Finale

I have said it many times before that I love watching survivor, so last night was the finale of the season we are getting in SA, so that kind of swallowed up all my time, although I did have a ton of chores to do as well as attend a short meeting.

I'm always fascinated by that final tribal council, my goodness can people get nasty for nothing.  I am also surprised at how often I get the winner wrong, tee hee, I must be missing the point of the game somewhere  and last night was no exception.  I had anticipated one winner because I liked the way he had played the season but somehow another contestant won.  Her arguments though had made perfect sense considering she had been on loosing teams the whole way through and had to fight to stay in the game. She had managed to adapt to new teams quickly and learned to win people over fast.

Being adaptable to new circumstances is never easy but it is an important part of life.  I'll admit that I'm not the best people person, but I work hard at it and will always try to win people over if I can.  I've found the most important part has to never be afraid of conflict and to use it positively to not only express my views but allow others to be honest with me as well.

What we need to focus on is to always keep God first in mind when we go into a conflict situation and ask God for wisdom, grace, strength, understanding and compassion.  When we open our hearts and share from our being while remaining compassionate you can only win.  

Teaching the teacher

Today was my first day of being on duty at children's church and I loved every minute.  Every time I am with the little ones I learn so much more about their world and it is a blessing to be involved.  Although I've been attending Mosaiek church for quite some time it was the first time I truly felt at home. 

The amazing thing for me was that all through the service I kept thinking, why not do it this way or that way.  Luckily from previous courses I've attended I was taught to listen to that voice as it is not necessarily the voice of negativity or judgement but rather the voice of the Holy Spirit teaching me how He wanted me to do things so that I can minister from my own unique skill set. 

I think in life we all too often look at being critical as negative but in truth it can be really helpful, that is if we learn to apply that attitude to our own personal development rather than using it to break other people down.

So I invite you, go ahead, look at something in your life with a helpful critical attitude and you may be surprised at the solutions God brings into your mind.  

Backup plan

We've all been there, you think you have life under control but before you know it, swoosh and you're in a pickle!  That is when we hatch our back up plan.  We keep our old cell phones in case the new one gets stolen or breaks down, we buy a house with two bedrooms when we only need one because the extra space can come in handy, we buy the sleeper couch for guests and then end up using it ourselves due to a variety or circumstances.

Mankind has a need to feel secure  and safe and that is why our backup plans work for us.  Even if we think we may never use something, we keep it, just in case!  The truth is we don't only use it in our homes, companies do it as well.  Staff are cross trained on each others roles and extensive business continuity plans are drawn up and tested on a regular basis. 

The thing is, don't we sometimes treat God like our backup plan?  We trick ourselves into thinking we need something now and instead of planning, saving and standing in faith for the things we want or need in our lives, we jump straight in and buy it on credit. 

Standing in faith and believing God to provide for our needs takes spiritual work, it isn't easy but it is exactly what God requires for us.  His word says that without faith it is impossible to please God, therefore living any other way does not meet His requirements for us. 

I know it is tough but if you're about to make a big decision, stop and ask yourself the question:  Am I truly acting in faith in this situation?  You are in my thoughts and prayers as you decide.

He drops he scores!

Today marks the 20th anniversary of the world famous 1995 Rugby World Cup Final, played right here in my own back yard at Ellis Park!  The excitement had been building through the weeks as the Boks played their way out of the group stages and made it through the knock out matches to eventually be faced with New Zealand in the final.  That Hakka never looked so menacing as it did that day but nothing and I mean nothing could beat that Boeing flying over the stadium.

I was doing second year bible school at the time so watched the match with a bunch of school friends and what a blast!  It was one drop kick by Joel Stransky that sent our nation into a delightful uproar and put our country into the history books.  Nobody was going to sleep that night so we headed over to the then Randburg Waterfront and you could not move in that place.  It was bumper to bumper bodies and we just had a ball.

What a joy to remember that day and as I heard on the radio today it is truly sad to say that we were more united and joyous on that one day than we are today.  Our nation had been taken out of the grip of apartheid and liberated and then we celebrated.  So sad that today we are not enjoying the best fruits of that time.

As a church we need time to celebrate as well, time to reflect on the goodness and grace of God which is why church festival times are so important.  Churches today all have their own way of expressing this but when we tap into that we will indeed grow in our relationship with God.

What are you celebrating today? 

For the sake of a clutch - Ferrari Vs Lamborghini

It all began over an argument about a clutch.  Ferruccio Lamborghini wasn't happy with the clutch on his new Ferrari and being an outspoken man, not satisfied with the service he was getting, he took his complaints to the top...to Enzo Ferrari himself.  Enzo took exception to receiving criticism about his automobile from a young tractor manufacturer and dismissed the man.  So Lamborghini took his love for fast cars and turned it into a passion for vindication. 

This story sheds important light on dealing with the subject of how we receive criticism into our lives.  Some people banish criticism to the junk pile and dismiss the message along with the messenger, while others take criticism to heart but allow the message to destroy their self esteem. 

What God desires is that we learn to filter criticism and to use it for our own development and growth but not allow it to destroy the truth of who we are in Him..... strong, courageous and victor's in Christ!  Changing our attitude towards criticism can well change the altitude of our achievements. 

It's their turn now

As much as I hate winter, there is one thing I try to remind myself of and that is that it is the turn of the folks living in the northern hemisphere of our planet to have summer.  Especially when you consider that many northern hemisphere countries experience far harsher winters than we do. 

It is only natural though to be day dreaming about spring and what we'll get done while spring arrives.  A big project for me right now if the front garden remodeling.  I am almost finished digging out the plants I don't want.  What I had allowed as part of my gardening experiment was to allow the mint I had planted there to grow wild......not such a great idea.  The very nature of mint and the fact that every branch that touches the ground grows roots and then also that the roots underground spread makes it extremely difficult to get out.  That is why I am digging it all out now so that I can see what still pops up before new planting gets done.  I have a sneaky suspicion I may still end up with it recurring no matter how hard I try to clear it.

Spiritually that can happen too.  We plant things in our lives deliberately or by accident because we think they are good but at the end of the day it causes more damage than good.  Digging up the roots of bad habits and sin can be extremely difficult, so the moral of the story is for us to keep the garden of our heart well pruned and in check.   

The difference between cats and dogs

I'm looking after my neighbour's doggie for a few days while they are away.  I must admit this is a first for me looking after a doggie, I've done cats quite a few times and boy what a difference.  The most striking for me is that when looking after a kitty, show it a warm soft space and they will be in there like lightning, not so for dogs (maybe a dog owner can explain that to me one day). 

I have tried in vain a couple of times this evening to coax the little thing into her bed which I have specially tried to fluff up for her a bit of my kitties bedding due to the cold.  I didn't get any sense that the fact that it was my cats bedding was an issue, she just wasn't interested in getting warm and snug, which was a total surprise for me. 

Cats have two distinct elements they focus on, comfort and survival.  A cozy bed and food... that pretty much sums it all up.  In our spiritual lives could it possibly also be that simple?  If a warm bed was represented by the importance of good fellowship and strong Christian relationships and food obviously being God's word, would that not sum it up?  I think it possibly could.

So who, or what are you snuggling up to spiritually and are you getting a strong meal of the word of God on a regular basis? 

Is silence really golden?

They say silence is golden, but I've found that's not the case when you're home alone in the dark and the power is out.  That's usually when I start to bellow out loud any ditty my mind can think of and sometimes its just noise.  It is in those moments when I feel alone and sometimes even sad.  What makes it hard is that although my cats can keep me company with their mischief, they can't talk and they can't join in my crazy little songs. 

That often makes me wonder why God allowed my life to take the path it did take?  Why am I single and childless?  I can only say that part of that may have been due to some choices I made but a big part was also circumstance.  I was thinking yesterday that my life feels like it is a million mile's from where I wanted to be by now.  I do believe though that God guided my thought's to also say, you know the way home, you know what to do to change that. 

My journey with the little one's continued this past Sunday and I feel that I'll be happy with the 4-5 year olds so I'll soon start to find a routine with that.  I'll settle in there for a bit first before I start looking for an orphanage and a social worker.  I have committed this journey to God and I know he will guide me. 

Where is your journey taking you?  Are you on the right path or have you strayed away?  Maybe it is time to ask God to direct you through a course correction.  If that's the case then you are in my thoughts and prayers.

Spider in my kettle

I've had to learn to start checking inside my kettle before putting it on in the mornings for making my breakfast because on two occasions now I have found a spider inside.  I'm not quite sure why it is happening but maybe like ants they need to look for water in different places.  The thing is, spiders can be poisonous, so accidentally swallowing one could be deadly.

Sound familiar?  The devil too can creep into unexpected places and strike when we least expect it, therefore checking our spiritual state, like checking my kettle, should be a daily exercise.  Do you catch yourself thinking negative thoughts?  If so, you need to take control of them before they take control of you. 

Taking control of our thought life can be difficult but it is an important part of maturing as a Christian.  One important tool is to find a way to record those thoughts be it by writing them down or by using a private blog that no one else can see.  Often once we have written our thoughts down honestly we are able to see how ridiculous some of our fears and concerns are. 

Find a way today to become the master of your mind and make sure that Satan's little spiders don't rob you of your joy in Christ. 

The soft and the scary

There was only one place on earth I was going to be this past Friday night......at Northgate watching Jurassic World!  Oh boy what a movie!  For a lover of the Genre it was pure heaven and such an adrenaline rush.  I screamed and winced my way through the entire scary movie.  This heart pounding fun would not have been the same if I had done it alone so I was really grateful to have my gal pal Vanessa join me for the experience. 

Saturday was a whole different mission though, it was off to the fabric shop to buy my polar fleece to try my fleece lining idea and boy that was sure worth it.  I must admit I made one small error there, I thought it would be a quick zip zip through an over-locker so I called on one of my other good friends, Selma and she graciously assisted.  I did wince at how long it took but Selma did the whole job with a smile, so boy I owe her big time! 

Both these experiences this weekend brought the reality of how important good friends and good relationships are in life today.  I would have been lost without either friend and I am truly grateful for these relationships.  Even more important though is the fact that these wonderful friends are also my sisters in Christ. 

As I take another moment to say 'Thank You' to Vanessa and Selma, take a moment to say thank you to God for the wonderful friends that He has placed in your life. 

I give up!

Well I give up!  My cats have both now migrated to the bed and I'm just going to have to live with it.  Truth be  told though in winter its nice, especially on load shedding days like today. 

When else in life can giving up or surrendering be a positive thing?  When we surrender to the love of Christ and his call upon our lives. God calls us first to salvation and then for some a further call to ministry.  When we resign ourselves to the calling that God has on our lives, the joy of serving Him and sewing into other people's lives in love brings true joy and fulfillment. 

Have you felt like something is missing in your life?  Maybe God has called you to get involved in a ministry or charity and you've been avoiding doing so.  Why not give it a try and see what happens?

Cat fight of another kind

I'm currently engaged in a bit of a cat fight.....no not between me and some other chick....with my one and only Honey.  Honey bear has decided that the only place he wants to sleep is right under the covers.  Now this has its up and down side.  Things can get a little crowded or they can get cozy..... tee hee!  I must admit I really had no idea how strong willed kitties can be. 

That makes me think about a question I once asked my bible school lecturer.  I can't remember the exact words I used but the gist of it was that I wanted to know in what instances God can answer our prayers in faith and when he can't? 

What he explained is that when we are believing for any inanimate object, we can have complete control over what we are believing for, for example: if you have prayed and asked God to provide you with a car, no problem, God can and will meet that need based on our level of faith. 

If however you are praying for someone specific to give you a car, then that is going to be a problem as God has given all human beings the right to choose and that person can choose to bless you or not to bless you, dependant on whether they have heard from God themselves. 

Well then if we want to have our prayers answered we must remember to keep our prayers in line with God's word as well as not trying to impose our will over others. 

Winter and sushine

This weekend was the first weekend with a major cold front so naturally not as much work got done as usual.  On Friday night I decided to try and insulate my bedroom a bit better by adding a lining and I must say I could feel the difference in the room temperature.  The bathroom was still icy though so I thought I'd try hanging one of the kitties polar fleece blankets over the window.  Don't worry, the babies are still wrapped up tight.  Wow, what difference that made!!  Naturally I have now decided to try and make a proper fleece lining and I just need to shop around for fabric.  

Today was slightly warmer during the day and I decided to have a short nap on a blanket outside, which I'm sure provided me with much needed vitamin D.  Winter is about grabbing opportunities and discovering new ways to do things better. 

Has your heart been feeling cold lately?  Maybe you've been hurt and because of that you are unable to open your heart to the love of new person, or maybe you just are unable to trust people because of the hurt they have caused you.  Why not bask in the warmth of the love of Jesus and remember what He died for on the Cross of Calvary?  When we do bask in His love we are sure to find ways to open our hearts to loving others the way God intended us too.  

Tap on the shoulder

There are times when it is just plain obvious that God is dealing with something in your life.  It's like a tap on the shoulder saying, "hey, time to get working on this."  I heard that loud and clear the other day.  I had been thinking about Proverbs 15:1 "A soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger."  Low and behold, I open my bible app and the verse of the day was Proverbs 15:1.  That sure got my attention. 

What I realized is that this is a really difficult lesson to learn.  There are so many times when people just make you angry and all you want to do is lambaste them, smash their head in and crush them like a nasty bug.  The thing about that is that this is not the way we expect to be treated.  We expect that when people are angry with us that they will sit down calmly and discuss things rationally and to respect our feelings and that is what we need to give other people. 

Most people learn these lessons instinctively through others showing them grace but when this skill does not grow naturally in childhood it is difficult to learn as an adult because your natural reactions are already hard wired into your brain.  What we need to do is to reflect on this consciously and help our heart and mind to learn this new response.  Once it is a conscious thought we will be able to react to others with grace and a soft spirit even though this goes against every grain in our body. 

It really is a learning process but if we allow God to work in this area of our lives He will astound us. 

So you think you are right

For the last week or so I have been in an argument with my local NHC health practice over the incident when I gashed my little finger.  The cliff notes on the case was that I entered the practice and specifically requested the assistance of a nurse to attend to the wound.  It was my impression that she felt the matter was just too much of a bother and said to me I needed to see a doctor.

As I was not the professional in the situation so I followed her orders.  When I saw the doctor, he cleaned the wound, slapped a plaster on it and sent me away with a bill of R475.00.  Naturally I was outraged, I knew full well that a nurse could have done exactly the same thing and I felt she had been negligent in her duties. 

When I argued the case the practice stood by their 'professionals opinion' in the matter only further driving my indignation.  To cut a long story short, they finally agreed to 'write it off' and reverse the charges and give me a refund.  Well they may think that they 'got rid' of the problem but they lost sight of the bigger picture....it has been proven time and again that the worst advertising you can get is bad word of mouth press.  Will I go back there again?  Highly debatable. 

So the question I always ask, what does this have to do with our faith?  Well as Christians we do not have to just put up with everything and especially unjust treatment, so there are times when we have to be difficult and stand our ground. 

The little one's

After much doodling and dawdling, I finally took the next step in my journey towards finding out whether or not adoption or fostering will be in my future.  On Sunday morning I went to our church's children's ministry to get shown around.  From next week I'll spend one full session in each age group so that I can get a good feel of what the communication challenges will be with each age group and then I'll pick a group and stay there for a while.

I know I am going to thoroughly enjoy this part of the process, but in all honesty I was terrified to even take this step, but one thing is for sure that you know you are doing the right thing when people confirm what's inside and encourage you along the way. 

Fear really is a nasty thing and can slow down any progress we want to make, but we must look fear in the face if we want to get anywhere in life and achieve our dreams.  So whatever you are aiming for right now, don't hold back, take the next step and allow God to guide you in your journey.