It’s time for another Weekly Roundup! We show you the world’s worst airline, the rice that Africa’s biggest food producer says you must NOT eat, and what Mr Morais found in the bottom of his coffee mug! We also have the answer to: ‘Who won the most BET Hip Hop 2014 Awards?’ You’re at the right place to find all those details and more: The 1Africa Weekly Roundup!
Brad K
Church Memes
I love a good laugh and it must be said that there’s nothing like a smartly worded internet meme to get me roaring! I love them! Most are really funny and perhaps the smart use of words to match the silly generic pictures is so darn appealing. Yeah, there are plenty of dodgy ones that are best avoided, but I’ve really come to love the Church Memes! Churches are different, yes, but we get up to pretty much the same stuff with the same challenges and we come across people with the same sorts of personalities. I’ve got a few of my favourite Church Memes here for you! You know you’ve got to do the right thing and SHARE! You know someone out there that needs the laugh!
Like in the old days!
Youth leaders everywhere are smiling! ‘We got through to them!’
Yeah, I’m practicing that look for when I need to use it!
First world church issues!
Or you realise you’re on the end and your ‘neighbour’ turns the other way!!
Be sure to share and why not add some that YOU like too!
Worship God
Worship God! That’s what the Word of God directs us to do, but that should just be a reminder of something we want to do anyway. At least it should be. I’m convinced we all worship something. We give someone or something free reign in our lives because we deem them important enough and they give us what we need. I’ve had to think long and hard about what it is in my life that very easily distracts me from honouring God with my time and efforts.
Life is made to be enjoyed and we have much to make us smile, but there are always those things that somehow throw our lives off balance. The big thing for me has been to make time for exercise. It is such an important part of my life and so it should be. It requires discipline to get to training every day, and eat smart and remain focused and motivated, but at what cost? I know people that spend a lot of time preparing for races and yet, make just as much time to spend with God or giving of their time in serving in the communities or in their churches. Despite the many facets their lives may have, they somehow manage to find balance, and the results shine brightly for all to see.
I’ve been caught in many an imbalanced situation. Shift this, or postpone that, or simply avoid the other thing, to ensure I get to training. When last did I make such a great effort to cancel, shuffle or decline a training session, just so I could hang with God for an hour or 2 without my training shoes on? When indeed? So there’s the rub: how are my values listed if I wrote them down? Where would the round of golf, or time at the pub or jog around the track or time on the sofa watching that 3 hour action adventure movie compare to time spent getting to know your Creator better; to know His heart for you and the world and getting direction for your life and that of your family? Is it a case of “not now God I’m busy, thanks” and then complaining that “I simply don’t have time to spend with God, because life is so busy, you know!”
We all love to worship, but we don’t always worship God
John chapter 4 from verse 23 speaks about us needing to worship God in Spirit and truth. That is the kind of worship that pleases the heart of God. My whole heart needs to be in it. Every part of me should long to be with the One who saved me. I want to share my heart with Him and hear what His plan is for my day, my week and my life. I would like to remind Him that I think He’s great and mighty and all that I need! I desire to worship Him in spirit and truth.
I’m pretty good at doing ‘spirit and truth’ to a whole lot of things around me. I’m made to be passionate, but directing my passion needs attention. It always will, because God deserves my best, yet my best is often set aside for something else. My God is a jealous God but also slow to anger and rich in love. I’m not one for wanting to abuse the grace extended to me, so I think it’s that time again, that comes around every now and again. I call it: ‘Introspection, then correction and redirection, making peace with my lack of perfection.’ At least I know the guy I want to be. Or at least I’m working off the blueprint.
Introspection, then correction and redirection, making peace with my lack of perfection
“God, please give me the strength and the ability to enjoy what you have given me and what you have placed around me, because it’s part of the blessing of knowing you. Please help me above all, to acknowledge you in your rightful place, as Lord of it all. Once I have the wisdom of how things should fit together with you at the Head, life will start to make more sense I’m sure, and I will start to experience life to the full and thrive. Thank you for accepting me just as I am and always seeing to it that I never stay that way. You are good; all the time. Amen.”
People Are Angry
I love reading people’s online comments. The story that has caught my attention and filled that ‘I-simply-must-know’ gap should be enough, but for reasons that I simply cannot explain, I allow myself a glimpse into the dark psychological cesspool that is the angry, biased, politically-angered and seemingly unloved heart of the Internet Post Commentator. I don’t just hang around for the comments (with a bowl of popcorn at hand) so that I catch the great internet smack downs, I really do it because people fascinate me. In the past I would order a cup of coffee in a restaurant and ‘people watch’. Are they happy today? Are they in love? Are they making a big business decision, or are they just pretending to look busy to avoid that looming deadline, like a professional procrastinator? I sometimes even added my own commentary to try and add some flavour to an otherwise boring demeanor! It’s just that I think we seldom see people’s reality. They always hide behind a mask and we never get to see the real person, but if one can see them when they think no one is watching, they let their guard down and they are real. I’m hoping to see some ‘real’, that’s all.
They always hide behind a mask and we never get to see the real person
In the anonymity of cyberspace, the ‘real’ is not hidden! In fact it’s probably a bit extreme but it’s a glimpse into what people are really thinking or feeling about something. My favourite online news site seems to house the biggest loons but I can tell you one thing; people are angry. They seem desperate too, and disillusioned. There’s this lack of hope that things will be better and their desperation makes them just plain nasty! The things they say hurts others, and they don’t let up! The lower the blow the better and I imagine they sit around waiting for the counter punch, because it’s only seconds later that their bitter retort springs forth. On and on it goes. I worry these people beat their wives or kick their pet cats, because they are aang-greee!
There’s this lack of hope that things will be better and their desperation makes them just plain nasty!
As a Jesus follower, I’m all about encouraging people and making a difference but some of these people just seem so hopeless! You can’t go and comment ‘Jesus loves you’ to calm them down, because what does that even mean to an atheist? And we all know how our beliefs will be battered online. So do we even comment? Do we offer hope and a fresh insight into the situation? I think the only thing we can do is shift back to reality. The internet can be a powerful tool for evangelism (go check out www.yesheis.com, for example), but instead of joining the throng of verbal bomb-droppers, a good ol’ chat in which we share, for example, that we also crave hope… surely that gives us more of a voice? We know the ‘giver of Hope’ (Romans 15:13) and it’s our task to introduce them to Him.
So connect with people. Talk to them, face to face, and let them know where your hope is found, and how that has changed your views and your thinking. (1Peter 3:15) Let them read a comment from someone with hope, someone with an understanding of how much purpose God has placed in them, with a heart for others and the confidence in our Father.
Weekend Sports Wrap – 13 Oct ’14
It’s a Monday morning, so that means it’s time to check in with what went down in the world of sport this past weekend.
The world champs took a beating at the hands of Poland, the African champions are slipping and the South Americans overcame the smog in China to showcase their greats. Oh, and Lewis Hamilton made it 4 in a row in Russia; all the details right here in our Weekend Sports Wrap.
World Mental Health Day
There seems to be a ‘Day’ for almost anything. Boss’s Day, World Smile Day, Nurses Day and even Left Handers Day. I’m not so sure of the point of most of them, but there are more than a handful that make complete sense. Much that goes on in the world is missed by most of us, because we either don’t know about it, it’s of no interest to us, or we just don’t care. Today marks a special day on the Commemorative Day Calendar, and that is World Mental Health Day. The point of it makes complete sense to me, because talking about mental health issues is either not taken at all seriously or completely misunderstood.
The objective of the day is to raise awareness of the issues that are of international concern and provide a platform for the people involved in the industry, to talk about their work. This year, the theme for World Mental Health Day is ‘Living With Schizophrenia. According to the Mental Health Foundation, it is treatable, yet 50% of sufferers cannot get access to adequate treatment, and 90% of people with untreated schizophrenia live in the developing world.
We chatted to Cassey Chambers of SADAG, to get the truth about schizophrenia, what it really is, how to get the best possible help and to sow a message of hope for those who are suffering with the disorder.
Put It Away
This all seems a bit ironic to me; the idea of sharing thoughts about minimizing our exposure to technology, all the while typing away and knowing you’ll read this all online! But I need to get it off my chest so I ‘d best get going, irony or not.
At what point did I start to become so obsessed with the weather that I stare at my smartphone weather app so often, which today, let me down anyway. It wasn’t a good day to hang laundry. It’s raining. I was sitting side by side with my wife, in bed, getting ready to sleep and I was checking the news headlines. It doesn’t happen every time but it was enough to get an irritated ‘Do you need to be on your phone right NOW? I put it away. I love always knowing what’s going on in the world but pre smartphone days, I would have waited to find out and been very content to. Ignorance really was bliss. This isn’t a new concept that I’m writing about here, and we’ve all been challenged by someone to talk ‘face to face’ and not ‘screen to screen’. We’ve seen the damning stats and that Facebook meme of the kids all huddled together on their phones with a supposed quote from Albert Einstein, warning us that human interaction would be surpassed by technology. Oh yes, and that we’d become a generation of idiots!
I don’t think it’s ok to be glued to that small screen of mine, I really don’t. I must be able to function ok without knowing, this very minute, what is happening in the world, or what the score is or whether someone ‘liked’ the pic of my peanut butter sandwich. If it’s not happening to me right now, it surely isn’t that important? We need to set boundaries or something, don’t we? ‘Phone off’ or ‘no phone’ times at home , or in a restaurant or whereever you could really benefit from conversation, or just plain old observation. It should be ok to stare out of the window when you’re feeling a bit bored, and to get lost in your own imagination. Surely you don’t need Tetris, or Temple Run? Perhaps it’s time to take people and together time seriously again. To step out a bit and set those boundaries, for you and your family’s sake. Play a game, read a book, or complete a puzzle. Go and lie on your back outside, and imagine what shapes you see as the clouds drift by. Kick a ball, or swing a bat, but just do something away from from the lure of technology. Or am I just a boring old fool?
There are videos that do the rounds almost weekly, and although different, carry a similar message. Not too dissimilar to what I’ve been trying to say over the last couple of paragraphs. This hit home with me. How does it speak to you?
OXYGEN from Lincoln Brewster
Lincoln Brewster is a one of my guitar heroes. The man knows how to play and he is a rare talent, having started to play the drums and then guitar while he was still in diapers, and started his first band by the age of 12. By 14 he was writing and recording his own stuff, so yeah, there’s not much you can teach the man, originally from Fairbanks, Alaska. I started to really take notice of Lincoln when I heard ‘Today is the Day’ which he released back in 2009 and I know many churches even added it to their worship song roster during that time, and rightly so. His songwriting talents, his voice, and wow, those guitar playing skills, sets the man apart, and as one lady put it: “Lincoln’s music is life-changing. It’s so amazing to see how his music can bring Christ into a life, one song, just one time and it changes everything.” Now, with the release of Lincoln Brewster’s 10th album, OXYGEN, he’s kicked it up a notch. Heck, a whole lotta notches!
Lincoln’s music is life-changing. It’s so amazing to see how his music can bring Christ into a life, one song, just one time and it changes everything.
OXYGEN from Lincoln Brewster, is unlike any of his previous albums, and I like it a lot. Not everyone agrees with me as some feel he’s moved away from the rock style worship he is known for, to a Newsboys-meets-Hillsong type of pop sound that I feel is perfect for late 2014. With catchy, excellently written lyrics and a pop groove laced with those famous Lincoln Brewster guitar licks and solos, it makes for 11 great worship tracks. You will tap your feet, and have choruses stuck in your head for days, but mostly you’ll be guided by great lyrics to be even more convinced of the love and freedom that comes from knowing Jesus and how much we need Him; just like oxygen! For sheer entertainment value, brilliant compositions and lyrics (thanks to Paul Baloche and Mia Fields) and the attraction and success of pop-styled worship music right now, this will more than likely feature in my top 10 albums of 2014. Of that I’m almost totally convinced.
…this will more than likely feature in my top 10 albums of 2014.
Apart from a Christmas album a while back, we’ve had to wait 4 years for OXYGEN, and it was worth it if you ask me. Although a shift in style, you lose nothing of the man’s heart, and if anything, you are simply fueled by great musicality to become even more focused on worshiping our great God, finding a ‘new song’ to bring Him and perhaps with even more energy, to lift His name high!
Rating: 8/10
Girl vs Guy Directions
For those of you in a relationship, this one is so spot on, it’s almost scary! When someone is coming to visit, and you need to direct them to your place; who does the explaining, you or your ‘other half”? Who does the better job of giving those directions?
The guys and gals from Modern Marriage Moments have an hilarious YouTube channel that seems to capture these everyday relationship situations that we all experience, yet we feel we might be the only ones. Trust us, you’re not the only ones! Just knowing you are not alone should be enough to make you giggle and feel just a little bit pleased that you’re not crazy!
So that question again: Who gives the better directions? Check out Girl vs Guy Directions.
Unashamed of the Gospel
I met a guy yesterday, and the encounter has really hit me hard. This is what went down: I was looking to buy a piece of second-hand furniture and responded to a classified ad online. I ended up going to this man’s house to check things out and hopefully make the purchase. From the moment he and I connected on the phone, to the hand shake and greeting at his front door, to the conversation that ensued, there was something different about this guy. The way he spoke to me, even when joking about something silly, his mannerisms and way of speaking made me smile. There was CLEARLY something different about this big man. I decided I was going to buy what he was selling and we started to make plans for me to arrange transport to collect it, and that’s when he asked me where I live. ‘Oh I know exactly where that is. Help me load this onto my van and I’ll drop it off for you!’ It was quite a long way, so I offered to pay a bit extra, he declined. This guy was starting to impress me even more and an hour later, he and his young son were at my door, ready to offload things and he even took time to share a fascinating story about my neighbourhood and some interesting trivia I didn’t know. From start to finish, and I cannot stress enough, everything about this guy was unusually overwhelming. So I started to wonder…what is it about him that makes him so outstanding? I meet people daily and this occasion stands out above every encounter I’ve had in the last few years. That’s how impactful this man was and I can’t even pinpoint one specific thing. It was just…everything about him!
Later that night I had a quiet moment and then I thought to message the man. I told him how kind he was and a few of the other things that really made our meeting one that stood out. This was his response to me: “It’s a pleasure. We follow Jesus so we want to do things better. Maybe the world can be a better place if we do things that way.” So there it was….totally unashamed of the Gospel! The man didn’t know I was a Christian. (Wonder what he thought about me?!) Fearlessly confessing the reason why he chooses to do things the way he does. To treat people the way he does.
We proceeded to chat a bit longer and then left it at that. In all he said, he didn’t try to hide what he believes to avoid confrontation, or possibly avoid offending me. He didn’t just skip a witnessing opportunity because he was only selling me some furniture and had better things to do. It was a random moment and it was more than sufficient time to give an answer reflecting the hope that he had while revering Christ as Lord. (1Peter 3:15)
Yes, this has made me think…a lot. Am I seen as different to what most people have to endure every day? Do I set off something in their hearts? Is the Holy Spirit plain to see in my dealings and relationships? Am I the salt and the light that Jesus spoke of in Matthew chapter 5? We have much to ponder, you and I. We have been told we need to be something different; that something special that the world so desperately craves. May you also leave a lasting impression in the heart of someone today, causing their spirit to be stirred, and fulfill the words of Jesus in Matthew 5:16:
In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.