TGIF: APPRECIATING THE WILD

“They say that somewhere in Africa the elephants have a secret grave where they go to lie down, unburden their wrinkled gray bodies, and soar away, light spirits at the end.” ― Robert McCammon, Boy's

A few weekends back we had our annual team building at the Voi Wildlife Lodge.
It boarders the expansive Tsavo East National Park.
One of the animal's watering spots was by the hotel. We got to see the animals so close.
You become one with nature.
I love the wild. I am so glad i was born in Africa!!

I am intrigued by elephants. They are large but they are so emotional.
You better treat an elephant right because they have EXCLLENT memory and they hold grudges for years!
They will remember you years later by your scent/smell.
If you were good to them they hug you with their trunk, raise you in the air and carry you around on their tusks. It's their way of saying . "My friend! how i missed you!!"

If you were cruel to an elephant, WOE unto you. It will trumple the life out of you.

Another thing of interest, is that Elephants bury their dead!! Yes! they hold funerals for their dearly departed.
They sing..more like blow out sounds using their trunks. They weep and wail. They dig up a grave, roll the dead in it, and throw soil over the grave.

How cool!!

Happy Weekend Folks.

 

SENTRIMENTAL

“Do not despise your own place and hour. Every place is under the stars, every place is the center of the world.”
― John Burroughs, Studies in Nature and Literature

I wanna pinch myself.. then pinch myself again.
I am at the gorgeous Sentrim Elelmentaita Lodge in Naivasha for our annual team building.
After a twelve hour drive from Mombasa,we finally checked into this amazing hidden gem.

I LOOOOOOOOOOVE my room!
It has a balcony facing the breathtaking Lake Elementaita!
Its earthy.. and roomy ... and simple with wooden finishings. So ME!
Its feels like a sunny day tonight :) hehe.

I want a home that feels like a cosy hotel,
That i never get to checkout of,
I want an earthy, roomy, simple home,
With a breathtaking view someday :)

This morning i went by the Lake, all i could think of was how truly AWESOME God must be.
To curve the lake in the midst of all the hills in the background. How majestic is HE!
The thorn trees fit perfectly in the distant shores and the ridges add that touch of perfection. Truly GENIUS if you ask me.
I felt so small beside the Lake.
All my worries and doubts shrank, the majesty of my surroundings was big enough to drown all the negatives . Le sigh!
And the truth is God is bigger than that surrounding! So, how much more can everything disappear in his presence?! yep! FOOD FOR THOUGHT.

It's my last night. Am all packed up. Loved my stay.

 

 

 

 

HI SEAS.

“Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness, and many of our people need it sorely on these accounts. Broad, wholesome, charitable views of men and things cannot be acquired by vegetating in one little corner of the earth all one's lifetime.”
― Mark Twain, The Innocents Abroad/Roughing It

This week am working out of town once again. Am down at the Coast.
I must confess it has been several years since my last trip down south.
A whole lot has changed. Mombasa is no different from Nairobi in lots of ways.. traffic, matatu madness.. human traffic.
 Driving down to Mombasa without prior hotel bookings was total madness! Finding a suitable guest house took us hours of driving around viewing numerous places. #NoteToSelf

Today i visited Kilifi Town for the very first time. :* Love at first sight!
It is definitely a place i would have a second or third home. lol.
I loved the weather, the small town, the view of the yatches in the waters, the beach properties. Breathtaking!

I have learnt a couple of hard lessons since coming down here:

1. I need to travel MORE.
2. I need to travel MORE.
3. I need to travel MORE.
4. I need to travel MORE.
5. I need to travel MORE.

Seriously people, i really do need to travel and socialize much more! So much to see out here!

Meanwhile ... Back to hotel junk food and my animated movie :)

THE PASSION OF CHRIST

“Do not abandon yourselves to despair. We are the Easter people and hallelujah is our song.”
― John Paul II

For years the true meaning of Easter never dawned on me.
I celebrated what i was taught to celebrate. The death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Which in essence had no personal significance to me, except through what i was taught/ programmed to believe in.Sometime last year curiosity got the best of me, i started asking questions, grilling the Lord day and night to show me what the big deal about Jesus dying on the cross was all about? 
I watched The Passion Of Christ EVERYDAY! I wanted to know why they whip him? Why did he accept such a punishment? Why did they nail him here and not there? Why should this be important to me? -- Questions! Questions!
Well, finally i got my answer! It was such a a heavy-duty response that i almost missed it.
But, Isaiah 53:4-5 Sums it perfectly!
So, this year its not just EASTER! I will be celebrating The Passion of Christ Jesus! His love for me.. for you.. forgiveness of sins and the victory over death.
 

Isaiah 53:4-5 

⁴ Surely he took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows, yet we considered him stricken by God, smitten by him, and afflicted. 

 But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; 

 
 ;the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed.

“Remember Jesus of Nazareth, staggering on broken feet out of the tomb toward the Resurrection, bearing on his body the proud insignia of the defeat which is victory, the magnificent defeat of the human soul at the hands of God.” ― Frederick Buechner, The Magnificent Defeat 

HAPPY EASTER!