Spring and Milestones

Spring is here! The flowers are blooming and the trees are coming back to life. Today was a good day - I took my first laps in the pool without a float - amazing!!! I must say swimming is going well, more than I anticipated. I am glad that I faced my fear of water - and I am looking forward to more swimming adventures. Big up to Chez my patient - very patient instructor.

Unexpected Loss

Last week I lost my uncle (my mother's brother). I was devastated because we were close. I am not always good with keeping in touch with people, so I would often go for long periods without communicating with him but he would always reach out to find out how I was. The last time I talked to him was on the 12th of July. He phoned and was so happy telling me that his grand daughter had just finished her last semester at university and she was going to graduate in September. Little did I know that that was the last time I was speaking to him.
A lot of my childhood memories are filled of going for holidays at his house and spending fun days with his family. One particular holiday I remember him playing a particular song almost everyday and encouraging us to dance. Oh how we would dance. I guess it was his song of the moment. This is the song, it has always and will remain to remind me of him:

I am going to miss you Uncle S. May your soul rest in peace.

So when we heard of his death, my brother and 2 other cousins made immediate plans to travel  the
2 560 km (back and forth) journey with a boarder to cross in between, road trip. It was not an easy trip since we encountered some delays along the way. It was worth it though. Here are a few pictures:

Imagine we got a flat Tyre. It just had to happen when it had just gotten dark.

The guys fixing the car.

I got to see my handsome awesome nephew. Love the way he looks right at the camera and smiles.

There  he is - learning to drive already?

Random picture on the way.

This is the place where Uncle S was buried.

Poor dog, it was so hot and he couldn't help  but sleep.

We left at 02.00 hrs on Tuesday early morning and where back by Thursday 14.00 hrs. This was a marathon journey and we were exhausted. But I am so glad that I was able to be there and bid Uncle S good bye. A summary of who my uncle was: he was a frank person who was not afraid to say what was on his mind. He was that kind of a person with whom you could have an argument with but within a short time he would have moved on, he did not keep grudges. He was a perfectionist and never accepted mediocrity. He loved people and loved God, the many testimonies given were proof of that. He is going to be greatly missed.

I Found It!

In a post a while back I shared how I was hunting searching for a couch. I am glad to tell you that the search is over. Just when I was getting weary because I kept seeing more or less the same ones, I walked into this one shop and wham! I fell in love.

I have been particularly looking for a sleeper couch because I live in a 1 bed place and I want visitors to have somewhere reasonably comfortable to sleep on. I love this couch because it is different. It is unlike all the other sleeper couches I was coming across. It is also quite comfortable (yes I tried it for a night), easy to transform, is very strong and looks good both as a couch and bed. I am excited. Now I will be accessorizing and I am moving on to my next buy. House furnishing and decorating can be stressful but is exciting all the same.

An Empty Lounge Area. It had been like this for over 2 months. 

Assembling the Sleeper Couch.

Making progress.

All done. I am in love with this Couch.

Couch turned into bed.

Look at that - it looks like a real bed doesn't it?

   Great weekend everyone.

When People Don’t Get It

Sometimes, people just don’t get it. They don’t understand why you want something so bad or why that dream matters to you. They tell you that at least you have other things to be grateful for and that it’s not so bad. This was Hannah’s situation (1 Samuel 1). Here was Elkanah her husband who was always asking her why she was so downcast about not having children, pointing out that she had him – something he alluded to being better than having 10 sons. He simply didn’t get it.

Despite a seemingly unchanging situation Hannah did not give up. She could have but she made the decision not to. Just because no none seems to understand doesn’t mean that God doesn’t and she understood that. That is why she kept knocking and she refused to give up on what she wanted. Honestly, sometimes giving up seems the better option especially when all attempts to make headway seem not to be working. Haven’t we all been there? Hannah is a real inspiration. Instead of giving up she took it notches higher. So fervent in prayer was she that Eli the priest though she was drunk (1 Samuel 1: 13 -14). So determined was she that she made a vow with God ... if you give me a son I will give him back to you. Wow! This woman was determined and there was no stopping her. In my mind's eye I can see God nodding and saying, 'Yes, Hannah my daughter yes. How can I deny you your request?'

Some dreams are easily achieved but some … take stamina and grit and they are not for the quitters. Just because people don’t get it doesn’t mean a dream is not worth pursuing. Anything is possible with God.  Stories like this story of Hannah never fail to inspire me and keep me going when the chips are down. With God the possibilities are endless and like I always like to say He is always listening and sometimes when we least expect it, things begin to happen.