Taste of Home
A little taste of home is found in comfort of the creamy, sugary , cinnamon swirl of Melkkos
A little taste of home in the rich spicy, fruity bobotie dish
A little taste of home in the peachy, icy , rooibos tea
A little taste of home in the buttery goodness of home-baked cookies
A little taste of home in the smiles of loved ones
We carry a little taste of home as we journey on.
By Simone Coetser
God: Hello, my love.
Me: I'm falling apart.
Can you put me back together?
God: I would rather not.
Me: Why?
God: Because you aren't a puzzle.
Me: What about all of the pieces of my life that are falling down onto the ground?
God: Let them stay there for a while. They fell off for a reason.
Take some time and decide if you need any of those pieces back.
Me: You don't understand! I'm breaking down!
God: No - you don't understand.
You are breaking through.
What you are feeling are just growing pains.
You are shedding the things and the people in your life that are holding you back.
You aren't falling apart.
You are falling into place.
Relax.
Take some deep breaths and allow those things you don't need anymore to fall off of you.
Quit holding onto the pieces that don't fit you anymore.
Let them fall off.
Let them go.
Me: Once I start doing that, what will be left of me?
God: Only the very best pieces of you.
Me: I'm scared of changing.
God: I keep telling you - YOU AREN'T CHANGING!! YOU ARE BECOMING!
Me: Becoming who?
God: Becoming who I created you to be!
A person of light and love and charity and hope and courage and joy and mercy and grace and compassion.
I made you for more than the shallow pieces you have decided adorn yourself with that you cling to with such greed and fear.
Let those things fall off of you.
I love you! Don't change! Become! Become! Become!
Become who I made you to be.
I'm going to keep telling you this until you remember it.
Me: There goes another piece.
God: Yep. Let it be.
Me: So...I'm not broken?
God: No - but you are breaking like the dawn. It's a new day. Become!! Become!!
Author ~ John Roedel
This reminds me of how a Caterpillar transforms into a butterfly.
Reflecting on what I have been involved with over the last 18months - speaking on racism, at rallies, in the classroom etc. exploring the place and space for women of colour in the UK and in Scottish Education, sharing my story, empowering and being empowered, fundraising , teaching, litter picking in the community, mourning the loss of family to Covid , supporting and being supported through difficulties compounded by COVID-19. Success and failures along the way. Finding myself once again at a crossroads wondering what is it that is going to feed my soul and what should should I be pouring energy and soul into. Earlier in the year I was writing a press release about my journey in the Africa UK Pageants & Empowerment Programmes and included a reference to Ester in the Bible which I ended taking out .....now I wonder what happened to Ester afterwards the story does not say. I think of another story of about what happened on Mount Carmel and afterwards the person in story after achieving miracles was lost and even sacred - maybe in our language depressed, his story does go on and after rest, food and encounter with God he receives another "mission" another challenge. This is where I am finding myself at this moment in time. I am beginning to open up and ask where to next , what opportunity do i need to either create or step into. There is no need to rush , now is my time to hold my tongue , observe, contemplate and prepare myself.
Community project:
Journey so far:
Meldrum Academy teacher reaches Miss Africa UK finals | Ellon Times
Choral support for Larne teen’s life-changing surgery | Belfast News Letter
To vote for me for the People's choice category of Miss/Mrs Africa UK 2021, please do the following:
1) ๐พ๐ก๐๐๐ ๐ค๐ฃ ๐ฉ๐๐ ๐ก๐๐ฃ๐ ๐๐๐ก๐ค๐ฌ
2) ๐๐๐๐ ๐ข๐ฎ ๐ฅ๐๐ค๐ฉ๐ค
https://www.facebook.com/AfricaUKPageant/photos/a.109921683815319/341527803988038?type=3&scmts=scwspsdd
3) ๐๐๐ ๐ ๐ฉ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐
https://www.facebook.com/AfricaUKPageant/
Fundraising challenge for #gotyourbacknaomi
Donate:https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/gotyourbacknaomi
Poem by Mary Oliver :
When it's over, I want to say:
all my life I was a bride married to amazement.
I was the bridegroom, taking the world into my arms.
When it is over, I don't want to wonder if I have made of my life something particular, and real.
I don't want to find myself sighing and frightened,or full of argument.
I don't want to end up simply having visited this world.
WOW - what a year it has been after 2 postponements due COVID it's finally happening.
And you can be part of my journey and help me amplify my voice to do more community building work and sharing important stories.
To vote for me for the People's choice category of Miss/Mrs Africa UK 2021, closing date 30 July 2021. Please do the following:
1) ๐พ๐ก๐๐๐ ๐ค๐ฃ ๐ฉ๐๐ ๐ก๐๐ฃ๐ ๐๐๐ก๐ค๐ฌ
2) ๐๐๐๐ ๐ข๐ฎ ๐ฅ๐๐ค๐ฉ๐ค
https://www.facebook.com/AfricaUKPageant/photos/a.109921683815319/341527803988038/?type=3&scmts=scwspsdd
3) ๐๐๐ ๐ ๐ฉ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐
https://www.facebook.com/AfricaUKPageant/
๐ท๐ท Mariรฉ O'Connor Photography
Make up : My daughter Jeandre'
Hair: a few days after blowdry from Rose Cabin
#iampurposeful #africaukpageant #missmrsafricauk2021 #gotyourbacknaomi
#southafrican #british #beautypageant
