THE DARK HOLE OF WORRY/ANXIETY Part 1

Matthew 6v25,34 "Therefore I tell you, do not worry your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? Therefore do not worry about tomorrow…”

We may all well know what it is like to feel uneasy and sometimes (almost) lose hope. Times when we perceive we are in dire need or our lives are threatened. Then there are times when we enjoy the ecstasy of our spirits soaring high like eagles. There is no pretence when we are faced with life realities that cause these emotional and practical situations. However, when we are experiencing need and life is threatened, there is no need of, and I think no excuse for, worrying in the present or the future. But how often and unawares do we slip or fall into that dark hole of worry! I say this with much reserve and respect.

MARY’S BEAUTIFUL DEED

Mark 14v6b; 8. She has done a beautiful thing to me. She has done what she could; she has anointed my body beforehand for burial.

Beautiful/wonderful/good deeds may not reflect physical (lovely) appearance but they reveal and reflect someone’s thoughts and character for sure. They should of necessity be done in or out of love. For Christians, seeking opportunities for doing good to all as unto the Lord ought to be an unmistakable characteristic, Galatians 6v10; 1 Corinthians 10v24. We were “created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them”, the Apostle Paul tells us in Ephesians 2v10.

Now, Mary Magdalene sat at Jesus’ feet perhaps more than twice, learning, and being taught and trained as a disciple, Luke10v39-42. She loved her Lord for certain, such that she anointed him with the whole jar of her expensive oily perfume! Let us learn to love the Lord in deed and not just honour him with our lips. 

We also learn here that good deeds done by Christians are never in vain or a waste, 1Corinthians 15v58. However, let’s be careful not to do good so that we can be highly thought of or seek earthly reward or man’s approval instead of God’s. Now, could Mary have done that to anybody else? To her, it seems to have been the need of the moment not so obvious to others. Hence the reaction of scolding by those who thought it was a waste, Mark 14 v3-5. However, her mind and love were in action. Did she know that Jesus was headed for Calvary in a little while? I think so.

SPOUSE & SPICE

SPOUSE AND SPICE

©Mwango Lupupa 10/11/2013 New Delhi

OF TREASURED TIME AND PLEDGE

TOGETHER WITH STYLE

OUR LIFE WITH EDGE

OFTEN COMPLIMENTING AND ENRICHING

PULLING AND PUSHING SOMETIMES A TRIAL

TO TEST OR TO TASTE

OUR FORTUNE OR MESS

CHOICE AND SERENITY WITHOUT HASTE

HOPING EVER, ROLLING AND GROWING

HONOURING AND NURTURING

GIVING OR RECEIVING MORE IT SEEMS

SPOUSE WITH SPICE

STRIVING TO LEARN, KNOWLEDGE WITHOUT PROMISE

PLEASURABLE TASK WITHOUT REMORSE

TURNING AND MAKING

LIFE AS ONE!

RISING ABOVE EXCUSES Part2

WHAT HELPS AND WHAT DOESN’T HELP IN RISING ABOVE EXCUSES

This is a fairly a short and mere mop-up installment on rising above excuses. I hope it is straightforward. It is true that some people are just so “full of excuses” and consequently they indeed give from what they have. So, whether they will even slightly be emptied of that toxin through the following prods or not, I don’t know but sorely trust by God himself they totally could.

Procrastination

Procrastination is indisputably a major obstacle in any endeavour that hinders meaningful progress. Putting off to do or not attending to something immediately that’s assigned or planned speaks neglect, cold-shoulder or contempt of the task/ activity and even the authority behind that task/activity. Don’t be ensnared by it, do not procrastinate. I know it’s not easy for most of us but I leave it at that but squeeze in the fact that this earthly life is time-bound; it expires!

Excellence

Do your very best in any situation, with all your heart! Aim to do excellently, not simply good or better. To be honest, often what is average or better does not outstandingly amaze others or you at all. This goal for excellence should be pursued in spite of pain, cost or inconvenience if you are to rise above excuses. Some people see it normal to give lame or frivolous excuses and we humans sometimes want what is easy, because it appeals to us. It is universally acknowledged that if a man would prosper in business, he must be diligent. It is the same in religion as it is in other things.

If you would prosper, in doing anything, let it be heart-work, and let it be done with ALL your heart! Christian, put as much force, energy, heartiness, and earnestness into religion as ever you do into business, for it deserves far more. God does not wink at idleness, simply receive excuses or just accept luke-warmness. He abhors and tracks it down! Who are the most useful and successful people around? It is people who do whatever they undertake with all their hearts; the most ardent and conscientious; people whose hearts are on fire for the best are the ones who prosper. C H Spurgeon calls this “the general rule of the moral universe”. Hezekiah is an incredibly good and challenging example humanly speaking: “he did with all his heart and prospered.”2Ch_31:20-21.   

Personal Principles and Convictions

These normally help us to stand, persevere, have stability, and chart our course and progress in life in general. The world around you has some principles; do you have and live by any? No need to guess that people without principles are more bound to give lame excuses and make more mistakes and less progress. It is apparent and no wonder that what seems to underpin achievement of goals and realisation of dreams are well adhered to good personal principles and convictions. What excuse do you have for the kind of life have you been living?

Accountability

Although this may not apply in and for every situation, one of the robbers of respect and an accomplice of excuses is lack of accountability. Where someone is struggling with being accountable or failing to do so, there is most likely an absence of respect for leadership or authority or any structural arrangement in which accountability should exist. To whom are you accountable?

As human beings we do not live or exist in a vacuum! In addition, we did not just evolve from nothingness, out of some ‘big bang’, so much as to even give some people guts to shamelessly declare, “It is my life…” Like they can do whatever they want! Thankfully the human society is organised, with laws and authorities for order and development at various levels and aspects of life. You might be one of those who has read up to this point and yet you have no real loving and accountable relationship with the holy Lord God almighty through Jesus Christ; what is your excuse? Friend, what excuse do you have for being wasteful, being unkind, abusive or negligent or for just doing the wicked things you do?

Finally, friends, brethren, let us not be careless the way we live and do things. How would you attend to issues or tasks in your last week or day of living, or in the very last moments of your life? Always think of this and that God is watching, which in case you didn’t know or refuse to accept, He actually ever does. This is not to scare you but awaken you to the uncompromising truth! Psalm 139:1-16.

  

RISE ABOVE EXCUSES

Excuse the excuser

To grapple or relax seems wiser

Rise out of and above self-pleasing

Even if in the eyes of others decreasing

Ready to give a reason for doing excellently

        Humbly knowing good and evil intelligently

A compass in life pointing to eternity

To advance God’s cause for humanity

Attaining happiness without excuse

Rising above I shall muse

Nothing ever to misuse

Shame any accuser

Pity the abuser

Of excuses

!

!

!

What's In A LEADER...

Why is it that those who aspire for elected offices promise to do what they have not been doing for the people and the country as proof of their genuineness? Why should they wait until they "get into office"?

I think that we should change the approach! Oh how we desperately need servant leaders!!! A revolution starts with critical analysis and realisation of how things can be done better and a re-look at desired/needed qualities. This is what has prompted me to add the Politics label.

RISING ABOVE EXCUSES Part 1

It has been quite a while since I posted anything here and would like to assure you that my sabbatical didn’t mean I had stopped writing. That in fact I couldn’t wait any longer vouches for my seeking to be right on the spot regarding the issue at hand, hopefully. Have you ever wondered why the human society is organised and why we plan? Why must you and I rise above excuses in that context? And what excuses?

In this treatise I basically endeavour to nip the subject at least through two of those last pertinent questions. It is very unlike me to begin a discourse with a couple of questions. It’s also unlike me to have a verse/poem on a subject that I’m writing on and have placed it right at the end (in part 2). I will say briefly what moved me to write on the subject from personal observation, experience, and conviction. And in writing on it, I am hoping to scratch where it is itching with regards to unbecoming behaviour about which some people get irritably offended when you probe, myself included sometimes.

It is bad behaviour we must get rid of, especially as Zambians and Africans, if we are to do much real good and take forward lasting progress and adorn our culture.  Musing on the absurdity of most excuses that people give drew me deeper and deeper into thinking, as I pondered the best way to develop a point or two so as to say what was on my mind and burning in my heart. Pick any situation, lame or frivolous excuses can be upsetting and quite trying!

WHAT’S IN A… BRAND LAUNCH

The first model I wrote under this brand was “What’s in A Flower…” back in February 2012. If I remember vividly, it was after I sparingly bought my wife a bouquet of rose flowers when I wanted it to really mean something more than just a romantic gesture. So I went home and was gazing at the red rose that stuck out of the posy nicely laid on the little living-room glass table, mutely pondering what was in it and how I could memorably appreciate my dear wife by presenting them to her. 

 

Then sweetly and softly with the freshness of a breakthrough, the words started pouring out. I glowingly penned them down to the dregs, as though I was squeezing that very rose of all its life! Try to imagine that what I saw in the rose flower, I deduced, was also in my darling! My computer and printer were also at hand. To my amazement I can hardly recall where and how I found a fitting frame, but a perfect gift was complete. So I thought! Well, all was splendid and that was quite a heart stealer and I don’t think anything else ever surpassed it that year or few years later.