Of The Spirit

Wars, politics and famine are only but a distraction of what goes on underneath our very eyes. Not everyone can understand these things but we all see it. It is useless to see without understanding. It is the same as not seeing at all.

         FN: Believing takes the grace of God.

You can scream in your heart how 'churchy' or religious this is.
Without prayer and fasting our soul are most likely doomed to fail to reach its destination: heaven.

"For we are not fighting against human beings but against the wicked spiritual forces in the heavenly world, the rulers, authorities, and cosmic powers of this dark age." Ephesians 6: 12.

Everyone's fighting this battle: knowingly or unknowingly.
You cannot be in the middle. If you are not fighting on the side of God; you are fighting for the devil. Which means, even those that do not fight for God or the devil, are also fighting for the devil.

"Anyone who is not for me is really against me; anyone who does not help me gather is really scattering." Matthew 12: 30.

Imagine someone: he's drunk and he has almost no control over his mind and the flood gates which are supposed to be his inhibitions are gone... The exact opposite is what fasting does to the body. Ironic, in the fact that you're supposed to be hungry and starving, but it gains you the much needed control over the starving body. You can even choose to starve to death and it wouldn't have been a big deal. For in that state, one has clarity of mind. A scientist would take me up on this and the experiment on this, would come out flawed, for it is the spirit of God that helps us on such endeavor.

"Sin must no longer rule in your mortal bodies, so that you obey the desires of your natural self. Nor must you surrender any part of yourselves to sin to be used for wicked purposes. Instead, give yourselves to God, as those who have been brought from death to life, and surrender your whole being to him to be used for righteous purposes. Sin must not be your master; for you do not live under law but under God's grace." Romans 6: 12 - 14.

Jehovah's Witnesses

He was at home, alone on a working day doing shores. Someone knocked on the door. Surprised, he peered at the strangers from the window closest to the door.
Reading their looks, he knew they were Jehovah's witnesses. Instinctively, politeness drove him to the door and he unbolted it. "Hello, we are Jehovah's witnesses. May we share the word with you?"
"Shey, it's the word of God? Sure." He said in my head.
Sitting on the bench in the veranda, they sat on either side, betwixt him.
They asked him to read from the bible, but he said, "let me get mine". It didn't occur to him that he didn't know how to read. "Read this chapter out for us", one of them said. That's when he realized that he was inert.
He couldn't just make himself do it. He felt held back. He told them instantly, " I can't read " They said, "you can read but you don't know. Now pick the words one after the other." Before long, read the whole lot out. He realised then that he had read his first set of sentences. He didn't want to stop reading but then, they started  preaching. All of which were like white noise, until they said Jehovah's the name of God.
That was when they found out that he was selectively shy. He spoke as though, he'd read the whole book in the world. Astonished, they ask for more of his bibles. But still he kept proving them wrong with each and everyone of the bibles he brought out.
Before he could say any further, his dad came back from work unexpectedly. He sent them away; gave him a slap, his tender face didn't reject. Screaming at the top of his voice as the scolding came in their thousands. The only words that kept banging in his head was, "how I wish you heard me talk."
"I was doing pretty well"
They left him a different, better person.
A week later, a neighbour asked...

Orion's Star Light

Taking a lonely walk as usual, I got accosted by a guy I knew less than little about. In my head I prayed he wouldn't go my way as I wanted a tranquil walk. But the dude was headed my direction. So I gave up my lonely, quiet quest for a less than wanted company.
I struck a conversation about the tranquility of sober reflections and quiet walks, which he seem to oppose.
The discussion was stale and dry. And as I wasn't a people's person, I tried to bail out with a lie that a certain girl was supposed to meet me half way. Knowing the protocol, he strode off.
I stood still; handled my phone as if I was trying to call someone, just so he could get farther before I could continue my loner's quest. There she was glittering like a star out of Orion's belt. The unexpected and fictional girl I was supposed to meet up with, that I never planned. She had taped my shoulder from behind with an aura of uncertainty and unwillingness.
"Hi! It's dark and I need to go to the bank. Are you by chance going that way?"
"This is new", I thought. I looked at her for a second and shrugged, "okay".
Deciding I was still going to continue my meditation, for I was searching for my muse with an esteemed verve, I placed my hands free in my ear, and started strolling along side someone I now thought as 'Jane Doe'.
" I'm Jane by the way "
"What are the odds?!"
"What?"
"Please don't tell me your surname is Doe" I whispered to myself. "These jeans are too tight to run in."
"I'm James." Lying to her was a good idea since she seemed like she reads minds.
Then we exchanged all those other details.
"Hope I'm not asking you too many questions?"
"Not at all"
"I'm just trying to make a conversation. The silence is deafening"
"Sorry about that. It's just that I set out with an aim of walking in silence, so I could find my muse but everything isn't happening as planned from inception. No offence though"
"None taken."
"Withdraw for two", I said as she stepped into the ATM gallery.
As she stepped out, she tried to squeeze a five hundred naira note into my hand.
In utter shock I said, " no, that was a metaphor. I didn't actually mean it."
Disappointed, she had the countenance of one who needed to disappear but couldn't.
An awkward silence ensued. I was lost. As I didn't know what protocol best suits the situation.
She got to her juncture, and we parted ways without as much as a gesticulation of goodbye.
Instead of finding my muse, I found confusion, all in the actions of a girl I knew not.

My History With Music

I remember the first song I loved. For a person who usually gets angry when he hears a song, it was a really surprising event. I was minding own business when the chorus of "fool again by west life" stuck to my head. Sitting on the veranda, my neighbour kept increasing the volume. I stood there and I sang my first chorus. 'Twas all I sang all week. Of course, it was the only song I knew and loved.
It didn't take long; I mastered every word, every pause, every instrumental part.
Even though the voice was crude, it never really mattered 'cause I didn't hate how it sounded.
Ever since then, it has been from mastering one album to the other, to the extent of having almost 500 songs fully mattered.
I even moved from songs to mastering movie sound tracks. It seemed like it was gonna last forever and it seems so even now. It's been over 16 years since that first song.
The good old days. A list of musicians and their songs memorized.
* West life (group)
At least one album √
* Celine Dion
Multiple albums
*Phil Collins
All of my life
* Brian Adams
Everything I do.
* Michael Jackson
Speechless (still the only song of his I love)
* ...
I took a break.
I started watching movies.
Simba (Every damn sound) If you didn't watch this movie, "you miss die".
Aladin
Hercules (I'll find my way)
I graduated to motion pictures.
The rock (the movie) every sound track.
Bullet in the head (a song and the main sound track)
The good, the bad and the ugly (main sound track)
Home alone part 1 ( holy night)
Sound of music (every damn song) I love this movie.
Rattle snake (nollywood) Still remember oh.
Nemesis (nollywood) (theme song)
Then I resumed music
*Akon's album (akon trouble)
Lonely
Ghetto
Locked up
*Akon's second album
Never took the time
Nobody wanna see us together
Sweetest girl.
*Psquare came
It should be noted I hated African queen by Tu face, when it came out.
Omoge mi
Temptation
Oga police
Story
Never really liked Dbanj till
"Why me"
*Tu face
Grass to grace album.
*9ice
Kongaso
*9ice
Street credibility
*Faze
Originality
*Chris Brown
With you
It should be noted that after that song, I stopped listening to that dude.
*Iyaz
reply
*Owl city
Fire flies
*Jason Derulo
Wha cha say
*Wclef R. kelly
Ghetto religion
*Reuben Studdard
I need an angel
*James blunt
You're beautiful
*James blunt
Stay the night
*James blunt
Out of my mind
*James blunt
Carry you home
*James blunt
Tears and rain
*James Blunt
Goodbye my lover
*Banky W
Strong tin
*Bracket
Happy day
Yori yori
Little children
*Psquare game over album
*Asa
Jailer
*Asa
360°
*Asa
Bibanke
Then Adele sang a song that became timeless
*Adele
Someone like you
*Adele
Don't you remember
I got to know some good friends.
*Backstreet boys
Incomplete
*Sarah McLaughlin
In the arms of the angels
*Sara Groves
Going home
Then I met a crazy friend who only likes indie songs, and their likes
*Imogen Heap
Hide and seek.
Nobody but few, ever understood why I loved this song so much.
The newer ones
*Demi Lovato
Skyscraper
*Christina Perri
A thousand years.
*Michael Hearts
We will not go down
*Keith Lancaster
Awesome God (the a cappella)
*Carrie Underwood
Jesus take wheel
My point is, I really do know more than 500 songs off by heart.
It's not an achievement; neither is it a flaw.
These song shaped me in some way.
Majorly 'cause I let it. Which makes it important to censor the songs you listen to.
It's been fun taking you guys down my memory lane.
I'll leave you with a task.
Go download 'hide and seek' by Imogen heap.
It's a weird song but the lyrics are so deep.