Fondue with friends

Last night, with a full moon shining, we, the YAS Bible Study, had a social to celebrate the end of the year by having a cheese fondue and then a chocolate fondue. So good!! I wasn't that keen on the chunks of steak and other meats, or vegetables to fry in the bubbling oil and dunk in the strong cheese or other delicious, creamy and spicy sauces, but rather overdosed on meringues, marshmallows and chocolate dipped strawberries with ice-cream. 

Thanks for a brilliant year!!

A wonderful week so far

I have been having the most wonderful week so far! My obsession with the vibrant protea continues - Ray and I keep seeing them everywhere we go, and I cannot resist but take a quick picture!

On Monday Ray wrote the very last exam for his degree. It has been pure bliss having him on holiday with me! I love it when he asks me, "Love, what will we be doing today?" And anything is possible :) 

Following an end-of-year tradition, once exams finish at BISA, the boys play an intense game of action cricket and then we have a braai together as a college. This year the game played was brilliant, with Ray's team winning the match (I was just thrilled that I got to kiss the captain, hehe!) Like all good South Africans, not even the rain, thunder or lightning could stop us from having our barbecue - we just huddled under dripping umbrellas, close to the flickering flamers, and stayed warm wrapped in Ray's arms. 

Tuesday evening was BISA's Christmas social, with this year's theme being "Another Culture" The entertainment after the meal left me gasping for breath I was laughing so hard! Nothing like some quality comedy acts and the usual graduating students' written and performed play to get everyone wiping the tears from their eyes :)

This morning was the final chapel service of the year. It was a solemn but joyful occasion, a time to look back at the past year, reflecting on God's great goodness, grace and provision, to give thanks and simply celebrate all that has happened. 

Then, under sun blazed skies, Ray and I, with friends, went to Tribeca in Kalk-Bay for milkshakes and coffee. While walking through the glorious heat, I could not stop smiling, so tired but so very happy, seeing excited BISA students in the cafes, the fishing boats still in the quiet harbour, ocean shimmering in the sunshine, the locals selling strawberries, flowers and handmade beaded ornaments along the side of the road, wandering in and out of shops, losing track of the time as the conversation gently flowed... this is what holidays are all about.

It is my lovely mother's birthday today! (The phone has been ringing constantly, followed by shouting in German, and then we know that it is family calling!) I find that as the years go by I become more and more aware of all that my parents have done and continue to do for all of us. Their selfless, sacrificial love, prayers for us, the wisdom that they possess, how they have graciously brought us up on the Gospel truth... For my mom, especially with all this wedding planning, she has been so patient, kind, generous, helpful, supportive, encouraging, ecstatic for us, I cannot fully express how grateful we are! All that she does to protect and provide, caring for her family, serving the women at church, teaching and counselling... looking at all the friends she has that love her so dearly remind me how precious she is! (Thanks mommy - we love you so very much!!) I know that without my mom our home would not be a home at all. I have to say though, that my older sister's gift voucher, saying that my younger sister and I would do housework for a month, was rather clever (and that's never going to happen!)

While my parents went out for dinner to celebrate, us at home made pizza with the kitchen smelling of yeast and Italian herbs. We devoured our delicious creations in just minutes! Our evening drew to a close at Bible study, the best group of friends sitting around God's Word, congratulating those finished for the year, or done with their degree, munching chocolates and singing along to Mumford and Sons on the drive home, watching the city lights twinkling below. 

Well this exhausted girl, who didn't manage to make it to the beach with her favourite people or that braai with friends or read another novel today from her stack, is off to bed, knowing that the next few weeks of summer will bring plenty more memories to be made :) 

Sunshine smiles

The sun is shining and we are smiling :)

For days I had been anticipating these moments. R and I spend every day together, but we are always so incredibly busy, working side-by-side late into the night, or the painful, early hours of the morning... and I could just not wait to have a day off and spend it relaxing with my best friend.

Even a Genetics test, horrendous practical and delayed trains could dampen my excitement of being able to attend Bible study last night. It is a time of encouragement, of being challenged, grappling to understand God's Word, together being shaped by the truth, asking those difficult questions, honest prayer, feeling awe and thankfulness. But it is also a time of great laughter, teasing one another, catching up, eating way too many chocolates, wrapped in R's warm jacket, a blazing fire place and screaming at the TV cheering our Olympic favourites on... It fills you up. The sense of unity, friendship, accountability and love, we are like a family :)

Something that struck me again last night in discussion... as a believer, I have died with Christ, my sin has been crucified with Him on the cross, and I have been raised to new life, to freedom, not to myself, not to do whatever I so please, not to sin, but to live for God, free to obey Him, to say no to sin and be more like Christ... I am free to live how God originally created humanity to be in the very beginning, to glorify God! 

After a long, dreamless sleep, lazing in warmth and for once getting out of bed only after the sun has risen... ah, wonderful! I celebrated my Women's day with a group of lovely ladies. It was a colour workshop, where you discover what "season" you are - a Summer, Winter, Autumn or Spring. Mounds of fabrics where draped over us, comments of "Oh, that looks awful!" or "Wow, that makes you glow!" ensued with much love and laughter. Then tea with nutty, chocolate Texas brownies and decadent New York cheesecake, standing on the balcony overlooking the most glorious view of endless, deep blue ocean stretching before us, high up on the mountain with the whole bay far below, the white sails of the boats twinkling in the distance. 

I have been enjoying the sun with R, loving these stolen hours, just grateful. But the day is only going to get better with a family barbecue :) Happy Thursday!