Tuesday, Week Four

Seems a long time since I last blogged; I think I’m suffering from withdrawal!

Tuesday today and we have been in Bible School this morning. Derrick taught us first session – Church Management and he was dealing with Time Management. Us retired people have soooooooo much time! Hah! I’ve never been so busy – or so happy.

I can see Pam nodding as she reads! Talking of Pam (and Pete, of course!) they really are amazing. I listen to them talking to Duncan on Skype and have the occasional comment myself, despite the insults of my Father-in-Law! I should call him my Father- in-Grace as this would be the correct title for us now we are no longer under the law but under grace! Good title for Pete too – I do need a lot of grace......!!!

Anyway, back to Pam and Pete! They are into their seventies, well into, in Pete’s case, (!) yet they have embraced so many new things. As soon as they knew we were coming over here they were buying web cams (even though they probably had no clue what they were actually buying!) and sorting out the Skype connection and it’s brilliant! It makes all the difference to be able to chat and see each other. So we salute you Elder Curries. Well done both!

Today’s picture is of the box of oranges we bought in Woolworth’s this morning. £2.50 ish for the box! Don’t they look lovely?! Duncan’s just had one and says they taste lovely too. Glad he waited until after their photo-call!

We then had Acts with Apostle Andre. He is an amazing teacher and can leave you absolutely astounded at the power and the love of God. We have never known anyone like him. Being in the same room with him brings you peace. He has experienced so much and can find a story to support any teaching point he wants to make and it is all the more memorable for it.

We were studying Acts 22 and he emphasised the opening: “As I journeyed...” and made the point that every journey away from home, away from your comfort zone, enables you to get to know yourself better. You find out who you really are. That is so true and we are experiencing just that as we are travelling in week four over here now.

He told us of his experiences of hearing the audible voice of God. We were awe struck and almost with him in his bedroom as he described the occasion. He advised us that if we desire to hear the audible voice of God ourselves then we must speak to God and tell him, but that we should have a purpose. He said “God doesn’t have time to have tea with you; he’s busy running the universe!” He then added: “The more I do for God, the more God wants to talk to me.”

I think that too often we go to God in prayer with our shopping list, and that’s ok but that’s not all. We are called to be accurate. Being in Bible School makes us want to read and study the Bible more and more. God speaks through our open Bible so the more we read the more we will hear God.

We are not very good at our memory verses from doctrine and we have to make a plan in that area! We finished the class feeling sorry for poor old Ananias. Imagine having been given this prophetic word for Saul, now Paul, the killer and persecutor of Christians. “Oh, hi, Saul, oh, I mean Paul. Hope you’re having a good day. Oh and by the way you are going to sooooooooooo suffer for the gospel. Cup of tea?”

We have to read the scriptures and try to see and understand what must have been in the minds of the people in the stories!

On Monday we had Bible School in the morning and then a goodbye visit to Graham at Andre’s before our Foundation Course in Muizenberg. Graham should have flown at 11.55pm but because of the ash cloud he departed at 6 this morning. He is still travelling as I type. It was lovely to spend time with him here; Annie and Ben were sorely missed. We look forward to a time when we can all be together in this wonderful place. Annie and Graham return at the end of July for 5 weeks and I think Annie must be counting the days!

On Sunday we were taken to a winery for our lunch! This was our first trip to a vineyard – Bloemendal Wine Estate in Durbanville, for those who want to look it up on Google Earth. We started out as 6 people and by the end of the meal there were 18 of us – all from church except for 2 visitors. They just kept attaching more and more tables!

There was a Karaoke bloke and then some jazz musicians joined him and that was lovely. We sat on the terrace in the sunshine and had a carvery. We had creamed butternut squash soup and then lamb in honey and rosemary and pork in an equally delicious sauce, served with rice and stir fried veg. And it was all help yourself. As much soup, meat, veg, rice and pudding as you wanted! Not just a bottomless custard jug – but a bottomless pudding! Dale and Charlene were discussing wine with us and said that they usually drink red but that the 1997 Sauvignon Blanc grape had been particularly good and that the white wine was delicious! At the end of the meal they presented us with a bottle of red and one of white to take away and try. They were all boxed up beautifully. Of course, it goes without saying that we were not allowed to pay for our meal! This church is amazing. I keep expecting for the honeymoon period to be over and the cracks to begin to show through, but when a crack appears it just exposes more and more love. This is how church should be. Everyone would want to be in church if they were all like this!

I am going to write a separate blog on the conference I think, as there is much to say there too.

Tonight we have a night in and it is a lovely, sunny day and we are enjoying ourselves chilling. Tomorrow we have Bible School and then Households in the evening. On Thursday I have been invited to Worship practice to introduce some of the songs to the worship team! Exciting. Nola said she wanted me to teach them (!!) “I Will Proclaim Your Righteousness”! I am so looking forward to hearing Aje on the drums and Jean-Pierre on bass and a keyboard playing too. As well as lots of voices and other guitars!

We are having a braai with Aje and Chantal on Saturday lunchtime and then we will be back to Sunday again! Nola is in Pretoria until next Monday with Mimie and also visiting family and ministering in three different churches. Andre goes to Nigeria and then Ethiopia on Wednesday and will be away for 19 days. He has to fly to Johannesburg then to Nigeria, then from Nigeria back to Johannesburg to fly up to Ethiopia!

We will miss him.

So, after the Overcomers’ Conference and all our visitors, this week seems a little quieter – but that’s nice. Speaking of quiet – it has also been very quiet on my ‘Followers’ front.

Look forward to hearing from you soon. Going for a walk on our beach now! Can’t believe I can write that and that we are actually going to do it! Thank you, Jesus. XX