CHASE>>>

don't stop what you used to do...keep chasing!

Ok! This one is going to be a fast one. I’m going to be giving you some pointers. Careful you can fall off this ride. Almost everyone, guy, lady, man, woman has been part of the chase before. You’ve either done the chasing or have been chased one way or the other. What is the chase? Have you called someone you loved or someone who you really wanted to go out with, like a thousand times (of course not literally)? You know, someone, some guy, some lady, who always want to be with, you’d call them up all the time, you SMS them all the time, you think about them all the time, you always want to be with that person such that when someone else saw you doing all that you get the person’s attention, they would think you were stalking. Ok! Ok! We haven’t gotten to half-way of this post already and you beginning to think about that person already. Ok, stick with me before you daze again. So I’m not talking about stalking someone. I’m talking about, hmmmmm for lack of a proper word ‘bothering’ your beloved, sort of like bugging them all the time because you like or love them so much.

 

Ok don’t jump of this ride yet. Let’s go. If you are a guy, remember before your girlfriend or wife became actually your girlfriend and your wife? Remember all the trouble you went through to get their attention first, and you always wanted to hang out with them, had fun all over the place, you bugged her so much that she fell in love with you? Remember the times you’d get up and look at the phone in the morning hoping she left a message or whether there was a missed call from her? Remember when you rushed to her aid anytime she called even if you were busy doing something very important and you’d lie saying that what you were doing wasn’t really important and go to her aid? Remember all the sweet SMS’ you cracked out of your head so you’d be romantic and sweet enough to get her attention? Remember all the times when you go up to her and then all she’d talk about was what had happened to her during the day and then you’d just listen? Remember those times when you were not in a good shape or had a bad day and then she would tell you about how her day was and you’d forget yours for that moment and try to console her if she felt sad or just listen? Remember all those things you put off just to be with her or get her attention, making a lot time to be with her? Remember all those other things you did CHASING after her? Some which she can’t even begin to imagine! Huh? Remember? Well my friend that is the chase! And you have been a part of it, whether you agree or not, it exists! Guys I know how much most of you don’t like admitting chasing but you know it’s true. Before I jump to why I brought all this up let me talk to the ladies for a minute, alright!

 

Women most of the time like being chased. They admit and like the chase from the guys and they know that too because they always talk about it among themselves. They love to be on the receiving end of all that I mentioned earlier with the guys and what they did but they seem to forget one thing, guys love the chase too. They love being chased by their woman but with guys, ladies be careful, if he is not your man yet you don’t want him to think that even if he stops wanting you, you’d always do. It gives him the edge to misbehave or do pretty much do anything he likes and sometimes not thinking clearly about later consequences. If he’s your man, don’t stop the chase!

Now you all listen, you got into the relationship or marriage you are in because of the chase, the fun, the excitement with calls and SMS’ on end, going out, chatting the night away, and all the others after you consider what you liked in your partner. So I don’t know why the chase has to end when the relationship you desired has come through. Why do people stop the chase? All the fun and excitement? Huh? Can someone tell me why? You stop calling now every second in a day just to say how much you love each other and want to be with each other, you stop hanging out more often, you stop the CHASE! Then you complain that he or she is boring and you can’t do this anymore. Then you start seeing marriage counselors and psychologists and all that (I do admit that some really do need those professionals ) and then you quit the relationship or the marriage. Well, guess what? You decided to do this, because of the chase and the things that fascinated you about each other and all of a sudden you stopped when you had to put more fuel. Keep chasing! Why? Because it takes more fuel, more time, more energy and my girlfriend’s personal favourite, more patience to make the relationship or marriage work. Don’t stop the chase once you are in the relationship! I hope that has gone well And in the course of the relationship, I know one’s fuel may reduce but the other shouldn’t stop the chase, continue chasing until he or she is refueled again and vice versa. Why do you think people stay married for 20, 30, 35 years and they are still happy? They don’t stop the chase. When your man or your woman stops the chase bluntly and he doesn’t chase you anymore, you better start thinking twice after talking to him or her and they wouldn’t budge. I’m serious! :O Very important point, the chase is not done by one person. It’s never one person in a relationship. It’s two! (of course God is a third person but I’m talking but you two, the humans ) Ladies don’t stop chasing your man! Guys don’t stop chasing your woman!

 

Enjoy the chase people!  Remember the old wild times, huh? Bottom line: be still crazy about your man or woman like you were at the beginning!

 

WHICH PEOPLE MAKE YOUR DAY?

I can mention a thousand but the thing is some make my day today, tomorrow they don’t but these two make each day for me a lovely experience- God, my creator and Vida, my girlfriend. I don’t know if there are people in your life who just make your day even when they are rebuking you or loving you. Surely it has always been God first who makes each day beautiful for me. They are the persons if I go through my day without talking to my day is not complete. God is always first, Vida knows that and no-one can take His place. Let’s say there’s a day I haven’t talked to Vida (hmmmmm has that happened before? ) it is a not that easy but I can manage to go through the day but God, I can’t, it is a struggle. A great struggle! It’s like I’m not living, just existing. I feel so empty. I can’t go through my day not talking with God, not even having a thought about God. He is there always for me. He’s always talking to me, directing my every move, every step and every action. A day with my God is a wasted day. As much as possible if I wake up at dawn I talk to him for about 45minutes to an hour thanking Him and asking Him for my day’s agenda. Sometimes He tells me to go further for additional minutes to stay and talk with Him. There have been many times when it’s difficult to get out of bed at dawn so Vida and I pray over the phone to Him. I have tried days without talking to Him, I felt totally useless. I’m saying I couldn’t make it through. Oh trust me the day will surely end and you would have done something but not your best. You might feel ok but deep down you know it is not good enough. Pal, maybe there are some things you can do without including God but trust me it is the best option to include in everything you do. EVERYTHING! He just makes it simpler. Look, you have tried days without God, but I want you to try just one day with God and see the difference. Don’t only put God in the beginning like at dawn or when you get out of bed. Talk with Him through the whole day. “I know God is there and all but I don’t believe I can hear Him speak,” you say. Right now stop reading ok and say a short prayer. Come on! It isn’t difficult. Tell Him if He really speaks, you want to hear me speak to you. Tell Him you can’t go through a day any more without Him but He should open your ears to hear His voice to direct you, not just once but always. Sometimes you don’t need to hear a clear voice (although He speaks in that way too) you have an inner feeling, an intuition, or an open mind concerning something. That will be God directing you. I’ve said it several times, don’t limit God to church and a certain hour, take Him everywhere and talk with Him, on the bus, at school, in the office, the kitchen, the bathroom. You don’t have to close your eyes, just talk to Him. He’s always listening and talking back. It’s now you turn to listen after all the talking. I have come to listen and talk to Him all the time. I’ve made it a habit to talk to Him. When you feel like you can’t go on, you feel it is too difficult, the job is tedious, the problems are weighing you down, what is before you is unknown and rare, you just don’t know what to do, say a prayer to God- talk to Him- anywhere you find yourself. Remember He’s always there. He is there to make life easy for you. Why go so far by yourself and then you lose your energy before you come to Him? Start with Him and take Him along, He can show you a simple and less tedious way to do it. Without God my day is never complete. Someone said, “There’s a God-shaped vacuum in us that nothing else can fill except God.” You probably have everything going for you but still fill unfulfilled, empty…look no further, God is what’s lacking. You either never started with Him or you left Him half way. Either way my friend, it is never late with Him, just talk to Him and say you’re sorry for not taking Him all the way. If you haven’t accepted Christ as your Lord and Personal Saviour then you have to, ask someone to direct you. That’s all you need, and that’s what’s lacking. Believe me you’ll fill most fulfilled. Now the second person, you makes each day a lovely experience. Vida’s someone I can’t also go through the day without talking to. She’s my inspiration to continue doing what I do. It doesn’t what goal or aim I present to her, she believes in me and knows I can do it. Onetime she said, “sweetness you can do anything you want to do in this world…” I have written many blog posts and other things because of her. Sometimes it doesn’t have to be any inspirational thing she’d say (as a matter of fact it never is any inspirational thing she says) it is her nature. Every part of her sends a signal of inspiration to me. Sometimes I just need to hear her voice or receive a message then I’m at ease. Don’t get me wrong, it isn’t all rosy! We go through difficult times of misunderstandings but we come out as quickly as we go in. You don’t always have to wait for the one at fault to say I’m sorry, you do it. Vida is so quick to say sorry for anything she does. Sometimes I even complain about the number of times she says it in a day. Look pal if you ever wronged someone in any small way, be quick to say sorry and let go. It isn’t worth fighting for a long time, over what? No one really enjoys fighting and quarreling, just that everybody wants to be strong headed and strong hearted waiting for the other to admit fault, so go ahead and admit fault even if it isn’t you. The one who knows he is at fault knows himself, he just can’t admit it so when you accept you’re wrong, over sometime the other person gains respect for you, even if they don’t tell you, they do. I didn’t say stoop so low and be trampled upon, be gracious in admitting you’re wrong. You don’t want to send the wrong signal and say you’re easy to step on and go away. Next time they won’t wait for your apology, they’ll offer it. Then you can talk to them about their behavior and correct it. I can’t go through the day not finding out what’s going around her. It doesn’t matter if it is the minutest detail. I love to wake up in the morning and pick up her call, or give her a call right before I snug out of bed and say good morning and tell her how much I love her and just listen to her. My day sky rockets after hang up. Let’s say my day is gloomy somehow when I wake up, one hello from her turns it all around. Oh boy and then there are times when she just ‘frees her mind’ about me, people and other things to me. There are times when she talks against certain of my actions and behaviours. Hey sometimes it isn’t pleasant coming from my sweet girlfriend but it is better because she won’t lie to me. I’d rather prefer her telling me what I did was wrong or what I’m about to do isn’t the best than someone else because she knows me better. It is straight up front and then she would take her time to advice me meanwhile watching my man ego carefully no wanting to inflate or deflate it such that when I tell you she is 6 months older you won’t believe it when you saw us together. I mean come on! Isn’t far better to have someone who loves you so much and knows you well enough and isn’t afraid of your reactions to tell you in your face when you’re fault? She knows even though it is hard I’ll think about it and accept it. A day without Vida isn’t a lovely and motivating one. Do you have the two people like I do who when they talk to you and tell you know how much they cherish and love you, advice and rebuke you, it doesn’t matter the disaster or obstacle comes to your way, it becomes a walk over? I’m sure you do. Well for me they are God and Vida. They always make each day for me a lovely experience.

 

MY GOD OF TWENTY YEARS

     Hello Daddy I just wanted to come to you to say a big thank you to the day you thought about forming me in my mother’s womb.

Thank you for when you formed me in my mother’s womb. Thank you for when you carefully formed my bones and in body.

 Thank you for when you brought me into this world successfully on the 1^st of July 1989. I was so ecstatic that I cried in glory of your works that my five senses worked to perfection.

Thank you for the already made milk you prepared for me and the loving home that you welcomed me into.

Thank you for making me the first born son of the wonderful you selected to be my parents.

Thank you for the first steps I took in crawling on to my two feet.

Thank you for provision you made available to my parents to cater for me- my food, clothing, shelter, water and other material elements.

Thank you for when you gave my parents two other children after me. Thank you for my beautiful sisters, Edwina and Davida. I know I wanted Davida to turn out to be a male when she was in the womb but I thank you for you knew the amazing little sister she would turn out to be for me.

Thank you for the making Benjamin my cousin come live with us since he was 7 and that he became a brother that I always wanted.

Thank you for the constructive criticisms my mother rained on me daily growing up and even still. Many times it gets me down but then when I carefully ponder, it raises me higher past my mistakes.

Thank you for those times when my dad beat me when I did things that displeased him because it all helped to shaped me into who I am now. Even for the times when I went to bed early when I had done something wrong to avoid my father’s chastisement only to wake up in the morning to receive it I say thank you.

Thank you for the friends and family I had, have and will continue to have all around me, in my community, church, school, society, nation and world as a whole.

Thank you for all my teachers who have taught me even the very tiniest bit of knowledge throughout all the classes and schools I have been in.

Thank you for the two car accidents I know of that you saved me from and for the many others I do not know about I say thank you.

Thank you for fighting my battles for me and lifting me up from the jaws of death.

Thank you for the angels of the Lord that encompassed me round about.

Thank you for results you gave me in all tests, assignments and examinations I took I say thank you.

Thank you for the day you convicted me and I made a decision for follow you for the rest of my life by accepting Jesus as my Lord and Personal Saviour.

Thank you for the water and Holy Spirit Baptism you gave me and I say Papa thank you for your gift of salvation.

Thank you for all the servants of God and vessels of God who brought my way and those I had the privilege of sitting under their feet to help me grow spiritually in getting to know you.

Thank you for when you helped me to discover my inborn talent and ability through some friends. Thank you more especially for the gift of writing you gave to me to be able to touch the lives of many.

Thank you for the ideas and manifold wisdom you grant to me daily in the writings.

Thank you for the past relationships I got into and for the reason that they taught me a lot about how to treat people especially women.

Thank you the one I’m now in and for how far you have brought Vida and I.

Thank you for my unique personality and identity.

Thank you for those hard times that I go through which makes me stronger.

Thank you for the way I smile, talk, laugh, sleep, drink, walk, run, think, sit, stand, run, write and for the many other things within my character I cannot continue to mention.

Thank you for making me like and you granting me the ability to love- You, me and all others around me.

Thank you for those times went I felt I couldn’t go on any longer for I learnt to trust in my God that watches over me.

Thank you for the times when I had no money in my pocket and my finances not good for I learnt that my Father owned the whole world and I was heir to his throne. In those times you carried me through and made sure I never lacked my basic needs.

Thank you for the idea for granted me a few days ago that will change the course of my life.

Thank you for every single time I talked to you and you listened.

Thank you for every single birthday I celebrated and now 20 years of age I say Daddy thank you.

Thank you those times when I was so afraid and shy for who gradually built my confidence and made me fearless.

Thank you for me not getting angry when people think I would.

Thank you for taking me to Ivory Coast- the little French I study, the tons of experience I had in work, the lovely people I met there, the money you gave to me to invest back home, the long distance calls I made, the stressful times I had in work and for pulling me through and for the wonderful family and friends that took care of me, for divine favour you showered on me, and the safe journeys you gave me I say thank you.

Thank you for granting me admission in Presbyterian Boy’s Secondary School and for taking me from there to the University of Ghana. For the courses I undertook and I’m still taking I’m still say thank you.

Thank you for direction that you always give me every second in my life.

Thank you for the life of the blessed person who is reading this now.

Thank you for making me a blessing in the lives of many people

Thank you for giving me life in the first place for without if I would never have enjoyed what plans for me.

Thank you for being with me.

Thank you that I will never stop thanking you in my life for you are Good!

Thank you for the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit who are ever-present in my life.

I know that even as I celebrate my 20^th birthday which will mark a turnaround in my life, I appreciate all you have done for me. I cannot even start to imagine what you have in store for me and so I thank you for what you have done and what you keep unfolding day by day to me.

Thank you for everything!

Thank YOU! In Jesus’ Name…AMEN!