The M.U.S.I.C

Soar!

Like an Eagle I will wait

For there's no mountain too great

I have much Faith

So I'll anticipate

as my wings appreciate

I'll spread them out straight
 

as I elevate

My momentum escalates

as the light of dawn radiates

Over the seas I navigate

In the skies, I elevate
aiming for Heaven's gate

 I'll fly like an Eagle for I am Great!

Isaiah 40:31

like a prodigal son

Jack, as he was fondly known to his friends and family, was a lovable boy. He loved life and nature, and his pet "Jacksie" and in fact, he nicknamed himself after his pet dog passed on. How funny!
However, life wasn't all fun for Jack, he was barely 10 years old, his loving mother died of cancer. As a kid, the younger of two sons, he was devastated. How could his mom, a sweet person, more so, the daughter of the priest of the church of England die of an illness even after so many prayers? Why did his mother have to die? Where was God when his mother was dying? Couldn't God just help and save her from dying? Maybe God doesn't exist after all.
Ironically, Jack blamed God for not existing. At age 15, he left the christian faith he was born into and became an atheist. He also got interested in Occult and Mythology. Now he's lost three (3) important things in one's life. A pet (Jacksie his dog), his mother and his God. Let's see if he'll find any back.
Jack got recruited into the Army at age 20 for World War I where he met a room-mate and friend, Edward "Paddy" Moore. Both cadets made a pact that if either of them died in the war, the survivor would take care of the bereaved one's family. Little did Jack know that he was about to have another loss of his tragedy list: Pet, Mother, God and now a best friend. Paddy died in the war. More reason for Jack to hate the "non-existent God" even more.
Well, Jack kept his promise and he adopted Paddy's mom and sister (I never knew people adopt mothers, touchingly hilarious).  Can we say he found his mother back in Paddy's mom?
As a lover of nature and literature, he began writing about life and culture in his surrounding. As a child, he loved reading about  Fairytale Animal stories. He got into writing similar literature, especially children stories of Anthropomorphic animals. Can we say he was trying to get his pet back and did he find it through writing?
A couple of close friends of his which were Christians slowly but gradually led him back to God. He confessed that his conversion is not different from that of the Prodigal Son in the Bible. Now he's found his God. 3 down, 1 to go. Did Jack find that "special" friend?
Though Jack didn't meet Jill, he met someone more special. Joy Gresham, also a convert from Atheism to Christianity, became Jack's special friend, lover and companion. They got married and lived happily ever after. How sweet!
Life started rough for Jack but it sure wasn't rough all through. Life may not be a bed of roses, but it's a bed, all you need do is take off the thorns and cultivate the roses. Jack found his pet, mother, best friend and most especially, God found Jack.

That's not all about Jack. Ever come across Chronicles of Narnia, The Pilgrim's Regress and Space Trilogy? These among a host of others are works of  Clive Staples "Jack" Lewis.

He made a name for himself, as a prolific writer, tutor, literary critic and theologian. To me, he's one big imaginative and creative author. I'm still much fascinated by the Chronicles of Narnia.

I used to watch the Series back in the days on National TV. I was thrilled then, I'm inspired now.
Now tell me, are you inspired?

Sight or Vision?

"It is a terrible thing to see and have no vision." 

 This is a quote from one of the most outstanding and remarkable women I have ever read about. You would agree with me that she must have been motivated and inspired to make such a insightful quote probably based on what she has seen and places she had been throughout her lifetime.
On the contrary, she had an illness when she was just 19 months old which left her deaf and blind. Now you are wondering how a person that was both blind and deaf at the same time, at a tender age could grow up to deliver such a remarkable quote as the one we have up there.
Fortunately, she had a loving and caring family that helped her develop her home signs language. Then a true companion came along; Anne Sullivan, one who I would call a miracle worker, began to teach our little girl step by step till she was able to symbolize every word and item in little Helen's world and gave her a vocabulary not too different from what every other child her age had.

Anne and Little Helen

"I can see, and that is why I can be happy, in what you call the dark, but which to me is golden. I can see a God-made world, not a man-made world."

Helen had challenges, it wasn't her fault, we don't know if her parents were the cause. But they didn't give up. Anne Sullivan didn't lose hope either. And even young Helen was untiring and very willing to go beyond her bounds of sight and audibility.  Her works, her quotes, her touch, her deeds and her belief are still much relevant and significant today. She touched lives. I never met her in person but I'm touched. You're about to be touched by a rare angel. President Obama was touched by her when he used one of her quotes in saying;

 "Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much." 

He added the "Yes we can" part. Helen became one of the world's most prolific speakers and authors. Imagine a deaf-blind person turning out to be a notable Orator, Rights Activist, Politician and disabled peoples' Charity/Welfare Organizer. In her days, it was enough set-back if you were a woman, not to mention a disabled woman. But she didn't let all that put her down. She was willing to make herself useful and she succeeded.

She went on to bag one of America's highest honours for a civilian, the Presidential Medal of Freedom. Not to mention the order honours and posthumous awards to her name. She was even framed to money. What more can I say? Our lil' Helen made a name for herself, with the believe in God (though she had excuse to doubt Him), with the support of a loving family, with the companionship of a persevering friend, Anne, and most especially, her self-determination.
I feel like taking my eyes and ears out 

Helen Keller

"The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched - they must be felt with the heart." -  Helen Keller
 

I'm inspired...are you?

winners don't know how to quit

A little girl, the 20th of 22 children (can you beat that?) was born prematurely and her chance of survival was more than slim. At age four (4), she contracted double pneumonia and scarlet fever which left her paralyzed in her left leg.  

When she was nine (9) years old, she removed the metal leg brace she had been dependent on and began to learn to walk without it. At 13, she had perfected a steady walk which the doctors said was a miracle.
Did she stop there? Let's find out.
Some years later, she got interested in athletics. She ventured into racing (running), but even with all her best, she always came out last. Everyone told her to quit, but she kept on running and coming out last.

But one day, she eventually won a race, then another one and then another.

From then on, she won every race she registered for. Eventually, this little girl, went on to win three (3) Olympic Gold medals.

What a feat!

Now who's she? She is no other than the 1960 Summer Olympics gold medal winner, the first American woman to win three gold medals in an event, let's give it up for the winner

Wilma Rudolph

are you inspired?