Archive for March, 2007

Looking at Polls, and Whims, and Backbone

Wednesday, March 28th, 2007

People are so easily swayed ? As I watch the newest South African Cricket game ? a game where we chasing a mere 209 runs against Sri Lanka, viewers are invited to take part in a voting poll.? ?Does Jacques Kallis deserve a place in the South African one day team considering his low strike rate in international one day cricket??? Within ten minutes the majority of voters, about 70%, are saying NO.? Throw him out.? Two hours later, Kallis slowly pacing forward as usual, in a low scoring game where stability is essential, and risks should be kept to a minimum, suddenly 55% of voters decide YES.? The YES doesn?t bother me as such because he probably deserves a place in the side.? (My point the other day is that he has to have the ability to adjust his style to the playing conditions.) What bothers me is the way the public are swayed on a whim.? Today a team wins ? the coach is a hero ? and the captain.? Tomorrow they lose.? Fire the coach and the captain.? (Or murder him)

One of the best things that has happened in SA Rugby is sticking with Jake even though the team went through a bad patch.? It will pay dividends. Mark my words.? However, if it were up to the public, many would have fired him.? When he takes us to World Cup victory in a couple of months, these same people will all say it was the right thing to stick with Jake.

Heck.

It?s quite crazy to think how many countries are governed by the result of voting polls?

So maybe my point is that we should be firm in our beliefs.? If we are swayed by a sports game, or the weather, or the neighbor?s opinion, what will we do when our faith is challenged?? Not necessarily our faith in God as such.? But our faith in his principles, or in our understanding of what He revealed to us.? Or simply when our opinions of what we believe about this or that concerning God and his ways are challenged?

Of course some of us don?t even have any opinions on most things.? ?I don?t think God has an issue whether we believe a thing is round or square?, some say.?? He might not.? But he probably would appreciate you having an opinion.? People who made a difference in the Bible and people who make a difference in society today have opinions about things.

They have a firm belief in what they believe.? And they stick by them.? That?s my point about the voting thing.

I?m not saying we should not be open to learn and open to change.? But heck.? Am I going to change to a new car now, just because it didn?t work perfectly yesterday?? (I did that with my medical aid ? the grass is greener? ? BIG MISTAKE ? but that?s a story for tomorrow perhaps)

Let?s get some backbone!

Posted in Cricket, Rugby, Golf..., New Thoughts | 2 Comments »

Losing cricket against AUZ

Monday, March 26th, 2007

I put the blame for losing the group stage game against the Aussies totally on Jacques Kallis’ shoulders. I’m sorry but if you’re chasing 380 with a great start of 160 odd for zero, and then Kallis comes in clipping the ball around at a strike right of 75, he’s expecting the rest of his team to bat at 10 an over to make up for his time wasting. Honestly I doubt Kallis’ position in the one day team - Especially with Prince being there. There’s truly not a place for two players of that style of cricket in the modern one day game.
3 cheers for Arthur who has AT LONG LAST realised that Hall deserves a default position in the side.

Posted in Cricket, Rugby, Golf... | 2 Comments »

Bob Woolmer is dead

Wednesday, March 21st, 2007

I’m reflecting on the death of Bob Woolmer, one of the best cricket coaches of all time. Woolmer was found dead in his hotel room after the shock loss to one of the minnows in international cricket, Ireland. Currently his death is being treated as ’suspicious’, media reports reflect. With Pakistan being the cricket crazy nation they are, as are all from the sub-continent, I find it pretty suspicious too. And wouldn’t put it past being a forced ‘termination of contract’ by some crazy Pakistani individual or group. Hopefully we find out and justice prevails.

It’s sad how nations can be so low that they have nothing to live for except their sport. In a way it’s a wonderful thing how sport unites a nation. Look what it is doing to South Africa. Look at the thousands of white boers making a black Kabamba Floors their icon and hero! (I wonder if they would invite him for a beer at their homes though!) However it is sad that when things go wrong with your national team, that everything falls apart. And your reason for living momentarily disappears.

When incidents such as Woolmer’s death occur (and considering the possibility of foul play), it reminds us how sport can become a god. As any other addiction can. I am reminded of the value of life. I am reminded of how privileged I am to have a reason for living, a purpose, and to value that reason for living.

Woolmer and Hansie are both now dead. Probably the two most influential people in South African cricket over the last two decades. As an avid cricket fan I honor him for what he gave to society, of himself, his wisdom, his creative energy, his passion. May his loved ones find themselves turning to God alone, and no other place, in their pain.
May they also rest in peace as they mourn.

Posted in Cricket, Rugby, Golf... | 1 Comment »

20 years!

Monday, March 19th, 2007

My good friend for 20 years, Nico Roos, came to visit us this weekend from Bath England ? together with his British wife, Lize, and their baby son, Johnny. We were in the army together (Yes, I was in the army!), students at university together, in ministry together, and lived and traveled in different countries across the world. We?ve run together, cried together, lost girlfriends together, sung ?Pie-Jesu? together, watched rugby together, and now we?re raising children together. Great seeing you Nico, Lize and Johnny!

Till next time we visit you in Bath!

(Nico, Lize, Amanda and myself during a previous visit in Bristol)

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Posted in Me | No Comments »

Gijima

Monday, March 19th, 2007

I finished writing the screenplay for our newest show, Gijima, this week.? Chris finished all the music and we?re pumped to start working on it.? Gijima is the Zulu word used for the following:? to run, to chase, to run away/flee from.

This show was Este?s brainchild and is our first show in four official languages: English, Afrikaans, Zulu, and Northern Sotho.? I?m very excited about it and invite you to make an effort to see it this year ? Look out for the show at the Little Theatre later this year!

Also look out for our other new show called Lil? Me!? Global Weight loss challenges, adopted kid from Africa, computer hacking into the Sandton Sun?s security system etc!

Posted in Local 13thFLOOR stuff (South Africa) | 1 Comment »

C-Kruis has A NEW NAME!

Monday, March 19th, 2007

Local news is that C-Kruis International is changing its name! To 13thFLOOR.

With global planting in the UK/Europe, as well as in other African countries, our ministry needs to be known by one name across the world. Also we found it pretty important that people all over can pronounce the name!

With C-Kruis locally in its 13th year of existence we found it fitting to change the name to 13thFLOOR ? the name our American based ministry is already using. There is a lot of superstition around the number 13. Airplanes don?t have a 13th seat and many buildings don?t have a 13th Floor. 13thFLOOR wants to go places in ministry where people are afraid to go. We want to stretch people boundaries of thinking about ministry. (Please read my ABOUT ME column)

So look out for a 6-month marketing strategy telling the South African public about our new name!

Posted in Local 13thFLOOR stuff (South Africa) | 1 Comment »

Moses - The I AM thing

Monday, March 12th, 2007

So here?s the Egyptian who?s actually a Jew, who marries a wife from Midian and lives in the desert with her?who?s only real contact with God is an encounter in a bush. In this encounter this God says to this man, Moses, who happens to have a major communication issue, stuttering (I forgot to mention this when I spoke about his identity issues earlier), and tells him he was going to be the savior of the Hebrew nation.

Then when this man, Moses, protests ? quite vehemently for someone who doesn?t know God too well ? God in anger, gives the brother as a helper, which was nice of Him, but first and foremost stamps his authority on Moses in another way. God gives Moses His name. I AM. I AM WHAT I AM sent you. That?s enough.

We can talk about this for hours, which I don?t have as I am already envisioning how I have to multi-task not to be late for my next meeting. But isn?t it something else?

God doesn?t give an argument ? he just gives a statement. I AM. Simple. He follows this with some miraculous sign that affirms his word. (Something he did with his disciples as well)

To me that statement is enough to keep me encouraged in ministry. And in His call. I don?t know how. People won?t always agree. But, I AM. That?s enough.

Please mind out of my way.

Posted in New Thoughts, Thoughts on Moses | No Comments »

Spirituality

Monday, March 5th, 2007

What a spiritual word! Spirituality. A friend of mine was recently fired from her job as copywriter at a Christian based magazine. Reason was she was not spiritual enough. Or Spirit-filled enough. This assessment was made due to the fact that she did not speak in tongues, as does the editor and visionary, and does not utter prophetic utterances every second sentence. Apart from the fact that I think she can sue them for breaking of basic labor law regulations, I wish I could knock some sense in their heads personally ? perhaps with a Bible!

The fruit of the Spirit is evident in this woman?s life like in few people?s lives I know. Her Godly wisdom and incredibly mature perspective is like a well with living water. (Ha, now that?s sounds spiritual ? maybe I could get her job!) She is a skilled copywriter/editor and actually an enormous asset for any magazine. Yet her spirituality is compared to that of other staff who might show some manifestations of the Holy Spirit (or maybe not so holy one), but of whom fruit, foundation, and wisdom is perhaps less than evident!

Agh. It makes me want to puke.

JESUS WAS PROBABLY THE MOST SPIRITUAL PERSON I KNOW. I WOULD LIKE TO BASE MY SPIRITUALITY ON HIS. A MAN WHO FOUND IT A SPIRITUAL ACT TO HANG OUT WITH ORDINARY PEOPLE LIKE MYSELF, FISHERMEN, TAX COLLECTERS, WHORES? SHOULD I GO ON? A MAN WHO IS BEST DESCRIBED BY THE WORDS ‘LOVE’ AND ‘GRACE’, NOT ‘TONGUES’ AND ‘MIRACLES’.

A MAN WHO WHEN MANIFESTING SPIRITUAL GIFTS DID THIS AS INCIDENTAL RESULT OF WHO HE WAS, AND NOT AS A PREREQUISITE TO BE SOMETHING!!!

Oh how I wish this magazine would read my blog, but My World, It?s probably not spiritual enough!

Posted in Favourites, New Thoughts | 3 Comments »

Reading over death

Thursday, March 1st, 2007

I wanted to name this blog ‘questions and confusion - continued.’ We read over death so often in the Bible. We just read over it. But somebody lived that death. Somebody was sad about it. Somebody cried.

Tonight friends visited us. Their twins died while she was 8 months pregnant on the same day Riccardo was born.

On the same day there was joy and sadness. Cries of joy and cries of pain.

There is little to be said. We can only cry with them.

This is such a sad world…

And again somebody is reading over this death.

But that’s how life is.

And now you stop reading.

Posted in New Thoughts | No Comments »