Thursday, April 26, 2007
A Taste of Heaven
Words are so inadequate to describe our first week of vacation in S. Africa and Zambia. The Panoramic Route, Kruger Park, and Victoria Falls ... each have left us speechless in a new way.
So, we're watching Australia undoubtedly trounce S. Africa in the World Cup Cricket and I'll just load some photos and let the photos speak for themselves. Later ... when I find words ... I'll tell you more.
The first photos will be the Panoramic drive from Joburg to Kruger area. Then, you'll see some gems from Kruger Park. Finally, you'll see some of Vic Falls' wonders. I have more of Vic Falls to load from my camera later ...
If you are inspired enough to decide to make a visit, let me know -- we had the best possible person for our host/guide/cook (braaier -- that's BBQer)/ranger ... his name is Alan Bilbrough (pronounced kinda-like Bulbra) and he made an incredible experience go totally over the top!
If I can't load everything in this blog, I'll keep adding more in other blogs. But if that's what happens, the order will be backwards from what I said earlier!
So, we're watching Australia undoubtedly trounce S. Africa in the World Cup Cricket and I'll just load some photos and let the photos speak for themselves. Later ... when I find words ... I'll tell you more.
The first photos will be the Panoramic drive from Joburg to Kruger area. Then, you'll see some gems from Kruger Park. Finally, you'll see some of Vic Falls' wonders. I have more of Vic Falls to load from my camera later ...
If you are inspired enough to decide to make a visit, let me know -- we had the best possible person for our host/guide/cook (braaier -- that's BBQer)/ranger ... his name is Alan Bilbrough (pronounced kinda-like Bulbra) and he made an incredible experience go totally over the top!
If I can't load everything in this blog, I'll keep adding more in other blogs. But if that's what happens, the order will be backwards from what I said earlier!
Sunday, April 08, 2007
It's Easter 2007!
Christ is risen!
This has been a most unusual Easter!
Quite!
Because we've been on lockdown, the last time we went to a church here was the early part of last August! We make the best of it but it is strange. It's helped us remember the things that truly matter ... and church buildings are not one of them!
You see, every Sunday morning that it's not raining I go to the little playground by our pool. Most folks are still asleep and the children are never out in the mornings so I have the place to myself ... other than the occasional guy who walks by and smirks at me. Anyway, I swing and sing. The swinging is high (height) and the singing is low (volume) and I have a blast!
So, this morning I had a terrific time of worship! I sang every song I could think of that had something in it about Christ being risen! Some were a reach back in time ... way back!
One lyric that hit me like never before was from Christ the Lord is Risen Today --
"sing ye heav'ns and earth reply." I don't know what I was thinking all of the years I've sung that but I surely got a vivid picture of it this morning.
Imagine all of heaven singing at top volume... followed by ...
silence.
No way ... that can't be.
It seems that way sometimes.
All of earth might not be replying right now but
the birds, the trees, the rocks are crying out.
And all over the world
there are pockets of people
replying.
You can find them in
the little churches in the countryside,
the small group huddled under a giant mango tree,
the secret gathering in the dark in a home,
the megachurch in some large city,
a hillside sunrise service, ...
The reply might be from
a robed 200 voice choir,
a t-shirted rock band,
acapella congregational singing,
one lone lady singing in a swing, ...
But this morning I got a picture of what it will someday be
when heaven sings
and the whole earth replys ...
everything that has breath singing and shouting A-le-lu-jah!
Christ is risen, indeed!
This has been a most unusual Easter!
Quite!
Because we've been on lockdown, the last time we went to a church here was the early part of last August! We make the best of it but it is strange. It's helped us remember the things that truly matter ... and church buildings are not one of them!
You see, every Sunday morning that it's not raining I go to the little playground by our pool. Most folks are still asleep and the children are never out in the mornings so I have the place to myself ... other than the occasional guy who walks by and smirks at me. Anyway, I swing and sing. The swinging is high (height) and the singing is low (volume) and I have a blast!
So, this morning I had a terrific time of worship! I sang every song I could think of that had something in it about Christ being risen! Some were a reach back in time ... way back!
One lyric that hit me like never before was from Christ the Lord is Risen Today --
"sing ye heav'ns and earth reply." I don't know what I was thinking all of the years I've sung that but I surely got a vivid picture of it this morning.
Imagine all of heaven singing at top volume... followed by ...
silence.
No way ... that can't be.
It seems that way sometimes.
All of earth might not be replying right now but
the birds, the trees, the rocks are crying out.
And all over the world
there are pockets of people
replying.
You can find them in
the little churches in the countryside,
the small group huddled under a giant mango tree,
the secret gathering in the dark in a home,
the megachurch in some large city,
a hillside sunrise service, ...
The reply might be from
a robed 200 voice choir,
a t-shirted rock band,
acapella congregational singing,
one lone lady singing in a swing, ...
But this morning I got a picture of what it will someday be
when heaven sings
and the whole earth replys ...
everything that has breath singing and shouting A-le-lu-jah!
Christ is risen, indeed!
Monday, April 02, 2007
Beauty in the Midst ...
Lest you think everything about life here is negative, here are few of the things that make me smile and add a lift to my step:
--amazing opportunities to talk with people about why I'm a follower of Jesus
--exposure to so many different cultures (from New Zealand to Brazil and from South Africa to Norway!)
--exposure to others' histories and current politics (the World Wars from the perspective of someone who was in the UK army ... the Eastern European perspective from a Serb ... Jordan from a Jordanian ... Egypt from an Egyptian ... apartheid from a S. African ... views on Castro from a Venezuelan ... on and on)
--exposure to a different culture's humour (the sarcasm of an Aussie ... the dry, almost humorless wit of an Irishman ... the bite of a Brit's jokes)
--working out at the gym each morning
--huge yellow and black butterflies
--chasing a fragrance and tracing it to the yellow blossoms high up in a tree
--a sudden rain shower that ends just as suddenly
--reading The Slumber of Christianity by novelist Ted Dekker at the pool in the heat of the sun
--garlic prawns at the Clubhouse
--watching Jim enjoy garlic prawns at the Clubhouse
--reading my Bible on the park bench just outside our back patio, surrounded by green bushes, trees, leaves, grass ...
--having Jim arrive for lunch just 3 minutes after he left his office
--Jim having time for lunch at all
--a volleyball game with new friends
--finalizing plans for our next trip (leaving for S. Africa in two weeks)
God is still showering His love on us in tangible ways. All-in-all, in this crazy locked-down camp we call a prison and we call our home ... life is good!
--amazing opportunities to talk with people about why I'm a follower of Jesus
--exposure to so many different cultures (from New Zealand to Brazil and from South Africa to Norway!)
--exposure to others' histories and current politics (the World Wars from the perspective of someone who was in the UK army ... the Eastern European perspective from a Serb ... Jordan from a Jordanian ... Egypt from an Egyptian ... apartheid from a S. African ... views on Castro from a Venezuelan ... on and on)
--exposure to a different culture's humour (the sarcasm of an Aussie ... the dry, almost humorless wit of an Irishman ... the bite of a Brit's jokes)
--working out at the gym each morning
--huge yellow and black butterflies
--chasing a fragrance and tracing it to the yellow blossoms high up in a tree
--a sudden rain shower that ends just as suddenly
--reading The Slumber of Christianity by novelist Ted Dekker at the pool in the heat of the sun
--garlic prawns at the Clubhouse
--watching Jim enjoy garlic prawns at the Clubhouse
--reading my Bible on the park bench just outside our back patio, surrounded by green bushes, trees, leaves, grass ...
--having Jim arrive for lunch just 3 minutes after he left his office
--Jim having time for lunch at all
--a volleyball game with new friends
--finalizing plans for our next trip (leaving for S. Africa in two weeks)
God is still showering His love on us in tangible ways. All-in-all, in this crazy locked-down camp we call a prison and we call our home ... life is good!
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