A week of learning, a day of unwinding, and an attempt to honour God in all of it.

This week I went back to school (well sort of)! It was quite a challenge - but I'll say more about that below!

I am grateful for the incredible opportunity to be on an entirely new learning curve in my life and ministry. This week I did the first of three weeks of intensive training in business, economics, leadership, strategy and research for the Senior Management Program at Stellenbosch University's business school. This course is intended for persons who are moving towards senior leadership in their organisations, yet they may have need of some skills that they would not yet have had a chance to develop. In my case it is most of the classes that we're attending! I am trained as a minister and a theologian. I have some 'popular' insights into leadership, finance, strategy and economics. However, what I was taught this week has given me an entirely new respect for those of you who have degrees in economics and accounting!

We share our classes with the some of the students on the MBA course and our own learning is made up of lectures, presentations, assignments, group work and a company analysis and turnaround strategy. The MBA students will go on to write up their project as a mini thesis and do one day extra on each module (we do 2 day's per subject, they have to do 3 days per subject).

Well, it was good to be in the classroom. I feel stimulated and challenged by the new course content, and there is a great deal that I can apply to my new line of work, and to future leadership opportunities I have within and outside of the Church.

Here's a picture of my student card - ha ha! Someone said that I look like TinTin (get a haircut hippie!) I am the only 'Dr.' on the course... But NOT the only minister! I am in the same group as a friend of mine, Etienne Piek who is a Dutch Reformed minister.

So, before we go back for our second week of lectures I have quite a lot of work to do! Two assignments (one on strategic leadership, and one on Financial management to complete), and then we also have to start our company intervention and analysis as a group.

This week I worked all day, read late into most nights, and woke early to prepare the work for the day. I was quite wrecked by this morning!

So, what better than to get up early (again) and go for a nice LONG ride! Except, this time I did not ride on the road, I decided to join the guys and ladies from Maverick Cycles in Somerset West for a 35km ride up the Hottentots Holland Mountains on Lourensford farm.

It was a magnificent time! I could feel the stress and pressure of the past week, and the expectations and upcoming demands of this week, rising from my shoulders as we steadily climbed up the steep gravel track! On the ride with us were two guys on an off road tandem bike! I have never seen anything quite like this in my life! They climbed a bit slower than most since they are less agile, and of course a bit heavier, but heck, they bombed down the mountain! These guys have nerves of steel! I think bike is a Canondale and it was ridden by Grant and Malan from Maverick.

I am still not that good at riding in the dirt, and my 'gammy leg' doesn't help matters much! I tend to shield it a little. So when the gravel surface gets too slippery, or I have to slow down to ride over large rocks, I tend to loose confidence - this is not a good thing on a mountain bike! I see that the other guys and ladies just go 'hell for leather' across all terrain! As long as you keep moving everything seems to be fine. Needless to say, I fell four times on the way up the mountain and twice in the way down. ha ha! But, it was fun! I arrived home with bruises and scrapes all over my body! But I felt good!!!

Here's a snapshot of the ride we did today. We started just outside the gate of Erinvale and then rode right up onto the HH mountains, rode along the lower contour and then made our way back through the farm to Somerset West. If you want to follow the ride in Google Earth you can click on this link (just make sure that you have Google Earth installed on your PC or Mac! You'll be able to see (from the speed - or lack thereof) exactly where I came a-cropper!
Click here for the Google Earth link.

A part of my spiritual discipline over the last number of months has been to bring the reality of Christ, and Christ's loving will, into every aspect of my life! I am not satisfied with a paradigm that only worships Christ in certain settings and at certain times and places. I am, however, also conscious that many who have taken this same journey have neglected the worship and fellowship of their local Church communities. I believe wholeheartedly in the role of the local Church - this is a place of learning through relationship and blessing (the Luke 10 model that I have often spoken of). So, it was good to be able to worship God while being with others in nature. And let me say, it was a particularly beautiful day for it! However, in spite of this I am not the kind of person who will say that this form of 'worship' can compensate for going to our local Church. So, worship, fellowship, and teaching are all essential.

Here's a view of the HH mountains from about half way up our climb. By this stage my legs were a little numb, but my lungs were still quite fine, and I was feeling good! I am pleased that I am feel quite fit at the moment!

In this picture you can see how the fires on the Lourensford farm burnt the vegetation. But, there are signs of hope! Just look at how the green plants are breaking through. I'm sure that by the time the winter rains have started there will be quite a lot of healthy vegetation up here. I do hope that there won't be too much soil erosion though!

In this next photograph you can see the view in the 'downward' direction (looking towards Erinvale from where we came - which is under the clouds, and beyond to the ocean). Man, I am privelaged to live in a glorious place, and I am truly thankful to have health, strength and the opportunity to enjoy it, when there are so many others just on our doorstep who do not enjoy these same privelages. I was reminded that I have a responsibility to works towards bringing a change in that disparity!

The whole ride took about 2 hours (and a bit). When I got home I was feeling quite strong! So, Courtney, Liam and I decided to wash our bikes! Here's a picture of Liam and Courts in our front yard washing our bikes - I'm pleased to say that my bike (a 2008 Mongoose Canaan Comp) is all cleaned up and sparkling - with a few new scratches from my multiple falls! I look forward to trying to find an hour or two this week to get in the saddle. The rhythm between hard work, hard exercise, and time with my family, is a good one for me. I enjoy being productive, and I enjoy learning, and I enjoy staying fit, and I love recognizing and celebrating Christ's presence in all of live, and I love spending time with my family!

So, may this Holy Week be filled with significance, new realizations, and a significant encounter with the Christ who gave his life for you.