WELCOME - KARIBUNI SANA

GOD’S PROMISES ARE NEW EVERY MORNING” LAMENTATION 3;23

“All our dreams can come true – if we have the courage to pursue them.” - Walt Disney


Friday, September 30, 2011

WE ARE PROFESSORS OF THE PAST;


It is true that we always on negative thoughts and feelings until we learn how to overcome them. Pain is the only solution which drives us as human being in making changes and at the same time we fight against resistance of change; but making changes seems to be painful for humans too, there tends to be resistance. We dwell on the negative because it's what we remember the most... hatefulness, regret, discipline (I shouldn't count this since it does develop us, but the process is still a hassle,) mockery, remorse. That's all an aspire is put through most of its life, which I think is sad and because of this situation we are all professors of the past
Rejection is one of the most painful in our life; the fear of being rejected creates a very damaging pattern of behavior in our lives. It can cause us to feel that we are not good enough and that we are a failure; phrase like I hate you; I don’t love you; I have no feeling with you anymore; your are dam; etc. all these can cause us to become obsessive, clingy and jealous and can also destroy relationships that have barely begun through us becoming too serious too soon which can drive others away; we can sometimes feel anxious and even angry as we falsely believe that this means that they don’t want to spend time with us.
What we should know that once we are in such situation we can start to feel humiliated, lonely, pathetic, not good enough, useless, inadequate and a loser. The more we dwell on these feelings, the more pain we’re putting ourselves through and the harder it becomes to put ourselves ‘out there’ again for fear that the same thing will happen next time
What should we do now? We need to be confident, because a confident person realizes that rejection is simply a part of the risk of living and that, in order to grow spiritually, we all have to take the occasional risk and step outside of our comfort zone. They don’t take rejection personally and often view it as a flaw on the other person’s behalf as opposed to feeling bad about themselves. In other words, they think it’s the other person’s loss.
Try to draw a picture in your mind about how, when and why such situation happened to you or your friend so what kind of experience did you learn? You will agree with me with this scientific analysis about any bad past experience;
 “Most of us have experiences involving love, hate, fear, pain, loneliness, anxiety and happiness. These more intense memories are lodged into memory with chemicals that can cause dissonance and cause depression and anxiety later in life depending on their intensity. So, if you have had a bad experience in a relationship in the past and it has caused you some pain, worry and anxiety, it is therefore a significant memory and will be easily triggered by a stimulus. It can then resurface with the old feelings of sadness etc. You can get stuck in the past”.
Let us not be A PROFESSOR OF PAST by REJECTION.

Monday, September 26, 2011

SAY YES YES WHEN GOD CALLS YOU


There is no excuse before God



A simple definition of above phrase is an excuse or reason we give for not doing what someone else expects us to do.

It is part of our human nature to come up with a good excuse when we are accused of something. Whenever we stray from God's purpose in our lives, most of us can come up with a good excuse to justify our actions. God, our creator, has a purpose for all of us. Instead of us answering God's call, we will give what we think are good excuses to not fulfill our calling.

We should remember always that, God does not force Himself on us but Faith outlasts fear

Here we can refer to the people who made excuses when God called them;
·        Genesis 3:12 how Adam tried to use Eve as an excuse for his sin. (Denying God direction).
·        Exodus 32:23  how Aaron tried to blame the Israelites for his own sin. (I Am Not Ready).
·        In Exodus 3:11 Moses before the Burning Bush gives God excuses on why he cannot fulfill his calling.
·        Jeremiah 1:6 tells us how Jeremiah tried to avoid his own calling as a prophet.

It is true that the worst times we make excuses are when we feel God impressing us or calling on us to do something. We find all sorts of reasons for not doing what God wants us to do. We are busy with other types of life which we feel are sweet to us.

But we should understand that, there is no good excuse for not fulfilling the calling that God has put on our lives. We can say “I am not ready; I am unworthy, I do not want to do it, I can't do it, and so on”. None of these excuses matter to God. Jesus said: "If I had not come and spoken to them, they would have no sin, but now they have no excuse for their sin" (John 15:22).
But God has promised: "I love those who love me, and those who seek me diligently will find me" (Proverbs 8:17). "And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart" (Jeremiah 29:13). Jesus said: "Ask and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened" (Matthew 7:7-8).
Therefore we need to say Yes, Yes when God calls us and not to excuse ourselves and blame other people in justifying our actions.



Friday, September 23, 2011

THE CHALLENGES OF CRITICISM AND THE WAY FOWARD




We often become emotionally disturbed during a disagreement, or an argument, and our personality usually feels hurt, demeaned  in danger. Hence we destroy our own happiness, clarity and health and often behave in ways which we later regret.

The other person might be correct in his or her observations and criticism. In this case we would benefit by admitting it and making the proper adjustment in our behavior. We have everything to gain by listening and evolving through others comments. What prevents us is the belief that we are not lovable if we are not perfect. Thus, we do not want to see or admit our faults. When we realize that we are worthy of love and respect even when we are not perfect or right, then we will be able to look at our faults.

The other person might be wrong. In this case, it is his or her projection, and we need not be affected by these misconceptions or projections.

One solution would be simply not to react in one way or the other at first, but to reflect upon what has been said for some time so as to evaluate whether or not it is true.
We need not feel hurt, angry, defend ourselves, prove ourselves, or attack.

We can simply thank the other for this feedback and tell him or her that we will think about this observation and will gradually come to our conclusions, and if necessary, make changes.
Although it is hard but we should view the situation as an opportunity to look within and be our own judge

How we can go about in handling such situation?

The golden rule here is that; Stay Calm: When people criticize you and say something that is totally unfair, focus on staying calm and not emotionally reacting to them.  Don’t allow the situation to escalate and suck you in deeper because that will make your honest evaluation of their criticism and the return to your peace of mind takes longer. 

Don’t be negative about the person; Find a way to Have Good Thoughts About he/she. Think 5 good things about the person who criticized you. 

A good advice is that Survey Yourself Do all you can to see things from their perspective and ask yourself if there is anything you could have done better.  Be opening minded and honest while doing this exploration.  It is okay if you can see some truth in what they are saying.  It just means this is one of those times you get to learn and grow.

Despite someone arguing against if your ideas are true, the Truth Trumps reflect on the fact that you have followed your own truth and done what you know is right. There is nothing better than that.
Criticism becomes a reaction of disappointment, because their expectations in others have been crushed.

The Christian’s tongue should never be used for anything but good. “Let no foul or polluting language, nor evil word, nor unwholesome or worthless talk (ever) come out of your mouth; but only such speech as is good and beneficial to the spiritual progress of others, as is fitting to the need and the occasion, that it may be a blessing and give grace (God’s favor) to those who hear it” (Eph. 4:29 The Amplified Bible)

How criticism should be handled according to the Bible?

When we make wrong decisions we must accept our mistakes and apologize. The way we handle criticism is crucial. As Christians we must not become defensive or react in anger. We are called to be patient and wise when we deal with disagreements and conflict. We must listen carefully and respond lovingly. Our response to criticism must be done in a godly manner. As Christians we must accept our mistakes and trust God to set things right

Wait for your gut reaction to pass before doing anything; let your emotions disappear, so you don’t take the criticism personally and become defensive
Keep your mouth shut; listen, don’t defend
Discuss the person’s points; keep discussing the issue politely by asking questions and externalize the criticism more between parties.

1 Peter 2:23
·        When they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats. Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges justly.
Joshua 1:9
·        Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go."
Proverbs 15:1-2
·        A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger. The tongue of the wise commends knowledge, but the mouth of the fool gushes folly.
Colossians 3:13
·        Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.

Therefore criticism is part and parcel of our life given that;
·        If no one is criticizing you, you aren’t doing very much.
·        Criticism is a fact of life; the more you try to do, the more significant your efforts, the more you will be criticized. 
  • Criticism is crucial for personal improvement; it’s hard when we take it personally

Sunday, September 18, 2011

JUMAPILI NJEMA NA MBARIKIWE SANA



“MWENYEZI MUNGU ANATUPENDA SANA”,

Ni jumapili Njema kuweza kutafakari mpango huu mzuri wa Mwenyezai Mungu juu ya maisha yetu;

Je kwa juma hili lote ambalo limekwisha je tunaweza kulipa upendo wa Mwenyezi Mungu katika maisha yetu? Tumeepushwa na mangapi mabaya? Tumepata Baraka ngapi nzuri?

Tujikumbushe kuwa Mungu wetu ni Mtakatifu na  hana ushirika na dhambi. Daima tunatenganishwa na Mungu kwa ufa mkubwa wa dhambi.

Faraja yetu kubwa ni hii kuwa Mungu anafahamu mioyo yetu.
Basi tutumie Jumapili hii ya leo popote tulipo kulitafakari hili na kumshukuru Mwenyezi Mungu kwa upendo wake kwetu na Msamaha ambao anaendelea kuutoka kwa sisi waja wake.


Tufurahie jumapili hii ambayo tumejaliwa kwa kumwabudu  na kutafakari haya yafuatayo:

·        Yesu aingia katika maisha yetu. (Ufunuo 3:20)
·        Tumesamehewa dhambi zetu. (Wakolosai 1:14)
·        Tumefanyika kuwa wana wa Mungu. (Yohana 1:12)
·        Tuzidi kujua makusudi ya Mungu kwa maisha yetu. (2 Wakorintho 5:14,15,17)


Amina; 

Friday, September 16, 2011

HAPPINESS VS IMPERFECTIONS


“Being happy doesn't mean you're perfect. It just means you've decided to look beyond the imperfections” – Unknown


This  phrase  reminds us that even though we don't have what some may call a "perfect" life  we need to be happy by what we have around us at a given time, that is the secret Truly happiness"

This phase tells us that happiness is the ability to appreciate what is in front of you and totally distinguishes from what you actually have. It’s more about how you measure the good things in your life at any given time.

Trough happiness you can be who you want to be right now, no matter what your situation looks like because richness measures richness and poverty measures poverty

Wow "If you think sunshine brings you happiness, then you haven't danced in the rain" You never know may be rain brings more happiness than sunshine.


MUNGU NI MKUBWA WANASTAHILI KUITWA MASHUJAA


Wewe unasemaje kuhusu video hii ya kusaidiana;
Ni ukweli mtupu kuwa mashujaa hawa wametimiza ile amri kuu ya upendo na ile simulizi ya msamaria mwema.

Mungu awabariki sana na sisi tujifunze toka kwao kuwasaidia wale wenye hitaji bila kujijali sisi wenyewe; tuwe na mtazamo zaidi wa kuwaangalia wenzetu kuliko kujijali sisi wenyewe;


Monday, September 12, 2011

SALAMU ZA RAMBI RAMBI KUFUATIA AJALI YA MELI ZANZIBAR



Kwa niaba ya Blogu ya Ukadirifu na Mungupamojanasi,  tumopokea kwa mshituko mkubwa sana na kwa majonzi makubwa sana taarifa kufuatia ajali ya kuzama kwa Meli “ MV MV. Spice Islander” ambayo ilitokea huko Nungwi tarehe 10/09/2011;  ambayo imesababisha vifo vingi vya watanzania wenzetu ambao walikuwa wanasafiri kati ya Dar es salaam, Unguja na Pemba.



Tunatoa salamu zetu za rambirambi kwa wahanga wote wa ajali hii, ambao wamepoteza wapendwa wao, ndugu  na marafiki.

Tunatoa salamu zetu kwa viongozi wetu wakuu wan chi Rais wa Serikali ya Mapinduzi Dr Ali M. Shein, Raisi wa Jamuhuri ya Muungano wa Tanzania Mheshimiwa Dr. Jakaya Mrisho Kikwete;
Tunatoa shukrani na pongezi za dhati kwa wote walioshiriki kwa namna moja au nyingine katika harakati za  kuokoa maisha ya waanga wa ajali hii na vile viele katika shughuli za kuopoa maiti;

Mwenyezi Mungu aendelee kuwapa, nguvu na faraja ndugu zetu ambao wameguswa na msiba huu mkubwa  na katika kipindi hiki chote kigumu ambacho kipo mbele yetu;


Sunday, September 4, 2011

BE HAPPY ALWAYS NO MATTER WHAT;




Lord, when I learn that someone is hurting,
Help me know what to do and to say;
Speak to my heart and give me compassion,
Let Your great love flow through me today. —K. De Haan

Happiness is a state of mind. We can be happy regardless the situation we are in; Paul said in Philippians 4:4 rejoice in the Lord always: again I say, rejoice. We can control our state of mind by focusing upon happy things. Even in laughter the heart is sorrowful; and the end of that mirth is heaviness. Let us learn contentment if we desire to be happy.


Happiness is satisfied with “clean fun.” It is interesting that the word “fun” is not in the Bible. We do find, however, that God gives us richly all things to enjoy (1 Timothy 6:17). In that regard, God’s gifts are pure and unadulterated. James 1:17 states, every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.

Do you know that Worry and fear are unwelcome twins? The greatest by-product of these two is an absence of joy. When we’re constantly fearful, we worry, and when we’re worried, we miss the positives in life. We always waste energy and opportunities by worrying about things that never happen; as the result Happiness slides by unnoticed.

The problem of being Ingratitude, this is more seen to those who are critical of everyone and everything? Nothing pleases them and it’s exhausting to try to have a relationship with them. People who are ungrateful rarely experience happiness. They’re too busy complaining and pointing out problems in others to appreciate what they have.


Mm what about Selfishness; A me-centered person has a hard time grasping happiness. Those who are self-centered have tunnel vision. They’re always working hard to make sure they receive the respect, attention, and material possessions they think they deserve. The selfish rarely enjoy the pleasures of daily life.

Jealousy; Often we’re so busy looking at what others have that we fail to notice our blessings. You can waste a lot of time wishing for things that really won’t make you happy once you get them. Often we magnify and idolize the true picture of someone else’s life.

God wants us to walk humbly; it’s hard for those who are proud to understand humility, but it’s a quality Jesus stressed. He condemned those who elevated themselves: God commands in the Old Testament, “He has showed you, O man, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you read Micah 6:8

We need to live a God-controlled life—Putting God at the center of your life goes hand in hand with humility. Seeking God in decision-making and all life activities leads to happiness because this puts us in line with His will for our lives. It takes effort to pursue a righteous life. It’s our nature to put “self” first, so make the decision each day to focus spiritually and put God in the center of your activities and decisions (Luke 9:23).  “Be happy, young man, while you are young, and let your heart give you joy in the days of your youth” (Ecclesiastes 11:9a).

Be satisfied, some people are never content with their current circumstances. They always want more or better. The apostle Paul said, “But godliness with contentment is great gain” (1 Timothy 6:6). Learning to recognize the blessings you already have is key to happiness. Those blessings may or may not be material possessions or good looks. Take some time to consider your blessings. “If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone” (Romans 12:18).


See positives Most of us need an attitude adjustment to experience happiness. Happiness is a choice rather than a result of circumstances and surroundings. Being happy doesn’t mean everything has to go your way. We’re going to have problems in life, but ultimately we have victory in Christ. “While you are in the world, you will have to suffer. But cheer up! I have defeated the world” (John 16:33b).
So what should we do now Even if we are defeated?


·        TAKE CHARGE OF YOUR TIME


·        PRACTICE BEING HAPPY


·        Avoid mixing happiness with pleasure




Saturday, September 3, 2011

DEALING WITH DIFFICULTY PERSONALITIES?




Can you recall the last time you had to deal with a negative or difficult person? Or the last time someone said something with the intention of hurting you? How did you handle it? What was the result? What can you do in the future to get through these situations with peace and grace?

It is true that wherever we are going we will face people who are negative and who will oppose what you think it is right.
The question here is that how can we handle negative situation when it happens? I know some will just say I don’t let it bother me, Simple and clear.

My personal question is that Why we need to be careful when we are dealing with negative people or negative issues?


It is very true that “Holding a grudge against someone is like drinking poison and expecting the other person to die.” The only person we hurt is ourselves. When we react to negativity, we are disturbing our inner space and mentally creating pain within ourselves.

I’ve learned that when people initiate negativity, it is a reflection of their inner state expressed externally and you just happen to be in front of that expression. It’s not personal, so why do we take it personally? In short: Because our ego likes problems and conflict. People are often so bored and unhappy with their own lives that they want to take others down with them.

Have you noticed that when we fight back, it feels really satisfying in our heads? But it doesn’t feel very good in our soul? Our stomach becomes tight, and we start having violent thoughts?

Rarely can any good come out of reacting against someone who is in a negative state. It will only trigger anger and an additional reactive response from that person. It is true that the angrier our thoughts become, the angrier we become? It’s a negative downward spiral.

I’ve found that once I allow negativity in one area of my life, it starts to subtly bleed into other areas as well. When we are in a negative state or holding a grudge against someone, we don’t feel very good. We carry that energy with us as we go about our day. When we don’t feel very good, we lose sight of clarity and may react unconsciously to matters in other areas of our lives, unnecessarily.

They have the right to express their own opinions and we have the right and will power to choose our responses. We can choose peace or we can choose conflict.

We are humans after all, and we have emotions and egos. However, by keeping our egos in-check and inserting emotional intelligence, we’ll not only be doing a favor for our health and mental space, but we’ll also have intercepted a situation that would have gone bad, unnecessarily.

·        What is it about this situation or person that I can seek to understand and forgive?
·        Wait until you’ve cooled off before responding, if you choose to respond at all.

·        Ask “Does it matter if I am right?” If yes, then ask “Why do I need to be right? What will I gain?

·        Let’s stop the cycle of negative snowballing and sell them short on what they’re looking for; don’t bother responding.

·        Stop giving it energy, stop thinking about it, and stop talking about it. Do your best to not repeat the story to others.

·        Try putting yourself in their position and consider how you may have hurt their feelings. This understanding will give you a new perspective on becoming rational again, and may help you develop compassion for the other person.

·        Regardless of how negative a scenario may appear, there is always a hidden gift in the form of a lesson. Find the lesson(s).

·        Negative people can be a source of energy drain cut them out by avoiding interactions with them as much as possible. Remember that you have the choice to commit to being surrounded by people who have the qualities you admire: optimistic, positive, peaceful and encouraging people. As Kathy Sierra said, “Be around the change you want to see in the world.”

·        When we practice becoming the observer of our feelings, our thoughts and the situation, we separate ourselves away from the emotions. Instead of identifying with the emotions and letting them consume us, we observe them with clarity and detachment. When you find yourself identifying with emotions and thoughts, bring your focus on your breathe.

·        Avoid discussing divisive and personal issues, like religion and politics, or other issues that tend to cause conflict. If the other person tries to engage you in a discussion that will probably become an argument, change the subject or leave the room.
·        In dealing with difficult people, don’t try to change the other person; you will only get into a power struggle, cause defensiveness, invite criticism, or otherwise make things worse. It also makes you a more difficult person to deal with.
Lowering your expectations of people will make you more comfortable with difficult people, but you still must be able to manage them. Dealing with difficult people forces you to practice self-discipline. This is the practical wisdom of James 1:19-20: "So then, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath; for the wrath of man does not produce the righteousness of God" 

The Bible gives us some practical guidelines for managing difficult people. The first are found in Matthew 18:15-17 and Ephesians 4:15. Both of these passages instruct us to confront difficult people privately and in love. Take the initiative; but in doing so, be sure you are fair, firm and friendly.

Therefore Putting all this together, the way to deal with difficult people is to love them, pray for them, expect to give rather than to receive, maintain a humble spirit, and relate to them in patience and kindness. But more important is the need to pray for the Spirit’s power to change our own hearts and minds toward the difficult person and enable us to see them as needing the same love, grace and mercy that God extended toward us. Jesus even forgave the men who were going to kill him, as related in Luke 23:34-39. The way to deal with difficult people, then, is to imitate Christ’s humility and love. That kind of response is both edifying to us and pleasing to the Lord