Who Am I?

That's just the question of questions isn't it? Self definition, when you can reach that place when you can describe exactly who you are.

The idea for this post came up when I was talking with my parents and they were talking about how people define themselves by their careers especially the prestigious ones. When introducing themselves they say I'm so and so and I'm a Doctor, Lawyer, Engineer etc. Then they were like that's what you DO but is exactly what you ARE? A career is what you do for a few hours a day but who you are encompasses way more than that, what you think about, what you dream about when you sleep, what you talk about most. Describing one self is not so easy as saying as what you do 9-5 Monday to Friday. I fond this particular definition interesting because professionally I can describe myself in two different ways, maybe even three yet I'm not actively engaged in any as a career so it would be restrictive to use any as a definition.

In life we have so many frames of references which we use to describe ourselves. I gave the example of career but what else could it be?

When we are children you're somebody's son/daughter.
In School we are identified by the school we attend, the more prestigious it is the more proud we are
When working it's the company we work for, the chosen career.
When Married you introduce yourself as somebody's husband or wife.
When you have children you become Baba nani or Mama nani
The list goes on and on, we use our environment to describe who we are yet what matters most is who we are within.

Self actualization and a search for purpose are the highest pursuits in human life and I can bet there's nothing better than knowing exactly who you are and what you are here for and to stand up and say I am _ and not restrict yourself to the above definitions but speak from a position of authority. So when I meet people who are so passionate about a cause and know that's what their calling is I'm really moved and go like "When I grow up I want to be like him/her"

In the good book Jesus Christ asks a similar question to one of his disciples - Luke 9:18 but He had already demonstrated time and time again He knew who He was, not just a carpenter as they would have defined Him using his profession.

Was reminded of these thoughts when I read this note Which reminds us that God as our maker knows who we are as our maker and if we are to get these answers the first place to look is up to Him for answers. So for all my fellow hunters- yet to get and answer happy hunting, go to the manufacturer for more information.


I sign off with this beautiful song by Casting crowns

Waxing Philosophical!- a totally pointless post or almost

An idle mind is the devil's workshop goes the old saying, right now there's deafening sounds coming from the said workshop like he's hammering a karai or something like those guys at Gikomba...

A while back I noticed an interesting status update on Facebook that went like this "How come nobody ever says "everything happens for a reason" after something good happens?" Major point made right there! When was the last time when somebody got a new job, promotion or other great achievement talk like that? I can picture it it now after a guy gets a spanking new Mercedes Benz his pal comes by and tells him "everything happens for a reason" Chances of that happening are next to nil! It's only when we're disappointed or something doesn't go your way that all of a sudden you become philosophical. That's probably the case due to a need for hope that we all have that one day things will get better. So question is success doesn't happen for a reason too?

Another area where philosophizing is common is in the area of relationships. I can bet top dollar whenever I hear somebody complain about the way men/women are or come up with theories the person is single or if not unhappy if they're in a relationship. People in love just walk around starry eyed like their feet are on clouds... Find it funny when somebody gets hooked up and starts asking the single people why aren't you dating- like they forgot the time when they were single... haha life is interesting.

Another philosophical time is when death comes knocking close by and reminds us of our mortality. It may be months or years since you lost a close or loved one but when it happens the perceived immortality that we have in our youth disappears and you realise it could happen to anybody. Well this is one thing we can not escape but it shouldn't lead us to fear but to strengthen our resolve to live full lives in the limited time we have- oops here I go getting all philosophical on y'all but the truth is you only get...

Yep you guessed it- the grim reaper has swung his scythe nearby. However this time I celebrate a young life that was nipped in the bud, one who in the short time I knew her was a woman full of life, full of talent and full of laughter too. One who truly lived up to her name sweetie and brought so much laughter into our lives and lives on in her little daughter's life. Death is so cruel but we who remain live on. R.I.P Faith Nancy Kilinda.

Also sincere condolences to all who lost loved ones in the Sinai fire. Even as we mourn may we learn

Now now my philosophies begin to grow thin so let me get back to my armchair cynicism with my fellow talkers...

Guilty Until Proven Innocent

Over the last few days our televisions screen have been filled with the proceedings at the International Criminal Court at the Hague. Three men stand accused of bearing the greatest responsibility for the post election violence that took place in early 2008 in Kenya. The prosecutor Moreno Ocampo has come up with a list of charges with evidence which he believes proves the guilt of the supposed perpetrators. So he and his team have gone to great lengths to nail the accused, their job is to prove without a doubt that what they claim happened when he said it happened.

At the same time the accused have assembled teams of bright legal minds to defend their case before the judges. Right now they're trying to discredit the charges before it goes to trial. The defence has also worked hard if not harder to get their clients off the hook and paint the prosecutor as an accuser with no solid case whatsoever.

The truth of the charges and the defence is yet to be seen and we pray that the wheels of justice will turn for the benefit of the victims and the country as a whole. That we will never allow such a thing to happen at the time. This whole courtroom drama at the Hague got me thinking...

There's another courtroom where each and every one of us is to stand, not in this physical world but before God, the final and the almighty judge. There is a prosecutor- an accuser of the brethren rev 12:10 who stands before God to show how sinful and terrible we are. Every time we commit sin and disobey God we give him ammunition to go and present in his case against us. He's never been our friend and wants us to join him in his end of eternal damnation.

Many of us try to walk into that court and attempt to defend ourselves against the charges placed against us. They say he who represents himself has a fool for a lawyer, even worse in this court where you will be torn to shreds by the accusing enemy. So how will you prepare yourself for these proceedings? Your own testimony will not be enough to exonerate yourself. Praise God that he has created a way for us, he has even provided representation pro bono. We don't have to pay exorbitant legal fees as the price has already been paid by His own dear son Jesus Christ on the cross.

In 1 John 2:1 when writing to the believers he says “My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous:” When you believe in Christ you draft him into your legal team and he stands as an advocate before God the Father for you. Whereas in an earthly court you're innocent till proven guilty in court, before God you're guilty until proven innocent by the blood of Jesus Christ by which we obtain forgiveness from sins.

So now I ask are you trying to defend yourself before God on your own? By your own works or have you by faith received the gift of God which is salvation through his son. Have you drafted Christ into your legal team or are you still allowing the enemy to continue building his case against you. Freedom is available in Christ today!

God bless