4/3/12-2nd Sunday of Lent, St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Church

Gen 22:1-2. 9-13.15-18, Ps 116, Rom 8:31-34, Mk 9:2-10

Give your all to Him; He is God

See what He makes of you; you fickle in faith

Leaps of faith are never blind; you know who will catch you at the other side

What would you gain if you tried to keep what He has given you; you’d only lose it

Give your all to Him; He calls you and longs to mould you into his image

Awake! He calls you; you have slept long enough

You have been lukewarm and lackadaisical

He puts His arm around you; forgiving you and shaking you awake

He calls you to holiness; in thought word and deed

You can’t do it all on your own; He gives you His Spirit; He’ll blow upon your life that your fruit be seen

Harden not your heart, only trust him-He is faithful!

Angela Azumah Alu

To God! 25th May 2012

Made in his image

Endowed with gifts,

Uniquely

Made like none other

Full of love and grace

Called by His name,

His own,

With all the weaknesses and strengths

So awesomely that even

The weaknesses are instruments

For His glory

Endued with power to

Live a Christian life

As prophet, evangelist, teacher, pastor or apostle (Eph 4:11)

Manifesting his gifts(1 Cor  12:1-11)

Sharing His graces with others (Rom 12:6-8 )

Doing all you can do for

His glory

Rooted in Him

Pruned and shaped by Him

To bear much fruit

Fruit that will last(John 15:16)

Led by His Spirit

Daily

To live for Him

Angela Azumah Alu

Rejoice in the lord always! (Phil 3:1) 25/3/12

I choose to rejoice in the savior of my soul!

I choose to rejoice in my Lord in all circumstances,

I choose to rejoice my way through failures,

I choose to rejoice my way through my failings,

I choose to rejoice my way through broken promises,

Through all circumstances,

Because my Lord admonishes in His word that I should be anxious for nothing but make my requests known by prayer, petition and thanksgiving.(Phil 4:6)

I choose to rejoice because tis the Lord who hears and answers every prayer even before we call (Is 65:24) and gives us good and perfect gifts as He sees fit.(James 1:17a)

I choose to rejoice in the Lord who does not give up on me.

I choose to rejoice like Job because when He has refined me I shall come forth as gold that has been purified.(Job 23:10b)

I choose to rejoice because He knows the way that I take. (Job 23:10a)

I choose to rejoice because I count my trials all joy. (James 1:2a)

I choose to rejoice because He makes all things beautiful in His time.(Eccl 3:11a)

I choose to rejoice because His wind(Holy Spirit) blows my garden (life) that its spices (fruit of the Spirit) may flow out.(Sg of Solomon 4:16a, Gal 5:22-23)

I choose to rejoice because though sorrow may endure for a night; His joy comes with the morning. (Ps 30:5b)

I choose to rejoice.

Angela Azumah Alu

THE ESSENCE OF BEING A BIG FISH-7/11/07

WHEN YOU’RE A BIG FISH IN A RIVER

WITH SMALL FISH,

BE HUMBLE

LEARN ALL YOU CAN

BE NICE AND HELPFUL

AND ALWAYS TEACH OTHERS

AS FAR AS YOU CAN

AND LEARN TO BE THE BEST;

NOT JUST BETTER THAN THE REST

FOR SOMEDAY, BIG FISH, YOUR

SIZE AND YOURSELF

WILL TAKE YOU INTO FOREIGN WATERS,

THERE YOU’LL MEET FISH WHO ARE AT HOME IN THE WATER

 YOU CALL FOREIGN

AND THEN, YOU TOO WILL BE A LITTLE FISH

BECAUSE YOU’LL NEED TO BE HELPED,

SHOWN AROUND,

GUIDED, DIRECTED AND TAUGHT

TILL YOU CAN FIND YOUR OWN

WAY AND ARE A BIG FISH TOO!

IT WILL TAKE WORK

LOTS AND LOTS OF IT

YOU WON’T HAVE IT EASY

YOU’LL FEEL LOST, DISORIENTED,

DISCOURAGED AND DOWN

BUT DON’T YOU GIVE UP

BECAUSE WHEN YOU TRULY

LOOK AT THEM, THEY’RE THE

SAME SIZE AS YOU

(YOU’RE EVEN BETTER BECAUSE YOU KNOW OTHER WATERS TOO!)

EXCEPT THEY ARE AT

 HOME IN THE WATER

YOU CALL FOREIGN

BUT REMEMBER THAT YOU

HAVE TO WORK, YOU HAVE TO

LEARN

NEVER FORGET THAT!

LEARN A BIT FROM HERE,

THERE AND EVERYWHERE

PUT THEM TOGETHER, AND BE

THE BEST THAT YOU ARE

AND THEN YOU’LL BE READY

AGAIN FOR EVEN BIGGER

AND MORE FOREIGN WATERS

BUT YOU’LL HAVE TO CARRY THE LESSONS ALONG

SPREAD THE GOOD NEWS

REMEMBER TOO THAT YOU

HAVE TO SHINE WHEREVER

YOU GO AND MAKE A

DIFFERENCE HOWEVER SMALL

BECAUSE THAT IS THE

ESSENCE OF BEING A BIG FISH

END OF THE YEAR-23/11/07

LO, THE YEAR IS ENDED

EACH DAY NOW BRINGS

THE END ONLY CLOSER

FROM DAY 1,

THE ALMIGHTY FATHER

HAS BROUGHT US THROUGH

ALL TRIALS, WORRIES

SORROWS;JOYS AND HAPPY TIMES TOO!

NOTHING WAS EVER TOO

BIG OR SMALL

BUT HIS LOVE ENFOLDED US

NO LESSON TOO BIG OR SMALL

FOR THE LOVING FATHER TO TEACH

ALWAYS, ALL OF THEM

WORKING FOR OUR GOOD

THROUGH ALL OF LIFE

HE HAS BROUGHT US HERE

TO SEE THE END OF

ANOTHER YEAR

AND TO THANK OUR

ALMIGHTY FATHER IN

HEAVEN

FOR HIS LOVE THAT SEES US THROUGH

FOR HIS CARE THAT HE

SHOWS EVERY DAY

REPENTANCE-2/9/10

Full of joy, I come

Repentant

Knowing I’m forgiven

Yet hesitant

But

Mindful of your love

Overwhelmed by your love

Amazed and flabbergasted

Thinking about all I had failed to do

But hearing you tell me you love

Me all the same

That you understand

That you are here-you hear and see

As always

That your grace is sufficient

And that you know

That your desire is for me to live

Before you unashamed and not guilty

Because that is what you have declared me

That I am redeemed, holy and sanctified and consecrated in your sight already because of Jesus

That I should only walk in that path

And I come because you have called me to your banquet and have consecrated me. Without one plea, full of doubts I come-in faith

Because you have called and have held my hand

Your grace is sufficient

FIRE-28/12/11

Burning, controlled- useful

Burning, uncontrolled-destructive

Like me I guess, emotion, expressed constructively, useful

Emotion, uncontrolled-destructive

God given, wisdom needed for governance.

Thanks be to God!