Can you say "Neglect"? What a sad state of affairs that my blog has been so neglected for so long. So today I'm "getting my geek on" and updating this baby.
I can't even say how much has happened since my last post. Crazy hey? It has definitely been over a year since I was in Switzerland.
What has happened in short:
After Switzerland I moved to Port Elizabeth, South Africa for four months. I left behind all my friends to go live by my mom and sister. While it was a memorable experience it is not one I would like to have again. It never stopped raining! Mostly because it was winter but seriously, how do people live there? I am a Vaalie (Gauteng province used to be called Transvaal so named for the Vaal [Meaning "drab" or "dull" in Afrikaans] River).
In Port Elizabeth, we lived literally on the bread line as I was still suffering severely from depression and took a while to find a job. My mom and sister weren't doing much better. My brother, Sheldon's, death had hit me hard but them infinitely more so as they were the ones who took care of him before his death. I am now the age that he was when he died, it feels like I've been battling daily to make it through my 25th year of life. God is faithful though and through all that has happened He carried me through it.
Okay back to my story: So I got a job at a petrol station as a cashier. My boss when interviewing me said I was over qualified for the job. My first day there I had a R70 deficit from my cash register. Scary stuff. I don't steal so somewhere I messed up, big time. Over-qualified huh? I am smiling as I type this. Life always has a learning curve. I'm thankful for that job, all three weeks of it: I was forced out of my depression, had to just get on with life; had to go to work in rainy conditions (which are not my favourite); and learned to appreciate the view from work, there is beauty all around us if we will only take the time to look, and I learned about the Eastern Cape locals.
Stuff I did in P.E.:
My longing for sunshine and good weather, and having a smouldering log of a romance (which didn't end up happening in case you're wondering) "back home", had me aching to get back to Gauteng.
My cousin, Andrew, made me an offer to live by him and once I was on my feet I could start paying rent. He took me in and made me feel at home here in the city of Johannesburg. It is a small city by first world standards but (flip) this place is huge, and like all cities has a mother-load of traffic.
Since moving to Johannesburg (a.k.a. Joburg, Jhb, and Jozi) life has not stopped. There is always something to do, somewhere to be.
My first week here I found a job at a company that imports shoes. It was an interesting job but as life goes things didn't work out and I got retrenched (Last in, first out).
I left that job to work at my aunt's physiotherapy practice as receptionist, and have been there since.
Things I've done in Johannesburg:
I praise God for all that He has done for me over the last year and a bit. He has proven Himself faithful to the end. It has not been an easy year in the least but He truly is a Friend who sticks closer than a brother.
My friend, if you don't know Jesus as your personal savior, I implore you, take that crazy step and ask Him to reveal Himself to you: Seek Him and He will be found by you. Really, it is so worth it, I can't express this enough. If you have been badly hurt by a Christian in the past, I ask sincerely on their behalf that you would forgive them. We have all sinned and fall so desperately short of God's glory. We're all human, all sinners, all saved by GRACE.
There you have it, the tip of the iceberg of what has been going on in my life this past year and a half.
God bless.
I can't even say how much has happened since my last post. Crazy hey? It has definitely been over a year since I was in Switzerland.
What has happened in short:
After Switzerland I moved to Port Elizabeth, South Africa for four months. I left behind all my friends to go live by my mom and sister. While it was a memorable experience it is not one I would like to have again. It never stopped raining! Mostly because it was winter but seriously, how do people live there? I am a Vaalie (Gauteng province used to be called Transvaal so named for the Vaal [Meaning "drab" or "dull" in Afrikaans] River).
In Port Elizabeth, we lived literally on the bread line as I was still suffering severely from depression and took a while to find a job. My mom and sister weren't doing much better. My brother, Sheldon's, death had hit me hard but them infinitely more so as they were the ones who took care of him before his death. I am now the age that he was when he died, it feels like I've been battling daily to make it through my 25th year of life. God is faithful though and through all that has happened He carried me through it.
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| Mom visiting Sheldon in hospital. |
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| My sister and her doggie Jade at our home in P.E. Not an average sister, not an average dog. |
Stuff I did in P.E.:
- Took long drives along the coast.
- Walked along the beach. Did not swim in the ocean as I was there in winter.
- Went sight seeing in the mountains.
- Went to the botanical gardens. Oh so stunning. All that rain really paid off!
My longing for sunshine and good weather, and having a smouldering log of a romance (which didn't end up happening in case you're wondering) "back home", had me aching to get back to Gauteng.
My cousin, Andrew, made me an offer to live by him and once I was on my feet I could start paying rent. He took me in and made me feel at home here in the city of Johannesburg. It is a small city by first world standards but (flip) this place is huge, and like all cities has a mother-load of traffic.
Since moving to Johannesburg (a.k.a. Joburg, Jhb, and Jozi) life has not stopped. There is always something to do, somewhere to be.
My first week here I found a job at a company that imports shoes. It was an interesting job but as life goes things didn't work out and I got retrenched (Last in, first out).
I left that job to work at my aunt's physiotherapy practice as receptionist, and have been there since.
 |
| Me at work with Fred (The skeleton) |
Things I've done in Johannesburg:
- Run/walk a few 5 km and 10 km races. Joined Wanderers Running Club, such a wonderful group of people.
- Joined Virgin Active Health Club. I had a hot bod for quite some time.
- Joined Maranatha Community Church (My favourite place to be in Jozi).
- Was part of a Flash Mob at the East Rand Mall. I had always wanted to be part of one. You can check it out here.
- Went on a hike.
- Went mountain biking.
- Visited both the Walter Sisulu and Pretoria National -Botanical Gardens.
- Been on community outreaches.
- Hosted two birthday parties at home: Mine and my new Canadian friend Hannah.
- Been to dinner parties. Such are surprisingly uncommon in South Gauteng where I grew up.
- Went on a church camp for us Twenty-Someone's.
- And a whole lot of chilling: At home, at friend's houses, at church, at shopping malls, etc.
I praise God for all that He has done for me over the last year and a bit. He has proven Himself faithful to the end. It has not been an easy year in the least but He truly is a Friend who sticks closer than a brother.
My friend, if you don't know Jesus as your personal savior, I implore you, take that crazy step and ask Him to reveal Himself to you: Seek Him and He will be found by you. Really, it is so worth it, I can't express this enough. If you have been badly hurt by a Christian in the past, I ask sincerely on their behalf that you would forgive them. We have all sinned and fall so desperately short of God's glory. We're all human, all sinners, all saved by GRACE.
There you have it, the tip of the iceberg of what has been going on in my life this past year and a half.
God bless.
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