Julius And I

The turbulent South African politician Julius Malema had his parliamentary office searched. With no forced entry, files containing "sensitive and confidential information" were lifted. He suspects that it was someone inside parliament who had the keys. I have blogged how the same has happened to me -- several times -- most recently last month. In my case, nobody had the keys. The locks were sprung. OBSERVATION: Malema made the right move in laying charges -- this protects the papers. But once protected, what is anybody going to do with the information? This could only be of any use then to the police. Unless, that is, the advantage is not in obtaining the papers, but in depriving Malema of them. I am a little surprised that Malema had such information "available" so to speak. (Perhaps I had the same look on my face).

High Member Participation

Throughout my ministr(ies), I have fostered high member participation. I think it is one of the secrets of a Church's success. If one sees a thriving Church -- even a viable Church -- one may assume, even if one does not see it, high member participation. Thus every year as a minister, I have publicly acknowledged -- not staff, not office-bearers, but faithful helpers in the Church, giving each one a gift, lovingly prepared in fact by more helpers. Typically, a full one-third of the Church membership have received acknowledgement as "faithful helpers" each year -- and this they were. OBSERVATION: This kind of participation requires unceasing attention by a minister above all. And I think that there is something else. In my ministr(ies), helpers have not just been helpers, but helpers who know and love the Lord. That makes a crucial difference.

What Is Reason?

On Sunday, I noted that an essay of mine, Reason and Contradiction, had been opened up for comment after months of development. It is encouraging to see that, since then, it has risen to far and away the no. 1 spot in Philosophical Investigations' Top of the Pops (in fact, it is not yet officially released). I note in the introduction: "Like an axe in our hands, we use it, we don't contemplate it. ... What is reason?" And it is, I suggest, the innate sense of contradiction. It is not a constructive enterprise, as is typically assumed. OBSERVATION: The success of the essay is encouraging, because it demonstrates that (with helpful input) I can "run with the footmen", to use a Biblical phrase. It is one of many trial runs for something bigger: an integrative work now approaching 50 000 words.

Obscene Mail

I blogged a few months ago about my Expropriated E-Mail. Another person (or persons) were using my e-mail address to send out messages -- a sophisticated trick. This continues today, with "my" messages in more and more cases being obscene messages. I usually know about it when someone's ISP intercepts "my" mail, then sends me a message back. This morning, I had obscene e-mails returned to me from companies Dentsply (undeliverable) and the Hereford Group (out of office), both of which have offices nearby. I do not know at the moment who is doing this, but I have asked MWeb to track them down.

Unusual City Park

I took this photo this morning in one of the city's more unusual parks, in Upper Orange Street at the foot of Table Mountain. It is a park which grows things, on a remaining piece of the original farm Oranjezicht -- here pansies and artichokes. OBSERVATION: However, before you rush over there to pluck free greens, there is a resident gardener who keeps an eye on them. You may click on the photo to enlarge to 820k.

Most Prosperous Year

A little known fact of my nearly 20 years in urban ministry is that my last (financial) year was far and away the Church's most prosperous year in a generation -- certainly in 20 years, probably in 30. OBSERVATION: Detractors said that that wasn't how we'd planned it (which is, the plan failed). At the same time, in urban ministry, that typically is the case -- that the plan fails. I have said that, at the end of the day, it was the Lord's gracious and generous gift, to show us that He is Jehovah Jireh -- whatever our own plans, prognoses, or fears. (Most of the surplus of that year was directly linked to deliberate policy).

Metro Police Horse

This is one of the living creatures employed by our Metro Police (the Cape Town Metropolitan Police Department, in full). This friendly ... officer? is stationed in Green Point. I took the photo this morning. OBSERVATION: In 2001, new legislation decreed that South Africa’s municipalities should offer a policing service, apart from the national Police Services. By and large, the Metro Police have a proactive approach to crime, while the Police Services have a reactive approach. The two work co-operatively. Metro Police officers receive two years' basic training in Observatory, Cape Town. Apart from their basic training, they are specially trained in by-laws and traffic laws.

Doing Things Differently

I am one of three editors of an on-line, scholarly philosophical publication. When we transitioned from our Alpha publication (the old one) to Beta, we had 755 page-views for the month (March 2015). In the month of our official re-launch (May 2015) we had 4 392 page-views. This month, we have 5 560 page-views so far (6 000 projected). At this rate, we are headed for stardom. However, it is early days. OBSERVATION: We do a few things differently. But I'm not sure that I should let the cat out of the bag.

Museum Lecture

Son M. delivered a lecture today at Cape Town's Iziko Museum, which was widely advertised in the city, and well attended. It was on extinct elephants (and various creatures besides). I spied one of his ex professors in the auditorium (in the photo, second from the left). OBSERVATION: I have listened to very many lectures. The standard of this one was high. It is the first I have heard him do, and he has done many.

(Mis) Judgement

Something I encounter again and again in the Church is people's failure to form opinions about others on the basis of criteria which would seem to matter. It applies to ministers, Church leaders, members: This one sows dissension, that one empties the Church, this one opposes her Church's teachings, this one rejects salvation from sin, and so on -- yet they are measured by their optimism, their mild manners, their public alms, their commitment, and so on -- as if the other side of the story didn't count for anything at all. OBSERVATION: Part of the problem is, it would seem, that people give preference to the individual rather than the Body in their thinking. It is immature thinking. It doesn't have the spiritual depth.

Anomalous Humans

There's a philosophical article out today, on which I did major editing. The thoughts are interesting (they are not mine, but the author's). A core observation is that animals are basically pro-social. Humans, by comparison, are aggressive and devious. This differs from the old view that we are separated from the beasts by our moral superiority. Therefore, writes the author, it makes better sense to study humans, not as animals like all the rest, but for their anomalous behaviour. The article is We Need Animal Cognition, Not Neuroscience.

Theoretical And Practical

A churchgoer asked me: "What's wrong with fornication?" -- as if to say that she couldn't see (all of) the point. I said: "I'll give you some examples from my counselling experience" -- and I portrayed some features of real-life situations. She said: "I didn't realise there's a whole big picture! You should make the congregation aware of that!" OBSERVATION: In fact, issues in general are so often dealt with from the perspective of theoretical rather than practical theology, and the two seem like different worlds.

Completing A Trilogy

I have struggled greatly with Part III of a trilogy of essays. Parts I and II have been unusually popular. They were published back in March. But Part III was put on ice at the time, because I couldn't quite make it work. Now Part III is open for comment, even if it is not yet final. It is here: Reason and Contradiction. OBSERVATION: The essay is supposed to look easy. What lies behind it was not.

Pressure To Give

A minister may come under intense personal pressure to help people financially -- seen apart from his or her Church’s charitable funds. Here is the solution that I found, after struggling with this for years. I set my personal charitable giving at 10% of my nett income per month, dividing this into daily amounts in order to keep track, and sometimes giving accumulated amounts. This seemed to work for me. And always, I have sought to give more than money: encouragement, counsel, help, and so on. OBSERVATION: Such pressure may be felt especially in missions, where missionaries from affluent backgrounds are sent into the midst of poor populations. I have often informed people (those asking for help) of my personal policy, sometimes with the promise of help another day.

Control-Seeking

I met recently with a prominent minister. He said (strong words): "The biggest problem in the Church is people seeking control. It is evil. It is satanic. Where God is in control, you have the very opposite. Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom." OBSERVATION: He felt that control happens always through committees.

Salt-Works

This is a photo of the Cerebos salt-works about 160km / 100mi north of Cape Town. It borders on a farm where I have frequently taken a break from ministry. One can walk along the narrow dykes between salt evaporation ponds -- also called salterns. OBSERVATION: The pinkish colour is due to algal concentrations called halophiles, and indicates high salinity. This is why some coarse natural salt in the shops has a pinkish tinge. You may click on the photo to enlarge.

The Pope's Encyclical

This week I read the pope's encyclical letter Laudato Si’, "on care for our common home" -- the first papal encyclical on the environment. I was interested above all to see whether he offered a "line". This is because, so often, the beginning and the end of reasons to respond to the problems of the environment is alarm, with little systematic thought. The pope does in fact have some deeper things to say, even if he does not develop them far: for instance, the inter-dependence of the creation, the goal of all living things, and the character of creation as a "gift", rather than something to be controlled. OBSERVATION: Whatever one says about the encyclical, it shows that the pope is "switched on". (Part of my own interest: I wrote a chapter on the Environment, published by the Society).

Gum Trees

In some parts of South Africa, the Australian gum tree is about the only tree that will grow. However, we have just a few species here, unlike the fabulous variety one finds in Australia. Some locals hate gum trees with a passion, considering them aliens to be eradicated. The photo shows an avenue of gum trees which I photographed in front of an abandoned farmstead. Presumably this once was a road. You may click on the photo to enlarge to VGA.

Was It A Con?

Some of my most popular posts have been about con artists. The very best of cons, of course, might never be recognised as such. Here's one that I suspect to have been a con. A young man came to see me. He said: "Do you have an interest in Church history? I love Church history!" He dropped several Church history books on my desk, and ran off a few names: Luther, Calvin, Wesley, Spurgeon. I said: "You don't have the Pentecostal movement here." He looked confused. "Pentecostal? I'm not familiar with that term." But anyway, he couldn't afford his monthly fare to Bible college he said. Could I help him out? I helped him out -- but afterwards, I couldn't decide if I had been conned. I think I was.

Attributing People's Appreciation

This is a re-post five years old. The title of the post reflects the thought: To what would I attribute appreciation in ministry? Here is the original post: "I feel greatly loved and appreciated in my congregation -- and I think that I am -- in spite of my various flaws, which people seem to graciously overlook -- or forget. I attribute this to two things, and this is of course my own personal view, or speculation. Firstly, I seek to lead the congregation to the God who gives life and joy -- that is what they find through my ministry, yet not from me. Secondly, I seek to promote ministry by the members, and I know that this, too, is the source of life and joy -- yet again not from me."

Heaped Abuse

It was a long road that led to this post. Following my resignation from urban ministry in my twentieth year, an attorney, who in turns represented the Church or the Church leadership, heaped abuse on me. In point form, the insults would fill a whole A4 / foolscap page. I don't wish to repeat them here (at least, not today). I said to someone, two or three would have seemed quite adequate. OBSERVATION: It is nothing new, nor is it an uncommon tale in ministry. One finds it already in the Old Testament. But this was very hard for me, and for this reason it was all the more heart-warming to receive the welcome which I did on my recent visit to my old Church.

Robber Fly

I photographed this beautiful critter on my car windscreen. It might look scary, however I think it is a harmless robber fly. While spiders catch flies, robber flies snatch spiders from their webs. OBSERVATION: As a robber fly, it would be way outside its normal range. I think it is true to say that, a decade ago, one did not find these flies as far south as Cape Town. You may click on the photo to enlarge to 210k.

Last Meeting

I do not know why my late wife poured all of her remaining energies into the local Church before she died, jettisoning her international responsibilities. She made her last public appearance three weeks before she died, at our thriving Women's Association. As she left the meeting, she said to me through her teeth (there were people all around us): “Hold me! Walk! Don't let me fall!” As we walked out of the Church through the Church foyer, she said decisively: “So! That was my last meeting!” And it was. OBSERVATION: She had survived critical illness for one year.

Greek Yoghurt

I do try my hand at ... culinary pursuits sometimes. Wife E. was struggling to find Greek yoghurt in the shops -- so I made some last night (pictured). Here's how: Bring a litre of milk to a simmer. For Greek yoghurt, mix in five tablespoons of powdered milk. Allow this to cool to about 45°C (113°F). Mix in half a cup of plain yoghurt, then keep it all at 45°C for twelve hours. Add sugar to taste. OBSERVATION: There are yoghurt makers which keep the yoghurt at the required temperature.

Sacred vs. Secular Vocation

Among topical themes which I have tackled from the pulpit, one or two were about one's work -- or one's vocation, to use a much richer word. So for instance I have preached on the calling of Paul (Acts 9:15) -- however I have expanded on this to include sacred vs. secular (worldly) vocation. On occasion, I have included a testimony about vocation in the service. OBSERVATION: The view of the Protestant Reformation was that, after salvation, every vocation is sacred, not secular. I myself have been greatly blessed to know my vocation(s) from God from the beginning. How that came to be, is another story. This has shaped my whole life.

Potjiekos

The new generation of computers works quite differently to the old. Son M. (verbally) asked wife E.'s computer: "How many pigs do you need to make potjiekos (pot food)?" The computer's reply: "So you want to raise pigs?" OBSERVATION: While potjiekos is typically thought to be African, it was originally -- as the name suggests -- a Dutch method of cooking. The potjie is a form of Dutch Oven, which was used for hundreds of years in Europe -- however the African version has a rounded rather than a flat bottom. The photo shows my sister-in-law making potjiekos.

Launching A Publication

It has been very interesting for me to be involved in the development and launch of a publication -- first as an administrator, and now as an editor. And it looks as though it is taking off (see the last month's page-view statistics, right). In fact we took an older publication -- doomed due to its host going down on 1 March -- and re-launched it on 1 May. In a short time, we have hosted authors from seven countries on  four continents -- and Google is now picking up our content.

Staying Married

Wife E. is studying marriage and divorce (Christian Counselling II). So I looked up some statistics myself. As far as I can see, one has a huge advantage over other marrieds (in South Africa) if one is a Black marrying a Black, if one is involved in some way in farming, or if one has a Church wedding. OBSERVATION: Mixed marriages came as a surprise to me. In one recent year, divorces between mixed couples in South Africa were nil. I think I can explain that.

House On Beru

Wife E. happened upon this watercolour yesterday, asking me what it is. In 1966, my maternal grandfather Wilhelm Olivet visited us in the mission, on the tiny atoll of Beru. He enjoyed painting in watercolours, and brought his watercolours with him. We lived in this house, at the ocean (rather than the lagoon). Several prominent missionaries lived here: George Eastman laboured here on a famous dictionary, Wilfred Levett died here of poisoning, and Alfred Sadd scribbled a final message on a pillar at the back before he was seized by the Japanese and martyred. I suffered a serious accident on the veranda at the back, when a gravestone fell on my foot.

Two Memorandums

Two years ago, I took leave of urban ministry. Neilsons Attorneys oversaw the final contract (see the image). This was no small contract, as it wrapped up half a working lifetime. Attorney Elmarie Neilson and I each wrote up a memorandum, in the same board room, at the same time, in the presence of a Congregational minister. These two memorandums would form the basis of the contract, and we would both have access to them both. I duly filed a copy of mine with Attorney Neilson, and I asked Attorney Neilson for a copy of hers. I asked again. And again. Finally I requested the document in terms of an Act of Parliament: The Promotion of Access to Information Act 2 of 2000 (PAIA). Here is her reply, which I place off-blog without comment: PAIA Response.

Well Done!

Well done good and faithful servant! The caretaker of my old urban Church retires today, at 60. He reminded me this week that I told him, many years ago, that he could retire in this job -- and he did. His wife deserves a warm mention, too. She was ever helpful, not seeking reward. During his time as caretaker, he was ordained in his own Church as a pastor, and we sought to accommodate his training in his schedule. Here he is cleaning my three-wheel pick-up after I delivered a load to the Church. OBSERVATION: There is anecdotal evidence that he is the great-grandson of President Steyn (which see) of the Orange Free State. There is a striking likeness in some photographs. You may click on the photo to enlarge to 900k.

Bipolar Preaching

Preaching needs to be bipolar. It needs, that is, two poles. This is of prime importance to me in ministry. The whole of the gospel is bipolar: it is the bipolar theme of sin / salvation. One merely befuddles people with unipolar messages: dwelling chiefly on sin or morality on the one hand, or chiefly on grace or forgiveness on the other. OBSERVATION: Like rowing with one oar (and one or two splashes with the other).

Pluto Is A Planet (Not A Plutoid)

I saw an opening, I took a chance -- both for our fledgeling publication Philosophical Investigations Beta, and for me. Within 24 hours, my Pluto is a Planet was both written and published this week -- and within another 24 hours, topped the charts. OBSERVATION: The theme is not as simple as the title suggests. I have become very targeted in my writing, so don't tackle things merely for the sake of writing. This piece combines one of my most popular themes (bridging inferences) with core interests (the nature of language) with a topical issue (the definition of a planet).

IHS and INRI (and JHS)

A question I have often been asked in ministry is: what do the letters IHS stand for? They are often seen on pulpit drapes. It is an ancient acronym, usually (not always) said to stand for the Greek “Iesous Huios Soter” -- Jesus, Son, and Saviour. It is an excellent summary of the faith. I have also often been asked about INRI. These letters are more often seen on ministers' stoles. This, too, is an ancient acronym, and stands for the Latin "Iesus Nazarenus Rex Iudæorum" -- Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews (John 19:20). OBSERVATION: And JHS stands for the Latin "Jesus Hominum Salvator" -- Jesus, Saviour of Humankind.

Photo Of The Day

This is my photo of the day. I was walking on a bleak mountainside, in bleak weather, when this tiny flower stood out. Apart from a slight crop, the image is unaltered. You may click on it to enlarge to a large 230k. OBSERVATION: God's creation is stunning for its beauty and variety. Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, all that God has done.

Verbal Agreements

Recently I met with a prominent minister who had exited a ministry on verbal agreements. These agreements involved millions of rands, and operations in several countries. For the sake of oneself, and for the sake of the sheep, one dare not do this in ministry -- nor enter a ministry in this way. The same applies for agreements that are part on paper, part verbal -- perhaps all the more so. And if on paper, make sure you have the paper. There are charming people who will not hesitate to desecrate such agreements to the core, and the danger is all the greater in ministry, where one habitually operates on trust, and where unscrupulous people know it.

Publishing Is Fickle

Recently I submitted an article to a publication on the subject of evil. Last night an editor responded: "The actualité is disappointing." However, by the morning, the unpublished article had shot to no. 1 in the popularity charts, disappointing actualité and all (unpublished essays can get into the charts, but only if people snuffle them out). OBSERVATION: I shall ask the editor whether we should remove it, so as not to intrude on published work.

Special Fraternal

This one's just a pretty picture -- of a well known Presbyterian minister in Cape Town. I took it last week. He and I once belonged to the same fraternal -- an inter-denominational gathering of evangelical ministers. We established this fraternal for those who were true to their own denominations, yet were geographically isolated or did not find the spiritual encouragement they desired in their own denominations or churches. It was a good idea. It worked. Long after the fraternal ended, we still network with one another. I took the photo last week. You may click on it to enlarge to 130k. It was shot in one point colour (that is, only one colour -- he was in fact wearing blue).

Mix Of Papers

My mind is addled. My circuits are fried. During the past week or two, I have reviewed no less than ten papers. Four of them were my own -- and these (which will hopefully be forthcoming features) deal with 1. the dynamics of untruth, 2. the nature of reason, 3. the idea of a balanced education, and 4. a mathematical refutation of Hume's law.

We All Owe

It has been important to me, where there are vast disparities of wealth in a Church, to emphasise that we all owe one another, and should have the attitude that we all owe one another (Galatians 5:13, Romans 13:8). This can in fact find expression in wonderful ways, with great variety. It is when someone begins to see himself or herself only as the receiver, or only as the giver, that healthy dynamics get skewed.

Molteno Reservoir

Here's another photo of Cape Town's Molteno Reservoir, above central Cape Town. For decades, it provided all the water that the city needed. Now, it has become a "side show". I live just above the Molteno Reservoir. OBSERVATION: I have said that I intend to claim that little turret in the middle for a personal studio. You may click on the photo to enlarge to 140k.

Visit To My Old Church

This morning I visited my old Church in Sea Point. I had hoped to slip in unnoticed, as I always do when I am a visitor to a Church. However, it was just the time for people to greet one another. I was welcomed with warmth and enthusiasm. OBSERVATION: This is an unusual panoramic shot of the Church. On the far right is the suburb's Main Road. In the distance on the left are the Church's three halls. The property extends quite a way behind the camera as well. You may click on the photo to enlarge.

Dead Man's Handle

One might have heard of a dead man's handle. There are more fashionable expressions now, which omit the word "dead". Some forms of dead man's handle I have come across through the course of my ministr(ies). Originally, it was a handle which a train driver pushed intermittently to prove that he was still in control. If he expired, the train pulled to a halt. But there are various situations where a dead man's handle -- of sorts -- is used. A more sinister one is that used by terrorists. Harm the terrorists, and your hostages are dead or your headquarters destroyed. A common use is to ensure that an operator is still on the job -- for instance, when pumping water from a mine. There are other, more "conceptual" forms of dead man's handle. For instance, take an informant out, and his information goes public. Or terminate an employee, and the company's mainframe goes down.

Happy Birthday

I attended the 70th birthday celebration of a well known minister's wife today. Here she is, taken in one point colour. This means that there is only one colour in this photo, apart from shades of grey. She and her husband had a desperate start at the United Congregational Churches of Bellair and Malvern (Durban), and retired with a strong transition from the United Congregational Church of East Claremont (Cape Town). OBSERVATION: It was a former minister's wife at East Claremont who engineered my first "own" ministry in Sunridge Park (Port Elizabeth), following student ministry and assistant ministry. You may click on the photo to enlarge to 300k.

Beru Pastors And Teachers 1966

This is a "historic" photo of pastors and teachers on the small island of Beru, in 1966. I am in the front row. The tall man at the rear is my maternal grandfather Wilhelm Olivet. I wonder whether I recognise Otiuea, second from the right in the back row. He later became a cabinet minister of the Republic of Kiribati. I visited him in his retirement. OBSERVATION: The spots on the photo are due to extreme humidity. You may click on the photo to enlarge to 90k.

Finally, Statutes

I have, on this blog, described my efforts to discover crucial statutes of the Cape Law Society. Finally, here is the most important one, that I (and others) were seeking:

Rule 15. A Disciplinary Committee shall ... consider and investigate any complaint made against any member at the instance of whomsoever.

POSTSCRIPT: Here's an entertaining exercise.  Go to the Society's About Us page. Scroll to the bottom, and click on Rule 15. I offer no interpretation, mind.

Magnetometer (Metal Detector)

Today I happened upon an electronics article of mine which, curiously, I never read before: a (click here) Magnetometer. I really enjoyed this one. I demonstrated it for the editor of EPE magazine at the time -- it was eventually published in Elektor. It is described as "incredibly sensitive", which it is. For instance, it will pick up a train moving at two kilometres' distance. But the potential applications are many more (described in the article). OBSERVATION: The following should be easy, but I never got round to trying it out. Build two of these circuits, to cancel out the effects of the earth's magnetic field, and carry them over the shoulder, sensors near the ground, using the difference signal to detect metal. You wouldn't necessarily need additional electronics (although that would help). The two displays could simply be compared.

Clifton

This is Kloof Road, upper Clifton, in Cape Town, one of South Africa's most affluent suburbs (note the Porsche cabriolet in the foreground). This whole area seems ever restless with demolitions and building works, and the commotion to go with it. There are four cranes in this photo. I claim that Kloof Road is merely an access road to building operations. OBSERVATION: Clifton is famous for its beaches, which incidentally are seasonal, in the sense that they are stripped of sand in the winter, and replenished in the summer. I travel this road most days.

Ministers' Wives

I met a pastor in a book store. He introduced me to his wife. I asked her what her role was in the Church. She said: "To be a support to my husband." OBSERVATION: Many minister’s wives become nervous, even panicky about their husband’s work, so that they fail to be the best support. It is common in ministry, which has extraordinary challenges. This is how I would see "the best support": Above all, I think, if this should be a wife's calling, she needs to have the eye of faith. The best kind of support she can be is to support her husband's calling and anointing. To put this another way: it is because of what God has chosen to do through him, by His grace, that a wife supports him -- it is not, in a sense, her husband himself whom she supports.

Winter Pastels

I took this photo this morning on the slopes of Lion's Head, where any number of shrubs are now flowering in the mid winter. The colours, by and large, are pastel. You may click on the photo to enlarge to 170k. Lion's Head is a peak near Cape Town's city centre -- described as one of the most spectacular climbs in the world.

Divine Justice

My father once told me a story which stayed with me. It is not for the faint-hearted. He had a friend at school who would catch frogs, then cruelly hold their mouths over a tap until they burst. But his friend had barely reached adulthood, when he crashed an aeroplane in the Humber, and drowned. OBSERVATION: One speaks of divine justice, or poetic justice. Whatever one may think of it, one finds it often in the Bible. A well known example: Judah proposed that Joseph should be sold into slavery. Then Judah was effectively forced to offer himself as a slave. That, however, is a redemptive story, while other Bible stories are not. Does God work the same way today? We surely have to say yes.

Your God Will Undertake

Someone sent me verses by Katherine von Schlegel today (translated by Jane Borthwick), which I pass on here for encouragement. We know little about her, except that she may have been a noble, and she may have been a nun. The full hymn is to be found at Be Still, My Soul.

Be still, my soul; the Lord is on your side;
Bear patiently the cross of grief or pain;
Leave to your God to order and provide;
In every change he faithful will remain.
Be still, my soul; your best, your heavenly Friend
Through thorny ways leads to a joyful end.

Be still, my soul; your God will undertake
To guide the future as he has the past.
Your hope, your confidence let nothing shake;
All now mysterious shall be bright at last.
Be still, my soul; the waves and wind still know
His voice who ruled them while he dwelt below.

Staffing For Decline

I found an old brochure of a Church I know well, whose people I know well. I know, too, that after that brochure was printed, the Church went into steady decline. Therefore it was a brochure which I studied with interest. The names on the brochure said it all to me. In a nutshell, most of the names that were on it did not, I consider, reveal a living relationship with God -- yet several were "people of note". Also, I saw people missing from that brochure who were spiritual treasures in that Church. OBSERVATION: It may seem counter-intuitive, to prefer people who are spiritual treasures and nobodies, rather than people of note, but this brochure suggested that one dare not do otherwise.

Funeral Feast

This one's just a pretty picture, taken in the kitchen of a farm labourer's cottage:  preparations for a funeral feast in the Eastern Cape. Among the Xhosa, feasting is a part of all family milestones and holy days. By tradition, no guest, on leaving, should be able to eat any more. OBSERVATION: I succeeded in getting the best out of a small camera here. You may click on the photo to enlarge to 200k. Xhosa folk have the extraordinary ability to cater to crowds at the drop of a hat. White folks fret over a few late changes to a guest list. In this case, there were more than 100 guests.

Editorial Appointment

Last night, I was appointed to the editorial team of the on-line sister publication of the Philosophical Society of England, Philosophical Investigations. That is, I am now an editor of the publication. My title: Supervising Editor, or Co-ordinating Editor. Thanks to God. OBSERVATION: I am also a Member of the Board of the Society's print journal The Philosopher. I was previously an administrator of Philosophical Investigations.

Writing And Drink

It's good to see another essay of mine topping the charts today: Death, Philosophically (see the image). It's not easy, writing. Small wonder that so many writers take to drink. I think the most difficult aspect of it is clarifying concepts, and it's not something that anyone can do for you, although people can help. Sermon writing isn't easy either. Another minister was telling me that just this week. For me, sermons are a fight to the death -- yet so worthwhile, a blessing to many, and hopefully seemingly effortless in delivery. An old Bible college principal told us: one minute of preaching requires one hour of preparation. OBSERVATION: I received a challenge to my article Death, Philosophically, which I have answered there (Aspects of Mind is mine, too).

Unpopular Woman

There is a certain woman in South Africa who is in a great deal of trouble if anyone should ever discover who she is. She says on the telephone: "You have one minute remaining." Given the fact that so many people buy a mere R5 of airtime at a time (81 US cents), and that others talk so much, this woman must repeat herself a million times a day. People shout at her and disparage her as if she were real.

Assessing Raiders

I previously blogged about raids to my premises. In some cases, personal papers were the only target. Who or why isn't important here. This post is one of assessment of the raiders' craft. • On the plus side, very slick. Photos show heavy bolts gently taken apart. Also, they left no trace -- no fingerprints, no footprints, nothing. • On the minus side, they missed the hot stuff. Miss your target once or twice, and there will be diminishing returns. It may be a huge waste for a client. And they couldn't pick cross-locks, a more advanced skill, although they managed Yale and Xpanda. And not only did they keep dropping papers, they dumped them where they were found. Finally, unless it's intentional, one can't afford to reveal motives in the mix, which poses a greater risk not only for raiders, but for those who gave orders.

Acknowledgement Of Receipt

In my ministry experience, if one should run into any difficulty with an authority -- say hospitals, police, attorneys, or church -- the first and most basic step is to put it in writing and to receive acknowledgement of receipt. So important is acknowledgement of receipt that if one does not receive it, I would advise: no matter how important the issue (once you have checked that it didn't get lost in the mail or something), shut it all down, and start again, or think again. Why attach such importance to such a small thing? Without acknowledgement of receipt, a recipient may later deny any knowledge of a matter. Without acknowledgement of receipt, there may be confusion over due dates -- or worse, critical cut-offs. Without acknowledgement of receipt, a case may be decided without you knowing what was taken into consideration, or whether a document was read before or after things were decided. And so on ... OBSERVATION: In my view, one can't afford to find oneself in such situations. While, on the surface of it, acknowledgement of receipt is a seemingly small thing, it is critical. And if it were faithfully done in our country, a lot of woes that we experience would be set aside.

Writing Mentor

In the case of (I think) all of my articles and reviews of the past three years, I have been mentored by a man who not only has written many books, but among those books, just one of them has sold more than twenty-five million copies. Some things that stand out about him are his continual promotion of others, and his excellent feel for a wide range of subject matter. He changed me from a writer who was in a sense fearful of publishers' rules and judgements, to develop a style of my own through which I can express myself both with power and academic integrity. OBSERVATION: (My first article lay in his in-tray for more than a year before I was discovered).

Three In One

I went to lunch today with a minister whose Church -- having three ministers, to minister to three age groups -- split into three, while retaining its "unity". I followed this from the start, when there was some nervousness as to whether it would work. It has worked, and it has given each minister a more meaningful ministry. OBSERVATION: However, my own view is that Churches should integrate all ages, races, languages, and social strata in one. This is what the Early Church pulled off, although we do not have much detail. Arguably, we pulled this off in my urban ministry.

Children Everywhere

This is a regular feature of my "other life" in my "other world" ... particularly when one is working on a computer or has a camera in one's hands. It isn't something we are used to in our European culture -- being crowded by children. However, one notices it less and less as time goes on. Children everywhere becomes a part of life. The photo shows two nieces of my wife (foreground), and a niece of my mother-in-law (background).

Green Point Urban Park

I took (another) photo today of our Green Point Urban Park (above), where I typically take wife E. to the gym three times a week, while I take a forty-minute walk to MacDonalds and back for a chocolate sundae. OBSERVATION: This park, established several years ago, was a successful idea. It is popular, pleasant, safe, and clean, its trees are growing, and its sprawling biodiversity exhibits are always interesting. This is the park in mid-winter (over here).