Shua Shua

I can never forget the day I told my youngest brother to lay my parents bed. We were quite young back then. We were probably still in elementary School. Typical of my lovely brother, he started grumbling. It was getting late and my parents were expected home any minute so I begged and pleaded with him. I told him to do the “Shua-shua” method which was a hurried quick approach to bed making. As the only girl in the house, the dishes were specially reserved for me and I hadn’t finished washing up so I couldn’t lay the bed myself.

I had forgotten about the whole episode until later that evening when I heard a shout from my parent’s room followed by our names in the sequence of our birth. We were being summoned! It was sign that someone or everyone was in big soup. We all ran to my parent’s room to meet a very displeased Dad. I can’t remember everything my Dad said that night but I remember him saying “if you guys do not want to lay me and your mothers bed then don’t do it, we can do it ourselves after we get back from a long day at work. Just don’t disrespect us by doing this”. Apparently my brother had thrown the covers on the untidy bed. He had misinterpreted the concept of Shua-shua and felt it meant “don’t make the bed instead just cover up the mess nicely with the duvet so that everyone thinks you did.”

A few days ago I reminded my brother about the incident and we had a good laugh about the whole incident but that fateful night it wasn’t funny at all. Anyways it got me thinking about my life and life in general and how it would be so much easier to throw a duvet to cover up the mess and plaster a smile pretending everything is normal when it isn’t. The Shua Shua style never really works in my little experience. It’s simply just a way of delaying the inevitable. Plus God, our Father sees everything we do so there’s NO hiding from him.  

"would not God discover this? For He knows the secrets of the heart."

Psalm 44:21(ESV)

I’m grateful God didn’t throw a cover over me and my mess of sin instead He sent Jesus. I daily need His grace to go the love way and neaten untidy situations with love.

Yours Sincerely,

Cee

April Fool's DaY FoR Me

Every year I look forward to the 1st of April but not for the conventional reasons of playing practical jokes on other people. It’s the day I celebrate the greatest Dad ever (that sounds cliché but it’s the truth)

As a child, I remember racing to the door daily screaming “Daddy is back” just before throwing myself  at him, never doubting the fact that my daddy will catch me and give me the goodies he always brought back.

The only threat that ‘held any water’ and I never got tired of using on anyone who dared offend me was ‘I’ll tell my daddy for you’ for in my mind and heart he was my Superman and he’ll surely get the bad guys ;)

My dad gave me an important gift. He taught me how to write, especially essays and how to use big words like ‘eradicate’, ‘tautology’ and ‘relegate’. He also gave me the freedom to express myself.

He is the only person authorized to give me nicknames that stick and he loves to oblige me by making use of this privilege frequently. Just last month he added a new one to the collection.

I can never forget the day my dad gave me a lesson on logic stating ‘we were age mates’ because the first time I saw him was also the first time he saw me thus making us equals.

He taught me about ‘inward beauty’. One fateful day after spending hours in the salon making my hair, I came home to ask my dad, “How do I look?” He smiled and told me Igbo proverb… ‘The beauty/goodness of a peacock is not its colorful feathers but in the meat inside.’

My dad respects my opinion and has always made it a point of duty to discuss ‘big people’ things with me. Nowadays he calls me ‘my fellow graduate’ to further reinstate the value of my opinion.

Just calling my dad and hearing him say ‘my darling daughter’ as soon as he sees the caller ID has a way of brightening my day and reminding me that I’m loved. For to him, I’ll always be his adorable little girl.

So on this day I celebrate

My ‘CATCHER’

My SUPERMAN

My TEACHER

My NICK NAME GIVER

My LOGIC TEACHER/AGEMATE

My FELLOW GRADUATE

My FRIEND

My CARE GIVER

My FATHER, My LOVE

HAPPY BIRTHDAY DAD

With Love,

Cee

TRUTHS ABOUT HER

With her eyes alone she can give the best set down to an erring child and still be able to instruct us on what course of action to take next.

With her nose, she can decipher and fish out the child who hadn’t taken their bath from a mile away or a pile of dirty clothes stashed away or faulty business deal.

With her lips, she has kissed away our tears  ensuring we knew how much she loved us but more importantly how much more God loved us.

With her smile, she has been known to win many battles involving persuasion and bargaining; for she has the killer smile that disarms her opponent.

With her laughter, she always had way of convincing us to see the good in every situation e.g. when gas finished one year on Christmas day and every store was closed.

With her tears, she has assured us that it’s okay to cry but it doesn’t mean we should go overboard, displaying tantrums and melancholia especially since there is still a God.

With her ears, she has proven that it is possible to hear what we are not saying and decipher when we are telling half-truths or feigning ignorance.

With her legs, she has gone to great lengths to ensure she was and is always available when we need her the most especially with teeth removals and visiting days ranking high.

With her cooking, she has nourished and endowed us with robust figures and a given us a refined taste appreciative of the good things of life

With her words, she has guided, encouraged and challenged us to be the best we can be and has never failed to tell us the truth whether we wanted to hear it or not.

With her heart, she has shown us the true meaning of love and trust; never blind sighted to our faults but loving us in spite of it and yet hopeful for the future.

With her life, she has taught us and still demonstrates who a Christian really is especially behind the scenes when the lights fade.

...She is my MOTHER!

Yours Sincerely,

Cee