tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19724892170100006962024-02-07T19:02:24.594-08:00the chronicles of a nomadi love diversity | i crave simplicity | i find joy in the small things | i believe in living | i am an expressionist | an anti-conformist | a dreamer | starve the ego - feed the soulchefhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07823344785921178388noreply@blogger.comBlogger495125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1972489217010000696.post-91797122254735953342017-02-26T07:46:00.001-08:002017-02-26T07:51:09.963-08:00antidote for busyness<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBLUMHrnowX362ueTBYYG13WwJw8Z8ot0x1E5IT7Gw5GyIarmYsk65TdPIEakdakGq6lr6NsQ6_-wx3BKlDYlOE_O1ptTDWSfrCkpe0uiqUcDxkEQi_xWdHiIaexAMouC7f9PCCGwFj2U/s1600/pexels-photo-147469.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBLUMHrnowX362ueTBYYG13WwJw8Z8ot0x1E5IT7Gw5GyIarmYsk65TdPIEakdakGq6lr6NsQ6_-wx3BKlDYlOE_O1ptTDWSfrCkpe0uiqUcDxkEQi_xWdHiIaexAMouC7f9PCCGwFj2U/s320/pexels-photo-147469.jpeg" width="320" /></a>how often do you use the words: i am too busy. i don't have the time. how often do we brag about our busyness. do you realize that you are feeding something unhealthy inside you that will consume you in the end. it will cost you severely. unless you step in. make the change. be drastic in your actions. or life will pass you by without you knowing it. it is OK to leave certain things undone. it is OK to leave things incomplete. to sit down. to stop. to have an unrushed conversation with someone special. before we complete the task at hand. it is OK to prioritize your family. your relationships. it is OK. the world wants to tell you otherwise. be task orientated. finish what you have started. don't leave it undone. i say rubbish to such speech. take time out. break away. regroup. spend time with yourself. be introspective. find yourself again. before you burn out. before you loose it all. don't be overwhelmed. take control. don't be bullied by other peoples expectations. find contentment in your circumstances. recognize the season and embrace it. make the necessary adjustments. don't allow fear to be the barrier that blocks you. fear can be a deal-breaker. rather conquer the paralyzing worries that eat away your soul. overcome the joy-wrecking fears. take back your life. be specific in your actions. be bold. </div>
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chefhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07823344785921178388noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1972489217010000696.post-78939931557995935962017-02-19T03:34:00.001-08:002017-02-19T03:34:44.314-08:00shades of grey<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhe_v9YBBljNLh95U3W6Ah5LrZ0eF6kkpoHfeFwuS6Agz6_Mh4dFojW4iacXbGaM-cp9e7CzW_DohAJAiz1N6uZwy5YEkzVslYgbsyI7f7nfUp83sPqxTJ45UrGalTTDYhMtlbS1FqNQBE/s1600/3f80466df39a6f9a0cd9f32b77e185e9.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="192" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhe_v9YBBljNLh95U3W6Ah5LrZ0eF6kkpoHfeFwuS6Agz6_Mh4dFojW4iacXbGaM-cp9e7CzW_DohAJAiz1N6uZwy5YEkzVslYgbsyI7f7nfUp83sPqxTJ45UrGalTTDYhMtlbS1FqNQBE/s320/3f80466df39a6f9a0cd9f32b77e185e9.jpg" width="320" /></a>most of us recall days when we lived simple uncomplicated lives. when days were filled with things that mattered. lives lived from the soul. when your creativity was at its pinnacle. days were lived playfully and lovingly. care free. restful. can you recall those days. how long has it been since you have experienced it. too long you might say. too long ago to remember. you live a life filled with resentment and bitterness. unfulfilled dreams. expectation unmet. frustration. life with its ambitions and driven culture has consumed you. you have lost track of your own reality. you trust in other people's opinions to guide you. just to make it through another day. leaving you unfulfilled and angry. incongruity is at the order of the day. every aspect of your life blurring into the next. no cl<span style="text-align: left;">arity. no focus. no control. no antidote for the busyness. shades of grey. </span></div>
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chefhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07823344785921178388noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1972489217010000696.post-59658414464622494842017-02-18T06:20:00.001-08:002017-02-18T06:20:41.720-08:00daddy's girl<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFqIAenrxZEgxq0L7Gb3dovgfW0WghoUtvqJKfUtczf498UTVXog9yKVg8_wL4MYoiYvLgNU1RAFzWstCgDViE1qo-2sS_s9F7ALieydsoWax40TX-Gey5cUIzM6o6hFCwMm0-Tpovhv8/s1600/girl+with+flowers.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFqIAenrxZEgxq0L7Gb3dovgfW0WghoUtvqJKfUtczf498UTVXog9yKVg8_wL4MYoiYvLgNU1RAFzWstCgDViE1qo-2sS_s9F7ALieydsoWax40TX-Gey5cUIzM6o6hFCwMm0-Tpovhv8/s200/girl+with+flowers.jpg" width="200" /></a>a friend once said: when a daughter is born a father is born. these words have echoed in my soul for over two years now since the birth of our precious daughter. nothing could prepare me for that moment she was born. i remember the uncertainty and insecurity you live through. not knowing what to expect. will i know what to do. thinking back of that surreal moment when that little life entered this world. it feels like yesterday. how fast the time has passed. two going on twenty five. nobody could have prepared me for the experience it has been. never in my wildest dreams would i have thought it would be like this. your own flesh and blood. your mannerisms. your smirk. your cheekiness. the overwhelming desire to protect. to provide. to love. an unhealthy sense of silliness. living outside your character. doing things that simply can not be explained. all in the name of fatherhood. it scares me some days that one can experience such strong emotions. yet this relationship between father and daughter can not be explained. it can not be quantified. an invisible bond that will last forever. may i never fail in my task. </div>
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chefhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07823344785921178388noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1972489217010000696.post-3300809210037464052017-02-18T05:29:00.002-08:002017-02-18T05:41:06.068-08:00talking to a stranger<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgg42uSbDV4R2OYbKjHKhzde60UJMl15SVXDou7Nkr9diTV21lVeqDIEs8HeQgjAKaDrEffiFL9L6Tg_AgUNJBWYdCa_pbX4iX6DKaARATEMIV3hwjbv-koxVxjla3wnmkypB3azTI5qFA/s1600/weirdos.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="217" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgg42uSbDV4R2OYbKjHKhzde60UJMl15SVXDou7Nkr9diTV21lVeqDIEs8HeQgjAKaDrEffiFL9L6Tg_AgUNJBWYdCa_pbX4iX6DKaARATEMIV3hwjbv-koxVxjla3wnmkypB3azTI5qFA/s320/weirdos.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
to some it happens often. to others it does not happen often. but we all experience it at some time in our lives. that you get to spend hours with a complete stranger. i have been fortunate to travel like many others have. airport. stations. en route. from here to there and everywhere. i like the trains of europe. the buses in africa. the ferries in indonesia. a common place where people meet. people from all different walks of life. you sit next to somebody or meet someone. only to find out that you are heading in the same direction. a long bus ride. a hop-skip-and-a-jump transfer between destinations. a ten hour flight. and you tag along. it is not always a pleasant experience though cos you get many different (stereo) types of "tag-alongs". you get the nosy old ladies that ask inappropriate questions. you get the self-indulged business men. or the bubbly au pair that simply has the inability to stop talking. you also have the laid back jocks that never remove their sunglasses and with bulging muscles that takes up half of your seat. only to name a few...but the list goes on. my personal favourite...definitely those weirdos. they dress funny. they speak funny. they sit with their legs crossed on the floor. they almost always walk around with ear phones that are twice the size of their heads and seem to be permanently connected to their heads. i just love talking to them. they are by far my preferred stereotype. cos a conversation with them is like speaking to someone from outer space...but in a good way. they are normally on a mission somewhere to go and help some endangered specie or find some form of spiritual enlightenment. i can listen to them for hours. slowly probing and by asking questions you are drawn into their world that is made up of things you did not even know existed.</div>
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chefhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07823344785921178388noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1972489217010000696.post-32912995468348035372014-03-21T10:47:00.001-07:002017-02-18T05:41:22.508-08:00overcoming the dark past<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhr9QsKbpTEXImsLFwXx5nSlGhC_I-yRsIJhSio7GPcrx6dKClSlpG1SkEsAdeWGCzxIfipASPNQS31cv1ZDhAi7DJ2P7ZXO_Lxr_fqU3SkFQcPTvczSoOIwRMPflDxPowkSsBTkK8deeQ/s1600/troubled+past.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhr9QsKbpTEXImsLFwXx5nSlGhC_I-yRsIJhSio7GPcrx6dKClSlpG1SkEsAdeWGCzxIfipASPNQS31cv1ZDhAi7DJ2P7ZXO_Lxr_fqU3SkFQcPTvczSoOIwRMPflDxPowkSsBTkK8deeQ/s320/troubled+past.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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we all have a story to tell. we all have even more stories we want to hide. the dark horse. the gremlin lurking in the corner. the things we would rather forget. things we would love to wipe from our past. that thing that shames you. the one that haunts your dreams. the images you can't get from your sub-conscience. the thing that you dread people will find out about you. if only. if only i did not... the common train of thought. often the most difficult scenario is forgiving ourselves. for being so stupid. for allowing certain events in our lives. if only. if only i did not.... yet life rolls on. we live on. we cope. we survive. we ignore. we hide. we lie. we substitute. the one event for the next. constantly trying to fill the void inside. fighting the bully inside. trying to silence the voices in our head. yet it is a battle that you will never win. not by yourself. not alone. not even your friends can help. also coping with the pressures from the outside. the new boss. the old girlfriend. the inconsiderate neighbours. nobody to understand. nobody to listen. everybody has an opinion. but nobody listens. only a fool looks in the mirror and when he walks away forgets what he has seen. but how often are we that fool that walks away. forgetting the past. only to falter and fall soon after. don't be that fool. take the time. take a hard long look in the mirror. make the decision. don't walk away the same. there is a Way. there is a Way to free yourself from the past. the darkness that wants to drag you down. a darkness that just doesn't want to leave you alone. turn away from the mirror and walk into the Light. where there is Light there can be no darkness. you don't have to be that guy. you don't have to suffer. you don't have to run. give yourself away. freedom is waiting for those who are willing to walk into the Light. don't let the darkness of the past cover the brightness of your future.</div>
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chefhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07823344785921178388noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1972489217010000696.post-36320966959567610312014-03-21T10:02:00.000-07:002017-02-18T05:41:36.717-08:00modern day terrorist<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiu4DvbQt0HKFPzvCcMMKRapiUWsoVPhYskOr2L5sF4cC0ap-aAmEO91sCt4kxLKKfjzXD7ZZu2FMHxcUlihcdInhtc0wtwgkBkXxTb9kNwpY7SLjfLbyXqDMSx5JjHxY9Xo5HqMRFSuQA/s1600/terrorism2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiu4DvbQt0HKFPzvCcMMKRapiUWsoVPhYskOr2L5sF4cC0ap-aAmEO91sCt4kxLKKfjzXD7ZZu2FMHxcUlihcdInhtc0wtwgkBkXxTb9kNwpY7SLjfLbyXqDMSx5JjHxY9Xo5HqMRFSuQA/s320/terrorism2.jpg" width="320" /></a>we live in a world that is pre-occupied with human rights and the individual. a world that says the expression of the person, the i, is more important of the greater good. we have become so selfish and intertwined with ourselves that it has become impossible to distinguish right form wrong. a world that says discipline is not important. we ignore. we chose not to see. we read of rapists walking free. human trafficking and the slave trade alive and kicking. politicians turning the blind eye and lining nothing but their own pockets. our future looks grim. our children the ones that will suffer. what are we leaving behind. is it not time we stand up for a better tomorrow. regardless of your colour or creed. regardless your country or religion. the time has come for common sense to prevail. for the sake of our children. before their future disappears. we have become modern day terrorists in our own right. we use manipulation to get what we want. we maneuver. we plot. we plan. we focus only on what we want. our own needs. our own greeds. when last did you consider the need of another before your own comfort. we are causing our own downfall if we don't stand up for what is right. soon it will be to late. we are allowing the fabric of our society to be crippled and polluted by "pseudo" honourable ideas. on the surface it all looks good. yet we swallow the lies. we eat the deception.we are too focused on our own things and believe it is up to the others to fix things. we have pushed the self-destruct button. even on our own lives. emotionally. we have cut others off. burnt bridges. we have dived into the dark abyss of self pity and strife. life has never been this dark. not on the outside. but even worse...not on the inside either. take control. take responsibility. don't outsource your future to someone who is not concerned with your interests. start by making a small difference. cos the small difference will lead to bigger change. </div>
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chefhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07823344785921178388noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1972489217010000696.post-91563751787594317512014-02-09T07:42:00.001-08:002014-02-09T07:42:27.259-08:00outward focus<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhL45YLSm6UYBQpkpwvnzIhLHNyQZGxbm6Qd1ps0k8L4wCeT_o5Y2-aezsyb5LAmodzuNWszD2o_4jloKYHDzkmHgnoz0etXhS7iM7hpKPjD-mdx37De6MXKxlenjjnjasz6iTwXlaTTNA/s1600/earth.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhL45YLSm6UYBQpkpwvnzIhLHNyQZGxbm6Qd1ps0k8L4wCeT_o5Y2-aezsyb5LAmodzuNWszD2o_4jloKYHDzkmHgnoz0etXhS7iM7hpKPjD-mdx37De6MXKxlenjjnjasz6iTwXlaTTNA/s1600/earth.jpg" height="212" width="320" /></a></div>
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we live in times where very few people know their purpose in life. few of us take the time to sit down and ponder this question that leaves most of us with the feeling of inadequacy. we live in a society that feeds our needs and greeds with more than we can acquire or consume. we have become obese filled with our own selfish consumerist lifestyle. our eyes are blind and our ears blocked. we don't hear the cries of the people we trample under our feet. we march on towards a pseudo dream or goal. lust filled hearts. driven by a worldly prescribed form of success. the rat race. we curse the slow driver. forever in a rush. every email marked urgent. only smart phones. no more smart people. burning our proverbial candles from both sides. outgrowing our friends. broken relationships. no more quality time. abandoned families. alienated. distant. alone. lonely. obsessed with success. striving for the next promotion. a bigger salary. no more satisfaction. everything has become fake. plastic. empty. meaningless. our hearts and emotions have become seared. blunt to the greater cry out and around. the lady crying in the parking lot. the abused four year old. the depressed secretary. the boss going through divorce. have we become so insensitive. have we completely lost the plot. what ever happened to neighborly love. or common decency. perhaps if we care less about ourselves and a little more about others around us. perhaps then the world can be a better place. perhaps if our focus is outward. putting others first. esteeming them higher than ourselves.</div>
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chefhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07823344785921178388noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1972489217010000696.post-7378925074596097322013-08-18T05:11:00.000-07:002017-02-18T05:42:07.497-08:00lovesong<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXFSZRSSnux31UFWzurH9h917y4SgFK8YsqxUfjQ6D4iE-8oPq6OF8By4hMV-GyLoiVfbLL2ZdaB1lt0LWoztU7FqcXC9AD9iI9GT9h6deY7KJLmH5TII2Yws1vWQz4VKAMGnzr2MoIb0/s1600/agr_476_600w.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXFSZRSSnux31UFWzurH9h917y4SgFK8YsqxUfjQ6D4iE-8oPq6OF8By4hMV-GyLoiVfbLL2ZdaB1lt0LWoztU7FqcXC9AD9iI9GT9h6deY7KJLmH5TII2Yws1vWQz4VKAMGnzr2MoIb0/s320/agr_476_600w.jpg" width="320" /></a><br />
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we could have been stranger on the bus<br />
like ships passing in the night<br />
our paths might never have crossed<br />
what a tragedy that would have been <br />
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our fairy-tale has been written<br />
the script scattered across the sky<br />
our story a perpetual lovesong<br />
of time to come and times gone by<br />
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never did i imagine, never dream<br />
that my heart would be forever yours<br />
i still remember the hardness, the wall<br />
excluding everyone before my fall<br />
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but you made loving easy<br />
not looking back, forsaking all<br />
the mystery so perfectly made<br />
a lifetime of unwrapping the person that is you<br />
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cos ours is a perpetual lovesong<br />
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chefhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07823344785921178388noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1972489217010000696.post-36686330389196446292013-02-09T03:40:00.001-08:002017-02-18T05:42:23.134-08:00a dark soul<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgttJJatuQxZkAiUEVKTAsB-CY4pYXQOuJCPs5tXHyvIecHnfAqZVUnJ9HDvm5to_jTo0Y7AZwIIbnh5MBPzoyiMX8QWxG3a3Cu_rKjpRjQJ_kgTiW0epFY828_-L01nca-ZhsMKU35BbI/s1600/solitude_photography2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgttJJatuQxZkAiUEVKTAsB-CY4pYXQOuJCPs5tXHyvIecHnfAqZVUnJ9HDvm5to_jTo0Y7AZwIIbnh5MBPzoyiMX8QWxG3a3Cu_rKjpRjQJ_kgTiW0epFY828_-L01nca-ZhsMKU35BbI/s320/solitude_photography2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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there comes a time when you look in the mirror and you are not particularly impressed with the way things have turned out. you stand there amazed at the face staring back at you. not so much the physical appearance. but rather the dark and sadness in the eyes. you thought you were a happy-go-lucky kind of guy. you can fool a lot of people around you. but when it comes to facing up to your inner man there is no hiding the truth. those eyes don't lie. they speak from a dark place deep inside your soul that once was the fuel of your everyday life. a place you though you have left behind. a place you've turned your back on. sorted out. never to see the light of day again. then years later it shows its ugly face again. some people call it depression. but it is not really that. it is something worse. far worse. i like to call it the spirit of death. it is that place in your soul that thinks it can take over and cause havoc and destruction. it is a self-inflicted wound that refuses to heal. it brings hurt and rejection to the surface of a decaying broth. it remains unpredictable. you feel as if your life is spinning out of orbit and that all control has been lost. yet there is an Answer to this. the Answer will never leave you nor forsake you. the Answer will complete the good work He has started in you. the Answer = Jesus Christ.</div>
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chefhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07823344785921178388noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1972489217010000696.post-71137805293606947842013-02-02T10:54:00.001-08:002017-02-18T05:42:47.108-08:00if you are south african - you need healing<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXbHyMnWMvwPlC7y7zppsOz8aYanChnmEZbkmpwm2-06VI-AXuloyL4CSVFTSuR-upypSCUlS0I6sb71T7Iew_shjJRggUxp4SJLuyLVZWhfup3_mfllV1efmsNLyuP81rTnU9J3owoRs/s1600/apartheid-signs.gif" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXbHyMnWMvwPlC7y7zppsOz8aYanChnmEZbkmpwm2-06VI-AXuloyL4CSVFTSuR-upypSCUlS0I6sb71T7Iew_shjJRggUxp4SJLuyLVZWhfup3_mfllV1efmsNLyuP81rTnU9J3owoRs/s320/apartheid-signs.gif" width="320" /></a> </div>
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the process of healing starts with acknowledgement of the need for it, but for many the level of woundedness is so deep that they need to be supported in order to acknowledge their pain. strong and effective leadership is essential to encourage a movement towards the quest for healing. when that acknowledgement is blocked for whatever reason, the emotions which have an impact on the immune system, the neurological system, the circulatory system, the whole body, trigger psychological changes such as blood pressure, temperature, digestion and end up making the whole body ill. there is always a tight relationship between the illness we suffer and the emotions we express or suppress. it is sometimes difficult to explain why South Africa should be so focused on social pain from the legacy of the past, given that other post-colonial African countries have also suffered discrimination and oppression. my own view is that most Africans in post-colonial Africa are also affected by social pain but the difference between SA and the rest of the continent is the extent and impact of social pain. the visibility of the stark differences between lives of grinding poverty and those spent in comfort and conspicuous consumption rubs salt into the wounds of those enduring social pain. given its advanced urbanised economy relative to the rest of the continent, SA has created intimate proximity between the haves and the have-nots in which domestic and other menial workers are daily witnesses to, and servants of, the lives of the wealthy. black South Africans have alwyas been essential to the creation, maintenance and prosperity of the privileged lifestyles of their white compatriots. they have always been part of the intimate domain of homes, hospitals, retirement facilities where they have rendered essential services. they were constantly subjected to the humiliation of being denied the dignity of sharing entrances, utensils and other basic facilities with their fellow citizens. for example, simple issues such as a clean flushing toilet for white people versus a smelly long-drop for black people working in the same company or household from part of the painful memories of many. or black mine workers having to live in an overcrowded mine hostel whilst white colleagues enjoy family homes. it is relative deprivation in SA that makes inequality so painful for so many and the social pain so deep and so widespread in our society.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXbHyMnWMvwPlC7y7zppsOz8aYanChnmEZbkmpwm2-06VI-AXuloyL4CSVFTSuR-upypSCUlS0I6sb71T7Iew_shjJRggUxp4SJLuyLVZWhfup3_mfllV1efmsNLyuP81rTnU9J3owoRs/s1600/apartheid-signs.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></a></div>
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(from <i>Conversations with my Sons and Daughters by Mamphela Ramphele)</i></div>
</div>
chefhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07823344785921178388noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1972489217010000696.post-76424446318002738262013-02-02T10:27:00.000-08:002017-02-18T05:43:06.134-08:00social pain<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTiMW96getF3YPRyKqh8UllupiiDTPiGy8pvk4NRb-v2d2iS7cNHkUVMwCzMinjmiTgFZtZX1Z-xB9c1OGNpVjpewzYvhu_rbJZL99XuqVF8ur1RyE5pTTzsOUqJRnS6xMYQKoPcBWYY4/s1600/I_AM_HURT_by_moro003.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTiMW96getF3YPRyKqh8UllupiiDTPiGy8pvk4NRb-v2d2iS7cNHkUVMwCzMinjmiTgFZtZX1Z-xB9c1OGNpVjpewzYvhu_rbJZL99XuqVF8ur1RyE5pTTzsOUqJRnS6xMYQKoPcBWYY4/s320/I_AM_HURT_by_moro003.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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modern psychologists are becoming increasingly aware that "human beings are wired for inter-connectedness". some authors go as far as to suggest that social connectedness is a need as basic as air, water or food. the lack of a sense of social connectedness may result in deprivation that is expressed as social pain, which is to be understood as suffering caused by harm or threat to social connectedness. it is a form of emotional or psychological pain. bereavement, embarrassment, shame and other hurt feelings are types of social pain. people who have or are suffering from social pain tend also to suffer from low self-esteem which sets off a vicious cycle of not being sociable or fun to be with. affected individuals are often seen as brooding, undesirable social partners which compounds the sense of being marginalised and excluded. </div>
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(from <i>Conversations with my Sons and Daughters, by Mamphela Ramphele)</i></div>
</div>
chefhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07823344785921178388noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1972489217010000696.post-42999808248463761802013-02-01T22:48:00.001-08:002017-02-18T05:43:21.974-08:00reflections of our times<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhHo7fLdUmwpo1SBh5ixW9NRnMWmLzZ1yTaNst0myX_U5ld6sbDoDTdH5-aMrvwVQp_cyaSigYHVk-aVeSg82LX-YmZzzGA89HYfG2SRxPwAiOW40SRm7v2B_N5aKhGRGXjqSEAHyL_nQ/s1600/reflection_800.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="228" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhHo7fLdUmwpo1SBh5ixW9NRnMWmLzZ1yTaNst0myX_U5ld6sbDoDTdH5-aMrvwVQp_cyaSigYHVk-aVeSg82LX-YmZzzGA89HYfG2SRxPwAiOW40SRm7v2B_N5aKhGRGXjqSEAHyL_nQ/s320/reflection_800.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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the "doing" has overtaken the "being". our homes have become empty and dull. there is a lack of "genuineness" in our conversations. there is an ever growing inadequacy to communicate between generations. we have become too busy to stop and listen, to reflect and celebrate our being together. our homes, families and societies have become empty and void. frenetic schedules are not confined to our parents, but has also been passed on to our children with unhealthy expectations placed upon all to over perform or out perform the proverbial "Jones clan" from next door. our lives are increasingly programmed to include a significant proportion of our time outside the family circle and we are increasingly missing out on the joy of just being together and marveling at the beauty of togetherness. the kitchen table is empty and the fire side seats are cold. the sharing of experiences and ideas has grown dim as older generations and younger ones alike abstain from cross-generational interactions. what are we teaching our children? what example are we setting?<br />
(thoughts of Mamphela Ramphele) </div>
</div>
chefhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07823344785921178388noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1972489217010000696.post-77525221910980996912012-10-11T12:27:00.002-07:002017-02-18T05:43:40.282-08:00walk in the promise<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6-eMr-E29EiBfJYIsH1bgc_KeDKYWI5Dxpg-jn-OlTi5gnXQX13W1CKrpy8HswhVASpE-MOXnmISyC7KMDXfHhBFD1UhQGIIDBXvPXHjBGMPP50nyeRuUtG_JadQMTsLpf8_gP8kaR_s/s1600/6782672525_b58387a231_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6-eMr-E29EiBfJYIsH1bgc_KeDKYWI5Dxpg-jn-OlTi5gnXQX13W1CKrpy8HswhVASpE-MOXnmISyC7KMDXfHhBFD1UhQGIIDBXvPXHjBGMPP50nyeRuUtG_JadQMTsLpf8_gP8kaR_s/s320/6782672525_b58387a231_o.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<br />
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<br />
<br />
<br />
our souls wait in silence<br />
in rest and in quiet<br />
for You<br />
Spirit<br />
<br />
in trust and dependence<br />
we walk in the promise of You<br />
Coming<br />
<br />
with hope<br />
and healing in Your wings<br />
with fire and with wind<br />
You fall on us again<br />
<br />
here we are waiting <br />
for this house to be shaken<br />
for the boldness to carry<br />
Your name to the nations<br />
<br />
Your signs and Your wonders<br />
to go now before us<br />
for the weight of Your glory<br />
to rest as lift You up<br />
<br />
we lift You up<br />
be magnified in us<br />
<br />
lyrics by: jeremy riddle<br />
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chefhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07823344785921178388noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1972489217010000696.post-1590598998058287052012-10-11T11:56:00.001-07:002012-10-11T11:56:34.612-07:00spiritual healing<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQieBfys4APjAw7yhb6Rp-vnvtZ-PD5LHQHjtsL0SL1B5LYeIBjqXzWzZsr0RRj82ShzC7QhN8ylQzkbFl8e7uFM6HdOWlJCHPN3BIzIazcu714gxiBm6G5Y-4jej2hbLWrhs2ZYzOuEM/s1600/spiritual-healing-process.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="211" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQieBfys4APjAw7yhb6Rp-vnvtZ-PD5LHQHjtsL0SL1B5LYeIBjqXzWzZsr0RRj82ShzC7QhN8ylQzkbFl8e7uFM6HdOWlJCHPN3BIzIazcu714gxiBm6G5Y-4jej2hbLWrhs2ZYzOuEM/s320/spiritual-healing-process.jpg" width="320" /></a><br />
<br />
i'm here<br />
here with you<br />
where i'm home <br />
where i'm healed<br />
<br />
your name<br />
flows from my lips<br />
sweeter than<br />
the sweetest kiss<br />
<br />
how my heart<br />
love your name<br />
it's bursting forth<br />
in shouts of praise<br />
<br />
i feel<br />
heaven's drawing me<br />
it's close at hand<br />
and now is here<br />
<br />
how my heart<br />
loves your name<br />
it's bursting forth<br />
in shouts of praise<br />
<br />
my heart loves your name oh God<br />
bursting forth in shouts of praise <br />
<br />
satan falls<br />
like lighting<br />
his work undone<br />
by my King<br />
<br />
lyrics by: jeremy riddle</div>
chefhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07823344785921178388noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1972489217010000696.post-92188998344430472432012-09-21T05:21:00.001-07:002012-09-21T05:21:06.787-07:00serious tragedy<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjt46SG2SqEvIBVsKLfRQq_6lD3a6IBNvAk59PeqBzAkbg0ZOdsQEa9hjgbLU-lPf6CCNwK6OO_rTDnUkdgYt0oU151hZFl-oJ61P5L5_Zm1hNfCczwYX6CpzIVGAFHC6WSmqCQ7bOYcJ0/s1600/tragedy_1280x1024.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="256" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjt46SG2SqEvIBVsKLfRQq_6lD3a6IBNvAk59PeqBzAkbg0ZOdsQEa9hjgbLU-lPf6CCNwK6OO_rTDnUkdgYt0oU151hZFl-oJ61P5L5_Zm1hNfCczwYX6CpzIVGAFHC6WSmqCQ7bOYcJ0/s320/tragedy_1280x1024.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span class="text Eccl-6-3" id="en-NLT-17397">there is a serious tragedy i have seen under the sun. it weighs heavily on humanity. God
gives some people great wealth and honor and everything they could ever
want. but then He doesn’t give them the chance to enjoy these things. they die. and someone else even a stranger ends up enjoying their
wealth. this is meaningless. a sickening tragedy. a
man might have a hundred children and live to be very old. but if he
finds no satisfaction in life and doesn’t even get a decent burial. it
would have been better for him to be born dead.</span> <span class="text Eccl-6-4" id="en-NLT-17398"><sup class="versenum"></sup>his birth would have been meaningless. he would have ended in darkness. he wouldn’t even have had a name.</span><span class="text Eccl-6-5" id="en-NLT-17399">
he would never have seen the sun or known of its existence. yet he
would have had more peace than in growing up to be an unhappy man.</span> <span class="text Eccl-6-7" id="en-NLT-17401"><sup class="versenum"></sup>he
might live a thousand years twice over but still not find contentment. since he must die like everyone else. well what’s the use. all people spend their lives scratching for food. but they never seem to have enough.</span> <span class="text Eccl-6-9" id="en-NLT-17403"><sup class="versenum"></sup>so
are wise people really better off than fools. do poor people gain
anything by being wise and knowing how to act in front of others. enjoy
what you have rather than desiring what you don’t have. just dreaming
about nice things is meaningless. like chasing the wind.</span></div>
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chefhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07823344785921178388noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1972489217010000696.post-21282140358114629442012-09-21T04:15:00.005-07:002013-02-01T22:49:41.845-08:00what are we living for<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEje8JHInc3O9BaqIGLWoHSg54fYQvgCktwNSoViK8eGbDpSQ4yDbMnlKIve7eUpYoW9xs6-j_BLkXqBMrG3D18GLXusWkAWYOj-UpdP9j4WVs-mh3OSDzf1Z0mwo6btJ98iq7zfwAtfdCo/s1600/60-make-life-simple-again.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEje8JHInc3O9BaqIGLWoHSg54fYQvgCktwNSoViK8eGbDpSQ4yDbMnlKIve7eUpYoW9xs6-j_BLkXqBMrG3D18GLXusWkAWYOj-UpdP9j4WVs-mh3OSDzf1Z0mwo6btJ98iq7zfwAtfdCo/s320/60-make-life-simple-again.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span class="text Eccl-1-3" id="en-NLT-17295">What do people get for all their hard work under the sun?</span> <span class="text Eccl-1-4" id="en-NLT-17296"><sup class="versenum"> </sup> </span></div>
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<span class="text Eccl-1-4" id="en-NLT-17296">Generations come and generations go, but the earth never changes.</span> <span class="text Eccl-1-5" id="en-NLT-17297"> </span></div>
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<span class="text Eccl-1-5" id="en-NLT-17297">The sun rises and the sun sets, then hurries around to rise again.</span> </div>
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<span class="text Eccl-1-6" id="en-NLT-17298">The wind blows south, and then turns north. </span></div>
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<span class="text Eccl-1-6" id="en-NLT-17298">Around and around it goes, blowing in circles.</span> <span class="text Eccl-1-7" id="en-NLT-17299"> </span></div>
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<span class="text Eccl-1-7" id="en-NLT-17299">Rivers run into the sea, but the sea is never full. </span></div>
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<span class="text Eccl-1-7" id="en-NLT-17299">Then the water returns again to the rivers and flows out again to the sea.</span> </div>
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<span class="text Eccl-1-9" id="en-NLT-17301">Everything
is wearisome beyond description. </span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="text Eccl-1-9" id="en-NLT-17301">No matter how much we see, we are
never satisfied. </span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="text Eccl-1-9" id="en-NLT-17301">No matter how much we hear, we are not content. <sup class="versenum"></sup> </span></div>
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<span class="text Eccl-1-9" id="en-NLT-17301">History merely repeats itself. </span></div>
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<span class="text Eccl-1-9" id="en-NLT-17301">It has all been done before. </span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="text Eccl-1-9" id="en-NLT-17301">Nothing under the sun is truly new.</span> <span class="text Eccl-1-10" id="en-NLT-17302"><sup class="versenum"></sup> </span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="text Eccl-1-10" id="en-NLT-17302">Sometimes people say, “Here is something new!” </span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="text Eccl-1-10" id="en-NLT-17302">But actually it is old; nothing is ever truly new.</span> <span class="text Eccl-1-11" id="en-NLT-17303"> </span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="text Eccl-1-11" id="en-NLT-17303">We don’t remember what happened in the past. </span></div>
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<span class="text Eccl-1-11" id="en-NLT-17303">And in future generations, no one will remember what we are doing now. </span></div>
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chefhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07823344785921178388noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1972489217010000696.post-32532635949891339442012-09-20T12:09:00.000-07:002012-09-20T12:09:23.689-07:00just pure<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIdekY8QgD6k2WSIuXsZhmGTSU8EbROtDQe40xoRX7_4O_UIOZ6QbtDrve8yZQ92ij7Ef_EFUZPHC3g8O11uHeTogOmA75xFyvmku3glUHnFTgzL8qos2-AchZJdnqePkPmPkDhc2ZAUg/s1600/just-pure.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIdekY8QgD6k2WSIuXsZhmGTSU8EbROtDQe40xoRX7_4O_UIOZ6QbtDrve8yZQ92ij7Ef_EFUZPHC3g8O11uHeTogOmA75xFyvmku3glUHnFTgzL8qos2-AchZJdnqePkPmPkDhc2ZAUg/s400/just-pure.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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it is rare that you walk into a place and sense that it shares its DNA with you. such a place is hard to find. where you feel like having breakfast every morning and stare away over the sea. where you feel comfortable just being there. you can sit and allow time to tick by without feeling guilty. a safe environment to contemplate the future. its ambiance allows you to do just that. it is like home away from home. recently my wife and I have discovered such a place. its a small bistro in the coastal town of Hermanus, South Africa... called just pure. the name itself having a ring of poetic justice to it. bringing a sense of well-being and health. what i enjoy most about it is the emotion i experience every time i frequent the place. it has a french kitchen atmosphere to it. reminding me of my time spent in Europe. bringing back fond memories of street cafes and bistros in remote alleys. i sometimes feel that it creates a safe environment for me to dream and allow my mind to wander into the future. sitting there you get the feeling that someone is trying to sell you a lifestyle. one of health, wealth and free living. but it is only a feeling. the truth is that they ARE selling you a lifestyle. but rather one of health and purity. purity of body and soul...the latter being more important. the place stirs a certain type of liberty in ones soul. i know as you read this you know exactly what i am talking about because many of us have already experienced it before. a place that makes you feel. the ambiance sucks you in and the sense of place takes over. next time you are there...allow that feeling to take you on a journey of discovery. it is worth it. a sense of feeling you will never regret. perhaps you will discover something hidden deep within your soul that has been waiting for years to be expressed. </div>
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chefhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07823344785921178388noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1972489217010000696.post-8295729621819506802012-08-31T09:49:00.000-07:002012-08-31T09:49:19.114-07:00be thankful<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtLFPcA74J1Af0YGBy9GwWL3OGv3goDtHBdMbM7VO3lNqE1FUUJn00P9CdDHmUyEUfCvfBuDHKLojLOg0WUecBA9_qFsReZmCjzALe8Jv25y1rIkM342KM_mD917XEm77HIZkCyz7VLds/s1600/photos_bw_21.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtLFPcA74J1Af0YGBy9GwWL3OGv3goDtHBdMbM7VO3lNqE1FUUJn00P9CdDHmUyEUfCvfBuDHKLojLOg0WUecBA9_qFsReZmCjzALe8Jv25y1rIkM342KM_mD917XEm77HIZkCyz7VLds/s320/photos_bw_21.jpg" width="315" /></a></div>
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true joy can only be found with an attitude of thanksgiving. when you look past all circumstances because you have learned to be thankful for what you have. when you stop comparing yourself with the people above you. when you realize that you have more than enough to be thankful for. then joy will be found in any circumstance. we walk through life forgetting the simple things. the fact that we are healthy and safe. the fact that we have food to eat and clothes to wear. look at the man living on the street. or the orphan. or the widow. be real. there is always somebody worse off than you. when you start to live with an perspective of thankfulness life takes on a new dynamic. all the circumstances fade. every cloud has a double silver lining. it frustrates me when people complain about the smallest things. yet you look at their lives and you observe how fortunate they are. they are wealthy and healthy. yet their toys are never enough. they have endless opportunities. yet they don't take it because they can't see it. why. because their attitude blinds them and disables them to take pleasure in the smallest things. thus they will always be looking for more. a bigger toy. a more glamorous life. a faster car. a more exotic holiday. they will forever strive towards an idea or belief that pushes them into the abyss of ungrateful living. that is the saddest place to find yourself. it is that place where nothing can satisfy you. a place where enough will never be enough. it is a black hole of selfishness and self-indulgence that can not be filled. therefore i want to challenge you today. fill your heart with an attitude of thankfulness. practice thanksgiving. be thankful for the simple things. to feel the wind on your face. to smell and experience with your senses life happening around you. focus on the simple things. the small things. in that you will find true joy. in that true fulfillment can be found. </div>
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chefhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07823344785921178388noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1972489217010000696.post-71581063278823094172012-08-25T08:25:00.002-07:002012-08-25T08:25:21.267-07:00a tribute to san fermin<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqsVKvOfcBgmggDxQimZXESN5Gxxig2cJFJ0bVg0uipvRpnb4E1H_AMHK1CwE2b5xZySZOQ5C0nYRl0b6jB41rnMgG2oLqYFTRdWO-1ZIor-IQpCBtxExmLI1CweDJOOfxIHFAGSwE5r0/s1600/bull+run.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqsVKvOfcBgmggDxQimZXESN5Gxxig2cJFJ0bVg0uipvRpnb4E1H_AMHK1CwE2b5xZySZOQ5C0nYRl0b6jB41rnMgG2oLqYFTRdWO-1ZIor-IQpCBtxExmLI1CweDJOOfxIHFAGSwE5r0/s320/bull+run.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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i recently finished reading "fiesta" by hemingway. it was the third time that i have read the book. and it remains very inspiring. for reasons i still don't know why. the storyline is not overly exciting. but the writing is gripping. i just love the way he writes. the descriptive style of capturing the moment i just love. but while reading the book my memory took me back to the summer of 2008. (also on this blog - see endless summer 2008) i had the opportunity to spend the few days around san fermin in a city close to pamplona. i have friends that live in rioja. the nearby wine region. one of spain's famous wine regions. it remains one of the bravest yet stupidest things i have ever done. the running of the bulls. so many emotions and adventures packed into a few days. the heat of the sun and the excitement in the air. there remains a certain intensity in the atmosphere. however not for the faint hearted. bull-fighting in itself is a very controversial topic. cruelty to some. a form of art and perfection to others. no matter what side of the controversy you are on the festival of san fermin remains a high-light on the annual calender. as it stands i can't really pinpoint why the festival and all the activities surrounding the week in pamplona had such an effect on me. i am just great-full that i had the opportunity to go and experience it for myself. too many peolpe have an opinion about the whole ordeal without ever having been there. it remains a fond memory to me.</div>
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chefhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07823344785921178388noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1972489217010000696.post-12053736367439040432012-08-18T13:07:00.000-07:002012-08-18T13:07:29.250-07:00technological revolution<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiPWlCJeWz03V8TB8IZivL0O8sT-XaP7eu2cCXLYtkf0w8ItH6vbgo3IR1wCE_levvWyg2JtRIp2ZOzf4Hd0GSufCeCva6w_q-RaxfgOMOho7fCXhvPDyvgqy_NRhI9yAbBJWRhKKg0uM/s1600/technologyRevolution.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiPWlCJeWz03V8TB8IZivL0O8sT-XaP7eu2cCXLYtkf0w8ItH6vbgo3IR1wCE_levvWyg2JtRIp2ZOzf4Hd0GSufCeCva6w_q-RaxfgOMOho7fCXhvPDyvgqy_NRhI9yAbBJWRhKKg0uM/s320/technologyRevolution.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
we are all part of the technological revolution. whether we want to be or not. sure. life in many ways is a lot easier. but not all the changes are good. personally i think that in terms of technology the continuous improvement of what we use and have is tremendous. yet. what are we giving up. what are we sacrificing. i was again reminded whilst on an local flight the last couple of days. everybody sitting with their Samsung tablets and apple iPads. nobody reads books anymore. very little interaction between people. four people sitting at a table in the airport. two on iPads. one speaking on the phone. and the last one operation a piece of electronic equipment i have never seen before in my life. call me old school. call me a purist. yet i think this revolution is killing the basic skills of people world wide. youngsters can't spell or do basic math. people are less committed to appointments because it is so easy to send a quick text or email saying that you wont be making it anymore. it has become a cop-out. people don't write journals. they have become bloggers. (i do both - thus i guess that makes me at least half-guilty). but the reading thing really gets me. a 50-something year-old man next to me on the airplane was playing a game that looked like it was designed for a 10 year-old. he did so for the complete duration of the flight. in which time (i can boast) i nearly finished my Hemingway book (reading it for the third time and it still inspires me). i am worried that a complete medium of literature will be lost to the next generation. i am by no stretch of the imagination claiming to be a literature fundy. but the inspiration that i tap from reading is unmatched. the process of escape and being absorbed by the reading must surely be more fun than blasting bubbles or chasing cats on a computer game. or perhaps in time i will catch on. i hope not. cause i find so much pleasure in being inspired by legendary writers such as Hemingway. perhaps not his lifestyle and/or morals. but certainly his appetite for living life to the full. now i ask you. how can you find that in a computer game. it is not only computer games. but the watching of movies. this medium of the media truly frightens me. i can count on one hand the number of proper movies worth watching of the past five years.as with most other revolutions that have come and gone the current techno revolution will definitely leave its scars. of that i am certain. the same way the industrial revolution changed the way of our every day-to-day. so our lives are changing around us. are you taking notice? i challenge you. what are you sacrificing? going to the movies on a weekly basis does not constitute a relationship. less TV and more time with the kids. less internet and more conversation with your wife. switching off your phone when spending time with friends. perhaps i AM old school. but we have lots our common decency and basic respect. perhaps one of the greatest unprotested sacrifices of our time? that is the price we pay for comfort and our own laziness. i am not against the use of technology. i am just very cautious as to how it is changing the world around us. </div>
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chefhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07823344785921178388noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1972489217010000696.post-9926068702796413492012-08-09T10:29:00.000-07:002012-08-09T11:24:41.858-07:00a true family<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJYY5h-EWRuuT6S5DtMc6mvSxf09GpYG7urfvWTHShnzh1s7AWKKFNWiv36A1QcW67-FPZEY79w1Cc39nRW-7DCTU6jMaduNlN9ii2rbtBnc2OK91Kpp9MwE5JncJdalsokHteIT4UDjg/s1600/1209-not-many-things-in-life.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJYY5h-EWRuuT6S5DtMc6mvSxf09GpYG7urfvWTHShnzh1s7AWKKFNWiv36A1QcW67-FPZEY79w1Cc39nRW-7DCTU6jMaduNlN9ii2rbtBnc2OK91Kpp9MwE5JncJdalsokHteIT4UDjg/s320/1209-not-many-things-in-life.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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you come to a place in your life when you realize that your natural family is fallible. it is not a bad place. neither is it a sad place to come to. but there is a certain freedom that comes with it when you realize that. the social responsibilities becomes less. the loaded expectations go out the window. many people live with an obligation towards their family. i don't question the role of natural family. but it can become a millstone around your neck. a momentum breaker. it is not like that in all families. but i have seen it. where family becomes an ingrown tone nail. everybody puts their noses in everybody's day-to-day. not cool. but the power of a true family is incomparable. and if you are really lucky your natural family and true family can be the same people. people that you will share your heart with. people that will stick to you no matter what. sometimes your natural family is far away. your siblings live across the world and you need people in your immediate circle of life that will be by your side. i am fortunate to be surrounded by people with golden hearts. plenty of brothers and sisters in Christ that supports me in every aspect of life. because no man is an island. whether you know it or not. you need people around you. people that know more about things than you. so that they can tell you when you are off the straight and narrow. to keep you in line. they also inspire you. they celebrate life with you. the value of true family...priceless. thank you to the people around me. you know who you are. </div>
</div>chefhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07823344785921178388noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1972489217010000696.post-13644002051021900052012-08-09T10:08:00.001-07:002012-08-09T10:08:43.907-07:00when life is good<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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today has been a good day. it is one of those days where everything just makes sense. everything is just right. it is one of those days when it feels as if time stands still and your life is crystal clear. with the sun shining bright on my face. sweet music in my ears. wine as sweet as nectar on your tongue. love pumping with purpose through my veins. sitting in a street side cafe and watching the world go by. allowing my mind to run free and new dreams to form. enjoying the moment. the now. enjoying the place where the Lord has placed me. having the peace and joy that surpasses all understanding. living a life that glorifies Him. there is nothing that can compare. when life is good. nothing compares to when the Lord is in control. when you experience the safety and freedom to live a life that is significant. a life bigger than yourself. a life more than your own selfish needs. a life that changes the lives of people. because you have role to play. you have some significant to offer that nobody else can. your life has meaning. never underestimate what the Lord can do through you.</div>
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chefhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07823344785921178388noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1972489217010000696.post-10162401075952178192012-07-31T10:47:00.001-07:002012-07-31T10:47:19.360-07:00a lofty dream<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnaRmdGixoahOIXKz8dkRb8BEAlaZjcPJ_nGnC_AXn3ZySVgumVfm4DrBKAaGZinWkT0WdeCNFxBbF6TbmeEFklluoT8hunme9-UZzMc9t39qTzbsUkqvVR97-gFvATqK01rIRViauvRY/s1600/think-big-philippines.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnaRmdGixoahOIXKz8dkRb8BEAlaZjcPJ_nGnC_AXn3ZySVgumVfm4DrBKAaGZinWkT0WdeCNFxBbF6TbmeEFklluoT8hunme9-UZzMc9t39qTzbsUkqvVR97-gFvATqK01rIRViauvRY/s320/think-big-philippines.jpg" width="228" /></a></div>
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perhaps for some it might be a weird dream. but it is one i have none the less. to own and live in a loft apartment. i don't know why. perhaps because it captures the heart of my imagination. perhaps because to me it captures funky and simplicity together. all in one small yet sophisticated space. not crowded. not tacky. not busy. just perfect. the way i want it. the way i see it in my head. it is a clear picture. what is your lofty dream. the one you think is to silly to even voice or talk about. dream it. write it down. don't push it aside. don't discard it as being unachievable. that is why we call them dreams. they are suppose to be to big for us to achieve...yet still achievable. hope you get it. dust of the discarded dreams. polish them. improve them. enlarge them. </div>
</div>chefhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07823344785921178388noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1972489217010000696.post-15063125854445992552012-07-28T04:31:00.003-07:002012-07-28T04:31:57.840-07:00face the music<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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i think life would be a better place if people would start to speak or voice what they feel on the inside. why do we find it so hard to speak the truth. to get it all out. no, we rather mumble and complain. we rather gossip and tell others about so-and-so instead of facing up to the person or situation in question. face the music. no more holding back. say what you have to. get it out! can we please get a bit of honesty back. what has happened to transparency? don't we trust each other anymore to speak the truth in love. i mean surely if you are in a relationship or friendship with someone we should be mature enough to give or receive honest commentary on our lives? we all have issues. we all make mistakes. nobody is perfect. yet we find it virtually impossible to have a honest conversation anymore. we hide and cover up. we lie and deceive. we back-stab and hurt one another. when will it end. when will enough be enough. can we please draw a line in the sand. tell me what you think. don't tell somebody else. tell it straight to my face. tell me point blank. i can handle it.</div>
</div>chefhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07823344785921178388noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1972489217010000696.post-20583308394190203012012-07-28T04:08:00.000-07:002012-07-28T04:08:01.602-07:00the way it is suppose to be<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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very few people can say that they have everything they want in life. i certainly cant. but i am getting there...that supposedly unattainable island called contentment. but some of us live very close to that island, sometimes tasting the fat of the land. i am currently in such a place where the simple things in life paint a canvas of contentment. i am married to the most amazing girl ever. our lives are simple yet so rich and full. we live a village lifestyle. we frequent locals. we build relationships. for the reason that we live within our capacity. we allow people into our lives. we don't allow ourselves to get carried away. yet we dream. our dreams are big. bigger than what we can attain ourselves. thus we live in that place between today and tomorrow. a place that contains enough of today's challenges yet also enough of tomorrow's dreams. it is a place between faith and hope. faith for today's challenges. and hope. for the fulfillment of tomorrow's dreams. in everything we simplify. we get rid of the clutter. whether it means throwing away things we don't use or clearing the head, soul and spirit of unnecessary issues and stress. cause if you don't you will miss the beauty that every day holds. every day has a promise with your name on it. but the clutter will cause you not to see it. it will also obscure your view of the dreams of tomorrow. so what do you do? simplify...</div>
</div>chefhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07823344785921178388noreply@blogger.com0