Fashion statements on the boardwalk of life

As the morning service was drawing to a close I was contemplating attending the evening service too, and the thought crossed my mind what I would wear. After all, everyone has seen my morning outfit. Certainly I can't just wear the same clothes for the second time on the same day? Then I decided, why not?

When I was growing up church was an occasion (place) to dress up for. It is still that way for many today, and there is nothing wrong with it, but as I grew older I also caught on that sometimes that is all church is about: an opportunity to look good on the outside, and if you should happen to look better than the next person, well, all the better! How sad.

How sad is it when it is more important to look good on the outside while the heart is in disarray. For some fashion labels is the criteria for acceptance or rejection - a status symbol. If you wear the right brands and hang with the right crowds then you're special somehow, and if you don't dress the part... oh well, too bad.

I run to you

On my way to church yesterday morning this song played in the car. I turned up the volume and listened to the lyrics. I instinctively replaced the "babies" and "girls" and once again found myself singing to the Lord instead. (For a bit more of my thoughts on that, refer my post titled You fill up my senses; my first, my last, my everything)

It reminded me of Jeremiah 17:5-7 ~ The Lord says, "Cursed is the man who puts his trust in mortal man and turns his heart away from God. He is like a stunted shrub in the desert, with no hope for the future; he lives in the salt-encrusted plains in the barren wilderness; good times pass him by forever. BUT blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord and has made the Lord his hope and confidence. He is like a tree planted

I feel a song coming on

A song can speak a thousand words. Is there something weighing heavily on your mind today? Take a time out and sing along. I think you'll be glad you did :)

Have a very blessed Saturday!

He's big enough to do it!

After all that God has done for them - protecting them from the ten plagues, finally freeing them from slavery and oppression, loading them with the treasures of the Egyptians, splitting the Red Sea and drowning the pursuing Egyptian army, manna raining from heaven... (I can go on and on) - the Israelites are once again complaining. They have quickly forgotten the rotten slave drivers' whip and are longing for the comforts that they had as slaves - never mind at what cost.

Oh, for a few bites of meat! Oh, that we had some of the delicious fish we enjoyed so much in Egypt, and the wonderful cucumbers and melons, leeks, onions, and garlic! But now our strength is gone, and day after day we have to face this manna! (They say it like it's a bad thing...)

When God heard their complaining His anger grew hot and Moses was also very displeased. Goodness, I can't imagine what it must have been like to be Moses. He certainly had his fair share of challenges. So Moses responds to God, "Why pick on me, to give me the burden of a people like this? Are they my children? Am I their father? Is that why you have given me the job of nursing them along like babies until we get to the land you promised their ancestors? Where am I supposed to get meat for all these people? I can't carry this nation by myself?

Meanwhile, back at the ranch...

Someone sent me this story in e-mail yesterday:

A king, who did not believe in the goodness of God, had a slave who, in all circumstances, said: My king, do not be discouraged because everything God does is perfect, no mistakes!

One day they went hunting and along the way a wild animal attacked the king. His slave managed to kill the animal but could not prevent his majesty losing a finger. Furious and without showing any gratitude for being saved, the nobleman said, "Is God good? If He was good I would not have been attacked and lost my finger." The slave replied: "My king, despite all these things, I can only tell you that God is good and He knows "why" of all these things. What God does is perfect; He is never wrong!" Outraged by the response, the king ordered the arrest of his slave.

Later he left for another hunt and was captured by savages who made human sacrifices. On the altar, ready to sacrifice the nobleman, the savages found that the victim had not one of his fingers, so he was released. According to them it was not so complete to be offered to the gods.

Do you remember when...?

Tim Storey has said something that has made a very big impact on my life since: 

Once you've touched the fire you can't live in the smoke.

In Joshua 24 Joshua takes the Israelites on a trip down memory lane. He starts off with God's promise to Abraham - leading him to Canaan and giving him many descendants; descendants who had wandered off, worshiping idols, and had eventually ended up in slavery in Egypt. Then, once they had turned from their wicked ways, God rescued them and blessed them, sending the ten plagues upon Egypt and delivering them out of the hand of Pharaoh and of slavery, followed by the pursuit of the Egyptians, the split of the Red Sea and the drowning of the Egyptians. The nations that God had promised and the nations that He had delivered into the hands of His people based on those promises - again and again. Crossing the Jordan River, bringing down the walls of Jericho, delivering more nations into their hands. He reminds them that those victories did not come because of their own bows and swords but that it was God who blessed and prospered them. And because Joshua had seen God's faithfulness throughout his live - having touched and lived in the fire - he challenges the people with this declaration: "But if you are unwilling to obey the Lord, then decide today whom you will obey. But as for me and my family, we will serve the Lord." (Joshua 24:15)

Letting go - new beginnings

Cycling is not just good exercise for me, it is therapy. I have struggled with depression on and off in my life and I learnt early on that exercise was something small (but crucial) that I could do to help heal myself and so I bought my first bike. I struggled with it a lot and thought that it was just me who was unfit. That was until I discovered that the fact that the bike was too small for me was more significant that I had realized. So I sold my bike and bought another one. It was as if I had exchanged a Mini for a Rolls Royce! I couldn't believe the difference!

I had a special bond with my Rolls Royce :)

My Royals Royce

About three years later I left to go to the States I decided to give my Rolls Royce to my sister. She and I have competed in some races together and she didn't have her own bike; I thought that it would be something special for her. A few months later, though, she relocated and her new home was burgled shortly after. Yes, they stole the Rolls Royce. I felt very sad. It was so much more than just a bike to me. 

He sees you and you matter!

I have an appointment tomorrow and I have some paperwork that I need to take with me. With things a little bit more upside down that I'm used to, I would have had to drive somewhere and pay to have the forms printed. Why is this seemingly small fact significant? Let me give you an idea of a scenario that I encountered recently:

Print per page (in black and white) - R1 - R2 per page (depending on where you go)

Faxing per page (especially with the new modern 'fax to e-mail' facilities) - R6 - R8 per page. (For the fax that I needed to send it would have cost me around R80 - for printing and a fax!!!!)

To put it into even more perspective for you: you can buy a loaf of bread for the cost of faxing one page! It is truly a rip off and all I can say is: buy your own printer / scanner / copier!!! After six faxes you would have paid for it in full.

So, to get back to my story...