You Better Live!

At the third funeral in 2017! It's hit me. Life is for living!

You better spend your life better than that money!

The second funeral I attended this year made me particularly sad because it was someone younger than me. A dear family friend. Her departure left me so upset. Left me with so many unanswered questions. Like she didnt get to live. Her life was cut short. Made ny heart hurt so much. Seeing hee siblings in so much pain hurt my heart. I have her order of service on my dresser reminding me every day to live!

Today's funeral is that of my good friend's dad. Hearing stories from his children and seeing his loved ones who were both sad and joyous almost simultaneously made me think "his was a life well spent".

This is what funerals do I guess. They wake you up out of your slumber and inspire you to live on purpose. To chase your dreams and make them a reality!

This is a short post because I felt inspired to share this immediately. I am literally sitting at the reception waiting to be fed. Had to get on my phone and very quickly share.

I said all of that to say, don't go to your grave full. Go to your grave empty. Spend your life better than you spend your money!

John 10:10(b) says, Jesus came so that we could have life, and that we may have it more abundantly.

Hold nothing back!

Until next time folks.  Stay woke! Live! ✊🏾

Buki

xx

                                                  (Disclaimer: All pictures used were taken by, edited by and belong to bukibelle.com)

Go For It!

Hello Blogville, 

Happy New Year!! I know. Shameful. Well at least it's not March. Just yet. Lol.

I hope your 2017 started on a high note, and if not I hope it's getting better and will continut to get better.

What can I say? I've been away living life. I've contemplated shutting this blog down because of my inconsistency. Hmmm. But then I think  still like to have this place to go to air my thoughts.

My 2017 has started on a high. I had been searching for a new job on and off for years now. I'd actually given up trying at some point, but that quiet voice inside kept nudging me to try again. Last May I decided I would just apply for jobs recklessly. I worked really hard on my application competencies, had colleagues proof read and make any necessary adjustments several times. Once I had four solid examples I just went for it. I applied for job after job. I got a lot of knock backs. Initially I was heart broken. I'd put so much of my heart into these write ups, the rejections felt very personal. I started to feel stuck. I remember having a conversation with my siblings, pouring my heart out because I felt so stuck in life. I went crying to God, and that's when I heard "no matter the outcome of each application, just keep going.". So I decided that was it, I'd just keep pushing forward. I'd modified my competencies so much, that I decided I wouldn't change a single thing any more.

So I kept applying for job after job. I'd taken some time off work in December - it was a fantastic time off! On the day I returned to work I received my very first positive response. I was elated! I'd been invitied for an interiview. I would like to point out that this was to be my first interview in over a decade. I prepared for my interview like I was preparing for a final exam. I researched and researched. Read and read until my head hurt. The night before the interview I went to bed early with a headache. I arrived at my interview thirty minutes early ( I was actually fifty minutes early, but got a bit lost). I was sent away because I was too early and they weren't quite ready for me. I took the time to gather my thoughts. I read a scripture - Mark 11:24 - 'whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them.' over and over and said another quick prayer.

I returned for my interview nerves settled (somewhat) and ready to go for it. The inteview went ok in my opinion. I felt I could have done better, but I trusted God would fill any holes. There was a point I got completely stuck, like twenty or so seconds of silence. One of the interviews took pitty on me and started asking questions about scenarios, and situations, and resolutions etc. I started to flow again. Even if I'd messed up too much, I was grateful for her help.

The very next day I got an email, followed by a phone call. I got the job!! I can't tell you how happy I was. I still smile when I think of that moment.

I started my new job on Monday. Every day I smile walking into the building. People must think I'm crazy. Lol! I am just so grateful to God, and so proud of myself. I did it. I wanted a change and I went for it. I dug my heels in and I got the job!

My new office is just pure beauty. The building is breath-taking. I absolutely love it. And the job? Mehn! You know when you think about where you started, and wonder how you got here? Every day. My mum can't stop boasting. Seriously. 

This of course has encouraged me to start setting personal and family goals and working as hard as I possibly can towards them.

These are tools I used to help me keep going when I felt like giving up.

I really, really hope this encourages someone who needs to be encouraged.

Go for it!! You absolutely can do it!

Until next time,

Buki

xox

 (Disclaimer: All pictures used were taken by, edited by and belong to bukibelle.com)

Merry Christmas!

I must say, I've been gone for a lot longer than I expected. But I've been busy with life! Hope everyone is doing just swell!

So it's Christmas. I've just got home from my parents after cooking and cleaning with my sisters. Our beloved mummy is in Nigeria and we're trying to recreate a semblance of the magic she usually creates around this time of the year. We were all supposed to be spending Christmas in Nigeria this year, but unfortunately things didn't quite work out. Mum traveled first with my youngest brother, anticipating our arrival shortly thereafter. But our dear friends at the Nigerian Embassy required more documents than I currently hold to sort out my passport with them. One thing led to another, then the rest of the family ended up staying in London. Ahhh well. Next time I guess.

So, my sisters and I (with a little help from daddy - he made a few guest appearances then ran away with the excuse that he's just in the way) quickly pulled together to try and sort a little something out. I'm telling you I was so disappointed I only just put the tree up on Friday (23rd December). I digress. So I've just got home exhausted from all the cleaning, cooking and more cleaning in preparation for the big day. I'm laying in bed and was just reminiscing of Christmas when we were kids.

I remembered the very day my sisters and I came to the realisation that Santa Claus was a lie. We were playing on the living room floor and we started talking about what we wanted for Christmas. Then we thought "hey, we've never gotten exactly what we want for Christmas.". Then we started wondering why that was. We had one of those old fashioned gas fires in the living room. And we all turned and looked at it. The aha moment! Santa can't come in through there!!! That's why we never got what we really wanted. He couldn't get in. One of my sisters had a look under the gas heater, hoping there was a big enough hole. Then she looked at the remaining two of us with a face full of disappointment - "He can't fit through that hole".  That's the moment we grew up. LOL!

For my son it was very different. Christmas has always been a day we celebrate Jesus' birthday. When it came to time to have the "Santa conversation", it was simple. "I think a very kind man once existed in a snowy town and he used to make gifts and gave them to all the children in that town. So people who don't believe in Jesus kind of celebrate that". Lol! I think the story goes a little something like that. *shrugs shoulders*

I had a conversation with him a few weeks ago asking him how he felt about never believing in Santa. He said he appreciated not being lied to about something so major. Lol!

So how did your Santa or Father Christmas bubble break? Do tell!

I hope you all have a wonderful Christmas everyone! Enjoy your loved ones and remember those less fortunate than you. Do what you can to help where possible. And remember the real reason for the season is Christ.

Merry Christmas and God bless!

Buki

xox

                                                  (Disclaimer: All pictures used were taken by, edited by and belong to bukibelle.com)

Meditation

An oldie but goodie. One of my favourite poems. Posting this in honour of National Poetry Day.

Hephzibah!

So I saw this scripture on Instagram and these three words stuck out to me. So I decided to look them up to find out what they really meant.

Diadem: A jewelled crown or headband worn as a symbol of sovereignty.

Hephzibah: My delight is in her in Hebrew. She is a queen and the mother of Manasseh in the Old Testament. 

Beulah: In the Bible, Beulah is a place, not a person, applied to the land of Israel by the prophet Isaiah and the land of Beulah has sometimes been considered a reference to heaven. It began to be used as a given name in England at the time of the Reformation and was used by the seventeenth century Puritans.

So in short, this scripture reads to me as:

Woman of God, you are a jewel in His hand. He delights in you. And you reside in heavenly places.

This certainly made me feel special so I had to share (can't be selfish now!).

Please be encouraged as I was.

Have an awesome week!

Buki

x

(Disclaimer: All pictures used were taken by, edited by and belong to bukibelle.com)

New Shoes

New work shoes. Ok, so I've needed proper work shoes for absolutely ages! Been wearing ankle boots or flats to work for the longest time. So I popped into TK Maxx on Tuesday and found these. But they only had 1 pair and they were size 6 (I needed size 6.5 or 40). I tried them on and they pinched ever so slightly. So I decided to leave them and sleep on it. Thought I would ask God (and my wallet) first. I thought if they were still there the next day that would be a sign from above and I would get them and done. The next day I went back and they weren't where I'd strategically hidden them. Lol! I looked around for them but couldn't find them. Disappointed I made for the door. But before I got to the end of the isle I just happened to turn and look up. There they were! They'd been moved! I reached for them and you'd never guess what!? They were size 6.5! It felt like everything was aligned! #Eurika! Lol!

What made me laugh was the week before, my son told me he needed new socks. The following day I planned to run out during my lunch break to get him new socks. That afternoon it was pouring with rain, but mama bear had to put on her big girl pants and go get those socks! I know socks aren't really an optional thing, they're a necessity. But it could have been anything. My son expressed a need, and my focus was to fulfil that at all cost!

However, when it came to a genuine (neglected) need of my own, the story is so different. I needed to speak to God about it. Make sure He was alright with it. I needed to sleep on it. I gave someone else the chance to get it. And only after all of the above had been executed, IF they were still there, then it's all systems go! Haha! Isn't that just the  funniest thing?

I said all of that to say your girl has matured somewhat. There was a time when I was driven by my desires. If I saw it, I wanted it, I'd buy it without a second thought. And there's also the finance part of things too, but this wasn't so much to do with the money but the need for the go-ahead from above. And that's what I'm proud of the most.

Just some of my random thoughts I wanted to share. This post started out as a simple Instagram post, but then I realised I had so much more to say. Lol.

Hope the weather is consistent wherever you are. We're praying for the British weather to make up it's mind. And they wonder why we Brits have trust issues. Hahaha!

Enjoy the rest of you week people!

Buki

x

                                                       (Disclaimer: All pictures used were taken by, edited by and belong to bukibelle.com)