Mirror, mirror on the wall...

Mirror, mirror on the wall, I come to you every morning for your opinion on how I look. Every day. And I sincerely trust whatever you say.

Mirror, mirror on the wall, sometimes I feel so ugly. I really don't like what I see. I see a pimple (or is it a baby boil) that's somewhere on my face- somewhere really visible. I badly need it out, but I can't. So I think you're saying I need make-up. Do I hear you say that thing isn't to be seen in public?

Mirror, mirror on the wall, at times I feel like I'm the prettiest woman in the world. I love how I look, I think I see that I have dark eyes. I love dark eyes, they make me look beautiful. My skin looks lighter.

Mirror, mirror on the wall, I think the sun burnt my skin a little too much. My skin looks seriously dark. Or is it that there isn't enough lighting in this room? Maybe I'll need some skin-lightening cream. And I think my teeth look crooked. I can't afford a dentist. Oh, mirror! What am I to do?

Mirror, mirror on the wall, I think you send me too many mixed messages. Or am I the one who's cooking up things in my mind?

Pass me the sauce- I'm trying to eat my words!!!

Everyone talks. Never heard of anyone who doesn't. Even the deaf have their own way of communicating.

And there's always something to talk about. There has always been a topic, be it political, social, gossip, whatever it is, the world can never run out of things to talk about.

With that comes the day/time when we slip. When we say something, followed by an oops! Like the time when you really mean to say something in your mind, but somehow it finds it way out of your mind. For example, there was this time when I saw this chic who was a fashion disaster, and I went "Oh my gosh!" She turned to me like "What the...?" Oh well, I didn't intend to say anything out loud, it was supposed to be all in my mind. Or when I get disgusted at something, I comment out loud, then everyone looks at me like "What's your problem?" I really didn't want to inconvenience anyone, I was supposed to be speaking in my mind!!

Or once when I jump into conclusions. I say something out loud, and later on it turns into something very else, and I wonder why I ever said that in the first place. If only I had waited. At times I say something out of feelings, or maybe just PMS, and later on go like "Sheesh!"

Either way, I every once in a while, I find myself with a plate full of words to eat. Some rather yucky bitter words to eat. And times I badly need some sauce, or some seasoning to eat what I said. Other times I feel like I'm chocking on some of my words, and I feel like someone should help with something.

So I decided - maybe I should reduce the number of not-so-nice words I should do. It may be hard, but well, what to do. Eating bad words is not nice for anyone's health. So I have to hush-hush when I need to. So help me God.

Those Madea moments

I guess we all know who Madea is. (Well, if you don't know her, try asking Tyler Perry). She's one of the most interesting ladies that ever walked the planet. She's blunt and very interesting to observe. She's good from far, but you don't dare cross her paths.

The one thing that really amuses me about her is her 'moments'. When someone ever crosses her path, or does something she doesn't like, she turns into something else. She could drag you by the hairs or fork-lift your car just to make a point. And when she's done, you sure will get the point.

I realized that I, too, have my 'moments'. While I look at Madea thinking 'that woman's crazy', I remember there are also days when I could call myself crazy. Like a time when I have been overcharged for a service, I just pull out the 'Madea' in me and unleash all my wrath and disappointment in a rather unpleasing way. Reminds me of some driver guy who encountered a donkey. He was driving, and the donkey was crossing the road. Well, it didn't finish crossing. It dilly dallied around and stopped right in front of the car. The dude just pulled out a fist and punched the donkey. He was just too annoyed and frustrated that he's been interrupted by something that's ruining his journey. Well, that punch to me felt like a 'Madea moment' right there.

The one thing I try with my 'Madea' moments is to try to keep it as cool as possible. I know one too many times I've had to eat my words, or just want to erase that moment. But I can't. I just have to live with the fact that I did it. And, unlike Madea, I'm not so don't-care like she is. Consequences really eat me up. So, I decided that when those moments rise, I try to be as cool as I possibly can. And if that doesn't work, maybe I could just pretend that wasn't me.

So if you have those moments you want to be crazy, those Madea moments, remember you're not alone. Everyone has those days. Just make sure you don't get overboard, keep it cool.

The Judas Iscariot I never knew

Everybody knows who Judas is. Everybody knows what he did. How he handed over Jesus to the Romans for crucifixion. Everyone knows how he handed over Jesus to the Pharisees. And how he was so riddled with guilt, that he threw away all his cash and went to kill himself.

But the one thing I really do - my heart goes out for him. Really. Not so much for what he did, but for how he ended it all. It may be true that what he did was very drastic and chaotic, but he didn't have to end it that way. If only he'd have waited. If only he'd have waited for three days, just three, to ask for forgiveness from Jesus. He'd have given it freely, and also a second chance to life again..

The one thing I never knew is that we are almost so like him. In many ways. Like him, we have at one time done something so drastic, that it had seriously dire repercussions. Like him, we did whatever it was out of selfish interest and for self gain. And when all was said and done, the guilt was too much to bear. It may not have caused a death, it may not necessarily be stabbing someone in the back, but it may be a crime that, if you would turn back the hands of time, it would never have happened.

Like the man who committed suicide after cheating on his wife when he was out on business. Or the girl who ended her life after realizing she's pregnant, just because of the shame and embarrassment and the 'good girl' image she painted to society was at stake. Or the deacon who was a gambler but due to guilt and shame ended his life.

But unlike Judas, may we all wait. Just wait. When that time comes, and what you've done is too much to bear, may we wait, and go to God for forgiveness. May we not be too rash to end it so badly and painfully. I pray that we all not listen to guilt and shame, rather look to Jesus for forgiveness, and live a new life. It may not be like the old, but it's way better than killing yourself for something repairable.

I earnestly hope and pray when that moment comes, I won't call it quits so soon.