Thanksgiving Chronicles 7: Planted and Surrounded

May the LORD repay you for what you have done. May you be richly rewarded by the LORD, Ruth 2:12

 

Credit:Uncle Debo Adeleke 

Today as I mark the start of another year, the focus of my thanksgiving is on the family God planted me in and all those wonderful and amazing people that God has surrounded me with from the cradle up until now.

Without God we are nothing and without the right people, life can become a lonely, desert island.

I have so many things to be grateful to God for and could keep writing for days unending because God has never stopped doing me good. He daily loads me with benefits and marks my journey with his grace.

Thank you Lord for my parents, parents who took their responsibility seriously and set our feet on the path of righteousness. Parent who prayed for us and thought us to pray and depend on God. My parents can pray!!! Ahh!!. The long list of people we pray for daily in morning devotion. If you are in a hurry to get somewhere, please don’t ask my daddy to pray. You might as well forget about where you are going (lol!). And that annoying bell my mum used to wake us for prayers every morning. She knew it irritated us and she would laugh when she rings it. It all worked and to date we are still seeing answers to those prayers some just beginning to manifest.

Thank you Lord for family. God has surrounded me with a very amazing family. Honestly words fail me. A family that prays together and pulls together through every life situation.

•         An amazing, no stress husband that loves and cares completely and for children that put smiles on my face and will continue to be a source of Joy by God’s grace.
•       In-laws that I am In-love with. The Fadipe’s are a rare and unique family. When I was young and did anything that made Mum happy, she’d say, ‘When you are old enough to marry, God will plant you in a family where you would be accepted as a daughter and nurtured as a princess. I used to sarcastically ask her to pray something else for once and she’d ask me to say Amen to this one first. The Fadipe’s are an answer to prayers. In-laws I can freely relate with and not be afraid of causing offence. In-laws that look after me like a daughter. I couldn’t honestly ask or hope for more.
•         My siblings: Dr David, Dayo, Korede, Ayo and Ayo.  Yes Dr David has become our older sibling too. That’s the way we roll. So much love and ‘ase’ in this caucus. Life is good with these bunch in it.
•         The Esan’s (my Mum’s siblings and spouses): Uhm that’s another level. A whole week’s chronicle. Heaven help any problem you tell my Aunties about. As a matter of fact heaven cannot help that problem because this lot know how to call heavens to act on their behalf. Aunty Bucky will say in Yoruba, ‘e je ka da si Olorun lorun’!  (Let’s dare it first and trust God to help us see it through). Thanks Uncle Debo for being a rock. 
•         The Agbaniyakas especially Aunty Yemisi & Uncle Femi Agbaniyaka: For opening their home, loving and caring for us from as far back as I can remember. Our Lagos holiday headquarters. My 1^st visit to the beach ever was with Uncle Femi. The oyster shells I picked that day are still in my drawer back home. (Lol!). The length Uncle Femi would go to find a way for us is just on another level.
•      A lovely and beloved Stepmother that can laugh for Africa. That laugh that can dispel any unease. We prayed specially for the woman God was going to bring into our life after Mum’s passing and I know without a doubt that you are an answer to our prayers.
•        Good friends like Smith & Oyin Alamu: for being instrumental to our family relocation. Giving me the full HSMP download the very first time we met face to face and handing me over to my Oyin-my immigration consultant turned multipurpose consultant. I don’t know one thing yet that Oyin is not informed about!
•         Mummy Toyin Oni: The best friend anyone could ever have. I am sure my mum will choose you again and again.
•         The Fasolas, Daniels & Odunaiyas. My church family that I can be myself with any time without any fear of judgement.

There are many more wonderful people that God has surrounded me with and pages and pages of paper will not contain all of their names.

Today for each and every one, I say a big THANK YOU FATHER and pray that you richly reward all their good deeds from one generation to another.

Thanks to everyone who has followed, read, commented on my Thanksgiving Chronicles this past 7 days. His praise will continually be on our lips. May the Lord do you all good. Amen!