Truth

I don’t know what the New Year holds, but I do have a more deeper hunger and thirst for God. 

The loss of my nephew last year did to an extent throw me off guard as far as my relationship with God is concerned. But I must say that I am grateful that how I feel about God does not mean that God feels the same about me. His word tells me how He feels about me. Oh...He loves me..and more...

I have one major commitment in life. To know God.  Many times I here people say- Here I am Lord use me! I am sorry, but I do not seem to fall in that category quite often. My prayer is more of, here I am Lord, I want to know you, change me for yourself, and I want to walk in habitual fellowship with you.

This brings me to the next questions.

•  How do you walk in habitual fellowship with someone that you don’t know more so if what you think you know about them is not the actual truth?

•  How do you love someone deeply and intimately unless you know how they love to be loved?

Jesus said- if you love me, OBEY my commandments. Period.

Back to walking and having a deep an intimate relationship with God- During one of the days that we gathered to comfort my bro and sis for the loss of their son, my nephew, one pastor came and said “God is good and He does good”.  Those words were sort of amplified in my heart and I remember whispering to to God like – Really? You are good and you do good, even at this moment? 

Now, as the year begins I have a deep thirst to know God. To know Him and to relate with Him in Truth and to interact with the truth of whom He really is. I think through our experiences and socialization we can easily develop deep deceptive notions of who God is. And these deceptions hinder our walk/intimacy with God.

So this year I begin my journey.So far I have learnt and am meditating through the study of His word on certain truths about God;

•  God does not delight in wickedness : Psalm 5:4
• God is good and does good Psalm 119:68
• God is rigidly righteous Psalm 11:7

….and the learning of this Truth continues……  

By the help of the Holy Spirit I desire to reconfigure my thinking to the accurate understanding of the Truth of who God is. Why? I am committed to walking with Him- I need to Know Him if I am to walk Him intimately.  

Busy but loving it...

The last two months have been busy. Nevertheless, I have continued to enjoy most of ALL a wonderful pleasant walk with God. I have failed terribly, disobeyed  and repented and continued to desire this awesome walk with God. This is the center and the pillar of my life. At the same time, i have continued to enjoy God's love in my life in a million ways as below...

 We welcomed our nephew...Jayden Josef Karega, Congrats to Sly and Alex....

 

Love love him!!!

 

Hanging out with the Kids...they love love to watch National Geographic on my phone...and you can all guess what happens to my credit...

 

Lillie's in our home. This is a sight to behold...

 

 Beautiful...we are all out gardening!!!!!

 

Enjoying my 6th Marriage anniversary at an amazing get away place. Thanks Hubby!!!!!

 

Just in case you are wondering...this is what i was looking at...right at the door of our tented  cottage

 

Married to this man for six years and i LOVE him to BITS!

   

Been up and about with the kids too...

 

Been hiding in this lovely place for a few days... we keep checking out fair places to take time off to rejuvenate. This place cost us 4,000kshs per day as family (50USD). Of course we cooked for ourselves ( well, i carry frozen food, my help cooks for a whole day before i travel, so  i pack it all and keep in the fridge once we arrive). It was fun being in the forest and alone.

 

Kids helping me out with cleaning...

 

.. some fire time too...

 

...kids would sleep in the loft...they loved it...

 

Hubby helping in the kitchen

 

Someone having some good me-time...

 

just having a relaxed day...

 

Kids on donkey ride

 

they loved it...

 

relaxing 

 

just chilling by the fire

 

loving on each other

 

book warms

 

more relaxing 

 

more fun...

In all things we give thanks to God. One of the reason i have been off the blog is because i am in transition, changing jobs and thats also the reason we thought we need to take some time off as a family and realx a bit before i take on a new assignment soon....

Slaughtering Kuku (Chicken)

I was brought up in the village, where you were expected to know how to slaughter a chicken as part of home training curriculum. For me, this was one of the greatest childhood achievement.

My brother had a phobia for chickens, or so I think, and this used to drive my mum nuts. I remember at one point my Mum asking my brother to catch a chicken for slaughter and since he could not do it, she literately pushed him inside the chicken coop and locked the door. Then she went on to say "Let the chickens have a feast of you today, if you die good but if you come out alive, then you better style up". Wonderful mother. She was quite tough! Today we laugh about this all the time!

Well, last week someone gave me a chicken for slaughter and i gathered why not introduce my children  to slaughtering chicken. May be it is a tradition that i should pass on to my chilren. I know in some countries this may seem strange, but we love to do this, on this side of the world.
Enjoy the slaughter. 

Kendi and Tana Scared of what Dad was doing below...

Okay...not a good site...poor Chicken...

Stepping on the wings and legs

Cutting off the head

Kids in shock

Ethan must have been looking at the chicken below and saying - you can't be dead. 

Done cutting the head

The kids watching

Putting it in hot (boiling)water to get out the feathers

Almost there

Done. Our little home grown Kuku.

When the day came to cook the chicken, I reminded the kids of how they slaughtered the Chicken. So I asked "Are you going to eat the Chicken you waved bye-bye to and slaughtered?". Tana said "YES" and while they were eating - They said Yummy! Good...part one of learning done.With time, the must do this by themselves.

What is in it for them!

Last weekend, we joined our friends the Roberts to a children’s home in Narok. We were so blessed to have been part of this and just to experience the work that the Roberts have been doing, it awesome to say the least!!!!!

I broke down, those of you who know me; know how I handle certain things. When we got inside the home, the Kids came running to Rosemary – (the owner of the home), calling her Mummy, Mummy and they all hugged her. So what did Emmah do? I started crying, my hubby knew this was coming and he kept saying, please be strong for the kids. Well I tried apart from when they started singing for us and I began fidgeting about it gain. The kids also rushed to hug the Roberts because they are very dear to them.

Please check the Roberts blog for more information on this, they have a great camera and capture very good details. 

The reason I write this is two-fold.

One, I think we need to be extremely sensitive to the needs around us. There are a million genuine needs that we can support. This was a big challenge on our part. And I also believe that orphans and widows are part of Gods’ heart beat. My current help is a widow and I respect that, and I would never like to do any form of injustice to her, first because she is human like I am, but also because I am super sensitive to the fact that she has a husband who watches over her day and night just like the orphans who have a father watching over them day and night. He is the Almighty God. So please, let us open our eyes, our needs are right before us.

Secondly, I think we need to expose our children to the needs in the world. You should have seen Kendi after the trip. She had so many questions. Who are these children? Where did they come from? Where are their Mummies and Daddies? and we had to answer all of them. 

We have in the past visited childrens’ home, I never leave the vehicle I let my hubby do it all and then we head  back home. But I know we made a resolve with my hubby that we would expose our children to the needs in the community, they need to interact with other needy children and appreciate what they have and also realize that there is a lot to be done.

We hope this way, they will be part of change and Instead of sailing in the current boat of "what is in it for me", they will be asking – "What is in it for them"!

Just Moments

A few weeks ago, Tana would go to bed and in five minutes, she will call out for her Dad. Her awesome Dad would always rush to their room and Tana goes “ Dad, I need some water”. After five episodes of the same, on the six or so time, Tana did her new found ritual but instead of Dad rushing to her room – He responds back “I am not a waiter, get out of bed and get yourself some drinking water’…Mum bursts out laughing. Don’t I love Chris?

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I have been baking a lot in my house. My househelp loves the cakes apart from the Chocolate related Cakes. During my recent trip (away from home), my hubby says. "Oh, now that you will be away,…I need to take daily measurement of these cakes, even if it means using a ruler at least it will help me know the consumption rate of cakes around here before i surprise myself and find nothing in the fridge!

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We learn many songs from our kids. They sing them at home after a day in school.  Sometimes when we sing the wrong way, Kendi will say “Mum, please stop and sing after me” then she teaches us the whole song. Sometimes she will say go on  to say “Okay now, let’s sing together” (meaning-I seem to be getting it)- she a wonderful teacher!

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When I came back from Uganda on Sunday, I found my family at the airport. Nice. Just to let you know how kids react directly to the same issue.

When Kendi saw me, she ran and gave me a huge huge and hug, forgetting that there are security measures at the airport.  

Tana on the other hand jumped up and down over and over again at the same spot – shouting and yelling …Mummy mummy mummy mummy, oblivious of the fact that the waiting area was full of people who were all staring at her!

 You want to know about Ethan- he was just fascinated by the many lights at the airport. I think it hit home that Mum was here, when we got into the car and the kisses followed. 

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Hope you had a fun filled weekend! 

Born Sinners

The other day we went out for tea with the kids. They were given some crayons and coloring paper. When we walked out, we noticed that Kendi had curled up her dressed and the waiters were starring at her on our way out. When we got to the door, we asked her to stop pulling up her dress. But little did we know that she was hiding the crayons. They were already hers and she had every right to come out with them, but to her, she was taking them away and hoping Mum and Dad don’t notice. Truly we are born sinners.

This was the look after we asked her to surrender and put down her dress

The crayons 

Just a Mum being thankful

I am thankful that I am a few days to getting back home. At least the week is half way done.

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I am thankful for God’s grace and technology too, I can Skype with the kids, I get to see them in the evening and talk for a while, sing together, pray together and kiss each other goodnight.

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I am so so grateful for my husband.

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I am thankful that my niece Samara has started school. She lookslovely doesn’t she? This girl is a wonder.

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I am thankful that while I am away, there are friends who check on my family and my hubby’s male friends plan keep him company on Saturday afternoon and evening.  We have family oriented great men in this generation.

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I am grateful that while my hubby and I were brainstorming with the idea of getting a healthy cake, which we had been requested to go with for a school breakfast get-together this coming Saturday (knowing that i would still be away) when somehow my friend Rachael got to know about it, she volunteered to make a banana cake and drop it over this Friday evening! Seriously – Thanks Racheal!

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...and am so thankful that Ethan is now walking!!!!!!!!! I know that might mean troubleshooting a few current and expected challenges but here we go Ethan.... 

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I know life can be tough- but I am sure we all have GREAT things to thank God about. Let’s cultivate a culture of gratitude!

Funny moments

For those of you who know my hubby-He is such a jolly good fellow, he just keeps me laughing and says things that wants me to go under the table, sometimes I have had to apologize to those who don't get to understand his type of humour. Well, Sometime back, Ethan was so fussy and for hours so Dad shouts. “Ethan that is enough for the day or else I will circumcise you myself!” What a threat!!

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The girls are complaining about insects and flies in a restaurant and getting all cranky about it. Done with trying to negotiate with them, Dad says “Girls listen to me, this is their home, learn to live with them, they are going nowhere, it’s for you to leave when you are done eating!’

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We get back home from our short vacation and Kendi walks to Mum the next morning and says. “Mum, God says we need to go and swim today. I like the fact that they know that when God says it that settles it but using God to manipulate us – No way!

Should i resign from work?

I have had many Mums talk about how guilty they feel when they are going back to work after maternity leave. I have been there too, so I know that how feels.

I have heard of Mums who have left their jobs for awhile so that they can take care of kids when they are young. I haven’t done that, though there are times when such thoughts have crossed my mind.

I know they are mothers who are convinced that full time motherhood is what every mother has been called to. I can’t answer that because I do not have that conviction yet, but neither can I say that those who feel so are wrong because God speaks to us as individuals. He is not a democratic God and does not work with majority.

I have also heard of mothers who can’t wait to go back to work, in fact the three months maternity leave at home with the baby can be quite overwhelming for them. Well, that I must say puzzles me a bit. But I cannot judge them either.

I have also heard of Women who have no interest whatsoever in Children, they get married and they are supper content. Well, great, that forms a marriage. Children don’t form a marriage. So I have no problem.

I am not here to give answers to these complex questions because I am of the opinion that they differ and that they are personal depending on what God has planned for your life.

I am very content has as working Mum; I continue to experience a lot of grace and Peace as I work and as I take care of my children and family, I have with time and through Gods’ grace learnt the art of balancing, I am not quite there yet, but I can be chairing a meeting in the board room at 4:50pm, and be changing messy diapers at 5:10pm, cooking and loving my hubby and the like. And I have found such great assurance in God that makes me know for sure that I am supposed to be doing what I am doing today. God has placed a huge burden for Africa in my heart and my family and my work are part and parcel of this vision that I carry every day.

So if a mum were to ask me, if they should resign from their work and take care of their children. I would ask them, what is God saying about it? Because if God says it, that settles it!

What I have realized in the world of motherhood is that, it is a very opinionated world. And most of us mothers, I include, have all sorts of opinion about everything. Granted, we must all learn from each other and that that is why I have this blog in the first place, to share my experiences, but remember my life is not yours and yours is not mine, you can try the principles, pick out the lessons but you must always remember that you are a master piece, unique and none like any other in the whole globe. 

Find your assurance in Christ.

Going Naan

Last week, I had some visitors coming for dinner, so I decided to go Chinese and I made some Chinese sweet and sour chicken with cashew nuts and pineapple; together with some stir fried rice. Since there were some remains of the stew in the fridge, yesterday I decided to make Naan for dinner to go with it. 

I got a good recipe on line and I tried it. And they came out well. I really like Naan, it falls in the class of chapati and for those of you who know, I am a chapati addict. Okay, my kids still think I made Chapati. 

Hope you are having a blessed weekend!

French-cinnamonato.

 I am still cooking new stuff, my hubby told me this morning, to keep at it and that the fact that he is still alive it means  that nothing so far has been poisonous! Talk of encouragement! - So I kicked his stomach as always!

Some time back I went to Massai Lodge for my usual meeting. They gave us some French toast which I gathered must have had cinnamon and sugar. They were GREAT! So today morning I woke up and made them.

Since they are so great, it felt unfair to just call them French toast with cinnamon, hence i decided to label them, French-cinnamonato, so that the complication of the name carries the weight of the goodness.

Don’t ask me for the recipe, I only asked the waiter in the hotel who told me to add cinnamon and sugar to the egg that makes the French toast! So there we go! I love cinnamon in anything and these we inhaled and my hubby is still alive! Ha!