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Mama's Voice: Random Messages of a Mother
Mama's Voice: Random Messages of a Mother
Mama's Voice: Random Messages of a Mother
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Mama's Voice: Random Messages of a Mother

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Mamas Voice is the product of a middle-aged Christian psychiatrist and mother who journals her life observations and experiences, hoping to pass on some life lessons to her children. What started off as random journaling of thoughts ended up being a published book released as a birthday present for her children.

The book is written in a random manner with life lessons ranging from self-esteem, bad habits, addictions, snobbery, conflict, money, selfishness, greed, and codependent relationships through to family dramas. The author attempts to capture some important life lessons with a touch of humor and rawness that depicts the real-life dramas. Both pleasurable and painful life observations and experiences are unapologetically expressed with a rawness that does not coat it with sweet candy. Its about real life seen through the eyes of a mother going through a midlife crisis and questioning most things she had taken for granted.

The messages are given as direct instructions to her children in second or third person voices and riddles. The messages are just as random as they entered the authors thoughts.

This is a light read for both the middle aged and young, who are questioning a few things in their worldview. Like the philosopher in the book of Ecclesiastes, the author grapples with certain life issues until she finally realizes that she cannot fix the world and she gives up control. The forty-five-year-old author starts off by writing a letter to her thirteen-year-old self and ends the book with her modified version of the Ten Commandments and a futuristic letter to her eighty-five-year-old self.
LanguageEnglish
PublisherXlibris NZ
Release dateMar 31, 2015
ISBN9781493193103
Mama's Voice: Random Messages of a Mother
Author

Esther Bganya

Dr. Esther Bganya is a Christian psychiatrist living in New Zealand with her husband and two children. Born in Zimbabwe in 1969 to parents who were descendants of polygamist chiefs, Esther grew up in a large, extended family, spanning into thousands of relatives, which she believes was her first social behaviors laboratory. She immigrated to South Africa in 1995 after completing her medical degree and completed her masters in psychiatry in 2000. She ran a private psychiatry practice for four years in South Africa before relocating to New Zealand in 2004, where she has worked in various roles including addiction, trauma, women’s mental health, and general psychiatry. She completed a diploma in theology in 2013, focusing on spirituality in mental health. Her job and voluntary roles supporting people with psychological issues in the church, extended family, and general community has exposed her to the intricacies of human behavior. Esther is a keen observer of human behavior and is a woman of few words but big thoughts. She enjoys journaling her observations on human behavior, and this book is a product of various life experiences and observations. She loves reading, travelling, watching good movies, supporting charities, working out at the gym, and having philosophical debates with her children and husband. She cherishes her Christian heritage and is quick to admit that she is nowhere near perfection. This is her first published book, and she hopes to leave a legacy for her children and future descendants.

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    Book preview

    Mama's Voice - Esther Bganya

    Mama’s Voice

    Random messages of a mother

    Esther Bganya

    Copyright © 2015 by Esther Bganya.

    ISBN:      Softcover      978-1-4931-9309-7

                    eBook           978-1-4931-9310-3

    All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

    Bible citation:

    Scripture quotations marked NIV are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®. NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved. [Biblica]

    Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Thinkstock are models, and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

    Certain stock imagery © Thinkstock.

    Rev. date: 03/30/2015

    Xlibris

    0-800-443-678

    www.Xlibris.co.nz

    695784

    CONTENTS

    Introduction

    Letter To My 13 Year Old Self

    1. You Are Important

    2. Mama Loves You

    3. God First, Before Everything Else

    4. You Have A Right To Be Good To Yourself

    5. Your Spiritual Journey

    6. Serenity Prayer One

    7. Serenity Prayer Two

    8. Serenity Prayer Three

    9. Serenity Prayer Four

    10. You Are Swag

    11. God Loves You Unconditionally

    12. Hold On Tightly To God

    13. God Is The Greatest Artist Of All Time

    14. Love Yourself The Way God Loves You

    15. Mama Is There For You

    16. You Belong To God.

    17. We Can Talk About Anything

    18. Call Mama Anytime Of The Day

    19. Remember To Pray And Play

    20. Know God’s Purpose For Your Life

    21. Surrender Everything To God

    22. The Five Things You Should Never Sacrifice

    23. God Always Answers Prayers

    24. God Is In Control All The Time

    25. Only God Knows The Final Story

    26. Let God Be The Judge

    27. God Is Always Good

    28. Seek God’s Face And Not His Gifts

    29. Make Fasting A Regular Part Of Your Life

    30. Do Not Hold On To People And Material Things Too Tightly

    31. Be Something To Someone

    32. You Are Never Alone

    33. Follow Your Dreams

    34. Be Kind To Yourself

    35. Desperate For God

    36. Self Betrayal Is Foolishness

    37. Live By Your Truth

    38. Keep Doing The Right Thing Even If It Hurts.

    39. Let Others Reap Your Harvest

    40. Grow Up And Take Responsibility For Your Actions

    41. You Owe Yourself A Big Debt

    42. Get Off Your High Horse

    43. All That You Have Is Your Soul

    44. Self Destruction Is Utter Stupidity

    45. Spiritual Humility Is A Virtue

    46. Letting Go

    47. Run Away And Let The Solutions Find You

    48. Lose Yourself

    49. Simplify Your Life

    50. It Is Ok To Go Crazy Once In A While

    51. Invisible Loyalties

    52. Do Not Be A Slave To Societal Expectations.

    53. You Are Not An Emergency Or Crisis Service.

    54. Get Real

    55. Chuck Out The Weeds.

    56. Choose To Be A Life Long Learner

    57. Good Manners Are An Asset

    58. Guard Your Intergrity Jealously

    59. Of Wolves And Sheep

    60. Your Life Is A Story Book Still In Writing

    61. Walking Through Bad Situations Is Inevitable

    62. Serving Jail Time.

    63. Help Yourself

    64. Be Organised

    65. Give Yourself Time Out

    66. Be Generous And Save Your Income

    67. The Emotional Parasite

    68. The Judas Kiss Suicide

    69. The Pandora Box

    70. What Team Are You In

    71. Head For The Cave To Get Answers

    72. Vomiting The Toxins

    73. Respect And Fear Are Two Different Things

    74. The Bla-Bla-Bla Of Your Grandparents

    75. If You Want Something Badly Fight For It.

    76. Conflict Is Inevitable

    77. Stay Focused

    78. The Lame Debt Avoidance Excuses.

    79. Live A Modest Life

    80. Making Financial Promises You Cannot Keep.

    81. Debt Is Your Enemy

    82. That Big Fancy Car May End Up Being Your Worst Enemy

    83. Put Money In Its Proper Place

    84. Start With The Person In The Mirror

    85. Running Out Of Steam! Take A Break

    86. Organise An Award Ceremony For Yourself

    87. What Keeps You Green?

    88. Stay Away From Loan Sharks

    89. Believe In God Not Religion

    90. Take Stock Of Your Life

    91. Silence Can Be A Life Saver

    92. Break The Ice

    93. See The Good In Others And You Will See The Best In Yourself

    94. Say Sorry

    95. Resign From Your Rescue Mission

    96. Stop Theologising Other People’s Mental Health Issues

    97. Church Infighting

    98. Of Cheating Partners

    99. Of Sexuallly Transmitted Diseases.

    100. Of Bfb’s And Bfg’s

    101. One Person’s Selfish Act Has A Snowball Effect On Society

    102. Selfishness

    103. Embrace Life Lessons

    104. Charity Projects

    105. Lies, Lies, And More Lies

    106. A Life Of Deception Kills The Soul

    107. What’s Important To You In The Long Run?

    108. It’s Ok To Falter

    109. Be Someone’s Hero

    110. What Family Are You Creating?

    111. Don’t Interfer With Anyone’s Life Lesson

    112. Is Someone Pushing You Around?

    113. The Narcissistic Friend

    114. Is Someone Angry With You?

    115. Everyone Has Problems Including Mama

    116. People Break Promises. Even Your Mama

    117. Taking Out The Garbage

    118. Get Fresh Air For Your Soul

    119. Know When The Door Has Been Closed In Your Face

    120. Your Decisions Will Please Some And Disappoint Others

    121. Detach Yourself From Things

    122. Upgrade Yourself

    123. Turn A Deaf Ear To The Phd’s

    124. Appreciate Your True Friends

    125. The Holier Than Holy

    126. Mama Doesn’t Know Everything And She Is Fine With It

    127. The Frivolous And The Belligerent

    128. No Medication For Individualism

    129. Accept People As They Are

    130. Don’t Stagnate

    131. The Most Important People In Your Life

    132. Give Yourself Permission To Be Idle

    133. You Cannot Sacrifice Your Family

    134. Big Brother Is Watching

    135. Your Public Persona May Be A Fallacy

    136. A Sanctuary Welcomes All Sorts Of People

    137. A Sick Or Dead Missionary Is Useless

    138. Celebrate Your Differences

    139. Spring Always Shows Up

    140. Get On With Your Plans

    141. Running Around Your Mountain

    142. We All Have Our Flaws

    143. Be Your Best Cheerleader

    144. Who Are You When God Strips You Naked?

    145. Rock The Boat

    146. Think Before You Speak

    147. Sort Your Mess First

    148. What Are You Running Away From?

    149. The Non-Negotiables

    150. Silence Says A Lot More Than Words

    151. Photoshop

    152. The Extended Family

    153. Head For The Bathroom For Quiet Times

    154. Communicate, Communicate, And Again Communicate

    155. Learn To Fly Solo

    156. Perfectionism Can Slow Your Progress.

    157. Friends Sometimes Break Up

    158. Thou Shall Not Impose Yourself On Other People

    159. Balance Your Life Roles

    160. Take Stock Of Your Finances

    161. Who Is Your Rescuer?

    162. Only God Can Fix People

    163. On Being Fake

    164. What Lie Are You Living By?

    165. Easier To Love Than To Hate

    166. Forgive Yourself

    167. Learn From The Elderly

    168. See The Good In Every Person.

    169. Jealousy, Selfishness And Greed Are The Root Of All Evil.

    170. Appreciate The Beauty Around You

    171. Your Social Status Does Not Define You

    172. Let Others Make Their Mistakes

    173. Forgive Your Parents

    174. True Wealth Is Within Your Family

    175. Focus On The Core People In Your Life

    176. Render Yourself Useless Once In A While

    177. Your Identity Is In Christ

    178. I Do It Because Everyone Else Does It!

    179. Your Spiritual Journey Is Yours Alone

    180. Our Lives Are Story Pages

    181. Givers Receive More Than Hoarders.

    182. Use Your Gifts

    183. Have Compassion And Mercy

    184. Follow Your Dreams

    185. Keep In Touch With Loved Ones

    186. Do Not Be Gullible And Naïve

    187. Everyone Has A Right To Their Opinion

    188. Respect Other People’s Choices

    189. You Can’t Run Away From Your Conscience.

    190. The Money Paradox

    191. Work Hard In Your Youth Days

    192. Denial Is The Foolish Man’s Trap To Ruin

    193. Read Your Bible

    194. Create A Legacy

    195. Love The Body God Gave You

    196. We All Have Our Prejudices

    197. Write A Book.

    198. Sibling Rivalry

    199. Celebrate Your Siblings’ And Friends’ Success

    200. Meditate

    201. Adults Behaving Badly

    202. Shake It Off

    203. The Three Fishing Rods

    204. Travel Widely

    205. You Can’t Have It All

    206. A Special Jail For Women Who Betray Other Women

    207. Make Today Count

    208. Have A Personal Life Philosophy

    209. Be Good To Yourself

    210. Nourish Your Body Physically

    211. Nourish Your Soul Spiritually

    212. Nourish Your Emotional Health

    213. Nourish Your Mental Health

    214. Suicidal Thoughts

    215. Loneliness

    216. Belonging

    217. Bullying

    218. Online Dating

    219. Marry For The Right Reasons

    220. Judging A Book By Its Cover

    221. Work Ethics

    222. Keep Your Head High

    223. Fight For The Underdog

    224. Trying Too Hard To Impress Others

    225. Know Yourself

    226. Walk Your Talk

    227. Mama’s Ten Commandments

    Closing words

    Acknowledgements

    Dedicated to Tanaka, Neo and future generations

    The fear of the Lord is the beginning of all knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and discipline.

    Proverbs 1 vs 7.

    mama%20voice.JPG

    INTRODUCTION

    Dear Children

    The old adage that says life does not come with an instruction manual, is not true. Your mama has bucket loads of life’s do’s and don’ts. Your mama’s mama tried to tell your mama the how and why of life but your mama did not listen. Your grandma’s mama attempted the same but your grandma thought it was garbage. And so the story goes on and on for many generations. The wisdom of the elderly is relegated to useless garbage.

    Your mama has made mistakes. She has faltered, fumbled, staggered, swayed and swerved a lot in life. She has got up and faced life with such tenacity that even Goliath would tremble at your mama’s voice. To save you the trouble of making similar mistakes your mama has written down her own version of the life instruction manual. If history repeats itself you probably won’t take heed of your mama’s advice. Most likely you will go your own way, make your own mistakes, stumble and fall. But you will surely rise up and face life with courage like your mama did.

    Your mama became a shrink either because she was trying to understand herself or she really wanted to help others. You can try to figure out your mama’s motive for getting into psychiatry. Your mama has heard all sorts of stories and has seen human beings at their best and their worst. With this wealth of experience maybe it’s wise to listen to your mama’s words of wisdom. After all your mama is forty five years old and the early midlife crisis has finally hit her. The midlife crisis was so bad that your mama started writing a book full of her random thoughts. So this book is the product of a mother and a psychiatrist’s midlife crisis.

    Your mama needs the advice from this book just as much as she thinks her children need it. Being a slow learner mama needs to read this book a hundred times before she puts it into practice. Hypocrisy is every parent’s prerogative until the children start highlighting the parent’s mistakes. And so the circus of life continues.

    Most likely one day you will reflect back and realise that mama was right after all. By the time you realise your mama was right you will probably be middle aged, having your own children pointing fingers at your hypocrisy and writing your own life instruction manual. You can copy a few ideas from mama’s book. After all, your mama is very wise! Hopefully the next generation will have the wisdom to listen.

    In case one day you decide to sue mama for not giving you life skills, here is the written instruction manual. You and your shrink should not blame mama for your life choices.

    So children, enjoy the ranting and raving of your mama. Read at your own risk and mama is not making any guarantees that your life will be smooth if you follow her advice. Enjoy the ride.

    Most importantly EYL and YAA. Enjoy Your Life and You Are Awesome.

    Love

    Your Mama

    xoxoxo

    LETTER TO MY 13 YEAR OLD SELF

    Dear Esther

    In the year 2014 you will be celebrating your 45th birthday. Can you imagine what your life will be like in 2014? Will you be living the life you envisioned in your younger years and will

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