5 pics of our NZ children & grand-kiddo’s.

We constantly long for them and, yes, New Zealand is far too far from us.

This is what 12 years of marriage has done to Jason and Liesl!



Jesse is the younger brother – and our little grandson snuggles up in our hearts, again and again, with that winning smile  right into our eyes.  Jesse is going to be 4 soooon, then we’ll sing the chipmunk happy birthday to him.


And here’s our Joshua who ,all in one year .has moved from South Africa to New Zealand and started school.  And, most importantly and excitedly, he has put his faith in Jesus.  It all started with:  “I want to be with Jesus for ever and ever” – a good starting point, Josh.  Jesus wants the children to come to Him.


Both our Joshua and Jesse play rugby – as boys who live in New Zealand (and South Africa) – should!  Joshua scores with style but Jesse, initially couldn’t understand why a boy took the ball from him and would not give it back!

One down, one to go.

Graves, Mortality and all that.

Even though it’s just about 12 years since Gordon and I emigrated from South Africa to the UK, we still find


the old church grave-yards here a novelty.  Happy to report that our young grandchildren have had super-fun playing hide-and-seek among the mossy, rusty, leaning grave-stones.

Psalm 90:12 "Teach us to number our days aright, that we may gain a heart of wisdom."

I guess numbering our days aright has something to do with getting real about our personal mortality.

Those sharp-edged yuppies of the eighties are now starting to plan for retirement, and in just another few decades, they will all be history.  No ways to dodge this one:  earthly life is like the mist.   People cannot pull of eternal life for people – but God can and has done so through Jesus Christ, for every believer.


Here is a link to an earlier post if you wish to explore "God lives on".


Double-click on images for an enhanced view of mortality.

Movie Review: “The Tree of Life”

Before you buy your movie tickets ask yourself if you are a person who “goes to the movies” or a person who loves the art of the film itself.   If you fall into the second category then Terrence Malick’s The Tree of Life is your kind of movie. And...better not to shell out money for your tickets only because The Tree of Life stars three of Hollywood’s biggest names: Brad Pitt, Sean Penn, and Jessica Chastain.

Malick has only made 4 films in the past 40 years.  Each piece has in turn been critically acclaimed. The Tree of Life received the Palme d’Or at Cannes, the festival’s most prestigious award.

The Tree of Life Movie Synopsis: The Tree of Life is the impressionistic story of a Midwestern family in the 1950s. The film follows the life journey of the eldest son, Jack, through the innocence of childhood to his disillusioned adult years as he tries to reconcile a complicated relationship with his father (Brad Pitt). Jack (played as an adult by Sean Penn) finds himself a lost soul in the modern world, seeking answers to the origins and meaning of life while questioning the existence of faith. Through Terrence Malick’s signature imagery, we see how both brute nature and spiritual grace shape not only our lives as individuals and families, but all life.


It was a bit of a  mixed bag for us, but overall Gordon and I are glad we caught the bus to Finchley Road on Saturday morning to do something special together.  Good thing it was not a late-night movie, as it ran for 138 minutes.  Also good thing that we had a vague idea of what to expect.  ( Genre: Drama, Fantasy, Science Fiction).  We did see a few people leaving the theatre after the first 20 minutes!

"The Tree of Life"  is virtually obscenity-free kaleidoscope of raw emotions, lyrical passages and cosmic grandeur, but it’s also an unconventional movie without a typical plot, exquisite, sublime, profound, majestic, emotionally powerful work of art.  And.... no crude sexual content and some light (almost scary) violence.

The film begins by introducing us to the O’Briens (Brad Pitt, and big-screen newbie Jessica Chastain), a married couple who’s just received news of their teenage son’s death.  As expected, the grief is palpable, and the lack of dialogue only seems to underscore the anguish.  Knowing that particular life-experience for ourselves, with the loss of our young son, we were totally gripped by the realistic portrayal of that grief which cannot be spoken.  

The perspective then abruptly shifted to the dramatic birth of the universe, with strong references to the theory of  evolution.  Magnificent visions of creation filled us with worship of our Creator.  Got to be say it as it is:  the references to the theory of evolution, portraying life spreading from the ocean to the land, then jumping to the so-called dinosaur age, left us unconvinced.

A reading of  Job 38:4,7 (“Where were you when I laid the earth’s foundation . . . while the morning stars sang together and all the sons of God shouted for joy?”) and molecular reproduction, asteroids, a cosmic light show Stunning visuals!  Which ought to take us to the place where Job was before God:  hand over mouth, in awe!

The portrayals of the O’Brien family provide the most moving representation of childhood.  It’s a slow impressionistic story, introspective and artsy. A young Jack is shown growing up. Images of him learning to walk and greeting the arrival of his first brother,   Unconventional  story telling and emotionally powerful unfolding of the complex story of a father, mother, children, love, death, hate, forgiveness, reconciliation.


We both liked and were reminded of our own childhoods by the vignettes of Jack's Texas childhood—playing with sparklers, running through sprinklers, drinking from a hose, swimming in the local pool, planting a tree with Dad— etc.

The only real negative for us was the closing scene which represents the after-life and reconciliation.  It left us both luke-warm to cold and minus the feel-good factor, because we found it just too ethereal, far-fetched with no resemblance to the Bible’s heaven.  Much too a poetic and floaty representation of what we believe is a real place.

The acting is excellent, especially by Brad Pitt, Jessica Chastain and Hunter McCracken as the father, mother and Young Jack. 

  
Brad Pitt as Mr. O'Brien

Jessica Chastain as Mrs. O'Brien

Rating: PG-13 (for some thematic material)
Genre: Drama, Fantasy, Science Fiction
Run Time: 138 min.
Director: Terrence Malick
Actors: Brad Pitt, Sean Penn, Jessica Chastain, Hunter McCracken, Laramie Eppler, Tye Sheridan, Fiona Shaw, Cole Cockburn, Will Wallace
 
Overall, we have no regrets whatsoever for seeing "The Tree of Life".

Could this be the cure for the deep DIY blues of flatpack depression?

It’s a well-known and emperically proven fact: DIY can be dangerous to your physical and emotional health, your marriage, your ego, your endurance threshold.

As if life has not ample of its own depression-triggers, here is another one that has been lurking around:  Flatpack depression.  Buyers of flatpacks will roll their eyes in the body-language of identifying with the plunge from high hopes. Many know the depths of being surrounded by allen keys, screws and flat furniture that remains flat despite the clues.  Flatpacks could have clout- powers to deflate the high of  novelty excitement in naught to 20 minutes.  

But... there may yet be a ray of hope for the defeated flatpack-owner. Maybe.  Think “prototype” and not:   agony to ecstasy in 3 seconds!

  Here is a link that will take you to The Telegraph UK about the proto-type.
The article was written in 2002, but…..I’ve been listening to a very recent podcast extolling the software, so there may still be hope.

Whether this soft-ware has been promoted from proto-type to reality, here are a few facts to keep in mind when next you pop in at Ikea all starry-eyed:

With colleagues at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, Zurich, a scientist found that the pieces of a typical Ikea wardrobe can be assembled in 44 different ways. Only eight are correct; the rest lead to a half-assembled mess, or a wardrobe that will collapse in days.

Eggs Benedict Recipe - or a scientific experiment.

Maybe these eggs  could be a weekend launcher, Saturday morning?  And a way to show love!  (Not to go down the line of  “look how impressive and awesome the cook is!”).  Have attitude, yes – but love has got much more punch!

Ingredients

• 3 tbsp white wine vinegar
• 4 large free range eggs
• 2 toasting muffins
• 1 batch hot hollandaise sauce (see 'Goes well with' below)
• 4 slices Parma ham (or Serrano or Bayonne)

1. Bring a deep saucepan of water to the boil (at least 2 litres) and add the vinegar. Break the eggs into 4 separate coffee cups or ramekins. Split the muffins, toast them and warm some plates.
2. Swirl the vinegared water briskly to form a vortex and slide in an egg. It will curl round and set to a neat round shape. Cook for 2-3 mins, then remove with a slotted spoon.
3. Repeat with the other eggs, one at a time, re-swirling the water as you slide in the eggs. Spread some sauce on each muffin, scrunch a slice of ham on top, then top with an egg. Spoon over the remaining hollandaise and serve at once.

This is for keen cooks – I don’t think I’m that keen!
Basic hollandaise
This sauce takes some time to prepare, but think of it as a workout with a whisk

Ingredients

• 500ml white wine vinegar
• 1 tbsp peppercorns
• bunch tarragon
• 3 large free-range egg yolks
• 200ml melted and skimmed unsalted butter (see Secrets for success, below)
• squeeze lemon juice



1. Boil the vinegar together with peppercorns and tarragon, reduce by half. Strain and reserve (see Secrets for success on storing, below).
2. Boil a large pan of water, then reduce to a simmer. Using a large balloon whisk, beat together the yolks and 2 tsp of the reduced wine vinegar in a heatproof bowl that fits snugly over the pan.
3. Beat vigorously until the mixture forms a foam, but make sure that it doesn't get too hot. To prevent the sauce from overheating, take it on and off the heat while you whisk, scraping around the sides with a plastic spatula. The aim is to achieve a golden, airy foam (called a sabayon), which forms ribbons when the whisk is lifted.
4. Whisk in a small ladle of the warmed butter, a little at a time, then return the bowl over a gentle heat to cook a little more. Remove from the heat again and whisk in another ladle of butter. Repeat until all the butter is incorporated and you have a texture as thick as mayonnaise. Finally, whisk in lemon juice, salt and pepper to taste plus a little warm water from the pan if the mixture is too thick.
Melting the butter Heat a 250g pack chopped butter in a shallow pan. As it foams, scoop off the froth and scum using a small ladle or large metal spoon. Don't use a slotted spoon or the scum will slip back into the butter. (Don't waste the froth - it can be used in potatoes or for dressing hot vegetables). You should have around 200ml of warmed butter for the sauce. You can melt the butter in a microwave, but keep it covered as it melts or it will spit. Leave to cool a little before adding to the eggs. Olive oil hollandaise Use 200ml of medium flavour olive oil (not extra virgin oil) instead of the butter, and heat until warm. Perfect with roasted vegetables and grilled fish. Storing reduced wine vinegar When vinegar has reduced, strain back into the bottle, cool and store as usual. Seasoning Salt breaks down the yolks if you add it too early, so season your sauce at the end. Curdling tips If the sauce mixture starts to 'split' or curdle, immediately scrape the mixture into a clean bowl and whisk in 1 tbsp ice-cold water, then continue whisking in the remaining butter just a ladleful at a time.

A really easy Brownie Recipe

What a pleasure to bake in cup-measurements! 

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 1 cup white sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a 9x9 inch baking pan, 20cm.
2. In a medium bowl, mix together the oil, sugar, and vanilla. Beat in eggs. Combine flour, cocoa, baking powder, and salt; gradually stir into the egg mixture until well blended. Stir in walnuts, if desired. Spread the batter evenly into the prepared pan.
3. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the brownie begins to pull away from edges of pan. Let cool on a wire rack before cutting into squares

Welsh Rarebit Muffins

I’m aiming to experiment  with what looks like a little BBC winner:  simple, quick and most probably tasty.  The date will be July 11th 2011 –  for “Substantial Elevenses” to celebrate the lovely service of the helpers at our weekly Tots and Toys groups for Mums and Todllers.
“Father, let your fellowship be with us on Monday.  Please be present in our conversations and in our  listening and caring.  Pour our your love in our hearts as we enjoy one another, tell stories about You and your works.  Then we will be mutually encouraged by our unity in Jesus Christ (Philippians 2) and  by each other’s sincere love.  May there be lots of joy in our unity even though we are different personalities -  to the praise of your glory."

Our gas and electricity prices have recently escalated through the roof:  The time the Muffins will take to rise to the occasion is:  25 oven-minutes.

 "What are elevenses?   This has been an unknown to us until we moved to the UK end of 1999.

In the United Kingdom, Ireland and some Commonwealth realms, elevenses is a snack that is similar to afternoon tea, but eaten in the morning.It is generally less savoury than brunch, and might consist of some cake or biscuits with a cup of coffee or tea. The name refers to the time of day that it is taken: around 11 am. The term is first attested, in East Anglia, as elevens (1849), elevenses appearing first in the record in 1889. Along with fourses, it seems originally to have been a lower-class usage, but by the middle of the twentieth century was associated with middle class language and culture.

And now – at last – too-to-dooo-ooo:  Welsh Rarebit Muffins

Ingredients

• 225g self-raising flour  (1 and 2/3 cups)
• 50g plain flour  (about half a cup)
• 1 tsp baking powder
• ½ level tsp bicarbonate of soda
• ¼ tsp salt
• ½ level tsp mustard powder
• 100g strong cheese , half grated, half cubed
• 6 tbsp vegetable oil
• 150g Greek yogurt
• 125ml milk
• 1 egg
• 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce



1. Heat oven to 200C/fan 180C/gas 6.
2. Mix together the self-raising and plain flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda, salt and mustard powder in a bowl.
3. In a separate bowl, mix the cheese, oil, yogurt, milk, egg and Worcestershire sauce.
4. Combine all the ingredients and divide between the muffin cases in the muffin tin.
5. Place in the oven for 20-25 mins until golden. Remove and cool slightly on a rack.
6. What you need: Ask the kids to help get everything ready, weighing scales, measuring jug, fork, 2 mixing bowls, 12 paper muffin cases, muffin tin, cheese grater, sharp knife, tablespoon, cooling rack.

God lives on

 

"From everlasting to everlasting, You are God" (Ps. 90:2).

God was the living God when he brought the universe into existence.
He was the living God when Socrates drank his poison.
He was the living God when William Bradford governed Plymouth Colony.
He was the living God in 1966 when Thomas Altizer proclaimed him dead and Time magazine put it on the front cover.

And God will be living ten trillion ages & more from now when all the puny pot-shots against his reality will have sunk into oblivion.