Mighty Men

First, lets get one thing clear: when I said "more tomorrow poppets" I really meant about a week. Ok, so that's my bad.

This last weekend I went to an Angus Buchan (South African farmer, immigriant from Zambia, Scottish heritage, Christian evangelist) event aptly named the Mighty Men's Conference. The event was held out on Angus' farm and played host to about 68,000 men. Yes, I did just say 68,000 men. It was an unbelievable experience to worship and fellowship with that many guys. It was one of those times in life where I feel like I got a small taste of what heaven will be like. Everyone singing so loud that you can't hear yourself, instead it just sounds like one loud passionate voice praising the King of Kings and Lord of Lords (that would be God for those of you playing the home game). Angus gave very inspired messages about fearing God, pride, and dying to self (this years theme was Dying to Live). He has probably the coolest accent I've ever heard before (Scottish mixed with South African...awesome) and looks kind of like the guy who played Bilbo Baggins in the Lord of the Rings Trilogy. Needless to say it is very encouraging to see that many other men passionate for serving Jesus Christ and I feel very refreshed after coming back from that.

One other funny tidbit from the Mighty Men's Conference: the showers there were like how you'd send cattle through sprayers, so it was quite humorous to see a few hundred butt-naked chaps queued up without shame waiting to get their turn. Thought you might enjoy the imagery of such an event.

#5: Call the Lord by His Name. All to often we refer to God as "The Big Guy" or "The Man Upstairs", let's knock it off, sure? He's not to be humanised and He's to be respected. We can't try and lower Him to our level so that we can try and identify better with Him. God created us and accepts us through His Son Jesus Christ even as we sin continually, something we cannot even begin to truly understand. Respect that and show the Lord the proper respect and fear He deserves.

Love.

NO TALKING!!!

Ok so I've now gone longer than ever before in my life without actually speaking to someone in my family, or anyone else I knew before I got here for that matter, and I'm here to tell you it doesn't suit me very well.

Still, it continues to be great fun down here in the South of Africa. I love looking up at the Southern Cross every night and I've never seen Orion look so big (or upside down) before; I quite enjoy that.

More tomorrow poppets.

#4: Call your parents, the rest of your family, and your best friends if even just to hear their voices for two minutes. (This is me living vicariously through you.)

Pictures, Pictures, Pictures

Cheers then! Thanks again for all the great comments thus far! Keep them coming even if I'm not doing a great job of keeping this up. Its been hard to get time to get to a computer and really give you something worth reading, but I'm trying to be a diligent as possible. Even as I say that I don't really have time to write a big update on here now.

I will give you a quick something though. Due to unforeseen circumstances I am no longer living in the apartment in Vaalwater. (Long story, you'll hear it before long I'm sure.) I'm back out on the Cooks plot which is only about 10 km from town so its really not bad.

I'm enjoying the scenery, Aunt Marilyn's cooking and hospitality, Uncle Stu's teaching and love of driving to fast, and all of the stories and teasing that both of them seem to have endless energy for.

The Lord is teaching me some amazing things and with this is mind I will rap up and give you your third challange. Take time to read the Word and then really meditate on the sacriface that Jesus made for us. Really try to understand the pain He felt, that He died knowing billions would reject what He did, and that although He was blameless His Father turned away from Him and poured out all the sin ever in the history of the world on to Jesus while He was hanging, bleeding, and dying on the torture device called the Cross. It is a truly awesome thing He did for us.

Love.

Internet: Lost and Found

Hi all! Thank you so much for your comments. This is the first internet access I've had yet and my apologies but this will be very short.

A few quick things: South Africa is an amazingly beautiful place, it doesn't take much imagination to see the Lord leading me here permanently. I like all the new lingo and strange words you pick up whenever you get to a new place, and lastly there are some of the most amazing servents of our Lord Jesus Christ here that I've had the chance to encounter. The God we serve is alive and well all over the world!!!

Sorry this is short and no pics yet. Hopefully in the next day or two I will have something a bit "beefier" (as Jer, Char and I like...actually love to say) for you.

Challange #2: Take some time to really think about what you believe. I mean really THINK so that you truly know where your faith lies and why it is you keep it there.

Grace and Peace.

Influenza, Infatuation, Irritation

Ahh..where to being? First, welcome to my blog friends, family, hated enemies (I kid), or just curious visitors. I am coming to you from a hotel room in Casper, Wyoming where I am with my family as we wait for Charlie's state basketball semi-final game: the Wheatland Bulldogs (yay) vs. the Lander Tigers (boo, hiss). Currently Mom and I are enjoying using an internet connection that actually works whilst Hannah tries to catch a few z's with Dad snoring away next to her between complaints of the blinds being open. Don't you just love family time?

I have just recently (about 24 hours) recovered from a nasty little tussle with influenza. This being my second fight with said viral infection you'd think I might have learned a trick or two about dealing with it however, it caught me with a hard right cross and knocked me flat on my bum once again. Me being me though, and I'm back on my feet throwing jabs with the best of them. How ya like them apples influenza?

To give an update on where I'm at with my trip to South Africa: My current situations is that I have purchased my tickets and I am just waiting for my South African visa to come through. That should happen sometime this week. At least I am hoping so considering that my plane ticket is set for March 17. My plan is to be in South Africa with the Cooks until July 2, whereupon I will depart for London and the to the Faroe Islands on the 4th to stay with Abby and Ben (my sissy and her new hubby) for a few weeks and then back to the States. Not the end of my travels though, as I will be journeying to Southern California to work at a camp for abused and neglected children for a week and then spend time with Hannah's friends Laura and Jacob Roebuck for a few days before I venture back to Wyoming and/or South Dakota.

Much like my personality and interests, my life and plans are scattered and I'm fine with that. I feel very certain that the Lord has an amazing plan for my life and it is with much joy and anticipation that I begin to seek His will. I will continue to be in touch and my love goes out to all of you. I will be putting a challenge to anyone who reads this any time I post something new so here is my first one: Do something new that makes you uncomfortable.

Be well.