Get Caught Reading - Plain Truth by Jodi Picoult

I had never read anything written by Jodi Picoult until I picked up a copy of ‘Plain Truth’ from Sense charity shop round where I live.

‘Plain Truth’ is a story of eighteen year old Katie Fisher who gets pregnant out of wedlock. Nothing new there I hear you say.

Well, Katie Fisher isn’t your average eighteen year old girl, she is Amish and in the Amish community, pregnancy before marriage is not only fround upon, but you run the risk of being rejected from your community and that's why Katie told no one when she discovered she was pregnant.

Katie Fisher’s secret could obviously be kept for so long and when the baby finally arrived, Katie did what she knew to do, Pray. When she wakes up from exhaustion and the baby is gone, she thought her prayer was answered but when the body is found and she’s accused of murdering the baby, her faith in her community, faith and God is tested.

Ellie Hathaway, Philadelphia defence lawyer’s plan to hide away at Paradise Pennsylvania from her high pressured job took a dramatic turn when she was reluctantly agreed to take on Katie’s case.

Immersing herself in the Amish culture, Ellie was able to see the difference between her world and a world that lives by rules that are completely different from hers.

I read the four hundred and fifty one page novel gripped by Katie’s pain of loss, fear of rejection, her need to right the wrong she was convinced was her fault.

I will definitely be checking out more of Jodi’s books in the future, she is a solid storyteller.

Love Way or is it Love Lane...

One day a question popped up in my head...

If God lived in our world, what would his address be? After much thought I came to the conclusion that perhaps he'd live on Love Way or perhaps Love Lane



Well, a few weeks later, I wrote this song.

Now that we've found God (2x)
Keep Him within four Walls
Doors closed to those who need Him
Hearts closed to the pain of others
They look nothing like us
Send them off with a prayer
Waiting on heaven as she waits on us
And when Angels come knocking
We send them away singing

Please take me to love way
That's where I wanna be
Please take me to love way
That's where I wanna live

Now that we've found God (2x)
Meetings, show off our Sunday best
In our pockets, the obligatory tenth
Have a man tell us what's on His mind
Ignore the Spirit that's on our inside
Forget what's really important
Love, the one, the only commandment
And when angels come calling
We send them away singing

Please take me to love way
That's where I wanna be
Please take me to love way
That's where I wanna live

Bridge;
You must be more than
Praying before every meal
You must be more than
Meetings everyday of the week
You must be more than
Praying out loud with fancy words
You must be more than
Living by faith without works

Now that we've found God (4x)
What are we going to do with Him.

(c) Lánre Njoku 2010

On my way to a gig in Camden last night, a man came into my train carriage holding a cup, begging for spare change..

As he walked towards me, I caught myself holding my breath and like everyone else I turned and looked the other way as if if we don't look in his direction or if we simply ignored him, he will go away taking his stench with him.

Now, few minutes prior, I was humming the song 'Love Way' preparing for my gig

"And when angels come calling
We send them away singing....."

so you can imagine my irritation at this guy who has interrupted my flow (remember, I have to hold my breath)

As my train pulled into the next stop.. Yep! It was Angel Station The guy got off my carriage and stepped into the next.

I knew I could not let this guy go without giving him something... Anything. I ignored the usual "He might use the money for drugs and not food or lodging as he claimed"

As soon as the train pulled into the next station, Kings Cross, I got off and ran two carriages down, jumping in right before the doors closed shut and there was the guy. I dropped the money in his cup. He looked at me and said, "God bless you and thank you"

I smiled and continued humming away

"And when angels come calling
We send them away singing..."

Love Way (below)