FEBRUARY 2010
The Editor’s Note Senzo’s Desk - Simplify SEND US YOUR COMMENTS: Email us at illumin8ezine@gmail.com. Use this address to send us feedback, submit testimonies & to ask us to add you to our mailing list. Visit www.illumin8.co.za to download past editions of illumin8 & check out our latest posts. For daily inspiration, news and updates follow us on twitter. Visit https://twitter.com/illumin8ezine or go to www.illumin8.co.za.
illumin8 - Edition 14 - February 2010
Double Take K.I.S.S - An Illustration Who’s this God guy anyway? Testify 8 Simple Inventions Clarify
Cover designed by: Leanne Rhodes
The God we love is a God of, well… love and is definitely not restricted to the 14th of February We've also given you a very simple (but don't be mislead – its cryptic to) verse about who God really is. Our single concession to Valentine's Day is a simply delightful story about Travis and Maike – a couple who got engaged late last year. You can read a summarized account on page 8 but there is also a link to a MP3 file in which Travis and Maike tell us the story in their own words. The audio version has a lot more detail than the summarized version though so don't miss it!
In this month's Double Take on page 4, Leanne considers the impact unfocused living has on our purpose in life. On page 2 Senzo shows us how being a believer is so much simpler these days, if not necessarily easier. In Clarify on page 11, I have delved into those murky waters of science versus faith in an effort to find out if one is simpler than the other. (You should note that all I've really succeeded in doing is raising more questions, so please write to us at illumin8ezine@gmail.com to tell us your thoughts on the matter!) In Who is this God Guy? on page 7.
illumin8 - Edition 14 - February 2010
That's it from me! Hope February is simply phenomenal!
Lucy
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Designed by: Leanne Rhodes
LETTER FROM THE EDITOR
You'd be forgiven for thinking that this, The KISS Issue, is about Valentine's Day. You would however, be wrong! The God we love is a God of, well… love and is definitely not restricted to the 14th of February so we are not supporting this commercial holiday. Instead the KISS Issue is about simplicity, or more precisely Keeping It Sacrificially Simple! One of the biggest stumbling blocks to any kind of relationship these days is busyness and this is particularly true of our faith. In order to really grow with God we often need to give up other things to make time for Him. As hard as this can be – the reward it always worth it!
been at the foot of Mount Sinai, you would've
also have toyi-toyed with a placard saying
this makes me think to myself, "How tedious! People
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Designed by: Louise van Niekerk
story behind the song. Somehow try to get the heart of
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by Leanne Rhodes
double take
Disco Ball living: Having good intentions but scattering your attention over too wide an area thereby limiting the energy you can put in and the lasting effect it could have. Trying to do too much in your own strength. Laser Sight: The ability to focus your energy on the purpose God has for you, thereby creating a stronger and more lasting effect than if your attention was scattered.
Take 1: When I think of disco balls I think of the 70's and John Travolta grooving on the dance floor in Saturday Night Fever! A disco ball is comprised of many mirrors, all at a slightly different angle from each other, covering a sphere. It hangs from the ceiling (in case you've never seen one) and rotates as a single light source is projected onto it. The effect is beautiful as light is dispersed all over the room and a great party atmosphere is its result. Imagine however, if you had to see a disco ball every day. It could be rather disorienting as the lights in the room would constantly be moving; it could make you dizzy if you stayed near it for too long; and besides creating a beautiful visual spectacle, the ball would make no lasting change or have a positive effect on the people around it or its environment. When I think of lasers I think of superheros and sci-fi space adventures, not to mention Dr Evil and his “Death Laser�. But it turns out that lasers are not just reserved for the fantastic and outrageous. From something as simple as a laser pointer to a CD reader/writer to the more complex uses such as laser eye surgery, they have become an integral instrument in many fields today. When reading up on lasers I realised that what makes them so powerful is the fact that they use energy in a very controlled and focused manner for a specific purpose. They too use mirrors but instead of merely reflecting the light they intensify the light by reflecting it internally between two mirrors. illumin8 - Edition 14 - February 2010
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As the light reflects backwards and forwards more and more atoms are energised and more photons (particles of light) are released. One of the mirrors however reflects only some light while simultaneously letting some through. This results in a powerful and directed stream of photons that we call a laser beam. So not only is it producing light, it's using it internally to intensify the overall effect. (For more info on how lasers work visit: www.howstuffworks.com/lasers ) Designed by: Wanja Focaraccio
Take 2: Now, I would like to pose a question: are you a laser or a disco ball? Bet you've never been asked that before! Well we go through life normally being one or the other. I tend to have disco ball tendencies. I want to reflect God's light but just like the mirrors, I find myself looking in different directions, constantly moving and being distracted. I find all sorts of things to be involved in and at first it's beautiful but after a while I get worn out, disorientated and somewhat dizzy from it! By trying to do too much we end up flashing God's light in numerous places and at random times. The result is that yes, His light shines, but it's only at 20% of what it could actually be if you poured your whole heart into one area.
Some ways to find your focus: Pray, pray, pray and ask God where He wants you. Look at or find out what your gifts, spiritual and otherwise are. These will often give you an indication of which direction to move in. Find out what you are truly passionate about. There is a reason for that passion and God may want to use you in that area.
My dad sent me a saying the other day: “It's not how much you do, but rather how much heart you do it with that is important.� This really got me thinking. Am I doing things half heartedly out of duty or habit? Am I trying to earn my salvation by doing as much as I can? Am I trying to save the world in my own strength and as a consequence am I spreading myself to thin? I have felt over the last year that God has been challenging me to discard many of my activities, although they are good, and truly focus on what His purpose for me could be. Rob Bell said in his Nooma called Shells that the biggest enemy of greatness is not evil but often good. I believe God has called each of us into greatness and for this reason He wants us all to be more like lasers; using His light to strengthen ourselves internally to build our character and then focussing that energy into a powerful and directed beam to achieve the purposes He has for us. He created us to function like a body and you don't see the eyes (excuse the pun) trying to taste and walk and feel.
Rather they focus on seeing and on doing that well! The trick is now to seek God and find out what He really wants you to pour all your heart into and then simplifying your life by focussing on that. This will mean sacrificing that which is taking up your time and not complimenting your focus. Remember, God is worthy of your best. So pour your best into something and in this way you will live a life worthy of the calling you have received! 5
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Designed by: Wanja Focaraccio
The problem with simplicity is that it's often more cryptic then anything else. The more something is explained, the easier it is to understand. This concept is perfectly illustrated by the verse for this month's “Who is this God guy?” namely Exodus 3:14:
God said to Moses, "I-AM-WHO-I-AM. Tell the People of Israel, 'I-AM sent me to you.'” The background to the story is that God has just called to Moses from the burning bush and He has told him to go and rescue the Israelites. Moses, unsure about this whole plan says to God “Who shall I say sent me?” And God says "I-AM-WHO-I-AM. Tell the People of Israel, 'I-AM sent me to you.'” Essentially when Moses asks God His name, the response is “I AM”. Our initial thought is so often “You are…WHAT?” There are so many answers to that question. I AM… eternal; love; patient; mighty; holy; jealous; fearsome; all-knowing. Or in less biblical terminology: I AM…everything; enough; in control. Spend some time this month meditating on the idea of “God is…” and see what He reveals to you about Himself in the process.
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WHO IS THIS GOD GUY ANYWAY?
“I Am” The great
To listen to the full story visit
www.3rdplace.co.za
To see their work visit www.welovepictures.co.za
We also have the story on our illumin8 site, vist www.illumin8.co.za
This is the story of how Travis and Maike got engaged. To say that it’s not your average engagement tale would be an understatement! To start off with it involves a protea farm that’s on fre, some imaginary milkshakes and a stranger! It ends off with a mugging and a truly inspirational message! The full story, in their own words (literally!) can be found under the Stories tab at the following link www.3rdplace.co.za. We’ve also put the fle on the illumin8 website We encourage you to listen to the audio version of this story, but if for any reason you can’t – here is a summary. Just be aware that some of the details may have been lost in translation! Travis and Maike have been together for three years. They are both photographers and have their own company called We Love Pictures (www.welovepictures.co.za). Their photos are a testament to their unique view of life and a more eccentric couple, you will be hard pressed to fnd! Some time ago they began discussing the idea of tying the knot. It went like this: Travis had absolute peace that Maike was the woman God wanted him to be with. He started planning. Maike started praying about the possibility and asked God if Travis was the man for her. At the time of the proposal – she was still waiting for an answer! Travis’s grand plan initially involved a picnic at a protea farm in Cullinan. His ruse for getting Maike there was to tell her that it was a beautiful venue they should look at for future photo shoots. However on the day of the big event, a phone call from the protea farm brought the shocking news that
illumin8 - Edition 14 - February 2010
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Te st if y
an interesting engagement the neighbouring farms were on fre and guests were no longer welcome. Plan B (constructed at the last second by Travis) was the couple’s favourite park in Groenkloof. After a happy few hours in the park Travis fnally popped the question. The reply from Maike: “Did you ask my dad frst?” Not what every man dreams of, but then Maike was trying to buy herself some time while she did some frantic praying! By the time Travis had assured her that yes, he had indeed asked her father frst, Maike had decided to take a leap of faith and accept Travis’s proposal. Much consuming of champagne and many phone calls to friends and family ensued. As evening fell, Travis and Maike packed up to head home. On the way to their car, a young lady who had been sitting on a nearby bench came up to them and said, “I don’t normally do this but I feel that God wants me to tell you that He really loves you and that He has bright plans for your future.” Maike promptly burst into tears! God had giv-
en her His answer, just a bit later than she had anticpated! It was then that this lovely story took a turn for the worse and they were mugged. Travis leapt to the defense of his new fancée with gusto but eventually gave up the chase. Fortunately a cell phone was all that was stolen, but it was an unpleasant exper-i ence none the less. The shock that both of them experienced after the event led them to a pray for the man who’d stolen from them and through the grace of God they were able to forgive. Since then Travis and Maike have been regularly praying together (something they never did before) for the perpetrator. And so a story that started out about love has ended in forgiveness, which is entirely ftting, because what chance does love ever have without forgiveness? For Travis and Maike the entire event has underlined for them that Jesus is walking with all of us, everyday. What’s more, He has a plan that is so much bigger than any of ours and we should remember that sometimes the disruptions in our lives are simply part of the bigger picture! Designed by: Rachelle Mostert
EIGHT
SIMPLE inventions
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toilet pap
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illumin8 - Edition 14 - February 2010
s ip
whee the l
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ety p saf i
scisso r
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paper cl
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il nc
toothbrus
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that have a big impact on our lives
er
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Designed by: Leanne Rhodes
First seen in Egypt in around 1500 BC Following the Egyptian design Romans created crossbladed scissors in about 100 AD resembling the shears used by today's sheep-shearers and gardeners. The invention of modern scissors can be traced back to the 6th century and were primarily used by barbers. The development of the calligraphy and dressmaking crafts created a great demand for scissors as these crafts needed high quality scissors to cut paper and cloth cleanly.
EIGHT SIMPLE inventions
In 1680 Robert Boyle coated a piece of paper with phosphorus (recently discovered) and wood with sulphur. He formed fire by rubbing the wood across the paper.
Reference: http://www.helium.com/items/1080513-history-of-scissors-and-shears
Natural bristle brushes can be traced back to the ancient Chinese who made toothbrushes with bristles from the necks of cold climate pigs. The French were the first Europeans to promote the use of toothbrushes in the seventeenth and early eighteenth centuries. Most Americans did not brush their teeth until after World War ll. Reference: Mary Bellis http://inventors.about.com/od/dstartinventions/a/dentistry_2.htm
Walter Hunt invented the safety pin in 1849. The idea came to him as he sat twisting a piece of wire, as he tried to think of a way to pay off a fifteen dollar debt. He later sold the patent rights for the safety pin to the very man he owed money to for four hundred dollars. Reference: Mary Bellis http://inventors.about.com/od/hstartinventors/a/safety_pin.htm
In 1827 English Chemist John walker discovered the first friction matches. He coated the end of a stick with certain chemicals and found that he could strike it almost anywhere to create fire. Reference: Mary Bellis http://inventors.about.com/library/inventors/blmatch.htm
Otherwise known as “white gold” by those in hostels or residences.. Almost 300 years after the invention of the flush toilet (1596), there was still no such thing toilet paper. Before toilet paper people would tear pages out of mail order catalogues, or used leave, rags or sponges. In 1857, Joseph produced the first commercially available toilet paper in the U.S. The first two-ply paper was sold in England in 1942 by St. Andrew's Paper Mill. Reference: Interesting thing of the day. 2005. http://itotd.com/articles/542/the-story-of-toilet-paper/
Invented in Mesopotamia—present-day Iraq Origin estimated at 5500 to 3000 B.C. Invented for the convenience of potters and only later used for transportation. Reference: Interesting thing of the day. 2004. http://itotd.com/articles/414/the-invention-of-the-wheel
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Most pencil lead is actually a mixture of graphite, clay, and wax. There is actually no lead in pencil lead. The first pencils were made in the early 1500's and today's pencils use the same design. Reference: http://www.bloggingwv.com/8-of-the -greatest-yet-simplest-inventions-ever-invented/
Reference: Paperclip by Mary Bellis http://inventors.about.com/librar y/inventors/blpaperclip.htm
In 1835 straight pins became a popular way to fasten papers together, (although they were actually designed for tailors) after a New York physician named John Ireland Howe invented a machine for mass producing straight pins. In 1899 Johan Vaaler, a Norwegian inventor with a degree in electronics, science and mathematics, invented the paperclip.
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illumin8 - Edition 14 - February 2010
note: ase e l
The basic d center! n a d is t h g ri left, glory of Go ry e h ts “t h t ig a s th in e book is ment is , God's glo nce” argu time. oncept of th live”. In other words our lives ie c c s s u rs e ya “faith ve r a long h a heart full own when we liv The whole have avoided fo icked up this te tune wit h le s p t m s o e c I p b I t in a e d is is n n th th li a the one other. d by fear related to o e or the t if ic ere along unhindere ses for us. Closely – wh Somewh it was either on n ie sc ty in Christ swer purpo ti e 's n t h d e a t o id th f G o f d t d e e p beli li e v le conce as create hen we an you be is the who e world w ang and es. Only w rify what our y th e E it h e r w 's o d h o r G Big B ons fo are we in tart to cla explanati is I mean The e really s pace for s w o n n a c ft th t le a th tion (and by which I believed the crea y ) n in o mission is. ti d lu e o m v v e E li in e M a ry a n n e b e you metim o te b y r u o o q S my ; . n a d e is o v s s e G use e heart of e ral s Gene e th te g li in d to e t re h d th g ld e t ri E w describ sed tha sense which got is not that ars I reali 't make Williamson . “Our deepest fear we t a th school ye n story just didn but I couldn't is risis fear c t s ty e ) o ti p ? ti n e a e in e id t d re fi ur rs ve r light, day c dequate. O d measure. It is ou We e dinosau volution alternati 't a th in o re d a re ng/E (whe didn ul beyon us most. e Big Ba in God. I are powerf ness that frightens rilliant, accept th anted to believe was so I just r dark I to be b ally, u w d o I m n t a u o e n s ro o u h g d a an bec iddle lves, 'W us?' Actu approach ere the m ask ourse lented, and fabulo hild of God. know wh head in the sand tely. ta c a gorgeous, not to be? You are a the world. comple e u s adopted is e u le e who who are yo small does not serv t shrinking t u o b avoided th a f g o o in b a u ce Your play in the spa sitting on nlightened re around you. e e g m in r th fo o n d ange I was el insecu There is of All this ch last November! r house. ple won't fe manifest the glory o u e o p f t o a s r d th o n o o e s wn p fl ak 10 seco born to m nd when we let our o y on the to e for a small table n re o e lc w a e b W s. A ac e thers the little t is within u consciously give o are nough sp to spending som a e t th s d o ju G 's There taken I go to As we e, we un and I've s before light shin to do the same. r presence and chair re in the morning whether He's u e , permission m our own fear, o e are all time out th God in this space d birds I look W o fr .” d rs e te d oth an libera liberates work. I fin , music, the trees as of we need to e y ll d id a n c a e ti s a th u m r in o le to d u ib o a ts B G h f e g o in th thou e glory , my own born with th . e th g down on lse. in e k e ugh Wa let that shin someone rking my way thro a marvelous o as I'd been w hn Eldredge. It w these bizarre o J ving Dead by d I was ha n a e m r period fo 11
Designed by: Leanne Rhodes
Suddenly though, my thoughts started racing ahead. It occurred to me that God created all things, and that therefore all creatures great or small show off God's glory. This is patently obvious to me when I look at a butterfly (not so much when I see a cockroach, but that's another issue!). It then occurred to me that all animals are fully alive. An impala for instance, happily spends its days leaping through the veldt, eating grass, drinking water and making more impalas. That's what an impala does, and impalas doing that make God smile. Out of all creation, it is only humans who live in confusion of what their purpose is - you only have to browse the self help isle in a book store to know this is true! I then moved onto to the realization that if these animals are expressing God's glory, then in essence they are expressing, not an image, but a part of God. God is glorious and anything that expresses His creativity, love, imagination and power is expressing Him. The bible tells us that we were created in God's image and I've always taken this to mean that it is our physical form that resembles God. It has also always been my stumbling block with evolution, because if we are created in God's image, then I wasn't sure how the evolution of man came about. But the other day I wondered if like all other animals, our physical form is not just an expression of God's imagination? What then would be the image of God? Could that point that the bible referred as being “created in the image of God” be the point where we evolved an awareness of God and ourselves? Could it be an intangible image as opposed to a tangible one? I can't accept that evolution is an entirely random process. I believe that it is being guided by God and that evolution can occur but in the process the point when we illumin8 - Edition 14 - February 2010
became humans made in the image of God is the point when we evolved a consciousness of Him. I also believe this was always God's intention and despite the fact that it didn't happen in 7 days or that man ceased to exist and then suddenly existed as he does today, it was always the result He was aiming for. I am comfortable with the idea our human form is not the image of God; but rather the image of God is our awareness of His Spirit. All people seem to be hardwired with a belief of a higher power. Why else would we have so many religions? Some people go to great lengths to argue their case for why there is no higher power, but why would these arguments interest us all so much if it wasn't for some question we all share? God knows who and what He is and He has chosen us out of all of His creation to be able to share in that knowledge. Let me just end of by saying that I haven't scientifically (or in any other way besides some shaky personal conclusions) proven the case for or against evolution. This article is not about that. This article is about seeking the truth. There are so many things that intellectually stand in the way of faith but avoiding them is not the answer. Discussion is; bringing these confusing questions out into the light – grappling with them and finding an answer that satisfies your personal query. This will be different for everyone. Based on what I've realized I am happy to accept evolution now and as a result there is one less stumbling block on my quest to grow closer to God. For many of you, I know this is not enough, and I'm not claiming that it should be. I'm just starting a discussion – so please – write to us and tell us your side of it. Truth is not something that we all know – it's something we need to search for. God has given us this amazing ability to analyze, to search, to discover. By doing so we are doing something He created us to do, and therefore we are reflecting His glory!
By wisdom the Lord founded the earth; by understanding he created the heavens. By his knowledge the deep fountains of the earth burst forth, and the dew settles beneath the night sky. Proverbs 3:19 12
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