I don’t believe Charles Darwin theory of evolution that stipulates man evolved from ape. I am a staunch believer in the fact that God created man in His own image. However I agree with Charles when he said “It is not the strongest of the species that survives, or the most intelligent. It is the one that is the most adaptable to change”. The 1 million dollar question is; are you change averse? You must never forget that people that transform themselves and adapt to change will continue to stay on top in this era. In his book, the age of Selfish Altruism, Alan Fairnington wrote “It is amazing how technology that is not old is being replaced. Vinyl records were replaced by CDs using laser technology. CDs are disappearing because music can be downloaded from the internet for free or through low-cost subscription. The tiny audio cassette was replaced by the Sony walkman and it is in turn made outdated by the Apple iPod”. So how can we adapt to change? We must keep learning and innovating. That was what IBM did. According to Bruce Harreld and Michael L. Tushman (both of the Harvard Business School), IBM was headed for extinction in the 1990s, but she learned to adapt and regained its place as a dominant competitor in the technology industry.
Monday, December 13, 2010
Friday, November 5, 2010
"This Is The Power Of One Simple Idea"
- Marc Benioff is the CEO of the multi-billion
dollar technology leader -- Salesforce.com
When he started his company in 1999, he
made it company policy to give a percentage
to charity in this manner:
1% of equity -- worth $0 at the time
1% of profits -- worth $0 at the time
1% of employee time -- there was 0 employee
The company took off like a rocket, and
today has become the industry leader in
on-demand software.
What does 1% translate to?
To date Salesforce.com has given away:
- 10 million dollars -- 1% of profits
- 10-20 million dollars -- 1% of equity
- 50,000 hours -- 1% of employee
time to charitable causes.
Salesforce calls this the 1-1-1 model.
It gets even more interesting so please
pay close attention here.
In 2003 Marc was giving a talk at Stanford
University. He described in detail how the
model has worked for the company.
In the audience that day were the founders
of Google, the search engine giant.
At the end of the presentation, they
approached Marc and told him they were
interested in adopting their giving
model for Google.
Result?
Google has set up a foundation to implement
the 1-1-1 model.
As I write they have set aside a massive
1.5 BILLION dollars which they are giving away
to charity!
This is the power of one simple idea --
giving back or tithing a certain percentage
of your income.
This is the power of one simple idea plucked
right out of the Bible.
It is the dominant secret of financial
prosperity.
But that's not all.
In the Bible there are 6 others...
Here's the Golden Key that
Brings Financial Prosperity ...
What Is it?
The Bible says,
"My God shall supply ALL your needs
according to His riches in glory by
Christ Jesus"
Meaning:
To experience divine prosperity, you
first have to know GOD as your provider.
And to do that, you need to observe
the 7 laws of prosperity.
Failure to observe these laws gives
rise to...
Here's how to avoid them...
Law #1: Tithing
The tithe is one tenth of your income.
When we pay our tithes, the Lord opens
to us the windows of heaven ... but this
is just the beginning.
Law #2: Offerings
You must be generous by giving freewill
offerings unto the Lord. This law ensures
that the more you give unto the Lord, the
more abundance you experience (potentially).
While the tithe opens the windows of heaven
to you, your offerings will activate the
law of giving and receiving --
So you'll be able to receive and KEEP the
blessings in your storehouse.
Law #3: Building His Church
God wants His people to participate in
building for Him, both spiritually and
physically.
God will always bless those who join
hands in building His church. You can
prove this to yourself if you know
of a church project going on.
Law #4:
Blessing Ministers That HE Sends
There are certain ministers that God
works with, period. As you come across
these people, you must be discerning
enough to reach out and bless them.
Remember Elijah of old.
And Elisha the prophet.
When you look after the vessels that
God uses, HE Himself will look after
you. It is as simple as that.
Law #5:
Break The Curses and Covenants of Poverty
Here is where many believers fall down.
It is clear that so many are operating
under hidden curses and covenants of
poverty.
As soon as you break them, and then
follow up with regular tithing and
offering, the LORD will surprise you!
Law #6:
Sowing And Reaping
Again the Bible declares: "While the
earth remains, seedtime and harvest ...
shall not cease"
Without seedtime, there can not be
any harvest. This is both a spiritual
and a physical law.
To walk in overflowing prosperity, you
need to sow good seeds into the work
of the Lord.
After you've sown that seed, then you
begin to pray in agreement with what
the Bible says ... and the law of
divine prosperity will be activated
for you.
Law #7:
Become Skilful in Prosperity Prayers
This means learning to pray specific,
targeted prayers to release divine
prosperity.
This type of prayer is full of high
praises unto the Lord, plus machine-gun
prayers like this:
"I rise out of the dust of poverty
by the power in the blood of Jesus"
"Let spiritual magnetic power that attracts
and keeps wealth be installed in my finances in
the name of Jesus."
"I release my finances from the influences, control
and domination of household wickedness in the
name of Jesus"
"O Lord, let all satanic angels deflecting blessings
away from me be completely paralyzed, in the
name of Jesus"
Wednesday, November 3, 2010
10 Ways to "Buy" Happiness
Money should make you happy. At least, it should if you're spending it right.
That's the argument put forth by University of B.C. psychology professor Elizabeth Dunn. In a paper co-authored by two world-renowned experts on happiness, Daniel Gilbert of Harvard University and Timothy Wilson of the University of Virginia, Dunn argues that most people are terrible at predicting what will make them happy, leading them to routinely spend money on all the wrong things.
"Money is an opportunity for happiness, but it is an opportunity that people routinely squander because the things they think will make them happy often don't," write Dunn and her colleagues.
For decades, researchers have known that money buys happiness, but only up to a point.
Research shows that wealthy people are not significantly happier than those with moderate incomes -- and according to conventional wisdom, that's because many of the things that make us happy aren't for sale.
Dunn and her co-authors of the paper, "If Money Doesn't Make You Happy, Then You Probably Aren't Spending It Right" -- to be published in the upcoming Journal of Consumer Psychology -- adamantly disagree with that assertion.
They boldly suggest that if you spend wisely, "money can buy many, if not most, if not all of the things that make people happy."
Drawing on their research, The Province presents 10 ways to better spend your money.
1. Buy many small lovely things rather than one big one
Go ahead, buy yourself that $4 latte.
Ever had an economist tell you how easily a $4 latte at work every morning will quickly add up to a staggering yearly sum of $1,040? And wouldn't you rather spend that kind of money on something bigger, like a vacation or home theatre system? Well, the answer may be no.
It may well be that a latte a day, or every few days, will make you happier than a single big-ticket item once a year.
"This is not to say that there's anything wrong with large purchases," writes Dunn. "But as long as money is limited by its failure to grow on trees, we may be better off devoting our finite financial resources to purchasing frequent doses of lovely things rather than infrequent doses of lovelier things."
One reason why small, frequent pleasures beats one large infrequent one is because we're creatures of adaptation.
"If we buy an expensive dining room table... it's pretty much the same table today as it was last week. Because frequent small pleasures are different each time they occur, they forestall adaptation," says Dunn.
Research also tells us that breaking up a pleasurable experience into a series of experiences can help maximize joy, something frequent coffee drinker Eva Sajoo, of Vancouver, seems to understand innately.
"Certainly I get a lot of pleasure out of a very well-crafted cup of coffee," she says. "But I think you enjoy it more if you don't have it every day."
2. Savour the cheap joys of life
Cozy up to a movie on a rainy day. Or go out for a walk on a bright summer's day.
Not only are these simple pleasures often cheap, or better yet, free, but savouring the mundane joys of life will make you happier, according to research.
"In a study of Belgian adults, individuals who had a strong capacity to savour the mundane joys of daily life were happier than those who did not," writes Dunn.
Interestingly, the same study found this capacity to savour "mundane joys" was significantly reduced among wealthy individuals. That may be because the wealthy have unfettered access to "peak experiences," which undermines their ability to appreciate smaller moments.
3. Practice 'presence' for an extra jolt of joy
Spending money on yoga retreats, meditation DVDs or self-help books isn't just for hippies or the spiritually inclined.
Scientific research is now also extolling the benefits of becoming more "present" or "engaged" -- which activities such as yoga are said to help you achieve.
Researchers have found that people who are more fully engaged in an experience will get more enjoyment from it.
"A wandering mind is an unhappy mind," Dunn and colleagues sum up succinctly.
Vancouver yoga teacher Jacci Collins says she's experienced firsthand the positive effects of presence.
"I use not only my physical practice of yoga, but my meditation practice as a way of just trying to bring me back into my life, because sometimes, life just spins out of control and the days are going by so quickly. And when you're aware of what you're doing at every moment, somehow you have more appreciation for every moment," says Collins.
4. Buy experiences, not things
Follow in the footsteps of 19,000 screaming teens who spent $60 on a Justin Bieber concert last week, rather than squandering it at the mall. That's right, these 19,000 "Bielebers" were made happier simply by spending their money on an experience rather than a thing.
If happiness can be bought, then it's essential to get the buying right, according to Dunn and colleagues.
"Experiences are good, but why are they better than things? One reason is that we adapt to things so quickly. After devoting days to selecting the perfect hardwood floor to install in a new condo, homebuyers find their once beloved Brazilian cherry floors quickly become nothing more than the unnoticed ground beneath their feet," writes Dunn. "In contrast, their memory of seeing a baby cheetah at dawn on an African safari continues to provide delight."
Mark Holder, associate professor of psychology at the University of B.C. Okanagan and a happiness expert, adds that the difference in happiness gained from a material object versus an experience is most acute after two weeks.
"When we spend, we don't tend to savour our big screen TVs, but we do tend to savour our experiences with others. We relive them through photographs, for example, we relive them by telling stories and by reliving, those people are happier," says Holder.
That's the argument put forth by University of B.C. psychology professor Elizabeth Dunn. In a paper co-authored by two world-renowned experts on happiness, Daniel Gilbert of Harvard University and Timothy Wilson of the University of Virginia, Dunn argues that most people are terrible at predicting what will make them happy, leading them to routinely spend money on all the wrong things.
"Money is an opportunity for happiness, but it is an opportunity that people routinely squander because the things they think will make them happy often don't," write Dunn and her colleagues.
For decades, researchers have known that money buys happiness, but only up to a point.
Research shows that wealthy people are not significantly happier than those with moderate incomes -- and according to conventional wisdom, that's because many of the things that make us happy aren't for sale.
Dunn and her co-authors of the paper, "If Money Doesn't Make You Happy, Then You Probably Aren't Spending It Right" -- to be published in the upcoming Journal of Consumer Psychology -- adamantly disagree with that assertion.
They boldly suggest that if you spend wisely, "money can buy many, if not most, if not all of the things that make people happy."
Drawing on their research, The Province presents 10 ways to better spend your money.
1. Buy many small lovely things rather than one big one
Go ahead, buy yourself that $4 latte.
Ever had an economist tell you how easily a $4 latte at work every morning will quickly add up to a staggering yearly sum of $1,040? And wouldn't you rather spend that kind of money on something bigger, like a vacation or home theatre system? Well, the answer may be no.
It may well be that a latte a day, or every few days, will make you happier than a single big-ticket item once a year.
"This is not to say that there's anything wrong with large purchases," writes Dunn. "But as long as money is limited by its failure to grow on trees, we may be better off devoting our finite financial resources to purchasing frequent doses of lovely things rather than infrequent doses of lovelier things."
One reason why small, frequent pleasures beats one large infrequent one is because we're creatures of adaptation.
"If we buy an expensive dining room table... it's pretty much the same table today as it was last week. Because frequent small pleasures are different each time they occur, they forestall adaptation," says Dunn.
Research also tells us that breaking up a pleasurable experience into a series of experiences can help maximize joy, something frequent coffee drinker Eva Sajoo, of Vancouver, seems to understand innately.
"Certainly I get a lot of pleasure out of a very well-crafted cup of coffee," she says. "But I think you enjoy it more if you don't have it every day."
2. Savour the cheap joys of life
Cozy up to a movie on a rainy day. Or go out for a walk on a bright summer's day.
Not only are these simple pleasures often cheap, or better yet, free, but savouring the mundane joys of life will make you happier, according to research.
"In a study of Belgian adults, individuals who had a strong capacity to savour the mundane joys of daily life were happier than those who did not," writes Dunn.
Interestingly, the same study found this capacity to savour "mundane joys" was significantly reduced among wealthy individuals. That may be because the wealthy have unfettered access to "peak experiences," which undermines their ability to appreciate smaller moments.
3. Practice 'presence' for an extra jolt of joy
Spending money on yoga retreats, meditation DVDs or self-help books isn't just for hippies or the spiritually inclined.
Scientific research is now also extolling the benefits of becoming more "present" or "engaged" -- which activities such as yoga are said to help you achieve.
Researchers have found that people who are more fully engaged in an experience will get more enjoyment from it.
"A wandering mind is an unhappy mind," Dunn and colleagues sum up succinctly.
Vancouver yoga teacher Jacci Collins says she's experienced firsthand the positive effects of presence.
"I use not only my physical practice of yoga, but my meditation practice as a way of just trying to bring me back into my life, because sometimes, life just spins out of control and the days are going by so quickly. And when you're aware of what you're doing at every moment, somehow you have more appreciation for every moment," says Collins.
4. Buy experiences, not things
Follow in the footsteps of 19,000 screaming teens who spent $60 on a Justin Bieber concert last week, rather than squandering it at the mall. That's right, these 19,000 "Bielebers" were made happier simply by spending their money on an experience rather than a thing.
If happiness can be bought, then it's essential to get the buying right, according to Dunn and colleagues.
"Experiences are good, but why are they better than things? One reason is that we adapt to things so quickly. After devoting days to selecting the perfect hardwood floor to install in a new condo, homebuyers find their once beloved Brazilian cherry floors quickly become nothing more than the unnoticed ground beneath their feet," writes Dunn. "In contrast, their memory of seeing a baby cheetah at dawn on an African safari continues to provide delight."
Mark Holder, associate professor of psychology at the University of B.C. Okanagan and a happiness expert, adds that the difference in happiness gained from a material object versus an experience is most acute after two weeks.
"When we spend, we don't tend to savour our big screen TVs, but we do tend to savour our experiences with others. We relive them through photographs, for example, we relive them by telling stories and by reliving, those people are happier," says Holder.
Next time you think of buying something for yourself, buy it for a friend instead. Spending on others will make you happier, not only because it makes you look good (thereby boosting your mood), but because spending on others is a legitimate way to improve our connections with others, according to Dunn.
While this advice may seem to make sense, especially in light of how often we're reminded that "giving is receiving," it's surprising how many people disbelieve it, says Lara Aknin, a graduate student working with Dunn.
A 2008 survey of more than 100 UBC students conducted by Aknin found that a significant majority of students believed money spent on themselves would make them happier than if it were spent on others.
"There's this disconnect between what people believe will make them happy and what actually does," says Aknin. "People aren't that good at making good predictions because their look-ahead is plagued by all these errors, and we forget that when we look into the future we're not going to be in the exact same state that we are now."
6. Buy less insurance
Next time you're asked if you want to buy a warranty, say no. Businesses have long capitalized on our tendency to underestimate how well we cope with traumas, tragedies or just plain old bad luck. By offering an insurance against "unhappiness" from extended warranties to insurance policies, we're actually spending more than we need to guard against negative situations.
Dunn explains that just as we have a physical immune system to ward off disease, our psychological immune system has a remarkable ability to reconstruct and rationalize a negative situation into a positive one: "Ordinary people are remarkably adept at reconstruing events in order to avoid self-blame and the regret that accompanies it."
7. Delay, delay, delay consumption
Don't be tempted by those optimistic sales campaigns that proclaim "No money down!" or "Don't pay for six months."
If you wait till you have the cash to purchase the product or service, you'll get an extra jolt of happiness, says Dunn.
There are a couple of reasons for this. One is that the "consume now, pay later" mentality leads people to short-sighted behaviour, such as racking up debts or saving little for retirement -- decisions that can ruin lives, argues Dunn.
But another, less obvious reason why delayed consumption leads to more happiness is because "anticipation is a source of 'free' happiness."
"Research shows people can reap substantial enjoyment from anticipation of an upcoming event even if the event itself is not entirely enjoyable," according to Dunn.
8. Happiness is in the details
Who hasn't dreamt of owning a vacation home -- say, a waterfront cabin or ski chalet? Well, those dream homes may be more of a mirage in a desert.
Humans are adept at imagining, but tend to skip over the details, seeing the future in "simple, high-level ways," argues Dunn.
That means while we're picturing the glassy waters of a lakeside retreat, finer details like calls about a plumbing disaster, or long drives home after the vacation, or the constant buzz of mosquitoes while you're enjoying your glass of wine tend to recede in the background.
"Consumers who expect a single purchases to have a lasting impact on their happiness might make more realistic predictions if they simply thought about a typical day in their life," Dunn advises.
9. Don't shop around
Save your time and refrain from comparison shopping. Recent research suggests that comparison shopping may distract consumers from the attributes that will make them happiest, by making them focusing on the differences between available options.
Dunn gives the familiar example of shopping for real estate, in which would-be buyers typically attend countless open houses and viewings and scrutinize spec sheets for features and information on each home.
"As a result, home buyers might overestimate the hedonic consequences of living in a big, beautiful house in a great location vs. a more modest home, leading them to take out a larger loan than they can truly afford, " argues Dunn.
The same process may also lead consumers to seek out products that provide the "best deal," which is not always the product that makes them happiest.
10. Follow the herd
Can't decide which book to read? Movie to watch? Next vacation? The easiest way to get promising "happiness" results is to follow the herd.
"Research suggests that the best way to predict how much we will enjoy an experience is to see how much someone else enjoyed it," explains Dunn.
So chances are, summer blockbusters are as likely to bring us as much joy as they did the thousands of other people who've seen them.
A 2009 study drives home the point: Women were asked to predict how much they would enjoy a speed date with a particular man. Some women were shown his photo and autobiography. A second group were shown only the rating of how much other women enjoyed the date.
Think the vast majority of women shown the photo and autobiography would make a more accurate prediction? The opposite proved true.
Friday, October 15, 2010
The Indian Elephant
Strange statement isn’t it?
But read carefully for it can make a difference of success or failure in your business, career and private life.
Let me explain:
You may know that in India, elephants are used for manual labour. But what do they do with them when they are not working? How do they restrain them?
Their handlers came up with the idea to “program” them while they are still very young by setting self-imposed limits into their thinking.
How does it work? When the elephants are still small, weighing around 150pounds they got tied up with a very heavy rope. All day long, the elephants try to get rid of it whine, tug at it and some of them even try to chew it. But they can’t break free.
Finally the elephant gives up and the fight is over. From this moment on they strongly believe that there is absolutely no chance to get rid of the rope.
They accept the “fact” that the rope limits them. And with this imprinted belief in place, their handlers are able to tie them with extremely small ropes, even as adults weighing 8,000 pounds and more, they never attempt to break free, because they “know” they have no chance at all!
As you can see, the elephant’s limits are not real but exist only in their minds.
So also, we have built-in boundaries; they are also not real but exist only in our minds. This is the program which the devil has written on the “memory card” of most Christians; and this I call it FEAR.
I define FEAR as (False Evidence Appearing Real); its never real but the devil makes it seem so real that you can almost touch it. After trying our hands on something new or a business and we experience a temporary set back, we tend to surrender to fate and believe it’s over. That’s exactly what the Indian elephants do after trying and failing. But it doesn’t have to stay this way. Our negative belief systems don’t have to limit us for good. So, if we truly want to become successful and are not kidding ourselves we can change our inner belief system, our attitude and break our boundaries.
You might feel that there are some certain characteristics of your personality that are part of you and therefore can not change. You might even think that’s how it runs in your genealogy or it’s just the way you are, the way God made you. Although it’s true that you have certain inborn traits, certain strengths and weaknesses, this doesn’t mean that you can never change. Even if this is true, destinies or family genealogy can be changed. You might wonder how this can be, how you can change what you feel it’s a long standing habit, an almost ingrained characteristic and turn it into something different.
All things are possible with God!
Jabesh is an example of a man who didn’t settle for less and changed his destiny. Jacob was another man who fought with the angel just to change his destiny. All these men experienced failures at some points in life but they did not allow the “program” of the devil-FEAR to make them give up.
It just takes a sincere desire to receive this help, and determination to follow through. You always have the inner strength, the personal power to change everything in your life for the better. JUST TRY!
Never give up and never act like an Indian elephant who despite being endowed with strength for achievement is tied down with a little rope.
Like my mother in the Lord will say “If your destiny is worth to die for, its better to die for it” for what’s the essence of existence without the fulfillment of destiny?
But read carefully for it can make a difference of success or failure in your business, career and private life.
Let me explain:
You may know that in India, elephants are used for manual labour. But what do they do with them when they are not working? How do they restrain them?
Their handlers came up with the idea to “program” them while they are still very young by setting self-imposed limits into their thinking.
How does it work? When the elephants are still small, weighing around 150pounds they got tied up with a very heavy rope. All day long, the elephants try to get rid of it whine, tug at it and some of them even try to chew it. But they can’t break free.
Finally the elephant gives up and the fight is over. From this moment on they strongly believe that there is absolutely no chance to get rid of the rope.
They accept the “fact” that the rope limits them. And with this imprinted belief in place, their handlers are able to tie them with extremely small ropes, even as adults weighing 8,000 pounds and more, they never attempt to break free, because they “know” they have no chance at all!
As you can see, the elephant’s limits are not real but exist only in their minds.
So also, we have built-in boundaries; they are also not real but exist only in our minds. This is the program which the devil has written on the “memory card” of most Christians; and this I call it FEAR.
I define FEAR as (False Evidence Appearing Real); its never real but the devil makes it seem so real that you can almost touch it. After trying our hands on something new or a business and we experience a temporary set back, we tend to surrender to fate and believe it’s over. That’s exactly what the Indian elephants do after trying and failing. But it doesn’t have to stay this way. Our negative belief systems don’t have to limit us for good. So, if we truly want to become successful and are not kidding ourselves we can change our inner belief system, our attitude and break our boundaries.
You might feel that there are some certain characteristics of your personality that are part of you and therefore can not change. You might even think that’s how it runs in your genealogy or it’s just the way you are, the way God made you. Although it’s true that you have certain inborn traits, certain strengths and weaknesses, this doesn’t mean that you can never change. Even if this is true, destinies or family genealogy can be changed. You might wonder how this can be, how you can change what you feel it’s a long standing habit, an almost ingrained characteristic and turn it into something different.
All things are possible with God!
Jabesh is an example of a man who didn’t settle for less and changed his destiny. Jacob was another man who fought with the angel just to change his destiny. All these men experienced failures at some points in life but they did not allow the “program” of the devil-FEAR to make them give up.
It just takes a sincere desire to receive this help, and determination to follow through. You always have the inner strength, the personal power to change everything in your life for the better. JUST TRY!
Never give up and never act like an Indian elephant who despite being endowed with strength for achievement is tied down with a little rope.
Like my mother in the Lord will say “If your destiny is worth to die for, its better to die for it” for what’s the essence of existence without the fulfillment of destiny?
Thursday, September 30, 2010
MY BELIEFS:
I believe-
that we don't have to change friends
if we understand that friends change.
I believe-
that no matter how good a friend is,
they're going to hurt you every once in a while and
you must forgive them for that.
I believe-
that true friendship continues to grow,
even over the longest distance.
Same goes for true love.
I believe-
that you can do something in an instant
that will give you heartache for life.
I believe-
that it's taking me a long time
to become the person I want to be.
I believe-
that you should always leave loved ones
with loving words. It may be the last
time you see them.
I believe-
that you can keep going
long after you can't.
I believe-
that we are responsible for what we do,
no matter how we feel.
I believe-
that either you control your attitude
or it controls you.
I believe-
that regardless of how hot and
steamy a relationship is at first,
the passion fades and there had
better be something else to take its place.
I believe-
that heroes are the people
who do what has to be done
when it needs to be done,
regardless of the consequences.
I believe-
that money is a lousy way of keeping score.
I believe-
that my best friend and I can do anything
or nothing and have the best time.
I believe-
that sometimes the people you expect
to kick you when you're down,
will be the ones to help you get back up.
I believe-
that sometimes when I'm angry
I have the right to be angry,
but that doesn't give me
the right to be cruel.
I believe-
that just because someone doesn't love
you the way you want them to doesn't
mean they don't love you with all they have.
I believe-
that maturity has more to do with
what types of experiences you've had
and what you've learned from them
and less to do with how many
birthdays you've celebrated.
I believe-
that it isn't always enough to be
forgiven by others. Sometimes you
have to learn to forgive yourself.
I believe-
that no matter how bad your
heart is broken the world doesn't stop for
your grief.
I believe-
that our background and circumstances
may have influenced who we are,
but we are responsible for who
we become.
I believe-
that just because two people argue,
it doesn't mean they don't love each other
And just because they don't argue,
it doesn't mean they do.
I believe-
that you shouldn't be so eager
to find out a secret.
It could change your life forever.
I believe-
that two people can look at the exact
same thing and see something totally different.
I believe-
that your life can be changed
in a matter of hours
by people who don't even know you.
I believe-
that even when you think you
have no more to give,
when a friend cries out to you
you will find the strength to help.
that we don't have to change friends
if we understand that friends change.
I believe-
that no matter how good a friend is,
they're going to hurt you every once in a while and
you must forgive them for that.
I believe-
that true friendship continues to grow,
even over the longest distance.
Same goes for true love.
I believe-
that you can do something in an instant
that will give you heartache for life.
I believe-
that it's taking me a long time
to become the person I want to be.
I believe-
that you should always leave loved ones
with loving words. It may be the last
time you see them.
I believe-
that you can keep going
long after you can't.
I believe-
that we are responsible for what we do,
no matter how we feel.
I believe-
that either you control your attitude
or it controls you.
I believe-
that regardless of how hot and
steamy a relationship is at first,
the passion fades and there had
better be something else to take its place.
I believe-
that heroes are the people
who do what has to be done
when it needs to be done,
regardless of the consequences.
I believe-
that money is a lousy way of keeping score.
I believe-
that my best friend and I can do anything
or nothing and have the best time.
I believe-
that sometimes the people you expect
to kick you when you're down,
will be the ones to help you get back up.
I believe-
that sometimes when I'm angry
I have the right to be angry,
but that doesn't give me
the right to be cruel.
I believe-
that just because someone doesn't love
you the way you want them to doesn't
mean they don't love you with all they have.
I believe-
that maturity has more to do with
what types of experiences you've had
and what you've learned from them
and less to do with how many
birthdays you've celebrated.
I believe-
that it isn't always enough to be
forgiven by others. Sometimes you
have to learn to forgive yourself.
I believe-
that no matter how bad your
heart is broken the world doesn't stop for
your grief.
I believe-
that our background and circumstances
may have influenced who we are,
but we are responsible for who
we become.
I believe-
that just because two people argue,
it doesn't mean they don't love each other
And just because they don't argue,
it doesn't mean they do.
I believe-
that you shouldn't be so eager
to find out a secret.
It could change your life forever.
I believe-
that two people can look at the exact
same thing and see something totally different.
I believe-
that your life can be changed
in a matter of hours
by people who don't even know you.
I believe-
that even when you think you
have no more to give,
when a friend cries out to you
you will find the strength to help.
REMEMBER WHAT THIS SAYS!
No man/woman is worth your tears, and
the only one who is, will never make you cry.
If you love someone, put their name
in a circle instead of a heart,
because hearts can break, but circles go on forever.
Everyone hears what you say.
Friends listen to what you say.
Best friends listen to what you don't say
If all my friends were to jump off a
bridge, I wouldn't jump with them,
I'd be at the bottom to catch them.
Don't frown, because you never know
who's falling in love with your smile!
"Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a harder battle"
~Plato
It takes a minute to have a crush on someone,
an hour to like someone
and a day to love someone,
but it takes a lifetime to forget someone."
Enthusiasm is contagious
You could start an epidemic!
Authors Unknown
the only one who is, will never make you cry.
If you love someone, put their name
in a circle instead of a heart,
because hearts can break, but circles go on forever.
Everyone hears what you say.
Friends listen to what you say.
Best friends listen to what you don't say
If all my friends were to jump off a
bridge, I wouldn't jump with them,
I'd be at the bottom to catch them.
Don't frown, because you never know
who's falling in love with your smile!
"Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a harder battle"
~Plato
It takes a minute to have a crush on someone,
an hour to like someone
and a day to love someone,
but it takes a lifetime to forget someone."
Enthusiasm is contagious
You could start an epidemic!
Authors Unknown
Tuesday, August 17, 2010
Monday, August 16, 2010
The Power Of Giving
Ever notice that those who are truly very wealthy
and successful are always involved in charities?
Many of them are not just writing checks and dolling
out cash to the first charity that comes knocking.
I mean they are truly involved with charities and
they do this by giving their time, money, energy,
setting up trusts, and getting involved in events.
They really go the distance for a charity their
involved with. I know some of you might say:
"Well, if I had that kind of money - I'd be giving
to charity too. I'd have the time to get involved
in charities." But guess what - many of the most
successful people got involved with charities
long before they were rich and successful.
And - just because your rich and successful
doesn't mean you have a lot of time on your
hands. Instead - many of the most successful
and wealthiest people - have to make time
for the charity that their involved with.
There is tremendous power that comes with the
act of giving - and I'll explain how this power
is created and how it works. So in this
week's newsletter I'm going to talk about
the power of giving. I'll show you how giving can
provide dividends you never thought possible -
and why giving doesn't have to involve your wallet.
Read on and discover the power of giving.
This newsletter is brought to you by Creating Power -
the complete system that teaches you how to achieve
your goals and live the life you want by working with
the power of your mind and subconscious mind. Creating
Power shows you how to accomplish goals you never
thought possible. To learn more visit:
www.CreatingPower.com
Understanding The Power Of Giving
The power of giving comes from a selfless act -
where you simply give from your heart. This act
of giving is not tied to any special event, holiday
or celebration - it is merely a time when you give
from the heart because you want to share what you
have, show your appreciation and give because you
truly care. There should not be any other motive
behind it. You don't give so that you can
get something in return.
When you give simply from the heart you are saying
to the universe, your higher power is that you truly
care and want to share what you have. You also say
that you don't care if you don't get anything in
return, you don't care if no one notices or if no
one thanks you. After all that's not why you are
doing it. When you do this - the response that you
get can be quite overwhelming. It will be as though
a thousand hands came to help you even when you
didn't ask for help. Things start to fall into
place - because those who give from the heart -
will get a thousand times the amount that they give.
Remember - I said that you give from the heart.
You don't give with the expectation of getting
something in return. You can give with the thought
that you are sharing - that you are giving because
you have so much. You are giving because you know
and trust that you will always have what you want
so you can afford to give something even before you
receive what you seek.
This mere act of giving from the heart and with
the full knowledge that you have plenty and with the
trust that you will always have more than enough -
creates a bond between you and your higher power,
spirit, universe, God or whatever you want to call
that part of us that we feel is connected to a higher
entity. That bond is a trust - in which you are saying:
"I know I will always have more than I want so I am
now giving something because I want to - fully
trusting that I will always have more than what
I want - and therefore I can share because I want to."
When you do this the universe or the higher power
responds by saying - "ah-ha - ___ believes they have
so much that they are already willing to share - let's
give him/her some more so that they can continue to
share." It really does work that way.
But too often we get caught up in our wants and needs,
we get selfish - only focusing on ourselves and our own
little problems - which when looked at in terms of the
bigger picture are really not that severe. Sure there
are some of us who have some serious setbacks that we
want to overcome - and I'm not trivializing that
or any of your own personal concerns. However,
I do think that we need to look at the needs of
those of those around us as well - and then ask ourselves
what can we do to help make things better. After all -
it's our world - if we don't share how can we help each
other and how can we overcome our own setbacks.
If you don't help your neighbor - and if everybody
didn't help their neighbor - how would we ever get
things done? There would be no progress because we
would all be consumed with our own little world and
not take the time to help each other.
Giving is a part of human nature. That's why
when we do it we enjoy the process so much.
We enjoy seeing the other person smile; we enjoy
helping someone else in some small way.
I know that not all of you are in a position
to give a great deal, or to buy the ideal present
or to spend a lot of money. But you can give your time.
You can give something small, you can make a
small gesture to the universe and your higher
power - that you believe you will always have
what you want and more - you believe so much that
you're willing to give and share that even before
you receive it. This is something I teach in my
Creating Power system. The Creating Power course
spends a good deal of time teaching you how to
generate the Power of Giving - students who take
my Creating Power system learn to incorporate the
Power of Giving with other valuable techniques
that catapult them to success. To learn more about
Creating Power visit:
www.CreatingPower.com
The Law Of GivingYou may have heard that if you give you will
get in return. So you go out and you give and you
give and it seems like you get nothing. Then you say -
this doesn't work so you stop giving because you're
tired and it got you nowhere. When this happens
you're ready to give. What am I talking about?
The law of giving exists - and it simply says that
if you give you will receive in abundance. But the
catch to it is that you have to give from your heart.
Sure you've heard that phrase before - but here's what
it means. When you give from your heart - you give
with no expectations. You give only because you want
to give - because you want to share what you have and
because you want to help somebody. I know somebody
out there is going to say: "Ah- ha! So I can give to
help people and I'll get in return. Great - I'll
start giving tomorrow." You just missed my point!
You can't give expecting something in return.
Sounds crazy - I know and that's only because we've
been conditioned to give so that we get something in
return. It's that old "What's in it for me?" approach -
which just doesn't work with the Law of Giving.
Those who are successful - and I mean truly
successful - like Paul Newman, Bill Gates,
Ted Turner, Warren Buffet - the list goes on and on -
are all involved in charities - many of which they
worked with before they were successful. I know
skeptics will say: "Yeah but for them it's a great
tax write off." But their time isn't - and that they
give from their heart - no str'ings attached because
they get nothing in return - or at least they don't
go in wanting to get something in return. Just so
you know - Bill Gates so far has donated 800-million
dollars to charities. Ted Turner is often remembered
for billion dollars that he donated to the UN -
but in 1994 he donated 200 million dollars to
charities and he has his own non-profit organization
fighting for endangered species.
My point is that they all donate money and time -
and they give from the heart. When you give - and
give from the heart you send out a powerful message
that says: You're willing to share what you have and
thus the more you have the more you will share.
This is what is picked up your subconscious mind,
the universe and your higher self. You then are drawn
to situations and circumstances that allow you to have
more because you will share more. The key is to give
from your heart and give before you receive.
Students who work with my Creating Power system
learn the power of giving - they learn to give
before they receive. They learn how to make
demonstrations that attract more positive situations
to them and thus allow them to achieve their goals
and live the life they want. When you share - you get
more in return. Creating Power teaches you how
to instill the power of giving while you continue
to work with other powerful techniques to help
you achieve your goals. To learn more visit:
www.CreatingPower.com
How Giving Attracts More
I have an uncle who has done quite well for himself
and at age 72 he still runs his company and factory.
I remember talking to him recently and he told me
about the tough times he endured. He said when he
started out he didn't know how things would turn out.
But he was always involved in charities and always
trying to help those around him. He didn't have a lot
of money to give - but he had some time - so he got
involved with helping out people in need.
Sometimes by getting old clothes from family members
to donate, sometimes by collecting tins of food,
anything he could do. As he started making some
money he would donate a portion to his religious
community - he never stopped donating and to this
day is still involved in charities. His son who is
a very successful doctor who visits Africa once or
twice a year to perform free surgery on those who
are need - you could say like father like son - but
the act of giving simply from their heart has
catapulted them to success.
Both my uncle and his son said they give because
they believed they had so much - and they just
wanted to share what they had. There was no other
motive. They have been rewarded ten times over -
they both live very comfortable lives. I have
countless stories that I can share with you about
how people who give always get more in return -
but the key is that they give without expecting
anything - they simply give - knowing and trusting
that they will always have more than what they need.
Now we all can't perform free surgery - but we can
give a little of our time - since we all have they
same amount - surely you can spare an hour or two
on the weekends. If you go shopping - buy something
small for someone - with the belief that you will
always have more than you need. You can even buy
something for yourself with that same belief.
You can give a small amount to charity - with
the complete belief that you will always have more
than you need.
When you understand and utilize this awesome power
along with the other self-empowering techniques
that you learn in my Creating Power system you'll
see your life improve ten-fold. Students who work with
my Creating Power course learn to work with a number of
techniques and begin seeing results within weeks.
Culled from: Karim Hajee
and successful are always involved in charities?
Many of them are not just writing checks and dolling
out cash to the first charity that comes knocking.
I mean they are truly involved with charities and
they do this by giving their time, money, energy,
setting up trusts, and getting involved in events.
They really go the distance for a charity their
involved with. I know some of you might say:
"Well, if I had that kind of money - I'd be giving
to charity too. I'd have the time to get involved
in charities." But guess what - many of the most
successful people got involved with charities
long before they were rich and successful.
And - just because your rich and successful
doesn't mean you have a lot of time on your
hands. Instead - many of the most successful
and wealthiest people - have to make time
for the charity that their involved with.
There is tremendous power that comes with the
act of giving - and I'll explain how this power
is created and how it works. So in this
week's newsletter I'm going to talk about
the power of giving. I'll show you how giving can
provide dividends you never thought possible -
and why giving doesn't have to involve your wallet.
Read on and discover the power of giving.
This newsletter is brought to you by Creating Power -
the complete system that teaches you how to achieve
your goals and live the life you want by working with
the power of your mind and subconscious mind. Creating
Power shows you how to accomplish goals you never
thought possible. To learn more visit:
www.CreatingPower.com
Understanding The Power Of Giving
The power of giving comes from a selfless act -
where you simply give from your heart. This act
of giving is not tied to any special event, holiday
or celebration - it is merely a time when you give
from the heart because you want to share what you
have, show your appreciation and give because you
truly care. There should not be any other motive
behind it. You don't give so that you can
get something in return.
When you give simply from the heart you are saying
to the universe, your higher power is that you truly
care and want to share what you have. You also say
that you don't care if you don't get anything in
return, you don't care if no one notices or if no
one thanks you. After all that's not why you are
doing it. When you do this - the response that you
get can be quite overwhelming. It will be as though
a thousand hands came to help you even when you
didn't ask for help. Things start to fall into
place - because those who give from the heart -
will get a thousand times the amount that they give.
Remember - I said that you give from the heart.
You don't give with the expectation of getting
something in return. You can give with the thought
that you are sharing - that you are giving because
you have so much. You are giving because you know
and trust that you will always have what you want
so you can afford to give something even before you
receive what you seek.
This mere act of giving from the heart and with
the full knowledge that you have plenty and with the
trust that you will always have more than enough -
creates a bond between you and your higher power,
spirit, universe, God or whatever you want to call
that part of us that we feel is connected to a higher
entity. That bond is a trust - in which you are saying:
"I know I will always have more than I want so I am
now giving something because I want to - fully
trusting that I will always have more than what
I want - and therefore I can share because I want to."
When you do this the universe or the higher power
responds by saying - "ah-ha - ___ believes they have
so much that they are already willing to share - let's
give him/her some more so that they can continue to
share." It really does work that way.
But too often we get caught up in our wants and needs,
we get selfish - only focusing on ourselves and our own
little problems - which when looked at in terms of the
bigger picture are really not that severe. Sure there
are some of us who have some serious setbacks that we
want to overcome - and I'm not trivializing that
or any of your own personal concerns. However,
I do think that we need to look at the needs of
those of those around us as well - and then ask ourselves
what can we do to help make things better. After all -
it's our world - if we don't share how can we help each
other and how can we overcome our own setbacks.
If you don't help your neighbor - and if everybody
didn't help their neighbor - how would we ever get
things done? There would be no progress because we
would all be consumed with our own little world and
not take the time to help each other.
Giving is a part of human nature. That's why
when we do it we enjoy the process so much.
We enjoy seeing the other person smile; we enjoy
helping someone else in some small way.
I know that not all of you are in a position
to give a great deal, or to buy the ideal present
or to spend a lot of money. But you can give your time.
You can give something small, you can make a
small gesture to the universe and your higher
power - that you believe you will always have
what you want and more - you believe so much that
you're willing to give and share that even before
you receive it. This is something I teach in my
Creating Power system. The Creating Power course
spends a good deal of time teaching you how to
generate the Power of Giving - students who take
my Creating Power system learn to incorporate the
Power of Giving with other valuable techniques
that catapult them to success. To learn more about
Creating Power visit:
www.CreatingPower.com
The Law Of GivingYou may have heard that if you give you will
get in return. So you go out and you give and you
give and it seems like you get nothing. Then you say -
this doesn't work so you stop giving because you're
tired and it got you nowhere. When this happens
you're ready to give. What am I talking about?
The law of giving exists - and it simply says that
if you give you will receive in abundance. But the
catch to it is that you have to give from your heart.
Sure you've heard that phrase before - but here's what
it means. When you give from your heart - you give
with no expectations. You give only because you want
to give - because you want to share what you have and
because you want to help somebody. I know somebody
out there is going to say: "Ah- ha! So I can give to
help people and I'll get in return. Great - I'll
start giving tomorrow." You just missed my point!
You can't give expecting something in return.
Sounds crazy - I know and that's only because we've
been conditioned to give so that we get something in
return. It's that old "What's in it for me?" approach -
which just doesn't work with the Law of Giving.
Those who are successful - and I mean truly
successful - like Paul Newman, Bill Gates,
Ted Turner, Warren Buffet - the list goes on and on -
are all involved in charities - many of which they
worked with before they were successful. I know
skeptics will say: "Yeah but for them it's a great
tax write off." But their time isn't - and that they
give from their heart - no str'ings attached because
they get nothing in return - or at least they don't
go in wanting to get something in return. Just so
you know - Bill Gates so far has donated 800-million
dollars to charities. Ted Turner is often remembered
for billion dollars that he donated to the UN -
but in 1994 he donated 200 million dollars to
charities and he has his own non-profit organization
fighting for endangered species.
My point is that they all donate money and time -
and they give from the heart. When you give - and
give from the heart you send out a powerful message
that says: You're willing to share what you have and
thus the more you have the more you will share.
This is what is picked up your subconscious mind,
the universe and your higher self. You then are drawn
to situations and circumstances that allow you to have
more because you will share more. The key is to give
from your heart and give before you receive.
Students who work with my Creating Power system
learn the power of giving - they learn to give
before they receive. They learn how to make
demonstrations that attract more positive situations
to them and thus allow them to achieve their goals
and live the life they want. When you share - you get
more in return. Creating Power teaches you how
to instill the power of giving while you continue
to work with other powerful techniques to help
you achieve your goals. To learn more visit:
www.CreatingPower.com
How Giving Attracts More
I have an uncle who has done quite well for himself
and at age 72 he still runs his company and factory.
I remember talking to him recently and he told me
about the tough times he endured. He said when he
started out he didn't know how things would turn out.
But he was always involved in charities and always
trying to help those around him. He didn't have a lot
of money to give - but he had some time - so he got
involved with helping out people in need.
Sometimes by getting old clothes from family members
to donate, sometimes by collecting tins of food,
anything he could do. As he started making some
money he would donate a portion to his religious
community - he never stopped donating and to this
day is still involved in charities. His son who is
a very successful doctor who visits Africa once or
twice a year to perform free surgery on those who
are need - you could say like father like son - but
the act of giving simply from their heart has
catapulted them to success.
Both my uncle and his son said they give because
they believed they had so much - and they just
wanted to share what they had. There was no other
motive. They have been rewarded ten times over -
they both live very comfortable lives. I have
countless stories that I can share with you about
how people who give always get more in return -
but the key is that they give without expecting
anything - they simply give - knowing and trusting
that they will always have more than what they need.
Now we all can't perform free surgery - but we can
give a little of our time - since we all have they
same amount - surely you can spare an hour or two
on the weekends. If you go shopping - buy something
small for someone - with the belief that you will
always have more than you need. You can even buy
something for yourself with that same belief.
You can give a small amount to charity - with
the complete belief that you will always have more
than you need.
When you understand and utilize this awesome power
along with the other self-empowering techniques
that you learn in my Creating Power system you'll
see your life improve ten-fold. Students who work with
my Creating Power course learn to work with a number of
techniques and begin seeing results within weeks.
Culled from: Karim Hajee
Tuesday, July 27, 2010
Saturday, July 24, 2010
Thank you: Tribute to my father - Sunday Olorountoba Agbaje
Thank You
I dreamed I went to heaven
And you were there with me
We walked upon the streets of gold
Beside the crystal sea
We heard these angels singing
Then someone called your name
You turned and saw this young man
And he was smiling as he came
And he said friend you may not know me now
And then he said, but wait
You used to teach my Sunday School
When I was only eight
And every week you would say a prayer
Before the class would start
And one day when you said that prayer
I asked Jesus in my heart
CHORUS
Thank you for giving to the Lord
I am a life that was changed
Thank you for giving to the Lord
I am so glad you gave
Then another man stood before you
And said remember the time
A missionary came to your church
And his pictures made you cry
You didn't have much money
But you gave it anyway
Jesus took the gift you gave
And that's why I'm here today
CHORUS (repeat)
One by one they came
Far as your eyes could see
Each life somehow touched
By your generosity
Little things that you had done
Sacrifices you made
They were unnoticed on the earth
In heaven now proclaimed
And I know that up in heaven
You're not supposed to cry
But I am almost sure
There were tears in your eyes
As Jesus took your hand
And you stood before the Lord
He said, my child look around you
For great is your reward
CHORUS (repeat)
I am so glad you gave.
Song bÿ: Ray Boltz
I dreamed I went to heaven
And you were there with me
We walked upon the streets of gold
Beside the crystal sea
We heard these angels singing
Then someone called your name
You turned and saw this young man
And he was smiling as he came
And he said friend you may not know me now
And then he said, but wait
You used to teach my Sunday School
When I was only eight
And every week you would say a prayer
Before the class would start
And one day when you said that prayer
I asked Jesus in my heart
CHORUS
Thank you for giving to the Lord
I am a life that was changed
Thank you for giving to the Lord
I am so glad you gave
Then another man stood before you
And said remember the time
A missionary came to your church
And his pictures made you cry
You didn't have much money
But you gave it anyway
Jesus took the gift you gave
And that's why I'm here today
CHORUS (repeat)
One by one they came
Far as your eyes could see
Each life somehow touched
By your generosity
Little things that you had done
Sacrifices you made
They were unnoticed on the earth
In heaven now proclaimed
And I know that up in heaven
You're not supposed to cry
But I am almost sure
There were tears in your eyes
As Jesus took your hand
And you stood before the Lord
He said, my child look around you
For great is your reward
CHORUS (repeat)
I am so glad you gave.
Song bÿ: Ray Boltz
Rite of Passage for my late father
DANCE WITH MY FATHER
LUTHER VANDROSS
Verse 1:
Back when I was a child
Before life removed all the innocence
My father would lift me high
And dance with my mother and me and then
Spend me around till I fell asleep
Then up the stairs he would carry me
And I knew for sure I was loved
Chorus:
If I could get another chance
Another walk, another dance with him
I'd play a song that would never ever end
How I'd love love love to dance with my father again
Verse 2:
When I and my mother would disagree
To get my way I would run from her to him
He'd make me laugh just to comfort me(yeah, yeah)
Then finally make me do just what my momma said
Later that night, when I was asleep
He left a dollar under my sheet
Never dreamed that he would be gone from me
Chorus:
If I could steal
One final glance
One final step
One final dance with him
I'd play a song that would never ever end
Cause I'd love love love to dance with my father again
Verse 3:
Sometimes I'd listen outside her door
I'd hear how my mother cried for him
(2x) I'd pray for her even more than me
I know I'm praying for much too much
But could you send back the only man she loved
I know you don't do it usually
But dear Lord she' s dying to dance with my father again
Every night I fall asleep
And this is all I ever dream
Tuesday, July 20, 2010
Monday, July 19, 2010
Friday, May 21, 2010
Hints on How to Be a Friend
1. Be Trustworthy.
When a friend tells you a secret, keep it.
Don't repeat it to others.
Trust is a vital part of friendship.
Loss of trust can destroy a friendship.
2. Be sensitive.
Be aware of a friend's needs. Try to know when your friend
needs to be with you and when your friend wants to be alone.
Respect his or her wish for privacy and need for personal space.
3. Be dependable.
If you make a promise to a friend, keep it.
Don't let your friend down.
Be there for him or her in good times as well as bad.
Let friends know they can count on you.
4. Be a good listener.
Kids like to talk to someone who listens actively.
Show a genuine interest in the things that are important to your
friend.
Maintain eye contact while he or she talks.
5. Be honest.
Let a friend know how you feel.
If a friend says or does something that hurts you, talk it over
with him or her privately.
Express your feelings as honestly as you can, and encourage your
friend to do the same.
When a friend tells you a secret, keep it.
Don't repeat it to others.
Trust is a vital part of friendship.
Loss of trust can destroy a friendship.
2. Be sensitive.
Be aware of a friend's needs. Try to know when your friend
needs to be with you and when your friend wants to be alone.
Respect his or her wish for privacy and need for personal space.
3. Be dependable.
If you make a promise to a friend, keep it.
Don't let your friend down.
Be there for him or her in good times as well as bad.
Let friends know they can count on you.
4. Be a good listener.
Kids like to talk to someone who listens actively.
Show a genuine interest in the things that are important to your
friend.
Maintain eye contact while he or she talks.
5. Be honest.
Let a friend know how you feel.
If a friend says or does something that hurts you, talk it over
with him or her privately.
Express your feelings as honestly as you can, and encourage your
friend to do the same.
Life and Times of Late President Umaru Musa Yar'Adua / Condolence Register
Umaru Musa Yar'Adua (16 August 1951 – 5 May 2010) was the President of Nigeria and the 13th Head of State. He served as governor of Katsina
State in northern Nigeria from 29 May 1999 to 28 May 2007. He was declared the winner of the controversial Nigerian presidential election held on 21 April 2007, and was sworn in on 29 May 2007. He was a member of the ruling People's Democratic Party (PDP). In 2009, Yar'Adua left for Saudi Arabia to receive treatment for pericarditis. He returned to Nigeria in 2010, where he died on May 5.
Early life
Yar'Adua was born into an aristocratic Fulani family in Katsina his father, a former Minister for Lagos during the First Republic, held the royal title of Mutawalli (custodian of the treasury) of the Katsina Emirate, a title which Yar'Adua inherited. He started his education at Rafukka Primary School in 1958, and moved to Dutsinma Boarding Primary School in 1962. He attended the Government College at Keffi from 1965 until 1969. In 1971 he received a Higher School Certificate from Barewa College. He attended Ahmadu Bello University in Zaria from 1972 to 1975, attaining a BSc in Education and Chemistry, and then returned in 1978 to achieve an M.Sc Degree in Analytical Chemistry.
Marriage and family
Yar'Adua married Turai Umaru Yar'Adua of Katsina in 1975; they had seven children (five daughters and two sons). Their daughter Zainab is married to Kebbi State governor Usman Saidu Nasamu Dakingari. Their daughter Nafisat is married to Bauchi State governor Isa Yuguda.
Yar'Adua was married to Hauwa Umar Radda as a second wife from 1992 to 1997. They had two children.
Professional career
Yar'Adua's first employment was at Holy Child College in Lagos (1975–1976). He later served as a lecturer at the College of Arts, Science, and Technology in Zaria, Kaduna State, between 1976 and 1979. In 1979 he began working as a lecturer at College of Art Science, remaining in this position until 1983, when he began working in the corporate sector. He worked at Sambo Farms Ltd. in Funtua, Katsina State as its pioneer General Manager between 1983 and 1989. He served as a Board Member, Katsina State Farmers' Supply Company between 1984 and 1985, Member Governing Council of Katsina College of Arts, Science and Technology Zaria and Katsina Polytechnic between 1978 and 1983, Board Chairman of Katsina State Investment and Property Development Company (KIPDECO) between 1994 and 1996. Yar'Adua served as a director of many companies, including Habib Nigeria Bank Ltd. 1995–1999; Lodigiani Nigeria Ltd.
1987–1999, Hamada Holdings, 1983–1999; and Madara Ltd. Vom, Jos, 1987–1999. He was Chairman, Nation House Press Ltd., Kaduna, from 1995 to 1999.
Early political career
During the Second Republic (1979–1983), Yar'Adua was a member of the leftist People's Redemption Party, while his father was briefly the National Vice chairman of the National Party of Nigeria. During the Transition Programme of President Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida, Yar'Adua was one of the foundation members of the Peoples Front, a political association under the leadership of his elder brother, the late Major-General Shehu Musa Yar'Adua. That association later fused to form the Social Democratic Party. Yar'Adua was a member of the 1988 Constituent Assembly. He was a member of the party's National Caucus and the SDP State Secretary in Katsina and contested the 1991 Governorship election, but lost to Saidu Barda, the candidate of the National Republican Convention and an ally of Babangida. In 1999, he ran for the same position and won. He was re-elected in 2003. He was the first governor to publicly declare his assets.
In 2000, during his administration as governor, Katsina became the fifth northern Nigerian state to adopt sharia, or Islamic law. In 2002 Amina Lawal, a woman from Katsina, was sentenced to death by stoning by a sharia court in the town of Bakori for committing adultery; the story attracted international attention. Her sentence was at first upheld by a court in the town of Funtua, then overturned a year later following an appeal.
Presidential nomination
On 16–17 December 2006, Yar'Adua was chosen as the presidential candidate of the ruling PDP for the April 2007 election, receiving 3,024 votes from party delegates; his closest rival, Rochas Okorocha, received 372 votes. Yar'Adua's success in the primary was attributed to the support of incumbent President Olusegun Obasanjo; At the time of his nomination he was an obscure figure on the national stage, and has been described as a "puppet" of Obasanjo who could not have won the nomination under fair circumstances. Shortly after winning the nomination, Yar'Adua chose Goodluck Jonathan, governor of Bayelsa State, as his vice-presidential candidate.
Another view of the support he received from President Obasanjo is that he was one of few serving governors with a spotless record, devoid of any suspicions or charges of corruption. He also belonged to the People's Democratic Movement (PDM) – a powerful political block founded by his late brother, Shehu Musa Yar'Adua, who was also Obasanjo's vice president during his military rule.
In 2007 Yar'Adua, who suffered from a kidney condition, challenged his critics to a game of squash in an endeavor to end speculations about his health. On 6 March 2007 he was flown to Germany for medical reasons, further fomenting rumors about his health. His spokesperson said this was due to stress and quoted Yar'Adua as saying he was fine and would soon be back to campaigning. Another report, which was rejected by Yar'Adua's spokesperson, claims that Yar'Adua collapsed after suffering a possible heart attack.
Presidency
In the presidential election, held on 21 April 2007, Yar'Adua won with 70% of the vote (24.6 million votes) according to official results released on 23 April. The election was highly controversial. Strongly criticized by observers, as well as the two primary opposition candidates, Muhammadu Buhari of the All Nigeria People's Party (ANPP) and Atiku Abubakar of the Action Congress (AC), its results were largely rejected as having been rigged in Yar'Adua's favor.
After the election, Yar'Adua proposed a government of national unity. In late June 2007, two opposition parties, the ANPP and the Progressive Peoples Alliance (PPA), agreed to join Yar'Adua's government. On 28 June 2007, Yar'Adua publicly revealed his declaration of assets from May (becoming the first Nigerian Leader to do so), according to which he had ₦856,452,892 (US$5.8 million) in assets, ₦19 million ($0.1 million) of which belonged to his wife. He also had ₦88,793,269.77 ($0.5 million) in liabilities. This disclosure, which fulfilled a pre-election promise he made, was intended to set an example for other Nigerian politicians and discourage corruption.
Yar'Adua's new cabinet was sworn in on 26 July 2007. It included 39 ministers, including two for the ANPP.
Buhari and Abubakar filed petitions to have the results of the 2007 presidential election invalidated due to alleged fraud, but on 26 February 2008 a court rejected the petitions. Buhari and Abubakar said that they would appeal to the Supreme Court. Marred by corruption, many argued that this election was rigged by Obasanjo as well, as he wanted his successor to have the same basic ideals that he possessed as President.
Illness and death
President Yar'Adua left Nigeria on 23 November 2009, and was reported to be receiving treatment for pericarditis at a clinic in Saudi Arabia. He had not been seen in public since, and his absence created a dangerous power vacuum in Nigeria.
In December 2009 Oluwarotimi Odunayo Akeredolu, president of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), stated that Yar'Adua should have handed over power to Vice-President Goodluck Jonathan in an acting capacity during his illness, a statement that was backed up by the NBA national executive committee. On 22 January 2010, the Supreme Court of Nigeria ruled that the Federal Ministries of Nigeria had 14 days to decide on a resolution about whether he "is incapable of discharging the functions of his office". The ruling also stated that the Federal Ministries should hear testimony of five doctors, one of whom should be Yar'Adua's personal physician.
On 9 February 2010, the Senate determined that presidential power be transferred to Vice President Goodluck Jonathan, and that he would serve as Acting President, with all the accompanied powers, until Yar'Adua returned to full health. The power transfer has been called a
"coup without the word" by opposition lawyers and lawmakers. However, there are others that felt the power vacuum would lead to instability and a possible military takeover.
On 24 February 2010, Yar'Adua returned to Abuja. His state of health was unclear, but there was speculation that he was still on a life support machine. Various political and religious figures in Nigeria had visited him during his illness saying he would make a recovery.
Yar'Adua died on 5 May 2010 at the Aso Rock presidential villa. An Islamic burial took place on 6 May 2010 in his hometown.
Reactions
The Federal Government of Nigeria declared a seven-day mourning period. Acting President Goodluck Johnathan said "Nigeria has lost the jewel on its crown and even the heavens mourn with our nation tonight. As individuals and as a nation we prayed for the recovery of Mr President. But we take solace in the fact that the Almighty is the giver and taker of all life."
US President Barack Obama offered condolences, stating: "He was committed to creating lasting peace and prosperity within Nigeria's own borders, and continuing that work will be an important part of honoring his legacy."
Nobel Laureate, Prof. Wole Soyinka, in his tribute, wrote, “What passes for the Nigerian nation is nothing more than a tragic arena, and Yar‘Adua is only the latest tragic figure. The vampires, including those within his own family, turned him into a mere inert resource for their diabolical schemes. They have a reckoning with their conscience, assuming they know what the word means. One can only hope that, while mouthing sanctimonious platitudes such as ‘Power belongs to God,’ they have now learned that the politics of Do-or-Die cannot guarantee who does and who dies. They must stop playing God. I pray for the repose of the soul of their latest, much abused innocent victim."
You may make some comments on our Late President Umaru Musa Yar'Adua by hitting reply. Thank you
State in northern Nigeria from 29 May 1999 to 28 May 2007. He was declared the winner of the controversial Nigerian presidential election held on 21 April 2007, and was sworn in on 29 May 2007. He was a member of the ruling People's Democratic Party (PDP). In 2009, Yar'Adua left for Saudi Arabia to receive treatment for pericarditis. He returned to Nigeria in 2010, where he died on May 5.
Early life
Yar'Adua was born into an aristocratic Fulani family in Katsina his father, a former Minister for Lagos during the First Republic, held the royal title of Mutawalli (custodian of the treasury) of the Katsina Emirate, a title which Yar'Adua inherited. He started his education at Rafukka Primary School in 1958, and moved to Dutsinma Boarding Primary School in 1962. He attended the Government College at Keffi from 1965 until 1969. In 1971 he received a Higher School Certificate from Barewa College. He attended Ahmadu Bello University in Zaria from 1972 to 1975, attaining a BSc in Education and Chemistry, and then returned in 1978 to achieve an M.Sc Degree in Analytical Chemistry.
Marriage and family
Yar'Adua married Turai Umaru Yar'Adua of Katsina in 1975; they had seven children (five daughters and two sons). Their daughter Zainab is married to Kebbi State governor Usman Saidu Nasamu Dakingari. Their daughter Nafisat is married to Bauchi State governor Isa Yuguda.
Yar'Adua was married to Hauwa Umar Radda as a second wife from 1992 to 1997. They had two children.
Professional career
Yar'Adua's first employment was at Holy Child College in Lagos (1975–1976). He later served as a lecturer at the College of Arts, Science, and Technology in Zaria, Kaduna State, between 1976 and 1979. In 1979 he began working as a lecturer at College of Art Science, remaining in this position until 1983, when he began working in the corporate sector. He worked at Sambo Farms Ltd. in Funtua, Katsina State as its pioneer General Manager between 1983 and 1989. He served as a Board Member, Katsina State Farmers' Supply Company between 1984 and 1985, Member Governing Council of Katsina College of Arts, Science and Technology Zaria and Katsina Polytechnic between 1978 and 1983, Board Chairman of Katsina State Investment and Property Development Company (KIPDECO) between 1994 and 1996. Yar'Adua served as a director of many companies, including Habib Nigeria Bank Ltd. 1995–1999; Lodigiani Nigeria Ltd.
1987–1999, Hamada Holdings, 1983–1999; and Madara Ltd. Vom, Jos, 1987–1999. He was Chairman, Nation House Press Ltd., Kaduna, from 1995 to 1999.
Early political career
During the Second Republic (1979–1983), Yar'Adua was a member of the leftist People's Redemption Party, while his father was briefly the National Vice chairman of the National Party of Nigeria. During the Transition Programme of President Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida, Yar'Adua was one of the foundation members of the Peoples Front, a political association under the leadership of his elder brother, the late Major-General Shehu Musa Yar'Adua. That association later fused to form the Social Democratic Party. Yar'Adua was a member of the 1988 Constituent Assembly. He was a member of the party's National Caucus and the SDP State Secretary in Katsina and contested the 1991 Governorship election, but lost to Saidu Barda, the candidate of the National Republican Convention and an ally of Babangida. In 1999, he ran for the same position and won. He was re-elected in 2003. He was the first governor to publicly declare his assets.
In 2000, during his administration as governor, Katsina became the fifth northern Nigerian state to adopt sharia, or Islamic law. In 2002 Amina Lawal, a woman from Katsina, was sentenced to death by stoning by a sharia court in the town of Bakori for committing adultery; the story attracted international attention. Her sentence was at first upheld by a court in the town of Funtua, then overturned a year later following an appeal.
Presidential nomination
On 16–17 December 2006, Yar'Adua was chosen as the presidential candidate of the ruling PDP for the April 2007 election, receiving 3,024 votes from party delegates; his closest rival, Rochas Okorocha, received 372 votes. Yar'Adua's success in the primary was attributed to the support of incumbent President Olusegun Obasanjo; At the time of his nomination he was an obscure figure on the national stage, and has been described as a "puppet" of Obasanjo who could not have won the nomination under fair circumstances. Shortly after winning the nomination, Yar'Adua chose Goodluck Jonathan, governor of Bayelsa State, as his vice-presidential candidate.
Another view of the support he received from President Obasanjo is that he was one of few serving governors with a spotless record, devoid of any suspicions or charges of corruption. He also belonged to the People's Democratic Movement (PDM) – a powerful political block founded by his late brother, Shehu Musa Yar'Adua, who was also Obasanjo's vice president during his military rule.
In 2007 Yar'Adua, who suffered from a kidney condition, challenged his critics to a game of squash in an endeavor to end speculations about his health. On 6 March 2007 he was flown to Germany for medical reasons, further fomenting rumors about his health. His spokesperson said this was due to stress and quoted Yar'Adua as saying he was fine and would soon be back to campaigning. Another report, which was rejected by Yar'Adua's spokesperson, claims that Yar'Adua collapsed after suffering a possible heart attack.
Presidency
In the presidential election, held on 21 April 2007, Yar'Adua won with 70% of the vote (24.6 million votes) according to official results released on 23 April. The election was highly controversial. Strongly criticized by observers, as well as the two primary opposition candidates, Muhammadu Buhari of the All Nigeria People's Party (ANPP) and Atiku Abubakar of the Action Congress (AC), its results were largely rejected as having been rigged in Yar'Adua's favor.
After the election, Yar'Adua proposed a government of national unity. In late June 2007, two opposition parties, the ANPP and the Progressive Peoples Alliance (PPA), agreed to join Yar'Adua's government. On 28 June 2007, Yar'Adua publicly revealed his declaration of assets from May (becoming the first Nigerian Leader to do so), according to which he had ₦856,452,892 (US$5.8 million) in assets, ₦19 million ($0.1 million) of which belonged to his wife. He also had ₦88,793,269.77 ($0.5 million) in liabilities. This disclosure, which fulfilled a pre-election promise he made, was intended to set an example for other Nigerian politicians and discourage corruption.
Yar'Adua's new cabinet was sworn in on 26 July 2007. It included 39 ministers, including two for the ANPP.
Buhari and Abubakar filed petitions to have the results of the 2007 presidential election invalidated due to alleged fraud, but on 26 February 2008 a court rejected the petitions. Buhari and Abubakar said that they would appeal to the Supreme Court. Marred by corruption, many argued that this election was rigged by Obasanjo as well, as he wanted his successor to have the same basic ideals that he possessed as President.
Illness and death
President Yar'Adua left Nigeria on 23 November 2009, and was reported to be receiving treatment for pericarditis at a clinic in Saudi Arabia. He had not been seen in public since, and his absence created a dangerous power vacuum in Nigeria.
In December 2009 Oluwarotimi Odunayo Akeredolu, president of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), stated that Yar'Adua should have handed over power to Vice-President Goodluck Jonathan in an acting capacity during his illness, a statement that was backed up by the NBA national executive committee. On 22 January 2010, the Supreme Court of Nigeria ruled that the Federal Ministries of Nigeria had 14 days to decide on a resolution about whether he "is incapable of discharging the functions of his office". The ruling also stated that the Federal Ministries should hear testimony of five doctors, one of whom should be Yar'Adua's personal physician.
On 9 February 2010, the Senate determined that presidential power be transferred to Vice President Goodluck Jonathan, and that he would serve as Acting President, with all the accompanied powers, until Yar'Adua returned to full health. The power transfer has been called a
"coup without the word" by opposition lawyers and lawmakers. However, there are others that felt the power vacuum would lead to instability and a possible military takeover.
On 24 February 2010, Yar'Adua returned to Abuja. His state of health was unclear, but there was speculation that he was still on a life support machine. Various political and religious figures in Nigeria had visited him during his illness saying he would make a recovery.
Yar'Adua died on 5 May 2010 at the Aso Rock presidential villa. An Islamic burial took place on 6 May 2010 in his hometown.
Reactions
The Federal Government of Nigeria declared a seven-day mourning period. Acting President Goodluck Johnathan said "Nigeria has lost the jewel on its crown and even the heavens mourn with our nation tonight. As individuals and as a nation we prayed for the recovery of Mr President. But we take solace in the fact that the Almighty is the giver and taker of all life."
US President Barack Obama offered condolences, stating: "He was committed to creating lasting peace and prosperity within Nigeria's own borders, and continuing that work will be an important part of honoring his legacy."
Nobel Laureate, Prof. Wole Soyinka, in his tribute, wrote, “What passes for the Nigerian nation is nothing more than a tragic arena, and Yar‘Adua is only the latest tragic figure. The vampires, including those within his own family, turned him into a mere inert resource for their diabolical schemes. They have a reckoning with their conscience, assuming they know what the word means. One can only hope that, while mouthing sanctimonious platitudes such as ‘Power belongs to God,’ they have now learned that the politics of Do-or-Die cannot guarantee who does and who dies. They must stop playing God. I pray for the repose of the soul of their latest, much abused innocent victim."
You may make some comments on our Late President Umaru Musa Yar'Adua by hitting reply. Thank you
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