MY LENTEN EXPERIENCE: DAY 1

Today marks the beginning of Lent (a period during which I intend to pick up my cross and follow Christ). This goes beyond just being 'Catholic' as some of my friends would term it. It is about me proving myself as a true follower of Christ and his teachings. I am quite aware of the fact that it will last for 40 days (Yikes!!)

We married folks go through a lot in our marriages especially the women (Yep! You got that right...ain't nuffing to be ashamed of...I am a Feminist). I speak, live (dunno about the dying part though!) for the women and that is why we need this period of prayers, fasting and alms giving to strengthen our home front. This is a time to drop all the 'seserense' and 'shakara' and get serious with God!

Even if our husbands are the 'roof' and the 'foundation' of our homes, we should never forget that we are the 'pillars' that hold forth the home. So, I implore you beautiful, black, strong visionaries to join me in this long journey of prayer and fasting. I need to do this to stay motivated and encouraged. I have never made it to 40 and so I must this time, God-willing.

While I was walking through (I hope this grammar is right) Mushin (an area most people would consider to be a 'ghetto') today, I saw how 'beautiful' God is. This 'beauty' I speak about is supposedly the inner beauty. Growing up, Mushin is one place I dread to live because I know (or so I thought) I would never live in. My workplace ironically is in Mushin (depending on which entrance to the institution you drive into). I had some job to do in this 'ghetto' and of course, I wasn't planning to drive my car to where I needed to go. I parked by the gate of the institution and trekked.

As I walked through the streets, I must say I was scared (because you never know what to expect in a place like that lurking with miscreants, thugs and all). I could feel eyes peering at me but I chose to ignore. It was obvious I wasn't from that area...it's usually easy for them to tell!

 Like I said, I truly appreciated God in all honesty. I realised that we the supposed 'high-class' ones are ingrates as well as ignorant. Even with the fact these 'Mushin guys' lived in poverty, they seemed so happy, with no care in the world. I saw children (some obviously malnourished) with just panties or non at all, running along the road with total abandon. Even when my kids who are always fully clad leave just the house with improper shoes, I freak out ( I did an SMH for myself). I saw young kids scrambling for 50 naira rice, young girls fighting to get the attention of scruffy young men, each house selling practically what the next house was selling, noise everywhere, young men who obviously had no job gambling away, the entire area littered with garbage and reeking of urine...the list is endless and still these people were happy! Even with nothing...they seemed happy. It appeared to me, they were living each day as it comes. They knew tomorrow wasn't a promise and so they decided to entrust their lives in God's hands! What I saw were people who acted like 'there was more to life than just money'.

I think the walk I had was not by chance. I think God wanted me to see the other side of life that had 'nothing'. And even with nothing, there was still happiness. Overall, I could feel His presence there. Even in the midst of all the disorganization, confusion and poverty, God was and is there.

So the moral of this 'yarn' is that we should appreciate everything we have in our lives, no matter how small. We should also appreciate the presence of God in our midst so, no need to panic! I have resolved to do anything to get God's attention and love. *if you like stay dia dey jolous me, no join me dey fast!*

Please forgive me if I sound 'preachy' though I am not, I am just sharing.

Love you guys. Don't forget to follow me on Twitter@naijahousewife.