Moving on up...

I’ve been a bad blogger. It has been far too long since I have last written a post. I have been busy though. I spent two weeks on what you can call an African safari, whitewater rafting the mighty Zambezi river, helicopter rides, exploring Botswana from Savuti to the beautiful Okavango Delta. Back home I spent my time packing and abusing the uncapped ADSL line.

Yes, I am way too excited to move out of this hell hole that is Kempton Park. Hate might be too strong of a word, but I dislike my home town a lot – way too many bad memories. I have lived in Pretoria before for 4 years when completing my first degree and I can’t wait to get back.

As every year ends I move into a mode of self-evaluation. I start questioning where I am, what I’ve accomplished, what I still want to do, what I need to change and the list goes on. I’ve been wrestling with the idea of “place” a lot lately. I’ve got this overwhelming feeling that God wants me somewhere else.

Whether this is a product of immaturity or selfishness, there’s a part of me that loves to focus on there instead of here. I want to pray for chances to witness to far off people in far off places. It’s always sexier to think your mission in life is going to involve some sort of adventure with raft on the Zambezi river as I carry the gospel to a lost tribe with a supply of mieliepap who will honor me with a special tribal song and my own knob kierie. It’s a lot less fun to think that maybe you’re already in a mission field and the beggar I’m passing at the robot, the teller at Checkers, the spitting waiter at Mugg & Bean, yeah really, needs to know about the love of God.

However, I am moving to Pretoria at the end of the month and I can’t help but feel that this year will indeed be filled with many rivers to explore. It’s going to be a new beginning in so many ways.

I think I have spent a bit too much time around my mom (love you Mom) but I have become a snob. This has become ever so clear with preparing for this move as I found that I needed a few things to complete my “home”.

A new years resolution is to lose weight. I make this resolution every.single.year. However, this year I decided that I wanted to buy a smoothie maker in an attempt to achieve that 5 fruits or veggies a day goal.

As I hit Makro my the Jekyll and Mr Hyde transformation began. I switched from a budget conscious no-longer-working student to a full fledged I-need-to-have-only-the-best-snob. Did I really have to buy a Kenwood smoothie maker? Forget about the savings for my studies or the trip to Israel I’m saving for. Even my new broom has a name. It’s called Leonard.

A new Hi-Fi, a desk, a bookshelf, an alarm clock, a cake pan, a sieve, a kitchen scale, a washing line and some new glasses later I am confident that ABSA will soon upgrade to me to a platinum member.

Now, I will say that I have not spent money on myself in a really long time. I can also say that I really needed a new broom and a washing line. I might even say that I am regarding this as part of my trousseau for when I hopefully get married. Thing is, I can justify anything if I go into that crazy nesting mode.

So, a new beginning will be to start cooking (a skill which will benefit a future hubby and impress at the church bake sales), sticking to a budget and to really start saving for that trip this time…all while losing weight.

I had to laugh at the thought that the last time I packed stuff in boxes was two years ago when I packed my ex’s stuff… however, my personal last move was at the end of 2009 when I moved back from Pretoria to start work here. I was a proper student back then, with only the basics. A fridge, a kettle, second-hand couch, a small television and my two guitars.

Now, the story is very different. I have a huge flat-screen TV (which I never use) and a TV cabinet, a Coricraft couch and chairs, dining room set, a bedroom set, paintings, mirrors, a full set of pots and four guitars (and my ex stole took one when he moved out). I have a full tool box and I even own a jigsaw. I have a damn home to move this time round.

I have so much to appreciate and be thankful for. I am blessed beyond words and it makes me feel guilty to think that there are millions of people who have nothing.

I have vowed not to buy anything else. I will work on being useful for the gospel and God’s purposes instead of focusing on myself this year. Now, that’s a new years resolution worth sticking to.

The big move is due to start next week, so I’ll be packing and praying that I have really hot, single, Christian neighbours. I’m really super excited for this new journey to start. I can’t believe how my life has changed in less than a year… more on that soon!

So cheers to working for the gospel, appreciating life and all that God has blessed you with no matter your longitude and latitude!