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Freedom Fridays Life Project Laughter

#FreedomFridays – Commanding the Elements



King-Earl had returned earlier from school that day than his sister and as he waited for her return, he noticed the clouds changing. He remembered that he had seen his father ‘decree and declare’ severally when the elements changed and the rain stopped in his favour. He recalls his mum walking casually by across the dark room and saying “Light be” and power returned to his amazement. He decided to try his faith. He spoke to the heavens to hold their peace till Imani got home. He prayed that she will not be wet and then continued with his business. An hour or so later, Imani is home and grandma promptly informs her, your brother had held the rain on your behalf, to which Imani responds, “So, how come I’m drenched!”

I had a good laugh behind-the-scene when I heard the story, but I ‘warned’ Imani about ‘killing’ my son’s faith in prayers. I was pleased he was considerate and also thought of praying for his sister, I was glad he believed in its efficacy and I encouraged him not to give up. Like I said to him, just maybe if he hadn’t singled out only Imani as the one the rain shouldn’t touch, maybe it wouldn’t have rained because she was probably walking with a friend back home and it would have been selfish for Imani to be dry and the friend beside her, wet.

Do you believe in the words that you speak or in the prayers you release? I do!

Photo by Sourav Mishra on Pexels.com

So the other day I was dressed for work, but I couldn’t leave because the rains where pouring as if on a mission that must be fulfilled early in the morning, whilst singing the song, 🎼Ain’t no stopping us now, we’re on the move!🎼 to a beat that only thunder could give and lighting added hers for stage effects.

“Defeated”, I sat back on my bed and remembered some song we used to sing as children when the rains began…don’t tell anyone, but I sang it 🙈😋
🎼Rain, Rain, Go away
Come again another day 🎼
…and when I got to the part that says “Little Johnny, wants to play”, I stopped because I wasn’t ‘little’ and my name is definitely not “Johnny!” The rains didn’t stop immediately, but stop they did and to work I headed out.

I am IMAN – I Manifest Adonai’s Nature, #UnapologeticallyMe

@imanikel 210521 (c) Frances Kelvin Otung

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Project Laughter Relationships

I just got married again!


King-Earl walks in on us (Oba & I) in the kitchen discussing and working. He goes, “are you guys dating?” We looked at each other, smiled and I proceeded to tell Oba about someone in school that wanted to date me and I asked the fellow what dating was, since he was my friend already. He couldn’t really give me an answer then. I suspected he meant ‘intimacy’, so, I turned him down. I concluded this story by saying, “I still don’t understand what dating is”.

All this while, King-Earl was still in the kitchen with us, so he replies “Dating, is taking someone out to a special place that is really, really awesome!” We were awestruck by his definition, but that was the beginning of this drama.King Earl

King-Earl: Mom! Do you take this man as your Royal husband? I curtseyed and replied “yes, I do, your Highness!”
He then turns to Oba, “Dad! Do you take this woman as your normal wife…” At this point, I interjected and said, “I’m not normal, I’m supernatural.”
King-Earl continues…Do you take this woman as your lovely wife?”
Oba: Yes, I do.
Me: So, what next?
King-Earl: Let’s go to the kissing part
We kissed lightly and laughed at the “go to the kissing part.” Imani walks in, wanting to know the reason for the laughter, we tell her, she shakes her head and walks away. King-Earl continues, “but that’s what the pastor does! I know the rules” running away to his room.

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Project Laughter Relationships

WHEN I GROW UP


“How old are you, Mummy?”

Pretending not to hear, I ignored his question.

“Mum!” I said, “How old are you?”

“Sorry, I can’t tell you.”

“But Daddy told me his age”, he informs me

“And you told everyone in your class” his sister interjected.

“I won’t tell anyone”, he defended himself, giving her the eye.

Years from now, will he remember this conversation? Maybe not. Will my age matter to him? I think so, because he told me, “I don’t want you to grow old”. So the idea is he will keep growing to meet up with me and make Ofe his girlfriend (she used to be in his class/school), but I’m banned from getting old.

Someone or something he saw must have told him that when people grow old, they die. Sadly, these days it is not so. I don’t want to fill his head with the intrigues and business of death, so I’ll enjoy every today and tomorrow we have.

“No, I won’t tell you my age, it’s safer that way.” The conversation ended.

©2017. Frances Kelvin Otung. All rights reserved

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Project Laughter

‘Pleasantly’ Straight-forward!


“Mum!!!” King-Earl called out to me as he opened the refrigerator, “I want your Yoghurt in the fridge.”

“Nope!”

“Why?! It’s good to share!” King-Earl insisted

“Nope, I’m not sharing.” I continued with what I was cooking.

“If you don’t share, you are not a Child, no, Adult of God.” (With a look that said “this will make you do it”)

“But I don’t want to share!” I replied, getting frustrated with this conversation.

“Then you are an Adult of something that God defeated” he said disappointingly and walked out of the kitchen.

That alone, stopped me from encouraging any thought to eat that Yoghurt. And yes, King-Earl and sister got to enjoy it at the end of the day.

©2016. Frances Kelvin Otung. All rights reserved

Picture Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yogurt

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Project Laughter Rant

Stop the ‘bullies’…KE’s way


There will always be bullies! I had one when I was in primary school and she made my life miserable. I dreaded getting on the school bus daily, I knew she would pick on me and others won’t say a thing. It continued for a long while, until one day I stood up to her and yabbed (taunted) her too and the laughter that erupted, she never forgot in a hurry and that ended the bullying. But did it really end? I don’t think so, as I still remember her name.

I met her years back, after school, I was working and not married. She stopped by my office to check on someone and we met. Guess what, she tried flaunting in front of me, but I was too empowered to be bothered and so calmly and coolly responded to all her antics. I watched as she gushed and went on and on about the man she was about to marry and all I could feel inside for her was pity, as I could see she had a rose-coloured perspective about marriage. I haven’t heard from her since then and truly hope she had settled down.

When people bully others, they leave scars that don’t just go away with the wave of a wand. As the victim remembers every detail and sometimes develops low self-esteem if not properly handled. Well, I build confidence in my Heritage that they can be all they want to be and more and if someone talks them down to my hearing, I don’t permit it and they know better than to believe any junk someone else tells them about themselves.

We had an interesting conversation this morning on our way to work. Who else, if not King-Earl!

KE: Mom! Some boys refused to allow me play with them
Me: (thinking: But you are so adorable, when you are not asking those questions or dropping your one-lines) Why?
KE: I don’t know
ME: Are they in your class?
KE: Nope…they are in grade 5 and grade 3
ME: Okay (thinking: but you are in Nursery 2, Earl!)
King: Next time you go to play and they refuse, tell them “It’s their loss.”
KE: Okay, dad.
ME: Maybe you should draw them instead as they are playing.
KE: (he chuckles and says) I will draw them as old men!

After school, I asked how it went. “I told them what daddy said and they still didn’t allow me to play. It didn’t work! Why they didn’t allow me, is because they are bigger than me!”

©2016. Frances Kelvin Otung. All rights reserved

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Project Laughter

#FreedomFriday – Prayer Time


https://i0.wp.com/refe99.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/Our-prayers-may-be-awkward.jpg

Prayer Time

During prayers, King talked about loving God back and ceasing to worry about what we have and do not have, he talked about being grateful to God concerning all He has done for us and for others around us. In order to bring it down to King Earl’s level, he used things King Earl loves, to discuss.

King: God is your friend and He wants to have a conversation with you. So you can actually talk with Him as I’m talking to you and ask Him how He is etc.

King Earl: Yes? (Nodding in agreement)

King: (continues with joy that the message was sinking) then you can ask God for anything. For Golden Morn (King Earl loves this a lot, he even asked for it as a gift on his birthday), Milo Cereal, Cars (he loves cars too).

At this point, I whispered into his ears “Horses” and his face lit up. When we were done with the sermon, King Earl said, “and God will give me Coco pops too!” Someone better let God know that King Earl is on a “ask and receive” spree this morning and given the things he loves, our house will be full of wild animals!

©2016. Frances Kelvin Otung. All rights reserved

Picture Source: http://refe99.com/quotes/prayer/

 

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Articles Project Laughter

From Ife with Love


Serious Business

It was a short break from school in Lagos, Imani and King Earl went to Ife for the break. Their cousins usually have lessons at a certain time during the day and on this day, King Earl was seriously playing with his younger cousin Eno-itoro, when the lesson teacher came. Imani and King Earl were invited to join and trust KE to have an answer for the lady.

“I didn’t come here for that, I came here for serious business!” he stated matter-of-factly, as he walked away from them and went to continue playing with Eno-itoro.

The lady was shocked beyond words and the laughter followed after KE’s departure.

The serious business is ‘playing’ because he had spent months learning and had just finished exams, now the lady was asking him to resume school during holidays. No way!

Siesta Time

Visiting with Aunty Rhoda means obeying the house rules and that includes daily siesta. King Earl had an issue with it when he was told to observe it.

“I have told you guys, I came here for serious business. You sleep in the night and wake up in the morning, now you want me to sleep in the afternoon” he protested.

But he still had to observe siesta and of course. He was the last to sleep and the first to wake up!

©2016. Frances Kelvin Otung. All rights reserved