- The Finnie family in Blighty, December 2021
- Dean and Paula pastor The Gathering together
- The Gathering
- Baptisms at The Gathering
- Preparing to serve at The Gathering's Soup Kitchen
- Soup Kitchen Welcome To 2022 lunch
- Serving hands - the heart of The Gatheirng
- Thankful Thursdays
- HOPE Home Based Care Team
- Gathering Ground
- Staying fit as a family
- The Helderberg - The prettiest of the mountains we face
Lull Before The Tsunami?
I think many of us on the ground know full well why our numbers are low and it's because the government took decisive action very early. South Africa's lockdown was one of the earliest to be implemented in terms of the numbers of coronavirus infections and it's one of the most draconian lockdowns outside of China.
Lockdown Extension
May promises to be a month of celebration, but before we get there you have to wonder just how many of the most vulnerable people are going to struggle through starvation, lack of income and no prospects of anything good on the horizon.
Essential Service
It was also a great joy to bless them with the gifts but an even bigger joy to actually see some of our guys, even if it was just for a few moments to hand over the cards and say "Hi' through their gates. Having seen no one from The Gathering for a while it really blessed my soul to have just the briefest of contact with a few.
Hopefully the cards will help them all get through this week and then we can think about how we can help again next week. For those that we gave the cards to today they have no income or received the paltry grant just over a week ago and are struggling financially.
Please pray for The Gathering's more vulnerable members who struggle at the best of times.
What Is Normal Anymore?
Things are far from any semblance of normality here and we can only look on from a distance as family and friends in Blighty keep posting pics of a trip out or a walk they had in the park, at least y'all still have those privileges.
Whilst we're cooped up we've been a bit more in demand than we might normally be, and have been asked to contribute to a few ongoing video projects as well as attempting to prepare the odd bit of video for use with The Gathering over the Easter weekend.
It's all good fun and I have to admit to enjoying being a bit nerdy when it comes to playing around with various bits of digital media, it may well be my way of staying on the correct side of the camera.
Exciting Times
It all began earlier today as I was praying and lamenting the closure of The Gathering's Soup Kitchen. I suddenly had the thought to approach a friend of Paula's whose husband is an MP and ask for his help in registering to be one of the NPOs that would distribute the Government's pledged R50m of food parcels to the neediest during the lockdown.
Thought For The Day 2
Following on from Paula's Thought For The Day on Thursday, I shared a thought about life under lockdown from a local perspective.
ParkRun (unofficially)
We should at this point thank our unofficial sponsor Covid-19 without whom this event would not have been possible.
Reality Bites
Back To School.... Sort Of
We have always been very clear that we would not home school whilst serving overseas. It's a common choice for many that do serve overseas but we've seen too many stressed and frazzled mothers (let's be honest it's always mum who does it!) to believe it's a good thing.
Sadly however, like much of the rest of the world this is no longer a choice but something that has been foisted upon us.
And so today is *officially* the start of Term 2 for both boys. To say that there's a degree of reluctance on their parts would be an understatement, though to be fair they have knuckled down in these first few minutes, hopefully that will continue.
WhatsApp Church
It's all too easy to be a bit negative about the current situation, and to be honest that is quite often my default position, but there is also much to be thankful for.
This Sunday was a great example of something to be thankful for!
Sundays are for church, or at least they always used to be before the lockdown, but this left The Gathering with a bit of a headache.
Most of our pastor friends and churches we know were quite excited about their online churches which would be happening in place of their regular gatherings, and I have to admit to feeling pleased for them and a touch jealous.
Stay Fit & Healthy
As I said on Thursday, the frustrating part of the Police Minister's statement is not so much the ban on booze sales but the ban on being able to go out for any form of exercise. I had planned to go out for a 5k run every other day, but will now have to settle for running around the house. Thankfully we're blessed with a big garden and setting out a running track around the house will be an easy pleasure.
We had planned on doing a certain amount of fitness stuff at home anyway, with Joel & me planning on boxing in the garage, so we also stocked up of a few other bits to turn our garage in to a makeshift gym which will allow all four of us to workout.
Robber Or Responsible
Given how tight the restrictions are for our lockdown we've had to be a bit creative in how we do things, so one of them is making sure that when it comes to "essential supplies" we have just enough for the day and when we need more one of us walks around to the local Spar. That way one of us gets a bit of exercise and we all get to enjoy a treat or two aswell. Yesterday was my turn and having walked to the shop was refused entry because I wasn't wearing a face mask. So I had to walk home, get a Buff and walk back to get the essential items. Ordinarily I might have complained, but it was nice to do the walk twice, especially as there was no traffic out, it made for a peaceful walk.
Lockdown Begins
Last Day Of Freedom
Madness Before The Calm
This morning Paula tried to buy stuff for our weekly Soup Kitchen and almost instantly regretted going anywhere near the shops. Thankfully we managed to scrape some bits together between us and so our last Soup Kitchen for a while will proceed. Thank you Lord!
It all leaves one feeling that April Fool's Day should be cancelled because no prank could possibly match up to the stupidity of what's going on out there right now.
Lockdown Looms
Changes & Challenges
Exactly a year ago I found myself in a position of having to make some serious physical changes based on my health, though the changes would also require a lot of faith and prayer.
Greatest Joy
It was a joy yesterday to watch Precious open our worship and to hear Mongezi preach later in our Gathering.
But what I really loved was hearing another church member saying how they were blown away by the way Precious' opening tied in with the rest of our worship and Mongezi's word.
That's when you know the anointing is flowing.
Post Father's Day Post
Dad came from a notable line of amateur boxers in his hometown of Hawick in Scotland and even through the dark days of his illness he was always passionate about the sport.
So I'm quite chuffed with myself for having finally gotten around to taking up boxing, but I'm supper chuffed that Joel has now joined me and is also boxing at the same gym. That is a proud dad moment!
The Journey Continues...
It's taken a lot of hard work and dedication to not only keep going with the Boxing and Crossfit but to make the necessary lifestyle changes to back up the exercise.
I've always thought all diets are little more than fads and now I've demonstrated that by simply reducing portion size, reducing sugar and fat intake and balancing what I eat against my exercise plan anything is possible.
-
►
2022
(129)
- Dec (5)
- Nov (8)
- Oct (4)
- Sept (3)
- Aug (5)
- Jul (2)
- Jun (8)
- May (19)
- Apr (44)
- Mar (19)
- Feb (6)
- Jan (6)
-
►
2021
(72)
- Dec (1)
- Nov (5)
- Oct (4)
- Sept (1)
- Aug (6)
- Jul (3)
- Jun (4)
- May (5)
- Apr (26)
- Mar (9)
- Feb (4)
- Jan (4)
-
►
2020
(170)
- Dec (10)
- Nov (1)
- Oct (7)
- Sept (15)
- Aug (20)
- Jul (29)
- Jun (27)
- May (29)
- Apr (23)
- Mar (8)
- Jan (1)
-
►
2017
(59)
- Dec (1)
- Nov (3)
- Oct (5)
- Sept (2)
- Aug (3)
- Jul (7)
- Jun (16)
- May (6)
- Mar (6)
- Feb (4)
- Jan (6)
-
►
2013
(64)
- Dec (7)
- Nov (4)
- Oct (2)
- Sept (4)
- Aug (1)
- Jul (4)
- Jun (6)
- May (3)
- Apr (26)
- Mar (2)
- Feb (1)
- Jan (4)
-
►
2012
(99)
- Dec (9)
- Nov (7)
- Oct (5)
- Sept (5)
- Aug (7)
- Jul (1)
- Jun (6)
- May (16)
- Apr (26)
- Mar (7)
- Feb (3)
- Jan (7)
-
►
2011
(96)
- Dec (9)
- Nov (5)
- Oct (11)
- Sept (4)
- Aug (6)
- Jul (7)
- Jun (7)
- May (9)
- Apr (10)
- Mar (6)
- Feb (4)
- Jan (18)
-
►
2010
(151)
- Dec (17)
- Nov (13)
- Oct (9)
- Sept (10)
- Aug (17)
- Jul (13)
- Jun (16)
- May (14)
- Apr (15)
- Mar (4)
- Feb (10)
- Jan (13)
-
►
2009
(149)
- Dec (20)
- Nov (19)
- Oct (20)
- Sept (17)
- Aug (5)
- Jul (18)
- Jun (19)
- May (13)
- Apr (4)
- Mar (6)
- Feb (5)
- Jan (3)
-
►
2008
(158)
- Dec (22)
- Nov (12)
- Oct (11)
- Sept (10)
- Aug (5)
- Jul (15)
- Jun (11)
- May (17)
- Apr (16)
- Mar (18)
- Feb (8)
- Jan (13)
-
►
2007
(179)
- Dec (12)
- Nov (15)
- Oct (18)
- Sept (21)
- Aug (9)
- Jul (7)
- Jun (16)
- May (10)
- Apr (11)
- Mar (26)
- Feb (17)
- Jan (17)
-
►
2006
(198)
- Dec (24)
- Nov (23)
- Oct (20)
- Sept (6)
- Aug (26)
- Jul (21)
- Jun (8)
- May (16)
- Apr (11)
- Mar (13)
- Feb (14)
- Jan (16)