Realisation - philosiphacal?

I know how I feel about Christine growing up, and know a bit of the pain - and joy - that Heavenly Father must feel about his creations - namely us as humans! I know that it is not fashionable to believe in a supreme being, but I feel that His existance is a surety. Why else do we have our own paradise that we live in - even if we choose to live in concrete jungles with millions of others, or to live in the quiet next to the ocean, where hours go past and no cars go past my home! It is plain that we all have agency to live where we choose to, but that this agency does not change the consequences of our choices! Some want the wealth of large cities, but then complain that there is too much smog and noise. That is some of the consequences that we cannot avoid in excercising our agency!

I know that sometimes we look back on our choices and feel remourse, but in choosing a course, we are bound in accepting the consequences - as unpleasant as they may be! I would rather live where I cannot hear traffic above the noise of the waves on the beach, and it kind of suits me! Is this too simple? Maybe - but I feel deep inside my soul that it is right!

I know now a bit more of the pain - and joy - of what my parents felt about my growing up. I let Christinec drive up to school in "Mme Chloe La Frog Killick" - big name for a tiny car, on Sunday. Sure I was apprehensive - especially as she was driving up the freeway between Durban and Johannesburg. The traffic on this route is quite heavy in places, and I wanted to protect Christine, but she called later that she had made the trip without hassles. I truly believe strongly that this was no accident (pun intended) because I was able to give her a Priesthood blessing of safety and comfort. Millions out there disclaim a supreme creator, but I feel in my soul that one is in control of our ultimate destiny!

Time she does fly!

Last week, Christine passed her drivers test. She is now proud to be a licensed driver. It is somewhat great as she can now drive up to Mooi River herself!

She has taken over "La Frog" the french car in my collection of a French car, 2 British cars and 1 German car!

Yesterday she drove from Mtunzini to Richards Bay - a distance of 50 kilometers one way. She claimed to need to go shopping for beauty products. My ex was amazed as Richards Bay is 2 towns over - and can be busy!

I let Christine drive from school to Ballito. I kind of figure if I have to trust her to get to Mooi River on Sunday, I have to trust her with:-
My Landrover - in the mist and rain
La Frog on Sunday.

I am certain that if I get to give her a fathers Priesthood Blessing- as is my responsibility as a holder of the Higher Priesthood in the LDS Church, she can travel with heavenly protection. I know that many out there think that I am crazy to place my trust in a supreme being, but what is the alternative? Curl up and die? I was once a newly licensed driver, so I survived, Christine has a better than average chance of survival. Besides, I taught her to drive first - hopefully my concerns are less than if I had left it up to strangers - or even a worried ex wife! :-)

It honestly feels like yesterday when I held her for the very first time. I remember thinking then, "Sure she is cute but where is the Instruction Manual?" It is a case of directing a human life, on instinct and hoping to Heaven that you dont mess up royally. The way she drives, makes me think that I must have done something right! I freely put my hand up to trusting her more with Ladybug (my diesel 4x4) than I would trust my ex with my car!

Excitement?

Being on the District Council, I get to speak out at the ex twigs (branches in the Richards Bay District) that have - like everything else at the coast - grown beyond all imagination. A twig is a dependant unit that is going to grow into a branch! The only unit that was never a twig is the Mother Ship of the Richards Bay branch!

With a temple announced for Durban, I forsee that - like in the Amazon Basin - membership in the new Temple Area will take off! Would it not be great if a mini temple were announced in Richards Bay in the future? Dont hold your breath though! An hours drive to Durban is not so bad, considering that when I lived in Johannesburg, I was at least 45 minutes away from the Temple - less time if I had dared to venture on the busiest freeway in Africa. I have since realised that traffic gives me night sweats! I prefer to live where if 2 cars a day drive past, it is very busy, and 4 lanes of choked up freeway leaves me stone cold!

I was assigned to talk this last weekend at our Port Durnford Branch, and arriving there, I could definitely feel the love of the members. I have developed a style of speaking that I admired in the Stake President we had when we were part of the Durban Stake. He used to speak from his heart, and introduced humour in his talks. I find that this works for me - and is a great indication if the congregation at the back of the room understands what I say.

I can see that they are amuzed at what I say, instead of how I say it - and I am looking forward to speaking at District Conference sometime in the future. Then I know that I get maybe 10 minutes to talk, I am positive that I can cope with 10 minutes. I figure if they smile - or snigger - at what I say, there is a better than average chance that it will sink in - at least deeper than skin deep!

I am so glad that I dont need to battle against opposing congregations who are meeting when we meet and try to drown us out!

Durban beachfront

For the very first time in literally decades, I and Christine went down to the beachfront!

Usually when I go down to Durban, it is to either drop Christine off at the King Shaka Airport, or to collect her. The other day we had a bit of time to spare, so drove down to the beachfront! I have been there before (2 decades?) and boy has it altered!

We went down to the beachfront that is in front of all the hotels. There we walked out along a pier that extends far out from the beach and we got some good snapshots of the city as it is seen from the sea!

Behind these hotels is the city centre, with places like the Workshop shopping mall. Up the rise is the area called the Berea and Pinetown. To the left is Ushaka Marine World and to the right is the new Moses Mabida Stadium, built for the 2010 Soccer World Cup, top photo in the centre - the concrete arch! I understand the new LDS (Mormon) Temple - announced on Saturday morning, Mountain Daylight time - will be built a bit further north from this stadium. The King Shaka Airport is inland from this stadium.

The N3 freeway from Durban to Johannesburg, runs west (inland) from the city and the N2 freeway runs north along the coast. You can barely get lost in the city as to the east is the ocean, and you cannot miss that! It is not like Johannesburg - there you have to wait for sunrise or sunset to find out which way is North. In Durban, you cannot head east as the next land in that direction is somewhere in the far east.