Random Posts – The Christian Blog

#WBC2020 – How I met my Husband while Covering an Event

Saturdays are meant for relaxing especially if you’re a student at the University and a volunteer for a campus radio station. You always looked forward to the weekend to prepare and eat good meals, catch up on your sleep as well as spend time with your roommates. Other students preferred to go home so I wasn’t particularly excited when our news editor asked me to go cover a programme. The programme was being organised by medical students who had offered biological science but were currently offering medicine. The event, that day, was meant to mentor biological science students/medical-school hopefuls on how they could also get into medical school.

Looking at the weather, which was warm and all the sacrifices I was making in order to be at that programme that Saturday afternoon, I was not enthused at all.

At the event, which had a good attendance, I found a place to sit, brought out my recorder, pen and notebook and started taking notes. Whenever I raised my head, I saw the MC of the event looking straight at me. I started frowning and it seemed I did that throughout the event but I made sure to gather my story.

The programme was enlightening even for me who was not a medical-school hopeful. It ended with participants gathering to take photos. I gathered my tools and started to leave when the MC approached me to introduce himself. The same guy that got me frowning throughout the entire event. He asked whether I wanted to stay for refreshment and my answer was no. I thanked him and wished him the best.

Before leaving, I stopped to speak to another medical student who was my classmate from senior secondary school. I had interviewed him a week (on another show) prior to this event. I promised to keep in touch.

How excited I was to be walking back to my hostel to go enjoy the rest of my Saturday.

About a week later, I received a call from an unknown number and when I answered it was the MC of the event I had attended.

“I got your number from …. I saw you speaking to him after the programme and I knew how I could contact you.”

I was shocked even when my classmate from senior high had given me prior notice that he was giving my phone number to the MC. I did not frown. This time, I was very polite and we spoke for a few minutes, basically introducing ourselves and we hanged up. He started calling every Saturday to “check up on me.”

Initially (and erroneously), I thought medical students had no social life and perhaps, this guy wanted a friend in a different circle. That was the main reason I decided to be friends with him. Another reason was because he just listened. He’d call, ask one question and I would talk and talk.

The calls became more frequent. He could even call and say he was going for a wedding.🤷🏿‍♀️

We became good friends and one thing led to the other and the rest they say is history. Actually, we are married now and we’ve been married for almost five years and met at the event in October, 2010.

***This is 20/22 of the #WinterABC2020. The prompt is to share about a life-changing event you once attended.***

#WBC2020 – A Different Kind of Year

Unpredictability, anxiety, fear, anguish

The emotions most of us feel in 2020

Pandemic, deaths and earthquakes

Individuals are wondering what else 2020 will present

Will it ever end?

Leap years are most terrible

A new notion people are gradually accepting

Nothing seems certain

Resolutions have been put on hold

Fingers have been crossed and each day being taken at a time

Prayers are being said for this plague to pass

We are vulnerable individuals walking on the surface of the earth

If the Creator decides to pull the very ground that we are walking on, there is absolutely nothing we can do

2020 is showing the lapses in every aspect of our lives including in leadership and governance

In all of these, we are being strengthened in our faith.

Clearly showing we are indeed nothing without God’s protection.

What are you holding on to in this period?

***This is 17/22 of the #WinterABC2020. The prompt is to comment on a trending current affairs topic.***

#WinterABC – Becoming Delali

Living with mum’s relatives, at the age of six, taught me to avoid trouble by all means. When I was told to sit, I sat. I woke up to mop the floors and do the dishes without complaining. When I was once beaten because I returned home late from playing with my friends, I stopped playing entirely. What is the point of playing anyway? I was told a girl’s place was in the kitchen and she needed to be out of bed by 6am. Who was I to argue? I stopped turning the TV on when I returned from school but headed straight to the kitchen. Jonny Quest, Scooby Doo and Dexter’s Lab held no meaning to my childhood any longer.

Most of the kids in my neighbourhood lived with their parents. They attended the best schools, were dropped off in the mornings and picked up by their parents from school. They wore very nice dresses and their parents also bought storybooks for them. They were generous and shared their books with me. I was introduced to the Wakefield Twins in Sweet Valley (from kids to University), Goosebumps and the Babysitters Club. These books took my imaginations to several places and I loved that. At least, I was not beaten by mum’s relatives for reading.

Ironically, one of my most vivid memories from Senior High School was receiving lashes because I was engrossed in a romantic novel while sitting in an Agric. Science class. Novels still do that me. They help me forget all that is happening around me.

I was once very certain I wanted to be an author. That passion changed to journalism but after working for my University’s radio station for three years, I concluded that gathering stories and the crazy work schedules of broadcasters were not things I enjoyed. 🤷🏿‍♀️

I’m glad I was introduced to God at a very early stage. I enjoyed going to church and I still enjoy it. I’m certain God has a purpose that He’s fulfilling in my life. I never have clear plans of what I want or where I want to be but making time to listen to Him daily keeps the two of us on the same page.

I have made tons of mistakes and failed at some many things but the survivor instincts I possess push me to get things right the second time.

What is your story? Share with us!

***This is 4/22 of the #WinterABC2020. The prompt is Becoming (your name) a biographical piece.***

How a Typical Lock down Day Looks

2 am? It’s not even morning yet. I close my eyes and try to go back to sleep. I remember the number of covid-19 cases Ghana has recorded and if there is anything I can personally do about that.

4:44 am? I wake up fully, pick my phone again and send out devotionals to my church’s Whatsapp group pages. I forward links of my pastor’s audio broadcast while contemplating on what do next – Facebook, Twitter, Whatsapp, WordPress?

5:30 am? I have wasted some time on those social media pages. Where is the YouVersion? I read the verse of the day, share that to my social media platforms and read several of the devotionals they offer and pray. YouVersion is awesome. Remember to check it out if you haven’t.

7 am? Mostly I would have taken my bath and in the kitchen listening to the radio while thinking of what to have for breakfast – pancakes, puff-puff or something easier to prepare.

8 am? Little girl wakes up and that is when my day really begins since I virtually have to force her to do everything – brushing her teeth, bathing, eating. That takes so much of my energy and I can’t wait for school to resume.

10 am? I’m supposed to be working from home so I sit behind the laptop and turn the TV on for the little girl. On good days, I am able to complete tasks. On bad days, I just lie down or play WordCross or read to the little girl or fix puzzles with her or watch Paw Patrol or Peppa Pig or Abby Hatcher (I’m tired of seeing these cartoons).

1 pm-2 pm? I prepare lunch which mostly serves as supper for me.

3 pm? Depending on how productive I have been, I pick the laptop and still try to do some real work from home. Intermittently, I check to see who has posted anything for the lock down blog challenge. I read as and when I find the time.

8 pm? I work on the blog for the day. I sometimes send and read emails for work at this time. This is the most conducive time to do anything productive since my little girl would have had her supper and bath and either preparing to go or will already be in bed. Implying no interruptions and more productivity.

10 – 11 pm? Sleeping and praying time.

Weekends or Weekdays? I can’t really tell because the days are all the same now. The only difference is that I still laundry on Saturdays.

**18th post of the 21 day lock down blog challenge and the writing prompt is: Take us through a day in lockdown**

The Silence of Her Words

She had dreadlocks, dressed casually and wore glasses. Her background was in communications and planning and she seemed confident.

“This is the back end of the organisation’s website. This is how to post new content,” she said.

I got highly interested and researched on blogs. I created a personal account on WordPress and that was the beginning of a passion. I served as her assistant for about a year and when social media was not very common, she stressed on the need to tweet for the organisation.

She gave me the responsibility of producing weekly updates for the project’s blog and pushed me to take bigger assignments that I thought I was incapable of. She had a personal blog too and it was featured on one of the biggest websites in New York.

As a young University graduate who had just completed her voluntary National Service, I was intrigued by her. She provided me with a picture of my ambitions. She believed in my abilities when I did not know they existed.

Seven years on and I seem to have followed in her footprint somehow. It wasn’t the words of her advice but her silence, faith and actions were exactly what I needed at that time.

**17th post of the 21 day lock down blog challenge and the writing prompt is: Share the best advice you have ever received.**

The Real Struggle of Pastry-Making

My second attempt at this and it must go well. That is never the case with pastry making – your second, third and fourth attempts could be worse than your first and you’ll never know what went wrong.

You may have listened and watched all the tutorials, listed and purchased all the ingredients that goes with the recipe but boom – the results could be disastrous. Trying new meals could be an adventure but pastry-making could be a ride on a roller coaster. Brace yourself because anything can happen.

My second attempt at making puff-puff (a popular West African deep fried snack) and I felt I was properly armed this time. I called the commander-in-chief (my sister) who run me though the recipe again (for the purpose of revision). I made mental notes. I had no idea my brain was this sharp. I was able to memorise everything she told me without writing them down – flour, sugar, nutmeg, salt, margarine, flavour, yeast and baking powder. Mix dry ingredients. Mix the liquid ones. Put dry and liquid ingredients together and ‘beat it’ to introduce some air. If it’s too thick, add a little water and make it sit for about an hour. Cover it!

Truly, after an hour, the dough or batter had raised. Oil in pan, I allowed it to heat before dropping the spongy dough into it. That thing turned brown by soaking almost half of my oil. They came out looking like some soggy compact disks. Not today, I said to myself. Probably I did not give it enough time to raise. I allowed the mixture to sit for an additional hour and poured the oil into another pan. It was probably the pan. It did not make the puff-puff round. I heated the oil again and started dipping the dough into the oil. The results was even worse than the first.

I turned off the fire and called the commander -in-chief (my sister) after I had sent her photos of the disaster I was making in the kitchen.

“Did you allow it to raise,” she asked.

“It’s been sitting in that kitchen for two hours now,” I said.

“Sieve more flour into the batter. You probably made it too watery,” she diagnosed.

That was how I added more flour and fried again and this time, they actually came out looking a little rounder. I am not a failure after all.

Not the perfect puff-puff but a good attempt (in my opinion)

It’s amazing how this snack is common in our markets but very difficult for me to figure out how it is made. This lock down period has shown me how challenging it is to make pastries/snacks. The least mistake you and you’ll be preparing an inedible nameless substance.

**16th post of the 21 day lock down blog challenge and the writing prompt is: Document your experience trying something new or giving something up.**

3 Tips to Buying the Best Gift

Happy Easter to everyone. Our Saviour is risen and there isn’t a much better time to write about gifts and generosity than now. Gifts are the items we give out. We could give kitchen wares, food items, underwear, clothes, money, time and our expertise among others to our family, friends, neighbours, the church and the needy.

How to acquire the best gifts

It is easier to acquire gifts to individuals that we are in touch with, especially, if they are our friends and acquaintances. Through regular conversations, they may drop hints on items they like and from our own observations, we may conclude on what they prefer. My top tip to acquiring a gift is to buy an item that the person likes and not what you (the buyer) prefers.
In order to buy the best gift item, do a little bit of research on the individual, especially if you are not close to them. You may love perfumes but the person you may acquiring the gift for may be allergic to them. You may prefer cakes but the person taking it hates it. Don’t surprise yourself but do a little background search before hitting the shop. The easiest gift to give anyone, currently, is money. No one (I may be wrong) rejects monetary gifts, no matter how little you may feel it is. You can add, “please use it to buy airtime” and they’ll be appreciative of your gesture.
Speaking about gifts, the attitude you put up while giving also matters. Don’t give because you feel pressured. Don’t break the bank to acquire a gift for anyone. Give and expect nothing in return.

There are a lot of people in our neighbourhoods who are really struggling, especially , in this lock down period. They are the ones we need to identify and stretch a helping hand towards. Happy giving!

**14th post of the 21 day lock down blog challenge and the writing prompt is: Gift Ideas…What not to buy someone of the opposite sex.**

My 5 Most Frequently Asked Questions

Her: Mummy, where are you going?

When she sees me dressed up.

Her: Mummy, where are we going?

When I insist we all take our baths in the morning.

Her: Mummy, are we going to school?

My response: Do you want to go to school?

Her response: No. I don’t want to go to school. I want to stay at home and watch cartoons.

Her: Mummy, is it night?

One of the favourite questions of somebody who cannot read the clock.

Her: Mummy, are you tired?

As if there is something she can do about it.

These questions are posed by my three-year old daughter. She is the one I spend most of the day with since her dad is a health worker who still goes to the hospital in this lock down period. Who do you spend most of your time with in this lock down period?

**13th post of the 21 day lock down blog challenge and the writing prompt is: Frequently Asked Question.**

How to Make Plantain Frittata

I watch a lot of videos from Tasty, Food Network and other individuals with food channels on YouTube and Facebook and, I like to try out new recipes but these haven’t always been success stories.

Recently in this lock down period, I saw a number of videos on how to make bread pudding and when I tried it first, the bread did not soak well in the mixture. I tried it the next day and the result was even worse than the first. It was so bad that nobody ate it and I had to get rid of it the next day.

I tried making puff-puff the other day (also from videos I had seen online) and the results wasn’t the best either. It did not rise like what I saw in the video and I was later advised to add baking powder.

The few success stories I have had in my kitchen (from watching online recipes) are in the preparation of pancakes and plantain fritatta.

To make plantain fritatta, the ingredients required include:

2 ripe plantains

6 eggs (depending on the number of people eating)

6 sausages,

2 bell pepper,

2 large size fresh tomatoes,

A pinch of salt to taste,

Cayenne pepper,

Slices of onions.

Cooking oil

Method

In about about two table spoonful of oil, add slices of onions, bell pepper and tomatoes. Stir-fry till golden brown.

Deep-fry the ripe plantain separately.

Break the eggs into a bowl.

Cut and add your sausages to the eggs.

Add desirable quantity of cayenne pepper and salt

Pour the stir-fried vegetables into the egg mixture and whisk.

Oil your baking tin and pour the egg mixture into it.

Place the fried ripe plantain on top of the mixture.

Put the mixture into the oven and bake for 20 -30 minutes and that’s it.

Frittata is simple to prepare as the ingredients are easy to find, especially, in this lock down period. It can be eaten as a full meal or an accompaniment to a full meal. Try it and let me know what you think

Today marks Day 12 of the #21lockdownblog challenge and the subject is to provide a guide on how to do something.

A Tribute to my Exes

The topic for today’s lock down blog challenge took me to over six years ago when I first wrote on this and posted on my personal blog. I am tweaking it a little and I hope it makes the same kind of impact that it did when I first shared. I am going to use colours to represent the exes so here we go:

Dear Brown,

You were kind, lovely and belonged to such a wonderful family, very large for that matter. Speaking about your family, your little sister thought I was a threat. She was envious of all the attention I was receiving from you. We both nursed ambitions of going to the university, finding jobs and making our relationship official but all of a sudden, I lost interest. I lost interest even before I accepted your proposal. I guess our attempt at the relationship took a nose dive. Our conversations had become too monotonous and it was as if there was nothing new to discuss. You felt like a broken record to me and I had to bow out. Thank you for accepting the ‘break up’ without a fight. I believe your sister now has you to herself. No more competition from me.

Dear Blue,

You came into my life in such a dramatic fashion. We exchanged email addresses and you acted caring in the beginning. I became interested. It was fun with you – the regular outings, the gifts and the frequent phone calls. You taught me so many things- some good and others- things I don’t want to remember but they were learning experiences for me. Our conversations centered on a particular theme- your dad and how you did not know what to do with him. You were quite demanding – demanding too much of me and my time. I am not blaming you entirely for everything that went wrong but you were so much fun in the initial stages. I saw you recently and you looked all grown but it seemed you had suffered from some sort of amnesia. You had forgotten all about me and I saw how you struggled to remember my name. It was quite amazing, because our relationship lasted over six months so I wondered how you’ve forgotten so quickly. I guess that was how ‘important’ I was to you.

Dear Black,

I met you in the same dramatic fashion as I did with Blue. Both of you came into my life as if you were offering me some help. I remember a few things about your – your height (petite), your family’s preference for a group from a particular region, which unfortunately wasn’t mine and your crazy philosophies too. I also remember you liked books. Yes, now I remember. Our first date was at the bookstore. I went with you to get a book. You also loved to call at dawn, after you had finished studying. Our relationship ended in the most dramatic way like the way it started. Something that I know you have regretted so much. I haven’t regretted. In fact, I am cool with it. I really would not have known how it would have been, since you claim your did not like me. It was great knowing you and I still remember the loan you took from me but never repaid. I haven’t forgotten but I hold no grudges.

Dear Red,

I didn’t know I would be sitting behind my laptop writing something about you in this fashion. My breakup with you was the messiest, since the whole world knew about us. We were an item back then. Our chemistry was based on a passion we both shared and that became the subject matter of our conversations. Though, I wanted our relationship to be on the quiet side, you went public with it. No wonder all eyes were on us- wondering where our relationship was headed. I could not take the pressure and I reconsidered the decision of being in a relationship with you. I concluded it was not love, but admiration. I admired your passion for excellence and achievements. You were also demanding and gave me so much pressure. Our relationship was more of a full-time course and it was difficult understanding you. I think I matured most during our relationship. Too bad it ended that way but, I still remember you.