True North

Is peace merely the absence of war? Is peace the tranquil feeling in a still calm zone or a quiet breeze? Is peace the absence of conflict or a state of order? No, I think not! Peace is the anchor of our soul and a rock on which to build our faith.

Peace should be our guiding force and our compass true North. Many people ask God for signs to give them guidance or they seek a prophet to hear God's voice. Our strongest guidance should be the peace that surpasses all understanding. When circumstances tell you there is no hope, peace gives us strength to wait for God's timing.

We often rush and make hasty decisions based on need rather than trusting God to provide for every situation. Growing our fruit of peace requires learning to trust God when we would otherwise run. As we develop an understanding of the work of peace in our lives we can take the time necessary to make the right choices and decisions based on sound advice and trusted facts.

Rest in God's peace today and allow the Holy Spirit to guide you not by voices but a quiet centre of gravity that peace instills in our soul.

That cost how much?

We often think of joy as the emotions of elation and happiness with a great big sunny smile. We seldom associate joy with any form of pain, yet scripture challenges this perception. Hebrews 12 v 1&2, speaks of our life race. Being an athlete requires many hours of training and pain to become the best.

Verse 2 tells us that for the joy set before him, Christ endured the cross. What joy was that? Our salvation and reconciliation with God. This joy came with a hefty price tag.... His death. How often in life don't we desire great change, great results, but are unwilling to pay the price?

We need to have the courage to know that there will come times when we have to endure discomfort but becoming committed to the process, will yield results that can create fruit that will last a lifetime.

Honey and Syrup

Put some syrup and honey in a glass side by side and you'll be hard pressed to tell the difference just by appearance. One of the fruit of the spirit is love and for most of us that can be confusing because we assimilate love with romance. Just like syrup and honey though romance and God's love are very different.

God's love is unconditional. God's love is exemplified in action not in emotion. When God sent Jesus to die on the cross, he did not feel like doing it, but his love us compelled him to make the sacrifice necessary for our redemption. 

God's love is also not just 'liking' someone but the ability to act in a way that shows grace despite them being hurtful towards you. It is always difficult to show respect and dignity when others have offended or hurt us in some way, but it is in those situations that we get tested and are given an opportunity to truly learn how to show the love of God.

Learning to show God's love requires a great deal of work and we will truly need the help of the Holy Spirit to do so..... but then again, that is why it is called a fruit of the 'Spirit'.

Grapefruit galore!

I will never forget the day my dad came home with a bakkie load of grapefruit. I can't remember the reason for the windfall, but there were stacks. We were asked to call all the neighbours. Bags and bags went home with the neighbours, yet there were still a ton left. Of course we ate grapefruit till they came out our ears.

Galatians 5:22-24 talks about the fruit of the spirit. We all need to have these fruit in evidence in our spiritual walk. Some may come more naturally than others as our tempraments will dictate our strengths and weeknesses in this area.

Nevertheless, we should all strive to grow in our understanding and the exhibition of these fruit in our lives, so much so, that we will attract others to Christ through bearing these fruit in abundance.

Table Mountain, South Africa

I can only imagine the expression on António de Saldanha's face, when his ship rounded the cape and he took sight of Table Mountain for the very first time. He was the first European to land in Table Bay. He climbed the mighty mountain in 1503 and named it Taboa do Cabo (Table of the Cape, in his native Portuguese).

If you've ever done the trip back from Robin Island to Cape Town, you'll agree that Table Mountain's panorama, flanked by Devil's Peak to the east and by Lion's Head to the west, forms a dramatic and breath-taking backdrop to Cape Town.

What is the backdrop to our lives? As we celebrate this final candidate of the New 7 wonders of nature, let us pause for a moment to consider the impression we will leave on people's hearts and minds. If there is one thing we should desire to be remembered for, it should be our faith! And..... if nothing else that we loved the Lord our God with all our heart and soul and mind and strength.

Puerto Princesa River, Philippines

The Puerto Princesa Subterranean River National Park is located about 50 kilometres north of the city centre of Puerto Princesa, Palawan, Philippines. The park has a limestone karst mountain landscape with an 8.2 kilometer navigable underground river. A distinguishing feature of the river is that it winds through a cave before flowing directly into the South China Sea. Limestone makes up about 10% of the total volume of all sedimentary rocks. The solubility of limestone in water and weak acid solutions, is the cause of the formation of caves.

Worldwide there are many limestone caves. These places have become natural habitations for animals, bats, aquatic life and ancient nomadic tribes. God desires that our hearts will be like limestone. As we allow the water of God's word to work in our lives it creates caves of spiritual habitation for the presence of God and a space where we can allow people into our lives so that they can be ministered too.

As the world celebrates The Puerto Princesa River as one of the New 7 wonders of the world, lets search our hearts to find the areas that have become hardened to God word. Ask God to soften your heart so that your life can be a habitable place for God and people.

Komodo National Park, Indonesia

Komodo National Park was established in 1980 and was declared a World Heritage Site and a Man and Biosphere Reserve by UNESCO in 1986. The park was initially established to conserve the unique Komodo dragon, first discovered by the scientific world in 1911 by J.K.H. Van Steyn. Since then conservation goals have expanded to protecting its entire biodiversity, both marine and terrestrial.

The Komodo Dragon is among the world's largest reptiles and can reach 3 meters or more in length and weigh over 70kg. As a result of their size, these lizards dominate the ecosystems in which they live. Komodo dragons hunt and ambush prey including invertebrates, birds, and mammals. Their group behaviour in hunting is exceptional in the reptile world. The diet of big Komodo dragons mainly consists of deer, though they also eat considerable amounts of carrion.

I wonder what lizards we have dominating our ecosystems? Is it relationship, financial or maybe physical or emotional issues? Life isn't easy and we all make mistakes, but if we take our eyes off God it is so easy to allow life to ambush us and take over and dominate our sphere of space.

As the world honours Komodo National park as one of the New 7 wonders of nature, let's choose to acknowledge the lizards in our lives. It isn't easy, but with the help of the Holy Spirit, we can ask God to search our hearts and make us sensitive to the issues we need to deal with.

Jeju Island, South Korea

Jeju Island is a volcanic island, dominated by Halla-san (Halla Mountain): a volcano 1,950 metres high and the highest mountain in South Korea. The island measures approximately 175 kilometres across, end to end, at the widest points. The island was created entirely from volcanic eruptions and consists chiefly of basalt and lava.

Volcanic islands are created as the earth plates move over volcanic hotspots. As the lava flow cools from contact with the ocean, it becomes hard. Future eruptions then increase the growth of the island as each successive eruption cools. Although some islands have become habitable, their disruptive nature never goes away.

We all have weaknesses in our temperament, problem areas that never seem to disappear. The only thing we can do is ask God to send the cooling waters of his Holy Spirit to come and calm the trouble zone.

As the world celebrates Jeju Island as one of the new 7 wonders of nature, allow God's spirit to do a work in you so that others will marvel at his handy work in you.

Iguazu Falls, Argentina and Brazil

The waterfalls of the Iguazu River are located on the border of the Brazilian State of Parana and the Argentine Province of Misiones. The name "Iguazu" essentially means “Big Water”. Legend has it that a god planned to marry a beautiful woman named Naipi, who fled with her mortal lover Taroba in a canoe. In a rage the god sliced the river, creating the waterfalls and condemning the lovers to an eternal fall.

Numerous islands along the 2.7 kilometre long edge divide the falls into about 275 separate waterfalls and cataracts, varying between 60 metres and 82 metres high. About half of the river's flow falls into a long and narrow chasm called the Devil's Throat.

When we run away from God's love we may often find ourselves thrust deep into our enemies throat. This may well cause us to fall hard and find parts of our lives split as it were into little islands. Ironically, the areas surrounding these great waterfalls are coverd in rich and fertile land. Our failures can break us to a degree, but if we get up, learn from our mistakes and move on, we can find ourselves in the richest spiritual state ever.

As the world celebrates Iguazu Falls as a new wonder of nature, allow God's grace to turn your failures into a fertile bed from which to rebuild your life and show forth God's wondrous miracles of life.

Halong Bay, Vietnam

The meaning of Halong Bay is literally, "descending dragon”. According to local legend, when Vietnam had just started to develop into a country, they had to fight against invaders. To assist the Vietnamese in defending their country, the gods sent a family of dragons as protectors. This family of dragons began spitting out jewels and jade. These jewels turned into the islands and islets dotting the bay, linking together to form a great wall against the invaders.

The climate of the bay is tropical, wet, sea islands, with two seasons: hot and moist summer, and dry and cold winter. The average temperature is from 15°C- 25°C, and annual rainfall is between 2000mm and 2200mm. The bay consists of a dense cluster of between 2,000 and 3,000 limestone monolithic islands, each topped with thick jungle vegetation, rising spectacularly from the ocean. Several of the islands are hollow, with enormous caves.

Jade is an ornamental stone. The term jade is applied to two different types of metamorphic rock that are made up of different silicate minerals. There are times in our lives when we may be faced with invasion by our enemy Satan. God often uses a process of changing our reactions to certain events to bring about calm. Once these new traits are learned they can become fertile in our lives and be like islands of calm bringing peace into the situation.

If God is bringing change in your life, receive it as a jewel from him that will one day bring a calm similar to the waters in Halong Bay. As the world recognises this area now as one of the 7 wonders of nature, so too, those close to you will see the wonder of God's hand upon your life.

The Amazon rain forest

The Amazon basin encompasses 7 million square kilometers that spans nine nations. As the largest tract of tropical rainforest and most species-rich in the Americas, the Amazonian rainforests have unparalleled biodiversity. This constitutes the largest collection of living plants and animal species in the world.

Environmentalists are concerned about loss of biodiversity if the forest is destroyed, which could accelerate global warming. The use of remotely sensed data is dramatically improving conservationists' knowledge of the Amazon Basin.

A study of the record number of plants, animals and insect species living in the Amazon, declares the Glory of a God who revels in creating a planet in intense intricacy and detail, so we should never doubt that God has a unique interest in the details of our lives!

It is great testamont to God's creation that the Amazon rain forest has been declared one of the New 7 wonders of nature!

So you want to go back to Egypt?

I remember a school play we did one year. My favourite part was about the children of Israel bemoaning their plight because they were stuck in the desert.

The gist of it was that they thought they were better off in Egypt than being in the desert because at least in Egypt they were well fed. Well yeh, you have to feed slaves if you want them to work.

We all get stuck in the past at some stage or another, but we cannot afford to romantisize the past. The truth is that if we are honest about things, there are things in our past that we all can do without.

If we don't focus forward we might miss the miracles that God is about to do; the quails, the manna, the water from the rock..... They go away if we turn back.... We have to keep going forward.

Jaloppy

Nelspruit road trip 3 - part 6 (last one :-)

The trip home was hot but pleasant. Past all our landmarks, including SAPPI (ewe) and the tunnel. Another stop at Milly's to pick up a few last goodies for home.

Arriving in Pretoria, we were both greatful that at least from the mechanical side, all had gone well. Tamsyn's little reliable Golfie, had got us home safe!

We all love to have new things; iPad's, Blackberries and BMW's.... But sometimes it is better to place our trust in the tried and tested and I can think of no better place to place my trust, than in the 'Ancient of days' !

All you can eat buffet

Nelspruit road trip 3 - part 5

On Sunday, while Tamsyn went to visit a friend, I popped down to the lobby, to help myself to the buffet. Most restaurants and hotels know this is a cost effective way to serve meals, because people can seldom eat more than a certain amount. You do run the risk of wastage though.

The devil loves to trip us up on deals that are too good to be true and other luscious temptations. We need to continuously guard our hearts against his charms.

After that it was a short stop past the Mbombela soccer stadium before heading out on our way home.

Thoughts of cuddling my kitties and sleeping in my own bed now foremost on my mind.

Tripped up

Nelspruit road trip 3 - part 4

Arriving at Lowveld High was a special moment. Taking a walk through the school grounds brought back memories, some good, some bad. So much has changed, yet in some ways nothing has changed.

Seeing school mates whom I hadn't seen, some for over 20 years, was fun. I think the same could be said of the people, some had changed alot, others not so much.

I was beginning to think my Nelspruit jinks was a thing of the past, when....... I caught my shoe in a whole and down I went and hurt my hand in the process. A quick thinking classmate got ice onto it quickly which prevented some swelling. My battered ego was the worst affected though.

In our relationship with God, complacency can be our biggest downfall. When we forget to watch our step we can trip ourselves up and get hurt in the process.

Keep God foremost in your consiousness. A heart anchored in God will seldom be swayed.

24 Tambotie Street

Nelspruit road trip 3 - part 3

We arrived in Nelspruit and I was truly amazed at the growth and change. We stopped to buy lunch, then it was off too the Nelspruit Botanical gardens. I am biased and do think they are the most beautiful in the country, especially the expansions and addition of an african rain forest!

After a pit stop at the hotel it was off to the reunion, but not before stopping at our old family home, 24 Tambotie Street, and my what a change.

We used to have an open plot next too the house where my dad had a mini pawpaw plantation, now occupied by a new house. Any vegitation that was left, has grown gigantic. There were some changes I didn't like, but I suppose I don't have a say.

I suppose therein lies the lesson. We often build an altar at the memories of our past because we somehow think things are better there. God doesn't want that. He wants us to live in the now. Remember the good memories, live for now and hope in a future blessed by God.

Wooooooooow SAPPI that's bad!

Nelspruit road trip 3 - part 2

So you're driving along nicely, in awe of the beauty of the majestic subtropical mountains that are covered in greenery and trees, right to their peaks, when........ You come across Ingudwana.

This is the home of SAPPI's paper mill and what is that lovely by-product? Oh my word! It's a sulphur bomb! A giant fart that lasts for kilometers. :-D

The sad thing about this, as I've been told, is that if you've been landed the sad misfortune of having to live in the 'fart zone', that the human brain has the ability to just say, "well that smell isn't going away, so I'll just ignore it". Then it just switches off and you just can't smell it any more.

The question we have to ask ourself is, what spiritual bad smells have we just learned to live with? What have you just switched off too, that you really just should get away from?

I don't know about you, but I think it's time to apply for a transfer and get away from there!!!!! :-)

NZASM

Nelspruit road trip 3 - part 1

So ........ After 2 bad trips to Nelspruit I should have thought twice before accepting an invitation to attend my own high school reunion. However, after having had a really difficult year with the passing of my gran and other personal challenges, I decided alittle fun was in order.

As you begin your decent down the escarpment, past Waterfal Boven, you go past one of Mpumalanga's oldest land marks and an engineering feat in it's time - The NZASM tunnel. The original rail tunnel completed in 1883 to link the inland region to the then Delagoa Bay. The road tunnel was completed many years later.

As you exit the road tunnel going East you are greeted by the beautiful splendour of the Elands River valley.

In life we all want to get to the beautiful valley but seldom are we willing to do the work required to build the tunnel required for our safe passage. Growing in God required that we will be willing to dig through the word of God to find the path that God desires for us.

Don't get weary of the work required, the rewards are so magnificent they would be sad to miss.

Shut up and drive

Nelspruit road trip 2

Years later, my sister Jacquie wanted to go to Nelspruit for a school reunion. She flew up to Jhb and we were to drive down together in my 1 year old Hyundai Atos. (I must add that it had just been for it's first service).

In our excitement we forgot to consult a map and were yakking so much we kinda lost focus and ended up on the Pretoria road via Midrand. My sister said, no worries, she knew her way from PTA.

I noticed my car was over heating but after stopping to fill up the radiator fluid we reckoned we were okay. Just outside Witbank.... My car broke down (beginning to see a patern?)

A tow truck, hotel room, taxi drive via Dullstroom and lift to Nelspruit later, we finally arrived at the reunion. Amusingly at several times during my now 2nd ill-fated trip, the song "Shut up and drive" kept popping up on the radio.

In life we will have detours, breakdowns and will have to rely on others to get us to our destination, but we just must not stop. Just keep going, keep the faith and with the help of a few Angels we'll get there eventually.

Waiting for the bus

Nelspruit road trip 1

A few months after I moved to Joburg permanently I was feeling a bit home sick. Mom suggested as a distraction that I go to Nelspruit (where I grew up) and visit one of my best school buddies, Tamsyn.

With my bus ticket booked I headed off to the bus station. The Joburg coach would go through Pretoria first before heading off to Nelspruit. Just outside Pretoria....... The bus broke down.

Now this was before cell phones so getting a message back to Head Office took some time. Then they had to organize a replacement bus. A few hours later a new bus arrived, we did the switch and eventually got to Nelspruit at around 2am.

Sometimes in life, we can have the right ticket, be on the right coach and even on the right path and still end up hitting a problem. Don't let set backs distract you from your path. Just wait on the Lord, he will restore your strength and get you to your destination.

We have to learn to just trust him!

Chubby mouse

Mouse to Garfield: How'd you get so fat?
Garfield to mouse: Eating chubby mice.
Mouse to Garfield: Let me rephrase that.

Very funny, but there really is a moral to that story. There are often answers to questions we ask that we feel unprepared for. That's because those answers will fundamentally change the way we live and behave.

What we need to remember is that God's devine order and providence will never lead us into anything he has not prepared us for, we just don't know that yet.

Yes the devil does come to test us, but it is in those times that we learn the meaning of the answer God gave the apostle Paul, "My grace is sufficient for you."

Easy does it

We all know the analogy that an Oak tree is simply an acorn that stood it's ground. Seeds need time in the soil in the right conditions with nutrients and moisture to make them grow.

In younger years, youthful enthusiasm lead me to rush into projects. It's not that I didn't take the time to think things through, but rather that I didn't allow those ideas time to germinate.

The bible says that we need to let the word of God dwell in us richly. This means that we need to allow the word of God to take root in us, so that it can mature and bring forth good fruit.

This applies equally to the dreams we have. We need to allow God time to germinate our visions so that as they grow the wind will not simply blow them away.

If you have a dream, don't give up on it! We don't see the germination process but when our dream grows slowly but surely we can be assured that it will endure and stand the test of time.

Attention shoppers

My gran reminded me of an incident from when I was around 4 years old. Our family was shopping at a supermarket when I somehow got separated from my parents.

I must of being paying attention that day as I had noticed the man at the info desk making announcements with the microphone. I marched my 4 year old self to the info desk to ask them to announce that I was lost. Sure enough, mom soon arrived.

It is easy for us to wander away from God's presence. Don't wait for God to use the megaphone to get your attention, learn to hear his still small voice and return to his presence.