Creation Dances

I've been reading Genesis 1, or rather studying it, I came across this in a commentary and it just made me want to get up, jump up and down and dance around the place....

"’Blessing’ in the Bible is a word of vitality, creativity and fulfilment. 

The whole of the on-going life of creation is the outworking of God’s blessing. 

The whole creation is now caught up into the divine blessing – 
there is an exuberance, a delight, in creation. 
God’s blessing is the music of creations dance.” 

(Atkinson)

I just love that last line.

I don't know what about it makes me feel so full of excitement but it does.

A Birthday and a Reflection

The Birthday part...

I had a really lekker (great) day yesterday. I am not one to plan huge celebrations and prefer to hang out largely with my mom who I share a birthday with.

Although as I write this, I realise that it must sound VERY Irish to anyone who knows me well, because I am always organising get-togethers for theatre / dinner / concerts etc. where lots of us go out en masse, however when it comes to birthdays - I like to stay away from mass gatherings!  Weird. But true.

My very cool friend that I go to international
& domestic cricket matches with
bought  me this awesome bottle of wine called "The Innings"
 - the brainchild and wine of
Jacques Kallis & Mark Boucher.
 If you know ANYTHING about cricket,I won't have to explain that to you.
Let me say this: It's a GOOD wine! :)

So I had a lovely day, firstly we went to our Sunday morning gathering. It was actually very exciting because the South Pen congregation is beginning on 3rd Feb and so this Sunday was the "mock charge" in terms of set-up and logisitics and next week we are full steam ahead.

I am getting more and more excited about it because it's an amazing core group of people already and everyone is incredibly real. No airs & graces, no "religious" cliches - and so I am, or should I say we are, really trusting God to do something new, fresh and downright exciting in this community.
We need it, there are a lot of Christ followers here who have been really mangled by "church" and have just opted out of gatherings at all. I know this. Been there. Done that. 

However, here by the grace of God, go I. 

I digress. After the "mock charge" my mom, our men and I were treated to a late breakfast at a local nursery by a friend and it was just a perfect meal and company.  In between, I pretty much sat in the sun, read a book and did absolutely nothing at all! It was WONDERFUL!

That's the birthday part. 

The reflection part...

On the "MAKE" as my word of the Year.  I have to say I am LOVING this word.  I have so far MADE time by leaving work at 14h00 (my end of day). I now have time to go to gym, swim, visit, and do whatever I want to do in the afternoons.

I have had friends for coffee, been with friends to gym, run with friends and just had long phone chats to friends! I've come home and done nothing but work in the garden, take photo's, swim or play with the hounds...

Life is sweet and good.
And friends... well, they just give my life colour!  What would I do without them!?

So far... the MAKE word is making sense.

•  Oh! And Bafana Bafana .... Well done Boys! 
• Oh oh oh! I have just seen that this is my 100th post - *happy dance* who would have thought I could possibly last this long!?

Pros & Con (or Making Peace #2)

I am so lucky in so many ways - in fact, I am going to use a word I seldom use out loud and say that I am blessed in so many ways.

I married the man of my dreams when I was 20, I had my beautiful girl when I was 23, we have great jobs, we live in the most beautiful part of the world, have a roof over our heads, are really healthy and have friends who are fun and caring.

We love to travel and a huge PRO of having our family when we were young, is that we feel young enough to still really go out (or stay in) and enjoy our lives with plenty of energy for it (usually!)

It would be difficult for the unskilled eye to find a CON in here, but there is one.  My girl was born so long before her cousins that she is more of an aunt than a cousin. I definitely wouldn't change anything and I certainly don't regret starting young, it was the best thing ever, but there are times that I get a bit misty-eyed because I think she, and we, miss out hanging with little cousins..

So, this is the second thing I am making peace with this year - I can't change the fact that our lives are in different places and our kids are so far apart, so I am just thankful for the PRO that is family (of every age and phase), and enjoy the occasions that we find ourselves together.

Making Peace

Hey there!

How are you!?  It's been ages since we last had coffee together, chatted and laughed.  It feels like an eternity. 

I had coffee with your sister and was so glad to hear that you are well, happy and doing what you love.  She showed me a couple of photo's and you're looking awesome - (but then, I always knew you were awesome anyway!  :)) 

I wanted to write this to you because my word for 2013 is "MAKE" and to make peace is one part of it. This year I have chosen to make peace with what I can't change. It's been two years now that I have consciously refused to move forward, refused anyone else entrance into the part of my life that you had to leave, but now I have to make peace with the fact that who we were once, won't ever be again - but I hope that one day we can be something new. 

The fact that I have to move forward doesn't mean that I don't think of you often!  I want you to know that no matter what, no-one can ever take your place - I hope you know this. 

So anytime, if you are in the area, please give me a call, or pop in for coffee and a catch up. I'd love to see you.......

but if you never find yourself out this way, I understand, and I wish you all the happiness in the world!

“How lucky I am to have something that makes saying goodbye so hard.” 

― A.A. Milne, Winnie-the-Pooh

Word for 2013.

My word for 2013 is...... "Make":

• Make time - to do the things that I love just because I want to, and can
• Make priorities - so I don't waste time with non-essential things
• Make appointments - to see people regularly
• Make peace - with things I can't change
• Make a difference - for the good whenever I can
• Make hay while the sun shines - take every opportunity while I can

• Make supper - well, because that I have to do!

* * * * *

End of 2012 happenings...

I can't believe that we are already firmly in January! The last month has been a blur of activity and things only now are beginning to feel as though I can catch my breath. A bulleted little list:

• Firstly - if you were in any doubt, the Mayans were wrong. (Just saying...)

• We celebrated our 25th Anniversary in December which was just fantastic! We decided to renew our vows this year since it's pretty much a milestone year.  I told a friend of mine this and her response was "Why renew them if you haven't broken them?"  I had never thought of it that way. However, we decided to do this because we wanted to affirm one another and just basically say "We still do!" to one another.  A friend of ours, Derick, officiated and we were overjoyed at the way he did it, highlighting that when we got married it was on a kind of "Here we go and filled with hope", but this time we get together before mutual friends and family to celebrate that we would still choose to be together even knowing the quirks of the other, the hard times and everything else we have adventured through together. My Man also was not a follower of Christ before we married - he was a good man and now he is a godly man and a good man!  We didn't say vows, but instead just spoke about the things we loved and appreciated about one another. We were given an amazing gift made by hand by Derick and his wife, with photographs taken personally by them while overseas. I was going to share what they said about the gift to us in detail, but have decided that it's too personal - so I will just tell you that the picture was of all different types of doors and he talked about doors of opportunity that will be presented to us, and that have been presented to us.  It was a wonderful evening to celebrate with My Man, friends and family.

Setting up for our Anniversary celebrations.

Putting on my ring! 

Our lovely gift and Derick speaking prophetically about how it relates to us.

Derick praying for us

My Cpt Dad making the toast for the occasion.

Toasting our friends and family and thanking them for being part of our journey.

• Christmas this year was spent with my folks up in McGregs, except this year EVERYONE was there: Both sets of my folks, brothers, sister, in-laws, some of the in-laws family, children and dogs!  It was a real occasion! It was also really hot - 35 deg when we arrived there at about 15h30 - thankfully they have a pool that we could have a dip in often.  We had to leave early on Boxing Day as My Man had to work the next day but it was a lovely quiet drive home with not much traffic.

Christmas 2012

• New Years we chose to do absolutely NOTHING. Not because there was nothing to do, but we decided to just stay home. We sorted through all our paraphernalia that we have collected on our various overseas holidays and separated them into different boxes and talked about our upcoming trip. I wish I could move overseas - I love it here, but just feeling like I need to get away for a while and live elsewhere in a new culture, language and traditions.

• My Girl moves home for a while this month while she looks for a new flat. Their lease was up and they didn't want to renew there, and so she will be home until something comes up. She is also talking about studying something this year which would benefit her too.

• Oh! And .... not wanting to jinx anything, but I have been "religiously" back at the gym for about 6 weeks and loving it. 

 I am excited about 2013 - I think it's going to be a good year.

I hope that it will be awesome for you too!

Cheers - to a great year!