THANKSGIVING

Be thankful that you don't already have everything you desire, If you did, what would there be to look forward to?

Be thankful when you don't know something for it gives you the opportunity to learn.

Be thankful for the difficult times. During those times you grow.

Be thankful for your limitations because they give you opportunities for improvement.

Be thankful for each new challenge because it will build your strength and character.

Be thankful for your mistakes they will teach you valuable lessons.

Be thankful when you're tired and weary because it means you've made a difference. It is easy to be thankful for the good things.

A life of rich fulfillment comes to those who are also thankful for the set backs.

GRATITUDE can turn a negative into a positive. Find a way to be thankful for your troubles and they can become your blessings.

Hi y'all whats happening hope all is well. Sunday was thanksgiving sunday (i led praise and worship) and i had a lot to thank God for the past one year which is about to end next month. In my life, i have always beleived that God makes things beautiful in his own time for me and i have learnt to always thank him for every setbacks in my life as i know it is a way of him putting me back on track.

Sometime in 2005 after Law school, i was actively seeking for a job and just when i was about giving up and moving back to the UK, i got a job at IPML. It was like a dream come true...my first fulltime job (i am now an adult). I was very happy about developments, i mean i had a job, a roof over my head (used to live alone) and a car (even though it was not my dream car...but whatever) all that remained was a husband and the equation is balanced. This, to my parents and some people is the perfect life... but is it? Nigeria has a way of making women feel like the ultimate achievement is "marriage". This is a silent pressure put on us women and it makes us go "gaga" like we should have found a husband and married like yesterday (i mean, gone are the days when men used to look for wives, the onus is now on the woman to find a husband). I must admit that while i was in the UK, i never for once thought about marriage. When friends called to tell me they were getting married, i just wished them well and said "better you than me". My thinking was that i had to acheive all the acheivables before venturing into marriage so no man will give me "rubbish" (stupid thinking? i know). Upon returning to nigeria, the reverse was the case. I mean when a friend called to say she was getting married, i became depressed the whole day and days to the friend's wedding. However, i thank God for everything in my life and know that in his own time, he'll make things beautiful. So i am thankful that i am not yet married.

Work started at IPML. Had fun and all but things were not working out the way i wanted it to (some of you know my story) and then dad asked me to come leave the country (this was in 2006 sept) but i felt God wanted me to learn a few things before leaving, like not running away from your problems but confronting it head on and learning what i can from it. Most of you saw me smile 24/7 and thought "things must really be going smoothly for Eke" but i had already learnt to trust God that things would always turn out well in the end and armed with that trust, i was able to keep a smily face, make fun and get on with my work. After a year and some months, i knew it was time to move on so prayerfully i opted to go back to school instead of getting another job and here i am. Why am i thankful for working at IPML? If i had left the country in 2005, i would have gone to do my LLM which i would not have used seeing i'll probably be working in the a bank doing something else other than the legal aspect. But working in IPML gave me an insight into the various courses i could do to develop myself and i'm glad i picked one that i'm enjoying so much (apart from the assignment bits). So i'm thankful that i worked at IPML.

Next, i am thankful to God for all the beuatiful people i met while at IPML. Most of you will not know it but at one time or the other, you have inspired me. Forget that i picked on you at one time or the other but beleive me, if i have ever picked on you, then it means that i actually like and see you as my friend (trust me, i only joke with friends and noone else). So i am thankful to God for each and everyone of you (dont want to mention names so i dont leave some people out) and i pray that God will bless you all for touching my life at a point in time. I am also thankful for the people i met outside IPML. Tundun dear, you are officially my sister and i'm so glad i met you. Five years on and we are still friends...Thank you so much. You may not know this but you have touched my life with your lovely attitude and i will forever love you. Nkem, thank you for being my friend...though sometimes you say hurtful things to me so as to deter me from being your friend but i will look beyond that because i see a great friend in you. Thank you so much. Rita, so many times we do not agree but i will be willing to work past that because i do not want to risk what we have. I love you babes.

Ok people, i gotta go but before i go, i will like to thank God for one more person which i will call TDH for now. I pray that God will continue to bless this talented musician. I love you all and will always do.

Ciao!