Positive Quote For Today

"We delight in the beauty of the butterfly, but rarely admit the changes it has gone through to achieve that beauty."— Maya Angelou


A Self-assessment

A True Story
by
Copyright ©
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With permission, I have extracted this picture-quote from Quotes.pics. All rights reserved worldwide.

In 2008 when I came to believe in the Bible as the inerrant Word of God, I discovered the value of Scripture memorization. Psalm 1:1-3 were the first verses I ever deposited in the memory bank of my mind. I drilled those verses into my mind with relative ease because they inspired me.

Over the years since 2008, I have added more Bible verses to my arsenal of memorized Scripture for use in my spiritual warfare. My latest addition to that arsenal is 1st Corinthians 13:4-7, those well-known verses that expound on the meaning of love.

A week ago, I substituted the word "love" in 1st Corinthians 13:4-7 with my name. And you know what? The verses made more sense to me with my name in them. Here's how they read when I used my name:
Thuita is patient, Thuita is kind. He does not envy, he does not boast, he is not proud. He is not rude, he is not self-seeking, he is not easily angered, he keeps no record of wrongs. Thuita does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. He always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
While reflecting on the above version of 1st Corinthians 13:4-7, parts of it didn't sound like me even though I have been a practising Christian since 2008. Can I tell you how I have acted contrary to my version of those well-known verses? Okay, let me do so by listing some of the virtues mentioned in the verses and how I have contravened them.
  • Patient:I have sometimes been impatient at accomplishing my dreams, especially at meeting the woman of my dreams. Instead of concentrating on becoming a better person and entrusting to God the task of connecting me to my dream woman, I have spent time and money in search of her. I have even gone to the extent of putting an advert in a local newspaper to no success.
  • Kind: Well, I am kind by nature. But I have sometimes behaved like a mad bull. In 2013 for instance, I reacted angrily to Dad when he poked me in the chest while castigating me for arriving home late at night after he had closed the gate of our home.
  • Not envious: To be honest with you, I have sometimes been sick with envy and jealousy. One morning in 2014 for example, a neighbour's worker called me to help him uproot a tree. Upon entering the neighbour's home that morning, I was envious of the stately mansion on the compound and wondered when I would ever own such a mansion.
  • Not rude: As I have said, I am kind by nature. But I have sometimes acted arrogantly. There was an evening in 2013, for instance, when I called my brother Paddy "pumbavu", a Swahili word for a fool. Although I wasn't serious in calling Paddy "pumbavu", I am afraid that I might have hurt him.
  • Not self-seeking: After I badly lost in the 2013 Kenya's general elections, I wrote an email to my friends, telling them I was so heartsick for not winning the political seat I was vying for that I didn't care if the country plunged into violence again. That was something very selfish of me to say and I have been feeling guilty about it. It seems I was just a self-seeking person back in 2013.
  • Keeps no record of wrongs: I am generally a forgiving person, but I sometimes struggle with bitterness. And during the times I wallow in bitterness, I often find myself remembering all the times a person has wronged me. I will never forget the night in 2016 when I wrote a list of all the times my kid brother Symo had wronged me when we used to stay together in the years 2014 and 2015. Fortunately, I didn't share the list in a WhatsApp group of my siblings as I had intended to do.
  • Hopeful: I have always desired to be a hopeful, optimistic person like Bill Clinton, my hero. But I sometimes worry about what could go wrong in the future. Just last Monday at around 7:10 p.m., I caught myself worrying what I would do if a certain relative came to stay with us. Soon after I became aware of the worry, I turned my mind to thoughts of hope, of me accomplishing my dreams.
I could go on and on to narrate the other ways I have acted contrary to my version of 1st Corinthians 13:4-7 but I beg to stop there in the interest of time. All the same, I have been inspired to live up to those verses. I will therefore be striving to be kind, patient, forgiving, hopeful and persevering.

My beloved reader, I challenge you to also open your Bible to 1st Corinthians 13:4-7 and substitute the word "love" with your name as I have done above. Then memorize and reflect on the verses to see whether they sound like you with your name in them. And use that knowledge to assess where you need to change or improve on. Adieu!

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RECOMMENDATION: If you've enjoyed reading the above story on self-assessment, you might also enjoy another one on "Keys to Success in Business" which I wrote several years ago. Just click on that link in blue to dive straight into the story.

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Applying Knowledge

A True Story
by Thuita J. Maina
on Jun 26, 2023
Copyright ©
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With permission, I have extracted this picture-quote from Pinterest.com. All rights reserved worldwide.

On the evening of last Saturday, I asked my Dad whether he had bought cooking oil for use here at home. He quickly replied that he had forgotten to buy it. Alarmed that there could possibly be not enough cooking oil for preparing supper, I dashed to the kitchen to check the amount left.

To my delight, I found that there was enough cooking oil for preparing the supper we were to have on Saturday night. I informed Dad about it and then went back to my room to continue with what I was doing.

Guess what! About thirty minutes later when I went to Dad's office to check something, I found a new container of cooking oil on the floor. I questioned Dad why he had told me that he had forgotten to buy cooking oil yet I was now seeing a new container of the oil in his office. He answered that he had just wanted to test how I would react.

Soon after I went to my room, I felt angered by Dad for lying to me that he had forgotten to purchase cooking oil. It grated my nerves to think I had wasted my time and energy to dash to the kitchen to check if there was enough cooking oil for preparing supper.

As I often do when someone offends me, I sat in silent contemplation like a king whose subjects had been wiped out by a mysterious disease. In the course of my contemplation, I called Dad from where I was seated and asked him why he had lied to me.

Dad was swift to sense he had angered me. He apologized to me, reminded me that he was just testing my reaction and promised not to repeat the prank on me in the future.

Although Dad's apology was sincere, it didn't appease me. I still felt slighted. So I wanted to lecture him on how I don't like being lied to. But then I remembered what I once read in H. Jackson Brown Jr.'s delightful Life's Little Instruction Book.

H. Jackson Brown Jr. advised in the book that "after someone apologizes to you, don't lecture them" and that "cruel words can hurt deeply". Remembering those pieces of advice made me restrain myself from lecturing Dad. It also saved me from uttering something that could have hurt him deeply.

I was impressed with myself for applying little pieces of knowledge in an incident that had disturbed my peace. And that has set me thinking on whether I apply in my day-to-day living the knowledge I have acquired over the years.

Having been educated to university level, I know quite a lot. I have knowledge in fields as diverse as physics, history, algebra, biology, calculus, chemistry, geometry, geography, electronics, economics, music theory, web design, political science and computer programming.

Happily, I have been able to apply some of the knowledge in projects that have enriched my life. I have, for instance, used my knowledge in web design and computer programming to create this database-driven blog. And I have used my knowledge in music theory to compose hymns that have inspired some people.

Unhappily though, some of the knowledge I have acquired has remained dormant in my mind. Worse still, some of the knowledge has vanished from my mind for lack of use. I, for example, can't remember how to differentiate equations as I learnt in my calculus classes at the university.

I have resolved to be applying everyday the knowledge I have gained because I believe that holds the key to leading a happy, fruitful and rewarding life. What I especially long to apply is the life-changing wisdom I have gleaned from the Bible.

Yesterday, I asked myself: When the Bible tells me to rejoice in hope always and to trust in God completely, do I do so? When it tells me to love others as I love myself, do I do so? And when it tells me to think only what's true, noble, right, pure, lovely and admirable, do I do so?

The great Chinese philosopher Confucius summed it best when he quipped, "The essence of knowledge is, having it, to apply it; not having it, to confess your ignorance." So, my beloved reader, I challenge you to also apply in your day-to-day living the knowledge you have acquired. Ciao!

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RECOMMENDATION: If you've enjoyed the above story on applying knowledge, you might also enjoy another one on "The Importance of Knowledge" which I wrote last year. Just click on that link in blue to dive straight into the story.

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Bible Quote

"Always be full of joy in the Lord; I say it again, rejoice! Let everyone see that you are unselfish and considerate in all you do... Don't worry about anything; instead pray about everything; tell God your needs and don't forget to thank Him for His answers. If you do this, you will experience God's peace, which is far more wonderful than the human mind can understand."

~Phillipians 4:4-7 (TLB)

About the Author

Name: Thuita J. Maina
Nationality: Kenyan
Lives in: Kiserian, Rift Valley, Kenya
Mission: To inspire the world to godly living, one person at a time.

Just For Laughs

There was this drunkard named Azoge who loved drinking at Josiah's Bar. On being told a certain Hon. Nanga was flying to America to be conferred a law degree so that he could be admitted to the bar, Azoge replied, "Why fly all the way to America to be admitted to the bar while you can get into Josiah's Bar any time?"



The 7 Deadly Sins

  1. Pride
  2. Envy
  3. Gluttony
  4. Lust
  5. Anger
  6. Greed
  7. Sloth

Author's Note

I am learning to treat life as a journey, not a destination. So I am trying to enjoy each day as I anticipate to fulfill my dreams especially meeting my soulmate and traveling abroad. Tomorrow may never be mine.

Fun Facts

  1. The fear of having no cell-phone service, running out of battery, or losing sight of your phone is called Nomophobia, reportedly affecting 66% of people.
  2. A single Google search needs more computing power than it took to send Apollo 11 to the moon. The Apollo computer was less equipped than a modern toaster.
  3. Besides being some of the biggest names in the tech industry, HP, Apple, Google and Microsoft share another commonality. They all started in garages.
~Extracted from Codingforums.com

Health Tip

So many of us take for granted the wonderful construction of the human body and the workings of its various parts. Some of us even expect it to function efficiently with less than the minimum care and attention. Learn the much you can about your body and how the care of it can help to give you that greatest blessing of all - good health.


Wonders of the Modern World

  1. The Simplon Tunnel
  2. The Sky-scrapers of New York
  3. The Boulder Dam of Colorado
  4. The Panama Canal
  5. The Golden Gate Bridge
  6. The Taj Mahal at Agra in India
  7. The North Sea Oil Drilling Rigs

Great Example for Politicians

"My life in politics was a joy. I loved campaigns and I loved governing. I always tried to keep things moving in the right direction, to give more people a chance to live their dreams, to lift people's spirits, and to bring them together. That's the way I kept score."

~Bill Clinton

Scientific Marvels

  1. Space travel
  2. Heart surgery
  3. Fibre-optics communication
  4. Concorde
  5. Computers & Radios
  6. Anesthetics
  7. The atom bomb

My Supreme Desire

Although I'd like to be rich and famous, my supreme desire is to be radiant: to radiate health, cheerfulness, calm courage and goodwill. I wish to live without hate, guilt, worry, jealousy, cynicism and envy. I wish to be honest, natural, confident, clean in mind and body - ready to say "I do not know" if it be so and to treat all men with kindness - to meet any loss, failure, criticism and rejection unabashed and unafraid.



Greatest American Presidents

  1. Abraham Lincoln
  2. George Washington
  3. Thomas Jefferson
  4. Franklin Roosevelt
  5. Theodore Roosevelt
  6. Woodrow Wilson
  7. Andrew Jackson

Making Peace With the Past

"Dwell not on your past. Use it to illustrate a point, then leave it behind. Nothing really matters except what you do now in this instant of time. From this moment onwards you can be an entirely different person, filled with love and understanding, ready with an outstretched hand, uplifted and positive in every thought and deed."

~Eileen Caddy

Toughest Colleges to Get Into

  1. MIT
  2. Princeton
  3. Harvard
  4. Yale
  5. Stanford
  6. Brown
  7. Columbia

Why You Should Trust God

"Men and women who turn their lives over to God will find out that He can make a lot more out of their lives than they can. He will deepen their joys, expand their vision, quicken their minds, strengthen their muscles, lift their spirits, multiply their blessings, increase their opportunities and pour out peace."

~Ezra Taft Benson

The 7 Greatest Scientists

  1. Albert Einstein
  2. Isaac Newton
  3. Galileo Galilei
  4. Nikola Tesla
  5. Aristotle
  6. Archimedes
  7. Charles Darwin

You Matter

"Always be yourself. Never try to hide who you are. The only shame is to have shame. Always stand up for what you believe in. Always question what other people tell you. Never regret the past; it's a waste of time. There's a reason for everything. Every mistake, every moment of weakness, every terrible thing that has happened to you, grow from it. The only way you can ever get the respect of others is when you show them that you respect yourself and most importantly, do your thing and never apologize for being you."

~Unknown

The Most Industrialized Nations

  1. United States
  2. Japan
  3. Germany
  4. France
  5. United Kingdom
  6. Italy
  7. Canada

Keys to Success

"...in his effort to withstand temptation, to economize, to exercise thrift, to disregard the superficial for the real - the shadow for the substance; to be great yet small, in his effort to be patient in the laying of a firm foundation; to so grow in skill and knowledge that he shall place his services in demand by reason of his intrinsic and superior worth. This is the key that unlocks every door of opportunity, and all others fail."

~Booker T. Washington

The 7 Social Sins

  1. Politics without principle
  2. Wealth without work
  3. Pleasure without conscience
  4. Knowledge without character
  5. Commerce without morality
  6. Worship without sacrifice
  7. Science without humanity

Cherish What You Love

"Cherish your visions, cherish your ideals, cherish the music that stirs in your heart, the beauty that forms in your mind, the loveliness that drapes your purest thoughts - for out of them will grow all heavenly environment, of these if you but remain true to them, your world will at last be built."~James Allen

The World's Largest Cities

  1. London in England
  2. New York in the United States
  3. Tokyo in Japan
  4. Berlin in Germany
  5. Chicago in the United States
  6. Shanghai in China
  7. Paris in France

Benefits of Optimism

"In terms of success, optimistic people out perform their pessimistic colleagues. Research shows that they are consistently promoted higher and make more money while working fewer hours than those who think pessimistically. Optimists also contribute more significantly to social progress. It is the optimists who start and run successful companies, who win elections and carry out reforms, and who make breakthroughs in the realms of science and technology."

~Pepe Minambo

The World's Greatest Lakes

  1. Caspian Sea in the Commonwealth of Independent States, C.I.S. (formerly U.S.S.R)
  2. Lake Superior in North America
  3. Victoria Nyanza in Central Africa
  4. Aral Sea in C.I.S.
  5. Lake Huron in North America
  6. Lake Michigan in North America

Demonstrating His Love

"Take your communication for instance - the way you address others. It ought to be with loving, gracious and edifying words. Never talk people down. Never use words that hurt and demean people. Communicate excellently with others without destroying their self-image or making them feel sorry for themselves. Talk to people in a way that they never forget the excellence of your words, the love and grace of Christ that you communicated. It's how God wants us to love."

~Dr. Chris Oyakhilome

World's Longest Rivers

  1. Missouri-Mississipi (U.S.)
  2. Amazon (Brazil)
  3. Nile (Egypt)
  4. Yangtse (China)
  5. Lena (Russia)
  6. Zaire (Central Africa)
  7. Niger (West Africa)