'Coach, please can you tie my shoelace?'

Coaching grade 2’s how to play the very intricate game of cricket has its ups and downs. Realistically, as far as the cricket goes, the kids are pretty terrible. often in the 45 minute practices they just want me to throw the ball at them and see if they catch it... because catching is everyone grade 2’s favourite part of cricket (even though 80 percent of the balls land on the ground). However, There is more to this job than just teaching them how to play. The part that is most interesting and entertaining is listening to what they say and the way they see the world.

I’ll get back to that...

The days when I’m not with my legendary grade 2’s I coach a team of 14 year olds. Quite a difference! In fact, last week I coached 8 year olds, 11 year olds, 13 year olds as well as my 14-year old team. So I’ve had a pretty good stretch of ages. Each stage of their lives is so different, and they speak/act/think very differently. There is one thing though, one common thread that I see in all of them.

The little ones (grade 2’s) want to learn how to tie their shoelaces, get a real bat and play cricket with a hard ball. The 11 year olds want to get taller. the 13 year olds want to get stronger and have deeper voices, and the 14 year olds want to have a girlfriend... Can you find the common desire? They all want to be big(ger).

They all want to be in the next stage of life thats just beyond their reach, or is in their reach, but something that for some reason beyond their control, they can’t have.

The truth is, we all want something else. Something more then what we are right now. Something we could be. Or our dreams for the future. I personally wish I was famous. you know, a drummer- rocking out for packed stadiums of 80 thousand people, with people running after me and fight for my drum sticks and begging for my autograph... lets not get stuck on details, but you get the picture...

I’m not saying these dreams for the future are wrong or impossible... maybe you will see me in an interview on E! channel, or writing a facebook status that gets fifteen thousand likes... but today- that is not me. When we allow ourselves to get sucked in to what we wish we had, or want one day, we miss the now. We miss whats happening around us.

Maybe you wish you were out of school. Maybe you wish you had a SWEET job at company that paid better. Maybe you wish your kids would grow up and move out, or  you wish you had that retirement home on the beach where the sound of the ocean drowns out the real world. We have to keep those dreams for the future, but not let them control our minds.

Whichever stage of life we’re in, we have got to enjoy it. and just live it! What I have learnt most from these little guys is simple:

When we are more worried about tying our shoelaces, getting bigger or having a girlfriend: we miss out on simply enjoying the grade 2 cricket happening around us.

Gap Life

the wonderful gap year. its a craze. I’m telling you. everyone's doing it!

I see my self as a relatively experienced gap-year-taker. My gap year actually turned out to be a gap 18 months. sweet huh? well. yes and no. So I decided to compile a short list of great gap year tips and things you should know when entering this endeavor. For those of you that already started your year, use this stuff. even if you’re studying but living at home... its a whole new world, and a new lifestyle.

1. connect to a local church- and stay there! this is huge. (and this applies to anyone who just started varsity too) leaving high school when everything is easy and spoon-fed by youth and youth leaders is one thing, but being on your own spiritually is a whole new one. Don’t let yourself get distracted and pull away from your church or your christian mates. Stay there! I promise you, being plugged into a church will make your year a lot easier, and will provide that accountability so that you don’t become a first year fader.

2. Get busy- Do something! I’m not talking just about your studies or job that you’ve got for your gap year, but do some new stuff. You’re going to have a lot of different spare time, and rather than sitting on facebook all day every day, do something interesting. Get a hobby. like, start a blog.(ha!) or learn a language. or get involved in something at church or in your community. Don’t just sit around. It’s the worst! You end a day or a week thinking , ‘well that was a waste!’

3a. Keep thinking about the next year. This is a big thing I learnt! Most of us take gap years because we aren’t exactly sure what we want to do or study. And that’s a great reason. However, while you’re in your gap year, you need to be thinking about the future. Try stuff and see where your passions are- look at your options for the year ahead. get little experiential jobs or things to do! be proactive . That way, you won’t get to December still having NO idea what's next...

3b. At the same time, live in the now. Don’t let the future stress you out. keep it on your mind, but just enjoy the time you have to have fun ! Stressing is for later ... 3a and 3b are a balance, but its possible to be both

4. Make the most of it . Do as much cool stuff as you can. be wise with money. save it, but also spend it on having fun. doing crazy stuff. make new friends. go places. It will just make your gap year that much more memorable at the end of it all.

5. Lastly, Be ready to grow. honestly I've seen more growing up in myself and my mates than ever. its fast and furious. And at the end of the year you'll look back and see how much you've changed.

Well, for those still in school and not sure about after-school life, I highly recommend the gap year (or 18 months... or gap life. whatever you want to call it.)
You will grow, be challenged and have exuberant amounts of fun! and at the end of it all, you will be ready to take on the school books again after a healthy 12-month rest.

light.

Just think how much of our world revolves around light . Ok yes, the earth literally does revolve around a light-source called the sun... But this is figuratively speaking.

Sunlight brings life. It makes things grow, and makes life happen. But not only is light something that we cannot live without, its something of great beauty and mystery. I don’t know anyone who doesn’t enjoy watching the sun set over the ocean or rise over the mountains. what about fire... I could stare at flames forever. The light of a huge bonfire or even a tiny candle is mesmerizing! What about those photographs with the perfect lighting that just creates a mood to the image that is simply unexplainable. The source that gives humans that bronze skin tone they desire. Sunny days make life more fun, and the light of a new day can even bring people hope.

The bible speaks a lot about light. Jesus is referred to as light in the darkness and the bible (the 'word') is referred to as a light to our path. In fact, the word ‘light’ is written over 300 times in most versions of the bible! Why? I almost feel like the analogy gets old after a while. We all understand that we can’t live in the dark? Yes, we know we need light to see, or we will trip, fall into a hole in Ballito, or walk into a pole or something. (none of which I personally have done before... obviously). But is this the only meaning of the analogy?

Here comes a thought I had the other morning while enjoying a Durban sunrise.

I wonder if walking in the light is more than just being able to see. What if we didn’t only think of Jesus, 'the light’ as something that helps us see in the dark, but rather something with beauty. something that can hold our attention for hours at a time. something that makes things grow and brightens my mood. the hope. the awe-some lighting in a photograph. all that stuff. maybe walking in the light is living life to the fullest. its taking all the greatness and awesomeness of Jesus and just living in it. loving it. letting it give us joy and fun! (what? Fun?... yes. God invented fun! just throwing that out there)

Psalms 18:28
Lord, you have brought light to my life; my God, you light up my darkness!

What if our relationship with Jesus was less like a tourch on a night when we have no electricity, and more about... light