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Thursday, 24 October 2019

Two Prophets

Two Prophets

One reluctant; One obedient to death
One shared grace with Nineveh; One offers grace for all the World
one spent three days in a fish-belly; One spent three days in the belly of a tomb
Both came out after three days
Both came from Galilee
One points to the Other who came after him
the One being the Promised Messiah who came
Jonah and Jesus

(For Reference Matthew 12: 38-42)  

Riana Odendaal
October 2019

Wednesday, 23 October 2019

Just Because......

Just because

Just because I helped you the one time that I could, doesn't mean I always can do it, or always should
Just because you go to a church doesn't make you a christian
Just because I gave you a hug, doesn't make you a super-close friend of mine
Just because my bra-strap might be sticking out from under my shirt doesn't mean I'm not dressed modestly
Just because you can do it, doesn't make it the best or the right thing to do. 
Just because someone says they will pray for you, that they necessarily will do it 
Just because someone says they care, that they really do. 
Just because you can afford it financially, doesn't mean you should do it. 
Just because you think it is a good thing to do, doesn't make it the right thing to do. 
Just because you have my phone number doesn't mean you should send me a message everyday
Just because it is legal doesn't make it right
Just because someone is against you, doesn't mean you are in the wrong. 
Just because you are not scared, doesn't mean that you are naive to the risks around. 
Just because you are not studying at a college/ university that you have stopped learning.
Just because I wear a ring that I am engaged or married. or that a special man bought me the ring. 
Just because it is a popular or viral post on social media.... doesn't make it true. 
Just because you don't see the importance of something, that it is not important. 
Just because you can't support something financially that you cannot support it at all. 
Just because I told myself that was stupid, that I struggle with negative thoughts.
Just because I shared some positive self-thoughts, that I don't struggle with negative thoughts. 
Just because a particular diet is popular, that it is good for everyone. or just plain good for anyone at all. 
Just because a particular kind of music is popular in my/ your culture, that it is my/your favorite music too. 
Just because I buy the slightly more expensive product that I don't count my money and budget, perhaps I want said product to last longer and in that way get the value for my money
Just because you don't see the value in someone or something, that the person/ thing doesn't have value. You have a skewed perspective.
Just because you "celebrate" a certain festival of whichever religion, that you truely know why it is celebrated and value it for what it is, and celebrate it for it's real reason. Perhaps you just like a party. 
Just because it is a popular thing to do, that you should also do it to simply follow the crowd.
Just because I follow/ listen to a particular person/ organisation that I agree with every single thing they say and do. 
Just because a policy/ idea/ ideology sounds good, that it really is good. It might lead to hell on earth. 
Just because I can serve you , and do it with a smile now, doesn't mean that I am a doormat, or will allow you to use me as a doormat. 
Just because you sweep something under the carpet, that it won't get exposed at some point in time. 
Just because you don't understand the consequences of your actions/ or think that there wouldn't be any, that the consequences wouldn't show up. 
Just because you don't plan your project properly and last minute tell everyone that it is an emergency that everyone will fall for your cries of help in your "emergency".



Monday, 21 October 2019

The Disciples on the road to Emmaus

The disciples on the road to Emmaus


My friend and I walk this road
7 miles from Jerusalem to Emmaus
Our hearts heavy
Suddenly this stranger walks with us
Asks us about our conversation
We're confused - How can he not know what happened?
The conversation takes a different twist and turn
He explains things to us from our scriptures
that we knew but never really understood
What we thought to be all bad, was in fact good
Our hearts within us -burn 
as we listen to the stranger talking
We reach home and invite him in to stay
We break some bread and pray
Our eyes open to see that this is our beloved Rabbi
He is the Promised Messiah
He is alive
We ran back with a skip in our step
and share our good news with our friends
Our Messiah is alive!

(Luke 24: 13-35; The two disciples on the way to Emmaus)

Riana Odendaal
October 2019

Thursday, 17 October 2019

An (imaginary) bushveld memoire

The orange moon rise above the hills
The guinea-fowls' good night song echoes
On the other side the horizon
Swallowed the sun
A little mouse scurried across the field
back home to her children
all anticipating what mom's grocery bags will yield
Perched on the branch of a long-dead leadwood
an owl sits its nightwatch duty
The lonesome elephant walks past
Stops for a moment, as if to greet and chat 
Slowly he walks on to the river
And slakes his thirst from the silver moonlight
Content he carries further on
Stops at the Nyala trees
and eats on the leaves to his heart's content
With the background song of the nightjar family


Riana Odendaal
October 2019


The Magnificent Seven

The Magnificent Seven - The Tuskers from days gone by

These seven tread our beloved bushveld in days gone by
Remembered fondly for them carrying heavy ivory  (50kg +) 
The magnificent seven tuskers
Old elephant; Great tusker is Kambaku
Named after his homegrounds. Shawu vlei, Shawu
The Irritable One, Living remotely and shying away from tourists
Small bull, but still impressive tusks, Mufanyane
Waiting for something coming slowly, my friend Dzombo
Sadly killed by poachers, but tusks were safely recovered.
Named after an ancient priest, John, Joao
the only one whose tusks are not at the Elephant Museum
Towering above the trees, Ndlulamithi
This last one too, fondly named after his preferred place to stay
breathed his last under a sycamore tree, Shingwedzi

These seven pachyderms lived long ago.
today we still have big tuskers around in our beautiful Park
Next time you are Kruger - bound
Look, Observe, take note, take Photos
The tuskers are still around



Wednesday, 16 October 2019

What is it that you are looking for?

What is it that you are looking for?
and where is it, that you are searching for this?
You can be looking for the right thing
but in all the wrong places and spaces.
We all have a path to walk
Do you know where your's are leading to?
and when your bubble has burst
where would you find yourself?



***************************

Riana Odendaal

October 2019

Monday, 14 October 2019

Somer

Die straat is pers
Die Jacarandas is in volle blom
Die kwik styg 
die hitte maak my skoon stom
Die sweet tap ons af
Die wolke bou op
en ons bid vir die reën om te kom
Die donderstorm breek uit
Dis Oktober, die mooie Oktober
Die begin van die somer

Riana Odendaal 


Oktober 2019