Lockdown 74

Lockdown Day 74 - 8 June 2020

One of my most vivid childhood memories is the smell of two shrubs my Mom had planted close to our front door. A Jasmine (Jasminium) and a Yesterday-Today-and-Tomorrow (Brunfelsia). Every morning from spring to late autumn on our way out the door to school, the fragrances of those shrubs sort of went out with us. I remember once finding a jasmine flower in my swimming bag, and everything smelled like jasmine. 

The fragrance of the Yesterday-Today-and-Tomorrow was more subtle but still sweet, each flower blooming for three days. It starts out purple (Yesterday) , then changes to a pastel lavender on the second day (Today) and goes almost white (Tomorrow) just before it's finished blooming. Hence its name.

I especially remember during the summer months I used to go swimming at 5 in the morning and when my Dad and I left home at that hour the shrubs were particularly pungent. As if the cool dew in the morning amplified their fragrances. The Yesterday-Today-and-Tomorrow reminded me of each day that went by. Telling a story of how each day is inportant and has its own colour and 'flavour'. And when it turns white, the little flower falls to the ground, it's work done. 

So tonight I see each day as a unique day with a unique purpose, waiting at my door, waiting to for me to let it in. Waiting to show its colour and spread it's fragrance of promise. I wish for us all another good day with the fragrance of the knowledge of a God who's got this. 

In the words of Paul in 2 Corinthians 2:14, "But thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and through us spreads and makes evident everywhere the sweet fragrance of the knowledge of Him."

Lockdown 73

Lockdown Day 73 - 7 June 2020

I heard a quote today that left a deep impression on me:

"Today is what matters. Tomorrow can only happen after today has passed. Today is also the proof that yesterday happened."

This is part of the reason that I started this blog and mostly the reason for writing each and every day of Lockdown. Because each day was a today. A today that mattered. And this day, Sunday, was no different. The sun woke us, painting a million little rainbows in my room through my window jewels. As my eyes were adjusting to the sharp rays of sun warming the room, the rainbows danced to the rhythm of the light morning breeze and I inhaled and exhaled a silent thank you to my Creator's greeting on this new today. 

There's another saying that goes, "Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery and today is a gift.That is why it is called the present. " Indeed, God gifts us with a new birth each day. A fresh start loaded with possibility. 

How you see yourself in His hands determines the magic of your today. If you constantly compare yourself with someone else, you don't know your worth. To see your value you need to see yourself as you are, perfectly created by God and flawed by human nature. For in this "imperfectness", we can reflect who He is. 

Tonight this is my Truth: I am an imperfect person loved by a perfect God. My today is made perfect everyday by God who's got this. 

I leave you with an extract from Kung Fu Panda 1:

https://youtu.be/Nq8loZlpa_8

Lockdown 72

Lockdown Day 72 - 6 June 2020

This morning after our glorious walk we had a few errands to do, including getting my car's expired license at the post office. Thankfully it went well, no penalties. Thereafter it was coffee takeout at Bloem Coffee Roasters, and what a lovely aromatic flat white it was! 

With one more stop to go, we passed a couple of farmers selling produce with their gazebos far apart, directly adjacent to the usual farmer's market property. Suddenly I missed my markets, especially the French Market each term. The memory of the last one I attended before lockdown was instantly refreshed, and I was virtually tasting the Dutch stroopwafel I had that day. I also met a new friend and had coffee with my first Bloem friend. The French music was joyful and I went home with a spring in my step. 

Driving home that day, I had absolutely no inkling of things to come. I frequently think of those "no inkling" moments. Like a year ago I was getting ready for the Free State festival, strawberries and cream and amazing shows. Enjoying the winter days between exhibitions and stalls, soaking up both the sun and the vibe. If someone were to tell me 2020 won't have this and also no Olympic Games, I would've attributed such talk to temporary madness. What? No Olympics? Naaaaahhhh never. 

And yet, that's exactly what happened. 

So, in a way, Lockdown is an apocalyptic event much like curry with no kick. We wear masks and stay at home for an abominable virus which to date hasn't overtaken other years' flu death tolls. Plus the WHO has now released new information that indeed masks alone are not the answer. Without social distancing and hand washing the virus can spread just as easily. Just like any other flu virus. The difference is media. Last year we weren't told about the 600 thousand deaths as a result of flu with respiratory complications. But now we are fed the numbers daily. 

Back at home we planned to make some memories and go watch the sun set and then braai a chicken sosatie. The sunset was nothing short of spectacular. The huge fireball glided effortlessly out of sight leaving a red glow over the yellow free state grass. That glow lifted my spirit, pushing away the Covid ghosts. 

Later, with a delicious chicken curry (with kick) sosatie in my hand, I was back in my "no inkling" mode, forgetting about Lockdown for the moment. And much later, waiting to see the 

moon rise, I found a feather in my pocket I picked up this morning. It reminded me God is near and never to let go of Him no matter the facts and figures, rules and regulations. With Him everything is just easier and better. Because when I lose the plot, He has always got this.

Lockdown Day 71

Lockdown Day 71 - 5 June 2020

In playing cards, the people who know can tell you a win is not always in the first hand. This is, in a way, how life is too. What's important isn't necessarily what's in front of you but what you do with it, that counts. Jack London said, "Life is not a matter of holding good cards, but sometimes, playing a poor hand well." 

10 weeks of Lockdown has passed.  If ever there was a poor hand dealt it is this. If ever there was a test for all of us, it is this. What's important is to build our health on resilience, our mission on new skills acquired and nurturing our relationships with the people we love. 

And in playing the hand we are holding, we put ourselves out there, not knowing what's going to happen, but willing to take a step forward. Lockdown has taught us this much. Not knowing what's to come, but handling whatever does. 

We've also learnt to absorb absolutes, from frustration to survival in our own lockdown life and adapting in ways we never thought was possible. 

Shuffling cards has evolved into a particular skill and is important, to eliminate the chance of receiving the same cards twice in a row. To make sure everyone gets an equal chance. In this world, inequality is a reality, but I can't help but wonder if Lockdown may not become a long term equaliser in many industries with inflated prices such as the property industry for instance.

Mark Sheppard once said, "Just when you think you're playing your cards right, God shuffles the deck." 

This is the only form of control I accept. God shuffles our lives so we never forget His hand in all of this. He does this to keep us focused on Him, our provider. Making sure we know He's got this. 

Lockdown 70

Lockdown Day 70 - 4 June 2020

Today I wondered about 'good addictions'. And then decided to rather call it positive habits. An addiction's end game is destruction. A positive habit's end game is peace and restoration. And the chemical cocktail a brain generates on the back of that causes health and healing. How amazing is that! 

Sufficient sleep and oxygen are good brain habits that strengthen the immune system. 

There are many opinions on the amount of hours that is considered to be sufficient for your age. And then there are people who believe they only need 4 hours of sleep. Truth is, the brain has its own grocery bill which is regularly edited by the body and soul. "Just another episode" or "just one more page". I'm sure this sounds familiar. 🤔 Brain cells are like your fat twin cousins who are constantly thirsty and pecking their way through the day, totally not emotionally disturbed by the fact that they are building an insulation layer, ready to dive-harvest pearls in freezing Japanese waters. 

The more a brain cell can be fed with Omega3 and 6 rich foods, the better. Add to that protein and vitamin E and at least 7 hours of sleep, you have the makings of a brain waking up with the energy of a cheetah in hunting season. But beware, run too fast for too long, and it will run out and be in need of time and replenishment for another run. 

Think about what you're feeding your brain. I close with an extract from Og Mandino's God Memorandum, where God is speaking, "Are you feeble of mind? Can you no longer think for yourself? 

No. 

Your brain is the most complex structure in the universe. I know. 

Within its 3 pounds are 15 billion nerve cells, more than 3x as many cells as there are people on your earth. 

To help you file away every perception, every sound, every taste, every smell, every action you have experienced since the day of your birth, I have implanted within your cells more than 100 thousand billion billion protein molecules. 

Every incident in your life is there waiting only your recall. 

And, to assist your brain in the control of your body I have dispersed, throughout your form, 4 million pain sensitive structures, 500 thousand touch detectors, and more than 200 thousand temperature detectors. 

No nation's gold is better protected than you. None of your ancient wonders are greater than you. 

You are My finest creation. 

Within you is enough atomic energy to destroy any of the world's great cities.... and rebuild it. "

WOW. Not only has God got this, He really gets you.

Lockdown 69

Lockdown Day 69 - 3 June 2020

This morning we got the news of the court finding level 3 and 4 unconstitutional. Well, well, it seems I am not alone. But I still feel sorry for the smokers, because they are now indeed well and truly alone. It's a bit like bad cellphone reception, "can you hear me?... can you hear me now? .....  how about now?" 

It's irrelevant whether smokers will get the picture. They've been fed the ugliest pictures of smoker-damaged lungs on the back of cig packets for years and it did not have any effect. Maybe the world should lauch some brain damage pictures of drug abuse victims. Now that's frightening. 

I thought to maybe write a little about the brain and how we as humans very rarely spare a thought for our brain health when we do life. The human body is made up of 70% water. This is also true for the brain. So taking shortcuts or simply deciding that water is not your thing is like commiting brain-suicide. The more your brain gets dehydrated the less effective it becomes. Add any addiction and you start killing off cells faster than an exfoliating skin routine. An addiction is something that alters who you are and invades your being much like a virus invades bacteria and takes over its genetic material. And we all know how it ends. Destruction is its end game. 

Although the brain is able to regenerate, it is more stubborn than a donkey. Chemical addictions such as heroin and cocaïne , meth and brain enhancers such as methylphenidate (used by people with no ADDH diagnosis) can actually cause irreversible brain cell damage. 

Deficiency factors I have a particular interest in are oxygen (linked with water) sleep and dopamine deficiencies. These also have a downer effect on brain performance, slowing down brain processing and performance on all levels. 

Question is, how likely is a smoker to give up his cig for 14 minutes worth of life, or a heroin user his joint for 23 hours worth of life (yes, that's what they lose per single use)? 

Possibly not likely at all, because their dehydrated hijacked brains cannot see how they are abusing themselves. 

So tonight my wish is for everyone to see what an amazing brain God created for us , to know the extreme capabilities we have been blessed with. This is why we cannot lose our grip when holding on to our God who's got this.

Lockdown 68

Lockdown Day 68 - 2 June 2020

The Mall was ready for me this morning. But I wasn't ready for the mall. The vibe I wrote about yesterday was there, ready to pull me in. The future winking with possibilities of the past. When I arrived at the undercover parking entrance I call "mine" (I get one space that works for me, never to change the habit), I was waved to a stop just before the boom. It was a friendly masked security guard asking me to remove my face screen so he can scan my forehead for my temperature. (I've typed this a hundred times over but it still sounds suspect). It was 36.9 °C (there is no other way to type this, haha). He then proceeded to ask if he could spray my hands. I held up my own sanitiser at which he took a few seconds to think about it, then waved me through. My hands took 9 weeks to get rid of chafing under my wedding rings, all because of excessive alcoholic sanitiser spraying. I still can't wear them, but at least my skin is returning to normal.

Once in, I parked in my usual parking bay, donned the face screen again and proceeded to the stairs leading into the mall. This was the point at which I found I wasn't in the best frame of mind. At the bottom of those stairs inside the mall, there is another entrance from another parking level, where pedestrians are also scanned and sanitized. Just when I passed that security guard, he abruptly told me in a loud voice to stop, wanting to scan me again. Realising my screen is in the way, he asked me to remove my mask. 

And then a loud exchange of words followed where I tried to explain I was already scanned and he not understanding or wanting to talk about this. I suspect the language barrier accounted for some of the frustration. He reached out, wanting to pick up the screen (only back at home I discovered it was torn). Luckily my better judgement took over and I complied, again waving my own sanitiser, which he accepted. 

So there I was, in the mall, not feeling it at all. This sounds like a rap song. Putting my mask on. Ha funny ha. 

It doesn't matter how many weeks we have been brain washed, trained and prepared (isn't that also brain washing?), hearing what to do and not to do, day in and day out (there's that no control thing again), somehow a part of me will still want to revert to default normal. In a sense I can identify with the people who refuse to comply with any of this. 

Anyway, there I was, having to decide whether the urge to get coffee and go do my errands was stronger than the fight/flight response that was close to taking over. Again my better judgement (probably my spirit) intervened and argued the logical action to be the best. I'm here, aren't I? So why not do what I came to do. so I stepped onto the elevator and went one floor up, to go do just that.

On the first floor landing I found one of my favourite coffee shops had openend it's barista bar for take away coffee. The aroma was intoxicating. Still upset, I took a mo' and ordered a flat white to go (oh gosh the rap song again). I found a window with a view on the lake, sipping the coffee quietly, waiting for my brain to empty out all the thoughts. That's when I realised this is how it feels - my spirit ( that has been pre-loaded with everything it needs to handle anything in life) has taken over with a calm I know couldn't have been me. 

So tonight I retire with the words of Galatians 5:25, "If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. " This is why I know God has not only got this, but He's also got me.