Valley of Desolation

I wanted to upload a picture just to show that we are far from home. Graaff Reinet tonight. But blogger seems unable to load pictures right now! (Pic added 9 May!)

After eight or nine hours in the car, the kids bounded up the few hundred metres to the lookout points over the Valley of Desolation near here. It's nice to look at things with kids. I take for granted that things look small from far up. That you see dassies on rocks. And we were all impressed by the size and height of the rocks - and generally different landscapes and birds and bushes to what we find in Gauteng.

And the smallest of the fry was just living life flat out - enjoying every new thing.

Getting Away

Wednesday was a public holiday. As a family we went off to the Suikerbosrand Nature Reserve and did some walking. We did the 10km Bokmakierie trail, which is about the right stretch with our youngest 8 years old. It is great to have the whole family big and able enough to walk by themselves. Everytime we hike we still remember the previous times where we had to carry a child at least part of the distance!

But now we also look to the future and with our eldest already 15 years old we know that this is family 'prime time'. All too soon the family will be getting smaller again as the kids grow up and move on.

Let's go again

I am sitting on the floor staring at my laptop screen, which is on a small blue plastic children's table that is covered in wax crayon and bits of plasticine.
And no, I'm not at home.
This is the cry room at the church. Space to work, with at least a plug for my laptop.

I want to start the blog for our new church website. But although our domain is registered I don't have the account info to update it.
And Microsoft Word has a few funnies when used to create web pages. I need to try it out.

But I can't, so I am practising my patience. And trying out the new blogger interface.

Maybe I will start my blog again.

I read the account of the road to Emmaus again the other day. Saw it with different eyes. Was Jesus being playful? Was he teasing the disciples by not allowing them to recognise him? By pretending ignorance of the weekend's events? By pretending that he was going further?

After the stress of ministry, impending death and death was Jesus showing his relief? His freedom from stress. It is finished!

Does he walk with us now saying, the worst is over. It is all done. Yes, you have some stress. Decisions to make that can breathe life or death. But for you too it will one day be over. I walk with you as you walk with me and I can already see the other side. The other side is good.

Yes Lord!