Guest Post by Coco

(FYI: Coco is an awesome friend of mine :*! You need to meet her to understand the word awesome though. hehehe!) 2015 Sign Out When a baby is born, its a new beginning. JOY; the joy of bringing a child into this world. HOPE; the hope for a better life for your child. DREAM; even before it can say 'mama', you are building a dynasty in the Milky Way. CHANCE; A chance at making a difference in life through its eye_after all the wrong turns you made of yours... That was me at the beginning of 2015. Joy, big hopes, big dreams, a great resolve for a better year...then life happened!  Don't get me wrong, 2015 was not a let down. Seriously. I had some really great moments. Like ermmm...my hair grew longer, tried out some new food, I beat my record at Snakes (you know, that 2D game on Nokia 3310)...eerm, I grew my hair...(I think I said that before plus I'm quite sure thats supposed to happen naturally as the year goes by)... Errmm...what else... Well, you get the picture. Nothing comes to mind now, but it was a good year.The best! Honestly! I bet you cant give me 5 awesome moments off the top of your head that can top these. *straight face* Okay, this is starting to sound not very convincing... *aarrhhhggggg* My point is; my greatest moments were the lessons learnt - The Learning Moments. One of the biggest lesson I learnt this year is all summed up in what the Psalmist said in Psalm 127:1&2 "Unless the Lord builds a house, the work of the builder is wasted. Unless the Lord protects a city, guarding it with sentries will do no good." "It is useless for you to work so hard from early morning until late st night, anxiously working for food to eat; for God gives REST to His beloved." I learnt to fall in line with Gods plan. While its good to plan, I have to come to realize that my life is not in my hands as it were, but in the hands of a mightier power. I have learned to align with His plan, however slow or 'not cool' it may be.  Like how dissapointed I felt sometimes about the turn out in my career this year. In the midst of my brooding, I'm reminded that His plans and purpose for me are of good and not of evil. I instead fix my eyes on the benefits (opportunities) He loads me with everyday and find a reason to believe. I discovered another kind of investment according to Matthew 6:33 and then dived Into it. It may not yield any profit now pay for that waist trainer I've had eyes on, but I know He is not unfaithful to forget. Its going to pay off some day! Just ask the Cocoa farmer (have I lost you? Hmmmm). I learnt discipline. Yep, I did it! Lost over 10kg this year! Bammm! But this doesn't actually mean I am out of the 'red zone'. Still a work in progress. In this lesson, I learnt to look forward. I paint a mental picture of my goal and that drives me.  Like the pictures I kept painting of myself in a red hawt dress and everyone staring at me in seismic astonishment! Chanting in total dis belief "Oh my God! You look different!" Turns out I didnt dream enough cause when my friends saw the new me , they were spewing phrases in French. Now I feel like I can do anything, as long as I want it bad! I learnt not to worry but pray. This was a battle. There was reality saying one thing, and there was the Word reminding me not to worry. I won sometimes _by refusing to worry_ but some other times, I let my fears have the better of me. I'm pretty sure this class would be carried over into the new year. I learnt to make excuses. Not for myself, I already have a degree in that. I learnt to make excuses for others. I have a friend (shout 'hallelujah' if you know its you) who has thought me so many things. One of them is to give excuses for people. The voice of reason if you like. Like when she-who-must-not-be-named snapped at me. Or when I didn't get a response from a very important conversation. Or when I thought I should have been treated better because we go way back... "don't take it personal Darl, shes probably going through mid life crisis" "don't worry, I will not respond when he's asking me something" "who cares if she treated me like so. Her brow not even on flick sef"... The point is, there is probably a thousand and one other things that could be going on with them. For all you know, Obama could have just un-followed them on Twitter "Don't take it personal" says the voice of reason. I learnt to be happy. I realized my happiness shouldn't be based on the big things alone. Being happy with the little things matter just as much.  Like when I'm walking down the busy Lagos streets at night with my ears plugged while I listen to great rock music.  Like when I try out a new recipe_the kind that I am too spent to eat_ and then everyone else's so happy eating. Or when I meet someone new and a new friendship blossoms. Or when I'm simply just being 'me'. So what if the big stuff didn't happen this year? I like to think I'm rehearsing for the big ones. I learnt to be patient... scratch that. I learnt to be positive. I learnt not to dwell on my mistakes. I learnt hard work never killed anyone. I learnt to the shear butter aka Ori is just enough for your hair. Very importantly, I learnt to be grateful. Grateful for life. Grateful for health. Grateful for the roof over my head. Grateful for food on the table. Grateful for hair products. Grateful for friends... and new friends: - For Al, I hate that she says better jokes than I do sometimes.  - For Mr. Tart, I'm certain we will go a long way.  - For my rich friend, she actually gave me 2 dresses for Christmas! You forgot to take out the prize tag though. Or maybe you did it on purpose cause you wanted me to see it. What!!? That could pay for someones house rent!This friend I'm going not letting go. My birthday is coming soon, btw.  - For El, she's a friend with a story. I learn from her every time. - For everyone at the fellowship group... - For my smallies...and my baby! - For all the other new friends that I cant begin to mention. - For the old friends, I love you throway! - For The-One-That-Got-Away. For your honesty, the way you made it easy for me to be myself around you, for the way you made me feel...I wish you got to know me more, then you would have known I am a fragile heart, then I wouldn't have to deal with all these emotions now that you are gone. *sniff* Enough mushiness. Life happened in 2015 and I learned a lot and I have NO regrets. Wouldn't trade it for nothing. In all, I learnt to take responsibility of the outcome of my life. Cheers to the battles, the huddles, the challenges, the mood swings, the bad hair days and all that the new year has to bring. Bring it on, baby. Huunh! (In Rick Ross' voice *or is it Ross's? English is so? over rated*) Yours truly, Coco