Monday, December 26, 2011

The Kite Runner

 I had literally five minutes to spare when I dashed into the library. I handed in my due books and grabbed a few books on the library display section, one being THE KITE RUNNER by KHALED HOSSEINI. The only reason I took it, was that I liked the title of the book.

I don't often have the time to sit and read a book, and many of those I do read are just so-so, a nice easy read. Every now and then, I might come across a good read, one that grabs you and you remember the author's name for when you next go back to the library, but its been a very long time since I have read a brilliant book.

The Kite Runner, is such a book. Its a brilliant read. It is written so well and this is what makes the author so good. I have read many "best selling" authors, but few have been written as well as "The Kite Runner".
Its not a "nice" book. You don't put it down feeling all warm and glowing afterwards, like a romantic novel, and besides, this book is far from romantic. I cant say I particularly liked the main character, as he is a weak character, but this is what makes for a great book.

The Kite Runner is a novel about friendship, betrayal, and the price of loyalty. It is about the bonds between fathers and sons, and the power of their lies. Written against a history that has not been told in fiction before, The Kite Runner describes the rich culture and beauty of a land in the process of being destroyed. But with the devastation, Khaled Hosseini also gives us hope: through the novel's faith in the power of reading and storytelling, and in the possibilities he shows for redemption.

Saturday, December 24, 2011

Merry Christmas precious ladies


School holidays and Christmas time is a stressful time for me. It mean lots of untidiness  in the house. With a 4 and a 6 yr old, its a constant conveyer belt of clothes, swimming towels and toys everywhere. Even with getting them to help out, its not easy.
We went away last week end and this week we had family here, so for the last few days, I have had a ton of washing to do, not to mention trying to tidy up the garage where tents and camping gear had been ceremoniously dumped.
Today it was vacuuming and moping floors, more clothes washing ( thank heavens for a speed queen), and then the thankless task of folding and packing away. I don't do ironing.We are very fortunate to have a full time maid, or domestic help as its now called as maid is not PC anymore in South Africa, and I appreciate her very much. But its at Christmas time, when she is on leave, that I realise just how hard she works for our family. She is a very quiet lady, and highly efficient and as you can clearly see, I am totally frazzled without here. If it wasn't for my praise and worship cd's that I played over and over again to help me try and not focus totally on the drudgery of house work I would not be sitting here taking a break. I would be sitting under the table with a triple, no make it a quadruple gin and tonic.

So, to all those ladies who are just as frazzled as me, and to those amazing ladies who do this everyday without help, I salute you.

Merry Christmas and a happy new year.

Sunday, December 4, 2011

Too busy for God?

If you have time for facebook, then you have time for God! 

I wrote this  blog a month ago and didnt post it and so it has a bit of then and a bit of now in it.

This blog is mainly for myself, but I am sure that almost every Christian can identify with it. We all have busy lives, but I feel that I  am too busy. Even though I do have a "quiet time" in the morning before the household awakes,it had dwindled down to once or twice a week at the most and wasn't very long and often I was  just "too tired" to get up that extra hour earlier.

All we have to do is look around us today to see the evidence of this sad truth. And where has all of our busyness gotten us? For starters, it's made us more tired, stressed out and sick. This is not the way to enjoy life! Plus, our busyness also effects our relationships.
A wise man once said, "If you're too busy to spend time with God, then you're too busy!" If we don't spend regular, quality time with those we love-- including God--our relationships will be shallow, meaningless, and unfulfilling.

I needed to make more time for God.
That night I was mulling  this over, wondering on how, where, to make more room for God, as my day is so full as it is. I really wanted to and it just didn't seem possible. This is  when I clearly heard in my spirit, " If you have time for facebook, then you have time for God". 
It stopped my thoughts dead in their tracks! I realized that I fill in a lot of the gaps in the day with a quick facebook post here and a check check on what my friends are doing there.

The truth is that I had my my priories all wrong. I say had, as I am now writing in present tense again, although I am sure that there are many priories that still need adjustment.   I began to formulate a plan on how to put God first in my life and not to schedule him in a time slot. In my busy life, God had moved down the ladder. It was a gradual process, and I cant even say when it started happening.

That night I decided to re-dedicate my mornings back to God. I also need to slow this "time" down, to be able to get back to a place where I can be still and know that He is Lord. A time to listen. In my busy life,  my prayer and worship time had even become busy, and I had forgotten to "stop and smell the roses".
Since I have started re-dedicating a morning time, I have once again been drawn towards contemplative prayer. I know that I desperately need to listen to God, and really just soak in His spirit once more. My prayer life has also opened up and now it seems that my morning time is too short.

I was thinking again ( I do a lot of thinking),  on how I am now going to get up half an hour earlier as I didn't see getting up at 05.30 being very easy.
God has a funny sense of humour. In fact, I find Him very humourous.You see, I have started spinning again at gym, and the only classes I will be able to do are the 06.00am ones, which means I have to get up at 05.25 then, in order to get there on time.
The next challenge is what to do about my quiet time and spinning time on the same day. But I am sure if I leave it to God, he will find a way, and not the other way around, which is what I am apt to do.

As I begin my journey once again into contemplation, I will keep you posted. In today's Christian world, this is not regular practice, but it really is truly vital. Richard Foster writes how its in these small quiet times, totally alone that we truly begin to know who God is. The monks sure got it right all those years ago! I love his book Celebration of discipline and Prayer: Finding the Heart's True Home.

Its  almost 10pm and so time to log off and go to bed in order to go "spinning" tomorrow.