I am in a coffee shop, one of my favourite places to be. Across from me sits a young married couple. They seem happy, casual and comfortable in each others’ company. Decently dressed; fashionable but not pretentious, they’re discussing something everyday-ish, perhaps going through the to-do list for the rest of the day. I can’t…
Daddy Long Legs My wife tells this funny story of how she once chased a guy much taller than her after realising that he lied to her to get some money. This happened years ago after we got married. I remember how I thought she was both brave and, just possibly a little unwise during…
I am writing this in my third and final week of a training engagement in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. I am slightly ashamed to admit that I did not know what the capital of Saudi was until I was offered an opportunity to provide Data Management training there. I also had to write “Riyadh” several times…
Are you aware of how taxing those “little” things we demand from others can be? Or have you realised how silly some of those demands actually are once they’re viewed with a little perspective? The phrase “I don’t ask for very much, BUT…” became a running joke in our home over the last few days…
Every day ants do pretty much the same thing. They go out of their nests, find some food, and bring it back into the nest. Along the way, they stop each time they pass another ant, and their antennas touch briefly. Do they say hi? “How are the wife and kids!?” Receive a message from…
Why did they think a bright star in the heavens signifies the birth of a divine king? Why did they connect it with Israel and Jerusalem of all places? They weren’t even Jewish! And what made them pack their bags and take a long journey to go and meet this child? Can you imagine the…
Our family loves watching movies together. From when the kids were small, it was an opportunity to learn to accommodate each other’s tastes. Sunday nights are movie nights, and we all take turns to pick a movie for the night. We make popcorn, smoothies and later some hot chocolate. When the kids were smaller, this…
“Demons watch you through the ink of your tattoos”, my daughter’s friend told her a few weeks ago, “when you have tattoos you give them a door into your life. My grandfather told me so”. My daughter was discussing some contemporary matters of the day during a youth group meeting, and she came to chat…
It’s an early evening on a Cape winters weekday. It’s dark. A man is walking, alone, his collar up to shield against the icy breeze coming from the cold Atlantic. Knowing it’s not quite safe to be alone at this hour, he keeps his head down but glances around every so often — a natural…
I remember as a boy, there were a few times I tried to bargain with God. If he would just answer my prayer and let me have that blue BMX or this Atari video game console, I would do some things for him in return. Do you know what I used for a bargaining chip?…