Fighting sleep

Have you ever watched a child fighting sleep?  It really is quite funny.  I remember when Topaz was a kitten if she was over tired she would charge around the room bumping into things as she went.  Why is it that we fight sleep?  I suppose it comes down to FOMO...Fear of missing out. 

If I sleep and I wanted to paint...then my painting won't get done.  If I sleep and I want to watch a movie, I won't have been entertained.... the list goes on.  Truth is if we sleep we loose nothing.  I mean aren't our brains designed to conjure up great adventures once we close our eyes?  Of course so. 

We deny ourselves rest and then wonder why we burn out.  God didn't want that for our lives, he wanted us to be able to rest in peace while alive.  How about next time your body needs rest, take it, sleep and allow God to fill you with His peace.  

Something new

I have just spent the last 3 days at a Sage Payroll course. This was a real joy for me to do as it has been a long time since I have had the opportunity to learn a completely new set of accounting skills. Sure I wrote my accounting and tax exams years ago, but I have never learned how to do a fully automated payroll solution before.

Why is this such an exciting challenge for me to take on? Because I will now not only be able to add value in my role to my current employer, but this is truly a vocational skill that I can utilize well into my retirement years. Yip, unfortunately I do plan on working for quite some time.

Would you believe me if I told you that you add value to God? How, you ask? Because if we don't choose Jesus to be our Saviour then Christ's sacrifice would have been in vain. If every person who ever lived rejected God, there would have been no purpose for which He gave His life.

Therefore know that you are precious to God, not only because He made you and you are created in His image and His beloved, but because you are the reason for which Christ was manifest into our world.

You are worthy

When you have been through a long season of hard knocks it is easy to start thinking that you will never experience anything good again and that life is just going to be one misery after another.  God has been showing me in the last two months that this is simply not what He wants for our lives. 

God truly does want us to experience good things and to be happy.  The devil would have us believe that we are not worthy of the wonderful things that God wants to bless us with and he will throw all sorts of lies at us about what we deserve. 

I want to challenge you to believe that God loves you and He wants the best for you!  You are worthy of God's blessings and God's best for you.  Stand your ground against the devil and refuse to believe his lies.  You are a king's kid and deserve daddy's love and blessing!

When God's in it

There is no time when you are more keenly aware of the grace of God than when a union or merger or lives results in solutions that both parties have been praying for. This became abundantly clear to both my management and myself this week when questions I asked of a particular business partner resulted in answers that they had been looking for, for quite some time now. It was abundantly clear that my specific skill set had been necessary in order to get this result.

God has ordained this working relationship and brought this about in the most amazing way and more and more we are discovering the uniqueness of this divine paring.

I believe that God desires to do the same work in each of our lives, to bring us into contact with people for whom we will become the blessing they need in order to grow and excel and who's specific gifts, talents and abilities will be a blessing both ways. It does not only apply to business but to romantic relationships, friendships and also general contacts we meet.

The question is, will you listen to the Holy Spirit to guide you along the path you must take to make these divine connections? More often than not we allow our own desires to direct us instead of listening to God.

I want to encourage you today to open make the connections you make a matter of prayer and not just a matter of chance.

Work paradigm

In the 24 years that I have been working I have never experienced such a unique working environment as the one that I am working in now. I have been welcomed many times, but never with such warmth, respect, kindness and grace and I truly can feel that it is changing me.

This new experience has made me question my understanding of work ethics and culture. Is the notion that respect must be earned before it is given really true? I think not! When someone questions a mindset are they being argumentative, or curious and trying to understand their place and purpose. Is it possible for us to welcome new ideas without being threatened? Is it possible to handle someone with care who may be heartbroken from life experiences and pull out the best in them in doing so?

I had truly never thought these things were truly possible until now.....and now I believe all things are possible! If allowed this much freedom, grace and support so early on is possible, then what great heights could I truly achieve if I give the same work ethic here as I have given my whole life. I am beginning to feel a bit like Moses after being called out of desert....I believe these next 40 years of my life could just possibly be the best ever and to that truth I will now cling.

The words from a well known hymn ring out in my heart, “He has called us out of darkness into His marvellous light!” I believe now that these words could mean far more than just a departure from evil to be guided into Christ's truth, they could also mean being called out of sadness and depression to a place of happiness and fulfilment.

Yes, in this I choose to believe...can you?

House and Home

In all the years that I rented space I was never really allowed to decorate the way that I wanted too because land lords don't really want holes everywhere. As a result I limited my collections to moveable decorations. When I bought my house however I knew instinctively that I did not want a bare and sterile space.

Strangely it has taken longer than I thought it would, but I actually have finally reached a point now where my home is filled with colour everywhere. I even have a few pieces of my own hanging on my walls now and one of my favourite spots is my heritage wall with all my family black and white photos hanging.

We decorate the walls of our houses to turn them into homes, but what do we do about making our hearts a place where the Holy Spirit can dwell? God desires to work in and through all of us and the greatest invitation we could give Him to dwell in us is a willing and humble heart. Even through life's darkest times if we are willing to open ourselves up to God, He will come and dwell within us and make us His divine and glorious home.

Age of Grace

It has been a very long time since I have experienced a season of not only frequently answered prayers but of grace as well where I feel that God is tending to my every need. I am so happy to be in a season right now where that is a reality. My new change in lifestyle is taking time to show all the results I want or need but I know in time I will figure things out.

To give a very recent example of God's grace in action, on Sunday I drove through to children's church. I was using props for my story so had one more package than normal and by mistake I forgot to pack my laptop. Now this would have previously been a major catastrophe for me as I have come to rely heavily on my precalculated routine to keep the kids in check. What made matters worse is that I only discovered my carelessness when I was about to turn down the street my church is in, which is quite a distance from home, there was no turning back to fetch it.

Well, I quickly resigned myself to my fate (with images of little hooligans running amok), so I figured I was going to have to dig deep and improvise a smart solution fast. Imagine my surprise when I walked into the venue and there was music and videos already playing and I could see a brand new PC in full swing. To top it all, our lesson was saved there too. God had been gracious indeed! It meant that baring a few minor glitches I was able to pull it off and thoroughly enjoyed the lesson.

I have said it many times before....God answers our prayers...but His way! When we have faith in Him, He truly can do the miraculous and provide everything that we need. If your faith has been weak, draw encouragement from this story, God truly sees your need.

Just a little bit of murder

I absolutely love using my Kindle application and it never ceases to amaze me as to how many ebooks are sold on Amazon on promotion at rock bottom prices and also many totally free.  A while back I stumbled across 'Cold-case Christianity' written by J.Warner Wallace.  Mr Wallace is a seasoned homicide detective who claims to have been a solid atheist who met Christ at the very point of his skepticism.

He grew curious about whether or not a true case for the authenticity of the gospels could actually be verified.  Using his skills as a homicide detective and looking for all the 'clues' you would look at with a crime scene he has skillfully drafted one of the most powerful defences for the accuracy of the gospels I have ever read and seeing how he has managed to contrast homicide investigation with an investigation into the gospels is purely spectacular.  Okay there are few parts where the intense detail gets a bit boring, but push through that and the end result and image is mind blowing. 

The trick here is he used the same methodology as he did in his homicide investigation work so the question I have for you is, what skill do you have that you can use in a 'defence of the gospel'?  Every one of us has skills and talents that God has given us to glorify His name and His great desire is for us to use what we have in our hands to magnify His name. 

A state of being resigned

There are always a lot of emotions that you go through once you've resigned from a position. Some feel elation, others relief, others excitement or just pure joy. Whatever the state you may find yourself in it is clearly because a decision was made.

At a time of being resigned you feel in control and as though you have direction and focus and at least for the short term you feel that you have clarity about life. But why is it that we only allow ourselves to feel this way when we have done a resignation? Shouldn't we be capable of having clear and constructive thought about our future more often than that?

For the last three years, at the beginning of the year, I have chosen an animal to represent the direction that I want my life to take and so far it has been spot on target and my life has followed a pattern I chose at the beginning of the year. 2015 was the year of the Dinosaur and breaking old barriers. 2016 was the lion (or lion heart) year, and with the loss of my little lion, that as certainly true, but it was also a year to be brave. This year 2017 has been the Eagle year, a time to rise to new challenges and soar to new heights and I can see now that I am certainly on track for completing that by the end of the year.

Are you often indecisive about what to do about life and the challenges you face? Do you find it hard to find peace and clarity? If so ask the Holy Spirit to help you to be brave and to make some decisions and to be clear about what you want for your life. When you do that and you are able to make the right choices, you will be able to experience the joy that comes from “being resigned”.

He lead me by....still waters

Today, after nearly 8 ½ years at the bank I tendered my resignation. The decision was prompted by a number of factors, but the most pressing of these being my absolute hatred for Jo’burg traffic. It has been the most painful part of my life for almost a decade as my previous job was in Sunninghill as well.

It took literally hundreds of online applications to produce just a handful of interviews. As I look back now I realize that with each interview, God was bringing me closer and closer to home, but somehow with each one the fit just wasn't right. While on leave these past two weeks I had responded to an advert and was called to submit my documents and then later attend the interview. I couldn't believe my eyes when I found out the office block was just behind Clearwater mall, which is really a stones throw away from where I live.

But to tell the full story I need to back up about 10 to 15 years to when I was still attending Rhema Bible Church, I had been to see a counsellor about a matter and during the course of our one session she prophesied that she saw that God would lead me to still waters. This image resonated with me so greatly that when I created my blog page and had my blog business cards designed, I chose images of still waters.

Back to present day and during the course my interview I took notice of the rather large mural in the board room with an image of bubbling ocean waters. When I enquired if the image had any special or significant meaning to the business owners their response was, “Nothing in particular, but just that they liked the image of.....still waters.” After many other indications during the interview, this was my final cue, that indeed God had planned this meeting many, many years ago and that he was now leading me...by still waters!

Once again God has been gracious enough to allow me a mountain top experience where I can look back and know that though I do not always understand God's plans and often question His work in my life, He has indeed been guiding me through every little step I take and as I surrender my decisions to Him and allow Him to guide me, He will lead me into His perfect will for my life.

I pray this testimony will encourage you to seek God's will and submit your decisions to Him and allow Him guide you every step of the way.

A new season – a fresh start

So I took a short sabbatical from writing but it was oh so necessary! Like many perennial plants I needed a season of complete end in writing to reboot. What aided this process has been my annual leave that I have just finished now and Monday is back to work.

God has spoken clearly and He has ordained that the next few months will be months of change and new beginnings and I cannot wait to share these experiences with you. God has stamped His mark clearly on this process and there is no doubt or no turning back.

I know there will be many challenges that lie ahead but there will also be great joys. After ending my season of grief after Honey passed, God has now blessed me with a season of joy and thanksgiving. I have prayed for a special anointing to rest over my writing as well in the months ahead. I may face a times of frustration with technology or other complications but I am praying that these will be minimal.

My hearts great desire right now is to get back to a place where writing will be more frequent and that it will once again be a blessing to my readers and I hope that you will join me on this journey.

44 but who's counting?

Wow! Mid 40's already. I never would have thought it would happen this fast. 7 August is my birthday and I have a little game I've played with the numbers of in my birth date: 07/08/1973. If you split the numbers into groups of 4 with a separator in between (for convenience an =) an interesting scenario appears, let me show you.

0 +7 0+8 = 1+9 7+3

7 + 8 = 10 + 10

15 = 20

1 + 5 = 2 + 0

6 = 2

6 + 2....... = 8

I might have lost a few of you, but never mind too much. No matter what arrangement I place the numbers in I always end up with either an 8 or a 7. Quite bizarre!

But what is the significance in all of that? I believe God is very specific. At this point in my life I am not at the place in life that I want to be personally, but I do believe that God has a divine plan for my life and that one day it will all make wonderful balanced sense. God is very precise about numbers.

One of my best friends dad passed away last week and I mentioned to her that her dad really was a brilliant business man....and he closed out of the life business, precisely at close of business on 31 July.... That certainly does not surprise me. We love him and miss him dearly.

Every day in our lives is unique and special, even when we don't see its significance and beauty.

As I celebrate my birthday this 07/08/2017 (Lol - More 7's and 8's) I choose to believe in God's wonderful plan for me. Will you join me in having faith for your life too?

P.S. And 44? 4+4=8 Go figure!

Bright lights

I have this annoying thing that happens with my bedroom lights. For some unknown reason I have noticed that it won't be too long after I have changed globes, the one light will burn out/blow really quickly. Then, due to my hatred of changing light bulbs (too scared I'm going to fall off the ladder), it stays that way until the next bulb bursts, which for some unknown reason, takes a very long time. In all that time my eyes get used to the slowly dimming lights as it fades in strength.

Then once the second one has blown, its off to the shops and I replace them both.....and oh boy it is just so darn bright. So much so that I feel uncomfortable and exposed. Weak light makes it difficult to read, while overly bright light creates glare.....I think its time to change my lights, tee hee.

When we first come to God, it is like being bowled over in love. As time goes by and God begins to work in our hearts, it is as if the brightest light has come on and we don't know where to hide to get away from its glare. Let me encourage you my friend, don't run away. Your spiritual eyes will adjust and when they do you will enjoy being able to see your life clearly for what it is and it will make dealing with issues so much easier.

My concept of church

Wow! I have never been as challenged about my concept of church as I was on Sunday. Typical me, I wasn't on children's church duty, so I dawdled through the morning to go to second service because we had a children's church lunch on after that. No sooner had I left home (not even out the complex driveway) when I was hit by a major sinus attack. My eyes swelled with water and burned as the almost toxic late winter dust and fire smog filled air got in my eyes and sent my dust allergies flaring.

Needless to say I arrived at church very late. I didn't want to embarrass myself by walking into the auditorium late so I went into one of the other venues where they have some lounge chairs out and they had the service playing on TV screens right in that spot. As I sat there it struck me as to how we limit God and our perception and reality of what the church really is.

In terms of buildings I've experienced so many, from Holy cathedrals, to massive auditoriums, to small intimate chapels....but... the truest church of all has been found in the warmest loving hug of great spiritual friend who has stood by me through thick and thin.

For the love of a kitty

With Honey and Ginger I can't remember how it happened or when it happened, because it was all so organic and being male kitties they would rub themselves against me constantly to mark me as their territory, but their affection towards me just grew each year. Ginger is now highly affectionate when he chooses and it is easy to love him. I still miss my darling Honey-Bear dearly and think of him daily.

The challenge for me was little Topaz, even though her stay at the shelter was really short when compared to some of the other cats that had been there a while, she arrived very hardened, afraid and unloving. Biting me was a daily routine and it took a long while just to work that habit out of her with love, but getting any affection or being able to tickle her was practically impossible.

So I began with tickling her when she came in from her morning run around. I would tickle her while she was feeding, then slowly I have been able to find other ways to encourage a few tickles. Now her training has grown even more to her now doing the same thing that Honey and Ginger do and that is jumping on top of the toilet when I get out the shower and while I dry my feet she gets a daily tickle.....and boy can I see that she is starting to like it, much to my delight.

I've said it before but I believe God brought Topaz into my life to teach me how to love people who have been hurt and wounded by life and how to reach out to them with constant love and affection. Yes, people will bite and hurt you too, but if you stay put and you just keep at it, slowly they will be able to relax and open up to you.

Dead end of winter

My beautiful pomegranate has all but lost all its leaves, the berry bushes are seemingly lifeless stalks and anything that is growing or alive is still looking okay, all be it a tad shabby and for the time being all the plants are being left to just be. This as the dead end of winter finally shows its claws.

I know though that in roughly 4 weeks time, seemingly out of nowhere and with no sight of spring yet visible the new buds will appear and herald in the seasons change once again. But in this seemingly dead end time how do I just let things be in peace and know that all is well and will be resurrected in spring once again? Well because this happens year after year.

Our spiritual lives go through these dead phases too. Dreams may seem crushed, hearts may be broken, life may seem lonely, physical pain may seem never ending.....but if we wait for God and trust in His timing, then as sure as the laws of nature, new life will spring forth again.

So if you are tired and feeling weary, take some time to rest in God. Rest in the knowledge that He has everything planned as it should be.

Perfectly cosy

I am attending a two day course on the other side of Joburg to where I live. Most people would have just done the longer drive in the morning and not worried about it. Me, I'm not a morning person, so fighting double distance traffic for two days wasn't an option. Besides the course I am doing is going to require some introspection and thought and although I miss my kitties dearly, they do demand all my attention when I am home and I knew I just would not gain what I needed to if I stayed at home.

So I've checked into a very small cosy 1 bed cottage B&B for the two nights which puts me closer to my destination. I could have figured out a plan to go for something more expensive but my birthday is around the corner and I know I'll be doing something special then, so for now, cosy suites me just fine.

Paul says in Philippians 4:12 [paraphrased] that he knows how to have much and he knows how to do with little. There are times when it is completely necessary for us to be removed from the comforts of home so that we can learn gratitude and appreciation for what we have. Today I am grateful for the blessings of my beautiful home and the beautiful mountain that I get to look out on every day from my window and when I go for walks with my kitties.

Thank you God for all beautiful blessings you bestow on us daily.

A while before it is done

Well it all is taking quite some time...that is sorting out all my PC issues and I have decided that when it is done, I must have two fully functional laptops that can do what I need them to do even if I turn the old one into nothing more than a terminal machine.

The reason for such a strong decision is that I am almost helpless to control all the aspects of my life that need controlling without it. Does that make me a control freak? No I don't think so, I simply recognize that busy people with a lot of responsibility require more support, be it technical or otherwise to get things done, so I need to make sure I'm covered. Then there is also the added benefit that should I loose one to theft, I won't be stranded again. This long season with limited computing power has been utterly frustrating.

Jesus understood the frustrations of not being able to get things done. He encountered it everyday in the helpless lives of people that reached out to Him for a miracle because there simply were no other solutions to their problems at hand.

God knows our fears and frustrations when we are run off our feet and yet still fee like we are treading water. Whatever your situation today, call out to Jesus in the same way the His people did, “Son of God, have mercy on me.” Then open up your heart and prepare to receive strength from on high!

It's about instinct

Some time back I remember reading an “info” spot about cats and it said that by instinct cats will not drink water next to their food bowl as it goes back to conditions in the wild and that they won't trust water that is too close to their kill as it may be contaminated by the blood or germs of their kill.

In my bedroom I have two trays under the dresser, one with food and the other with water, but the kitties seldom drink water here, I'm guessing for the reasons stated above. Recently while installing the new wall panel heater downstairs, my electrician told me that they keep a bowl of water next to theirs to act as a humidifier. I decided to follow suit, but take a guess who found my water bowl....you guessed it, the kitties! So now I have a hard time keeping it filled, tee hee!

What is our spiritual instinct then when it comes to our relationship with God? Well God designed us to have a yearning for Him and thus our natural bent will be to search for and long after God. When we deny that instinct we will search for things to fill that void, but when we yield to the call of God we can come to Him and be filled to overflowing with His love.

How are you going to respond to your instinct to search for God?

Curiosity and the cat

Curiosity and the cat

If you have one, a cat that is, it doesn't take you long to figure out where the saying “curiosity killed the cat” actually comes from. The other night I was busy fiddling with the plugs at the back of my bed and I had pulled out the base to get to the plug itself, when before I knew it, Topaz had wiggled her way in under the base.

Now this is particularly troublesome because I have a futon base which is really low. It didn't take long before 'poepsiewinkles' was stuck and couldn't get out, although it did take me a few minutes to figure it out. In the end I had to push the mattress off far enough to see where she was, lift the base and let her crawl all the way through. Tough job that was!

How often in life don't we get stuck simply because we gave no thought to our actions whatsoever, nor thought to check if we should actually be going down that road anyhow? Word to the wise ....next time you get tempted to crawl in where you shouldn't go...ask God for wisdom and take some time to listen for an answer and think things through.

When you are looking

In church on Sunday our preacher spoke about worship. What stunned me is that he chose scriptures, that in my traditional mind, had nothing to do with worship or didn't even make me think of it, but by the time he was done with his sermon I saw it clearly.

Lately I have been bored with my normal reading of the Epistles so I thought I would scamper through some of the minor prophets and would you believe it???? There in the middle of all the “hell fire and brimstone” arguments were some of the most amazing scriptures that exalted God and brought the presence of God near.

Yes, when you are looking for it, worship can be seen everywhere in scriptures. In the good, in the bad, in the ups and in the downs of every story that is told, our majestic God is glorified. So too, God is glorified in every joy and every pain of our own lives. In the sadness, in the triumphs, in the failures and in the jubilation's of everyday life, God is glorified in them all.

But how is that possible, you may ask? Because God is not limited to happiness, success and joy! Scripture tells us in Hebrews that Jesus was acquainted with our pains and sufferings, with our temptations and our weaknesses, yet he still managed to die and rise again in majestic glory.....

How?

By the spirit of God......for it is not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit says the Lord!

Nothing instant about art

I have realized this weekend how many of my artistic endeavours take a very long time to finish. My garden has been a labour of love for many years and every year it changes little by little into the perfect garden I have desired. My recent endeavour to build small fairy and Gnome houses has surprised me as to how long it can take to stick some rocks on a pot. Each little house takes several days to build as the glue can only hold so many stones at a time before they slide off.

My other current project to make more polar fleece curtains is taking ages to do as I really am not very good yet at all and just cutting and pinning them this Saturday took hours. Then there is the painting that I haven't done anything of in recent weeks, that really takes weeks to finish when I do start. Being creative is not a quick business at all.

So why is it that we expect everything to be quick when it comes to our spiritual walk? Why do we ask God to create love, family, our careers, or anything else for that matter overnight? Are we not God's greatest masterpiece? No there is nothing quick about being artistic and that is why God is in no hurray to paint our lives in the brilliant colours that He sees when He looks at us.

So if you have been wondering why it is taking so long to see God at work in your life, know this....

God is working in your life, one stroke, one stitch, one piece at a time and He is patient with us. Let us learn to be patient with ourselves and with His processes working in our lives.

Chicken or beef

My choice to eliminate meat products as much as possible from my life was a choice of preference and not a rule that I enforce on others, I do however always appreciate it when I can stick to that as closely as possible. Unfortunately sometimes circumstances require compromise. Such was the case with my recent visit to Kimberly.

Mom made every effort to accommodate me and that was hugely appreciated, however when she felt like a quick meal of pies, I was happy to return the favour by accepting a chicken pie. It came time for lunch to be served and mom handed me mine. As I sliced it open my pie, I noticed the sauce looked a little different. I tasted it and it tasted like pepper and I was confused but I didn't want to seem ungrateful so I took a few bites, only to discover that it wasn't quite the chicken I thought it would be.

Nevertheless I kept quite and ate away. Lenn finished his pie too, only to pipe up afterwards with “June, where did you buy these pies?” Here came trouble...tee hee...Mom replied with the store name and he politely asked that she ask them next time what had happened to his pepper steak ...Lol! Busted!

Well an amusing fight ensued with mom denying that she had accidentally switched the pies, while she was mad that we didn't pipe up sooner about the mistake rather than eating each others pies. Oh my gosh what a laugh!

Well what pray tell would be the moral of this story.....?

When in doubt, ask. Ask for clarity, ask for more information, ask for help, ask for reassurance, ask for strength, ask for wisdom and above all else, ask for forgiveness, mercy and grace. When we ask God, we can trust God and expect the blessing of receiving that for which we have asked.........

…. and if you doubt this to be true..... Ask for Faith!

The usual blessing

I have come to get used to the pace of the short breakaway's that I get when I go to Kimberly. I truly have an amazing mother who loves to be a blessing and there is nothing ordinary about that. Kimberly is a dry and desolate place yet I have seen time and time again that when the residents water their gardens they flourish and produce great beauty and such it is with a mothers love. Love creates beauty within the soul.

It was wonderful to be able to spend mother's day with my mom and Lenn and be treated by him to a braai, which is something I haven't had in a while. One thing that I did notice clearly on this trip is that it was a clear switch over from autumn to winter and by the time I came home, some of the trees that had been holding onto their last leaves were now bare. Yes the cold of winter has arrived.

I came home to my beautiful kitties and I realize their love for me as Ginger immediately starts demanding walkies and even Topaz greeted me with with an unusually long and loving meow, she has now even come to show appreciation at my return home. I'm all too sure they are grateful to have me back as I have just tucked them into warm beds with warm blankies to cover them and keep them snug.

Oh the usual...we have come to see it as normal yet we so often forget how amazing the “usual” really is. Its a blessing to be alive, to be able to give and receive love and to know that normal can be extraordinary if we just have a grateful heart!

Sew what?

Another long weekend at home and the usual pottering around happens, but I also decided to get stuck into trying to make some knee blankets for work. Well did I get it all wrong! Mother was right, I needed a thicker foot or something, I struggled to find the right stitch and boy the finishing was horrible. I was annoyed because the pace at which I am trying new things isn't keeping pace with my skill set (I know that should read differently but wait!)..... then it dawned on me....

I am trying NEW things!

How many adults without kids, or with kids that matter, would teach themselves to make fairy houses to build a fairy garden? How many people my age are learning to sew again for the first time in 30 years? And more importantly, how many people are trying new ways to connect with God?

Trying new things is sometimes a bit scary but most times just frustrating because you never know how things are going to turn our......well try them anyway! You may just surprise yourself! My little fairy houses are looking delightful and I am enjoying making every one. So I might need to practice and then still not get it right with the fleecy curtains, but at least I am giving it a go and not sitting back to afraid to try.

Trying new things in your relationship with God is also scary and maybe you're coming to God for the first time as a mature adult and realizing that learning out about God is like a baby trying to figure out his toes. Do it anyway! If you are a mature Christian, trying to figure out how to connect with God in new ways is also just as difficult. Do it anyway!

Don't hold back in fear in life, just do it anyway!

Reminded

It seems this time of year is going to be filled with some painful reminders. Late April 2015 was the last time I got to spend a holiday with my Gran-Babe Smith and we all miss her so dearly. May 2016 was the final month I had with my beloved Honey-Bear. My “year of grief” has been a painful and lonely time. Although I can for the most part hold back the tears now, the pain is till very real. Missing someone we've lost is always so very difficult.

But.... Freedom day in South Africa, reminds us of a joyous celebration, because it was for the very first time in 1994 that all citizens of our beautiful country were able to cast their vote in a free and fair election and not a single one of us who voted that year will ever forget it. For the first time in the history of our nation a vote had to be run over 2 days because everyone, yes absolutely everyone wanted to make their voice heard.

Now 23 years later we are back at the same precipice. We are standing on the edge of a time period in our country's history that will once again make history and a time never to be forgotten, because it is now that we are once again fighting for our freedom. Not the right to vote in a free country but a right to live in a country governed by......at least.... principled people who will not fall prey to corruption. This freedom that we are fighting is bringing our nation together in ways never seen before.

Only a few short days ago Angus Buchan lead a church service as never before seen. Approximately 1.7 million South African's arrived just outside Bloemfontein to do the one thing we all know is so needed right now, to pray! And pray they did and I know, that I know, that I know God has heard them! We will see the tides of change and the power of God sweep across our nation once again........

Hold onto your seat.....it is coming!

Cremora cat

You guessed it, Ginger.....and why Cremora cat?  Because he is always on top of the cupboards.  So much so that I have to make sure he has a place to sleep on top of the one.  For some time it was a way to get a away from the baby but not so much any more.  I can't quite figure out why he always likes being high up.....but I think I might have an idea.

Back in the good old days they built houses with built in cupboards they were strong and sturdy, not like the cheap melamine rubbish you find today and they had quite a bit of space up top.  I remember as a very young child, playing with my then best friend Tammy at her house and Tammy had made the top of her cupboard, her little "secret hiding place".  Well not so secret if mom knows where to find you....tee hee!

Well in Psalm 57:1 David says that he will find shelter under the shadow of God's wing and that he will find refuge there.
Psalm 57

Psalm 91 Tells us that when we dwell in the secret place of the most High, we can call Him our refuge and fortress.  

Psalm 91

I have in recent days been crying out to God to draw me closer to Him and to keep my soul protected from the worries that plague my mind.  It has required setting new daily disciplines but as I have I feel most certain that my relationship with God is growing even stronger. 

I want to encourage you not to skip the links inserted in today's blog, click on them and read Psalm 57 & 91 and call on your God to be your refuge and strength.

All creative and stuff

When we celebrate Easter we use the symbol of the egg as a symbol of new life and new things.  Well having spent the long weekend at home I grabbed the opportunity to do anything and everything creative that I could.  I am building a fairy/gnome garden.  I have finished the first house and placed it in the garden and then I have painted the stones for the yellow brick road which will hopefully get laid today.

While working in the garden I decided I had to tame the shrew that had become my 4 gooseberry bushes that had grown completely wild and uncontrollable.  I split them up and placed two in the front garden to give them more space to grow. 

I started learning to sew again with my friends mom and went for my first "lesson" which was really just to get to know my machine and what it can do.  Now I need to start finding time to practice and get something made soon so that I don't loose the knack of it. 

New things come in all shapes and forms and I know that God loves it when we are creative and build/make beautiful new things to bring him glory.  God in His essence is still the most magnificent creator of them all.  To this day new stars are born in the galaxies, new plants grow, new babies are born to both human and animal parents every day.  God has never stopped creating and so should we. 

If you haven't tapped into your creative side for a long time then I really want to encourage you to do that.  Being creative brings forth new life both physically and to the soul. 

Want to / Need to

We all struggle with this decision every day.  What do we want to do versus what do we need to do?  When we are lucky the want to do decision can win and we can allow ourselves the time to play, sleep, relax, visit friends or whatever it is we want.  At other times though, the need to do scenario must take precedence and we need to just get done what we have to. 

Jesus faced that very struggle at Gethsemane.  He knew the path ahead and this was the final pit stop, His final opportunity to back out of the plan and run away or stand firm and face the moment of His betrayal.  He could have run......He could have said, "sorry Father, I'm just not ready." 

Thankfully.....He didn't. 

Jesus surrendered His will to God, faced His betrayer and followed the path that lead to Calvary.  Oh and thank God He did!  Our lives would never have been the same if He didn't.

So next time you are faced with a want to vs need to decision, make the choice that is right for you, but remember Jesus and the price He paid for you!

Just a little more time

I find myself often wishing that I could just have a few more hours to the day.  A few more hours before I have to go to bed, or go to work or whatever, just a few more hours to get the things done that I really want to do.  That never happens!

I wonder if Jesus had the same thoughts too as He rode into Jerusalem on that wonderful Palm Sunday?  I wonder if He said, "Father can we delay this plan just a little bit longer, just so that I can have more time with my disciples, after all it has only been three years."

I know that pain of longing for more time.  Today I have celebrated Topaz's allotted birthday, I say that because we don't know the exact date.  However I have also caught myself feeling very emotional too, remembering back to this time last year and that it was my final few weeks with my beloved Honey-Bear and I didn't even know it.  How I wish I could have done more for him.  Tickled him more, cuddled him more and had more time to think of maybe finding a painless medical solution to his little problems.  My heart has been broken and shattered as I think of this. 

I know Jesus must have felt similar fears and pain because He actually did know what was about to come and that His time of presence here on earth was coming to an end.  There is so little solace that can come at a time like this, but I know Jesus knew that His death and departure would bring about the advent of a new era, a new era of us walking in the eternal life that He created us to live. 

Everybody's shuffeling

You have just got to love South African humour!  Amidst all the drama and mayhem that our good president has brought to us with his disastrous cabinet reshuffle and the subsequent Standard And Poor's downgrade to "Junk" status, an Earthquake rocks Botswana with tremors felt all over South Africa.....and what's the Joke?  Zuma's reshuffling the provinces too.....Bwahahaha!

But it is no laughing matter at all!  For now, greed has won the day.  I wonder though, for how long?  South Africans are not the type of people just to turn a blind eye and let it be, no we fight, we fight very hard!  The end of the story has not yet come. 

With Easter approaching and being mindful of Christ, we know where that story ends.  We know the devil thought he had won the day on 'Good Friday' but He had no idea of the hiding he was about to be delivered three days later.........and somehow, Zuma I think you will feel the same!  

Is it right to mix religion and politics?  When it is real life and there are real consequences, I feel an absolute yes is appropriate, after all, the bad guys have forgotten one important lesson I remember all too well from 1994.....South Africa is a praying nation.  As Christians, it is time to get on bended knee and bended heart once again and pray that our beautiful country will rise again too, just as Jesus did!

Bumper sticker or not?

I love my little Hyundai Atos!  It has served me well for the past 10+ years and has been fairly economical compared to my previous Jetta.  One of the niggles I have had with it though is with the paint work.  At one stage I had large patches of paint peeling off the bonnet.  After a motor accident some time back I got the bonnet repainted and fixed the accident damage and my little bug was good to go again.

Alas!  A large patch has opened on the roof and it has me worried.  It got me back to thinking about the 80's and when bumper stickers were all the rage and they were particularly useful for the old rusted sca-donks that roamed the roads and many a car had entire sections of stickers.  Boy am I glad that phase passed.  So I started wondering if I should not just stick a sticker over my problem and be done with it, haha!  (Don't worry mom, I won't actually do it, tee hee!)

[There's another point to ponder....how often don't we cover our problems with a fake smile, a laugh, or sarcasm?]

The thing about Christians and the 80's and those stickers was that it was often the cars/drivers with the most stickers that drove the worst.  Eish, what a bad rap they gave us poor bible believing Christians.....heheee.  Truth be told, I've trashed my Christian status with my behaviour before and I feel aweful for it and so I should. 

How about we don't let the external things of life determine our witness?  How about we find a way to accept our humanity and try to be kind at all times.  After all isn't it the goodness and kindness of God that leads us to repentance....let's rather let that be our witness!

Four leaves over

If you love gardening the way I do, you'll know how exciting it is to watch plants grow. One such item I have been watching with interest all season is my pomegranate tree that I planted last year as a baby tree. My challenge to it all season long has been that I just wanted it to grow tall enough this year so that I can see its leaves over my garden wall as I arrive home.

Well, what do you know? It happened this week. As I pulled into my parking spot one evening I could just see four little leaves peering over the wall, you can imagine my joy. Funny thing is when you look at it, most of the growth has been and umbrella effect, it sent out one branch shoot, straight up....almost as if to say....”challenge accepted!”

Now imagine God's great joy when He sees us growing, not only in our relationship with Him, but in our faith levels and belief that He can and will do in our lives what He says in His word He will do.

I challenge you today to say to God yourself, “Okay God, challenge accepted!”

Distrust – Its a basket thing

So, I got it wrong. Tale goes back to just after Honey passed, I thought “Ginger” needed a new bed to help 'him' cope with the change. So I bought him the cutest burger bed and he could squeeze himself in and he really seemed to like it. Then along came miss Topaz, so I felt she needed one too. Problem was they did not have stock of that model so I had to buy another one which was slightly larger and did not close in front. No problem, I thought, I'll just cover it with a blanket. I therefore decided Ginger could have the new one and Topaz could get the burger bed.

Well did that plan backfire! Firstly, missy being a shelter cat at the time, had no need for being covered up so she kept jumping out and jumping back into the open basket. Then another kitty behind a blanket in another basket was just too much temptation and she pounced on it constantly. Well summer came and we were back to the old open baskets so all was back to normal, except that the winter beds are both on top of my one cupboard and he can manage to jump up there but she can't. Does she whine about that! Constantly wants to get on top just so she can lie in it too.

Okay, so now I'm thinking the only way to solve this problem is to get her one just like his. Got it......is she interested?....not a chance. Sigh! Then I got to thinking about what's the real problem here, besides the fact that I like spoiling my cats and wasting money on them, dah! I watched her behaviour and she jumps in, looks around as if to say, okay looks the same, but it just isn't mine yet, I don't trust this! Luckily we have some time before it really gets cold so I figured out a plan. I have put the new bed downstairs in her arrival bedroom and when I want her to get in it I just put her food inside and sit with her to get her to settle down and eat. I figure she'll be ready for it by the time its necessary (I hope).

In a cats world trust truly has to be earned and God knows it is no different with us when we first come to Christ and receive Him as saviour. That is why He will woo a new believer by making sure that they specifically see answers to prayers quickly, they experience healing at a fast past and many other things that we have to stand in faith for. Truth be told God never stops answering our prayers, I believe in time we loose our child like faith in Him and that is something we need to focus on again in our spiritual walk so that we can trust our Abba Father's arms just as easily as we did when we first came to Christ.

It truly is a matter of trust. Trust God today to lead you and guide you!

Sense of security

We live in a crazy world.  Just today another crazy incident in London has left us all terrified wondering what on earth has happened.  Last month I experienced a break in at our complex which left us all feeling vulnerable.  It seems as if there is no where that we can feel truly safe these days and safety in itself seems to be an illusion. 

Scripture is clear as to where we should be getting our sense of security.  Psalm 91 tells us that our dwelling should be in the Lord and that when we do take refuge in him He will cover us with His feathers in much the same way that a mother hen covers her chicks. 

The other day I was feeling a little vulnerable and as if God had forgotten about me in a particular situation.  When I opened my downstairs curtain the next morning a large feather lay on the patio (I'm guessing from a Hadidah).  I was instantly reminded of Psalm 91 and that God is my source of refuge.

Don't let fear grip you when things go wrong, read Psalm 91 and claim that portion over your own life.... and because we all need reminding I am copying a link for you to read it easily here below. 

Psalm 91

Lettuce galore

After a long lie in on Saturday morning, it was once again time for gardening so off I headed to Lifestyle. After a quick breakfast and checking the specials I started hunting for my stock. The specials had one item of interest being a Blueberry plant and seeing as my last one died, I was keen to try it again, but instead of planting it in the tyres it went straight to the front garden.

My next goal was lettuce galore. I can easily consume 2 lettuce's a week when I'm into my greens so it gets expensive. I was specifically on the look out for varieties that had loose leaves that I could cut out piece by piece instead of harvesting the whole plant as I think that will give me the best result. It didn't take long to find at least 4 trays that are worth the effort. To my surprise I found one other item of interest, a tumbling tomato. Now this particularly intrigued me as I have tried the regular tomato with disastrous results, i.e. my plants fighting for global domination and taking over the whole garden. Apparently this variety is bread specifically to grow in pots, so we'll see how it goes. Now the big fight will be to see who wins, me or the critters.

Only time will tell if I win or if I have to go back to the drawing board with these gardening ideas but I won't know unless I try. Growing spinach was highly successful but all I have to do now is get the right crop rotation going.

In our spiritual lives, believe it or not there are certain things that are bit of trial and error until we figure them out right. I have seen this often when ministering to people in the area of the baptism of the Holy Spirit. There were many people who told me they have tried before but it didn't 'work'. Well I certainly can't judge them for as to why, but the one thing I know it is learning to know that the Holy Spirit is a person who wants to be a part of your life and have a relationship with you and not just a once off experience that makes all the difference.

If something is missing in your spiritual garden, why not ask the Holy Spirit to introduce Himself to you and get to know Him first. I am sure that once you do that you will easily get to the point where you will very easily be able to pray, “Come Holy Spirit I need you. Fill me with the Baptism of your Spirit today and let me know the joy of your secret language of speaking in tongues.”

Wake me up

Well it seems as my phones get older the first thing I start having problems with are the alarms, or this could be a change in my meds....not sure but waking up has been a mission again. Well this time I have decided I am not going down without a fight, I have installed a separate alarm app as well as a wake up call service app....tee hee! I could have just employed mother to do the job again, but I hate bugging her with my problems...Lol!

Some times we need to be woken up spiritually as well. We can become complacent and hit snooze all too quickly and miss out on vital aspects of our growth that we need to be focused on.

If you need a wake up call, ask the Holy Spirit to come along side you and be your spiritual alarm system and help you to be focused on the growth aspects you need to take care of in your life.

Pretty people

Well now, I wouldn't exactly call myself a looker but I have been told I'm easy on the eye. The other day I was remembering a very cute, funny incident that happened in my late teens while I was living in Empangeni. I was attending a home fellowship meeting with my parents at a families home that had a young baby boy who was just beginning to talk.

The little one had been good all evening all be it active and it came time for prayer. While we were all doing our best not to be distracted and focus on our prayers, the little fellow sat pointing at us one by one and calling out, “people”. We all managed to carry on until he looked at me and pointed and cried out, “pretty people!” Lol! Bless his heart, well by then we were all giggling.

Amy Grant has a beautiful song from her early music career called, “She's got her father's eyes”. In it she sings about us being able to look at others and see the good and beautiful things in the people around us, rather than focusing on the negative. Well, I'd encourage you to do the same and when you look at someone, look at them and think to yourself....”Pretty people.!”

Ground zero

Lol!  A movie title for sure, but in this case it is much simpler than that.  I tend to get rather scatter brained, especially if I am tired and being a creature of routine and habit, I like to get things done around the house in a particular way.  So when my mind does wander off I have a little habit kick starter, I say to myself, "Start at ground zero". 

Ground zero in my house means start in the downstairs bathroom and check all chores in each room, ending in the kitchen where the final activity is washing dishes.  This little mind reorganizing trick really helps me.  I realized tonight that with all the changes in my life since Honey passed, my inability to get back into a proper writing routine was simply because I needed to find 'ground zero' for my computer routines as well. 

Do we ever need to re-set our faith in the same way?  Oh absolutely.  Life can come and hit us hard with storms, trials and grief and at times we feel we have absolutely no idea which way to turn.  That is when we need to go back to ground zero in our faith, which is the simple things, like just starting to talk to God on a regular basis.  For each of us ground zero will mean a different thing.

I pray that in whatever situation you may find yourself today, that today's message will help you to not loose heart and to simply return to the ground zero of your faith.

The complicated thing about Grace

Grace is a word I think we use in all the wrong ways.  We say grace for our food and use grace to convey the thought of acceptance.  For example in the past 8 months as I have been dealing with Honey's loss I have told myself that I need to be gracious to myself if I cannot handle writing about my feelings.  In truth though is this not just a simple act of allowing oneself to grieve?  Is it really grace?

I have told myself it is a grace to accept that I cannot write as often as I would like, because some circumstances are in the way of me doing so.  But is that really grace or just accepting life? 

No I think that grace is the one thing that little Topaz has been brought into my life to teach me.  There are certain things that I told myself that she would definitely get a hiding for, one being scratching the furniture.  However with her hard start to life, I have realized that I cannot give her as many hidings as I used to give Honey and Ginger at her age because I cannot teach her love and gentleness and beat her at the same time.  No this little one needs time outs and soft words, as often as I can when it comes to discipline and not hidings. 

Grace truly is getting love and forgiveness when we have been bad/sinned and when we don't deserve it.  Christ gave us true grace, He died on the cross for our sins and took the punishment that we deserved upon Himself.

The miracle tomato seeds

For quite some time and to my annoyance I have experienced a strange phenomenon. Seemingly out of nowhere I have had little tomato plants popping up all over the garden. Now you'd think I'd be delighted at the prospect of tomatoes galore but knowing what a pain the plant is to manage...no thank you!

It was only the other day when it hit me. With the heavy drought we had at the beginning of spring I have been in the habit of recycling my dish washing water and what do I eat daily? Tomatoes! So naturally from all the chopping the seeds would get into the water and then also the garden.

Well that's not going to stop me. Luckily they are easy enough to pull out when necessary. It really was a good reminder though that you will always reap what you sow, even unconsciously. Likewise in our faith walk the same rule will apply and that is why it is so important for us to be conscious about how we live. If we sow negativity we will reap negativity. So let's make a deliberate effort to sew faith and love so that we can reap those in abundance.

Etching sketching

To start the new art year off I decided to do something easy and fun being an etching sketching project of which I bought two.  One of domestic kitties and then you guessed it another of a tiger and cubs.  I have completed the domestic kitty cat one and am working on the tigers at the moment.

The whole process is so simple, there is a design on a board with black background and you scratch away the pattern to reveal a the golden back paper.  In the light it is quite spectacular and of course it made me think. 

Our lives and faith walk are much the same.  Every day we get about our business and in the grand masters design for our lives, we etch out a bit more of the design that he created for us.  As we do, we become more and more glorious and the process only ends when we do and we meet our father.  Then our life's full image will emerge for all to see and marvel at its beauty. 

Do you sometimes feel that life is hard and dare I say, scratchy?  Fear not, God is busy revealing His Glory in you and one day you too will shine bright as Gold.

The week that was

It was the week that was.....unfortunately for me there was another security breach in my complex and a vehicle was stolen.  As much as we try, with limited budget there is only so much that one can do to enhance your security.  It leaves one feeling vulnerable and frustrated and not to mention the guilt I feel for the pain and inconvenience it has caused to the owners involved.

Life leaves us feeling vulnerable for any number of reasons and each is valid but we cannot allow ourselves to be dominated by fear, if we do, we can become paralyzed and weak and have no strength to face the difficult circumstances that will often come our way.

What we need to learn to do is to keep Philippians 4:7 top of mind.  "And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus."  We can use the peace of God to build a wall around our heart which will protect us from losing sight of God's everlasting love for us and knowing that all things will be turned for His glory.

Graveyard sprinting

I only saw it for fleeting moment but when I did it made me think.  On my way home I pass a graveyard and there is saw a man jogging through the park.   

At first I thought, "you're nuts!"  Then I started thinking about the logic.  No cars, no exhaust fumes, no other people getting in your way.....bottom line....great idea! Sometimes the best ideas are the ones we get that are truly 'far out' and we shouldn't be afraid to take risks.   

Ask the Holy Spirit today to give you great ideas in season to turn around difficult situations in your life.

Kissie time

For all her naughtiness Topaz can be really cute! Her hardened behaviour when she first came home was really difficult to deal with and trying to give her love was impossible. One thing however that she enjoyed early on was being kissed, so kiss her I did, over and over.

Now the cutest part about bed time is is when she decides it is kissie time. She'll pop out of her basket and jump on the bed next to me and give a small little whimper, then I know she's ready for a bit of love and I can kiss and tickle her for a while before she climbs back into her basket.

Learning to give love to people that are hard of heart can be really difficult, but if we truly do want to love them then we have to learn how to show them love in a way that they will be willing to receive it.

If you have someone in your life that is hard to love, ask the Holy Spirit to guide your actions so that you can do what will be best for them.

Shattered glass

Any weekend that has gardening included is simply amazing.  Not to mention spending great time with the Canadians, my good friends Bridget and Greg....and there was some shopping involved, all in all...a great weekend! 

What surprised me this weekend was a small little glass candle stick.  After the gardening on Saturday I was ready for a good early night and the quickest way to unwind is with candles and wine.  I had noticed that the one candle was a bit low but I figured it would just burn through and drop to the bottom the way it did with one of my ceramic sticks.  I was wrong!  As I was dozing off a loud bang gave us all a fright and the stick had shattered. 

Would it surprise you then that we do this with people too.  Sometimes we are not as cautious with our words because, ag, we figure that person can handle it.  Before we know it, the words are out, the shock on their faces tells us immediately that we were wrong and there are shattered hearts all round because we know now the friendship will never be the same again. 

Can I encourage you not to judge what you think others can handle.  Be gentle and kind to all and most of all guard your heart and mind in Christ Jesus and remember to lift others up. 

Dead spot shop

There is a shop in the small centre near my office that is designed for a restaurant. It is well located and although there are other eateries nearby the area is most certainly not saturated. What amazes me however is that without fail, every restaurant that has opened in that in that spot has closed. This is most certainly not the first time that I have noticed this phenomenon.

In our spiritual lives this can happen as well. We can have an area of our lives that for all intents and purposes appears to be dead. Well I have wonderful news for you....challenges like this are just Jesus sort of specialty. We all know the story too well and I am sure you will get the same goosebumps that I do when I think about, but there is something very special that Jesus has to say to the “death” in your life.....

John 11:25 Jesus says to Martha, “I am the resurrection and the life. He that believes in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live.”

Speak this very powerful promise over the dead areas in your life. Jesus word is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow and if He can raise our mortal bodies then He certainly can resurrect our hopes, dreams and every area of our lives that need His resurrection power!

The good fairy

If there is one thing I appreciate with all my heart it is a good, reliable domestic worker.  When I partner with a lady my first words to her are that I respect her as a person and that the only difference between me and her is the job we do.  I also let them know that there is nothing I am asking them to do for me that I am not willing to do for myself as I have done so for many years.  I simply need the help as I don't have the time to take care of everything.

After parting ways with my previous lady, I asked my neighbours lady to assist me at times when she is not working for my neighbour and we have set things up.  I had worked with her before while my lady was on maternity leave and I was truly delighted to have her come back again for the first time this year.  Having good help is like having a good fairy who waves her magic wand and the house is clean.

Good help is so unbelievably valuable and as Christians we need help to live life too.  That is why God sent us the Holy Spirit.  The word of God says that He is our Helper and our Advocate.  When life gets difficult, the Holy Spirit comes along side us to do the things that we simply cannot do and He stands by us through thick and thin.

Will you call on the Holy Spirit to be your Helper today?

Art of affection

There are plenty of things to love about little miss Topaz. Her energy, she's talkative, she's playful, she's always the first little kitty face I see when I get home, when she is happy she purrs real loud and she loves to eat....tee hee!

For all that though there is one very important aspect in which she is very difficult to deal with. She does not like to be picked up, touched other than at feeding time and cuddling turns into a whining and growling session. It is truly sad for me as I love being affectionate to my kitties. Although Ginger does not like being picked up initially, he has learned that if he just gives in for a few minutes he'll get a nice tickle and that usually makes us both happy and then I'll let him down and give him more tickles. Little Topaz still needs to learn all about the art of affection.

I have resolved never to give up, I will love her, hug her, cuddle her and tickle her every day until, one day (I am hoping) her heart will soften and she will become willing to receive love from me. Do you know what? That is exactly what God does with us. When we come to him and are born again, we too have no idea how to receive the overwhelming love of Christ. It takes much time before we learn to receive the love of Christ in its fullness.

In the same way that my heart breaks for Topaz, God's heart breaks for us! He longs to fill us up with His love but we are often unwilling to receive it. Let us choose today to open our hearts to being willing to receive the wonderful affection and love that Jesus has to offer us, every day.

It is what it is

I'm a very planned and organized type of person,  so when my domestic worker was a 'no show' on Wednesday and again on Saturday after she promised to come in, it really threw my weekend plans out of whack!  

As a result of the disruption I did not get everything done as planned and will only get to finish my Sunday blog on Monday.  I really feel God challenging me to just say, "It is what it is."  Why is acceptance of certain difficulties so important?  Because acceptance brings with it change.  When we accept the situation we empower ourselves to look at the setback in a positive light and find a new path to move forward on.  

Acceptance also helps to eliminate anger.  Anger is a powerful emotion and it is there to tell you that someone has violated your boundaries, but even if they have, staying in the anger zone will not help you to move forward.  When anger is active it traps you where you are.  

I agree there are times when we need to respond with authority to a situation but that reaction should still not be an angry one but an authoritative one, we have the right to insist on good service and to have our rights respected. 

If you want to be free to move and grow then join me in saying, "It is what it is."

The year to get it done

How bizarre! The very day I plan to write about efficiency my office PC crashes, resulting in a totally unproductive day. Now normally such events would send me into a rage but today it was easier to deal with. Luckily I have my Kindle application on my phone, so I managed to fit in some time for reading as I waited during the PC set up process.

I was meditating on efficiency being part of our spiritual disciplines and wondered to myself, can it really be possible to find more efficient ways to live out those disciplines. So I got to thinking about those 5 spiritual disciplines I have written about before as the 5 keys to spiritual growth and after much thought, yes I think we can apply efficiency to those aspects. Let me show you how:

1. Reading your bible: Reading our bible should be an integral part of our daily routine, but with our fast passed lifestyles, how do you make this happen? I have in recent years enjoyed using a bible application like Bible Gateway.....and would you believe it...they have an audio version. So just hit play and you can listen to the word of God in private while anywhere. If you are a busy parent, how about ensuring that part of the bed time routine includes a bible story for the kids and while they settle you can sit quietly and catch up on a chapter or two.
2. Prayer: We all find it hard these days to take “time out” to pray. So how about learning to include that in your normal daily routines? This applies to worship too. Washing dishes, walking the dogs or cats, sitting in traffic and doing exercise, can all be times which you can include God in your lifestyle and communicate with Him. Trust me God does not require us to be kneeling at the bed for Him to listen too us. No I think He quite likes it when we recognize Him as our partner in life and include Him in our day.
3. Reaching out/evangelism: Trying to live for Christ each day is hard when things go wrong, but when we make an effort and display grace in the face of difficulties, people will notice God in you.
4. Relationship with other Christians: We all hate technology for the distance it puts between people, but honestly if that happens it is your choice. I find technology, especially whatsapp has helped me maintain a closer relationship with my mother and friends. Just a quick text to let someone know you are thinking about them really can make a difference in their lives.
5. Praying for forgiveness of sins: Include this in your prayer routine. Ask God to make you sensitive to His leading as to when there is sin in your life.

Slightly longer blog for today, but hey, efficiency is not about the length of the text, it's about the clarity of the message. Hope this one helps you to think more laterally about how to include God in your daily life. I can testify that these keys are great help in my life and I pray they will make a difference in yours.

Evening star

A few nights ago while walking the kitties I was amazed at how bright Venus was.  It almost looked unreal, for a moment I thought I might be looking at an airplane tail light but its steady position soon confirmed its identity.  Curious about the spectacular vision I decided to check why it was so bright and learned that its position in relation to the Sun in January this year allowed it to be brighter than other times of the year.

If we plan to be spectacular in life, we have to consider our position.  Are we walking in obedience to God's word?  Have we applied discipline in our lives to achieve greatness?  They say that if you fail to plan, you are planning to fail.

Today I'd like to speak honestly about the spiritual discipline of work ethic.  It is sad to me today to see so many people whom have wonderful dreams and high expectations but they succeed at nothing and wonder why.  The truth is that they simply did not work for it.  Success in life depends greatly on our ability to do what needs to be done in order to achieve and to be dedicated to the task at hand.  If we don't apply ethics to our lives at work or in our spiritual lives, then we will most certainly fail. 

I'd like to encourage you to take honest stock of where you stand with regards to work ethic....Do you do just enough to get by?......Or.... Do you apply yourself to whatever life throws at you with all your heart and soul?  I believe if you do, you will be positioned right and you will be the brightest star around!

The search for happiness

Today was a difficult day, systems just were not playing along and I really struggled to maintain my composure and my irritation levels were visible.  With the "real world" being so tough most of us romantically search for magical happiness and joy and seldom find it. 

I have heard it said that to fight poverty we must learn to live simply, so that others can simply live.  How does that translate in our search for happiness?  Can I challenge you today to simply think....What makes me smile?

Well for me there are many things that make me smile:

- A meow from my kitties when they are happy to see me
- The sounds of the birds chirping in the trees
- The smell of rain after a hot summers day
- When a gentleman holds open the door
- Finding solutions to life or work problems
- The sight of a friend
- The warmth of a hug
- The infuriating chase for a cat round the complex when they don't want to go to bed (Lol)
- Playing with any animals and the joy of watching them play (family time)
- When I turn the corner and I'm almost home

I really could go on and on, but if any of these made you smile, then know that you are well on your way to finding the source of your happiness and being able to hang onto it on difficult days.

The year of the Eagle

I am declaring this year 2017 as the ‘year of the Eagle’, as I believe it is God’s calling for us to soar and rise above that which has held us back, not only in 2016 but in the years before as well.  In order for an Eagle to fly it must first open its wings.  Bette Midler’s song “The wind beneath my wings” comes to mind and as I meditate on what it means to soar and rise above I realize that there are certain necessary components in order for our lives to take flight.

We are no more and no less the sum total of:

Our surrendered will and obedience to God + God at work within us + Those who stand beside us = The person we have become through the result of these choices.  

We must first choose to surrender to the working of the Holy Spirit in our lives, for God is a gentlemen and will never force His will on us.  Once we have surrendered our will to God, He is able to work in our lives to heal the inner wounds we may carry in our souls, to build character and strengthen us as we grow in Him.  Those whom we choose to walk beside us will either strengthen or weaken our relationship with God dependant on the influence we allow them to have in our lives.  The net result will be a product of the combination of these aspects and how we have allowed them to shape us. 

In order to take flight we need to be:  Surrendered to God; open to His working within our lives and connected to the right people.  When we have this strong combination we will certainly grow in our relationship with God in leaps and bounds and we will see His will beautifully manifested within us.

Will you choose to allow God to work in you so that you can soar to greater heights?