Do the right thing

I know I haven't blogged for awhile. It goes without saying that sometimes we get busy. With summer almost gone and schools opening soon, the inner-man is not too happy. The only reason I broke my silence is to have you blog your comments on a column that's mandatory reading for me when I get my Money magazine. It's called do the right thing by J. Fleming and L. Schwarz. Just blog your comments.
Q
After my 84-year old father died, his two brothers told me they'd each lent him $1000 to help pay his property taxes a couple of years ago. There's enough in Dad's estate to repay them, and I have no reason to believe my uncles are dishonest. But I was close to my dad, and he never mentioned these loans. Moreover, they have nothing in writing, not even a canceled check (my uncles say they gave him cash). Should I give them the money?

Quotes to live by

They are increasingly becoming popular- quotes as part of one’s signature on their emails. Maybe you even have one or two yourself. These are quotes that one has decided they hold some truth or some motivation or some inspiration. Usually they are quotes by famous people. However some of them are original - nuggets of truth that one has come up with. My email signature quote is "Work hard, play hard and pray hard..... and enjoy yourself while at it!" This was inspired by the wise King Solomon in the book of Ecclesiastes where he talks about enjoying your labor/toils. Here are the verses that inspired me:
Ecc 3:22- So I saw that there is nothing better for a man than to enjoy his work, because that is his lot. For who can bring him to see what will happen after him?
Ecc 3:13 - That everyone may eat and drink, and find satisfaction in all his toil—this is the gift of God.
Ecc 2:24-25 - A man can do nothing better than to eat and drink and find satisfaction in his work. This too, I see, is from the hand of God, for without him, who can eat or find enjoyment?
Here are some examples of quotes I have picked from some of the emails sent to me.
Name of email owner: Kim Njoroge
Quote: “At some point a thinker must think!”
Name of email owner: Muthoni Njage
Quote: "There is nothing we can do to make God love us more. There is nothing we can do to make God love us less."
Name of email owner: Josephine Njambi Fuller
Quote: “Nobody can make you feel inferior without your consent.” — Eleanor Roosevelt
Name of email owner: Joash Okore
Quote: "The Only Limitation Is Your Imagination"
Name of email owner: Eileen Nduko
Quote: ".......whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely...meditate on these things (from Phillipians 4:8)
Name of email owner: Susan Wutete (don’t know her personally)
Quote: "In times of change, learners inherit the Earth, while the learned find themselves beautifully equipped to deal with a world that no longer exists" Anon
Name of email owner: Judy Mwango
Quote: "A true measure of a man is how he treats someone who can do him absolutely no good" Ann landers
"Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man's character give him power" Abraham Lincoln

I have been wondering if we believe these quotes or live by them. I have also wondered whether these quotes are meant for the owner of the email account or it is for the consumption of the general masses or should I say readership. Do we have these quotes because it is a trend or do we really believe that nugget of truth or inspiration that seems to mean so much to us. Can our lives or actions be seen in the light of that quote…OK….OK….I am going too deep into something that is just for fun….right? OK let us have some fun, can you put in some quotes that you have come across in the email signatures? Maybe even your own here….and if you do not have one then this could be a good time to come up with one.

Bride Collapse(d)

We ended up going to Twin Cities - Minnesota after most of the cousins ditched San Diego's expensive flight tickets. That means if we start planning early we'll ended up in San Diego next year. That's not how I should have begun this highly anticipated blog. Let me try again..

I mentioned earlier that I would post some pictures from St. Paul, MN. The only way I would post them, is if I actually went there; I did, a day after the Bridge Collapse. If you were me, perhaps you would have called off the entire trip for fear of another bridge collapsing, but let me tell you somethin' even after a major catastrophe, life continues, cows have to be milked, the animals fed, food prepared etc.

We chose to visit only the major attractions in MN. MOA (Mall of America) was one of `em. Normally your trip to your local mall is less than 3 hrs. We had planned to give it about these many hours, but Lo and Behold! We got there at 11 a.m. and ended up leaving at 9:30 (when they finally announced that it was over) This is not your typical mall. It has more than 500 specialty stores, 50 restaurants and 14 movie theaters. Consider this fun facts:

• Mall of America is the largest, fully enclosed retail and family entertainment complex in the U.S.
• Seven Yankee Stadiums would fit inside Mall of America.
• Mall of America’s 13,300 short tons of steel is nearly twice the amount in the Eiffel Tower.
• Walking distance around one level of Mall of America is .57 of a mile.
• Spending 10 minutes in every store would take a shopper more than 86 hours to complete their visit to Mall of America.
• More than 4,200 couples have been married at Mall of America since opening in August of 1992.
• Mall of America is located on the former Metropolitan Sports Stadium which was home to the Minnesota Vikings and Twins. Home plate can be found in Camp Snoopy.
• There are 30,000 live plants and 400 live trees planted in The Park at MOA.

I drank lots and lots of Chai Tea Latte at Caribou and Starbucks.
Next we hit Minnesota Childrens' Museam, Minnesota Zoo, Minehaha Falls, Dontown St. Paul, Downtown Minneapolis, Tamtams restaurant, Famous Dave, Rochester City, Collapsed Bridge, Lori Art Festival and Minneapolis Sculpture Garden.
A few highlights:
@ Tam-Tam's African Restaurant we met the owner/chef, Steven Kaggwa who inspired us with his passion for cooking. You can read a review of background here. I can't tell you enough how tasty the Nyama Kyoma, Sambosas, Tilapia and Ka-Chai was, (note the Ugandan accent)
@ Minneapolis Sculpture Garden we were marveled by the Spoonbridge and Cherry which weighs more than 7000 pounds
@ Minehaha Falls no water was running. A local told us that it dries up every 50 years. How odd could it be that we there on the 50th year? You can believe that?
@ the collapsed bridge we worshiped the Lord.

When the wall collapses, will people not ask you, "Where is the whitewash you covered it with?" Ezekiel 13:12

Here are the photos

Fake Pastors

By now, you'll have noted that I blog on almost any interesting topic from East African Media. The other day I ran into this article posted in Uganda's New Vision Newspaper. It would be easier for me to provide you with a link and send you there but I know you value having a discussion. So let go through it: My comments in red.

By Herbert Ssempogo
THE Police have opened a general inquiry file on fake pastors countrywide. Announcing the move, Police spokesman Asan Kasingye on Friday called on people to use the opportunity to report dubious pastors. Every person with a complaint against a particular pastor can come to us and give us information, he appealed, while addressing a news conference at the Police headquarters in Kampala. The Police open a general inquiry file when there are several complaints about an issue from members of the public. We open the file in absence of a particular complainant so that we can confirm the allegations and also find a way forward, Kasingye explained. The Acting Commissioner (crime), Elly Womanya, who is stationed at the CID headquarters at Kibuli in Kampala, will receive all complaints.

Since there are no standards for establishing a church, anyone can start one. And once you start a church, the benefits are tangible. It is not surprising therefore that some pastors are not real pastors, but petty con men abusing the special privileges afforded to the clergy. I don't know of any other profession which is quite easy to fake as pastor-hood. By adopting a reverential demeanor, cultivating a spiritual voice, slipping occasional words like "eschatology" into conversation....they become trusted, without any questions asked, as stewards of the mysteries. It takes only a hint here and a gesture there, an empathetic sigh, or a compassionate touch to convey that they are at home and expert in these deep matters.

The media has lately been awash with reports about the activities of pastors, many of which border on crime. The Sunday Vision over three weeks this month serialised the activities of pastors who coerce their flock into sowing their valuables in exchange for blessings from God. Several people have alleged that pastors take their vehicles and land titles with promises that they will cure them of HIV/AIDS, among other miracles.

Nobody wants God's wrath on them! One would rather comply with the said promises. The self-made "Pastors" trying to sound spiritual, claim they are led by God to tell you what you want to hear.

If someone reports to us that they have been threatened or intimidated, we shall take action, Kasingye warned. He cited embattled Pastor Obiri Yeboah Kojo, who last week asked Pastor Samuel Kakande of the Synagogue Church Of All Nations to apologise to him or face God's power within 60 days. The Police are investigating Kojo over allegations of importing a device designed to give electric shocks, but Kojo accuses Kakande of framing him.

A device designed to give electric shocks? Come on! Oh! that's why many fall by the power? Can you imagine at what lengths fake pastors will go to lure you in?

Kasingye also said Pastor Grace Kitaka, who is accused of sodomising Julius Lukyamuzi, had been interrogated. Meanwhile, it emerged that Kojo is not wanted by the police in Ghana. The Police had early in the week warned that Kojo would be extradited over allegedly defrauding a woman of the equivalent of sh17m. Kasigye said the man Ghanian police seek is Alex Yeboah.

Nuff said! I guess you fake it until you make it!
Published on: Saturday, 28th July, 2007

It is very unfortunate that in today's world the use of the title "Pastor" "Mchungaji," "Mtu wa Mungu'" has become a means for ego recognition, income, medical insurance, retirement fund, second marriages, parsonages, and ungodly lifestyles.

Let me also point out that there are real pastors who make our life's journey much like Christ's. To them may the blessings of our Lord be with you, always.