KNOW THE DIFFERENCE

Ladies, there is a difference between A man who condemns you & A MAN who corrects you,A man who spends money on you & A MAN who invests in you,A man who thinks he owns you & A MAN who knows you own his heart,A man who lusts after you & A MAN who loves you,A man who treats you like a slave & A MAN who's the boss but still recognizes & treats you as his better half, A man who thinks he's every woman's dream & A MAN who knows you're his dream come true, i mean a MAN who sees you as a blessed gift! So, ladies, know the difference and guys, please be that kind of MAN!!

FORD AND I

It was around the year 2002, I was in town with my mother, I was just a kid then, when I saw this white SUV, parked opposite the "Woodin" store, at Market Circle in Takoradi,Ghana. The car's design arrested my attention and my interest was just fueled by the size of the car. As a car fan from childhood, curiosity set in and I was so bent on knowing the name of the car. It was a FORD, my memory isn't that vivid but I reminisce it was a FORD EXPEDITION.

It was love at first sight, like I found my soul mate in cars,literally. Just like that I became a FORD fan, I begun looking out for all FORD nameplates, I must admit I had a hard time differentiating between the EXPLORER and EXPEDITION, that accounts for my not so vivid memory back in 2002, because I thought it was an EXPLORER. My other favourite nameplates are the ESCAPE, EXPLORER, FUSION, FOCUS, MUSTANG, F-250 AND F-150, which by the way, is one of my favourite pick up trucks.Frankly, I just love FORD cars.

Henry Ford, founder of Ford Motor Company

Here's a little history lesson,the Ford Motor Company was started by HENRY FORD, in 1903 with $28,000 in cash and made its first sale of a vehicle to Dr. E. Pfenning, a physician from Chicago, Illinois, USA. Dr. Pfenning's Model A was shipped to him on July 28, 1903. Since then, FORD has gone on to produce over 300 million vehicles.FORD is also the first car manufacturer to make inflatable seat belts(seat belts with airbags). In May 8, 1996, The Expedition was revealed,it pairs seating for up to nine passengers, an 8,000 pound towing capacity, off-road capabilities, and the ability to haul a full ton of cargo with the comfort and convenience features of a luxury vehicle. Ford has sold over 2 million Expeditions in its 15 years on the market. Now that's some real tough record!

Ford Expedition 2003-2006 model

I'm a huge fan of FORD and the EXPEDITION is my favourite, its my dream car. Well, I heard if your dreams don't scare you, then you aren't dreaming, so my dream is to buy a FORD EXPEDITION. Actually, the first car I buy, God willing, will be a FORD. Looks like I got a thing for American cars and I'm just a FORD guy lol. 

SAVE OUR DOMESTIC SOCCER LEAGUE

Soccer or football has grown to become one of the most exciting sports and lucrative business ventures in the world. Fortunately for us in Ghana,we are a football nation, the problem is, our domestic league is nothing to write home about. Our domestic league is known as the Glo Premier League, as telecomunications giant Glo, is the title sponsor.

With clubs dating as far back as 1911, I believe it’s about time the league became a major force in ,atleast, Africa.  It’s true that the league was ranked as the 11th best league in Africa by the IFFHS from 2001-2010. The IFFHS is The International Federation of Football History & Statistics (IFFHS) and it is an organization that chronicles the history and records of association football. Honestly, I don’t know where we rank currently but the league is not really patronised.

I will start with our dear referees. We as Ghanaians know what happened earlier this year(2012),it got to a point, referees had not been paid since the sixth week of the premier league. Well, I’m very sure being a referee is no charity job, so why did it have to take so long before their deserved money was paid to them.No motivation, it’s obvious that some of the even better paid referees in foreign leagues sometimes take bribes, so you can just imagine what a hungry referee will do. Respect to all just referees though.

Then there is the jerseys of the teams. Most of their jerseys are so not attractive and doesn’t enthuse their fans.Ever wondered why most Ghanaians spend money on jerseys of foreign teams? Yes their support of the team counts but the design of the jersey also is a huge factor. People wear these foreign jerseys to school,social gatherings and even religious meetings. It has now become a Ghanaian popular culture for youth, both male and female, to wear the jersey of their various foreign football team each time there is a match. I hardly see them doing that for the domestic teams. To make matters worse, the local jerseys are not even available to buy.

The last thing I will talk about is the access. Frankly speaking, foreign leagues are more accessible than our own domestic league. You can easily access information such as match dates, top goal scorers and even highlights of matches of foreign leagues if you want to. Most of these foreign leagues have adapted to the change of the 21^st Century and have joined the pool of social media such as Youtube,Facebook and Twitter, giving fans more access to their league. It’s no surprise most of us Ghanaians ditch local matches for foreign matches in elite leagues such as the Barclays Premier League(England) and Spanish La Liga(Spain).

We need to improve our league,for it will create employment for those with the football gift,such as referees,coaches and players,open our country to investors and also for sports entertainment to keep our worries and boredom at bay. I also urge sports journalist in Ghana to make our local football league more interesting and accessible. As a native of Sekondi-Takoradi in the Western region of Ghana, I applaud Skyy Power FM, Aseda FM and Melody FM for their efforts in trying to make our domestic league interesting. Not forgetting John Amoako Adu, a vibrant youth,for giving us our own version of “Goal.com”,known as “kicksportsgh.com”, a website that gives you up to date information,such as match dates,transfer news,top scorers,etc  on our domestic league. I look at such endeavours and I say, It’s about that time!

THE TEACHER

I wonder what the world would be without the teacher,they are the unsung heroes,that silent force that propels legends to immortality in our memories.The most talked about man in history,Jesus Christ,the founder of Christianity,was a great teacher. Alexander the Great,was a student of Aristotle,a great Greek philosopher and Aristotle himself was a student of Plato,another great Greek philosopher.

It is evident that this profession has been there for ages,it has stood the test of time and survived the might of huge salaried professions. Without him there would be no doctors,engineers,bankers and not even a new generation of teachers. Like a lamp, he lights the path for his students,like a father he disciplines them so they do not repeat their mistakes,like a mother he is not happy till his students are happy and like a commanding officer,he gives them the strategy to win battles,that is their examinations.

A teacher is an engine that keeps the future of every generation brighter,the backbone of every economy and an inspiration to millions. Teaching is more than a profession,it is an honour. God bless all teachers who make a positive impact.

SEASON OF THE "BORGAS"

Due to economic hardship in Ghana,a lot of Ghanaians migrate to foreign countries with the hope of finding greener pastures. Popular destinations for Ghanaian migrants are Germany,Italy,Spain,England and the USA. Some of these migrants have the required documents to stay in such countries while others are illegals but find safe havens in the home of fellow country men.

A Ghanaian living abroad is affectionately called "BORGA", I'm not so sure how the term came about but popular folk links it to the Ghanaians living in Hamburg,Germany. It is said that most Ghanaians who lived in Hamburg in the late 1980's and early 1990's referred to themselves as "Hamburgas". So with time,the name was shortened to just "Burgas" and eventually "Borga" due to the Ghanaian accent. I guess that's the etymology of the "BORGA" word.

Borgas are seen from three angles are far as I'm concerned. There are some Ghanaians who believe that Borgas are negative influence on the youth because they don't instill any sense of patriotism. They believe that Borgas create the impression that you can never succeed till you travel abroad. There are the Ghanaians who also believe that Borgas are symbols of determination and hard work, since most of them hustle hard till they finally make it in life. Then there are the Ghanaians who believe that there is no hope in Ghana and Africa at large, due to some corrupt leaders and the only option is to just travel abroad. Personally, i don't see anything wrong with traveling abroad. If you have the legal documents,there is nothing wrong with traveling abroad,it's an individual choice. There is no guarantee that things will blossom when you travel abroad neither is there any assurance if you stay in Ghana. It takes courage, hard work,determination and the grace of God to make it.There are people who have been successful in Ghana,so you can also make it if you try.

Borgas often return home during the Christmas season,making it an age old tradition. It's no surprise that family members and friends are filled with excitement and optimism during Christmas,because Borga will be coming home with their Christmas presents. Well, i guess Borga can pass for a Ghanaian version of Santa Clause hahaha lol.

Over the years, some typical Borgas have made their style of dressing a symbol of the country they live in.Typical German Borgas are often seen wearing skin tight shirts with rings on their fingers and Borgas from the USA are usually seen wearing over sized colourful t-shirts and over sized trousers(baggy pants). Not forgetting the Jordan and Timberland they wear. One common thing with all of them is the numerous gold and silver chains on their neck and oh,they carry a bottle of mineral water everywhere they go,since,according to them, sachet and pipe borne water aren't safe for drinking.

Borgas often make references to the country they live in whenever they come across inefficiency in Ghana. For instance, if a Typical German Borga faces inefficiency from a public service provider,he usually says "Das ist schlecht", which means "This is bad" and then ends the statement with "..aahh! You can't do this in Germany", hahahaha lol. Well Borgas are interesting, as they tell us tales from their adventures abroad and I prefer calling women with the same attributes "Borgress" lol. It's a fact we can't deny, the month of december in Ghana is "The Season Of Borgas".

LOVE AS WE KNOW IT

LOVE,how many times have you heard this word?,a billion times i guess. It's the subject of most movies,plays,stories,songs and talk shows.It's very clear that love is a brand on it's own. Not only does love thrive in business,it's the basis of the world's largest religion,Christianity,as our founder(I'm Christian), Jesus Christ,gave His life in atonement for our sins.He did that obviously because He loves us.

So what then is love? I'm no scholar but in my own words,love is a feeling that makes you decide to sacrifice for the sake of someone else. We've all made sacrifices or compromises in our lives one way or the other,thus we've all experienced love.However,we tend to associate love with fantasies a lot these days thanks to movies and fairy tales. A friend of mine once told me,"Fairy tales are stories that haven't ended yet",I agree,because the usual thing we see at the end of fairy tales is "....happily ever after" which obviously does not relate to real life situations.

Love is what makes a mother give up all she has for her children, love is what makes a father go hungry just so his wife and kids can have a meal.Love is what makes a brother protect his sister like a lion defending it's pride,love is what makes a sister care for her brother like a bird protecting it's egg,love is what drives athletes to victory just so their nation can be recognized and love is what drives patriots to defend their nation with their lives.

Love is also what makes us want to spend eternity with that special person, the Mr Right or Miss Right.Sometimes emotions run high and we confuse love with lust or we get blinded by material stuff.Lust is nowhere near love,as it only drives you to seek sexual pleasures. Love comes straight from the heart and it does not really care about physical beauty,it counts, but it's not that important. If you think beauty or looks is all that matters in love,go talk to a blind couple or witness love between a blind couple,they don't have eyes,it's what's inside that counts.

I know love starts with joy,as the love grows older,the joy seems to fade. This is when compromise and forgiveness should be part of both partners like oxygen,you will need them to survive. Problems will come,just know that these problems are like storms,they come to take away unwanted stuff. So if you both don't hold on to each other tight,one of you will leave with the storm. So just stay committed,don't cheat,don't lie and try hard to compromise,most importantly,keep God first in all you do. 

Often we hear in music and movies,"...our love is like Bonnie and Clyde or Romeo and Juliet".....Well personally,i don't buy these ideas,especially "Bonnie and Clyde" because they were criminals and enemies of law and order. As for "Romeo and Juliet" it's just figments of imagination that has been accepted into pop-culture(popular culture) thanks to the captivating writing of 

William Shakespeare. I choose to idolize grandma and grandpa as great symbols of love.Just look at all the old couples,married for over 20 years,now that's a real testimony of love. When someone hurts you and you're willing to forgive and move on with the person,that's love. When you hurt someone and the person forgives and tells you they'll always be there for you,that's love. So just like Country Music singer Paul Overstreet said.."Even when it don't feel like it, it's still love", hold on to that person and know that they are worth fighting for.

LOVE AND SACRIFICE

The greatest gift you can give anyone is love and because God first loved us, He showed us tremendous love by sending us His only begotten son, Jesus Christ. Jesus sealed the love deal by giving up His life for us, just so our sins can be forgiven and have eternal life. Love begets sacrifice and there is no sacrifice without love. God loves us so much that He sacrificed His only son for us and His son, Jesus, sacrificed His life for us because He loves us. The stories of Jephtah  and his daughter and that of Abraham and his son Isaac are but a few of stories that epitomize the love and sacrifice connection.

The same applies to we modern day Christians, we must love God with all our heart, thus, we should offer Him the best sacrifice always. Best sacrifice is not necessarily blood sacrifice or expensive things, it could be our time, energy, money, skill or even talent. We must always give God all the best that we have, not what we have to spare. We should also know that when sacrificing unto God, we must do so with a willing and cheerful heart, not a heart filled with resentment. A sacrifice from a resentful heart is meaningless.

It is true that sometimes the sacrifice might seem too complicated or absurd, but God always knows best and the will of God will never take you where the grace of God will not follow. Also in such moments, remember the story of Abraham and Isaac. I know their story obviously sounds cliché now, but the truth still remains, Jehovah Jireh, the Lord will provide. It hurts when you sacrifice, but God will soothe your pain and even put you in a better place than you were initially. Prosperity in Christ is not all about physical things like money, cars and mansions, it’s about unspeakable joy and peace in your heart and life. Yes there will be temptation because Satan will try and make you lose your faith. There will also be harsh times, just know that when these harsh times are over, you will assure yourself that your faith in God has endured them all, just read James 1:2-3. It’s amazing how much God loves us, count your blessings, try naming them one by one and you will see your doubts and sorrows getting obliterated.

Salvation is free, just repent, confess and invite Christ into your heart. Then show the whole world this by getting baptized. Mind you, baptism will not get you to heaven; it is just a sign to show the world that you are now a follower of Christ. It is just like a wedding ring on a wedding finger. The ring is on the finger just to tell the world that a person is married and belongs to someone, without it one can still get married. There are people who do not include the exchange of rings in their wedding ceremony and rather opt for exchange of bibles, necklace, coins and even message in a bottle, so the ring is just a symbol. However, if it was important for Christ to get baptised when He was here on earth, then it is important for us to do so. Salvation is what assures you of eternal life, so please invite Christ into your heart. Love God whole heartedly and spread His message of love and hope by any means you can, through one on one conversations, songs and even social media.

Sacrifice willingly and cheerfully unto God always, remember, He first loved us. God has given us free will, so the choice is in our hands, we sin because we want to, and so we can change and please God if we want to.  So where do you stand in this end time? It’s your call!

OUR PAGES

Hey folks....just want to share something with y'all,I'll keep it short and simple. People that come our way are like pages in a book and so are we to them. So just make sure that as others flip through, you will be one of the most colourful and memorable pages. Always stay real,true and honest. Be kind,generous and most importantly,keep Jesus Christ first in all you do,remember,seek ye first the kingdom of God and all other things will be added unto you....Team Jesus...Team Salvation...Christian!!

MY NATION GHANA

  
I'm a young Ghanaian,born and raised in Sekondi-Takoradi,the capital of the Western Region of Ghana.My country does not have hundreds of billionaires,no nuclear plants giving us energy,we don't have any vote in the UN Security Council,we have some corrupt leaders, most of our roads are deteriorating,sometimes our pipe borne water runs brown and honestly,its a miracle to have constant flow of electricity for just a week. I can go on and on but if I do so my point will never be made.Our problems are countless but there is a little star that shines in my country which is our beacon of hope...its called LOVE. Yes, there have been times when the Northern part of my country was seeing unrest,but in the end LOVE conquered it all. We have so much love,even for visitors who visit us,so much so that Ghana is noted worldwide for its "Ghanaian Hospitality". We have so much love for each other that we are noted as one of the few countries in Africa that always have peaceful elections.My pride and patriotism grew stronger on that fateful day of Tuesday,July 24th,2012. That day when,for the first time in our rich history,we lost a president,the late John Evans Attah Mills. Unlike some other countries,there was no revolt,rather, there was peace and calm,powered by the LOVE we have for each other. The then-vice president,John Dramani Mahama, was sworn in as president and we all showed him the support needed,what a great moment to be Ghanaian,not forgetting the fact that it was all by the grace of God. I hope and pray that my country will develop,better infrastructure,more investment and less corrupt and greedy leaders. We had the LOVE before colonization,during colonization and now freedom. LOVE is all we have,all we need and all we will forever give and share. GHANA A.D 1957

INVEST IN OTHER SPORTS

I was so sad when I got the news that the kits for the Ghana Olympic team,meant for competitions and the opening ceremony of the London Olympic games has not yet been delivered. The same thing happened at this year's All African games,so they could not attend the opening ceremony. Better late than never, so I just hope and pray the kits get delivered soon because our Olympic team cannot afford to miss the opening ceremony.

This brings to mind the issue of motivation. This delay and inefficiency really demoralizes our athletes,we sent just nine(9) and frankly, I doubt we will win a single medal. Our sports council has concentrated too much on football(soccer), leaving the other sports in oblivion. I know some sports are not popular here , but we can make them popular if we invest in them, except maybe the ones that do not suit our weather conditions,such as ice hockey and snow boarding. 

Investment in other sports harnesses the potential of the youth, creating employment for us and also winning trophies for our country, thereby resulting in a win-win situation. Ghanaians love sports, we have good swimmers, basketball players, etc., the problem is little or no support.

If other sports like basketball and athletics are given at least half the attention given to football, I believe there will be an awakening of some sleeping giants who can champion such sports.

MY NAME IS ACCRA

My name is Accra. I am the pretty capital of the beautiful country Ghana. I am the hob of my country as I house many of it's main businesses,the main international airport and seat the three organs of government. 
One thing I don't like about myself is the unbridled filth I house.Since I'm the capital,I guess I'm supposed to house filth in "Capital proportions" too. I house so much filth that I get shy each time I receive visitors,I wonder what they will say about Ghana's capital when they leave. I bet they will be saying,"If this is how filthy their capital is,then we sure don't want to visit the other cities". Did I mention I have the worse traffic jam situation in the country?,more insult to injury.


My older sister Cape Coast, was the capital,but I had that right given to me in 1877,when the British purchased rights from the Danes and claimed Ghana as their colony. I enjoy being the capital but that means I have huge responsibilities now.Well you know what they say,with great power comes great responsibility.

Seriously, I need to get cleaned, please my inhabitants,clear all the choked drainage systems,try recycling and generally put up a better attitude when it comes to waste disposal. Some of you are doing very well, kudos, but more needs to be done. Since I'm the capital, I want to be as clean as a bride fit for a royal wedding. Right about now I'm a pretty but dirty girl, remember, cleanliness is next to Godliness,if you all keep me cleaner,I will be as neat and beautiful as a rainbow. I love U all,proudly Ghanaian.....Yen ara y'asase nyi!!!

CHILD OF GOD

I'm not the best Christian,neither I'm I without sin,I'm just a greatly blessed highly favoured imperfect child of God. God loves you no matter what you did wrong or who you are,just change and accept Him in your heart. Amen. TEAM SALVATION