His poems addressed challenging subjects in a civil manner. Showing that it's possible to have those difficult conversations with humility and without fear. It's a collective effort to raise a generation that would aspire to achieve their God-given purpose and Malcolm-Jamal Warner was part of that collective. Reminding us to do our little part to bring about change in our sphere of influence however little.

In his poem, Asante Sana, Swahili for Thank you very much, Malcolm paid tribute to those working behind the scenes to impact the future generation whose works will rarely get a mention on TV. He said: ‘It is those who stand on the frontline, fighting for the minds of our young black and gifted. It is you who are an inspiration to me. Because you are the revolution we do not see on TV.” Rest in peace Malcolm, you will be dearly missed because “You are the revolution that we now see on TV.”

Though ‘We were born yesterday and know nothing, our days on earth are but a shadow (Job 8:9). However, the legacy we leave when we achieve our God-given purpose will live on long after we’ve departed. I will leave you with this beautiful song 'Flowers on Caskets' by Claudia Isaki. To anyone who's lost a loved one, hope you find this song consoling and helps you to keep on going. Stay blessed and takecare.

When you go on a whim but end up being pleasantly surprised, was the best way to describe my tag-along to the Young Greenwich Community Fun Day 2025 at Hornfair Park. Had a great chat with some unnamed heroes doing amazing work with youths in the community. Proving it really does take some team work to make the dream work! See below for some of the highlights of the fair...

Working with your limitations is always a sure way to generate ideas. Atleast that's what having a pack of couscous and some odd bits in my kitchen cupboard taught me. Looking to make a quick meal with limited options, a swift rummage through the cupboard left me with a coucous pack, a tin of wild Salmon, some Spinach, Bell pepper, Seasonings and some Chipotle Chilli flakes. Not one to think much about what to eat, there's simply not enough time in the world for that, rustling up something with what I had became my only choice. It's how this simple but pleasant meal came about and inspired the couscous poem. Proving true what they say about necessity being the mother of invention! Came up with two ideas with one simple meal and have posted the images along with the recipe below incase it inspires you to work with your limitations too.

There are many ways to cook Couscous, this is one of the simplest ways.

Measurements:
80g of Couscous per 100ml of water

Instructions:
- Place Couscous in a bowl
- Boil water and pour boiled water over Couscous
- Let the couscous absorb the water for 5mins
- Fluff with a fork and serve!

You don't know who your life could impact at present or in future. Standing side-by-side with a picture of someone I had never met, but still having an unspoken connection to the lives they impacted, says a lot. Especially in an age where digitisation and uniformity of ideology rules, it may seem like individuality is dying out. But God made us with unique abilities, that when utilised, can impact the lives of others in unspoken ways. So, don't feel pressured to follow the crowd, it’s perfectly fine to go against the tide and do your own thing.

Having lived in a developing country, I'm of the mindset that the concept of waste prevention is nothing new. It's more of a community effort. As an adolescent, I would watch my mother gather empty plastic and glass botttles in the pantry until it was a sizeable amount. She would then batch them up in empty woven rice sacks, before handing them to those in need of them. Typically it would be to local street hawkers or local community workers who have come to know her. They seem to look forward to the days they collected the empty bottles. Possibly because these were not just empty bottles, but a source of income to provide for their families. They were able to sell the empty bottles  to recycling agents who would repurpose them. Sometimes, they would sell them to market traders who would clean them and reuse them at their stalls.

Almost everything was recycled. Mainly because money was not in abundance and everyone had to make do with what they had. Pre-used empty cans of tomatoes would become measuring cans for selling grains of rice, cassava granules, pulses and other food products. Oftentimes these empty cans were recycled into baking tins for making foods at home. They would clean the tins and grease them with cooking oil before use to avoid food sticking to the tins. Clothing was passed down from elder to younger siblings and once a family has outgrown their clothing, it would be passed down to loved ones who needed them. Nothing was wasted. The norm was to fix things first before buying new ones. Everyone had a local or street tailor close by to sew or mend their clothing.  From footwear to white goods or automobiles, there were repair men for almost anything.

But the reverse was the case when I ventured into life in the West. Repairing things seemed more of a chore than a lifestyle. More challenging was the cost of repairing things which proved more costly than new ones. Gradually, the urge to recycle went down hill and wastefulness took over. Fast forward to the present day and things are looking much better. The West has picked up on the importance of recycling and are coming up with innovative ways to reduce, manage  and repurpose waste. Would I say that I am waste-free? Of course not, it's still a balancing act. I imagine the case is the same for the Western community. When things are mass produced and churned out at an alarming rate, you quickly form a habit of acquiring things, which increases waste. A good example is fast fashion. Clothings are churned out seasonally and when new ones are bought, the old ones are discarded. So, the challenge would be finding ways to manage waste which can be achieved by buying only what is needed and repurposing what is still of good use. Something I imagine would take time for some of us to adjust to, but is not an impossible task to achieve. It's a case of baby steps and not judging others for lagging behind.

That said, unlike water which is God-made and is naturally recycled, man-made things can't be reused infinitely. There simply will come a time when it has to be thrown away. Even the Bible acknowledges that,

'There is a time to keep things and a time to throw things away.'
- Ecclesiastes 3:6, NCV -

The important thing to consider is whether the item has been fully utilised before it is finally discarded. That is the question to ask ourselves in order to effectively manage waste.

Two recent art installations I came across touched on the subject and drove home the need to manage waste. The first was a project called 'Whale on the Wharf' and the second one was called 'Refuse'. They were thought provoking and would compel anyone to think about how to better manage, reduce, upcycle or repurpose waste. Images of the installations can be seen below, along with pictures of the cardboard box I repurposed to house my silicon soap moulds.

It is our God-given responsibility to care for the earth as confirmed by Genesis 2:15 which says,

'The Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to farm the land and to take care of it.'
- Genesis 2:15 -

For that reason, caring for the earth by taking better care of it, is a must and we can do so with God's divine wisdom!

Coriander plant has been around for ages! There is even a reference to this great herb in the Bible in Numbers 11:7 comparing its seeds to Manna. It says,

'Manna was like Coriander seed.’

Coriander seed is the produce of this great plant. So, it's a privilege to still have them around today and enjoy it's many benefits. To make your own, see below for details:

Ingredients:
Four Coriander leaves
One star anise
One and half cups of water

Brewing instructions:
- Pour one and half cups of water in a pot
- Let the water boil on the hob for a minute & add star Anise
- Let the star Anise boil for one minute, then add Coriander leaves
- Let it cook for three minutes and take the pot off the hob
- Let it cool, pour in a cup and serve
- Add honey or natural sweetener of your choice if needed.
Relax and enjoy your Coriander brew!

Please note: As with any herb, do check the ingredients are suitable for you before trying it out.

Happy Mother's Day to all the nurturing soldiers out there. And to those who have lost a mother and lost a heart because of it, may the Lord fill your heart with love today. In Jesus name, amen. Stay blessed and keep on going!

This video is a spoken version of the 'Daffodils' poem posted earlier for those who might prefer it. See post below.

There are things we take for granted that should always be a blessing. This poem is in celebration of one of those things, 'Daffodils'. They are a beautiful reminder of the importance of gratitude for the everyday things we take for granted. Things, that bring a ray of sunshine to our lives even in their simplest form. As we welcome the spring season, let's be thankful for the little things. Have a great spring!

Stay blessed and keep on going!!

'The earth is the Lord’s, and all its fullness,
The world and those who dwell therein.'
- Psalm 24:1, NKJV -