Bin Em' fast!!

I don't know where the strength came from but  few days ago, I decided to de-clutter my wardrobe. I noticed I had lots of clothes but I'd not worn quite a number in years. According to fashion guru Gok Wan "if you've not worn them in ages, you are most likely never going to wear them"(or something in that order but you get my drift..lol). So our went that Next jeans that doesn't fit any more and that shirt bought years ago on the spur of the moment but doesn't fit any more either and  plenty others soon became a pile on my bedroom floor including the ones I've held unto for sentimental reasons!!.

However in typical Gladys manner, the pile has remained on the floor ever since neither tidily arranged nor bagged for disposal until this morning. In my quest to find something suitable to wear, I found myself drifting towards the pile of clothes on the floor. For some inexplicable reason an old top set apart for Charity became appealing. I quickly forgot why it was on the floor in the first place and wanted to wear it. Already the other day I'd worn a top from my "floor collection" and it had somehow found a way back into my wardrobe. I realised the rejected clothes were gradually becoming attractive because I'd not done anything about them and this got me thinking (thinking is hard work right?)

 amenclinics_photos via

 Anything or relationship in life that does not suit your present situation bin it fast. It does not matter how long you've had it. If its not functioning productively and helping you attain your highest heights-DO YOURSELF A FAVOUR AND BIN EM' FAST!! Don't just leave them hanging in a corner before you know it, they become attractive again! Remember you set them aside for a purpose. In a fit of loneliness a couple of months back, I reached out to an old boyfriend but thankfully caught myself before things got out of hand. I remembered he was an "old" boyfriend for a reason and I "jejely" severed that connection. I didn't need the emotional drama. In a more positive Gladys fashion" I reached out to the God of all Wisdom who helped permanently shut the door and delete every trace of that old life. Deleting might seem harsh but one's destiny is worth EVERYTHING. Recovering alcoholics and drug addicts are sorely advised to avoid situations and relationships that would drag them back into their old toxic lifestyles. Never assume you are strong enough to resist the pull of certain situations, avoid them all together.
I have cleared space in my wardrobe and dumped the unused clothes. I now only have functional clothes that I wear and easily access without hassle. No more unnecessary attachment or fillers. If it ain't useful, it ain't worth it. BIN EM' FAST.

Chose Kindness Always #hotchocolateforcoldmornings

For some reasons, when we were younger my sister would never wear any new stuff in the middle of the week. No matter how beautiful the outfit is she'd wait till the beginning of a new week to show it off. It didn't matter what it was, how much it costs, as long as it new; it deserves attention and celebration..lol.  My loko baby sister believed starting and showing off her new stuffs at the start of a new week gave her a boost!!

 I can't confirm the veracity of her claim but I do know new is beautiful, fresh and good. Every new day deserves a new set of attitude-no carry overs. God does not recycle his love and mercies, He gives His children fresh daily doses."The steadfast love of the lord never ceases; His mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning" Lamentations 3:22-23. In the spirit of newness, start this week with kindness and relate with people in kindness. In the face of difficulties, be kind anyway. People will not necessarily appreciate you but chose kindness always. In due time you'll reap the reward. IT PAYS TO BE KIND  Have a great week peeps.

Wrong Turn

I was never an ardent fan of driving, infact driving scared me for many reasons. I am a survivor of a ghastly motor accident so getting behind the wheels of a car or even being a passenger while another person drives sends bile up my throat!! Moreover, the rules of driving in Ireland is light years ahead of what obtains in my darling home country of Nigeria. While in Nigeria, I drove for a year without knowing how to reverse. Thank God I never killed anyone or got killed myself...lol. I was forced to improve my driving in Ireland because of the strict driving rules, poor transportation network and I also live in the rural area; I therefore needed a car to get around. Over time, my driving has improved and I've grown to love the idea of being the female "Lewis Hamilton". I have a rule of thumb before venturing anywhere especially when it involves strange places-I ALWAYS CHECK THE MAP AND FAMILIARISE MYSELF WITH THE ROUTES. The idea of getting lost scares me shitless moreso since I watched a movie titled "Wrong Turn". In the movie, a wrong turn down an uncharted dirt road leads six young people into a night of pure terror in this horror story.The movie has got to be the gorriest I've ever watched! Sometimes people make wrong turns in life and need the help of the Holy spirit to recaliberate their direction. Even the most logical and ardent planner sometimes miss the mark too but they are never without hope. The most Unfortunate people in life are those that have made wrong turns, refuse to acknowledge they've lost their ways and are stuck in the consequences of their decisions. I recently made a wrong turn despite my best intentions. I am not ashammed to say I made a mistake. Most times admitting wrong is a sign of strength not weakness and a pathway to healing and restoration.The story of the prodigal son in Luke 15 is about a son who lost his ways but later found himself crawling back to his father.To his dismay, he was met with open arms and wrapped in forgiveness instead of condemnation. Have you made a wrong turn? its time to find your way again if possible back to the starting line. It doesn't matter how far down the trail you are. Its better to make a U-turn early than be stuck on a mindless or futile journey leading to nowhere. Recaliberating hurts but is a necessary process. It doesn't even matter what people will say.

A New Beginning Everyday

He noticed some people snigger as he climbed up the alter to share his testimony....but he didn't blame them. He would have sniggered himself if he were in their shoes. How many times had he come to this same place to say he was done with alcohol only to find himself right back where he started. Everyone knew his struggle with alcohol abuse. How many times had his marriage been on the verge of collapse because of his countless drunken stupor. But today he was really tired. Alcohol was rubbing him off the chance of living a good life with a happy home. He knew better than everyone else how many times he'd been in that position of brokenness but he'd rather be here than anywhere else. Finally, He'd recognise that he couldn't get rid of his destructive habit on his own. He needed a superior power to break this vicious circle lest he finds himself right where he most dreaded. Finally, he'd found it in the holy spirit and a support network of true friends who don't judge him by his mistakes but were in his life to help him....that's why he didn't mind the sniggers because this time it was different. He was truly having a fresh start. For many years I was in that very same position. It seemed shame and failure had a stronghold on me. I would complain and cry every day. I could not truly share my challenges for fear of being judged weak. My life was stuck in the past and I could not see beyond it. I was in a very dark place until I realised it was possible to have a new beginning. Imagine my delight when I realised the past could not hold me captive or prevent me from enjoying life. Mind you, it was an uphill task and several times I slipped and fell back into depression but I managed to find my feet yet again. It doesn't matter how far gone you are in a negative circumstances or destructive behaviour, you can have a new beginning and this offer is not seasonal but an everyday experience. You may find yourself repeating those mistakes despite your better intentions, I want you to know good intentions can't help much but faith in Jesus and the Holy Spirit would break every sinful cycle in your life. HE IS STRONGER. God does not desire Sin to have dominion over us. YOU CAN OVERCOME. The joy of a new day is the light it offers no matter how dark the night was. Are you ready for that fresh start today? God's love is like fresh bread straight from a baker's oven simmering with healthy goodness and ready to serve(now I want to eat bread....Agege bread to be precise. it’s a special kind of bread made in Nigeria. You can’t duplicate it serious...lol. If it aint Agege bread then it’s not Agege bread!). If a new beginning was not possible, God would not have sent his son to die for us. Lamentations 3:22-23 "The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases, his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness" So let's give that filthy feeling of failure a big kick in the butt and enjoy A NEW BEGINNING THAT WE DESERVE.

A New Beginning

Hurray 2013 is here!! It seemed far away but finally it is here. This is despite the rumours of the world coming to an end in 2012 (no thanks to that epic disaster movie aptly titled 2012, a film about the world coming to an end at that particular year! Thank God it didn't end because poor me did not have any food in storage ahead of the "anticipated" volcanic eruption, ice age, flooding, earthquake, alien invasion etc. hmmm, I'm sure hunger would have gotten me first before the disasters or aliens, serious! Note to self: stock the house with ENOUGH GRUB before the next probable apocalypse or alien invasion whichever comes first).Thankfully, against the odds we survived yet again. It is something to celebrate. Experiencing the first day of a new year is so exciting as it means YOU ARE ALIVE. Alive to what? Alive to HOPE, alive to NEWNESS, alive to OPPORTUNITIES. It’s not a time to mull over past mistakes and opportunities missed but a time for a fresh start, a new beginning.Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, Phil 3:15 There is something fascinating about new things. The fresh smell that accompanies a freshly purchased product, the tear-rubber feeling of a new car and the smell of new leather, no old musty or rusty smell, nothing but FRESHNESS. I LOVE NEW! That is what 2013 represents - fresh page to make happen whatsoever you desire and dream of. In Gen 1, God was presented with a blank canvas to work on. He could have left it blank but He chose to create the world and everything therein. He also had the prerogative to create anything anyhow but he had a plan, a plan he followed meticulously for six days before He rested on the seventh day. I also observed that God did not overstretch Himself but did as much work as could each day. He also made a point to commend Himself and His creation at the end of each day.Then God saw everything that He had made, and indeed it was very good. Gen 1:31 . In 2013, I've decided to follow heaven's strategy of creation, to make happen my desires and not leave my life to chance. There is a saying that "IF YOU FAIL TO PLAN, YOU PLAN TO FAIL". I don’t want that to be my story for 2013. A lot of people including me experienced pain, tragedy, disappointment, betrayal, stagnancy, loss etc. in 2012 but that is yesterday today is a brand new day. Don't let the pain of yesterday ruin your today and the opportunities it brings. LET GO AND LET GOD. Instead of allowing Chaos to continue to reign in our lives just at it did in the beginning of the world before God took charge, this is the time to TAKE CONTROL, BE CREATIVE, EMBRACE THE NEW. I'm grateful for 2012 but expectant in 2013. Let's scale new heights together, it’s a brand new year. Lets live and not simply exist this year. WELCOME TO 2013. HAPPY NEW YEAR.

Looking Up.

Happy new month all. 2012 has been a fantastic year for me and I'm so appreciative. It has not been entirely drama free but in the midst of all my challenges, I've learnt a lot. I have discovered more of my weaknesses, some behaviours and attitudes that I never imagined were dormant in me or that I had at all. Above all, I have discovered how strong I really am. Seriously, you never know who you really are untill you are faced with a never before experienced challenge. Most importantly, my challenges never overwhelmed me even when I faltered emotionally, I always come out smiling having learnt a lesson or two from the situation. I'm learning to deal with my anger issues. Yep, anger and bitterness over my past. It's so easy telling one to let go of the past but when underlying issues are not properly addressed, they would eventually fester and affect the future causing more damage. So I am addressing those festering wounds while looking forward to the future. I've also learnt that if I want to trully enjoy that glorious future that is mine, there is the urgent need to carefully and dilligently deal with these matters once and for all."Do not remember the former things,nor consider the things of old. Behold, I will do a new thing, Now it shall spring forth;Shall you not know it? " Isaiah 43:18-19. For God to work his will perfectly in a person's life there must be that sincere acknowledgement of one's weakness and the need for His strength and help. On this journey of healing and transformation, the lord has been my strength and guide. I've learnt to lean and depend on Him constantly.When I find myself digging into that "bag of gaggage" which contains basically crap and lies that the enemy made me believe and carry over the years, I exchange them with the truth of God's words. It works all the time. (never even realised I was still carrying them around!) For instance when I'm feeling low, I just tell myself over and over that "the joy of the lord is my strength". I choose God's words over the devil's. Negative words inflict wounds while the word of God soothes and heals. No wonder I was constantly overwhelmed as a negative attitude is comparable with a dark cloud that broods nothing but storm and bad weather. "Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us" Heb 12:1 Its been a slow but eventful journey. I'd expected to be "all that" but worried that I was not "all that". Dreams and aspirations seemingly not happening yet. In it all I'm Grateful. some of the reasons for my initial discontent was a result of comparing myself with other people whom I felt were doing better than me or were doing what I desired. Until I learnt to appreciate who I am as an individual and where I am, I was never happy. Moreover, the bible says "he that compares himself to another is FOOL" and nobody wants to be called a fool. So I gave myself a much needed nudge in the butt . Like a recovering alcholic, I'm taking little baby steps, not worrying but "running the race that is set before ME) not running another person's race as that only leads to fustration and eventual depression. Until I changed my perspective I was stuck in an emotional rot. I am learning to be CONTENT in all things not LETHAGIC but content and daily appreciating God for the gift of life. As I do these, life has become easier and less stressful because I've learnt to trust "The owner of Life". I remind myself its not so much the destination as much as the beauty of the journey. My life is an unfolding story and I'm learning to enjoy the narration. Its not fast paced as it used to be neither is it boring. The tempo is much different and I'm evolving into the beatiful, confident woman that I'm so grateful for. Despite my challenges- josh's diagnoses, my unemployement etc-I'm leaning more and more on God instead of whinning and complaing even crying but trusting God all the way. After all He started all this....so I'll give Him DRAMA trust me! lol. But its not all bad, Infact its not bad at all rather everything is LOOKING UP and what a PICTURE its turning out to be.