Wake Up and Smell the Coffee .

Have you caught the bug ?
There is this tendency for people to do a complete annual re-organisation and redecoration of their homes, just before Christmas and to usher in the New Year.
These "make-overs" would entail a lot sorting-out, dusting, cleaning, painting and decorating.
Changing wardrobes, home furniture and fittings for new and latest one is fashionable.
Apart from the delicious food , desserts and drinks ;the latest clothes, shoes , bags, home gadgets, equipment, electronics and even cars, do add some spice to life during the festive season.
Everyone knows the joy of opening our Christmas presents and finding therein, exactly what we wanted and dreamed of receiving as gifts from our loved ones; you know, the perfect dress, shoe, parfum , jewellery, iPods , DVD, or whatever!
And the pleasure which a shopping trip gives the entire family is immense!
This is the season for : "Out with the old , in with the new and the latest!".

Everybody knows this and don't the shops and stores know this? They sure do!
This is the time for them to tempt us with all those fantastic bargains and offers which keep us shopping for more and more , because every body loves a bargain.
For Londoners, the shopping spree is not only at Christmas but all through the year.
The January sales is now the talk of the town. It starts on Monday January 4th.
It is amazing that thousands of people are willing and passionate enough to queue up in the freezing cold, from night till early morning when the shops open.
So that they would be among the first group to rush in for the best bargains.

For some people , this "redecoration" is all encompassing. They extend it to touch every area of their lives which needs a special touch.
Included in the redecoration list are "failed projects" at work, in business and in personal relationships.
When we need a new wardrobe, home or car , we could shop around for replacements.
There are certain things in life which we cannot shop around for.
When they fail to meet our expectations, we work at restoring them; we seek help , believe and pray for changes in those situations.
When you are not fulfilled and fruitful in ministry ; what do you do but pray and press on.
When a business plan which you have invested so much time , prayers, efforts and money in , remains unproductive, what can you do?
Then you know , maybe , it is time to re-assess and it is time to try a new approach to your business goals. Or even to drop the idea for something better.

However, for every one, there comes a time when we wake up, one fine morning and smell the coffee.
When we, inevitably, come to the conclusion that something is not right ,is not good enough, or is not working. It just has to go .
This is the time of year for "New Year resolutions".
These are , usually born out of a deep realisation that we do not need certain clutter or stress in our lives and so we have to effect drastic changes of direction.
Some people do keep these " New Year resolutions" and never go back to square one.
Their testimonies ,usually ,are that their lives changed for good when they stuck to their "New Year Resolutions".
May this be our testimony in the new year as we hand over our lives and situations to Jesus Christ who makes all things beautiful.
The Lord will perfect that which concerns me : your mercy O Lord, endures for ever:
forsake not the works of thine own hands . Psalms 138:8.
The best life-style is not one that is based on these endless year-end resolutions ( which are soon discarded , anyway!); but a life that relies on a Relationship with the Giver of Abundant Life.

Let's face it, there are loads of "stuff" we do, places we go to and there are some people we are connected to, who we have to do away with.
Wake up and smell the coffee! There are certain things and certain people who will not budge and will not change to conform to our expectations or to the norm.
We should not, even pray to retain such "stress-inducers" in our lives, at all.
Why? Because WE KNOW that, they are not good for us and they DO NOT enrich or bless our lives, in any way.
So these have to go OUT with the old year and be kept out of your life , thereafter, for our own good!
It could be very painful to do this and one would need a mean and hard heart to do this periodic life re-organisations.
But we've got to be strong and resolute to overcome "bad habits".
There are times when we must open the doors and windows and let stuff fly away.
Let out stale air and let fresh air in.
If we are resolved to discard toxic habits , toxic relationships and toxic activities, soon, we would realise that, that was one of best things we ever did.
This complete overhaul and disconnection is life-saving and imperative.
It is similar to the gorging out of the right eye and amputation of the right hand which the Lord Jesus strongly recommended in Matthew 5: 29 -30

May you receive grace for strength to de-clutter and detoxify your life , permanently.
Here is wishing you a happy and glorious New Year ; filled with the fragrance of His presence. Amen.

In Him was life and the life was the light of men .
And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.
John 1:4,5.

Thanks everybody for your support during the year.
God bless you at Christmas and all through the year. Amen
Have a wonderful holiday.

Tiger Woods - Getting On With It.

Tiger Woods' decision to take an indefinite break from golf and spend more time with his wife and children is the one wise decision he has made in recent weeks.
Relocating from the "Crime Scene" for an extended period of time is just what Tiger, his aggrieved wife and their two children need , right now.
A change of scene; going to a distant location, on holiday with his family, away from prying eyes would , definitely, go a long away in healing their frayed nerves.
I pray God would grant them the grace to receive Christ's peace and love into their lives so that they would be healed and they would recover every lost ground!

So far, Tiger has not managed this crisis very well.
Immediately after his car crash , he could have clammed up or come clean; instead of making ambiguous statements about "transgressions".
Then, two days ago , he got a court order , gagging the British press from reporting on his affairs. Wrong move , again!
When you gag news hounds, especially the British Press, they smell blood and then they begin to gig deeper into the story you are trying to keep the press from.

I have this gut feeling about this Tiger Wood's sad story, that there are more revelations to be uncovered and more termites to emerge from the woodwork!
Now that all sorts of " waitresses, models and escorts" , who had never seen or held even $3,000 in their hands in their entire lives; know that there is at least $300,000 to be made from selling their stories to newspapers and magazines , from TV appearances and from writing books about "My Sizzling Romp With Tiger Woods!"; this unfortunate story would snowball and get bigger and juicer. These women would milk the situation to the last drop!
Until the public tires of the story or when another celebrity sex scandal erupts.
It is very funny that one of Tiger's mistresses has said she was sorry for the hurt she has caused Tiger's wife. Sorry? Oh yeah!
But not "sorry" for the TV interviews and magazines cover shoots which she has been gaining from , gleefully?

As for Tiger Woods , what on earth was he thinking ; knowing that such behaviour is unacceptable to God and unacceptable in the society Tiger lives in?
It is not as if Tiger thought he was living in a society where men could do anything they wanted ; societies where women's feelings and opinions count for nothing and where it is acceptable for women to be trampled upon , used and discarded , anyhow and any time, by men.
In certain areas of the world ,celebrities' extramarital frolics are not newsworthy.
In fact people would laugh and dismiss such stories with a " so what?" and a wave of hand !
In such societies, successful and affluent men eat, drink and swim in adultery, with impunity!
So, in such lawless societies, their men , even the poor ones , are encouraged to do as they please; while their women folk are admonished to accept their positions as "good women", that is, they are " home -builders who should patiently and prayerfully bear all grievances against their men , stoically".

Not surprised that people are calling for Tiger's head because of his "transgression" and unacceptable behaviour.
In recent news, celebrities and even members of the public, have expressed "surprise and disgust" that Tiger Woods "could do a thing like that".
Ironically, the most vocal condemnation have come from men.
These men are alarmed because they know that it is sheer foolhardiness and insanity for any man in Tiger's income bracket to allow himself to be caught in adultery!
Of course , it is obvious that demands for " action against Tiger Woods" have also, come from those who, for various reasons ,were unhappy about his success.
In life, when you tear down the hedge around you , don't blame your enemies for moving in and attacking you. Ecclesiastes 10:8.
As for Tiger's critics, they should let Tiger be!
People can condemn others because they have not been caught , yet.
Tiger is not the first to be caught in a sex scandal. Who is next ?
But for the grace of God , they would have been in Tiger Wood's messy position today.
Tiger sinned against God by breaking his marital vows.
God is merciful and eager to forgive when we confess and forsake our sins.
Therefore he should be left in peace to make amend with his God and to put his life and his home in order.

What is the furore about all these revelations ? Is Tiger, the only married man or the only celebrity who is involved in extra-marital affairs , even as we speak?
No , he is not.
The shocking aspect in this case is Tiger Wood's incredible NAIVETY.
It is common knowledge that men and women who cheat on their spouses or partners , usually go the extra mile to cover their tracks.
Some of them have succeeded in playing the perfect wives and husbands; so well so that the truth about their secret lives was not known until after their funerals!
The one law which most philandering men(and women!) keep religiously is; their very own Eleventh Commandment :
"Thou shall not be caught!"
But celebrities don't live in the real world . So Tiger and other celebrities like him , who have been caught, are not street-wise enough to see through people or to know how "commoners" navigate the murky waters of relationships with the opposite sex.
Tiger's well paid aides could have counselled or shielded him from committing these serious blunders which are now threatening to destroy every thing he has ever worked for. This media circus will continue for sometime because the story of how careless Tiger has been , even to the extent of been caught red-handed , does sell newspapers.

Everyone knows that there are girls, boys, men and women , out there who would give their eyeballs to get their hands on ANY celebrity .
They would want this because they know they would get INSTANT fame and a mint of cash by offering for sale to the highest bidder, their "kiss and tell" story.
So , it is indeed, the height of naivety, for Tiger to have engaged in such affairs ,openly ,so close to his home and with voice messages as evidence!
Also , it is suicidal to give any body evidence to use against you in future!
Especially , non-achieving people who have nothing to lose by "kissing and telling".
For goodness sake , Tiger! Everybody knows that spouses and partners keep a tab on each other by , regularly checking out their other half's phone records and text messages .
Checking and monitoring for all it is worth!
Veterans in the game of infidelity would laugh up their sleeves, at these futile checks and counter- checks! .
Love cheats would always ensure that their other halves see only those stuff which they want them to see.
This entails not keeping phone records and any other incriminating documents lying around for spouses and partners to see!
To escape detection , what these cheats do is to keep a secret mobile phone which they use to conduct their affairs. These mobile phones are NEVER brought into the couple's home or left carelessly lying around!

Tiger's wife has decided to keep their marriage "for the sake of our children".
Recently , some other wronged celebrity wives , have decided to stand by their men and get on with their marital lives, despite everything.
But would Tiger Woods or any man forgive an adulterous wife who has slept with several men?
Even for the sakes of their children?

This decision to "get on with it", to make an effort to repair their marriages, despite being hurt and humiliated, is a new and welcome trend among celebrities .
Being public figures, when their marriages or relationships break down, their pain and humiliation becomes public and well reported.
Recently, there have been numerous such cases of unfaithful husbands and wives; star footballers, actors, actresses, politicians and other star figures getting unusual forgiveness and second chances from their aggrieved spouses.
Some people have sneered at decisions not to seek divorce as self-serving decisions by wronged spouses who stand to gain more by remaining married to their guilty spouses.
Indeed, decisions to overlook wrongs become easier if the erring partner, like Tiger Woods earns a basic income of $100,000,000, per annum ; apart from incomes from adverts and endorsements.

In any relationship , there could be low points like this Tiger story.
What to do? Storm out of the marriage or relationship in anger; shoot someone or head for the divorce courts?
That would be playing into the hands of intruders, "strange women or men" who set out, deliberately, to break up couples by seducing one of them.
In the long run, one would realise that there is no perfect husband or wife on earth. And no perfect marriage exists, either.
Getting on with it is the better option to divorce,especially in a Christian marriage, when it becomes easier for the couple to make the Word of God their guide , in resolving irritating issues.
Forgiving and forgetting wrongs become easier to do , especially in cases where the erring partner has shown remorse, has confessed his or her sin to the other half and asked for forgiveness as Tiger Woods has done.
This is the basis of the couples' resolve to pick up the pieces of their broken relationship and get on with it on a clean slate.
Forgiving one another even as God has forgiven us is the best solution to infidelity.
But this is easier said than done. It does entail a lot of payer and resolve by both parties, to succeed in keeping their union intact.
It takes the resolve of two persons to build any relationship.
What if the erring partner is not sorry, refuses to apologise or to give up his/her affairs and does not support or desire a reconciliation?
Well! That is another topic entirely.