Pink Jelly Shoes

And then today... I revisited my childhood days, I wore pink Jelly shoes.

Okay, all those who grew up in Africa or Nigeria to be specific, show your hands!!lol...

Do you remember Jelly shoes? I'm pretty sure you do. Oh my, I had them in all colours; red, white, green, pink and black.
I had to wear them as they were the only shoes that did not give my mother a "near heart attack".
You see ,when I was a little girl, I was somewhat of a tomboy, which meant, shoes and clothes never lasted much.
But jelly shoes were the king! You could never outwear them! :-)) and my mother caught on to this real quick and bought all the colours available (to keep me interested in wearing them!)

So as I sat down in the train this morning, grinning and starring at my jelly shoes, I reminisced over my colourful childhood. I remembered the simplicity of my childhood.

I remembered:
When all things were pure and simple and very colourful.
When we didn't have much, but made do with the little we had.
If only we embraced this principle in today's society, there will be less debt and greed around that we see.

I remembered:
When I ate 101, 001 or 100 (now that's some of you down memory lane right?)
To the non-Africans / Nigerians, this is an acronym for eating patterns and it means:

101 = eat breakfast, no lunch, eat dinner
001 = No breakfast, no lunch, eat dinner
100 = eat breakfast, no lunch and no dinner

I remember they were hard times, but more importantly, I remember my mother making it fun. She used this means to teach us how to fast and make us appreciate the food when it arrived. Thank you mama.

In today's society, if only we can come to the understanding that food is meant for the body's nourishment and not to replace, needs, wants and desires; there might just be less gluttony and obesity in the world today.

It also reminds me that, whatever situation we find ourselves, we should really make the most of it, because the lessons we learn therein, most times, helps us to fight much bigger battles that await us in the future.

More importantly, it will help us live according to the examples set by Paul in Philippians 4:12 12 which reads "I know how to live on almost nothing or with everything. I have learned the secret of living in every situation, whether it is with a full stomach or empty, with plenty or little."

I also remembered when:
My imagination took me on journeys to far away places, even though I never set foot out of my own city.

I was thankful for the rainy season, even though it caused so much havoc!!!
In its ferrocious simplicity, I understood its importance – we would have no fruits such as mango, agbalumo, banana and the rest, if this same rain did not come in its due season.

This reminds me that today, we should be encouraged to embrace the notion that every thing that happens in the circle of God's plan for us, happens in its due time and season as we are taught in Ecclesiastes 3: 1 - 8, which reads " 1 For everything there is a season, a time for every activity under heaven. 2 A time to be born and a time to die. A time to plant and a time to harvest. 3 A time to kill and a time to heal. A time to tear down and a time to build up. 4 A time to cry and a time to laugh. A time to grieve and a time to dance. 5 A time to scatter stones and a time to gather stones. A time to embrace and a time to turn away. 6 A time to search and a time to quit searching. A time to keep and a time to throw away. 7 A time to tear and a time to mend. A time to be quiet and a time to speak. 8 A time to love and a time to hate. A time for war and a time for peace."

And we know the plans God has for us, everything in its season, works together for good as we are taught in Romans 8:28, which reads "28 And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose"

Crops comes forth as a result of rain in it's due season; growing stronger and wiser, seeking the face of God, and drawing closer to him, comes forth a result of trials and tribulations we go through in it's right season.

As I journeyed along, I realised that everything in my daily reality should remain pure, simple and very colourful, just as it was in my childhood! And why I hear you ask?



Well, as children of the most high God, the one who takes away all our troubles and strives, if I concentrate on his plan and will for my life, my life indeed will be simple! I won't have to worry about all the burdens of this world, for it's already been taken care off! His yoke is easy and his burden is light! Ha! This we are taught in Matthew 11: 28 – 30 "28 Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”

Also, my immediate reality should be colourful as I serve a very colourful God! In Genesis 1:3 "He said let there be light" - Light, compared to dark, is colour!

Further more, in Ephesians 1:17 – 19a we read " “I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know Him better. I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of His glorious inheritance in the saints, and His incomparably great power for us who believe……”

Enlighten means to illuminate, and to illuminate means to display lights, to supply or brighten up with lights, as in decorations.

When I read that verse, it reminds me that in giving us the Spirit of wisdom and the revelation, God is enlightening our hearts, our minds and souls so that we can see the very true and real colourful richness of who he is. Now can you simply imagine the colour fountain that will represent!?

As I got off the train, at my stop, to make the short journey to work, I thanked God for my colourful childhood, but more importantly made a vow to fill my reality with the simplicity of concentrating on who he is and filling my daily reality with the beautiful colours of God's love and grace.

And all these, from wearing pink jelly shoes :-)))) Thank you Jesus!

Have a wonderful day basking in the beauty of the colourful nature of God's love, whilst making him famous along the way.

Much love
Remi Banjo
***pictures by photobucket***