Charlea Grey
It will not help if you worry. You will not live longer, not one hour longer. Luke 12:25, English Bible for the Deaf
A colleague and I drive to work together every day. We face the traffic together to save a bit of fuel. We talk about work matters and mostly about our children – the hectic mornings, the struggle to get them dressed and ready for school, their funny sayings, the tantrums from the evening before, and so on and so forth. There’s a lot to say once you start talking about life with kids.
We also frequently discuss our priorities, frustrations, challenges, and the things we wonder and worry about. One recurring topic is the realisation that the here and now, this daily routine of waking up, raising kids, driving to work and juggling all the balls in the air, is life. This is the life we looked forward to as students. This is it – in all its chaos and glory.
Many of us are prone to creating an image in our minds of how we’d like our lives to look. Often, it’s an image floating in the future, something that still has to happen, you know, when you have all your ducks in a row and everything falls perfectly into place. The big (and tidy!) house, the shiny car with loads of space, the wardrobe full of stylish outfits, the delicious yet healthy meals, a balanced life with hobbies, and ample time for family and friends. The neatly organised closets and up-to-date paperwork – all those things.
Over the past year, and especially in the ordinary moments at home, I’ve developed a renewed appreciation for the here and now. I don’t always get it right, but I try to remind myself to enjoy my life as it is now, with my job, my husband, our home and our child – just for what it is, without constantly living with my head in the future; without incessantly worrying or always wanting to plan everything out. Of course, on some days, I struggle. On other days, I manage better, but I always try my best.
Life is a gift from God, and each of our lives and realities looks different. But this moment, this day, is your life. It’s your opportunity. Shouldn’t we embrace it?
If we build too many castles in the sky and only dream of the future, the wonderful life God has given us, the here and now, might pass us by without us ever enjoying it.
Prayer: Lord, help me to seize and enjoy life. Help me to worry less about the future and to embrace each day as a gift, and to understand it comes from you. Amen.
Charlea Grey
Dit sal niks help as julle bekommerd is nie. Dit sal julle nie langer laat lewe nie, nie een uur langer nie. Lukas 12:25, Bybel vir almal
Ek en ’n kollega ry elke dag saam werk toe. Dan durf ons die verkeer saam aan in ’n poging om bietjie petrol te spaar. Ons gesels oor werkdinge en meestal oor ons kinders – die oggend wat wild was, die gesukkel om hulle aangetrek en gereed te kry vir hul skooltjies, die snaakse sê-goed, die vorige aand se tantrums ensovoorts, ensovoorts. Daar is nogal baie om te sê as ’n mens eers oor die lewe met kinders begin praat.
Ons praat ook dikwels oor ons prioriteite, frustrasies, uitdagings en dinge waaroor ons wonder en bekommer. Een ding waaroor ons ook gereeld gesels is die hier en nou, hierdie elke dag se opstaan en kinders grootmaak en werk toe ry en al die balle in die lug, dís die lewe. Hier is daai lewe waarna ons as studente uitgesien het. Hier is dit nou in sy volle glorie, chaos en al.
Is baie van ons nie maar geneig om ’n prentjie in ons kop te hê van hoe ons graag ons lewe sal wil hê nie? En dan is dit ’n prentjie wat in die toekoms ronddobber – iets wat nog moet gebeur, jy weet, wanneer al jou eendjies in ’n ry is en dinge perfek in plek val. Die groot (en netjiese!) huis, die blink motor met hope pakplek, die klerekas vol stylvolle uitrustings, die lekker maar gesonde maaltye, die gebalanseerde lewe met stokperdjies en genoeg tyd vir familie en vriende. Die uitgesorteerde kaste en papierwerk wat op datum is. Al daai dinge.
Ek het die afgelope jaar, veral in die doodgewone oomblikke tuis, opnuut waardering gekry vir die hier en nou. Ek kry dit nie aldag reg nie, maar ek probeer om myself te kry om my lewe soos dit nou is, met my werk en my man en ons huis en kind net te geniet vir wat dit is, sonder om heeltyd met my kop in die toekoms te leef. Sonder om my gedurig te bekommer of heeltyd alles te wil beplan. Natuurlik sukkel ek party dae. Ander dae kry ek dit beter reg. Maar ek probeer.
Die lewe is ’n geskenk van God en ons elkeen se lewe en werklikheid lyk anders, maar hierdie oomblik, hierdie dag, is jou lewe. Dis jou kans. Moet ons dit nie maar aangryp nie?
As ons te veel lugkastele bou en droom oor die toekoms, gaan die wonderlike lewe wat God vir ons gegee het, die hier en nou, dalk verby sonder dat ons dit kan geniet.
Gebed: Here, help my om die lewe aan te gryp en te geniet. Help my om minder oor die toekoms te bekommer en elke dag, wat ’n geskenk is, aan te gryp en te besef dit kom van U af. Amen.
Charlea Grey
I am a poor man but I prayed to the Lord and He heard me. He saved me from all my trouble. Psalm 34:6, English Bible for the Deaf
Recently, I was fortunate enough to go away for a long weekend with my husband and daughter to one of my favourite destinations in the country. The Garden Route has held a special place in my heart since childhood because we spent many December holidays there with our large family.
I remember how, during many vacations, I would sit on a bench by the sea in the late afternoon or even at night, listening to the crashing waves. Those moments alone on the bench were my own special quiet time. It was a time to organise my thoughts after a long year, to process my worries and to work through my feelings. Many times, I sat there praying and experiencing God’s voice in the waves. Sometimes, my mind was filled with chaos and at other times, it was just thoughts about life or concerns about the new school year. Even back then, I found comfort in the cool sea breeze and something peaceful in the flickering lights of Mossel Bay in the distance.
Shortly after we arrived, I took a walk to the beach with my toddler. When we reached the wooden steps, the moment felt overwhelming to me. I was close to tears. There was something sacred about showing her the place that held such a big part of my childhood and my deepest emotions, even if she didn’t fully understand. As we walked down the path, two women pointed out dolphins playing in the water.
God knows how and where to find us. Do you hear his voice? God’s voice is not only confined to church during a sermon or in a Bible verse. You can hear his voice in other places too – sometimes in nature, in the wind, in the crashing waves, but also in the silence. Even in traffic. Sometimes in beautiful music. Or in moments when you feel great joy or deep sorrow. Yes, God knows where to find you and you never need to worry about that. He knows when and where your heart and soul are open. He knows.
Prayer: Thank you, Father, for always knowing where to find me and touching my heart. Help me to hear your voice in my life. Amen.
Charlea Grey
Ek kan myself nie beskerm nie, ek het gebid, en die Here het gehoor. Hy het my gered van alles wat dit sleg laat gaan het met my. Psalm 34:7, Bybel vir almal
Ek was nou die dag gelukkig om saam met my man en kind vir 'n langnaweek weg te breek na een van my gunstelingbestemmings in die land. Die Tuinroete lê van kleins af na aan my hart want ons het vir baie van my grootwordjare elke Desember daar gaan vakansie hou saam met ons groot familie.
Ek onthou hoe ek baie vakansies laatmiddag of selfs in die aand op 'n bankie langs die see gaan sit en na die gedruis van die branders geluister het. Daai alleentye op die bankie was my eie, spesiale stiltetyd. Dit was tyd waarin ek my gedagtes kon orden na 'n lang jaar, dinge waaroor ek my bekommer het kon deurtrap, gevoelens kon verwerk. Ek het baiekeer op daai bankie gesit en gebid en God se stem in die branders beleef. Soms was my kop vol muisneste, soms was dit sommer net gedagtes oor die lewe, bekommernisse oor 'n nuwe skooljaar. Daar was daai tyd al vir my troos in die koel seelug en iets vreedsaam in Mosselbaai se liggies wat in die verte flikker.
Kort na ons aankoms nou die dag, het ek alleen saam met my dogtertjie strand toe gestap. Toe ons by die houttrappies kom, was die oomblik vir my groot en oorweldigend. My trane het vlak gesit. Daar was iets heilig daaraan om ná hoeveel jaar vir haar die plek te gaan wys waar 'n baie groot gedeelte van my grootword en my hartsdinge lê, selfs al verstaan sy min. Toe ons by die paadjie afstap het twee vroue vir ons gewys waar dolfyne in die water baljaar.
God weet hoe en waar om ons te vind. Hoor jy sy stem? God se stem is nie net in die kerk tydens 'n preek of in 'n Bybelvers opgesluit nie. Jy sal sy stem ook op ander plekke hoor. Soms in die natuur, in die wind, die gedruis van branders, maar ook in die stilte. Selfs in die verkeer. Dis soms in mooi musiek. Of iewers waar jy baie gelukkig of selfs hartseer is. Ja, God weet waar om jou te vind, daaroor hoef jy jou nooit te bekommer nie. Hy weet wanneer en waar jou hart en gemoed oop is. Hy wéét.
Gebed: Dankie Vader dat U altyd weet waar om my te vind en dat U my hart aanraak. Help my U stem in my lewe te hoor. Amen.