Fope's Blog

Pride isn't always big and grand or loud. And I think this subtle kind has to be the worst. It's the kind that makes me see her mismatched eyebrows before I see her. It's also the kind that makes me hang on so much to the error in the order of his words, that I end up missing the point of what he was saying. Sharp, critical tongue.  That's what Nancy DeMoss Wolgemuth calls it. On some days I call it telling it as it is, on other days I sandwich it between cozy good words. But that's like handing someone a blade sandwich; nicely cushioning the blades between bread doesn't make it less cruel. A sharp, critical tongue is one way to show pride, but there's also the habit of interrupting people mid-speech, the need to control outcomes, and  whole list  you can self-diagnose against. Photo credit:  ~Momma B~  via  Foter.com  /  CC BY-NC- I haven't quite nailed it yet, so this isn't a here's my "victory over pride" self-help

I had this idea to write what I'd like to have experienced by the end of 2017 now. They're not quite detailed goals for the year, but rather, some overall themes to hold myself to in the months to come. So here I am, actually sticking to one of the many things I've resolved to do this year: turning more ideas into actions. I remember 2016 in two parts: the first was January to March - incredibly strange periods of my life, lots of acting out of character; then the other part was October to December - trying to stuff in a year's worth of personal achievements into the last few moments. I don't really remember much of the middle. So in 2017, there'll be a lot of this - writing. Not just in a journal tucked away somewhere safe, but here too, out in the world for the days when I can't remember the meaning of all the code messages I've embedded in my journal for secrecy sake (ironic right? I too cannot deal with myself sometimes). There'll also be

My friend got married last week, and on their wedding website she pretty much said, "I'm marrying the guy I made fun of in a group chat with my friends". I thought it was funny, so obviously I read the rest of the story. It was one of those where she had an assumption about who he would be, it was all fun and jokes until they got talking and he turned out to be amazing. So amazing that she now calls him the love of her life, and they've vowed to spend forever together. Now, this is one story where she gave him a chance, even when he seemed laughable.  At the very least, we can say it wasn’t love at first sight, a.k.a. no obvious chemistry.  Today’s 21 st century love script  in a 'no chemistry' situation probably says, “nah, the guy would probably fit in the friend zone”. Right? How about we talk a little about seeing beyond the 21st-century ingredients for love and instant attraction? Photo credit:  Katy.Tresedder  via  Foter.com  /  CC BY-NC-ND

I now get why some Christians decide to do extreme things like refusing to own a T.V. I'm watching this episode of Moments with Mo , and the topic is No Romance without Finance. Urgh. So may things be hitting the wrong nerves. I'm giving this thing a try where I completely substitute my music for Christian music. It's doable, I know. But I love Sunny Ade and a little Olamide here and there. I mean, I already know better than to accept the lyrics of the songs as the truth, but on some days I'm also embarrassed of what I'm listening to. I DJed for about15 minutes at a hangout  with my friends the other day, and when the pretty gross lyrics of Olamide and Phyno's "Ladi" came on, I was quite ashamed. The friends weren't even actively listening to the words of the song, but my own spirit condemned me. Photo credit:  DeveionPhotography  via  Foter.com  /  CC BY-ND So what is it today that's got me ranting. So many things in the Youtube

In an   earlier musing ,   I said that I thought my newly found contentment was the “the kind that came with being at complete peace with God.” And unlike Trump, I haven't changed my mind. But I wanted to   know how to bottle this state of peaceful happiness   for the days when it might be illogical to remain that happy. So I did some digging into my new habits and talked the One who knows it all, and here’s what I found: I think discontentment with my life starts when I refuse to count my blessings. When I'm so focused on the part of my glass that is half empty that I ignore all that it has taken to fill this glass up to this point.  I know my life in itself is such an underappreciated gift. I have good health, sound mind, a wealth of family and loving friends, and many other priceless gifts. Yet, all these sometimes seem very trifling in the light of unmet expectations. Photo credit:   Richard Walker Photography   via   Foter.com   / CC BY I now believe that remaining

It's June a.k.a. birthday month and I'm taking stock of my life...again. I don't know how or why, well maybe I do, but January to April were incredibly lonely. I wasn't always alone, but it was just lonely. I had just gotten back from my Naija trip, during which I almost always had something to be excited about. Even basic stuff like the constant honking of  okada   guys had me alert and somewhat excited about life. Then I came back to Canada and moved 7 hours away from home. New city, new school, new phase of life (sorta), no more mother to whine about my day to, no more siblings to bug me, and then there was the super dry city...oh, and winter too. Basically, a whole lot of change and the result? Bam! I gained 15-20lbs and didn't even realize it, and I also got involved in some *sigh* let's call them avoidable things. Photo credit:  wolfgangfoto  via  Scandinavian  /  CC BY-ND Now, it's June and I've had really really good months so far, and

This week has been beautiful. I’ve loved almost every minute of it. My hair experiments have turned out pretty well. My skin - despite the attention-seeking dark spots- has been fantastic too. If I'm being real, it has nothing to do with the happenings of the week. I've been in a really content place. It's the kind that comes with being at complete peace with God. Even before realizing that the dictionary defined contentment (word for word) as being "in a state of peaceful happiness", I knew it was exactly how I felt. I absolutely love it here and I'm fighting fervently to protect this space.  As seen on my Instagram page The biggest thing I'm coming to terms with this week is the idea that my unworthy little self is somehow meant to radiate God... to reflect him… somehow. How?  I guess I know what that's meant to mean. I get it, but at the same time, I don't. Why would God even think me worthy to have a part in His grand scheme of th