I hope your brains have enjoyed the break

In ancient Egypt, what was the job of the master of largesse?

An interesting exercise used at some team-building sessions is to ask the participants: "If you knew you had only five minutes left to live, how would you spend it?" Well, we are not busy with a team-building exercise here, but think for a moment: Have you ever been in a situation where your life's hourglass was running empty? How did you feel then?

None of us knows how long we are going to live. Maybe a marathon still lies ahead, or maybe the winning post is at the door. Who knows? In any event, I hope it won't be the case with you like it was with the rich man who was married to the young woman. He once compared their marriage to a parking meter: “Every now and then she checks how much time I have left, while I wonder how much money I still need to put in.” More important than the time we have left to live is the way we spend what we have left. Here are two important rules of life:

Life rule number one: Live as you would the last hour of your life.

Life rule number two: Treat others as you would if you were seeing them for the last time.

What would your life look like if you looked at these few minutes as the last you had on earth? What would happen if you suddenly started treating others with respect because you might never set eyes on them again? Remember the following if you take these two rules seriously:

a. God grants life one day at a time only
God grants life only in “one-day-at-a-time” portions. He never guarantees five years of life in advance. No, He grants a ray of sunshine, a drop of rain and a portion of life for the here and the now every time! Right now, whether you are in Kuwait or Toronto, New York or Bloemfontein, you are experiencing your own portion of abundant goodness from heaven. Indeed, you are alive! Therefore, your heart may harbour hope, because God has given the green light that you may live.

Perhaps your life is not very enjoyable at present. Well, you may choose to do something about it. Truly, God grants you a time of grace. He also watches what you do with the borrowed time received from the Father's hand. Do not wait for others to make your life more enjoyable. Do not think that life owes you anything. If you do you will simply sulk and sit it out. No, be brave! Surprise everyone; dare to declare today a day of festivity. Choose the happiness of sharing bread with friends. Choose today to set aside time for celebration with your children and marriage partner (Ecclesiastes 8:15; 9:9). Cancel an unimportant appointment or a boring meeting. Start living, you have only today. Do not waste time. Only if God wills, will you see the sun shine tomorrow. But, it is still a day's journey from the dream of the future. Live life to the full, now.

b. Do the right things now, and have no regrets later
There were times when I stood at someone's deathbed. Do you know that not one of them ever told me that they regretted not having worked a lot harder. No, all of them wished that they had spent more time with the Lord and with their loved ones. A New Zealand friend of mine (good day, Eben!) who was once on an aeroplane when two of its motors failed, recalled that at one stage the captain allowed the passengers to use their cell phones to call their loved ones. Take note, not their brokers, their bankers or even the local undertaker. No, when one's life, here and now, hangs by a thread, one's heart goes out to loved ones. Then one prays. Then love wins!

Life passes by so quickly. Do not let the years granted to you slip through your fingers. Is achieving lots of success but losing the people closest to you worth it? Worst of all: you may lose God because you are too busy to give Him time. That is to lose all! Do the right thing now: turn back to God this minute. He will welcome you with open arms when you arrive at heaven's door in the name of His Son. Also, turn back to your loved ones. You will be their guest of honour.


c. Do a few good deeds
Be good to someone in the name of the Lord at least once today. Do not lay down your head tonight without having touched someone with a tender word or a gesture of love. In Matthew 10:42 the Lord Jesus tells us that God will know when you give one of His lowliest followers a drink of cold water. He notices when you treat the least insignificant of His people with respect. A small gesture of love is noted down in the most important Place in the universe. Make sure that your name also is entered in Heaven's records today!

You have five minutes left ... and perhaps the rest of today! Use it wisely.


PRAYER
Lord, my life is passing by so quickly.

My years on earth dribble away like water.

Too many yesterdays have been wasted;

they slipped through my fingers unused.

Teach me to use my time right,

to live for the here and the now – to the full, for You and for others.

Make me a 'living' blessing to all that cross my way today.

I ask this in the good Name of Jesus.

Amen.

Stephan Joubert - http://www.echurch.co.za

Just wanted to let you that I'll be getting this section back into action very soonish :cheer:

New posts in 2 weeks :yikes:

Was everyone else on holiday too or is it because I'm the main nonsense talker on the boards :haha: was away or should I be ing for saying that :jester:

As you've no doubt guessed by now we're back from our :wedding: honeymoon and I am ad: to say that Mallorca was more interesting than waiting in line to use one of the two internet computers at the resort : haha :

We got back yesterday evening both very tired and I've spent today editing photos (I can't believe we took over 750 of them... I am sure that some will be put into the gallery at some stage )

So how's everyone been doing ? I won't ask about your weather conditions as then I'd have to tell you about ours and that would make everyone miserable : haha :

Time for me to see what everyone has been up to. I'll catch up with this thread later....

I need some help, i cant see the pictures anymore like the avators and several pictures on this site like the one in the left hand corner, what program am i missing, can anyone help? :confused:

Yep it's the first Sunday in September which means it has to :rainy: and be very windy and :cold: because it's the start of the rugby season!

Have fun everyone and think of us while we watch on the side lines our litle darlings.

I nagged my wife :beg: long enough and managed to get Sky in Germany.. :thumbs: Lol

After watching as much rugby as is humanly possible... That means all that I can get, I am wondering why the Aussies and Kiwis seem to have so much talent bubbling under ( obvious from the super 14 series and the provincial Aussie and Kiwi games I have seen, compared to our Boks.

In saying that I have been really impressed with some of the new talent I have seen.in SA. The full back from WP, Kabamba Floors from the Cheetahs to name a couple. Now if Butch James could just use his arms when he tackles!!!

What's your take on SA rugby ?

Not a pretty match, but a much improved performance.

Just one question...... Since when does a Lock forward get to make grubber kicks in International rugby?

Het julle geweet dat Wipkadia in Afrikaans beskikbaar is?

kyk net hier....


Volgens Wipkadia is daar 300,000 Afrikaans sprekendes in Britanje. affer:

My jongste sussie het die afgelope week ook 70 geword, om sodoende ouderdomsgewys by die res van ons aan te sluit. Wat ons oueres onvermydelik tot ’n mate van nadenke gestem het – soos wanneer jou oudste kind skielik op ’n dag vyftig word. Maar toe hoor ek gister wanneer oor die nuus dat die oudste vrou ter wêreld onlangs op die ouderdom van 116 jaar in Ecuador dood is. Dit gee weer perspektief.

Ter wille van die verjaardag neem haar man vir sus Polla Valle toe vir Â’n paar dae.

Vic Falls, sê die Engelse, maar meestal sê ons mos sommer Valle, soos ons Wildtuin sê vir die Kruger, want selfs Augrabies – ’n wonderwerk op sy eie, daardie plat, droë wêreld en dan die stroom water wat af, af, oor die kranse val – kan nie met die Valle meeding nie. Volgens die brosjure wat Polla met familie en vriende gedeel het, is die Victoria-valle een van die sewe natuurwonders van die wêreld, en soos Tafelberg, ’n wêrelderfenisgebied.

Almal wat al by die Valle was, het iets aan Polla mee te deel gehad oor die ongelooflike skoonheid daarvan, en daar is vurig gedebatteer of dit ten beste vertoon wanneer die Zambesi in vloed is, of wanneer daar droogte heers en die water dan weinig meer is as ’n stroompie. Want elkeen weet dat toe hy of sy die Valle gesien het, dit tóé op die heel mooiste was.

(Ek was seker twintig jaar gelede daar, maar ek onthou dat ek die laaste 100 treë van die uitsigpunt af, opgewonde begin hardloop het, totdat John my ewe droog daarop gewys het dat die Zambesi baie eeue reeds oor die afgrond stort en bepaald nie gaan ophou voor ek daar aankom nie . . .)

Daar was mooi stories te vertel – ja, daar is met afguns geluister omdat Polla gaan, maar ook met blydskap – maar die mooiste was dié van haar jongste.

Clara en haar man Pieter is viertrek-entoesiaste, en saam met ander familie en vriende wat lief is daarvoor is hulle Juniemaand deur Namibië en verby die Caprivi op Valle toe.

Iemand onderbreek haar storie om te sê dat hulle ook daardie reis deur Namibië onderneem het, en 17 pap wiele gehad het!

Hulle groot Cruiser kon nie die kleiner spoor vat nie, en die klippe langs die pad het die bande flenters gesny.

Clara lag. Die enigste pap wiel op hulle toer, sê sy, was iemand se noodwiel, want dié was onder die buik van die motor, en nie agterop soos die Jeep s’n nie, en het vol dorings gesteek . . .

Toe hulle vyf by die Valle aankom, vertel sy, stap hulle tot waar dit moontlik is om te sien hoedat die water oor die wal afstort. En daar staan ’n groep Nigeriërs, mans en vroue, in tradisionele gewaad, die leier ’n groot, donker man in wit, wit kalot op die kop. Een van die Nigeriese vroue sit op ’n rots langs die rivier, agter haar die waas van die ‘rook wat donder’. En in ’n sterk altstem sing sy: O Lord my God when I in awesome wonder . . .

Toe die vers klaar is, bly sy stil, maar die groepie Suid-Afrikaners pleit, nee, asseblief, sing nog, en val toe saam in vir die refrein: Hoe groot is U, hoe groot is U . . .

Almal se oë is nat, vertel Clara, en oor die groot Nigeriër se wange stroom die trane. Mamma, eindig sy, maak jou maar klaar en pak die snesies. Die Valle is ’n emosionele ervaring.