Moo! I'm a legend in Japan and my beard tastes great...

Courtney and Mertyl

Courtney was born in 1999. Mertyl was born in Italy in 1967. I love both of them! Both of them make me smile! But, I love Courtney so much more than Mertyl!

Courtney also happens to like Mertyl... So it is a winning situation for all of us!

Mertyl is a 1967 Vespa Sprint 150cc, VBB. She has been restored twice.

First in 2007, and then again in 2008 after a truck driver rode over me (breaking my left knee, ankle, tibia and fibulae also see this post on the accident). She is worth every cent I've spent on her!

This is what Mertyl used to look like before she was restored (she was a bit old, rusted, silver and ratty). And here are some pictures of the first restoration (stripped down, resprayed, looking great!).  This post was written on the day I took delivery of Mertyl after her SECOND restoration in 2008 - I could not ride her since I was still in cast with my broken leg.  One of my kind friends, Paul Oosthuizen, did the honours!  Thanks Paul!

This photo of Courtney and Mertyl was taken using a Lomo effect in Instagram on my iPhone 3GS.

Partnership is about friendship

Perhaps this post is an expression of my age, an insight into my generation.

This week at the Lausanne Congress has been truly wonderful in most ways! The connections, new friendships, and deepening of relationships have been great!

But among that I have also encountered some folks here who have been much more interested in themselves, their ministry, their 'big idea', than they are in others.

Their approach comes across as functional - they engage me so that they can use what I have to further their cause. I can tell that they want to be connected with someone more important than me. They have little interest in me, my family, and God's calling for my life - I'm a tool, a stepping stone, a connection along the way.

I want to encourage Christians to adopt the attitude of Christ that Paul writes about Phil 2.3-4, "Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others".

So here's my point, I would love to serve you. I recognise that I too am prone to putting tasks and goals above relationships. I'm trying to adopt the power of the trinity's life - power in relationship. So please do contact me if I can connect with you. Please drop me a note if I have something that can help you in any way. But please let us remember that partnership is about friendship first!

Everybody is good at some things, and needs the help of others with some things. In God's eyes we're all valuable in spite of our titles, positions, influence, opportunity or lack thereof. I pray that I will recognise that truth in the lives of those among whom I have the privelage of living each day!

This picture shows a few of our digital communications team having fun together!

. They are such a wonderful example of a true partnership. Good friends who get things done for God's Kingdom. It has been a blessing to serve in this team!

Making memories

This weekend was a gift to our family! Since all travels have been halted until after Courtney's surgery we enjoyed a rare weekend at home without any commitments!

We slept in, went to the beach, rode our bikes in the back yard, went to Church and also drove through to beautiful Hermanus to see the whales.

Megie and I needed the 'space' and time to catch up with one another and chart the course ahead. We are both feeling bruised and a little weary. And of course our hearts are very tender for our little girl and what lies ahead for her (see this and this for details). However, we are encouraged and strengthened by God's unfailing love and mercy! We have experienced His love, mercy and grace through to kindness of so many friends and family.

Both Courts and Liam are getting healthy again. Liam may return to school after his bout of tonsillitis, pneumonia and ear infection (which all seem to be clearing). Courts won't return to school until after her surgery. However, she will participate in the school concert this week and also in the guitar concert on the 20th.

Thank you for all the love and support we've received!

This weekend was a chance to make memories. These are a few pictures from the weekend.

On fire!

My friend Gus sent this through today. I thought it was quite funny...

Proof at last!

Indeed, there is proof! For the record, I am NOT platform agnostic!

I wonder if we'll be using iChat in heaven!? Thanks to Kevin for sending this through!  He knows that I am both passionate about Christ, and quite passionate about Apple Macs!

World cup soccer 2010 Fixtures and Scores

This afternoon the FIRST game of the World Cup Soccer, also called football by some nations, Tournament in South Africa will kick off with a match between Bafana Bafana (of South Africa) and Mexico! My friend Wessel Bentley will be at that match! I will be going to the France versus Uruguay match at the Cape Town stadium in Greenpoint!! I can't wait. While searching for some info about today's matches I came across this great little widget below that gives you soccer scores, match fixtures, etc. It might be a nice little widget to stick on your blog to keep your readers up to date with the World Cup Soccer results!

Gigapixel image of Newlands Rugby stadium 22 May 2010

This is an incredible technology! I had heard about the Gigapixel technology, but hadn't realised how impressive it truly is!

Gigapixel image of Newlands Rugby stadium 22 May 2010 from Dion Forster on Vimeo.

In this video you'll see an image of the WHOLE of the Newlands Rugby stadium on the 22nd of May at the Stormers semi final match. It opens on our company's Box, I then zoom back and go to the half way line and zoom in to a picture of myself (just above the flag in a blue Rugby shirt). Incredible! 

Here is the URL for the image.

The Bible and the Bulls!

In the Bible there is only one thing that should be done with a Bull (Blue bull or other), it should be sacrificed for the Lord!

Ha ha! I'm so looking forward to being at Newlands Rugby Stadium this afternoon to watch the Rugby match between the Stormers and the Blue Bulls!

Are there any Western Province supporters out there!?

Let's hope for a great victory this afternoon!!

Satire on Sunday Church Services

Yup, I've been to a few of these kinds of services, they simply seem to miss the point!  Watch the video below - it's funny!  But, also quite sad!

"Sunday's Coming" Movie Trailer from North Point Media on Vimeo.

I am thankful for people like John van de Laar and his ministry 'Sacredise' that helps Churches and Christians to engage effectively in worship that doesn't get stuck 'fluff' and 'performance'.  

Of course I appreciate well directed worship.  I love contemporary music and have often encountered God in such settings.  However, I have an equal affinity for liturgy, silence, and simple worship.  I suppose the point is that it should be about God first, then an encounter between the community and God, and somewhere right towards the bottom of the list should be 'personal taste' in style and music.

(from @Scott McKnight)

Spotted in the wild! Sharing some personal excitement (and fun).

Forgive me for one more post about my new book 'Transform your work life:  Turn your ordinary day into an extraordinary calling'.  

I just wanted to share a little piece of personal excitement (and family fun) with you!

Before today I had not seen a copy of the book in print!  Yup, that's the truth!  Naturally I had seen the digital proofs, but I had not seen a 'hard cover' copy of the book before today.

I had a meeting with a friend with whom I do some coaching - after the meeting I was walking past Wordsworth bookshop in the Somerset Mall when I thought 'I wonder if they have copies of my book on the shelf'.  So, I walked up to the sales assistant and asked her.  She had a look in her catalogue and sure as you know it, they had a few copies that had arrived just this morning!

So, I picked one up.  I was grinning from ear to ear as she rung up my purchase.  I was looking over the cover, checking the print quality (which is very good by the way!  The book has a hard cover with a gloss colour printed interior!) I handed her my credit card and her eye caught my name, she looked at the book's cover and then asked 'Do you know the author?'  I just smiled and said, 'yup, I've met him before'!  ha ha!  It was very cool.

Well, this evening Megie, Courtney, Liam and I went out for a burger to celebrate the new book and so we stopped in at another book shop (Exclusive Books in the Somerset Mall).  I walked over to the Christian Books section and there it was!  'Transform your work life' spotted in the wild!  So I quickly asked Courtney and Liam to stand in front of the shelf and I snuck a photo with my iPhone.  Another cool memory - take a look at the blue cover just above Courtney's head in the attached photo.

Lastly, I wanted to mention that if you order a copy of the book from Christian Republic you will receive a free leather bound journal!  I'm not sure how long this promotion lasts, so don't miss out!  The price is the same (R109.00, plus R20 counter to counter overnight shipping).

Once you've bought your copy please leave me some feedback on the book.  You can either do so on the discussion section on this blog, or you can join the 'Transform your work life' facebook page.

God bless you!  Please join me in praying that this book will offer encouragement, inspiration and fresh perspectives to Christians in their work life.

Power Piston fun ride! 110km of Hot, hot, hot fun!!

Today 10 of my friends and I did our own fun ride. It is the second time we've done it (we did it last year this time as well). It is supposed to be a training ride for the Cape Argus Pick n Pay cycle tour which is in 2 weeks time here in Cape Town. That race is 110km (or so) and so we try to do one ride (at least) of the same distance to stretch our legs a little.

We left from Klapmuts (half way between Stellenbosch and Paarl) at 6am. From there we did the 60 kilometers to Malmesbury, and then another 30 some kilometers to Wellington with a final stretch of about 20 kilometers back to Klapmuts.

11 of us started this year with 8 of us doing the entire distance, one going until 80km's and two opting out at 65 kilometers.

The routs has quite a few hills, but the real challenege is the heat -to the temperature was over 40 degrees C. There is also always quite a strong head wind between Malmesbury and Wellington.

My wonderful wife Megie and our two kids prepared goodies for a few 'water stops' along the route. She is WONDERFUL!!!! Ice cold water, a cold coke and a few bannanas saved the day. Plus her little Renault Clio was a great car to help get folks back to their cars when the heat and distance took its toll!

Next week Sunday I'll be riding the 55km mountainbike Argus ride at Boschendal near Stellenbosch, and the week after I'll be at the starting line of the road Argus for a 7.13am start to the race!

Please spare a prayer for stron legs, big lungs and safety on the mountain and road!