Guess what, Mom...

When your son leans around the kitchen door-frame and nonchalantly says "Guess What, Mom" - then you know something significant is about to happen! And I was right.
What?
"I have a coffee date tomorrow night".
(thinking quickly - coz he's gone out for coffee with friends lots of times)Who with?
"...... She's been coming to church recently".
I don't think I know her - there are a few new faces that I haven't got names for yet.
"Yeah"
Where're you going - Bugatti's?
"Yeah"
That's great!

So, there you have it. Something significant.
And a mother always has to 'keep cool' about these things:)

A Handshake

If someone from outer space were to watch people on earth conducting this strange ritual of two people facing each other, grasping their right hands, then moving them up and down together, I wonder what they would think?! We humans really have some strange practices. But I suppose they are not so strange if you know what they mean or what they are about.

Paul came home the other night after a faculty dinner to say that he had 'received a handshake'. I was tempted to say 'so where is it then?' But I did wonder what it was for - meeting someone, saying goodbye to someone, entering an agreement or what? Maybe he had met a fencing companion - but he is not fencing at the moment and so does not carry his weapon around with him. Or maybe he had met a fellow scout, and they shook left-handedly, as scouts are wont to do.

But the questions were soon answered when he told us that one of the professors had shaken his hand because he had attained an over 80% aggregate for his first year medicine last year. Upon hearing that news, we hugged him - wouldn't want to sully the handshake in any way. So this particular handshake was offered in congratulations - and he also received a certificate, and a small bursary (about R4000) for the current year. As he says - the University is paying for him to attend. He, very humbly, said that he doesn't know how they worked his aggregate out because he didn't think he had done that well.

What blessings all our sons are. We praise God for all of them, and for the heart that He has grown in each of them. They truly serve Him in profound and unique ways that I certainly didn't when I was their ages.

I am truly blessed!

LiveAMMO

What you see in the picture below is certainly not live ammunition. I removed the mousetraps from their 'hiding places' today and, as you see, they would not have caught mice or anything else! But scroll down for the real LiveAMMO

LiveAMMO

This is the band that Paul (my son) is in: Guitarists Paul (left), Neall (centre), Luke (right - obscured by keyboard); Marcus on drums; Kevin on keyboard. The 3 guitarists began practising together in our garage during the December 2007 holidays, and were soon joined by Kevin and Marcus. They now practise at Marcus' house, because his drums are permanently set up there. On Saturday they played for parents and family - and what remarkable progress they have made. They are producing a really good sound together. Their vision is to give the gospel message through music to youth in schools etc. Confirmation of the name that they have chosen for themselves comes from Isaiah 49:2 - He made my mouth like a sharpened sword, in the shadow of his hand he hid me; he made me into a polished arrow and concealed me in his quiver.

I am in awe of what God does and how he works in lives - and I am excited at what I see happening among the youth. Paul, at the age of 8, said that he didn't want to play an instrument but wanted to carry on with theory of music. At the time he was excelling at playing the recorder even though he never (or very very very seldom) practised between lessons!! He continued with theory until the end of grade 9, when sport and school became too busy for him to fit it in any more - he'd also had enough by then! When Allan bought a guitar, Paul started to strum and play on it a bit. Then he bought his own just over a year ago (Allan having moved away to do his Internship), and has been making great strides with Neall's help. He plays every day - a good stress reliever after a long day of lectures and dissection and whatever else medical students are confronted with. My heart has been warmed as I have heard him gain confidence in his playing and expand his repertoire - not that I have said much - Mom's comments are not always needed!!!!

What excites me is that God just not bless us with talents - but he gives us the passion which drives us to develop and use those talents. What a mighty God we serve - there is none like him!

Footloose and Fancyfree

I'm getting itchy feet. It's not a new condition but has reappeared due to the various travels of my youngest son, Paul. Having promoted all his subjects as first year medical student at Tukkies, he has no exams to write and had a stretch of 3 months to 'chill' from mid-October. One week playing computer games etc, followed by one week visiting brother Ian in Nelspruit.
This picture was taken when he visited Ian towards the end of Ian's Internship year (2005)

Then another week visiting brother Allan in Somerset West. Allan and Paul seen here together on Christmas Day 2006, just before Allan left to commence his Internship in Uitenhage - from whence he has transferred to Somerset West.
And now, after a week of planning and booking, off to visit cousin Nicky in Edinburgh along with her two children, Matthew and Lucia - pictured here with Paul. He'll be there for 3+ weeks - visiting other friends and family as well, and fitting in a Haggis Tour of Scotland too. What has actually caused of the recurrence of my itchy feet is that I have been doing some of the bookings - and I am not travelling anywhere - and my system feels that that is a great injustice! Since I last went overseas with Paul on a soccer tour to England at the end of his Gr.7 year, travel seems to have become even easier. Booking and making payments of International and local flights and tours via the Internet from the convenience of the computer corner at home - and printing the various tickets straight away; no more booking of and waiting for traveler's cheques - just get an International Travel Card for a mere cost of R50, load it up with foreign currency from your account and off you go - a great saving in bank costs; even London transport options can be explored and maps printed out in advance - so he already is at ease concerning how to get from Heathrow to Gatwick.
I'm going to have to do some serious thinking about travel plans for myself. I did go to Mozambique with the Outreach Team for two weeks in July, and I spent a week with a very close friend in Barberton. But does that count as travel? - no, not really - hmmmm!!