Goodbye 2012, Hello 2013

It’s the last day of 2012 and my body is telling me how tired it is. I woke up at 7:13am to the sound of my son waking up. I really didn’t want to move. But with the way my son is in the morning (he’s a morning person) there’s no use fighting it. Now four hours later I’m sitting at Virgin Active in N1 City typing this message after a gruelling cardio workout…and I’m still so tired.

I guess my body, like my mind, heart and soul are telling me how busy this year, 2012, has been. It felt like a steam train that rushed through 365 days of hard-work, fear, hope and prayer. Lots of prayer. So what do I do with this revelation? My guess is that for the next 365 days I need to truly find that balance that everyone keeps talking about – healthy mind, body and soul. It means saying goodbye to 2012 and hello to 2013 with a renewed vigour to:

1. grow closer to God,
2. really get to know my husband and son – not just the superficial stuff,
3. grasp my new role as a Communications expert with a new passion for excelling beyond the expected norm,
4. keep praying for family, friends and colleagues, and finally
5. fulfill my God-driven destiny by using what is in my hand for the betterment of all.

I hate litter bugs!

An image I found on Google that I think should be a standard across our city.

A litter bug is (according to Wikipedia ) “one who litters in public places”.

Ever since I was in school the mere though of throwing a sweet packet on the floor was a punishable offence. You would be given a demerit and asked to pick up all the dirt on the playing field after school. These days I see adults throwing packets and even cool drink cans out of the train windows, and even just on the street without a care in the world. This is such a disgusting and an appalling habit. What is really concerning is that children – as young as two and three years old – are now picking up this bad habit.

As much as the Zip it in the Zipi bin campaign is trying to encourage our communities to use the refuse bin, it seems that just because it’s a few steps out of their way. I assume, these litter bugs  would rather just throw it in the street than make an effort. I get so mad when I hear people use the excuse of “I’m giving the cleaners something to pick up”. As if they don’t have enough to do! I wonder if these same individuals would throw dirt on their own living room floor.

Here are a few suggestions of how I think we can curb this awful habit: 

1. Create and wear a badge or sticker that says: “I hate  litter bugs”. Non-verbal support is just as effective. The bigger; the better.
2. Take a video clip of people and children that do litter and post it on YouTube. Name and shame the perpetrators! For school kids you could even send it to their principal. You never know, maybe that will get something changing in their schools.
3. Teach by example. If you see someone littering, pick it up and give it back to them to throw it away in a bin. It takes a bit of guts, gut it will be well worth it.

If you have any other suggestions or ways that you think we can “eradicate litter bugs”, please let me know in your comments.

My Women’s Day Resolution

I woke up at 1am this morning and haven’t been back to bed yet. I ended up washing dishes, mopping the floor and clearing up the yard. For me that’s my way of de-stressing. It’s better than laying in bed and hoping to fall asleep again. I was productive and ready for a busy morning.

But back to point, I’m now sitting at Friends Cafe in Rondebosch waiting for the Women’s Day Breakfast to start. I seem ti be the only one from Hillsong and my normal friendship circle, but I don’t mind. I’m following my new Women’s Day Resolution. To celebrate this special day as a women by spoiling myself and celebrating the blessing of being a woman. I’m really looking forward to the breakfast and I know that I will leave here in a few hours more inspired and motivated to celebrate the good that is within every woman.

God bless all women across the globe!

P.S. A friend of mine sent the following BB out and I think that it is absolutely gorgeous.

“The beauty of a woman
Is not in the clothes she wears,
The figure that she carries,
Or the way she combs her hair.

The beauty of a woman must be seen within her eyes,
Because that is the doorway to her heart,
The place where love resides.
The beauty of a woman is not in a facial mole
But true beauty in a woman is reflected in her soul.

It is the caring that she lovingly gives,
The passion that she shows,
And the beauty of a woman
With passing years only grows!

Happy women’s day ({})”

Why I write part-time

Four months ago I started to question whether or not to keep writing part-time. I was tired from all the late nights and drained from the amount of work that had to be done. It felt more like an obligation I had to fulfil than a passion I wanted to explore.

But then I read an interesting article about writing. It encouraged me to look beyond the work and focus on the goal. It made me think about the dreams and ambitions I had to write full time, but never had the guts before to take the plunge.

Now that I had taken the plunge, I realised that I hadn’t actually set myself a goal. I had been aimlessly looking for writing work that would give me the exposure and training I felt I needed to become more rounded in my writing. But I hadn’t really thought through what that meant in real terms. I had to decide what form of writing I wanted to work at and how many articles or jobs I needed to take on each month. And most of all, I had to focus my writing so I could actually see a difference in the way I approached it.

That’s when I thought about who I was doing all this for. My son is almost 14 months old now and he loves to play with my pens and highlighters. When I feel at my lowest point when writing I just think of him and how I’m helping to provide for all his needs, but also how I wanted to be an example to him. He makes me want to be a better person, mom, wife, sister & daughter. I want to be the best I can be by building the skills God has placed in me. He is my motivation and inspiration to explore and not to be afraid of try new things.

I may not have specific goals to work towards, but I do know that God is opening doors for me and that I am growing in my writing skill set. I may not be writing my first book yet, but I am sure working on learning the skills I need to get there. I just need to keep moving forward.

I love my new job

I started my new job last week and I’m so excited about the work I’ll be doing. It’s a completely new target audience, which means I will need to learn and apply a new tone, style and format. I can already foresee that my writing skills will be stretched to the max which is exactly what I need now in my career.

The best part about this change, is that everyone is so happy to have me here. It feels like coming home and the people are my extended family. I’m so lucky to have been blessed with this opportunity and I pray that I will deliver my best to the clients.

Thank you God

Dear God,

Thank you that I have family & friends; that I have a loving, kind & hard-working husband & a wonderful, healthy, & happy son.

Thank you for the roof over my head; the clothes on my back & the food to eat each day. Thank you for loving me & for wanting me to be Your daughter, Your hands & feet; a wife, mother, sister & daughter in this world.

Thank you for making me who I am today & even for all that has happened or going to happen in my life…because it’s all part of Your plan for me.

Thank you for it all & for those things even I don’t know you’re doing & changing for me.

I can never repay you, but I definitely want to say thanks in everything & every way…in my work, at church; with my friends & my family. Show me how I can show honour & praise to you, not because I have to, but because I want to.

I’m waiting for your answer.

Amen.

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Fishing for love

I absolutely love Pon & Zi.

They’re those funky emo cartoon characters that are so in love with each other & don’t mind showing it. I sometimes wish I could express myself so well.

Anyway, this one cartoon, made me think about how we go fishing for love. We end up going into the “deep, dark places” in search of someone to take care of it. When all we really have to do is give our heart to God & trust Him to bring the right one to us.

What do you think?

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