Goodbye 2012

As I write my final blog tonight for 2012, it is a time for reflection and thanksgiving. 2012 will certainly not be a year easily forgotten. The year was filled with both high and low moments but certainly with memories I will treasure. God has been faithful in his guidance and inspiration for these devotionals and I feel that personally my relationship with him has definitely deepened.

There certainly were dreams that were not fulfilled but others that took me by surprise in seeing God's direction with major decisions that needed to be made. Some doors were closed, others remained constant and others were opened in surprising ways.

My 39^th birthday this year brought with it wonderful blessings that I had not expected. To have snow fall for the first time in Jo’burg on the 7^th of August, and indeed in all 9 provinces was truly spectacular. More so was the adventure I went on to Parys in the Free State. Limitations I had set as to what I thought I could do were challenged which opened a flood gate of creativity.

I give thanks to God for all of you who have been following this blog so faithfully over this past year. I give glory and honour to God for fact that this blog through the various media used has now reached readership of nearly 200 per day. I am thankful for your support and knowing that I have someone to write for has kept me going at times when it felt a bit like too much work. I am hopeful that in the year to come that many of you will refer me to your friends and colleagues and that readership will continue to grow. 

I give thanks to God for my family, especially my mother June, who without I would not be in this blessed position today. I give thanks to God for friends who have stood by me through both the good and bad times and I am so looking forward to seeing what new blessings God will bring in 2013.

I pray God's richest blessings on you all now for 2013 and once again, thank you!

God bless!

Ronwyn

It's a seed thing

Growing my own herbs and vegetables from seeds has given me a new appreciation for the industry of farming, it can be very tricky. Some seeds will propagate and others won't and it really takes quite a while for your crops to grow till they are ready to harvest.

Some seeds are happy seeds. Nasturtiums will take the usual 2 weeks till the first little green leaves appear, but once they see the sun, oh boy, are they just ready to go grow wild. Other seeds are shy seeds. They take longer to appear and then there's quite a big wait to find out whether those two tiny leaves you see are actually going to grow into anything worth while.

Our gifts and talents can be like that too. Some things we are just naturally good at and they burst out of us like water over a waterfall, but others are like a still clear pond, they serve a great purpose but they will seldom make any huge impact.

All our gifts and talents are valuable. Learn to value the time they take to grow and allow God to bring them to fulfilment.

Christmas Blessings!

Wishing all my blog readers a very blessed Christmas!

I pray that you and your family will be filled with the joy and peace

that comes from knowing Christ as your saviour at this precious

time of year!

Yours in Christ,

Ronwyn

Under the tree

I suppose the true joy of putting up the Christmas tree was knowing what was coming next. When we were little the excitement of going to bed on Christmas Eve then waking up the next morning to a huge pile of presents to be opened was just so magical, and yes, I did believe in Santa Clause until my sister spoiled that one for me. Lol! As we got older the presents would slowly gather under the tree as they arrived and it was great fun to watch the pile grow.

Our Father God is our ultimate gift giver. He blesses us throughout life with our talents and abilities. The wonderful part is as we grow older these gifts too grow in number and as we discover them and start to use them, we are in effect opening the gifts which God has given us. These gifts and talents too bring us great joy.

Do you know someone who doesn't know God? Invite them this year to meet the ultimate gift giver. Do you have gifts and talents that are still sitting wrapped up under your tree? It is time to open those gifts and start to use them for God.

Putting up the Christmas tree

One of my most treasured childhood memories are those of the annual event of putting up the Christmas tree. A task, once old enough, my mom happily left us to complete on our own. What joy to string up the lights, then the tinsel and all the little hanging toys. What a colourful spectacle it was to turn on the tree lights each night.

My other favourite was the beautiful home made manger scene that my mom lovingly crafted from a shoe box, some Hessian and a couple of cake decorations serving as Mary, Joseph the manger, baby Jesus, some wise men and shepherds and the cattle and sheep.

Living alone the fun of putting up a tree has just not been the same, so it was for me such a great joy this year to be able to put up my sisters' Christmas tree with her and the boys and so much fun was had.

This Christmas, why not share some of your Christmas traditions with someone who may not have a family around to share this joy with. You are sure to be a blessing and the joy you will receive in return will be immense.

View from above

My day of departure from Johannesburg was a rainy day across the country. When we'd reached our cruising altitude, we were high above the clouds, the view looking down was amazing. Beautiful brilliant white fluffy clouds everywhere looked so peaceful, a view far removed from the damaging storms that raged below.

I often wonder what God sees when he looks down on this world he created. So much mayhem and violence. So much depression and despair. Is there any hope in a world that seems to be slipping into darkness?

The Christmas story is indeed one such story. It is a message of hope, peace and love. Our God on high looked down from above and saw passed the fluffy clouds and saw a world in desperate need of a saviour.

Will you be the candle bearer to show that light to the world? Will you carry the hope and strength that there is in the message of the new birth? God waits on us to be the real spirit of Christmas to those around us.

Last minute rush

That last minute rush to get stuff done before you go away can be quite exhausting. Going through your mental check list to try and make sure everything is wrapped up at work with staff to cover your most important duties. Then there's the home needs with someone to water your plants and feed the cats and check on your house.

The last minute rush for any new expecting mother can be even more frightening. Now a days there is making sure the suitcase for hospital is packed with mom's and baby's needs provided for. At her tender age I have no doubt that Mary must have had many fears.

We don't read about them though. The birth of Christ is written of as one of and truly is one of the most blessed moments in human history. So many of us have lost a loved one around this time of year, so facing Christmas without them can be hard in the first few years after that. Finding the joy in the simplicity of Christ's birth, brings our hearts back to God.

Before I go

Preparing to go on leave is always so much work. I'm quite pedantic about making sure that the house is clean and tidy and that all the washing is done so that I can have a full wardrobe to chose from when I pack.

I wonder what Mary must have packed for her trip to Bethlehem. She must have known her time to give birth was near. Nowhere do we read that this young woman who had being carrying this miracle child for 9 months ever complained about having no place to stay the night that Christ was born.

Her grace under pressure is immense and she made the very best of a really bad situations. How easily do we complain when we don't get the window seat on the plane we'd hoped for or the meal at our lunch stop isn't quite the way we wanted it?

Maybe we need to learn a little more grace when travelling and be patient with those who serve hundreds of customers every day. I know I sure will try.

New toys

Well I collected my new cell phone over the weekend. I had expected it to take me a while to figure out, but I am pleased to say it really is user friendly and I found it quite easy to get going. I'm sure I will soon find new features I haven't discovered yet.

I find the bible like that too sometimes. There will be parts of the bible you may think are difficult to read like the prophetic books, but when you read them with an open heart, you'll be amazed what amazing wisdom they provide.

When last did you investigate the word of God curiously to see what amazing surprises it can bring you?

Game of pounce

The new pots have added a unique new feature, not only for me but the kitties as well. They are great objects to hide behind when they are in the midst of a game of pounce. It is only a matter of time before one kitty makes a break for it and the chase is on.

God is our divine hiding place. In times when life is tough and the trials are real all we really want is to find a place of comfort and warmth in which to find a soft place to lie while we regain our strength and then move back into the game of life.

Where are you at right now? Do you need a time out? Draw near to God and find strength in his love and comfort. With this new strength you may well find that you are able to lift your arms as wings and catch the thermals to fly high above the troubles and the storms.

16 Days

The 16 days of activism against women and children abuse are a vital reminder that women and children throughout the world are still suffering abuse from either parents or the opposite sex. As Christians what principles should we uphold?

Abuse in any format should not be condoned. We need to take a stand against these behaviours and work toward transforming society from the wreck that it is now to the community that God desires for us to be a part of.

Taking such a stand does not mean head banging all offenders and hanging them out to dry but rather training, educating and guiding them whilst providing a safe haven for those who have suffered to be ministered too and restored. We can however insist that the law takes its course and that people are held accountable for their actions.

Our broken world can only be mended when we as Christians do what God requires of us and if we do one more thing....Pray!

December Topaz

As cool and inviting as a blue lake on a blistering summer day, such is December's birthstone, the blue Topaz. The name is derived from the Sanskrit word "tapas," meaning fire. This is because Blue Topaz was considered by ancient civilizations to have cooling properties.

It was believed to be able calm hot tempers. This gemstone was credited with many other healing properties, among them the ability to cure insanity, asthma, weak vision and insomnia.

Blue Topaz is the hardest of the silicate minerals. The blue hue is created when Topaz is heated, whether the heat source is natural or engineered by man.

It reminds me of a little board my parents put up on the wall outside my bedroom, which read, “keep your temper, no one else wants it.” Does the book of James not warn us about the problems that can arise due to an unbridled tongue? Raw anger will easily lead to anxiety and an inability to make rational decisions.

We ought to take heed of that warning and rather than feeding wild fires of anger, let us be the cooling, soothing, presence of the Holy Spirit.

Goliath who?

I just love that Chiwawa in the Toyota advert. Next to his Boxer counter part he ain't big, he ain't strong and he ain't smart! He does however have attitude and courage.

Courage! That is what we all need when we are facing our Goliath. Goliaths come in all shapes and sizes. Marriage woes, financial crisis, health disasters, employment battles and many more.

We should take heart and remember the words of David as he faced Goliath, "You come to me with a sword, a spear and a shield, but I come to you in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel."

If David could defeat his Goliath with a few stones and a sling shot, how much more can we do with the power of the Holy Spirit on our side.

Will you be next?

Most of us will resist change when it comes, that is part of human nature. The fear of the unknown drives us to seek the comfort of familiar surroundings and we will even make friends with our own limitations in order to resist the change that is coming.

Why is that? Well the unknown presents many challenges and sometimes some wonderful surprises. We won't know either way until we step into that unknown. There may be failure along the way and that is usually what holds us back.

We do have to push through that fear though. Peter asked Jesus, “If that is you Lord, ask me to come.” Jesus replied and we know the rest, Peter walked on water just like Jesus did. It was only when Peter looked at the waves that he started sinking.

What challenge are you afraid to take on for fear of the unknown? Only two men on earth can claim to be water walkers because of their faith, are you willing to be the next? I know whatever it is, if you truly have faith and keep your eyes on Jesus, God will never let you sink.

New batch

This weekend I transplanted some of the flowers I'd been growing in the back yard to their permanent home in the flower bed. The momentary joy of seeing the flower bed refilled however left quickly as all the leafy plants in the back yard disappeared.

Sure a new batch of seeds was planted but somehow I felt loss. I suppose it is all about goal setting. Maybe I should have staggered the planting so that the harvesting would be more phased. Planning and goal setting go hand in hand. You can't have success if one of these key ingredients are missing.

Do you set spiritual goals for yourself? If not, then maybe now is a good time to start. In order to set goals in our spiritual lives we need to use the same principles of goal setting and planning. Growth in our spiritual garden won't happen if we don't carefully plan what path our spiritual journey will take.

As the year draws to a close, think about setting aside some time to not only plan for your career goals but also include your spiritual growth path in the plan as well.

Rescued

Shortly before I was about to get ready for church, Ginger caught a bird. Now normally I would lock them out and let them carry on, but I can't stand the way they torture their prey. Unlike wild cats who attack for the pure reason of killing and feeding, domestic cats enjoy playing with their prey.

I had a choice; ignore the torture outside and go to church, or, rescue the bird. I rescued the bird. Not sure what to do with it I walked around trying to find help, as I certainly would not have succeeded in rehabilitating the little thing in my home. Luckily I was referred to a lady that volunteers for an animal rehab centre and I took the birdie to her.

Mankind was being tortured too. Satan had taken control of the planet and was dominating our world. That is until Jesus stepped in and became the saviour we all needed. God too could not sit back any longer while we were being tortured and stepped in to rescue us.

Surf's up

Last night I watched a surfing documentary about two young boys being given the opportunity to travel the world and surf at some of the best surfing locations available. What an amazing way to witness the power of God in creation through harnessing the energy of the ocean for sport.

Mankind has found many ways to generate electricity through harnessing the power of nature. Solar energy creating solar power plants. Wind energy to create wind turbines. The motion of water to create hydro electric power.

The question we need to ask is are we as Christians using the power of the Holy Spirit to create a powerful life? Many people live day by day just to get by and never knowing that we have the Holy Spirit to give us the energy and strength we need to live daily.

Have you connected to your power source today?

What a loud complaint

Boy do I get meowed at loudly. Ever since moulting season started, Honey and Ginger have been getting daily brushing. Honey more so as he has thicker fur than Ginger. I now get a very loud complaint if kitty doesn't get his brushing when he wants it.

It all boils down to not receiving love and attention when and how he wants it. Don't we all react like that though. A spouse, friend, or family member doesn't meet our expectations and we feel let down and disappointed.

In our relationship with God it is no different. We expect God to jump to meet our every desire when and how we feel it necessary. God will always give us love and comfort when we need it, but we must not expect him to meet our every whim.

Part of growing in God is learning patience and what it means to wait for the things that we desire. When we have learnt patience and our desires are then met, the fulfilment is so much deeper. So if you are waiting on God, don't stop. He knows exactly when you need to have your blessings delivered.

How did that get there?

Have you ever had something pop up where you least expected to find it? I know I have. How it actually managed to find its way to that spot is a mystery. It never quite makes sense.

So imagine Jesus surprise when a short little man named Zacheus appears hanging out of a tree. What does Jesus do? He invites himself for dinner. Obviously this man had a hunger to get more out of life and Jesus knew how to give it to him.

When we hunger and thirst for God our hunger never goes misplaced and never goes unnoticed by a father longing to reach down and touch us. Are you willing to do something a little different to catch God's attention? God isn't ignoring you but when we reach out we'll be surprised at how Jesus comes home to meet with us.

Not bound by time

Written somewhere around 700 – 690 BC, the book of Isaiah is a stark book about truth. The truth that God does not tolerate sin and that sin will be punished, yet in the midst of that God forgives.

Isaiah 53 appears almost like a man, standing on a mountain top, looking back and relaying events of the past. Only they aren't past, they are still nearly 700 years away off. How do these mysteries of prophecy occur?

Great scientists have had theories of time travel and it seems almost impossible, that is until you've met God. God lives outside of time and when he chooses too, he can lift a persons spirit out of the bounds of time and show us things past and things to come.

He was indeed wounded for our transgressions and bruised for our iniquities, slain from the foundation of the earth, till we meet him again in the everlasting.

The right formula

I've been struggling to match figures on a particularly gnarly reconciliation for some time now. Too many numbers, too many workbooks and it just seemed impossible. Luckily with a little help from a colleague I managed to make some progress on it today.

Life can be really difficult when it appears as if there is too much detail to make head or tail of the problems we face. I think it all boils down to finding the common denominators and keeping the matching as simple as possible.

If we take the 10 commandments for example. They are all simple clear commandments. They become difficult to live by when we try to find the grey areas and in this case there really are none. Don't complicate life by trying to fudge truth. Live simply and the numbers will match.

Mothers love

Mom came to visit this weekend and it couldn't have been at a more necessary time. There were so many issues I needed to discuss in which I needed an ear to listen and some useful advice. A mothers love, encouragement and support is invaluable.

Jesus knew this too, his Mother Mary was with him the day He started His ministry and she was with him the day he drew his last breath. A mothers love is strong, powerful and gives courage to her children when they need it most!

Most of us associate God with Father and indeed even Jesus called him Abba Father. However God encompasses all and the nurturing heart of a mother comes from the heart of God. Mothers, I encourage you today to be strong. Your children and your community need the soft and gentle care you can give them.

Must do

When I get home in the evenings and especially now on weekends, I cannot get by without doing something garden related.  Whether it is just walking through the garden and checking on the growth of my seedlings, watering the garden or paging through gardening magazines, I absolutely love it.

The colours and shapes are so amazing and I can quickly and easily forget about the stresses of the day.  My father used to love it too.  In fact, the only thing dad used to love doing inside the house was watch rugby and sleep (yip, I'm a chip off the old block).

Connecting with the creative power of God in this small way stimulates my creativity and helps greatly with problem solving.  What is your 'must do' item for the day that gets you reconnected to home and God? 

Limited

Today was a day for being faced with the truth of my limitations. Unfortunately I just cannot work any faster than my eyes or my computer equipment will allow me and that renders certain tasks just humanly impossible to complete within the allotted time.

This definitely leads to a feeling of frustration and helplessness that I'd rather not be going through right now. There is so much going on in every sphere of life that it is hard to keep focused. It is not like life is going to spare you any challenges either and they come at you at every angle.

My thoughts wonder to Jesus and how he handled life's overwhelming challenges? Yes, Gethsemane was his biggest challenge, but He also had the advantage of knowing that the plan, that He would rise again. How do I compete with the faith of the divine creator of the universe?

I can't! The only thing I can do is confess: If the same Spirit that raised Christ from the dead dwells in me, He shall quicken my mortal body!

12 Hours

I really wanted to go camping with friends this weekend, but by the time mid week arrived, I was exhausted beyond imagination. I knew that what I needed most was a really long nights sleep. Friday night I struggled to settle down but when I eventually managed to get to sleep, I slept for around 12 hours or more.

As sleep is to the body, the word of God is to the spirit. We cannot survive in our Christian walk without having sufficient consumption of the word of God. Sleep restores our physical bodies and gives us energy to function again. The word of God restores our faith and gives us the renewed direction in life.

We need to make sure we live life in balance, taking care of body, soul and spirit. If we leave one of these out we are sure to end up in certain trouble one way or another.

Have you had your 12 hour refresher yet?

Just in time

There is one very challenging aspect about accounting and that is that there are certain deadlines that are just not negotiable and it can bring great pressure. There is also the additional pressure of making sure that your work is properly checked and authorised by management and the expectation to deliver a precise, accurate work is high.

Usually on days like this you will find that there will also always be someone else that needs your attention and you can't put off their needs either.

Jesus experienced this too. A rulers daughter had died and on route to attending to her, someone in the crowd dared to touch the hem of His garment with a faith that demanded immediate attention and healing, and she got it.

Jesus felt the power drain from him and immediately stopped to address the women. In doing so he lost time and any hope of healing or raising the girl appeared lost. It seemed the deadline had been missed, but Jesus never wavered. He continued his mission and raised the girl from the dead.

It may seem in your life like God has missed the deadline. Something you felt needed to be done by a certain time hasn't materialised and you feel despair. Take heart, God never misses a deadline. He will always deliver according to his promise in just the right time.

Different approach

I've learned again recently that we need to be very careful about how we address conflict situations. I used to be like a bull in a china shop but I have tried over the last few years to take a softer approach. Unfortunately, I got lead astray by someone I thought I could trust and I got burned.

The bible says a soft answer turns away wrath and that really is true. The saddest part is that because of our electronic age, it is all to easy to rattle off your anger in an email and hit send before you have even had time to reflect on what you have written.

If you are upset with someone in your life, a friend, family member or even a colleague, rather set a coffee date to talk about your concerns face to face than to correspond via email. The personal touch is always the best.

If we were all robots

Have you ever thought to yourself, "life would be easier if were all just robots." I have a couple of times. You wouldn't have to stress about traffic because a robot feels no anxiety. You wouldn't have to worry about digesting food because a robot runs simply on a fuel source.

You wouldn't have you worry about where to sleep because a robot needs no warmth but simply to be shut down. You wouldn't have to stress about education because a robot is simply expected to produce what it is programmed to do and can do so instantly.

If we were all robots, yes there may be many areas of life we would not have to worry about, but we also would never experience the joy of being hugged and touched or feel the sun on our face or enjoy the sight of a beautiful rainbow.

Life can be hard, but along the way there are moments of great joy and pleasure. Don't waste energy trying to make life easier. Know that in all things God is at work in you so that one day we may all experience the great joy of God's eternal presence.

Have you got it covered?

It was very unsightly but unfortunately I had to live with it. Somehow when the builders built my unit they managed to put the trip switch box in skew, so it became far more noticeable than it should have been.

A tight budget didn't allow much room for decorating, however thanks to some help from my mom and a few friends, I finally have a beautiful fabric wall hanging to cover the abomination and it has brought a whole lot more softness into the room.

Are there some aspects in your life that are just so unsightly you can't bear to deal with them? Well I can tell you today that the word of God has a beautiful promise for us. Isaiah 1:18 tells us that though our sins were as scarlet, they shall be white as snow.

Through God's grace, when we accept Jesus as Lord and Saviour he cleanses us and covers our sin with his precious blood. When God sees us, He no longer sees our unsightly sin, but the precious blood of His Son.

[Special thanks to June (mom), Annatjie, Selma and Kobus for all your help!]

November's Citrine

November's gemstone, Citrine, is as warm as the sun. The name Citrine comes from an old French word, "citrin", meaning lemon. One of the more rare forms of quartz, this gemstone ranges in colour from the palest yellow to a dark amber named Madeira because of its resemblance to the red wine.

This rare gem became more popular during the Romantic Period, when artisans often favoured these warm coloured gems to enhance gold jewelry. Citrine, like all forms of quartz, was believed to have magical powers and was worn as a talisman against evil thoughts and snake venom.

The word of God is our rare gem and Romans 12:2 tells us to be transformed, through the renewing of our minds. Why is this important? So that we can use the power of God's word to ward off mental attacks of the devil.

Not negotiable

It amazes me how some people have a really bad type of tunnel vision. The only viewpoint they can really see is their own. No matter how much you try to get them to see another view point, the more they stick to their own point and refuse to negotiate.

Then of course there is the other type of tunnel vision. A mind steadfast on a goal or dream that sticks to the plan no matter what the cost. These people give sacrificially to ensure that no matter how much they are hurt in the process the true greater good is served.

Jesus had the latter. From a very young age he was cognisant of his heavenly mission. The new his heavenly genealogy and knew the plan that would walk him to the cross. Jesus succeeded and today we share the benefit of an intimate relationship with God on a one on one basis because of his sacrifice.

What type of tunnel vision do you have?

Hungry Lion

It couldn't have been more appropriate. My verse of the day from Bible Gateway read: 1 Peter 5:8-9 - Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world.

Isn't that an encouragement for Piranha season. Lol! If it isn't going to bite your tail in the water it will catch you on land..... :-) But it is a sobering thought. The devil is actively seeking out ways to destroy you. If it isn't trouble at home with the family, it might be at work with your colleagues or even your car might be the cause of all the mayhem.

The trick is to know who's behind it all.....yip you got it! One Lucifer is at it again. But oh the joy, we are told how to defeat him. Resist him, stand firm in your faith. James 4:7 gives us some added advice - So humble yourselves before God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. That is WILL as in the positive, he absolutely must...!

Whatever your attack today, know that God is on your side and he has given you the right sword and spear, all we have to do is to use them!

Linked storms

As tropical storm Sandy has battered the east coast of America, we all hold our breath and hope that this time the people of the region had enough warning to escape to higher ground. Back home we have had a week of heavy rain fall, but luckily with some clear sky in between with hopefully enough time for the soil to dry out a bit.

We have had a lot of hail, more so than usual. Are these storms linked? Not directly as the part of a single storm system, but we are all on one planet and what affects one part of the planet one way, will affect another part in a different way, like flooding in one area and drought in another.

As the body of Christ we are also linked. When one part of the body is hurting, we all hurt. When one part is celebrating, we can all celebrate. We need to learn to lean on one another when times are tough. Sticking together is the only way we can get through the storms of life.

Matching figures

Accounting does have its boring side. Matching thousands of debits and credits can leave your cross eyed. Sometimes figures can be out by just a few or even just 1 cent. Unfortunately if you are out of balance, it will mean going back over your figures again until you have it right.

There simply are no short cuts, you must take it one set of numbers at a time. Why is it that we are so desperate to take the easy option out. I know it is human nature but short cuts simply don't teach us what we need to learn in life.

The children of Israel spent 40 years wondering round the desert when the journey could have taken only a few days. God chose to use this time in the wilderness to rid them of the memories of their oppression and teach them to have faith in Him. That is why when Joshua and his men entered the promised land they understood how to 'shout' their victory song.

Fresh reward

This weekend I got to enjoy the first crops from my herb garden. What a delightful taste reward. The oregano adds such a delightful burst of flavour while the thyme and especially lemon thyme add an interesting tangy zest.

After the weeks I've spent tending to these plants it was a refreshing reward. I've been researching the health benefits to eating fresh herbs for a while so being able to eat my crop while knowing these facts made the salads I'd made all the more enjoyable.

Well scripture has many health benefits. A heart of faith able to tackle life's challenges. A scent of ambition to plot course to our vision. A flavour of love to season the meals of fellowship that life brings our way.

Have you had your fresh herbs today?

Do the Cha-cha

A good friend posted on Facebook, "Taking a step back after a step forward is not a disaster, it's the cha-cha." Boy I know a few people who could learn from that. Especially the one's with a temper problem.

Life is going to throw us curve balls, we have to learn to deal with it. We cannot go through life chucking our toys every time we don't get our way and most of the time we are peaved about relatively small stuff!

Now Martha on the otherhand had a valid grype. Her brother Lazarus had died, and Jesus his friend, the famous healer had not come to heal him when there was still a chance of recovery.

What did Jesus do? He didn't stress about it. He showed his compassion and grief by the tears that He shed..... Then He went one better than healing and raised Lazarus from the dead!

When we stress about little things we show lack of faith in God. God can and will answer our prayers, but He does it His way!

Have faith in God!

Noise

Noise, it bombards you from every side and all you want to do is shout....... QUIET! Jesus knew that feeling too. In Luke 5:16 we read, “And he withdrew himself into the wilderness, and prayed.”

How I know I need to do that today. Just a moment, just a time to be alone with Jesus and to feel his presence. A moment to hear him say all will be well. There is something very special about that quiet place. Close your eyes and you can almost feel the sea breeze and hear the waves crashing, or, maybe a quiet pine forest.

Retreat to places of quiet are necessary for all of us so we must find a way to make a special space in our homes that are just for that, quiet meditation. As you do, your soul is refreshed and heart set at ease and you are ready to face the world again.

Piranha season

I call this time of year Piranha season. It feels as if everywhere you turn, there is stress and tension and everybody wants a piece of you. Things go wrong just for the fun of it and before you know it, you're beat, tired, exhausted and all of the above.

So how do we get through this treacherous time of year and still come out smelling like roses on the other end? Well first things first, take a deep breath. Then scripture gives us a clue:

Galatians 6:2 “Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.” Which law of Christ? To love your neighbour as yourself. Now is the time to be a friend and lean on a friend. In case you feel there's no one you can turn to remember the old hymn..... what a friend we have in Jesus!

Tough choices

There come times in life when we have to make and face difficult choices. The result of those choices will result in other people having to take a hard, long look at their situation and reconsider their position.

The fact is that most people will give into their first base emotion, anger. Instead of looking for the truth and submitting their emotions to the change required, they will rebel. That is just human nature. Sitting on the other side means that their anger will be diverted back at you.

How do we handle these tough choices? The only way is with courage. Some people may choose the right path, that is to humble themselves and learn from the lesson or trial. Others sadly, will allow their anger to take hold and you will have to face that anger and if you are right, stand firm until they learn through the pain they will inflict on themselves.

I wish I could make it easier. The only thing I know for sure from having had to face my own painful truths, is that eventually, success will come.

Flying low

They say when swallows fly low it is going to rain. I found another reason they would do so, flying ants. The opportunity to feast on a hoard of flying ants as they leave their breading nets presents a wonderful feeding opportunity.

Do similar feasting opportunities arise for us in the spirit world? They most certainly do. Christian conferences and opportunities to hear international guest speakers can boost our word exposure. Attending bible study courses and fellowship groups should do the same.

To everything there is a season including a time to feast and a time to abstain from feasting. This principle applies to how much and how often we take part in reading God's word. When last did you have a word feast?

FICA

I spent the day in FICA training. You know, that annoying little task we all had to perform by going into banks and other financial institutions with our ID and proof of residence. Well it appears there is far more to the process than meets the eye.

I had questioned why us as head office staff needed to complete the course but I suppose it is because we have access to all sorts of information. With the right information we could be instrumental in stopping the global scourge of money laundering.

As Christians there is another scourge we can be instrumental in stopping. The spread of hopelessness and despair that the devil likes to dish out at every opportunity. In our global Christian domestic product, how much are we loosing by allowing our fellow man to remain in this sorry state? Far more than money. Think of the amazing lives we've lost to alcohol and drug addiction alone.

Are you spiritually FICA compliant?

Thanks for the help

These last two days have been unusually busy with changes in my routine that I hadn't anticipated. As a result last night I did not get time to water my plants and it did irk somewhat. It wasn't long into the evening, when I heard some thunder. God heard me and sent rain.

Now I know it is summer and rain is to be expected, but we have had times when despite our earth crying out for rain, it just hasn't come, so I was especially grateful for the assistance. Tonight was much the same except that I did spot the clouds. It was only a short downpour but definitely enough to make a difference.

Gratitude is a powerful force and Jesus knew this. When only one leper returned to give thanks, after ten had been healed, even Jesus remarked, “but where are the other nine?” Gratitude releases faith and that is why scripture teaches us to pray with thanksgiving. What small thing can you give God thanks for today?

A simple two letter word

I always thought I had a pretty good sense of my personal boundaries, but I was faced with the truth today, that this was not true. I've allowed people to overstep my boundaries because I simply did not feel good enough to insist upon being treated with respect. It is precisely because of this that I have had to endure far more stress than I needed too.

Surprisingly I've learned that my biggest downfall has been in the area of not being willing to say a very simple two letter word – No! Why is it that we allow people to push us in a direction we don't want to go?

I believe it has much to do with the value we place on ourselves. Do you feel other peoples rights are more important than your own? If God could say No to his beloved Israel and then surely we can insist on our rights being respected.

Bigger but not smarter

Unfortunately we find in life that some bullies never grow up, they just change addresses. Be they male or female, they think they are either bigger than you, stronger than you or tougher than you and they think that whatever they want to do too you, they can get away with.

The one thing I've learned about bullies is that they aren't very smart. They are so quick to shoot from the hip that they never stop to check which direction the gun is pointed. So how do we deal with bullies? Silent meditation.

More often than not, people who come gunning for you, have not taken the time to stop and think about their actions and the consequences of those actions. When we stop and listen to the Holy Spirit he will open your eyes to their mistakes. Then with wisdom you can navigate safely through the crack in the wall, they thought wasn't even visible.

So take heart! Whether your bully is 5,10 or 50, don't fear! Draw near to God and he will be your shield of strength.

Trust

Its amazing how quickly a relationship of trust can be broken. My car has now passed its 5 year warranty period, so I was free to select any dealer for a service. I had arranged with a service center I know well to have it serviced there.

When I booked the appointment last week I was given an expected price but didn't request a written quote (stupid, I know). The amount was what I felt comfortable paying, so I took it in on Friday.

To my shock and horror when I phoned a few hours later to confirm completion, the total I was given was double what I had anticipated and it hit me hard. Needless to say, I won't be going back there again.

We need to remember in all relationships that trust must be earned. Did God not pay the ultimate price for us to have a relationship with us.

God gave us his Word first, now it is time for us to give Him ours.

Peanut gallery

We all know them, the ones who always have an opinion, criticize everything and generally have nothing good or positive to say. Well, they annoy me. I hate being around fault finders, negative people and people who just always see the glass as half full.

We should take our direction from scripture. Philippians 4:8 reads,”Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable, if anything is excellent or praiseworthy, think about such things.”

We need to guard against negativity. It can destroy hope and enthusiasm in a second. We know that God works all things for our good, even the bad things in life can be learnt from so we have nothing to fear and every reason to believe that God is going to do great things in us, through us and for us.

Ooooe eh eh!

Our South African advertisements are really very good. The most popular adverts being those that tickle our collective funny bone. The most recent ad to catch on being the Omo liquid detergent, with the punch line being, “Oooe eh eh! Just one small cap is enough.”

Oooe eh eh has now become the collective phrase for all things that are just not right. Truth is our world is in trouble and there are just too many things to even know where to being with the Oooe eh eh!

Strike season, global warming, European debt crisis, corruption, fraud, crime, the endless Jewish / Palestinian war..... where do you go to hide away from all these things clearly driven by the enemy behind it all – Satan!

Psalm 91:1 reads, “He that dwells in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.” What is that secret place? Worship! When we worship God, he tucks us under his wing and protects us from the world around us.

Counting the turns

Sshhoooee! It's done. Vet day done and dusted for another year. It didn't go without incident though. Honey must have cottoned on to mom's intentions and he was hiding away when I got home. After much hunting, he eventually revealed himself.

I thought offering them some catnip would ease the stress and make them more accepting of the trip, but that didn't help one bit. The howling started the moment the cages came out and didn't stop until we got home.

The only way mom gets through the trip it to count the turns the car will have to take to get there and the turns to get back. We all need coping skills. Struggling to get through the last two hours of work? Try drawing a pie and marking off every 15 minutes. You'll actually be surprised how often you miss a 15 mark and then have to cross out two.

Jesus was no different. He had to endure painful torture, humiliation and an agonizing death. How did he get through it? The word says that “for the joy set before him, Christ endured the cross.” What joy? Our salvation.

Vet day

Vet day has to be one of the most stressfull days in my calendar. My otherwise brave little kitty cats turn in howling drama queens from the moment we leave. They howl all the way to the vet and all the way home. But arrive home and they come running into the house to claim their full tin of tuna (unlike other days, when we have to share with mommy).

So the mear thought that tomorrow will be vet day, already has me hyperventilating. Ok, so maybe they got the drama queen thing from me. But honestly, I don't know what hurts more? A short injection or the dent to my wallet? Lol!

The benefits though truly are lasting. Knowing my kitties will stay disease free for another year is a really big blessing.

Life is like that. Sometimes we have to endure momentary pain in order to receive a life time of benefit. If you are facing a situation that that will bring momentary pain, ask God to be your pillar of strength, I know he will certainly be mine.

Always the bad guy

It's somewhat amusing, but mostly sad that some actors are always cast as the bad guy in every TV or movie role they are cast in.  What is it about them that makes us always pin such a negative connection to them.  It can be a look, facial features, body type and many other possibilities.  Truth is, there is just something about their countenance that causes us to pin such negative tags on them. 

What countenance do you reflect?  Do you have a light in your eyes, or are they always dark?  Does your smile go up or down?  Do you always wear a frown?  There was an old chorus that used to go, "I see Jesus in your eyes and makes me love him, I feel Jesus in your touch and I know he cares, I hear Jesus in your voice and it makes me listen....."

Can people see Christ through your countenance?  I know we all have bad days and feel grumpy occasionally, but occasionally people should be able to smile when you walk pas them, because your face is wearing one too. 

You never really know

I've been fascinated by the history of printing. Johannes Gutenberg's invention of the printing press started the printing revolution and was regarded as the most important event of the modern period. It became a catalyst in the development of the Renaissance, Reformation, the Age of Enlightenment and the Scientific Revolution.

I'm sure Gutenberg must have had some vision of what impact his invention could have, but I bet that even in his own time, it must have exceeded his wildest dreams. Every major era since then has grown on the back bone of this one time, and one invention.

This should give us faith and courage for the future. We should never underestimate the power of God's ingenuity in our lives as we never really know when we are going to create something that can direct the course of history.

If God has given you a mission, have faith and never give up.

Birth of renaissance

The turn of the 1^st century A.D., brought forth the first known moveable type developed in China, followed closely by Korea. Throughout Europe in the 400 years after that, many new type settings and materials were tested, culminating in 1455 when Johannes Gutenburg printed the Gutenburg Bible.

The Renaissance movement was born on the back of this amazing technological breakthrough. The invention of the printing press revolutionized communication and book production leading to the spread of knowledge.

Through knowledge we can gain understanding, but it is only by revelation that great wisdom is born. We need to learn to ask the Holy Spirit to unlock the keys of scripture to us so that we may gain from the bountiful wisdom stored in the word of God.

Spread the word

It is interesting to note that in China, India and Europe the development of printing techniques was driven by the desire to spread religious instruction or art. The desire for the knowledge of our deity and in our case, God, has driven mankind to enhance our ability to communicate to larger audiences and spread religious teachings through print copy.

Jesus told the disciples to go into all the world and spread the gospel and he gave us the means to do it. Had Paul not been locked in jail, the bulk of the New Testament may not have been recorded as it is today. His words were then repeated in copy after copy.

God has used every technological evolution to communicate his love for mankind. The question is then, what are we doing to help? Are we allowing God to use us to spread his word to the people around us. Technology is great, but nothing can beat the touch of flesh.

Opal

Octobers birthstone, the Opal, treats the eye to an array of different colours like a summer rainbow. The Opal derives its name from the Latin word "opalus," meaning precious jewel. Prized for its unique ability to refract and reflect specific wavelengths of light, the Opal was called "Cupid Paederos" by the Romans, meaning a child beautiful as love.

This gemstone actually contains up to 30% water, so it must be protected from heat or harsh chemicals, both of which will cause drying and may lead to cracking and loss of iridescence. A gift of Opal is symbolic of faithfulness and confidence.

Rainbows too refract light creating their beautiful display of colour and did God not convey to mankind that we are indeed his 'precious jewels' when he made the promise to Noah that he would never again destroy mankind. God displayed his faithfulness to us by not only making this a promise of whymsy but by sealing this promise as an everlasting covenant.

Patiently waiting

One of the joys and frustrations of sewing seeds is waiting to see what will germinate. I'm learning that I haven't quite figured out the full potential of seeds and what the germination rate will be and am tending to sew too many seeds in one tray. I tried removing some seedlings from a tray too quickly and they were too fragile to move and I ended up having to chuck the whole tray and start over.

That's the secret. In life we plant seeds but because become impatient, we rip the ground up before the seedlings are ready and as a result destroy the crop. We need to learn to patiently wait until the seeds are ready before moving them in order to get the best result.

Patience is a fruit of the spirit and as with all fruit needs time to grow. As we mature in God we will learn how to operate in patience allow God to bring forth the fruit we desire in our lives. Good things do come to those who patiently learn to wait on the Lord.

Harley on scooter

The other day in traffic I spotted a sight that made me laugh out loud. A guy on a scooter was wearing a Harley Davidson jacket. Well, I don't need to explain the irony. The only thing I could think of is; this guy must have the most positive attitude in life.

It was obvious this guy had vision. He wore his heart on his....jacket and it was clear as to what direction he wanted to take his life in. The amazing thing is that I can bet my bottom dollar that if I had to run into this bloke in a few years time, he'll be driving that Harley.

God says, “write the vision and make it plain.” Be clear as to what you want in life and put your heart and soul into it. That way you gain momentum and with momentum on your side it is easy for God to steer you in the right direction.

Save regularly

Don't you just hate it when you are in the midst of a complex task or calculation and the power goes down and along with it all your workings. That's why when working with computers it is important to save your work regularly. That way your data is stored and safe.

How do we secure the word of God in our heart and memory. Through repetition. The more often we read a passage, the more the words will resonate with our spirit.

The human spirit was created to seek God and when we read God's word, our spirit recognises our creator and the connection is made.

I encourage you to make time to read God's word regularly.

Between the eye balls

I read a snippet from my Joyce Meyer amplified that hit me right between the eye balls. I've been praying about a certain situation in which I really need change. The question is, why must God bring change when we can't even be grateful for what we have? In most cases, once we have the change a few months later we'll end up complaining about it anyway.

I hear you saying I wouldn't do that and that's what I thought too. Then God reminded me of Israel. For 400 years they groaned and complained about being slaves in Egypt, God freed them and what do they do but complain about being in the desert.

You would think that knowledge of thwe word would produce instant obedience, but sadly it doesn't. It still requires a surrendered heart. One that says, "Lord, forgive me for my attitude."

Garden wars

My new neighbour Tracy has taken a great interest in developing her garden. That gave me the kick in the butt I needed to get to work on mine. So far I am getting whipped in the front yard, but I think my developing herb garden is going to be show stopper once it is fully stocked.

This very friendly rivalry is having great health benefits. Gardening is really good exercise and being outdoors soaking up the sun is just wonderful. I often wonder about Eden, about how beautiful it must have been. I think in some way, just tending my own garden is allowing me a small piece of the joy Adam must have had tending the gardens in Eden.

We've heard it said, love what you do and you'll never work a day in your life. Indeed I think that would be our equivalent of Eden, but in real life that is just not always possible. I think that is why God gives us spaces and places where we can reflect, come to a place of peace and draw strength from his presence.

Block printed

Block printing is a technique for printing text, images and patters used widely throughout East Asia both as a method of printing on textiles and later on paper. The earliest surviving examples from China in 220.

Block printing requires an image to be pressed from a block onto another object. Likewise we need to allow Christ's image to be imprinted on us. How do we do that? When we read the word we need to reflect on its meaning and allow that to imprint on our soul.

An imprinted life isn't perfect, sometimes there are smudges on the edges or the ink runs, but it retains the pattern of the original. God doesn't expect us to be perfect, but rather that we should strive attain the image of Christ. Are you willing to allow Christ to imprint your life?

Ancient origins

I was meditating recently at how amazing computer technology is and how awesome it is to be able to type and publish a written work internationally in a matter of minutes. For the most part it seems as if the this development has been over the last 50 years or so, but truth be told, printing has ancient origins.

That made me wonder what we can learn about this ancient development as to date the bible is still the most popular book by printing volume. The use of round cylinder seals for rolling an impress onto clay goes back to the ancient Mesopotamian civilization before 3000 BC.

We sometimes get impatient with God thinking, “why is he taking so long to get this sorted out”, but here God had to wait for mankind to learn and invent more effective methods of recording data before he could bring Christ into our world. This so that the gospel would be recorded and documented as accurately as possible through to our time.

Don't grow impatient with God while he is working in your life. Know that he has everything planned exactly as it should be.

Good acting

Good acting allows you the opportunity to buy into the character and to be drawn into the story. I've found myself many a time closing my eyes or with my feet up and my knees under my chin with fear because I've allowed myself to get sucked into the story.

Why is it then that when we delve into scripture, the words fall dead off the page? I'll tell you, lack of imagination. When we open the pages of scripture we put on our holier than thou faces and forget that these were real people, with real lives.

It may help to close your eyes for a moment and picture a busy dusty market place, or the waves crashing over a small fishing boat. Maybe we even need to smell the fish. When we allow scripture to become alive again and see the stories with 3D vision, we will be able to see the humanity and marvel at how God to chose to work through mere mortals like us.

I'm sure Jonah was glad to unwrap himself from the sea weed tangled round his face as he crawled up the beach smelling like vomit. Open your eyes, your ears, your sense of smell and feel... feel Jesus!

I can only laugh!

As I left home for work this morning, the power cut as I was trying to make my morning coffee, which left me rather miffed. I arrived at work and found that my computer was having an identity crisis and had lost its IP address. This was followed by our complex managing agent having a server crash, this when I needed to get some urgent stuff done. All this before lunch time.

Normally a morning like this would have left me flustered.  Today somehow I managed to retain my sense of humour and could only laugh at all the challenges.  I can only think that this might have been due to the fact that my whole body was still sore from lugging +- 140 kg's of soil as well as plants around my garden.  The pain being a constant reminder of the fun I'd had this weekend.

God told Joshua that his people should always have his word bound around their forehead.  Why did he say that?  Well if something is right in front of you and the is a constant reminder then we cannot forget about it.  God desires that we should meditate on the word to the point where it is able to constantly guide our actions. 

Do you have God's word in plain sight as a reminder?  Maybe you need to find your own way to do so. 

Make over

Usually once a year, I love to put in a huge effort on one day to make changes to my garden that can have a beautiful make over effect. After the abomination my garden service committed, Saturday had to be the day to do the fix.

I love the feeling the next morning of opening the curtains and beholding a beautiful new feature in the garden. It is such a refreshing to the soul and brings me great joy. Is it possible to experience the same phenomenon in the spirit? Yes, it is!

Normally we would use the word retreat to symbolize a “moving away from battle,” but it is also very fit for a time of refreshing. We can do this by taking time away from our normal routine and spending time in quiet meditation. This doesn't have to be to a resort but it could be in the midst of other peoples business too.

I did this once by taking a days leave and going out for breakfast to Lanseria, just for fun. It is a rather noisy little airport but great fun to behold people as they prepare to travel. I used the time to make some notes about some issues I need to address in my life.

When last did you take a short time out just to focus on God and his will for your life? Maybe its time to do so now.

Hacked

That's what I came home to find, my giant Strelitzia had been hacked back and more than half its foliage cut off. This after my instruction to the garden service was to “remove the babies and plant at the complex entrance” and “remove DEAD leaves.” With all the work I've been putting into the garden recently, I was hugely upset.

Yes, leaves do grow back but on a Strelitzia they tend to just keep growing up like a palm, so any leaves removed from lower down will most likely not regrow. I never thought I would get emotional about a plant but this beautiful plant has been the focal point of my garden from the day I first got stuck in.

Once the anger subsides I suppose I'll have to put my creativity cap back on and try to rescue the situation. The devil loves to stump us with a set back. What he doesn't realize is that the creative power of God resides in all of us. Didn't God say, “let us create man in our own image?”

God will guide us in a set back and with his creative power at work in us he will rebuild and restore us to his divine plan.

It's all art

Our home cell project for tonight was doing an art project. With my current frame of mind that was right up my ally. It is amazing how getting involved in art outside the office can inspire problem solving at the office.

We've had a "problem" account that has been difficult to manage. With a little training and insight I think I may have found a solution. We will hopefully begin testing next week. Spreadsheets require as much an artistic eye as a logical one to make them work.

Art requires perspective. When we look at an artwork you need to behold the smaller detail and the wider picture in order to interpret it.

Likewise scripture requires interpretation. You need to examine the individual versus as well as the chapter and book in order to interpret it correctly.

How is your scriptural artistic eye?

Twin Towers

I will never forget the moment on 11 September 2001 when I first heard about the terrorist attacks at the world trade centre twin towers in New York. My first thought was this must be a sick joke or massive hoax. Sadly though, it was no joke. Arriving home to find all normal TV programming interrupted as the world stopped and watched this tragedy unfold.

The combined death toll from the attack on the twin towers, the pentagon and the failed attempt on a plane that crashed away from it's target left thousands dead. I simply do not have the capacity to understand how any human being could inflict pain and death on such a massive scale. For those who lost a loved one, this indeed was the day the earth stood still. In honour of them we do take a moment to stop and remember.

Jesus disciples faced a day like that too. That fateful day when Jesus took, what the disciples at least thought would be, his last breath. The trial, the Via dela Rosa, the blood, the thorns, the sword, the cross, all must have been more overwhelming than they possibly could have imagined.

Were they not the ones who had walked with this man Jesus? They had seen him feed the 5000, they had seen the blind eyes opened, the lame man walk and then there was Lazarus....raised from the dead.

To those who lost loved ones at the twin towers and Jesus disciples, death must have seemed the ultimate victor! But....then....it happened! Mary had been to the tomb and the stone was rolled away. The Angels....the message...could it be?

Yes, it is true! Jesus did rise from the dead. The testimony of his life rings loud, not only in the pages of scripture, but in the lives this gospel has changed, mine included. I met Jesus and accepted him as my Lord and Saviour when I was 11. Have you invited him into your life to be your Saviour? If not, I invite you to do so today.....while we remember!