Lockdown 339

Lockdown Day 339 - 28 February 2021

As with any great weekend away, the time came to say goodbye and return home. The bushveld blessed us with a drizzle and cool air before breakfast. Once back on the tar road, we couldn't believe how the weekend just flew by. 

Kevin, Lynda-Claire and Bronwyn, a heartfelt thanks for a memorable time. Your friendship is worth more than words can describe and your hearts honest and pure. We feel spoilt rotten and are returning home with blessed souls.

Your friendship is rare and is best described with this quote from Anais Nin:

    "Each friend represents a world in us, a world not born until they arrive, and it is only by this meeting 

that a new world is born."

How very true this is of all the people in a person's life and so well said. Thanks for also sharing your amazing knowledge of birds with us, turning our attention to the little ones of Creation. 

So tonight I muse over the rarity of good old fashioned honesty in our daily interaction with everyone around us. And I'm not talking about honesty at any cost that cuts deep, but rather displaying honesty by carrying your heart on your sleeve, truly showing what God placed inside you.

This world will be a better place if we could all just love and accept each other first. The trail of love runs deeper than all our scars, so sharing it far and wide brings healing and peace far above all understanding.

#Godsgotthis

Lockdown 338

Lockdown Day 338 - 27 February 2021

The quiet peaceful vibe on the farm and fresh air after last night's rain sank in as the day progressed. After a long siesta (lulled to sleep by a fish eagle's calling) and battling a migraine, we went for a late afternoon drive, on our way to look for a bird that they sighted earlier in the day.

The bush was unbelievably green and lush, boasting all of its glory in the wake of the rainy season. We saw a woodpecker pair trying out a tree's trunk and thicker branches to start nesting, bright blue kingfishers 'fishing' in the dam and beautiful lilies reminding us of Monet's water lilies artwork.

The animals we saw included blesbuck and gemsbuck, impala, nyala and a threesome warthog piglets with Mommy hog keeping a watchful eye on her babies.

God sealed the drive with three little rainbows and the most beautiful clouds housing another storm.

Two things particularly stood out for me. One was the red billed weaver. Kevin told us this is the first time they have made their nests high up in the electricity pylons just before this year's almost unpredictably high rainfall, as if they knew what was coming.

The second was meeting a young baobab tree. I was drawn to it and gave a hug. The tree has two trunks. Wondering if it grew out of two seeds or one, I marveled at how these trunks are anchored to keep this tree upright. And it is only 15 years old. Also known as 'wooden elephants', baobab trees are from the Malvaceae family of plants related to cotton and hibiscus.

We chatted till late with the rain once again pattering on the roof. While falling asleep with the night sounds in my ears with a family of egyptian geese settling in for the night on the pond, I felt thankful and blessed.

#Ggt

Lockdown 337

Lockdown Day 337 - 26 February 2021

With a weekend away ahead of us, we left the city after lunch on our way to the surrounds of Thabazimbi, just north of Pretoria. We withered to storms on the way, but enjoyed the green vegetation of an otherwise dry and hot climate.

After entering our friends' farm, we saw a couple of Gemsbuck and were surprised at the lush vegetation after a good rainy season. Once at the house the beautiful sunset drew us in, causing us to pause and breathe.

We settled in for a lovely evening, had dinner while the rain pattered on the verandah, catching up on the months of our lives that has passed since we saw each other mid 2020.

We burned the midnight oil and went to bed with the cool night air wafting into our room. Before falling asleep I mused over friendships that stand the test of time. Friendships that enrich the heart and feeds the soul, knowing the Author of my life has got this.

Lockdown 336

Lockdown Day 336 - 25 February 2021

I've never really been an earth-fire-wind-water person in terms of spirituality. But I do believe God is responsible for those elements because He created them.

Not all of those elements are mandatory for our survival. To my surprise I found we have 4 elements in common with Him.  This isn't surprising, because He did create us in His image. The wonder lies in the fact that we need Jesus to live.

I received a meme this week that laid it out in detail. So here goes:

According to science we need 4 elements/resources to stay alive:

-water

-air

-food

-light

The Bible tells us the following about Jesus:

• He is the source of living water (John 4:10)
• He is the breath of life (Acts 17:25)
• He is the bread of life (John 6:35)
• He is the light of the world (John 8:12)

There you have it. God said it, so that does it. In closing, here is a video of the most beautiful rendition of the Lord's prayer sung by my favourite singer of all time who has now gone to heaven. Enjoy! 

https://youtu.be/ch76hLExBVA

#Ggt

Lockdown 335

Lockdown Day 335 - 24 February 2021

Today I have a Lockdown online order story to tell. During 2020 Lockdown I have only ordered products online three times. Apart from the waiting, all went well. So this year I decided to order again from takealot and amazon. I have had trouble finding products I use such as wheelie bin bags which I found on takealot. It took 4 working days and I picked up the box at a point close to where I live. No mess, no fuss.

The Amazon order was for a Sony cellphone cover I cannot find here as Sony SA has closed down. It arrived after only 2 weeks. But I found I had misread the product description which, to be fair, was written in ambiguous American. I chastised myself for not checking the cover's measurements first. (Blondie 🤦🏼‍♀️)

Putting my indignation aside, I went onto my amazon online account and to my surprise, found easy instructions for returning the order at no cost whatsoever. It took some doing to speak to the right person at DHL which was appointed by Amazon, but the package has been picked up, done and dusted. Amazon have already reimbursed me with the full amount.

Even though I'd like to give a shout out to Takealot, Amazon and DHL, this whole experience has amplified the simple fact that I like to shop local in my area and go home with the product in hand.

Although considering other things local such as UCook where your meal ingredients plus recipe are delivered at your door (not having to worry about what to cook can come in handy some days), I will always have love for a farmer's market for my fresh produce.

Whatever the choice, some things need to be picked out with all 5 senses in a 3D world. That's the contact this pandemic has impaired so terribly and left small vendors without income.

So tonight I am thankful for local produce and local businesses trying their best to serve us locked down consumers. And to God for still being my Provider.

#Ggt

Lockdown 334

Lockdown Day 334 - 23 February 2021

Last night we woke up thinking we were in the Kgalagadi, hearing a jackal calling and we actually wondered this morning if we ever heard correctly.

And then early this evening we heard it again, this time closer and unmistakebly clear. How wonderful. This green belt is full of surprises.

Every morning and evening there are this little tribe of Guinea Fowl walking in a single file along the fence, as if they're late for school. Butterflies from the stream come to the garden for a change of scenery and most days a woodpecker visits us on the balcony. The local owl also visits us quite often, sitting on our roof like a watchman.

So tonight I just want to praise God for His creation with Psalm 148, "Praise the Lord ! Praise the Lord from the heavens; Praise Him in the heights! Praise Him, all His angels; Praise Him, all His hosts! Praise Him, sun and moon; Praise Him, all you stars of light! 

Praise Him, you heavens of heavens, And you waters above the heavens! Let them praise the name of the Lord , For He commanded and they were created. He also established them forever and ever; He made a decree which shall not pass away.

Praise the Lord from the earth, You great sea creatures and all the depths; Fire and hail, snow and clouds; Stormy wind, fulfilling His word; Mountains and all hills; Fruitful trees and all cedars; Beasts and all cattle; Creeping things and flying fowl; Kings of the earth and all peoples; Princes and all judges of the earth; Both young men and maidens; Old men and children.

Let them praise the name of the Lord, for His name alone is exalted; His glory is above the earth and heaven. And He has exalted the horn of His people, the praise of all His saints—Of the children of Israel, a people near to Him.Praise the Lord ! "

#Ggt

Lockdown 333

Lockdown Day 333 - 22 February 2021

The rain in the early morning provided a welcome break in the February heat. And it continued on and off throughout the day.

After my regular Monday coffee date with my son, I visited my homeopath for a check up after experiencing recurring symptoms of a previous auto-immune infection.

After losing his leg when an iron gate fell on him in January 2020, his recuperation did not happen without a fight. Having to adapt using a prosthetic leg is a challenge. One thing he did not lose was his sense of humour and that guru-like intuition I came to respect him for.

This made me wonder about the resilience we have embedded in our fibre we don't realise we have until we need it to survive against the odds.

That moment when you know you've been knocked over by life and you need to get up. The will to survive albeit with one less limb.

We all know there are only two choices: stay down and bask in your demise, or nurse your wounds and use your healing time to become the giant your spirit already is.

Easy choice? Far from it. The key is where your focus lies.

To lose a leg and then having to cope in lockdown, your own practice and many more challenges, is enough reason to abort mission. But Dr A didn't.

He knew the key was faith. Faith in God grows faith in yourself and faith in your ability and design.

Believing you can get through it and believing God's got you. Because it's Truth: God's got this.

Lockdown 332

Lockdown Day 332 - 21 February 2021

Sunday. Anticipating another hot day, we started off early with a quick stroll followed by a coffee out with our Vitality rewards.

Online church followed after which we lazed through the day, enjoying our roast which was also cooked overnight in the pizza oven, adding roast butternut and a pan fried mix of broccoli and cauliflower.

The Sunday heat found us all dozing off in shifts whilst following the Australian Open men's tennis final. Old Djokkie (my new name for Novak Djokovic) did it again for the 9th time.

Being a die-hard Federer fan, I am slowly warming up to Djokkie. At least he doesn't break rackets by the dozens. Medvedev really made himself look bad and I couldn't help but wonder about the cost a sponsor incurs during a tournament such as this.

As I lie in bed watching the clouds cover the moon, wondering which of my family and friends are also looking at the moon, I muse over a world going through the unthinkable and offer up a prayer for all the lost and lonely, thanking God for assuring me of His presence and love in the midst of it all.

#Ggt

Lockdown 331

Lockdown Day 331 - 20 February 2021

Today our eldest turned 29. I can't believe it's 29 already. When we were his age we were inexperienced new parents bundu-bashing into life without the foggiest idea of what lay ahead.

Inevitably, as with all parents and especially moms, you dig up memories of all kinds such as food memories of the boys devouring my family-famous-lasagne.

Last night we once again attempted pizza with prepped lasagne waiting to be wood fired after curfew. While assembling the lasagne all those memories flooded my mind.

And when I took the dish out of the pizza oven in the early hours of this morning, I wished we could all sit around the table today to enjoy this beautiful crispy success of a wood fired dish.

And tonight one of my youngest's friends stopped by and ended up having dinner with us. Sitting there with two strapping young men at my table, I realised God planned this so I could at least have part of my wish.

I realised then how strong the tie is between family members (particularly a mother and her children); a Godly bond of unity cemented by His love and blessing of grace.

No matter where we all are today, that bond will always be there. No matter what happens God will go to great lengths to ensure this bond between us and our children will be there forever, withstanding the onslaught of life happenings.

So tonight I offer up a prayer for the moms whose children are missed, may your heart be filled with joy over God's creation of a person you call child. Wherever that child is, in heaven or on earth, at home or far away, be sure to rest in the knowledge that the bond you share is eternal.

He's got you. And He's got them. And He's most definitely got this.

Lockdown 330

Lockdown Day 330 - 19 February 2021

After an incredible busy Thursday and Friday I have much to talk about. One of the things I experienced was going for a skin treatment I was gifted by a friend. It was a catalyst for many thoughts such as the value of doing something for yourself and the effect any such treatment has on the psyche.

The value of spoiling yourself is completely understated. If you're like me you just don't (or only do what's necessary), for various reasons. Feeling undeserving or unworthy, or governed by a budget, whatever the reason, people are good at chatting themselves out of things they feel they're perfectly fine without.

Even the smallest treatment can however have the biggest impact given the timing and the person/professional administering the treatment.

Just the skin contact alone opens up many nerve connections to your psyche such as the limbic system, the amygdala and your thinker.

I found myself in a space where I felt strangely at home and challenged at the same time. My limbic system sat up, and flooded my amygdala with memories. Of course my thinker was conned into silence, setting off another range of kinaesiological (muscle intelligence) reactions.

In plain English, I thought about deep seated emotional things while my body was getting ready to enter a sleep state. And I couldn't do a thing about it. I just had to play along 🤣. It was wonderful, relaxing and exhilarating all at the same time.

I came away from this experience promising myself I wouldn't wait so long to treat my skin wisely, but more importantly to feel good about it. H, you are a miracle worker and an angel!

So today I muse over looking after the life that courses through my veins (and skin) and give praise to the One who designed me. Also because He holds me in the palm of His hand. And because He has still got this firmly in control.

Lockdown 329

Lockdown Day 329 - 18 February 2021

Today is another birthday in heaven for Inecke. For those who have been following this blog, it is the girl I wrote about on the 6th of May 2020.

Inecke loved balloons, especially purple ones that were helium filled. She had the habit of letting the balloons go she received wherever our families had dinner out together. She firmly believed, amongst other things, the angels would fetch them and take the balloons to heaven.

So I imagine a room full of balloons in honour of her earthtly birth date and a party in heaven with a couple of naturally buoyant balloons only heaven can produce.

Over the years we have repeated this balloon-sending many times, sometimes to symbolise the release of whatever load we were carrying, letting go of things we really don't need to haul around in our hearts.  And sometimes we did it just because it was a way to get into the "I-zone", feeling closer to the angels and heaven...... which inevitably called in God's presence.

As the words in her song says, "the Bible sketches pictures of heaven, but now you are there  to see how the grass and trees move in the breeze and how brilliantly the streets of gold shine where Jesus walks".

Tonight I lift up the Name YHWH in remembrance of Inecke.

Omniscient Creator, omnipresent God. Yes, He is our epic God who has got you, and most certainly has got this.

Lockdown 328

Lockdown Day 328 - 17 February 2021

Today I decided to look up everywhere I go and see if I can spot birds in our concrete jungle. And try to adopt a bird’s eye view of life in general. To see the world “zoomed out” like that eagle video I shared on yesterday’s post, causes us to see the big picture. To see the earth and its inhabitants from a different perspective. Sometimes this view can make a difference. 

Perspective is how we view and process what's happening within our own story. Our outlook on life. It is kind of like seeing an object through a camera lens. When it is out of focus, you won't be able to identify detail. But when you adjust the lens, it becomes a clear view.

Forgetting to adjust the lens when things in our world change, can literally cause us to lose focus and stumble. But as soon as we look at it from another angle, the focus returns. 

And sometimes you need to first zoom out before you can zoom in.

Our life span is like a puzzle. All the pieces are there and you have an idea what it might look like in the end, but you first need to get past a certain point to gain perspective of the big picture. At first you zoom out to build the frame and then, when you zoom in to build the inside, you become more proficient and your eyes become trained, your brain's ability to slot in pieces increases and suddenly one day you 'get the picture'.

So it is with our design and God's intent when He created us. This is why we just need to keep building and keep adjusting the lens so we never lose perspective of His plan for us.

#Ggt

Lockdown 327

Lockdown Day 327 - 16 February 2021

Today started out at a cool 18 degrees which made our 5km walk enjoyable. Our estate has gone to the trouble of labeling all indigenous trees. So every walk we try to identify trees, enjoying this learning curve thoroughly. 

Some of these trees are huge and provide perfect lookouts for birds. It made me wonder about having a bird's eye view and what it would feel like to be able to fly.

So tonight I muse over the therapeutic value of "flying", albeit in an armchair on the back of an eagle on screen. I found an amazing video that does just that, transporting the viewer to incredible views and night landscapes.

The feeling of complete freedom is compelling and addictive. But at the same time it ultimately has a calming effect.

It is just short of 17 minutes and can induce sleep if you let it. You can also watch a couple of minutes at a time when you need down time and resume watching when needed.

So here it is. Enjoy this bit of lockdown freedom:

https://youtu.be/EzoiajSoDt0

#Ggt

Lockdown 326

Lockdown Day 326 - 15 February 2021

For the last ten days now the northern hemisphere has had an icy cold late winter in the form of snow and ice in most regions. 

I find myself silently jealous. Of the cold and the snow experience, of people living in these foreign places and of glühwein, spekulaas and stroopwafelen. And of course of anyone lucky enough to travel to these countries. 

So tonight I sign off with a couple of pretty pictures  and a video of Schipol airport of all their activities in the snow and iced rivers. May it serve as a reminder that people in other countries go through the same things we do and they look at pictures of the sunny South, wishing they could visit our blue flag beaches and tour our National Parks.

Inevitably this makes us think about the unthinkable like never being able to travel as we used to. But why not rather be inspired instead, to make the seemingly impossible happen, no matter what. No matter how long it takes. To unpack that unlimited resource within ourselves to reach the infinite potential our design offers.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=HwQB4w9st-Y

#Ggt

Lockdown 325

February 2021

Still on the topic of design: our life and design is much like a tree.

A tree has everything at its disposal to ensure healthy  growth and fruit bearing. It comes with all the structures needed for food and water transport to all its parts, it has roots to keep it steadfast in the ground and extract water. It has leaves to produce the food with.

But without the natural resources of water, soil and sunlight it will wither and die. It is completely dependant on these elements from God for survival. With them the tree can grow and mature, anchor itself in the soil and eventually flower and bear fruit.

So it is with us humans. We are equipped with literally everything we need by God our Creator. But without Him as source we will wither and die.

Other than a tree, humankind got a brain too which they used abusively towards God, thinking they could grow and bear fruit without Him. And they did.

But the consequences are as clear as broad daylight today as the fruit man bore is purely for his own benefit.

Maybe it's time for us as a  human race to get back to the original life giving resource from God so our fruit is for Hís benefit. Not to mention respecting the physical natural sources that have been used, abused and depleted. Only time will tell if we haven't already passed the point of no return.

For each of us on our own path of growth a lot can still be done in our own corner of this world. Start by feeding your brain with God's Word, His most precious resource of all, and live according to His precepts. His grace is abounding and sufficient. His love is everlasting. His provision can bring us to bear the right fruit if we will only let it.

Anchor yourself in Him.

He's your unlimited resource. And He's got this.

Lockdown 324

Lockdown Day 324 - 13 February 2021

During this past week I had three inspiring conversations with core friends. 

First it was with my youngest friend who now lives close-by. Her awesome life is testimony to where I get the following two sayings I express a lot: keep on keeping on and keep looking up. What she has gone through and triumphed over is utterly amazing and inspires me.  

Second, a Bloem friend who is an iron woman in God's kingdom, reminded me of a statement Arthur Burk made about our design, concerning your calling/work. If you try your best and do everything right but still don't get the job you want or the clients, this is a silent testimony God is steering you in another direction at that specific junction you are stuck in. It doesn't mean you'll never get the job, it just means God has interim plans for you.

Third, a conversation with another local friend confirmed this statement of design when she shared about hiw she was looking for a tutor job online but haven't received a single booking to date despite loading fantastic videos and adverts. She just shouldn't do that right now.

Collectively these core friends have caused me to keep on keeping on and to believe where I am now is the right place. When you pray, He is right there in the thick of things, steering you where He needs you to go to. Knowing that He's got this, you can relax and look out for whatever He has in store for you to do.

"For I know the plans I am planning for you,’ declares יהוה, ‘plans of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and an expectancy. Then you shall call on Me, and shall come and pray to Me, and I shall listen to you. And you shall seek Me, and shall find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart." Jeremiah 29:11‭-‬13

#Gbwy

Lockdown 323

Lockdown Day 323 - 12 February 2021

Today's date, as most of you have by now seen in the media, is both a palindrome and an ambigram.

A palindrome reads the same from the back and front and an ambigram is read the same top to bottom, from Left to Right, Right to Left as well as upside down.  12022021.  And we will see this again on 2 February 2022.

Today I went looking for flowers for my Bestie from her new love who lives far away. I was sent to a tiny, fully stocked little shop, because "he is a flower designer magnifico". How true that was. I walked in and got lost in another world, talked flowers and left feeling spoilt. Later, when delivering the most beautiful large posy-in-a-paper-handbag, her reaction was witness to this artist who just knows how to give flowers that extra spunk and glam.

He is another small business owner who has no doubt heard the critics say  'you're not going to make it', pulled out the stops and went bling on them, went into lockdown defiance and did it anyway. Here's a shout out to all of you, you are an inspiration to all your consumers!

And so, another Friday in Lockdown passed, spending the evening on the stoep with my hubby and musing over all the happenings of the week. Feeling thankful about evereything, trying not to regret anything and looking up to our Father who paves our path we walk in.

#Ggt

Lockdown 322

Lockdown Day 322 - 11 February 2021

When nurturing your spirit, the best way to start is spending time in nature as God's creation. A special treat is always to zoom in on a tree. There's just such a connection between the human spirit and a tree. But more about that in another post.

God's Word is our source, sustenance and long-acting booster. It picks us up when we fall down, it purifies us when the world rubs off on us and it cleanses from all toxins.

So tonight I share a few verses from Isaiah 40:28‭-‬31:

"Did you not know? Have you not heard? The everlasting Elohim, יהוה, the Creator of the ends of the earth, neither faints nor is weary. His understanding is unsearchable. He gives power to the faint, and to those who have no might He increases strength. Even youths shall faint and be weary, and young men stumble and fall, but those who wait on יהוה renew their strength, they raise up the wing like eagles, they run and are not weary, they walk and do not faint."

May He visit you tonight in the night watches and minister to your spirit while you sleep so you can awake with new energy!

#Gg

Lockdown 321

Lockdown Day 321 - 10 February 2021

Today is my Father's birthday. A birthday in heaven. On top of the missing-my-dad part, today turned out to be one of those mentally challenging days in our country. (hmm 🤔 wondering if it's because I said I was going to talk about the mind today?)

I think one of the greatest challenges to face is getting over the things you can't fix or change and cope with what you have to work with. So maybe today is just the day for mind-building.

-Do something artsy: depending on personal preference this can be visiting an art gallery, but also taking a beginners sketch course online. The best art is when you use your own hands, even if it is cooking a stunning plate of food or doing a little garden landscaping.

-Take a break from tech: social media has a way of creating unattainable expectations. Just drop it for a tech fast and see how quickly those stress levels disappear.

-Prayer and time with God: looking up to God, seeking His opinion and waiting on Him aligns the control of your mind and body to His timeline and agenda. (By the way, He is still better and bigger than all social media platforms together!)

Being mindful and keeping it real are two terms that were coined for good reason. It means we have to give our mind and body the time of day if we are to survive anything in life, such as an abominable virus and Lockdown.

Dealing with grief is one thing, but losing a parent is something completely different. The grief goes its own way and with time you are left with the memories and the heart gripping sadness. You can let your mind rehash the grief or you can remember with a light heart.

Resetting your mind with the Word of God is still the first best option when recharging your  personal battery. 

"My soul faints for Your salvation, But I hope in Your word." Psalms 119:81

"I will never forget Your precepts, For by them You have given me life." Psalms 119:93

"Direct my steps by Your word, And let no iniquity have dominion over me." Psalms 119:133

#Ggt

Lockdown 320

Lockdown Day 320 - 9 February 2021

Today I would like to continue talking about resting and recharging. 

Even though we are busy and sometimes only eat and re-hydrate on the run, giving no time for our brain and body to rest, feeling worn out all the time is not normal or healthy. 

If you go to bed every night feeling completely exhausted, you need to plan for the rest, restore and recharge your brain and body needs. Recharging the body first gives immediate relief, preventing you from having to apply for zombie-status. But if you don't follow up soon with mind(soul) and spirit, the next crash can be worse. So, for now,  here are a couple of ideas and incentives which might inspire you to give your body and brain renewed energy:

Take a warm bath with Epsom salts and a scrub containing oats and/or salt. Both will help your body release built up toxins, act as an anti-inflammatory agent against stress, improve muscle function and help improve blood circulation 

(speeding up all the good processes). Also consider using aromatherapy or essential oils (such as lavender and sage) in your bath, as a massage oil on skin pressure points such as your wrist and feet, as well as in a diffuser while you sleep.

A healthy sleep regime is paramount. This includes about seven to nine hours of sleep as recommended by numerous sleep institutes and researchers. If you sleep less than the required amount, you are setting up your brain and body for burnout. It is also important to keep to the same bed-times and wake-times to ensure optimum brain health.

Not only are you required to sleep at regular times for the desired time, regular rest during the day is crucial. This rest period can vary between 30 minutes for a short power nap to 60/90 minutes for a longer break.

Body stretches and exercise are also important to keep functioning at optimum energy levels. Feeding your body a healthy diet goes without saying. Pay attention to the good fats and balance of food groups. 

Apart from water (approximately 1.5 to 2l per day), the brain not only needs naps and relax time with the body. It also needs mind-energising too. Thinking about what you think can trigger or relieve stress. A few things you can do is write down a list of things you have done that you are proud of and let go of past mistakes. Focus on the future by planning something fun in the immediate future such as a walk in a forest or a weekend getaway. Spending time with people that inspire you and putting stressor-relationships on hold can improve your state of mind immediately. Taking a break from such relationships or things that get you down, affords 'relief-time' for you to think clearly.

To be continued.........

#Ggt

Lockdown 319

Lockdown Day 319 - 8 February 2021

As Mondays go, this one went by very quickly because we were busy, but through it all I kept thinking, "It's day 319, it's day 319, it's day THREE HUNDRED AND NINETEEN!"

So after deciding to go to bed early and post today, the number kept coming back. So I did a little digging and found some interesting facts.

I was surprised to see that 319 days from today is Christmas day, 25 December 2021. 

319 Days equals roughly 10,5 months. 

In Roman Numerals it is CCCXIX.

In Maths, 29 x 11= 319.

The most interesting thing I found was a coffee roaster in Cleveland Ohio going by the name of 3-19 Coffee who believe that coffee builds community.  They support local artists in their community and also started the Rural Guatemala Assistance Project. This fundraising and delivery effort involves subsistence packages for members of Asproguate Cooperative, which represents more than 1,900 coffee-growing families in a number of Guatemalan coffee-growing regions. 

In the end, because the Word is my encyclopedia, I decided to look up Proverbs 31:9:

"The Lord by His wisdom has founded the earth;

By His understanding He has established the heavens."

And then I wondered what is written in the 319th verse of the New Testament:

"And blessed (happy, fortunate, and to be envied) is he who takes no offense at Me and finds no cause for stumbling in or through Me and is not hindered from seeing the Truth." (Matthew 11:6)

For a time such as this, what wonderful scripture to describe our Creator with and also our relationship with Him. Wisdom comes through the Holy Spirit who hovered over the waters in Genesis 1 when God created the heavens and the earth. Just imagine how it must've been to be there and experience God's infinite power and wisdom at work. 

And how much more amazing it is to walk this road in His Truth, to experience His power and wisdom as the Truth. 

Looking for a refresh button? Whatever days we still are to encounter and whatever viruses are yet to come, He has got this firmly under control.

Lockdown 318

Lockdown Day 318 - 7 February 2021

We spent the day enjoying a late coffee followed by an early hamburger lunch with Charmiane, enjoying the slow and restful nature of a Sunday. The ongoing rainy weather dotted with a few pockets of momentary sunshine, afforded us time for spiritual replenishment and physical rest we often don't afford ourselves when out and about, tending to the house and garden. Although time in the sun and nature has its benefits, physical rest is often last on our self-care list of priorities.

Although caring for our spirit is paramount and for our soul necessary, a lot of that hinges on giving our bodies the physical rest it needs.  That is the medicine for restoration and replenishment of all bodily systems. We all know how it impacts our day to day life when we aren't well rested. It is a well known fact that your mind and spirit can generate stress or health to your body, based on your thinking alone. In the same way a well-rested body can impact the mind. 

Our physical brain also needs adequate rest for us to be at optimal working potential. A sleep deprived brain can trigger a breakdown in our immune system which can have devastating consequences. In fact, new studies have confirmed that only one night without sleep can trigger the build-up of a protein associated with Alzheimer's disease. 

The brain is cleansed while we sleep, getting rid of waste products such as clumped misfolded proteins associated with the ageing process that is deposited in the brain. Less sleep means more of these toxins that can cause breakdown of brain tissue.

Russell Foster, director of the Sleep and Circadian Neuroscience Institute at the University of Oxford says, "Sleep is the best cognitive enhancer we’ve got, but we’re doing a very poor job translating this information across to the health community and it seems extraordinary to me there are no proper educational packages that teach kids about the importance of sleep.” 

There you have it. Although everyone instinctively know they and their siblings need sufficient and quality sleep, we still pretty much ignore this bodily requirement we have been designed with.

So tonight I retire with a picture of my brain taking out the trash while I sleep, and vow to give more attention to my design and to react when prompted to rest (or to plan my day accordingly). To me, this is a form of obedience to my Creator. Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 6:19-20, "Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s. "

#Ggt

Lockdown 317

Lockdown Day 317 - 6 February 2021

Our day started out with a heavy rainfall, so walking was out of the question. 

I had an ongoing feud with my cellphone company that had to be sorted out and arrived just as the doors opened. Hats off to Bernard and his manager who turned an otherwise frustrating session into a solution. 

We decided to celebrate our house registration with a breakfast out, after which the morning turned out to be a morning of testimony to special people in their trades. To me, special people are those who push against odds to achieve the impossible. They are not the wealthy shop owners or rich celebrities we see on TV screens and in magazines. They are the lesser known people working to make a life against all odds, pushing against all the "ain't gonna happen" scenarios and sticking with their gut.

We decided to take the scenic route home, detouring through a suburb my parents lived in for a year in the late 1980's'.  I remember distinctly in later years we would frequent an Italian Restaurant close-by when our children were in primary school. We drove to the little shopping centre and found it had made way for an Indian restaurant. 

We also found the Jack Rabbit Chocolate Studio, and decided to go see what it's all about. We met Stephanie, with Makhulu Boss embroidered on her chocolate coloured Chef's jacket. We tasted a bonbon and heard stories about a large delivery to Japan. And left with a small sample of 6 bonbons and choccie-slathered dates. Her Tonka-and-Honey and Salted Caramel deserves a special mention. What makes these people so special is the skill and expertise people have stopped appreciating, not to mention the incredible cost of starting up and carrying on such a business in times such as these. To continue to push into a market locals don't necessarily want to support and to successfully manage to create a sterling product worth the stars and the moon gets my vote for sure. You go Steph!

On our way home whe saw a coffee wagon next to one of the busiest roads and sure enough, an Afrikaans singer was the man serving the coffee! Of course, we had to stop and support him. My heart goes out to all of these lesser known artists who are struggling to make a living in lockdown, who had South Africans at their feet with all the Music festivals that used to be the in-thing for a weekend getaway. Today Robbie used his name and devised a plan. Hats off to you and we hope for the revival of festivals for you guys soon!

Today I take inspiration from these people who believed they could and who just got up and did it. Against all odds. In Lockdown. And shine in a world where clients feel mostly disgruntled, depressed and cheated by the system. Like all the little stars in the night sky, every single one has a purpose and a place. And every single one shines. I vow to always try and single out these special people who are a silent testimony that God's definitely got this.