International Women's Day

I planned to write quite a lengthy blog detailing the women in my life who had been influential in one way or another; why I thought it was important to recognise women and I also why I think that in recognising women we shouldn't so "femo-centric" that we forget wholly about men and begin to believe that they are superfluous, because they aren't...but then the day ran away from me. It's now 23:48, I'm extremely tired and I don't really have the energy to blog.

Sad but true lol.

I might write about all that another day...

Anyway here's a poem that I wrote in honour of IWD.

We have been the voiceless, but we are finding our voice
We have been the oppressed, but we are rising up
We have been the overlooked, but we are standing strong
We have been mistreated, but we forgive and are moving on

We are mothers, loving our children like there's nothing else worth loving
We are daughters, learning more as the years go by to appreciate our mothers and are"keeping them young"
We are big sisters, giving advice, lending clothes, doing hair and make-up, keeping an eye on potential suitors
We are little sisters, ever getting put in our place but attempting to listen and make someone proud,
We are wives, submissive yet supportive, virtuous and valiant, lovers and life sharers.
We are galpals, always ready for a round of drinks and a catch-up, never far from the phone with the same shoe size as someone for double the choice

We are united in our plight to be the best we can be.
We are role models for one another.
We are different, we are unique.
We are fighters. We are doers. We are lovers.
We are musicians. We are storytellers. We are nurturers.
We are bumps and curves.
We are loud.
We are quiet.
We are healing words.
We are comforting smiles.
We are anything we want to be.

We are woman.

The Good Old Israelites.

Whenever I read about the Israelites in the bible, I find myself getting really pissed off with them.
I'm reading through endless of stories of God pouring out His love on them and them turning their backs on Him. Then (either on their own or through God's wrath) realising that they're nothing without God and then asking for forgiveness and turning back to Him.
I'm just thinking, what is wrong with you guys?! You're God's chosen people whom He loves infinitely and you're just there doing wahala.
WHY don't you get it?
WHY would you ever forget how God has been so good to you?
WHY would you continue to slap Him in the face when He has provided you with all that you need and more?
WHY do you treat Him like crap?

But then I stop and it hits me...
I am just like the Israelites. I have been adopted into the family. I am now a part of the chosen. God has called me. God loves me. God delights in me! Yet time after time, I choose the world over Him. Time after time, I try and find happiness in the things of the world. Time after time, I seek acceptance in the approval and favour of man. I create idols in the form of my interests. I belittle God. I put other things before Him. I let myself get the glory when it really belongs to Him. And then I'm reminded by all manner of things that God is sovereign and I'm in desperate need of Him and I turn from the world and leap back into His arms.
Everytime I rediscover Him, He's that little bit more beautiful. But sometimes I wish I'd just be able to stay put, maintain focus and just DWELL in Him.
'He that DWELLS in the secret place of the Most High, shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.' Not he that's in and out of the secret place as Jonathan's mother once put it.
And I pray that I, like the Israelites, will not be wandering in the desert, taking a ridiculous amount of time to reach the place He has called me to be because of my own stubbornness, disobedience to God or ignorance of Him.

God has started a work in me, and you, and He will bring it to completion. We will see our promised lands.