Voice???

My friend Mzi posted the following on fb the other day:

"Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter" - Martin Luther King jr.

I sense a "resounding silence" within the church about things that matter - about the de Doorns farm workers; about Zamdela's community concerns; about Nathan Maluleke who was beaten with a golf club trying to stop racist tension; about money spend in building the president's Nkandla house; and about conflicts in our continent.

I agree with him and think as the church we should be standing up for "the things that matter". i just dont see a forum within the church to do this. Partly because i am scared of being called racist or crazy or extremist. But also partly because i dont hear the voice of the church in commenting on things that are happening. 

I guess my first question is- Is it the place of the church to speak out? 

And if the answer to that 1st question is yes...Then why aren't we? And How should we? 

I don't know the clear black and white answer to that question but i do know that Jesus wasn't very keen on hiding in his church building... Are we?

Luc lesson 4

It is good to smile at yourself in the mirror!

Luc lessons 3

Being a mom is hard! I know everyone says it...and they say it so much that i dont think people really hear it any more! I know when i was pregnant i kind of expected it to be hard but i really had no idea. i couldnt get my head around people moaning about not sleeping, only getting dressed at lunch time or not having time to go to the loo. BUT NOW... I KNOW! I understand... because i havent had a full nights sleep in 5 months, i regularly get dressed only around 11 (when Luc is having his long sleep!) and i snatch pee times when i know he is asleep or safely lying somewhere! I KNOW!

So what this intense, overwhelming, enormous, hectic, roller coaster experience has taught me is this... So often i have prayed during this time "Pls just make him sleep, eat, calm down... etc" I was discussing this with my friend Sonja and she was saying that she read a Joyce Meyer study that said in the bible there was only once that someone prayed pls take this thing away from me/ change my circumstances (Paul and the thorn in his side!). Rather people pray for strength, wisdom, courage, perseverance, knowledge of Gods love to help them through a tough situation!

 

I found this really challenging but also super encouraging. God is probably not going to take away my sleepless nights (which is the biggest thing i pray for!) but he will give me strength to deal with them at the moment and wisdom on how to teach my boy to sleep...

 So what Luc is teaching me is to pray rather for Gods presence in my situation rather than taking my situation away. Which is again that thing of being present NOW, not wishing for the future. [Although i am seriously looking forward to sleeping through!]

Being present allows me to experience these fantastic moments with my little guy. (Yes- we have just started solids- Luc pulls the greatest faces as he tastes all these new flavours!)
And hopefully, as i watch my little Luc learn and play and experience and laugh and cry and be very awake, i will remember to pray rather for Gods presence than him taking away my situation!

Luc lessons 2

The next thing that Luc has taught me is actually 2 things but they feel like 2 sides of the coin... Having a baby teaches you that you need to be super prepared and organised on the one hand but on the other hand you have to go with the flow and be ready for anything!

A case in point was Lucs arrival into this world. Our little guy was due to arrive on the 8 September. We went to see the gynae on Thursday 16 August to be told that actually our little guy would be arriving on MONDAY! MONDAY! Panic!!!!
That left us a weekend (Thank God) to organise ourselves... I hadn't organised anything! My baby shower had been the weekend before so i hadn't even unpacked all our presents! This was my first lesson in being ready for anything. Luckily I have an awesome sister in law, Fern who has a baby who came over and helped me organise myself. And of course my mom! Between the 2 of them and my amazing hubby Philippe they got me organised. This was my first lesson in being prepared (because i wasn't!!!).

 And then day to day examples of this... Some days Luc decides that the routine he has been following for 2 or 3 weeks is not for him anymore and he likes to mix the routine up! and i have to go with the flow. one of the best examples of how you need to be prepared is when you go out! You really do need that nappy bag because the one day you haven't checked it or brought it with is the day you will need it. Again Fern had to come to my rescue at her son, Matthews birthday party because i had forgotten to pack nappies!

For someone who likes to be prepared, that has been an easier lesson to learn. Going with the flow is harder because it feels like i don't control my world! But a lot of the time i don't anymore...
This sweet bundle of joy does!

Soft Vengeance...

Before Luc was born i had the privilege of attending a talk by Justice Albie Sachs at Wits. i think that is one of the things i am going to miss most about Wits- the interesting events! There is always something on the go there...

Justice Albie Sachs was car bombed in Maputo and as a result lost his right arm and lost the sight in his one eye. The title of his talk was "the soft vengeance of a freedom fighter" which is also the title of his autobiography. i didnt really think twice about the title, until he started to talk. He is an incredible story teller... he sat at the front of the auditorium and told his story. as he started to talk a hush fell over all the people. people put down their phones, ipads, computers and actually listened. He is that compelling!

The thing that stands out is when he explained what he meant by soft vengeance. One of his comrades came to visit him in hospital in London while he was recovering and reassured him that they would "get the guys" who did this to him. his reply was that that wasn't what he wanted! Instead he wanted to see freedom and democracy in South Africa and THAT would be his vengeance on the people who did that to him!
Isn't that mind blowing?

Luc lessons 1

Today i was lying outside with Luc and thinking how much this little guy has taught me already. So i thought i would share these insights (hopefully) weekly... Hence Luc lessons!

Luc has made me realise that lying on your back, staring at the sky and the wind in the trees and the occasional aeroplane, is an excellent way to spend an afternoon.




xxx

New year resolution (s)

Happy 2013! I hope the year to come is the best one yet and filled with love, adventure and lots and lots of blessings!
One of my new years goals ( i dont like the word resolutions!) is to blog regularly. I am aiming for at least 2 or 3 times a week... And as this blog is for me as much as it is for my readers i think 2 or 3 times a week is what i need in order to process, vent, rant and generally verbally vomit!

2 of my other goals are about LOVING my boys deliberately and well!

Whats not to love??? How cute are these guys?
I reread 1 Corinthians 13 and that is what i want to try... Loving patiently, kindly, not demanding my own way, not being irritable (This is a hard one for me, especially if i havent eaten!), keeping no record of wrong, not giving up and being hopeful! I also want to be PRESENT! Sometimes i spend time on fb, my phone etc and i am not actually present in the moment with them... so i resolve to be PRESENT! (and all those other things!)

Heres to a fantastic, mind- blowing 2013.