Being a Hermit or Hibernating?

Hibernate - animal/plant - spend the winter in a dormant state - person - remain inactive or indoors for an extended period of time. Hermit - person living in solitude as a religious discipline.

Which of these applies to me at the present time?

1. There is the inaction indoors part - not that there is complete inaction. The usual routines of living go on - like eating, sleeping, interacting with family to a limited degree, limited shopping for necessities, and so on. Activities like reading, doing crosswords, playing card games, thinking and reflecting take up a fair amount of time, and I would classify them as 'inactive' as they do not involve other people. More like going through the motions of living rather than actually participating in life.

2. There is the solitude part - a state of being separated within from what is going on around me. This is there whether I am alone inside, or whether I am out and about like at the beach, or in a coffee shop. And in this state of separation/ solitude I am continuously in conversation with my Lord. It's like I am living inside myself.

Both of these hermit and hibernating conditions seem to be applicable in varying degrees. But perhaps the hibernating part is there in greater part. Hibernation is a winter condition - a time of drought and barrenness, yet a time when roots push down deeper into soil in search of water and nutrition . It is a time of energy conservation, displaying fruits of impatience, irritability and inability to deal with other's needs and problems. This certainly explains the condition in which I find myself at this time.

I shall continue to embrace this time of withdrawal and energy conservation at all levels (physical, emotional, mental and spiritual) while waiting on God, knowing that He is present and active, and trusting that I will recognize the signs of new life - a season of spring - when He judges that I am ready for it.

Dyslexic Plumbing?

It has seemed to me to be the norm that when it comes to taps on basins, sinks and baths, that the right hand tap is for cold water, and the left hand tap is for hot water. Now, on the coast of KZN, specifically in a dwelling at Salt Rock, I have encountered the reverse. At first I wondered whether the taps had been mistakenly put in that way - and that the tap labelled cold would actually be hot and vice versa. But in taking a risk to find out in the shower, it turned out that the right hand tap labelled hot was indeed hot. And this has proven the case for each of the installations! So it is a relief that I can take the labeling as being accurate.

But other questions now arise:

- Is the installation specific to this house only, or is it common on the Natal Coast? To find out the answer I will have to do some investigating in other houses and buildings. Unfortunately, being a visitor to this area, the opportunity doesn't arise for me to do this. So, I guess, the easiest way to find out would be to visit a hardware/ plumbing shop. Or maybe to simply ask the owners/ builders of this establishment - which is by far the easiest way of finding out.

- Is the hot/ cold water arrangement global or a north/ south hemisphere thing? Perhaps like the direction the water circles down the plug hole - i.e. clockwise below the equator, and anti-clockwise above the equator [don't laugh - I saw this for myself when I spent a year in the USA]. So I shall have to ask my northern hemisphere friends about the arrangement of their taps. I wonder what they will think of my question? - perhaps that I am going batty?

- Is the tap arrangement British versus Other? If so, then this part if the Natal Coast, or the builders of this establishment were/are not of British extraction - because in my experience, the taps in the United Kingdom have cold on the right and hot on the left. If it is a British versus Other thing, then this is a potential scandal as KwaZuluNatal is considered by some of its inhabitants (who are in the minority although you wouldn't think so if you we're to spend time among the little commercial enterprises in the Natal Midlands) to be the last outpost of the British Empire.

Whatever the answers, at least I can know that for now I will not scald myself when turning on the tap labelled 'C' for cold (unless both taps are labelled C as for the bath!). But it will be good to check wherever I go, in case the plumber who did the installation suffered from dyslexia.

Shoes I Walk In

I have been having a problem for the past few months in finding shoes to fit my foot, which is short, broad, and with a high instep. The styles and makes on the market just don't fit - even if I try a larger size than I normally get. It's not as if I have a lot of pairs in my cupboard as I have a very limited range. The problem is that my everyday shoes have been wearing out and I am left with a pair of black sandals, a pair of blue flat soft shoes, and a pair of slip-slops which I now wear most of the time.

In reflecting on this difficulty I realise how much it is indicative of where I am right now in life. I have come to the end of a 'season' in ministry. The last number of years, I have not been fully operating in my particular giftings but havebeen having to do a lot of other things.  They have been important and I know that is was God's direction that I do them, but the toll that it has taken on me has been significant - enough to 'wear out my shoes'. Therefore, in looking for the same styles and makes, I have not had success because the time for walking in those 'shoes' has ended. I am no longer ministering in the community in which I have lived, worshipped, worked and ministered for the past 23 years - the community in which I heard and responded to the call to the ordained ministry.

During the 4 months leave of absence that has been granted me, I trust that the Lord will plant seeds of passion in my heart as to the direction He is now leading me in. As I spend time in rest and reflection, in seeking the Lord in quietness and retreat, I am confident that not only will I hear His clear direction, but that I will also find new shoes to fit the new direction and journey that I will be 'walking in'.

In Memory of Jess

Just over six years ago, this plant was given to Ned and me on the passing of Ned's mom, Jess, at the grand age of 95years. It flourished in a pot in our home for a while and then I planted it in the garden where it has continued to bloom around the anniversary of Jess's death. To me, it is not only a reminder of Jess and all that she invested in us as a family in the way of joy, traditions we chose to adhere to, love and faithfulness, but it is also a reminder of the love and faithfulness of friends who care and journey with us through the tough times in life. Thank you, Jenny. You are a friend whom I truly appreciate and value.

Shredding the Past

I am, very slowly (!), sorting out my study and accumulated books and papers and 'stuff'.

This evening I went through a file of past sermons - which are now torn up and waiting for our next waste paper collection. I have wondered why I kept them. Perhaps to remind me of my journey at that time? or maybe because there is a magpie hidden within me?

It has been a liberating exercise getting to grips with the knowledge/ truth that those contexts and circumstances are in the past, and that the members of the congregation will never be in those exact 'places' in their lives again; that they were fed in some way through the worship service as a whole and that the sermon I preached was only a small part of the meal we shared together; that we have journeyed together in our relationships with the Lord and have encouraged and challenged and held each other accountable along the way; and that the discipline of sermon and service preparation has enriched me in unexpected ways.

I am humbled. And I am at peace.

Becoming an NPBP

Today I moved my office.
Enough said!
It was good to get rid of a lot of paper and newsletters and other publications cluttering up drawers and shelves that had been yearning for a 'tidy up' for a long time.
The reality of the amount of paper wastage that has been created was driven home to me once again. My overflowing waste-paper baskets are convicting me strongly to repent!
With immediate effect, I shall be increasing my efforts to be a Non-Paper-Based-Person, even though that is still a bit of a challenge for my generation!

A Family Celebration

On the 29th April 2011, Dave (Ned's brother) and Colleen celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary. Their son Andrew organised a holiday for the immediate family, and all but 2 grand-children joined them in Port Alfred for a week of special time together. It was a 'once in a life-time' sort of affair with all the children being able to join them from as far afield as England and New Zealand.
From left to right: Nicollette, Michael, Dave, Colleen, Natalie, Andrew

Dave and Colleen with 6 of their 8 grand-children.
Jessica, Lucia, Matthew, Aimee, Sarah, Joy.
Some of the extended family joined the holiday party, and celebrated in style together on the evening of 28th April. Long-standing friends and bestmen from their wedding came from as far as Cape Town to share in the joy and celebrations.
Life-long, faithful, friendships and shared memories are a joy to be treasured.