Lockdown 26

Lockdown Day 26 - 21 April 2020

I can hardly believe we have done 26 days of this Lockdown. And I suppose the question on many people's minds is exactly how we are going to be "let out" after lockdown. That is, assuming our Prez doesn't extend the time once again. So now at the prospect of being let out, I suddenly find my thoughts in a tug of war. At first, I go, "aaaawwww, it wasn't that bad", followed by, "oh yay, where shall I go first?" And of course a tug of war wouldn't be complete without a healthy dose of reality where I go, "Oh gosh, do I want to do normal again?" To be honest, facing reality is daunting. After all, this is about a virus that brought the whole earth to a grinding halt.

This is the part where people start reacting like captives who build a relationship with their captors and sort of feel sad once their release becomes imminent.  Also, it's fast becoming the norm for all countries to extend their lockdown periods with a viable set of rules and there is even talk of everyone wearing masks in public for at least another year. 

I, for one, still need a little time to refine my outfit for the longer hours on the outside. I think I'd prefer to wear BLING, dress like the Dancing Queen ánd my 

masked look from the neck up. I find myself strangely excited at the prospect. What if we all celebrate life a little by réálly dressing for the times we need to be out and about. Forget about boring day clothes and black on black. And ban practical and functional!

Let your mind go on this one. Think I'll definitely challenge my local friends for a socially distant fancy dress! 

YOLO - you only live once. Make it count. 

The reason for this is simple: you are stronger than you think and you will not let a measly virus cause you to cower in the corner. Rather celebrate your existence by choosing God's joy He has in spades for anyone who follows Him. He's got this:  past present and future.

Lockdown 25

Lockdown Day 25 - 20 April 2020

Brainstorming is very interesting and used all over the world by many people. The wikipedia definition is, "a way of coming up with new and innovative ideas for projects or solutions." 

To me it is a composite verb, made up of two independent words: Brain and Storm. The '-ing' suffix indicates an ongoing process. Brain is the mental muscle in the scull and Storm is defined as any disturbed state of a body especially affecting its surface, and strongly implying movement. 

So, using this defenition, to me a brainstorming exercise is when my mental muscles are continuously disturbed (did I mention I find it very difficult to be normal?). And yes, it does strongly affect my 'surface' and sparks movement in many ways. In short, brainstorming is my happy place, because it gives me the freedom to be creative beyond the parameters. Thinking outside the box. 

In nature, a perfect storm is a rare combination of events or circumstances creating an unusually bad situation Sounds like this abominable virus, mmmmm (hello Lockdown! 🤪). 

My idea of a perfect storm is the mirror of that statement: an unusually bad situation from which a rare combination of events and circumstances can originate. YEAH, now that's a thought. Try to generate a rare and special outcome from this Lockdown, something that moves you on the inside and you feel strongly affected by. You never know, maybe ABBA could be revived!!! 

Oh, and while you're at it, take a walk on the wild side and take God up on His Word when He says in Exodus 31:3-4 that He has filled us with His Spirit "in wisdom, and in understanding, and in knowledge, and in all work, to make designs" and believe in Him to show you a way. After all, He's the only One who's got this! 

Lockdown 24

Lockdown Day 24 - 19 April 2020

Days like yesterday make the quiet restful days like today worthwhile. 

To rest and recharge for the next week that lies ahead is my normal Sunday routine with little to do in the kitchen and more time in the green room (aka the matchbox garden). So after church on youtube I made a teacake which I enjoyed with coffee in the sun. I love a cool autumn morning with the faint rustle in the trees and the sun rays warming my skin. The kind that subtly announce winter without the obvious signs. The sky becomes a hazy blue with cream undertones and the trees silently await their time to let go. Letting go of the leaves they carry for a season. Some trees in the poplar family have already started. The reeds close to the dam have also sent out their seeds on every wind they could and the little red male finches start losing the vibrant colours and are looking rather frazzled and ordinary. Just looking at nature preparing for winter can teach us a lot about slow living, rest and restoration. Especially now that we have the time. We are halfway through the 42 days that is needed to let go of a bad habit and instill a new good one. What better way to do this along with the autumn leaves that will soon be falling to the ground. Letting go of a habit you have grown for a long time is admittedly not so easy. This is why 42 days are needed. But this is Lockdown. 42 days plus Lockdown equals that once in a lifetime chance to do this. Give your soul and body much needed rest and allow your spirit to do the work. This your innate design by a Creator who knows His stuff. A Creator who's got this. 

Lockdown 23

Lockdown Day 23 - 18 April 2020

What is grace in Lockdown? To have a full day. Those days when you hit the ground running, having breakfast after lunch and time just feels faster than normal. The million little things that need to be done every week. 

To accomplish what you set out to do, no matter how mundane, is truly something. Somehow 'old school' just works. Get up at a set time, make the bed, do those exercises for the day, attend to everything you need to make life better for all your housemates sharing a space. Receiving a group call from two wise and young friends just put the extra yellow in my sunshine and enough courage to go get us something fresh for dinner from the grocery store. 

My list also included changing linen, going through the post store spray/strip/shower ritual 

and baking a sweet potato soufflé, make the beds and yet again disinfect the kitchen surfaces. 

Through it all I remember my friend who lives on a top floor with no grass to walk on and a tiny veranda that hardly gets any sun, and I say thank you for my small lawn. I remember to look up and see the patterns the clouds make and I say thanks for the air I breathe. In everything there is a positive and a negative, and a choice to be made between the two. When all is done and the day nears its end, contentment will lie in the result of that choice, not a ticked off list on the fridge. One of my friends messaged me with an inspired piece of prose of how God comes to us women whose job it is to always be busy. He sees us and if we just open our eyes we will see Him, even in the most ordinary places and things. What brings us face to face with divinity?  Knowing God's got this. 

Lockdown 22

Lockdown Day 22 - 17 April 2020 

The thing about an open fire is its potential. Potential to harm and potential to warm. In our South African 'braai' culture a fire on a  Friday and/or Saturday is 'lekker' and for some even mandatory. For us, living the matchbox life, it definitely is mandatory. This is where I give a loud shout out to all lockdown Moms, large kitchens or small, doesn't matter. I am not a herd person, but I feel this one strongly. Running any kitchen and house in lockdown is really admirable. I say this partly because I hope what Im doing is nothing short of awesome (mm hm aha YEAH 💃) And I'm sure many spouses and children have to bear Mom on her good as well as not so good Lockdown days. So hats off to them too! And when it comes to preparing food al fresco or on a fire, they definitely are my heroes! There's just something special about a lamb chop that has been grilled on a fire. No stove can copy that taste. The little bit of char on the fat just does it for me! A fire that is not looked after will incinerate your food, but a fire that is nurtured to just the right heat can produce 5 star food. Being a provider and/or nurturer requires of us to have a fire in our hearts for our families or our closest ones. That fire cannot be put out, no matter what we have to endure. Though challenging, we are strong and hold on tightly, because this too shall pass. And one day, maybe a year from now, we might find ourselves venturing out to visit a friend or family member (what a thought!) and maybe share that unthinkable handshake or a hug, even holding hands and praying together. We will be forever changed. But thank goodness that God is eternally changeless. I leave you with the words of Zechariah 2:5, " 'For I,’ declares the Lord , ‘will be a wall of fire around her [protecting her from enemies], and I will be the glory in her midst.’ ”

And yes, He's got this. 

Lockdown 21

Lockdown Day 21 - 16 April 2020 

The same 'watching from afar' feeling from yesterday followed me into today, the 21st day of Lockdown. Can you believe it!!! We were wondering how we would get through this and look, 21 days have passed.  Astounding. And still kind of 'movie-theatre-ish'.  While standing in front of my window, feeling as if I'm on the banks of a very wide river in flood (I've read the Amazon is 11km wide in drought season), watching the world's countries floating by, forced to go where the water takes them. In a sense everyone is incapacitated. A captive contentment fast becoming an inner conviction. All because of an unseen virus. Crazy world. 

But, when I turn away from the big picture, I see families enjoying precious time together and people redeeming lost time with their loved ones. Others are helping with resources and all over there are supplications in prayer going up to restore relationships on earth and in heaven. Over the past 21 days many have learned how to be more mindful, more thankful and more prayerful. One of my wonderful friends and I share a saying: "look for the little flowers along the way". We say this to each other when going through tough times and need a friend to talk to. The little flowers can represent anything from flowers to little jewels in our path to remind us that God's got this. So tonight I encourage you to look for the 'little flowers' in the next 14 days. A symbol of Godly sustenance. Like the tiniest baby feather I received this morning, reminding me that God has still got this. 

Lockdown 20

Lockdown Day 20 - 15 April 2020 

At the moment I feel like somebody living on the edge of a Drive Inn. Good visuals, no audio. Like a silent movie. I see the statistics and progression around the globe of this abominable virus and at the same time feel like a spectator. When I'm home and safe. 

But every time I go to the grocery shop I am confronted with all kinds of feelings  like a chorm chaser in the middke of a hurricane. I see a world that is reeling from the shock. I see ghost shops exhibiting stock that doesn't move and wonder about mall rent and great losses. I imagine myself weaving through an unseen cloud, trying to dodge the virus. I see fear in many people's eyes and in some a look of resignation too. But mostly I am shocked to the core by the people I encounter who do not care. People without a mask (I know the virus can go through one, but Jeez it HAS to be better if you keep your spit to yourself), ignoring the distancing rules and literally shoving their face in the personal space of others, blasting their droplets everywhere (YUK) . People refusing hand sanitizer (what kind!?) at the door. People using the bathroom with their child and leaving without washing hands. Some parenting skills🙄. People walking in groups of three or more, forcing others out of their way and then laughing about it. And then there are the deathly (no pun intended) defiant people who sneeze and cough all over without using their elbow and then touches products they don't want before choosing the ones they do want. Really? I think they are the ones completely dissociated and absent from their own lives. Or maybe they're serial killers. Who knows!? 

And then it rains like the monsoon rains and we watch the spectacular lightning show on display and I find myself wanting to lift my arms and shout "hear the Voice of the Lord"!! And suddenly everything else falls into perspective and I get in bed with a hope and faith I cannot explain but am 100% sure of. 100% sure that God is good all the time, and all the time God's got this!