Lockdown 310

Lockdown Day 310 - 30 January 2021

My new garden has surprised me with the most beautiful spider lilies opening one after another. They have about 4 to 5 flowers on a crown, all opening at different times. At first I thought it was the rain that "broke" the flowers until I saw they all looked like that.

Little discoveries like these, when nature steps into our daily life, are what make the things of lockdown vanish for a while. The more we focus on these gems, the more our lockdown life becomes doable.

Striving for balance seems a tad irrelevant considering the total imbalance of lockdown. Yet, it is within the parameters of our life at present that God makes Himself known.

In this desensitised community of mankind where people are not easily excited by anything, we as His followers have the unique opportunity to actually bring the excitement back. To work with what we have in hand, and in doing so, showcasing the only constant in this life that is left : God.

So let's start each day with a treasure hunt mentality, looking for the gems and using what we have to make lockdown a better space for everyone to be in. And in doing that, allowing Him to share what He has placed within us with those who desperately need it.

#Gbwy

#Ggt

Lockdown 309

Lockdown Day 309 - 29 January 2021

If, in your lifetime, you come across a friend that really gets you, a friend that will travel to see you anywhere or fill up your inbox with light-bearing chats and teachings, how-are-you's and a friend that prays for you and with you....... you are blessed.

If you come across a couple of these friends that stick around no matter where you go and who incessantly keep tabs on you, count your blessings. It is a rarity which borders on extinction.

Tonight I feel blessed beyond measure because God thought it would be good to bless me with a rare arsenal of warrior friends I'll go to a war with.

You all know who you are and I offer up a prayer for each of you tonight and thank God for this. You filled my jam packed day with wisdom, prayer, crazy laughter and that warm fuzzy feeling of extreme belonging only God can bring about. Near and far, even if we rarely see each other, I will stick with you all. Today served as a powerful reminder of the koinonia of God's people all weaved into one.

"A dear friend will love you no matter what"

Proverbs 17:17a

#Gbwy

#Ggt

Lockdown 308

Lockdown Day 308 - 28 January 2021

Going to the hairdresser has always been a highlight for me. Going to a new hairdresser for the first time is however a stressful business for a number of reasons.

You entrust your crowning glory in the hands of a stranger. You don't really know how good they are, if they will understand what your likes and dislikes are, if you will feel safe and comfortable and whether you will like their vibe and style (you also wouldn't want to be forced wearing a turban and a mask for fear of a botched hair job🤣).

Apart from having to wear a mask the entire time, I walked out a happy person. Nicola delivered in spades and I love Mosaic's layout, making me feel as if I was the only person in the salon. Happiness all around.

Cyclone  Eloise stomped through Gauteng with all her might today, causing our little stream in the green belt to become a forceful river virtually 10 times the normal size. Its banks overflowed and flooded all the adjacent lower areas. We measured 57 mm of rain in about 45minutes.

I wondered how an abominable virus stays alive in such weather and if it could be carried in raindrops like acid rain. I choose to believe the opposite is true and thank God for this heavenly blessing on our earth.

"The earth is the Lord ’s, and all its fullness, The world and those who dwell therein. For He has founded it upon the seas, And established it upon the waters. "

Psalms 24:1‭-‬2

#Ggt

Lockdown 307

Lockdown Day 307 - 27 January 2021

With the cyclone still front and center on our synoptic chart, and Pretoria having hourly bouts of soft rain, I had to bear the lockdown end of things such as changing our address for proof of residence.

This meant braving the queue in the bank to get a temporary solution to the absence of this document while awaiting final registration on our house.

Again, I turned this into a people watching exercise, and again, my filter needed a change. I felt like an extra in a scifi movie and the bank looked like a UFO station, with masked people softly padding to and fro, each in their own bubble.

My patience and hearing ability was tested to the utmost while my joy was challenged beyond all boundaries of reasonablility.

Somehow I actually managed to hold it together and get through the process without completely losing my marbles. I left with a shrug of my shoulders and a mm-hm-aha-YEAH-💃 walk to my car. This was a minor victory, but a victory nonetheless.

So tonight I am thankful for the little things and God's particular attention to detail. For His protection and provision. And for the fact that He's got this.

Lockdown 306

Lockdown Day 306 - 26 January 2021

Today was car service day. I was up early to make the queue at the service centre. Car booked, my youngest and I had a few things to do before meeting a long standing friend for coffee.

While meandering through the nearby mall, I did a little people watching. Suddenly everyone was wearing robes, jerseys and raincoats or carrying an umbrella. Everyone seemed to feel the earth breathe. 

For a couple of minutes I got a glimpse into the past, when we were free of masks and sanitiser, a world that feels like another time zone in the life of earth. And most probably never will be again.

After 306 days it is still hard for us all to come to grips with this. Maybe it is because the filter through which we viewed the world is redundant and in need of a change.

Maybe the filter we need is nothing other than God's Word. Although we always prided ourselves on having a Biblical perspective of life, we were nowhere near what God meant when He urged us to consider all trials pure joy.

So today, while the cyclone has given us a break with a tad of blue sky, I am going to try to allow this paradigm shift to happen while I view the world through a new perspective. One where my thoughts and my ways start to come in alignment with God's.

" “For My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways.” It is a declaration of Adonai . “For as the heavens are higher than earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts." "

Isaiah 55:8‭-‬9

What a joy to know this God that's got this. ✨

Lockdown 305

Lockdown Day 305 - 25 January 2021

The Mozam-cyclone arrived in full force in the early hours of this morning. We measured 55mm throughout the day and more wind and rain is on the way. Thankful cannot begin to describe the absolute elation for the cool weather after the heat of the past month. Also to have our plants watered with heaven's best is a bonus. And, to quote our farmer friend, we shall not complain about too much rain. 

I thought of Job and the day God eventually answered him with a series of questions and decided to share that specific piece in the passage in Job 38:34‭-‬38 where He describes his sovereign power so beautifully:

“Can you raise your voice to the clouds and cover yourself with an abundance of water?

Can you send out lightning bolts, so they go? Will they say to you, ‘Here we are’?

Who put wisdom in the secret place or gave understanding to the mind?

Who can count the clouds by wisdom, or tip over the water jars of heaven, when dust hardens into a mass and clods of earth stick together?"

Tipping over the jars of heaven....... just imagine the fun the angels are having with this cyclone - epic! 🌟

So my prayer for this week is for us to look to the heavens in absolute awe, revering His power. Do yourself a favour and read that chapter. As finite beings we are so totally in His hands!

So, sit back, enjoy the ride (and the rain) and know this all powerful Being has got you firmly in His hands.

#Ggt

Lockdown 304

Lockdown Day 304 - 24 January 2021

Still on the fitness topic.......let's change that word to exercise. Sounds less intimidating. There are many interesting facts about walking I'm not sure everybody knows. So I thought I'd share some fun facts on this cool rainy Sunday.

Did you know all kinds of walkers and runners (road, trail and bush) use a global locomotor strategy when navigating their route. Although differently tuned to their specific environment, they all look 1.5 seconds ahead of their current location to ensure safety and constant feed of information about their environment. Other daily motor actions such as stair climbing and driving also use the same strategy, suggesting that this timing plays an important role in human  movement.

Also, shorter strides make you go faster than long strides. Shorter strides help to stop hyperextension of limbs and joints such as the knees. Extending joints and girdles too far can result in injury over time, causing major issues both when standing and walking.

Speaking of which, the way you stand deeply impacts the way you walk. This is why leaning forward is of utmost importance when walking forward. Leaning backward (you'll be surprised at how many people walk this way) causes failure to engage core muscles that need to be involved in every step taken. 

It also causes our body to fight against gravitational pull instead of taking advantage of its gravitational pull.

How do you check this? Make sure your ears are directly above your shoulders which are directly above your hip girdle. This ensures proper alignment for moving forward. And the faster you go, the more important it gets. 

Another tip to keep your body aligned is to pull in your tummy and behind and to rotate your hips an inch forward. This protects your lower back from unnecessary strain and instantly engages your motor cortex for effective monitoring of every movement you make, ensuring optimal utilisation of your body's support structures.

Allowing yourself to become grossly unfit, will complicate your locomotor execution. This can also compromise brain fitness, which in turn can leave you feeling as if an alien stole half of your brain. (Of course I'm preaching to myself here, all too aware of the fact that my lockdown bod and brain needs an overhaul!)

So tonight I share with you an amazing way to hit the sweet spot for walking and dancing plus brain fitness 101. You should be shuffling in just over 5 minutes! Enjoy:

https://youtu.be/Ae3AkGYpWsM

"Have you forgotten that your body is now the sacred temple of the Spirit of Holiness, who lives in you? You don’t belong to yourself any longer, for the gift of God, the Holy Spirit, lives inside your sanctuary." 1 Corinthians 6:19 TPT

#Ggt

Lockdown 303

Lockdown Day 303 - 23 January 2021

Lockdown in SA remains challenging, especially with power cuts happening all over. Like yesterday's 8 and a half hour stint because of some circuit breaker. 

Small businesses are the ones having a hard time surviving. Today I heard local wine farmers are forced to let the grapes rot on the vine because of the alcohol ban. More and more entrepeneurs are reinventing themselves to suit the demands of the locked down consumer.

To clear my head, I decided it was time to revive my former walking routine by doing a 5 km walk on a route we figured out last week. So Roxy and I were out of the house just after 6. It was cool and refreshing, but at the same time challenging as I felt the state of my (un)fitness later in the day😅.

By dinner I had stiff glutes and felt it every time I sat down or stood up.  I wondered about how lockdown is doing the same to us. We are forced to change routine and direction, to think outside the box. And to bear the brunt of growing pains we did not foresee.

As with exercise, you need to keep going until your body doesn't push back anymore, but submits to the new you. You will feel tired and emotional, and feel controlled by some alien that has taken over. Then, one day, you get up and the sun looks brighter and the sky bluer and you feel on top of the world, reaping the benefits of your new, healthier bod.

So, even though we feel controlled by some alien, tired, emotional and pushed around, a change in ourselves has to happen for our world to look bright. Whether we agree or not, this is natural law at its rawest. And the degree to which we roll with the punches will determine the injuries we'll have to nurse. 

'Nuff said. 

#Ggt

Lockdown 302

Lockdown Day 302 - 22 January 2021

This morning, sitting on the stoep with my tea after a brisk 2.2km walk, I notice little dapples of white clouds drifting by against the blue morning sky backdrop. It is funny how they just appear and disappear or change form.

I did some research on cloud watching and found some interesting facts.

Wispy strands are caused by high clouds and fluffy clouds are caused by wet lower clouds and shapes are formed by windy air.

Furthermore, condensation in a rain cloud of one kilometer wide, releases heat at the rate of tens of gigawatts which is the energy driving the movement and mixing of the entire atmosphere.

Cloud watching is a nature immersion with wonderful therapeutic benefits. In this screen obsessed culture we live in, daydreaming is becoming an extinct art. To me it feels as if clouds invite you to explore a drift-mode wherein we can gaze without the time constraints of earthly demands.

Brain studies show daydreaming and concentration both occur in the same parts of our brain. What a powerful remedy for the psychobabble of life. Not to mention the release of all those happy hormones just waiting to start a party!

So I share with you a previous generation song some of you might remember and wish you a cloud gazing weekend free of stress and Lockdown worries.

https://youtu.be/UjPoWpkBzmM 

#Ggt

Lockdown 301

Lockdown Day 301 - 21 January 2021

Psalm 16:

"Keep me safe, O God, I’ve run for dear life to you. I say to God , “Be my Lord!” Without You, nothing makes sense. And these God-chosen lives all around— what splendid friends they make! Don’t just go shopping for a god. Gods are not for sale. I swear I’ll never treat god-names like brand-names. My choice is You , God , first and only. And now I find I’m Your choice! You set me up with a house and yard. And then You made me Your heir! The wise counsel God gives when I’m awake is confirmed by my sleeping heart. Day and night I’ll stick with God ; I’ve got a good thing going and I’m not letting go. I’m happy from the inside out, and from the outside in, I’m firmly formed. You canceled my ticket to hell— that’s not my destination! Now You've got my feet on the life path, all radiant from the shining of Your face. Ever since You took my hand, I’m on the right way."

Let Day 301 be the day of renewed commitment to our Creator. Trust Him in all of what's happening on the planet. And dwell on His Word as often as possible, because He's got this, 

Lockdown 300

Lockdown Day 300 - 20 January 2021

Day 300 of Lockdown. Almost unreal. 

I just knew there had to be a spiritual significance to the number 300 in God's Word. So it came as no surprise when I read about the 300 men of Gideon and the Hebrew meaning of the number, which is God giving a supernatural victory that defies human ability. Also, the Hebrew Language has a numeric value for letters and words and the number for the Spirit of God is 300!

The Victory of Jesus over death and His Redemption and Rsurrection also carries the numeric value of 300.

So on this 300th day of Lockdown I stand with a fist in the air in my spirit and I place my human ability under God's supernatural Victory over death. I acknowledge my sonship of the King of Kings and submit to the Leadership of His Spirit. 

God's most definitely got this.

Lockdown 299

Lockdown Day 299 - 19 January 2021

My week of joy has come to remind me it will keep going. I came across new funnies I would like to share on this day to generate some joy and smiles:

#Ggt

Lockdown 298

Lockdown Day 298 - 18 January 2021

Today, while thumbing through all my photos on my phone to find a specific one from way back in 2019, it was the weirdest feeling going back past December 2019. 

The life I photographed then and the pictures I saved seem as if it was from another life. Pictures with friends in restaurants, pictures of us doing the mall walk with crowds of people in the background, and the best of all, hugs are seen on many of them. I wondered what the absence of a hug can do to a person. 

In my line of work, touch or the sensitivity thereof is crucial for development and self preservation. As humans we are wired for touch. 

Not being touched, such as loss of friend hugs, a pat on the back or workplace handshakes can result in touch deprivation. Research shows it takes about 20 seconds for a hug to release hormones such as oxytocin and the happy hormones dopamine and serotonin. But now we are told not to. (and after seeing all those pictures I daresay social distancing is grossly unethical 🤦‍♂️) 

So for the time being, other than getting hugs at home, there are a number of ways the touch sensors can be activated:

Try out a massage, have your hair or nails done, spend some quality time with animals, get a teddy bear or dance! Wrapping yourself in a blanket or submerging your body in water also works wonders. 

So tonight I offer up a prayer of thanks to the One who created us with touch sensitivity, and for those who already experience touch starvation. May you be surrounded with God's shekinah presence and find peace and harmony therein. And just go hug someone you know, okay? 

#Gbwy

#Ggt

Lockdown 297

Lockdown Day 297 - 17 January 2021

One thing I realised yesterday was how churhes have changed. With no large gatherings allowed, the numbers dwindled fast. The church leaders no longer know their parish as they used to. Church goers now choose whose message they want to listen to or watch online. The saddest thing is the lost koinonia or fellowship the gatherings provided. Being the community God wants us to be is no longer possible as before. 

This changed the face of church as we knew it forever. But it did not change the Word of God. Nor did it change God. He still wants us to worship in Spirit and in Truth. His Word is still just as valid now as it has been before. The Truth remains the same. 

The question is whether the church really understands what is going on. And how they should go forward. In my opinion the mission field has now exponentially grown and more people are unsure of where they will be going when they die. People who need us to be Jesus' hands and feet for those who are in doubt and confused. There are also those who thought they had it all figured out but are now hesitant to speak up because they're supposed to be 'saved' and fear embarrassment. 

So we need to realise not everything is locked down. And most definitely not our own spirit either. We need to to get up and follow God the way He wants us to. And have joy every day! Because God's really got this. 

Enjoy this short video to remind you of all the things that are still the same:

https://youtu.be/7Au3MlR2rKQ

Lockdown 296

Lockdown Day 296 - 16 January 2021

This morning we roamed our part of town to the outskirts on random errands and enjoying all the local community has to offer. Vovotelo's deserves a special mention for their sourdough bread. It will definitely become a regular on our shopping list. 

We talked about how things have changed since we started our married life here. Most of the places we visited today never existed back then. Not to mention all the suburbs that have developed over time. 

Change is a funny thing. Humankind has a built in resistance to change, yet humankind is responsible for it. Despite pushing for change we created organisations to protect historical architecture  and archeologists keep on digging up artifacts from past eras. 

As far as the world population goes, I actually think the economists and developers are on a winning streak while naturalists are being pacified. 

This pandemic has however brought about unimaginable change in a way no one could have predicted. 

Watching all the people going about their dailies, I wondered about similar world events that may be ahead for humankind. Whether living in a high rise or a shack, a beach bum or a tycoon, for the first time in world history the entire planet is affected. 

So tonight I have joy for who God designed me to to be in this part of world history. I choose to believe He is in control and has a plan. I choose to believe He is the best Leader for me to follow. And I firmly believe He holds His children firmly in the palm of His hand. 

He's got you. He's got this.