Wednesday, October 9, 2019

In Memory of My Aunt...

My aunt passed away suddenly last week. It was so unexpected and we found ourselves reeling in shock, trying to process everything. 

I think she would cringe at the thought of this post, and even more so if I had to put a photograph of her on a public platform, so I won't put up a pic.

I remember growing up and living pretty close to Aunty L. We spent quite a bit of time there and she was always happy to see me and we would just chat away  - I remember one day clearly. I wanted to sew something. I must have been 7 or 8 years old. She found me some brown material,  a big piece, I could lie on it, and she gave me some scissors, buttons and bits 'n pieces, and just let me basically destroy that material, which I am now sure, must have been earmarked for something else.  

I also remember when I was still little, I must have been cross with my mom, so I wanted to run away to Aunty L. I packed my little old brown box suitcase, and headed off. But I had to cross the road, and I wasn't allowed to without my mom, so I had to go home!  

More recently, our encounters were often while we had both just "popped down to Spar" to find supper, and we would find ourselves catching up in the carpark, rather than over coffee!

She reminded me of a pixie. She wore her hair short, and she was beautiful, and oh my gosh, she was funny. When she laughed her eyes just lit up. She had a wonderful sense of humour and a quick wit. She was a talented draftswoman, and also so gifted in the prophetic, often writing out, in the most beautiful calligraphy, a word for people that she had been given for them. She loved Hebrew, and spent so much time learning it, which gave her real insight into Scripture and the Jewish culture that she loved so much.

Having said all that, she was almost reclusive, and I don't think she saw in herself what others saw. She seemed to live her life almost trapped as an "extra" in her own movie, playing a brilliant supporting role rather than being the main actress.

I keep thinking of 2 Cor. 3:17-19: " Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord's glory, are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit."

and I am grateful that she is free.

I have this image of her, a part of his Bride, seeing Him now with an unveiled view, looking radiant, laughing, and dancing. Seeing Him, and seeing herself as He sees her.  She is bursting with joy. She is truly free.

More people than you ever dreamed would miss you, will miss you. 

You are so loved.

We'll see you again.

Shalom.


Tuesday, October 1, 2019

#Illbeback

We are beyond the halfway mark of our adventure here, and we find ourselves saying..... "When we go home, we ..."

People often ask us why we want to come back, with everything that goes on at home - but honestly, things go on everywhere. Nowhere is perfect, but so far SA is about as close to perfect a place for me.  (Funnily enough, foreigners who have been to SA ask what are doing here!)


Don't misunderstand me, I am not unhappy here, I am completely content - but I am excited that I have so much to look forward to.

Every time I come home on holiday, and I get out of that plane at CPT INT, my heart skips a beat. I am so warmly greeted by huge smiles and at customs they welcome me home, and I know I am, indeed, home.   The longer we are away, the more I miss it.

I cannot wait to:

This is where my heart is.  This is my home.

  • smell the sea every morning.
  • see the whales, penguins, seals and dolphins
  • feel serious wind, the kind that slams your car door shut, lifts your dress and causes you hair to tangle,
  • see our mountains every.single.day.
  • see sunset every. single. night
  • go for runs in wide open spaces
  • hear the crickets at night... even if it's behind the fridge!
  • hear people yelling at one another across the road
  • feel the energy and the noise and the colour and the accents,
  • to talk to the petrol attendant, the car guard or lady at the till
  • to eat fish and chips while watching the sun go down
  • to go to my "office", complain about the terrible coffee, but live with it because of the view
  • to go and watch cricket at Newlands
  • to hear the Hadeda at 04h00, and curse him for waking us up
  • to be able to jump in the pool after gardening
  • have varied landscapes around every corner
  • to have people just "pop in" for a visit on the way to wherever they were going
  • just be able to see my family whenever I want to.

#ImStaying





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