Nelspruit road trip 3 - part 2
So you're driving along nicely, in awe of the beauty of the majestic subtropical mountains that are covered in greenery and trees, right to their peaks, when........ You come across Ingudwana.
This is the home of SAPPI's paper mill and what is that lovely by-product? Oh my word! It's a sulphur bomb! A giant fart that lasts for kilometers. :-D
The sad thing about this, as I've been told, is that if you've been landed the sad misfortune of having to live in the 'fart zone', that the human brain has the ability to just say, "well that smell isn't going away, so I'll just ignore it". Then it just switches off and you just can't smell it any more.
The question we have to ask ourself is, what spiritual bad smells have we just learned to live with? What have you just switched off too, that you really just should get away from?
I don't know about you, but I think it's time to apply for a transfer and get away from there!!!!! :-)
Wednesday, November 9, 2011
Tuesday, November 8, 2011
NZASM
Nelspruit road trip 3 - part 1
So ........ After 2 bad trips to Nelspruit I should have thought twice before accepting an invitation to attend my own high school reunion. However, after having had a really difficult year with the passing of my gran and other personal challenges, I decided alittle fun was in order.
As you begin your decent down the escarpment, past Waterfal Boven, you go past one of Mpumalanga's oldest land marks and an engineering feat in it's time - The NZASM tunnel. The original rail tunnel completed in 1883 to link the inland region to the then Delagoa Bay. The road tunnel was completed many years later.
As you exit the road tunnel going East you are greeted by the beautiful splendour of the Elands River valley.
In life we all want to get to the beautiful valley but seldom are we willing to do the work required to build the tunnel required for our safe passage. Growing in God required that we will be willing to dig through the word of God to find the path that God desires for us.
Don't get weary of the work required, the rewards are so magnificent they would be sad to miss.
So ........ After 2 bad trips to Nelspruit I should have thought twice before accepting an invitation to attend my own high school reunion. However, after having had a really difficult year with the passing of my gran and other personal challenges, I decided alittle fun was in order.
As you begin your decent down the escarpment, past Waterfal Boven, you go past one of Mpumalanga's oldest land marks and an engineering feat in it's time - The NZASM tunnel. The original rail tunnel completed in 1883 to link the inland region to the then Delagoa Bay. The road tunnel was completed many years later.
As you exit the road tunnel going East you are greeted by the beautiful splendour of the Elands River valley.
In life we all want to get to the beautiful valley but seldom are we willing to do the work required to build the tunnel required for our safe passage. Growing in God required that we will be willing to dig through the word of God to find the path that God desires for us.
Don't get weary of the work required, the rewards are so magnificent they would be sad to miss.
Monday, November 7, 2011
Shut up and drive
Nelspruit road trip 2
Years later, my sister Jacquie wanted to go to Nelspruit for a school reunion. She flew up to Jhb and we were to drive down together in my 1 year old Hyundai Atos. (I must add that it had just been for it's first service).
In our excitement we forgot to consult a map and were yakking so much we kinda lost focus and ended up on the Pretoria road via Midrand. My sister said, no worries, she knew her way from PTA.
I noticed my car was over heating but after stopping to fill up the radiator fluid we reckoned we were okay. Just outside Witbank.... My car broke down (beginning to see a patern?)
A tow truck, hotel room, taxi drive via Dullstroom and lift to Nelspruit later, we finally arrived at the reunion. Amusingly at several times during my now 2nd ill-fated trip, the song "Shut up and drive" kept popping up on the radio.
In life we will have detours, breakdowns and will have to rely on others to get us to our destination, but we just must not stop. Just keep going, keep the faith and with the help of a few Angels we'll get there eventually.
Years later, my sister Jacquie wanted to go to Nelspruit for a school reunion. She flew up to Jhb and we were to drive down together in my 1 year old Hyundai Atos. (I must add that it had just been for it's first service).
In our excitement we forgot to consult a map and were yakking so much we kinda lost focus and ended up on the Pretoria road via Midrand. My sister said, no worries, she knew her way from PTA.
I noticed my car was over heating but after stopping to fill up the radiator fluid we reckoned we were okay. Just outside Witbank.... My car broke down (beginning to see a patern?)
A tow truck, hotel room, taxi drive via Dullstroom and lift to Nelspruit later, we finally arrived at the reunion. Amusingly at several times during my now 2nd ill-fated trip, the song "Shut up and drive" kept popping up on the radio.
In life we will have detours, breakdowns and will have to rely on others to get us to our destination, but we just must not stop. Just keep going, keep the faith and with the help of a few Angels we'll get there eventually.
Sunday, November 6, 2011
Waiting for the bus
Nelspruit road trip 1
A few months after I moved to Joburg permanently I was feeling a bit home sick. Mom suggested as a distraction that I go to Nelspruit (where I grew up) and visit one of my best school buddies, Tamsyn.
With my bus ticket booked I headed off to the bus station. The Joburg coach would go through Pretoria first before heading off to Nelspruit. Just outside Pretoria....... The bus broke down.
Now this was before cell phones so getting a message back to Head Office took some time. Then they had to organize a replacement bus. A few hours later a new bus arrived, we did the switch and eventually got to Nelspruit at around 2am.
Sometimes in life, we can have the right ticket, be on the right coach and even on the right path and still end up hitting a problem. Don't let set backs distract you from your path. Just wait on the Lord, he will restore your strength and get you to your destination.
We have to learn to just trust him!
A few months after I moved to Joburg permanently I was feeling a bit home sick. Mom suggested as a distraction that I go to Nelspruit (where I grew up) and visit one of my best school buddies, Tamsyn.
With my bus ticket booked I headed off to the bus station. The Joburg coach would go through Pretoria first before heading off to Nelspruit. Just outside Pretoria....... The bus broke down.
Now this was before cell phones so getting a message back to Head Office took some time. Then they had to organize a replacement bus. A few hours later a new bus arrived, we did the switch and eventually got to Nelspruit at around 2am.
Sometimes in life, we can have the right ticket, be on the right coach and even on the right path and still end up hitting a problem. Don't let set backs distract you from your path. Just wait on the Lord, he will restore your strength and get you to your destination.
We have to learn to just trust him!
Thursday, November 3, 2011
Chubby mouse
Mouse to Garfield: How'd you get so fat?
Garfield to mouse: Eating chubby mice.
Mouse to Garfield: Let me rephrase that.
Very funny, but there really is a moral to that story. There are often answers to questions we ask that we feel unprepared for. That's because those answers will fundamentally change the way we live and behave.
What we need to remember is that God's devine order and providence will never lead us into anything he has not prepared us for, we just don't know that yet.
Yes the devil does come to test us, but it is in those times that we learn the meaning of the answer God gave the apostle Paul, "My grace is sufficient for you."
Garfield to mouse: Eating chubby mice.
Mouse to Garfield: Let me rephrase that.
Very funny, but there really is a moral to that story. There are often answers to questions we ask that we feel unprepared for. That's because those answers will fundamentally change the way we live and behave.
What we need to remember is that God's devine order and providence will never lead us into anything he has not prepared us for, we just don't know that yet.
Yes the devil does come to test us, but it is in those times that we learn the meaning of the answer God gave the apostle Paul, "My grace is sufficient for you."
Wednesday, November 2, 2011
Easy does it
We all know the analogy that an Oak tree is simply an acorn that stood it's ground. Seeds need time in the soil in the right conditions with nutrients and moisture to make them grow.
In younger years, youthful enthusiasm lead me to rush into projects. It's not that I didn't take the time to think things through, but rather that I didn't allow those ideas time to germinate.
The bible says that we need to let the word of God dwell in us richly. This means that we need to allow the word of God to take root in us, so that it can mature and bring forth good fruit.
This applies equally to the dreams we have. We need to allow God time to germinate our visions so that as they grow the wind will not simply blow them away.
If you have a dream, don't give up on it! We don't see the germination process but when our dream grows slowly but surely we can be assured that it will endure and stand the test of time.
In younger years, youthful enthusiasm lead me to rush into projects. It's not that I didn't take the time to think things through, but rather that I didn't allow those ideas time to germinate.
The bible says that we need to let the word of God dwell in us richly. This means that we need to allow the word of God to take root in us, so that it can mature and bring forth good fruit.
This applies equally to the dreams we have. We need to allow God time to germinate our visions so that as they grow the wind will not simply blow them away.
If you have a dream, don't give up on it! We don't see the germination process but when our dream grows slowly but surely we can be assured that it will endure and stand the test of time.
Tuesday, November 1, 2011
Attention shoppers
My gran reminded me of an incident from when I was around 4 years old. Our family was shopping at a supermarket when I somehow got separated from my parents.
I must of being paying attention that day as I had noticed the man at the info desk making announcements with the microphone. I marched my 4 year old self to the info desk to ask them to announce that I was lost. Sure enough, mom soon arrived.
It is easy for us to wander away from God's presence. Don't wait for God to use the megaphone to get your attention, learn to hear his still small voice and return to his presence.
I must of being paying attention that day as I had noticed the man at the info desk making announcements with the microphone. I marched my 4 year old self to the info desk to ask them to announce that I was lost. Sure enough, mom soon arrived.
It is easy for us to wander away from God's presence. Don't wait for God to use the megaphone to get your attention, learn to hear his still small voice and return to his presence.
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