Nelson Mandela Children's Hospital

The Nelson Mandela Children's Hospital construction grows week by week.

This is the view of the building as you drive out of the Temple basement parking.

Perhaps the entrance will be right opposite the basement entrance?

Birthday Celebration

We had our Relief Society's 172nd Birthday Celebration Saturday morning.

 

 

First we sat opposite another sister.

On the table for each pair was a pair of questions to choose from

and answer for one minute.

Then swop around.

Leave the questions at the spot you found them. 

After two minutes (one answer each) move to the next left hand chair.

Repeat the process.

 

I remember some of questions I answered:

"What did you enjoy about school?"

"If you knew you wouldn't fail, what would you do?"

"What recently are you most proud of?"

"If you had only 24 hours to live, what would you do?"

 

Then we switched into three teams and played

"Minute to Winit" type games.

Tongue depressor in your mouth,

load it with five dice, hold for five seconds.

Drop any and start again.

Great fun watching and cheering your team!

Second round of that.

The onlookers...

Nose in Vaseline, then pick up a cotton-wool ball,

shake if off into another bowl - repeat for one minute. 

Winner is the one with the most cotton-wool balls transferred.

Place an Oreo on your forehead, move it with your facial muscles to and into your mouth.

Winner the one who does it first.

Second round of that...

Using a straw, transfer Smarties from one bowl to another.

Winner - the one who transfers the most in a minute (or all in less).

Fill your mouth with marshmallows and say something intelligible.

This was a Kodak snap-shot as one little daughter came in from

the Primary Activity Day being held at the same time.

 

We had a lovely time together!

Just sorry our new Relief Society President, Aurah Agyare-Dwomoh, missed it. 

Her daughter was taken to hospital during the night with an raging fever.

I must find out how she is doing.

Lovely sunset Saturday evening.

Story - Tandem Bike Ride with God

I used to think of God as my observer, my judge, keeping track of the things I did wrong, so as to know whether I merited heaven or hell when I die. He was out there, sort of like a president. I recognized His picture when I saw it, but I didn't really know Him.

But later on, when I met him, it seemed as though life was rather like a bike, but it was a tandem bike, and I noticed that God was in the back helping me pedal. I didn't know just when it was He suggested we change, but life has not been the same since I took the back-seat to (God) Maharaj. He makes life exciting. When I had control, I thought I knew the way. It was rather boring, but predictable. It was the shortest distance between two points.

But when He took the lead, He knew delightful long cuts, up mountains, and through rocky places and at break-through speeds; it was all I could do to hang on! Even though it often looked like madness, He said, "Pedal!" I was worried and anxious and asked, "Where are you taking me?" He laughed and didn't answer and I started to learn to trust. I forgot my boring life and entered into adventure. And when I'd say, "I'm scared", He'd lean back and touch my hand.

He took me to people with gifts that I needed, gifts of healing, acceptance and joy. They gave me their gifts to take on my journey. And we were off again. He said, "Give the gifts away; they're extra baggage, too much weight." So I did, to the people we met, and I found in giving I received, and still our burden was light.

I did not trust Him, at first, in control of my life. I thought He'd wreck it, but He knows bike secrets, knows how to make it bend to take sharp corners, jump to clear high rocks, fly to shorten scary passages. And I am learning to shut up and pedal in the strangest places, and I'm beginning to enjoy the view and the cool breeze on my face with my delightful constant companion.

And when I'm sure I just can't do any more, He just smiles and says... "Pedal."

www.sikhsangat.com

posted 3 August 2009

quoted by Erin D Maughan

BYU Devotional 4 August 2009

Musings - The Power of Water

I visited the Botanic Garden again.

 

On my journey there I saw they had done extensive repairs to a road nearby that

frequently gets washed away when there is a lot of rain.

 

Over the years it has been mended and mended.

Now it seems they have done a thoughtful and thorough job -

even with a ridge at the top of the road to divert some of the stream.

 

Then I got to the garden and walked towards the bridge that was washed away

a few years ago, and the gabions that were sheared away last year.

 

I see they have redigned the new gabions, broadened the waterway and

built an earthbank...

 

I loved the morning glories flourishing all around - taking advantage of the

abundant rain of the last little while.

The tree that was lightly tinged with Autumn last week is now deeply Autumned.

 

I loved the photographer taking pictures of this little family.

 

The lovely waterfall.

 

When I see what is downstream of the waterfall I see the power of water -

two washed away bridges that I know of...

sheared away gabions...

washed away banks and trees.

 

A new metal 'sculpture' of bulrushes.

I paused in one of my favourite spots to be surround-sounded with flowing water.

I am reminded again of the power of water to soothe my sometimes troubled,

sometimes too hurried, sometimes open and appreciative soul.

I'm grateful for the people who note the devastating effect of water in spate

and work with it rather than try to work against it.

They channel the torrents more and more effectively so that the

waters do not disrupt the rights of some others to co-exist - respectfully.

 

I hope I can do that too in my personal floods and those of others around me.

Messages All Around!

I was sitting at the red robot waiting for the light to change and

watching the flow of traffic all around me...

 

I noticed the utility vehicle across the road.

I noticed the words below his windscreen.

"ONE LIFE.  LIVE IT."

 

Oh yes!

 

Out came my camera and I snapped.

 

Patio Project Progress

Doesn't look like much progress maybe, but there is progress in areas that can't be seen.

I was glad to see the rain and hail were kept out of this side.

The left-hand handles were collected and put on after this picture was taken.

Maybe the Last Storm of the Season?

Hail last Friday... I think?

Last week anyway.

 

I am glad for all the moisture we get!

Hopefully it doesn't come in a devastating way...

 

Doug's Latest House - Progress

A LOT of progress!

 

Creepers cleared, planter-box across front wall removed, plants rescued

and transplanted to the back garden.

 

A new front door for half of the house being installed.

A LOT of clearing in the back garden!

Work done on the inside too.

There is a pioneering couple as initial tenants in the house.

 

They were the first tenants in another of Doug's houses.

That house divided around them.

This one will too.

 

Go forward Douglas!

So Good to Come Home To...

The last flush of roses around the garden...

And the glory of Coprosma. (Crocosmia Jane says - Thank you Jane!)

 

Autumn is deepening!

Movie - Freedom Writers

Vi and I sat and watched this movie this afternoon.

Set in Los Angeles 1992 - 1995 after the racial riots.
A new teacher is faced with a class of racially divided students who have no incentive to learn and look forward to a life of any significance unless they die in a violent confrontation.

She helps them find a purpose for living and learning despite opposition from them and some of her peers.

Well worth watching for most of it!
I was sorry she and her husband didn't live a marriage centred life...

Autumn is in the Air

The leaves on the trees are changing colour...

The mornings and evenings get cooler and cooler.

 

I am glad for a warmer spell right now!

Anger and Acceptance

In the book "Bandiet out of Jail" by Hugh Lewin being read over SAFM radio at 11:45 weekday mornings -

"He could not achieve the necessary balance between anger and acceptance."

I can relate to that...

When the balance is not right the anger is not productive and the acceptance is passive.

Curious Grape

Now this is the most curious grape I have seen...

It looks like three grapes grew as one.

Busy Tuesday...

The veld ready for fires...

 

A sacred pause.

I walked to the waterfall.

Dark and rugged path.

 

A pause for Tai Chi. 

A touch of Autumn.

In Autumn and Winter the succulents come into their own.

 

Now this is really growing where you find yourself...

The roots make their way amongst the rocks.

Wonderful textures and colours.

And back to the other lushness.

Hey... I'd love a bench like this in my garden!

 

And as I leave the glorious Barbeton Daisies are blooming.

As we walked to Cabryn's 10th birthday supper on the 10th March

I looked back at the progress on the patio project.

Doug, Nadia and family,

Erene and Kayla, Vi, Glenn and I.

Dom and Cindy arrived later.

10 candles!

A full and happy day.