MOLLY AND ME – MISTRUST

Molly, my two-year-old “worsie”, has a severe allergy problem. What a struggle to find out what is causing her itching, scratching, biting, licking behaviour! My heart goes out to her in her distress. Now, Molly is used to being spoiled. She believes that she is entitled to a tidbit of everything I eat. Of course, I taught her this habit …Continue reading →

MOLLY AND ME – ALLERGIES

Molly has developed a skin condition which the vet and I are still trying to identify and treat. She has an allergic reaction to something, but the question is….what? It could be from the environment or from her food. When it’s really bad, the poor little thing scratches and licks continually and she breaks out in a nasty rash. She …Continue reading →

MOLLY AND ME – NEUTRALISING THE ENEMY

When Molly and I began our daily walks, I noticed that she regarded every passer-by; jogger, cyclist, pedestrian, dog walker, employee from the nearby supermarket, casual visitor from out-of-town, and even the guard dogs in the properties on the way, as potential enemies. She would “see them off”, big or small, with a flurry of barks and yelps. However, as …Continue reading →

MOLLY AND ME – TRANSFORMED

When play is done for the day, toilet parade and garden inspection over and she feels mellow and sleepy, Molly loves to lie on my lap with her head on my tummy and gaze into my face with complete adoration in her soft brown eyes. I always respond with words like, “You are so beautiful. You are so sweet. You …Continue reading →

MOLLY AND ME – RETURN

I recently took a trip to Johannesburg to visit my son and daughter-in-law for a few days. I arranged with a friend to “dog-sit” Molly rather than put her in the kennels. My friend happens to have a nine-month-old dachshund puppy who is great friends with my Molly. Molly has an exaggerated maternal instinct although she has not had puppies …Continue reading →

MOLLY AND ME – GAZING

How many times does Molly lie on my lap and gaze intently at me, her little brown eyes fastened on my face with pure adoration shining from them! Molly is now almost two years old, reckoned to be an adult in dog years. She still does naughty things sometimes. I have been training her to come to me when I …Continue reading →

A LIVING HOPE

“Hopefully” – this word comes up regularly from our favourite sports captains when they review the match. What do they mean? They are full of hope that they will do better next time or win the next game, or win the World Cup or whatever. It’s always about the next time but it’s always uncertain. “Hope” is also a Bible …Continue reading →

FORGIVENESS – A TRUE STORY  

The scene is a Truth and Reconciliation courtroom in South Africa.   A frail black woman rises slowly to her feet. She is something over 70 years of age. Facing across the room are several white security police officers, one of whom, Mr van der Broek, has just been tried and found implicated in the murders of both the woman’s son …Continue reading →

DON’T BE SCARED!

“Worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness.” Worship and holiness were two parts of the Christian life that used to scare me when I was younger. I avoided them as much as I could because I knew that it was impossible for me to be holy, I didn’t know how to worship God and I didn’t know what to …Continue reading →

WHICH WAY?

Psalm 86:11 has been my prayer since 2008. It’s a prayer and a response. Teach me your way, O Lord, and I will walk in your truth. The rest of the verse is also a prayer and a response. Give me an undivided heart that I may fear your name. What are God’s ways? He told the prophet Isaiah that …Continue reading →

ONE THING!

We all have wishes and desires and wants and dreams, don’t we …and they cover a variety of aspirations, from money and wealth to health and happiness and everything in between? What would you ask for if God promised to give you anything you want? Would He give you what you desire or would He say, “No!” because it would …Continue reading →

SHARING GOD’S SECRETS

Do you have a friend with whom you can risk sharing your secrets – even those of which you are ashamed? It’s good to have someone to whom you can unburden yourself when you struggle with issues in your life A friendship like that can only be built on trust and mutual respect. It is risky to trust another person …Continue reading →

STORMPROOF!

How many times have you quoted or heard the verse, “Be still and know that I am God”? We even sing the words church as a worship song. It comes in the middle of Psalm 46 – a song about storm, tumult and war and the place where peace can be found in the midst of chaos. We love the …Continue reading →

A GIFT UNUSED

Have you ever given someone you love a gift, only to find that it has been stashed away unused? How hurt you would feel that your friendship was so little valued that the gift was tossed aside! How does God feel when we value His gift of salvation so little that we neglect to appropriate everything He has done for …Continue reading →

A FATHERLESS GENERATION

As a father has compassion on his children, so the Lord has compassion on those who fear Him (Psa. 103:13) I wonder how true this metaphor is in today’s world. Not only do we live in a fatherless world where many men beget children but take no responsibility for them, but where many children suffer at the hands of fatherless …Continue reading →