Bread

We describe the birth of a baby as a miracle, but when that baby grows old and leaves this life, we fail to see a miracle in that.

Yesterday I went to a life celebration of someone I have befriended over the last three years. Gerhard was a baker. Ciabatta. An authentic believer in delivering a product of utmost excellence.

The rarity of such passion was infectious and the bread addictive. The reason for that only disclosed itself after a while when Gerhard handed me my bread one day, saying: "The Bread of life is why I do this". 

A couple of days later I was in church and the pastor read from the Message: 

John 6:35&38 "Jesus said, “I am the Bread of Life. The person who aligns with me hungers no more and thirsts no more, ever.

And once that person is with me, I hold on and don’t let go. I came down from heaven not to follow my own agenda but to accomplish the will of the One who sent me.""

This is what Gerhard meant when he said the 'bread of life'. To me, this is what I experienced without even knowing it. It was as if I was fed by Jesus. Gerhard did exactly what this scripture says.... he mirrored Jesus and never followed his own agenda except to follow the will of God his Father.

The miracle of his spent life we celebrated yesterday lies in die linger of the real Bread of Life. To know Him and make Him known was Gerhard's creed, this fire now burns in our hearts. 

May we draw from this and continue on the same path, feeding Jesus through what we do. Thank you Gerhard for teaching us and thank you God for using Gerhard. Now, please use me.

God's got this.

Another World

Give me a world where wise old men walk the streets without fear, revered for their wisdom. A world where children can pick up a little shiny stone and play with it without realising it is a diamond.

A world where looking people in the eye matters. A world where inhale and exhale actually reminds us daily of the God who created us.

A world where awe is still awesome and wonder is still wondrous. Where shouts of joy aren't frowned upon and loud laughter really heals the soul.

It really isn't surprising how money has swallowed time in one big gulp. These two words house worlds we cannot even comprehend.

The best Acronyms I could find were:(this is money talking)

M Many shall die for my sake, O Only a few will have me, 

N None're happy without me, 

E Everyone loves me,

Y Yet l am the root of all evil.

and

T Technical

I Instrument for the

M Measurement of

E Existence

Both hold experiences, both reveal the presence of God, Who is the Treasurer of time and money. This is where the key is to be found to complete and utter happiness. 

Finding peace diminishes money to a mere tool.

To have peace elevates time from a measuring tool to existing with purpose.

Give me a world where waiting for the sun to rise should be mandatory for all before the day starts, a world where business is conducted without clocks and wallets, where the soul and spirit are considered the best investment anyone can ever make.

Maybe then, money will let go of time and release a whole lot more of the goodness of God  on this planet.

He really has got this.

Neuroplastic

Diary of a brain aims to prompt neuroplasticity to the extent of sublime joy, wonder and deliberation of the life we're living. 

It is an AI free, completely subjective and unabashed version of my own brain's observance of what we call life. This is my neuroplastic journey, celebrating the wonder of sensory living, while learning along the way.

Speaking of which, neuroplasticity is the most recent "up there" buzz word. Why would that be? Maybe because we have never been challenged so much and encountered such competition to our physical neuro design such as now. It is 2026. 

In the same way our lungs need oxygen, our brain does too. And both also need water. Both elements are crucial to our survival. 

A brain cannot live without the body because its oxygen and hydration is breathed and ingested by the body before it gets to oxygenate and hydrate our grey matter.

Neuroplasticity hinges entirely on the provision of these elements. The elements of life. They cannot be created by man, they are gifted from our Creator into our biosphere. Combine that with human blood which also cannot be copied, and you get a virtual self sustaining unique life form like no other. 

Transformational. Regenerative. 

Incredible.

While man can extract oxygen from other elements such as water, and water from other compounds, the core molecular structure of both are extremely difficult to reproduce. Especially in vast quatities such as creating a planetary atmosphere.

Maybe we cannot make them because some things weren't meant to be man made, copied or human-generated at all. 

That's all there is to say.

Take a moment to just let that go a little deeper.

God's got this because He authored our neuroplasticity in the finest of details.

Zoom out

AI is the new thing, right? Ummm..... One has to wonder though. To me, AI has so far generated more conundrums  than there are answers for in this AI revolution.

For one, the overriding of our unique human brain and all its wonderfully designed qualities is seriously being undermined and it doesn't seem to bother anyone.

Much like the way the injections overrode our bodies' immune system during the abominable virus lockdown.

Let's swing the pendulum over to the world of superheroes and villains.

Have you ever noticed all the villains have a PhD? There's Dr No, Dr Doom (really?) and don't forget Dr Hannibal Lecter who won our sympathy because he was a forensic psychiatrist (nervous chuckle). All of them a little off-kilter.

On the flip side, the heroes all stopped at a Master's degree, like Master Miyagi, Master Shifu or the Chuck Norris of the hero/villain world, Luke Skywalker himself!

A farm boy turned Jedi Master, Luke Skywalker is a cultural icon representing hope and the triumph of good over evil.

Their "qualifications" aside, all of the above are characters feeding human imagination on the world entertainment stage. 

As all things, it originated from reality and portrays good and bad in a sort of surreal unrealistic way. The life way.

My point? The human brain has evolved into its own extinction pattern. We are slowly replacing the superior  neuroplasticity qualities our brain needs and don't even realise it.

It is already happening and we have AI to thank for it. Welcome to Big Brother era: don't think, we'll do it for you.

AI has already begun to reverse the triumph of good over evil in such a way that hope won't bother us too much in this faceless world. 

I feel like I need to say it again.

Both the hero and villain world are driven by personal passions, pain, and moral choices, while an AI world is defined by efficiency, optimization, often cold rationality and diluted accountability.

I'd rather be a Luke Skywalker whose brain is into problem solving and critical thinking, fighting for a human race who has forgotten to live like there is no tomorrow. 

Life was created by God and He put us in it for a reason.

So zoom out and réálly take a step back. 

Keeping it real has never made more sense than now. Remember, we are living on a blue speck inside a vast cosmic universe far surpassing AI.

God's got this.

Friday 27 March 2026: Lockdown: Looking Back

Today, exactly 6 years ago, we woke up to a quiet world: It was "deep lockdown". 

No runners, cyclists or dog-walkers in the streets, no frustrating school run traffic (apart from the essential services). 

We weren't allowed outside,  alarm clocks went off a little later. Work-life resumed in sweats with a long day of zoom calls for the dad and student sharing our matchbox living.

I decided to post a blog every day, after I realised my job was an utterly unsuccessful online disaster. 

Resigned to being the chief cook and bottle washer, I honed my baking skills for morning and afternoon tea breaks when the men stepped out of the screens they were operating in.

After we realised this wasn't over at the end of the first 21 days, life sort of settled into an unorthodox rhythm of blurred lines as we all attempted the new normal of "@worklivesleepeatsocialise" all in one space. 

Fortunately the human race (especially in South Africa) posesses the ablility to joke about happenings such as this. 

My fellow matchboxers were called my Quaranteam and Antisocial Distancing became the new avoidance excuse.

The day we heard we were allowed to get takeaway coffee, was widely celebrated. My coffee friend Natasha and I were like cowboys, constantly dashing to new coffee stops serving takeaways, yearning for a little interlude of real people connecting.

Other things deserving a mention is the toilet paper crisis, all the criminal-looking people in the supermarkets and discussions in the queue about the 'strip-and-wash' routine after shopping trips. On day 1 we discovered the refusal of sales in the electronics and shoe departments after our brand new microwave broke and junior realised he was out of stokeys.

All of us have stories of where we were when we heard and what we felt throughout. This is the unifying factor literally every single human being can identify with when looking back to Lockdown.

On this day 44 years ago, my journey with the love of my life started when he visited me for the first time. Little did we know we would experience such a thing as a lockdown in this lifetime. 

Looking back helps to focus on the way forward. May we all stretch out to what is yet to come, with our God firmly in the driver's seat. He really has got this.

Monday 23 March 2026: 6 years

Exactly 6 years ago, also a Monday, the abominable virus elicited a lockdown  announcement which was implemented four days later. 

I distinctly remember first thinking, "aaaagggh they won't go through with this" and then, "how bad can 21 days really be, we all need a good rest"......., ha - ha.

As the four days flew by, my  brain was screaming,  "Brakes!!!! Put on the brakes!"

I wondered if anybody ever stopped to think about this, I mean really think about the ridiculouseness of what they were about to do.

Today I am wondering if any of the people who started it actually look back now and realise the incomprehensibility of shutting down the world. 

That is, of course, 

assuming there was no distinct plan of getting the whole world to be só scared of an abominable virus 

they would actually agree to the most preposterous thing ever in the history of mankind.

In retrospect not even one regulation of this world shutdown ever made sense. Even more so, none of them actually worked. 

For me, the only valid thing was to alert people to the importance of washing your hands properly / sanitising.

What I rather would want to remember is the amazing ability of us normal people who had to survive no matter what, with a special salute to all those in essential services!

 

So here's to the ones who literally beat the virus and  those who helped them do it, the ones who reimagined themselves and their businesses (both online and physically) and those who stood their ground even with the birth and rapid takeover of artificial intelligence.

Despite the obsessive hoarding of coffee, chocolate and preferred alcoholic beverages, we managed to come out of this a tad less serious about life in general.

And we learned to trust the One who is still eternally changeless, our Light in the darkness:

God, who still has got this.

A little big traffic story.

Einstein once said, " You're never in the wrong place. Sometimes you're in the right place looking at things in the wrong way."

True happiness is the gift of contentment beyond the physical. In spite of circumstance. 

Last week I landed in a tight spot of slow traffic. I managed to stop 1mm short of the vehicle in front of me after a traffic regulator stopped us abruptly, reason unknown. Unfortunately the vehicle behind me collided with my rear bumper. 

So one could argue I was in the wrong place but the right time as I had an appointment. Although no one wants to be in this position, stuff happen , and then you are. 

In this case we were in the busiest hub of pickup traffic for workers from surrounding areas. We were escorted to a rural police station closeby for all the paperwork which the friendly police officer offered to fill out on our behalf. 

So there we were, two people on our way to start our work day. Stopped. Held up. A little dazed. This is where I started to notice how the "wrong place" can become the right place. 

The place the collision happend was like a beehive, really busy. But we were calm, friendly and courteous amidst the throng. Maybe because we both knew no one was at fault. 

The police station was empty, apart from the people behind the desk. It was quiet and calm. Sort of like an out of body moment. And then we started talking about God.

By this time my son had arrived, flanking his Mom like a bodyguard. I felt the tangible presence of the Holy Spirit in that little police station. 

The man sitting across from me remarked how sorry he was about my car and how glad he was that I was all right. Upon my reply that I felt the same, He said, "But God", pointing upwards.

He told of God's provision in his life, of his 2 year old toddler he named his business after who survived a vaccine allergy with a tracheotomy. And how God also does miracles. I was touched beyond words. 

Here I was, worlds away from where I should've been, worlds apart from this faith filled young man across the table, but incredibly connected by God who is the author of right places.

I later learned the police officer wasn't required to do all the paperwork for us, or take the other driver home. 

All these people gave me hope for us all. Maybe the governance should start "on the ground" to learn how they should do their jobs. 

Fannie Flagg from Fried Green Eggs once said, " If there is such a thing as complete happiness, it is knowing that you are in the right place."

God has undoubtedly got this.

Faith

Both faith and fear require you believe in something you can't see. It's your choice.

The beauty lies in the fact that faith has a Teacher who does training. In order for any training to internalise with impact and change, submission to the program is required.

Real submission is yielding to the learning curve without reading the small print. This is the only way true learning can happen. 

So let's talk real. Faith vs fear. The following example might be an "unfair" one, as we all need it, but maybe this is the best example of faith vs fear.

Taking out an insurance policy (medical or otherwise) has always been a controversial thing. If you don't take it out, you aren't covered if something happens. Then, when something does happen, you are confronted with the fear of other things that can happen. So, you take out the  insurance.

And then, a couple of years down the line you haven't claimed for anything and you ask that question... what you could have done with all the funds had you not taken out the policy in the first place?

This is because we allow fear to dominate the scene. You fear a cataclysmic disaster, therefore you put your faith in a policy. Now I know insurance is essential, so how do we have faith inside of taking out that policy?

Easy! You go to the Teacher of faith and you do what He says. Once you understand what is expected, faith overrides fear. Then you don't take out a policy because you fear a disaster, you take out a policy because He teaches you to be prepared. So your decision becomes faith based.

Faith needs constant infusion of the God kind, so submission in the Word and following that mantra makes for a sound mind, 

no fear 

no dread

no confusion 

just Trust and Truth.

The above is essential in all situations. Disease, relationships, jobs plus matters of the spirit and heart. The absence of fear creates the perfect ground for sanctification. This is because God loves us with a perfect love. 

Take it in.

Change the perspective.

God's got this.

No man is an Island

Almost everything I do triggers amygdala responses linked to someone who was or is in my sphere. Standing in the rain this morning enjoying my cuppa, the sounds of the breaking day immediately triggers memories of my Dad. I can't think why specifically, but the look and feel was one of happiness and home. 

I smear a little butter on my toast and think of my Mom making us cinnamon toast in the middle of a thunderstorm. I drink black coffee and my sisters are here with me and I walk in the garden, and their voices echo in my head.

What I'm trying to get at, is the fact that whether or not you choose it your relationships and experiences, however mundane and small, all shape you in a way. Some leave deep grooves and forge habits for a lifetime, and some just linger to pop up when needed.

The age old quote of John Donne, " No man is an Island....." doesn't stop there. The full quote says, "No man is an Island entire of itself; every man is a piece of the continent, a part of the main."

We are part of the whole, which means it always takes a village..... Even if you don't see it. You can be trapped on an island alone, but sooner or later you need company. 

The movie Cast Away portrays the character of Chuck Noland who survives a plane crash and years alone on an island with the all important 'company' of a soccerball.

He spoke of the reality of being isolated, and choosing life only to lose the love of his life. He said, "I've got to keep breathing, because tomorrow the sun will rise. Who knows what the tide will bring." 

We have been designed to be a part of something greater. Just connect with one person and be in the moment, and the world becomes a better place. Some connections stay for a while, some clock up a lifetime of memories and some leave a glittered footprint , albeit short-lived.

But all of them come to fill your life with purpose, love and a glimpse of the divinity of God. Specifically to carry us into the next part of our journey, to use the stored up glitter for a new tide.

God makes the sun to rise and brings in the tide. 

He's got this.

The Power of Positivity

Positive thinking is just so much more than the overused and misunderstood cliché thrown around, abusing the true value of tuning into the conscious present.

Positivity is an inert quality unified with our very core, right into our mitochondrial essence. While identity is partially rooted in DNA, we all know DNA can be altered by just thinking what you're thinking about.

The truth is that identity starts in the boiler room of our Creator. The Source of all creativity. The Source of all Design. 

In its effort to copy this, humankind thought it found power. And forever set a trajectory for the most epic world fail of all time.

So here's the kicker. God knew it would all happen. He even knows what's coming. 

We were made in His Image, and yet we slayed His Son. 

Still, He loves us like a Father. I mean, really......Isn't it time we quit trying to do God's work for Him? 

True positivity feeds itself naturally when we step into our calling. When we consciously tune into His present. The only Truth that cannot be denied. The washing of the water of the Word can restore our identity, just like a plant in the wilderness when it rains. 

All you need to do is try.

God's positively got this.

Oxygenation

While taking in this gorgeous view of which I literally took this unedited spur of the moment picture in the last couple of seconds, I realise the immensity of the impact this forest has on me.

Churning out a symphony of Sunbirds and Loeries dancing  with the soft whooshing of the wind pushing through the trees, the forest is alive and oozing Oxygen. 

Have you ever noticed people inhale deeply when they take in a natural view of any kind? Some even find a bench and exhale longer than normal when sitting down.

As an ocean lover/addictee, forest retreating is a necessity. Having this stillness heightens the senses, accentuating the need for complete restoration in the quiet way. 

Connecting with God in the stillness unlocks self-imprisonment and empties emotional storages of the worst kind. 

And then, just as an added benefit, to inhale pure Oxygen from the source, refreshes all nerve endings, sending relaxed vibes to the vagus nerve.

All I can say is I came home with creative juices of the forest kind and a revitalised spirit. This Forest Valley has earned an annual spot in my diary. 

God's not only got this, He's got you too.

Coffunkly things

When you're in a funk due to a lack of coffee, you're in a coffunkle, having either run out of your favourite bean at home, or you haven't had your fill/fix for the day.

This means you get to go out to pick up the stash. Which holds the promise of finding a muse in a joint where other coffunkly things always seem to present themselves randomly.

Things such as a ton of conversations which underwrite a world of muchness, people watching, catching the aroma of the bean being roasted and prepared, and of course the muchness of hearty people you keep wanting to go back to again and again. 

The world of "the bean".

And for me, the world of the muse. 

I distinctly remember my first introduction to the bean. All I can say is a couple of espressos made a javaphile out of me. I went from instant coffee to beans in one swift tasting.

The ton of conversations and people watching that followed contributed to my discovery of a whole new world that suited my senses. The bean had started a community. One that understood the underwritten benefits of wallowing in such muchness.

You never leave empty. You always carry the aroma of joy unspeakable with you. 

People ask why this has become such a culture. The answer is simple - the bean mirrors something the world needs desperately: Belonging. To unconditionally be. To exhale.

Think about it. Isn't this how koinonia works? Fellowship in a belonging environment where you can exhale and unconditionally be.

And to think you can get all that from just being in a coffunkle. 

God will be waiting, because He's got you.

The Quiet

Having nothing to say is probably the weirdest, most wonderful place to be. 

That is, of course, if you are mostly an extrovert.

But extrovert people can also deliberately choose not to speak. The clever people call this 'reticent'. It's when we put ourselves in airplane mode. 

Sadly, this is often misinterpreted as an emotional reaction such as being upset or angry. 

The very reason an extrovert chooses to temporarily disconnect with the world, is proof of a deep and wise connection with self and the ability to tap into the spirit.         

This is the most rewarding act of consciousness. Of being aware. This is how extroverts solve problems, relay fears and gain acute discernment. This is where no fixing is needed and clarity is abundant.

To extroverts, disconnecting is essential. Inward connect heals outward life. So next time your extrovert person checks out, just wait. Because an extrovert with clarity is a beautiful thing!

Jeremiah actually wrote about the good things that come to those who wait. 

When we wait and hope for Him, this is how God has got this. All the time. Every time.

Letting go

Loss has many faces and forms. Depending on your perspective, loss can bury you or better you.

I choose better because I know loss can induce growth or healing, forge new relationships and scattter your path with undiscovered treasures you never would've imagined to find, had you not experienced the loss.

All you need to do is LET GO.

Letting go doesn't mean tearing off limbs and severing blood flow. Letting go is an act of wisdom your very own spirit knows how to do. But your mind needs to hand over the baton. Yes, it's that easy.

So let's try together.

Light a candle for Loss.

Hold in one hand a tiny square of paper on which you have written "My mind's Victim Mentality". And write in the other hand's palm," My spirit's Assuring Love".

Burn the square of paper in the candle's flame. Say goodbye. Do not repeat.

Then open the other hand and read the words Assuring Love out loud. 

Then give your spirit permission to be the Boss, to look for any and all reasons for joy, peace, focus and overcoming brilliance from this moment on.

Repeat every morning and every evening.

There. That was really easy. And in the coming days the ease with which you grow and heal will become your fuel and the treasures on your path ahead will light up your eyes to see wondrous things.

Allow the loss to become your Gloss in which you'll dust every day.

God's got this.

My Blom (apologies, this one has to be in Afrikaans)

          

Die ding met hartseer is daar is nie eintlik n goeie definisie of beskrywing daarvan wat pas nie. 

Ek glo dis omdat dit soveel vorme kan aanneem wat die woordeboekskrywers nie in woorde kon uitdruk nie.

Dit is gekoppel aan n baie intieme verhouding wat skielik nie meer is nie.

Mens se hele lyf trek saam op onverwagse oomblikke wanneer die lyf se amygdala en limbiese sisteem gekonfronteer word met emosies en herinneringe wat uit die dieptes van ons siel opkom.

Hartseer is n seer hart wat  mens van binne gryp wanneer jy dit die minste verwag. 

Dis n soort verlange wat eindeloos terugkom, soos 'n storie wat nie klaar vertel is nie.

Die gemis van die wese wat eens n asem in die huis was is dieselfde vir mens en dier. 

Soveel keer wou ek al gaan kyk waar my Blom is, net om te besef sy is nie meer daar nie. 

Elke tuiskomslag maak ek die binnedeur van die motorhuis oop met n verwagting dat my blom regstaan om te speel met n blaffie of grommetjie van louter plesier om my te sien.

Elke aand met slaaptyd wil ek seker maak sy kry nie koud nie, ek loop nog draaie om die kolle waar haar huisbeddens oral was, en moet soveel selfbeheersing aan die dag lê met oggend staptyd wanneer ek my 'buff' van die kapstok afhaal waar haar leiband eens was.

Vanoggend is die suiderkruis weg en stap ons in stilte terwyl drie satelliete in die hemelruim bokant ons verbygly. Ek wonder in my stilligheid watter ster my Blom s'n kan wees, maar kan nie een kies nie, want dan is dit permanent....

My Blom was die leë nes se engel wat saam gewag het dat die kinders kom kuier, saam weggehardloop het op die strand as die branders inrol en verwoed haar stem dik gemaak het as 'n duif of hadeda kom raas op die dak.

Lukas se woorde sal altyd weerklink:

God's got this too.

Long Time No Se(a)e

Watching the misty winter cloud spilling over the Outeniqua mountains into the bay is like watching ocean and heaven connect.

All suddenly becomes quiet as creation sighs a word of worship to its Creator. The water looks like its one with the rolling mist, creating a floating illusion.

That's the thing with the Ocean. No two days look the same, it changes constantly. That's why most people take a million pics, because no Ocean scene is static.

My ocean connection was always of the "long-time-no-see" kind. We would spend our year working inland, and visiting the coast duing holidays. 

For me, this long-time-no-see relationship consisted of longer times away from the ocean constituting a holiday filled with urgent ocean contact, void of the real rest and restoration that comes with developing my blue heart.

The Ocean has an unseen attraction to all people, even those who seem indifferent. The reason is simple. It's salty disposition is a near-perfect match to our plasma. Furthermore "deep calls unto deep" because we come from amniotic fluid with very similar salinity and ion content as seawater. 

So it is not surprising that when you give in to that call and immerse, balance is instant and overall regulation of body functions as well as organs seem to align. 

All the "apps" go into airplane mode, you are enveloped by the body of salt water, gently supporting your body as you release all control.

You become a part of ocean and heaven connecting, and find yourself sighing a word of worship to your Creator.

God's really got this.

Life pockets

Sometimes life seems fluid and easy and sometimes life seems to have pockets. Whether created by us or life itself, these pockets sometimes contain a jumblesale of many things and sometimes the pockets reveal something unexpected. 

Whatever you drift into, it can seriously challenge you in many ways. The trick is to absorb the initial shock of the challenge by pulling that fluidity and ease into the scenario. Some may call it denial, I call it ICE. It stands for Initial Change Equilibrium. It is a chemistry tool used to generate a reverse equilibrium reaction. 

Practically it means to temporarily reverse your reaction to that pocket's impact. 

Say for instance you have a stressful thing to sort out (jumblesale pocket) and normally you would have agonised about how to tackle it, decide to change your approach. See it in a different light, albeit it temporary. 

Decide to smile and wave when an unexpected pocket makes an entrance, in stead of gasping or venting at the unexplainable nature of it all. 

The moment you ICE it or reverse the reaction, your resilience will increase dramatically and create new ways to handle or cope with whatever has landed in your life path. 

That is called equilibrium (balance).... that intrinsic event when you give yourself permission to release yourself from the expected. 

God's got this.