Oh yeah! it’s been ages, I know. A massive ten days. Whew! I can hear you ask ‘where have you been?’ ‘what’s been happening?’, both in your mind and in deeds (checking up for updates on the blog). Your questions will be answered-‘exclusive gist’ of the day.

So how have you been? How’s the new year going for you? Are you meeting your targets for the day/month/year? I have missed doing this, you know. Every second, every minute, every hour, every day that I did not put up a post, I thought of you, Yes! You. So I tender my unreserved apology for not being around. Forgive oh! And please tell ‘them’ to come back, cos I am back to do the thing!

Why was I away? *singing this is my confession to you*Sometime last month, I was given course works (assignments) 3 of them. You ask: what’s the biggie? Well! it’s no biggie to anyone else but me. I hate course works, I cringe at the sound of the letter ‘C’ of the word. I silently panic at the moment a lecturer says ‘the question for the —— coursework is out’. I don’t know why I hate it but that’s the story of my life since I left Secondary (High) school. Give me exams any day, and you’ve just made a girl happy. But as life is, you cannot get what you want at all times. Having the three course works was not the challenge (yet), it just happened that the festivity was on, I was over-the-moon and all. On a normal day, that wouldn’t have been an issue; it was just that every day I read the question for one of the course works, I had no understanding at all. It was very discouraging having to look at a directionless question, really! The discouragement veered into procrastination, which affected the other two.

To cut the long story short, with tears and sleepless nights, I have finished the course works on time, with my all in them. At this point, I will like to salute those that do ‘lastminute.com’ with assignments, you guys are powerful. This is surely my one and only last experience [I will make sure of that]

From this my short story, big lessons have been birth. I am a person who believes in new day resolutions. I also respect people that do new year resolution, whatever rocks your boat! As the year 2014 has begun with the course work experience, this is my take for the year.

Be mindful of what your feelings generate. I was discouraged because of ‘a directionless question’ that I did not even take note of the other two questions that I could have done easily (not so easily, it’s still coursework, remember) while still brainstorming and researching for the other one. This led to time wasting, procrastination and lots of stress in juggling the three at the same time. This year, there may be something that is not coming through as you expect, don’t dwell on it or build negative energy while waiting, focus on the things that are working, while on it; trust me, it (they) will come around. Time reveals all, be patient!

The time to do anything is always now. Because I know how course works make me feel, I usually start immediately the question is out. But this time, apart from the fact that I had a ‘heady’ question, I became complacent because of how I did the previous course work-I started on time and confidently did a good job on it, so I felt I could fold my hands this time, as I was still revelling in the moments of the past. That’s the thing with human beings at times (me inclusive, I am human). 
The truth is ‘you never arrive’, there’s always something to improve, do differently and achieve. You remember what our brother, Paul said in Philippians 3:13-14: I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead. I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus. I am sure when Paul wrote that letter he must have achieved a lot, won souls, people must have been praising him; telling him to cool down. But here is the thing-in as much as success is relative, the primary determiner of success is God, not you or your friends or your frienemies. 

This year make conscious steps to know God for yourself to know when he is saying: go, stop, do it gently, don’t venture into that….because that was what Paul did, even when it looked as if he ‘had arrived’ in the eyes of men, he knew there was still more to do. So maybe last year, you got promoted, don’t relent on your productivity. You may have won a thousand souls, there are still more souls in need of the word of God. Or like me, you may have done so well in your previous coursework; still keep up, don’t procrastinate. 

So Happy new year once again! Dare to be the best God has called you to be this year, set realistic goals and always keep moving! As for me, the new year has started off with lessons, and I’m excited to use them WELL and learn from them. What lessons are you learning/have you learnt in the early days of year 2014?

I am back and not going anywhere. Spread the word! #nextpostonwednesday#