Christmas Hampers

20 years ago in Ghana, there wasn’t anything like “Christmas Hampers.” People would give notable gifts such as a live chicken, a goat, a cow (or parts of a cow), large quantities of meat or a bag of rice or sugar, Danish butter cookies, etc.

These days, the corporate world and individuals have become creative in the way Christmas gifts are packaged and given.

ENTER: Christmas Hampers.

The hampers are usually filled with assorted foods and drinks, sometimes a pen here, a towel, there. But… it’s not everybody who gets these hampers. If you have friends in influential places … say a CEO/ MD, a top government official you might find a clerk or a driver delivering a Christmas hamper to your office or to you at home. Or if you have a dollar account with a bank or some huge stipulated amount of money in your bank account you’re likely to receive this Christmas Hamper.

In recent years, I look forward to ‘receiving’ these hampers at Christmas. I say ‘receiving’ in quotes because it’s my parents who get these gifts but I am the chief consumer, haha! I’m not mad that the same bank ignores my teeny tiny Ghana cedis and doesn’t show me love at Christmas. Nope, I’ll get there soon!

In which she blog about Christmas hampers on 31st Jan… : - )

Blessings,
Lady Akofa.

Selfishness is weakness

“Selfishness is weakness.
But loving and caring for others is a position of power beyond anything that we can possibly imagine.”

~~~Joyce Meyer

Jobs, Lessons & Gratefulness

I haven’t worked long in the professional world. 6 years is not long or is it? As I move on to a new job this month, I’ve been reflecting on my career experiences and the lessons I have learnt since I started working. And guess what? I feel so blessed!

My new boss asked me during the interview, “What do you value in a work place?” I hadn’t really thought of it but somehow I had a ready answer, “Following laid down principles, working to meet expressed expectations and good work relationships.” Indeed, when a said expectation is not met or work ethics are not followed, it mars work relationships. However, being the peacemaker that I am, I’ll mostly take the initiative to work things out and bring back peace. I can take confrontations much better and I’m more assertive than I was, 5 years ago.

I remember a boss who mildly expressed his displeasure by shooing me away with a few words when I brought him my first document for perusal. Silly me! Didn’t I know to put the document in a file before handing it over to him? Then, I didn’t know. Now, I know, haha!

I also remember a “baptism of fire” that each employee went through in at least one project that he/she handled. Those are not my words, my former boss teasingly said those words to me; he knew I was really stressed out. No ill feelings towards him, I laughed at myself too in those miserable moments! Indeed, I went through the fire and rest assured, I survived intact with no burns (Isaiah 43:2).

There were work relationships in which a person’s action or attitude got me angry but I couldn’t express it or wouldn’t because I didn’t think it was necessary. Sometimes, it was because I was stuck with the person anyway (like one stuck with a spouse’s stubborn quirk), so I’d find a nice way of getting my assignment done through this person. I learnt to channel my anger and frustrations towards God, asking Him to come through for me. I have prayer journals to prove this. Writing my thoughts to God helped me processed my feelings and also created an avenue for God’s power to move in difficult situations and for His comfort and peace to calm my heart. And God did some pretty awesome things. At a farewell party in one workplace, one guy remarked, “I’ve never seen Akofa angry before or fight with anybody in this place. She should tell us how she does it.” Oh my, if only he knew!

I remember having to submit to a colleague who was the next to my boss. I was confronted with my insecurities and inadequacies because I wasn’t sure how to relate with this person. I brought it before God and this is what God gave me:

Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.
1 Peter 5:6 & 7 (NIV)

I also remember God leading me to sow into this person’s life by presenting a sacrificial gift. Oh, how I laboured over the gesture! I didn’t know how it would be received. It will surprise you to know that my perspective changed and we got on well together. We both have left the same company yet we still in touch base with each other from time to time.

I remember quietly observing colleagues who were more focused and diligent than I was. They inspired me to do better because I could see the rewards of their efforts by the results they got.

Each workplace hold special memories for me and each person I met on the job has enriched my life in some way. And it includes those who didn’t wish me well because I learnt lessons through those unpleasant situations. I learnt to commit work relationships and work projects to God and got closer to God through those experiences.

As I’ve gotten to know people through each workplace, I often like to keep relationships long term as much as possible, but that’s often not the case. And that’s okay. I’m just grateful for the opportunity to use to my skills, training and talents to bless others through my work.

You may say to yourself, “My power and the strength of my hands have produced wealth for me.” But remember the LORD your God, for it is He who gives you the ability to produce wealth, and so confirms His covenant, which he swore to your forefathers, as it is today.
Deuteronomy 8:17 & 18 (NIV)

May the favor of the LORD our God rest upon us;
Establish the work of our hands for us-
yes, establish the work of our hands.
Psalm 90:17(NIV)

May God bless the work of your hands today!
Lady Akofa.

Of Pleasant Dreams & Resurrection

I’ve forgotten how to play J.S. Bach’s “Jesu Joy of Man’s desiring.” However, I woke up remembering a dream in which I was effortlessly and skillfully playing it like I used to years ago before I fell out of practice.

And the words are so, oh, so... really, I can't find the right words!

It’s a New Year. Perhaps, resurrection is taking place. : )

Sorry, the photo is grainy.

Mr. Music Score, where art thou?
Lady Akofa.

“I can’t go on like this anymore!"

Promises to live by: “I can’t go on like this anymore! I’ve no strength left!”

Are there days in your life when it seems as if you have no strength to go on? Responsibilities overwhelms us, the state of important relationships are not as desired and we are unable to accomplish significant goals. These seasons come and go, but while we are in it, we wonder when it will be over.

I was fervently praying through some overwhelming responsibilities and expressed similar words, a few days ago. The Holy Spirit dropped 3 bible verses into my heart. These are verses I’ve memorized in the past. The Spirit inspired remembrance was like the resurrection of the verses… seemingly dead words coming back to life to me.

So I write these mostly for as reminder and in part, share with you. If you find yourself in a similar state now or sometime in the future, this could be starting point for prayer and assurance. God promises to give you strength and it shall be said of the situation, “… and it came to pass.”

“Cast your cares on the LORD and he will sustain you;
He will never let the righteous fall.”
Psalm 55:22; NIV

“The Son the is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things (including me!) by His powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven.”
Hebrew 1:3; NIV

“I can do everything through him who gives me strength.”

Philippians 4:13; NIV

*All emphasis are definitely mine.

Without a doubt, there are more Bible verses that apply to overwhelming situations, but these are what God reminded me of at that time.

God’s sure word is this: He will sustaaaiiin you!
Lady Akofa.

11 days gone already!

Wow, it is 11 days into 2012 already!!

Where did the days go?

Yours truly finally took down the Christmas decor this morning. My Christmas posts has photos of a few of them. The rest of the photos didn’t come out well… still testing the new camera I got for Christmas, courtesy of my lovely mom. Yippee!

As expected, the season was all eating, drinking & chatting with family to the point that I had to briskly walk a couple of nights to “walk away the pounds.” I'm not an exercise person but when it becomes necessary, I "hit the floor running."

I made a weird resolution: not to drink any soda (Fanta, Sprite, Coke, Pepsi, 7up, etc) during the Christmas & New Year Season at home or when it was offered at a gathering, party… wherever. I drunk juice, water and green tea instead of sodas. (Indeed, I'm drinking green tea as I type this post). It was pretty strange to my hosting friends & family that I wouldn’t take up the offer of Coke or Sprite, when I visited. It also meant that instead of me drinking all the sodas at home, -sheepish grin : -)- we have plenty of left overs and somehow, I've no desire to touch them. At least, not yet. I think, I may be getting cured of my coca cola addiction… or perhaps it’s the usual New Year resolution to save money with a no-coke agenda. Whatever… but I did it!

I was glad to attend 3 Nine lessons and Carols Night services within a week, in which I read a bible lesson in one of them. It was like God, dropped that opportunity on my lap at the last minute!

So… HAPPY NEW YEAR! Belated… needless to say… I wish you all my blog readers God’s very BEST and nothing less in 2012!

It’s a brand new day!
It's a brand new year!
New things are here!
Lady Akofa.