A Season of Change

Hello Blog readers,

How are you?

I'm afraid this is going to be a looooong post and it would be inappropriate to do a part 1 and 2 series, considering the nature of the message.

I’ve been reflecting on my fickle purpose for this blog for quite a while and I sense it’s about time I changed its direction.

When I started blogging, I intended for it to be a place to share creative writing stuff and keep my family and my few friends abroad, up to date with me. I was thinking of creative writing as in God-glorifying “Nobel/Pulitzer" literary kind of stuff! :) Weeeell……I never really got to sharing that on this blog. Weird, I know…. see how I was aiming so high.... for Nobel, lol! If you're familiar with Dr. Phil, I'm sure he would have asked me with an incredulous look and in my face, "Helloooooo? What were you thinking when you set yourself up to be a literary writer, young lady?" Pop Pyschology! Lol! It's been a few years now since I last watched the show, considering that I rarely watch television now.

Anyway, my family hardly read this blog ‘cos we live together and see one another so often, lol! When I try to continue a blog conversation later in the day at home, I often get this baffled look. “Didn’t you read what I posted on my blog?” I ask and I get this response, “Ooooooh, you mean your blog! No, I haven’t seen that.” My busy family with workaholic traits… gotta love them! : )

My known friends abroad, well… most love this blog because we are far apart and this is just a way of keeping updates, somewhat. To you I say, “Me like your visits here!" : )

So, half of the intended primary audience doesn’t read this blog, while the other half does.

Checking my stats, I have quite a number of international visitors and I’m quite amazed that you stop by, even if it’s a brief visit. Thanks for your love.

And there are visitors who ‘borrow’ or should I plainly say, steal content from this blog without asking. I’m okay with sharing content, just let me know, okaaay? :)

I’ve met some great bloggie friends and I’d love for this e-friendship to continue. You never know, we might meet someday and soon! : )

So this blog, on its 3rd anniversary will undergo changes. I just don’t want to leave you with a bad taste in your mouth by ‘disappearing’ suddenly as some bloggers do and make you brush your tongue a thousand times a day thinking, “What’s that bitter mango I ate from Lady Akofa’s bloggie home the other day?” Trust me, I’ll only serve you BIG, ripe and sweet mangoes over here, okaaaay? Just 'feel free' to come over when the next harvest season is in full swing, LOL! In between, you're welcome to have Hot Brown Gold or some other delicious chocolatey delight with me. It's no wonder Ghanaians are known for our hospitality. : )

I‘ll continue blogging but access will be restricted from October onwards. For those who want to keep up to date with me and my not-so-worthy ramblings, I’ll appreciate that you comment by sending your preferred e-mail address which you’ll use to sign in to this blog. To prevent spammers and hackers who crawl anonymously from reading your e-mail address, please write this way as an example: ladyakofa AT gmail DOT com, with spaces in between and spelling out the symbols. They will not be published or shared with anyone.

I may bounce back in full public glare sometime next year… or 2011 or 2013 or 2025…. assuming I have the energy and time to blog when I’m much older, lol! For now, I seek just a lil' repose from blog limelight.

I’ve greatly enjoyed this e-journey, sharing ideas, sitting at the feet of others in their bloggie homes, e-meeting lots of Christians and young, like-minded ladies from afar. It’s been fun and there’s definitely more ahead! I’ll definitely be visiting your blogs and commenting so I won’t be completely MIA.

So...

Keep the Faith,
Stay Strong
and
Stand Firm,
in His Grace alone.

Many blessings from the Mango Lover,
Lady Akofa. : )

"No-no!"

Earlier this year in response to a suggestion, I started praying about a venture. After all, it seemed a good idea. But as weeks turned into months with no kick off, I continued seeking the LORD’s face about this issue until I hit a revelation jackpot.

Interestingly, when I started praying early this year, God laid Proverbs 3:5-6 on my heart. Oftentimes, that Scripture would literally cut off doubts and anxieties whenever they tried to take a foothold in my mind. As I was gearing up for another bout of fervent prayer several weeks ago, I sensed My Father tenderly tell me, “It’s okaaaay, enough of this prayer. Just let it go.” Although I couldn’t explain it, I had peace about this “no-no” answer from God. Within 2, 3 weeks of perceiving the ‘No’ yet comforting and liberating response, I got to know why.

Trust in the LORD with all your heart
and lean not on your own understanding;
in all your ways acknowledge him,
and he will make your paths straight.

Proverbs 3:5-6

I’m truly grateful that God has been faithful to His own promise that He will lead and instruct. That’s the blessing of The Father who loves His children. Do all earthly fathers say, “Yes” to every whim and request of their kids all the time? Nope. Just as most earthly fathers have their kids’ best in mind, so does Papa God, who has much better plans in store for His children.

I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go;
I will counsel you and watch over you.
Do not be like the horse or the mule,
which have no understanding
but must be controlled by bit and bridle
or they will not come to you.

Psalm 32:8-9

I pray that you’ll find God, who delights in giving good gifts… including making those crooked paths straight as we walk this life’s journey. He is Faithful to lead if we seek His direction.

God bless ya,
Lady Akofa.

Making Home Elsewhere for the Sake of Others

For some reasons, I’m quite excited about September. By the way, some theologians have concluded from research that Jesus Christ was born in September. We all know He wasn’t born in December but it doesn’t mean Christmas celebrations should be halted, banned, etc. Jesus Christ is not bound by time, He is the Alpha and Omega so He sure doesn’t need a birth date! So I wish you Happy September 2009!

Today, I’m going to introduce you to 2 Americans ladies currently based in countries not their own. One is a full-time missionary and the other is a tent-maker missionary.

Meet Kristina, whom I know from her days in Ghana while I was studying for my Bachelor’s degree several years ago. I sat under Kristina's feet in my ‘baby Christian’ days and that’s where I learnt the difference between ‘religiousity’ that is associated with the church-going culture in Ghana and ‘pursuing a relationship with God.’ I was ravenous for God like a baby needing to be fed several times a day and Kristina was one of God’s gracious instruments in satisfying that hunger. Kristina’s passion for Christ so radiated the first time I sat in her bible study that I said to myself, “Oooh wow! I want that too!” One of my good friends often called her, “The lady with a mission,” because Kristina was always on the go for God. She challenged us to assess our growth by often asking questions such as, “How is your relationship with God this week?” or “What has God been speaking to you about lately?” Now in Senegal, Kristina is a full-time missionary sharing God’s love with the people of Oussouye and neighbouring towns.

Then there is Amanda, whom I have met through blogosphere. She has been in Taiwan for several years and works as an English teacher with a call to spread God’s love to her community. She and her Taiwanese husband, Lawrence recently celebrated their first wedding anniversary.

“Where is this all leading, Lady Akofa?” You say.

: )

I think you should visit them today! Visit their blogs, spread some love and leave encouraging comments for them, will you? Kristina shares her Senegal experiences mostly through photos, while Amanda does a mix of both photos and words. And while you at it, please remember to pray for these lovely feet (Romans 10: 14 and 15) and the communities they seek to draw to God through Christ.

This time you don’t have to promise to return to my blog, lol! I won’t require this of you!

God bless ya!
Lady Akofa.

Stopping to Smell the Roses

.......ooooops, I mean the aloe!

Didn't know Aloe vera plants flowers like this! Until, I stopped to take a closer look. Click on the image to view a larger size.

God bless ya,
Lady Akofa.

Flowers fall...

"All men are like grass, and all their glory is like the flowers of the field.
The grass withers and the flowers fall, because the breath of the LORD blows on them.
Surely the people are grass.
The grass withers and the flowers fall, BUT the word of our God stands forever."
Isaiah 40:6b-8 (Emphasis mine)

God bless ya,
Lady Akofa.

Great who?

On discussing recent trends in publicity and adverts of church ‘power-packed’ programmes in Ghana:

"Why not say, ....
the man of the Great God
instead of
....the great man of God?"

asked by Mrs. E.B. Quarcoo-July 2009

Are we excessively qualifying the servant/man of God yet failing to give proper recognition to the Incomparable God, who is much greater than the human vessels He chooses to use?

Food for thought!
Lady Akofa.

Brown Gold

Ghana, formerly called the Gold Coast, is one of the world's mine for gold, you know that? Cocoa has also been a major incoming generating product for Ghanaians. My late grandfather (maternal side) was a cocoa farmer. I remember eating cocoa with my cousins from our grandmother's farm as a kid... Fresh cocoa handpicked from the farm, busy mouths and licking fingers......ooooooh! Oh, I'm loosing track of my thoughts with memories of childhood farm adventures... sorry! :) And soon, the world will be clamouring for Ghanaian crude oil.

We are one blessed bunch of people. I do hope we know that and appropriately show our appreciation to the Giver of All things. Oh, I hope so.

I'm gonna introduce you to one of our local products and I'm recommending it hands downs! No arguments...Drum roll, please....!

BROWN GOLD

This is natural cocoa powder, no sugar, no malt, no milk added but processed to retain the natural ingredients. For a sweet tooth like me, I normally add a lil' milk to my beverage to neutralize its bitter taste. But I don't even add sugar. So I've shelved Nestle's Milo, Ovaltine and all other beverage products for Brown Gold.

Nutritionally it's good for your blood. For ladies who try this product, you're likely to tell the difference at that time of the month.

BTW: I know the PR person for HORDS, the company which produces Brown Gold. She's gonna have to pay me BIG time for free online publicity! Hellooo.... where art thou? I'm waiting.....! LOL!:

Well, I'm only recommending a good food product... I've not yet found a side effect except a good sleep when taken at night as real, hot cocoa, especially without sugar! Take it from a sweet tooth! :)

hot Brown Gold + cool weather = my utopia world,
Lady Akofa.


My good friend... the first commentor has prompted me to add this: The farm trips were vacation days trip, to the village okaaay? Not my regular lifestyle, which is why they were fun trips to the farm. Sort of like the reality series, Survivor, lol! Now I'm making it worse.... Bye, bye! :)

Days of Rain

These are the days of plenty rain! The cloudy weather make for cool days.
Plus +++
I'm loving it all. Thank you, Daddy God!


"As long as the earth endures,
seedtime and harvest,
cold and heat,
summer and winter,
day and night
will never cease."

Genesis 8: 22

God bless ya,
Lady Akofa.

'Blogless' bringing you food-FULL links

It’s been a while I know. You definitely miss me too, don’t ya? These days, I’ve just been speechless, wordless… ‘blogless’, although there are lots things of happening. I have too much on my heart to share but just don’t know where to start from. If you ever come back and see mumbo jumbo on this blog, know where it’s coming from… hehehe!

So being ‘blogless,’ I would compensate by recommending these links, on one condition! You have to promise to return to my blog, okaaay?........ Deal?......... Okay, we have a deal.

At For Love of Cooking, the author combines her love of cooking, photography and blogging to create yummy looking posts. Do I see mouths watering? Hehehe! Have fun while you’re there.

And then check out Nududu for African dishes. While you are there, do note that a few recipes include unmeasured ingredients. That’s typical of most African cooking that I know, we just know what will be enough for any number of people. If you ask any African woman to give you a recipe listing quantities, you’re likely to get, “add a lil’ sliced tomato or pour a lil’ oil in the pan but not too much and let it sit for a while,” etc. The African woman just knows, hehehe! You get my drift, don’t ya? But that shouldn’t deter you from visiting Ndudu, and possibly trying out the dishes.

Talking about measuring and quantities, that’s one of the reasons why it’s seems exacting to cook foreign meals, apart from the unavailability of the ingredients. Getting out those measuring instruments and measuring out ingredients takes the fun away from the cooking process...sigh… but I would love to try out foreign foods more often soon.

See? The ‘blogless’ lady has said a mouthful!

Heeey, what’s for lunch?
Lady Akofa.

Not a Word... but see

This.

Extending the hugs to my bloggy friends and readers.

God bless ya,
Lady Akofa.