Thanks Giving

We give thanks for another year;

Of provision and opportunity for growth.

We give thanks for time shared;

family and friends, health and strength.

We give thanks for hope assured...

We give thanks for Jesus Christ.

Give thanks

A hymn... [Author Unknown]

Give thanks with a grateful heart

Give thanks to the Holy One

Give thanks because He's given Jesus Christ, His Son

And now, Let the weak say "I am strong"

Let the poor say "I am rich"

Because of what the Lord has done for us

Give thanks !

Cage of emotions

Writing Assignment from the Red Dress Club:

Brief: "Think of a person you don't like, and describe what you might say if you had to share an elevator ride together. Then describe what happens when the elevator breaks down. For six hours."

The cage.

'Oh No! Help! help! down here!!!! Please help...hel-p...Oh nooooooo! nooooooo! nooooooo this can't be happening!!! Noooooo....' 

[Silence fell in the tight darkened space. All cries for help echoing through space ascending and descending the elevator shaft...but no voice called back.]

{Well...here we are...alone in this cage that incarcerates us for only God knows how long...I shall not speak of things past, those painful things and the heart ache it brings...No...I cannot..will not even dare to think upon it...no...}

[Three hours pass...the silence is deafening...the undertone of emotions run high... temperatures soared as the dam of emotion broke within her and she could not help but give voice to her heart as it became awash to the point of drowning in its own tears...]

'Suffocated...

Desolate...

Displaced...

Imprisoned....

Rejected...

...yes, that is how you have made me feel all my life! how you make me feel now...

Almost. Yes almost is who I am...who I have always been to you...

Almost present...
Almost worthwhile...
Almost good enough...

Almost worth loving...
Almost worth hearing...

Almost what you want...

Almost worthy of your time...

Almost pretty enough to entice you...

Almost beautiful enough to captivate you...
Almost strong enough to support you...
Almost weak enough to need your strength...

Almost woman enough to hold your attention...

A...l...m...o...s...t... That is all you see when you look at me... 

Almost...is all you hear when the melody of my voice resounds in your ear...

ALMOST

Yet like an optical illusion your lips speak mockingly of my being worthy...what a woman I am...a wife and mother I would make...a partner, a shoulder, a friend... They speak of a place you have reserved just for me, a life you have designed with me in mind...A joy sweeter than the honey comb's first fruits...Then you look away, gazing into the distance...and with no more than a sigh you switch on me and your actions SCREAM...almost!

Why the disguise? The lip service that has no one fooled but foolishness itself? Why the words that are like a westerly wind, blowing my sail high and low turning me over to the point just before I capsize... Know you not that with every whispered word and screamed action, you defer my hope and make my heart sick? I've tried, oh yes I've tried to rationalise why? Yet I come up short and perplexed at how you make me dance through the mine field of emotions you present with a red bow tied around it and call it a gift of love... 

I look within for answers. Question who I am, or at least who I think I am; who the world says I am and try to reconcile it with who you say I am... 

The world says I am;

Beautiful... Intelligent... God fearing... Loving... Woman... Passionate... Kind-hearted... Maternal... Headstrong... Straightforward... Inspirational... Loveable... Compassionate... Driven... Funny... Silly... Demanding... Trusting... Worshipper... Energetic... Enthusiastic... Down-to-earth... Positive... Hopeful... Believing... Charismatic... Flexible...No-nonsense... Focused... Smart... Intuitive... Dreamer... Honest... Influential... Warm... Open minded... Fearless... Zany... Encouraging... Open-book... Friendly... Friend-for-live... 

But the books don't balance every time...Your 'almost' withdrawals are always so much more than any deposits of good will and well wishes the world can give me...


...almost...

[Three more hours pass then suddenly a voice...]

'Hello...hello, this is the rescue services, we are coming to get you. Can you let us know how many people are in the elevator? over'. 

'Hello! hello! please come quickly!!!! How many people?... Oh..th-here is just me...

Cuisine of the Jamaican kind...

Hungry happy patron

Writing brief: 'Write about a meal you loved.'

The chef

I love food!  All types  of food and its full spectrum of flavours, textures and colours. Having travelled to various parts of the world and met people from every continent;  I have had the opportunity to taste a wide variety of  dishes particularly traditional dishes from all around the world. Of all of those the meal I loved the most was one I helped to cook whilst learning to make Jamaican food from the best Caribbean chef in the world,  Mrs Katherine Planter; affectionately known as Mum.


I met Mum Planter in Bristol, UK during my final year at law school. She was the mother of my pastor and was like a mother / grandmother to us all. She took me under her wing, taught me how to make Caribbean dishes from steam cabbage, fried fish and oxtail, to plantain, aki & salt fish and callaloo. Some of my best memories of Bristol were made right there in her kitchen spending time with her. One never refused an invitation to Sunday lunch at Mum's house! 


On the day of the meal in question, Mum was teaching me how to make steamed cabbage, my very first lesson. I didn't think there would be much to it but boy was I wrong! We fried bacon, onion and tomatoes. Added garlic and spices and then the cabbage...Mmmm it was heavenly and unlike any cabbage I had ever had. I was so excited about sampling the finished product and as I went to set the table, Mum made the rice. 


I must tell you at this point about my then 'hate hate' relationship with kidney beans. I remember my first interaction with kidney beans was as a child in our family home in Mount Pleasant, Harare. My mother used to make a kidney beans stew which involved boiling the beans for hours until the smell fill the house and started to escape into the garden invading my hiding place. I despised the smell and therefore the beans and convinced myself I was allergic. When it was dinner time I would scream and shout and carry on until I was allowed to have rice and milk instead.


Back to Mum's kitchen. When the rice was cooked she served the meal and gave me rice and peas with my steamed cabbage. Now if you know your Caribbean cuisine, you know that rice and peas is not made with peas at all, it is made with kidney beans! I told her that I was allergic to kidney beans and gave her my childhood story. After hearing it she told me to stop being silly, sat me down and ordered me to eat! Lo and behold I wasn't allergic after all! In fact, I couldn't smell the beans and they tasted fantastic in the rice with the spices she used. Coupled with the steamed cabbage it was amazing! I really enjoyed it and had a second helping!  

I took these images in Bristol outside a Jamaican restaurant in St. Pauls.
The aromas coming from the kitchen made your mouth water from the street!