Why be invisible? Start writing.

Prof Jordan Peterson

How dare I write on such a subject? There are more people better qualified to do this than I – or are there? I don’t think so – because if some else writes this, then it is not me that did it and it will be that other person’s voice and definitely not mine. So, I have to write this – and I am sure that Prof. Dr. Jordan Petersen [click on this link] will whole heartedly agree with me. He might not agree with me about the contents, but he will sure agree with me that it was imperative for me to have done it and not somebody else. Not even Jordan. Not so?

My short video of the Tugela River, Kwa Zula Natal

Northern Drakensberg, South Africa

And so it hits at my photography as well. Look at my short video of the Tugela River in Kwa-Zula Natal Northern Drakensberg that I took the other day. That is a scene not to be seen again because the river "flowed away" so to speak. And the clouds are no longer there. Enjoy it. 

Looking at my statistics I am satisfied that I have reached some people across the world – people that I could not reach in person. What is more they have read my blog write ups and probably gave it a thought. I recall a specific law professor of mine, was heavily criticised by the South African Supreme Court of Appeal for an article that he published in an esteemed law journal. I visited my professor in chambers and discussed this criticism – and I asked him how does he feel about such a stringent critique? Since then, his reply is somewhat of a guideline for me writing articles and even writing up this blog. He told me: “Neels, the wonderful thing about this is that there were a number of highly successful senior advocates and attorneys and a fair number of judges who read my article, thought about it and had to make up their minds about what to say about it. Isn’t that worthwhile?”

I do agree with my law professor. And Prof Jordan Peterson is also spot on.

Look what does my Statistics have to say about my blog as of 10 February 2020:

Pageviews by Countries 1199 Entry Pageviews United States 9 South Africa 3 Netherlands 2 Ukraine 2 India 1 Mexico 1 Philippines 1 Portugal 1 Russia 1 Timor-Leste 1

Pageviews by Browsers Entry Pageviews Chrome 19 (82%) Firefox 2 (8%) CriOS 1 (4%) Safari 1 (4%) 82.6%Firefox8.7%CriOS4.3%Safari4.3%Chrome82.6% Chrome 19 Firefox 2 CriOS 1 Safari 1 Pageviews by Operating Systems Entry Pageviews Windows 18 (78%) iPhone 2 (8%) Android 1 (4%) Macintosh 1 (4%) Unix 1 (4%) 78.3%iPhone8.7%Macintosh4.3%Unix4.3%Windows78.3% Windows 18 iPhone 2 Android 1 Macintosh 1 Unix 1

There was even someone in East Timor [here's a link to that far off country [here's is a link: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/East_Timor] that had a look. I want to thank that person in East Timor and Russia and Portugal who had a look at my blog. Well, I ask you also to look at my gallery of photographs. I love photography. I hope that you enjoy my images.

I just learnt that Prof Jordan is in Russia for medical treatment. I pray that he will recover and that he and his family will be happily reunited while they support him to recover fully. To read about it and to listen to his very courageous daughter on YouTube click here.

May God bless you and heal Jordan Peterson completely.

Read More

HLALANATHI - ZULU WORD FOR "COME STAY/SLEEP WITH US."

View of the amphitheater of the Drakensberg, Northern Drakensberg, Kwa-Zulu Natal

Hlalanathi - it is a Zulu word which means "come sleep/stay with us." It is a holiday resort with a lovely restaurant and a golf course.

My wife and I made our own long weekend and decided to spend time here and visiting brand new friends whom we met through our mutual love of photography. Photography! There is a magical device that you can hold in your one hand capturing a specific moment in your life; it is called "a camera." Of course you know that as well as I do. It still remains magic to me. In a fraction of a second, it captures a moment you will never ever relive or experience again.

It is like the Tugela river that I captured in my short video that you can enjoy. Well, all truth be told, as the English would say, it was the Tugela River in Kwa Zula Natal on 30 January 2020 at a specific moment in time. No one, that includes me, will ever be in a position to ever see the Tugela River as I saw it when I captured it; and while I was capturing it, it disappeared towards the ocean never to be found again. You can listen to the Tugela murmuring in the background. Susan Sontag was that philosopher that encapsulated these ideas of mine very succinctly- click on this link to read a bit about her.

The Tugela River is in a constant process of remaking itself every moment of the day and night. As I am sitting here in the silence of our chalet and while my dearest wife is sleeping, I can hear it distantly rumbling a bit louder than yesterday. The reason for that? Because it rained higher up in the dragon and the water level is somewhat higher than yesterday. And yet the very river that I am trying to capture, is disappearing downstream, so to speak. The mountains are constant. The river not.

The monochromatic image of the river and the dragon mountain as a backdrop is a creation of my own. Of course the scene does not look like that at all. Once again I was creating another picture in your mind. I personally like monochromatic images and always think of Ansell Adams and his iconic black and white images.

Having said that, I was privy today to a most spectacular scene where the dragon took centre stage. This scene is monochromatic! Deep dark clouds gathered, wind howling, trees bending in the wind, veld flowers flattened to  the ground - all of this with the sky turning black. The clouds were all shades of black! So, in a sense, my black and white image is not in toto unreal. It is in another sense a virtual reality shot of a most spectacular scene.

Please read Psalm 8. If you haven't got a Bible, I suggest that you get one. Come to think of it, it was written specifically for you and me

I will leave you to it to give your dreams of my story and my image, wings!

Read More

KGOMOTSO - COMFORT & MERCY - MEN I MET TODAY IN CBD JOHANNESBURG

MR BHARAT - COBBLER 

PROTESTER: PARLIAMENT CAPE TOWN

FRIEND OF MY GARDENER

All of these men had an influence on my life in the past. Mr Bharat is a cobbler in a shopping centre in the basement of the luxurious centre. He is always friendly although I have not brought him any business at all. The protester I met outside Parliament in Cape Town protesting a certain cause. The friend of my gardener came to visit his friend when I took the photograph.

And today I met two other gentlemen in the CBD of Johannesburg that were a real blessing to me: The first guy was a humble parking assistant with the name of MERCY. Can you imagine to have mercy on the streets of Johannesburg, in the news it is a very violent city. And yet, here I met MERCY with a big humble smile attending my car while I was away doing my business at the Master of the High Court. 

Kgomotso sat next to me patiently waiting our turn to state our matter in front of the official. And we got chatting. He tells he cannot understand why people are atheists. He said: "Just look at a mountain. Can a man make it? No, he can't. Only God can do that." And he prays for his children telling them to walk the narrow path following Christ Jesus.

I was greatly comforted and had mercy coming my way in this very violent city of Johannesburg South Africa. 

I have to confess that I did not take photographs of either Mercy or Kgomotso. I do apologize to both Kgomotso and Mercy for not taking their photos. Will you keep these two guys in your thoughts and prayers please? Come to think of it, don'f forget the other three whose photos are published.

Read More

WHAT DOES SARA WESSLIN AND HANNAH OF THE BIBLE HAVE IN COMMON?

SARA WESSLIN  

She is Skolt Sami a journalist and listed among the world's 100 most influential women. There are about 1200 Skolt Sámi living in the border areas between Finland, Russia and Norway. Not all speak the language. And she is actively pursuing to save her language from extinction. If you want to read about her click on this link. 

Hannah of the Bible was also a lonely women and barren at that. And that is the common thread between Sara Wesslin and Hannah: they are the lone ones not accepting their fate in life. Hannah started to pray. And the priest of the time thought that she was a drunkard and held her in contempt. But God in heaven did not think so and heard her cry and answered it. The prophet Samuel was born. There is a fascinating story written specially for you and me in the Bible: Read it in 1 Samuel chapter 3 and 4:1. See what happened. Before Samuel was born, the word of God was not heard often in the land. When he was born, things changed for the better. I encourage you to read it. If you don't have a Bible I really encourage you to go out and buy one and start reading it; therefore I am not going to provide you with a link to the Bible passage but earnestly encouraging you to get your own copy of the Bible.  

Read More

NEW YEAR, NEW DECADE WAITING FOR US 2020: GRAPHIC IMAGES: WARNING

THE SAME MESSAGE FROM LAST DECADE?

NO - NOT SO! 

IT'S FOR 2020

I am still planting flowers and vegetables and tending my 5 hens for their eggs. Yes, they give me 4 - 5 eggs per day. I have just harvested just enough beans for supper tonight. My own homegrown beans from our garden. And I have legal work to do - I am still useful and required by clients to assist them with their legal problems. And I have not lost faith in Christ Jesus as my Savior and Lord of my life. 

I ended the past decade by visiting my friend - this friendship started 1966 in Roodepoort, Transvaal, South Africa. He now lives in Bethulie, Freestate, South Africa. My eldest daughter and I visited Johnny and his wife and had lunch with them. She is a good cook. His church needs a lot of tender loving care and I am in touch with his church leadership about it. You are right. I became an activist for better living conditions.

The Methodist Church, Kruger Street, Bethulie in need of repairs.

A refugee client of mine suffered a major setback - it seems as if his was attacked and his throat slit as well as his wrists. He is surviving. This is what he looked like when they found him

This is what he looked like on Christmas Day when they found him.

No, the sad story does not end there. It turned out beautifully. Look at his birthday party in hospital. He is alive and getting there.

His birthday party in Hospital.

Yes, I have enough things that will keep me crying all the time. And enough to cause me to loose my faith in the living Christ Jesus. I have, however chosen Him and He is my Creator and Savoir.

I have created a Blue Monster from cardboard boxes. A fun project.

The blue monster completed.

Let us continue to worship and follow Jesus Christ. 

Read More

THE CHRISTMAS STORY - ANIMATED BY MIHAIL ALDASHIN ROZHDESTVO

UNITED NATIONS - WORLD'S PEACE KEEPING FORCE

There are hundreds of animations on YouTube available. And more so with the Christmas theme of Christ being born in Bethlehem.

One of the best I have seen is by this Russian artist Mikhail Aldashin Rozhdestvo - and I give him all the credit I can muster for his wonderful creative spirit and I ask you to join me enjoying his viewpoint by clicking on this link.

Of course you cannot watch this YouTube video without having read the story of the birth of Christ in the Scriptures at the Gospel according to Matthew at chapters 1 - 2, Luke chapter 1 and then about the peace the He brought into this world. Not the peace the world gives, but His peace which is materially different from the world's peace idea - please click on this link for the story in Matthew. You will see it starts off with a genealogy of Christ - I suggest that each one of us can relate to this list because each of us have some relatives that are not to be too proud about. Nevertheless, He was born into this world for me and for you. I have accepted Him as my Saviour and I trust that you have as well, alternative please consider making Him your King and Lord. If you have for some reason shrugged Him off your life, please consider inviting Him again.

May you have a blessed Christmas.

Read More

SIYA KOLISI - ALL IT TAKES IS ONE PERSON TO RESTORE HOPE

All it takes is one person to restore hope! Wow! Do you believe that? I do.

SIYA KOLISI - SPRINGBOK CAPTAIN 2019

This is the message I got from our South African Springbok Captain during 2019 - it was one teached in his school that got thru to Siya. And as Siya says: "You must say yes to God. And then things will happen to you." Listen to his story by clicking on this link.

He tells his story with such humility and honesty and that is striking. When he grew up in Port Elizabeth, all his childhood heroes were drug lords and other criminals. He saw his dad physically abusing his mother. He was taken under his grandmother's wing and when he was hungry she would give him sugar water to drink. After that he went to bed and "pissed" his bed; then granny would give him a hiding. When he went to a certain school he received socks and his very own bed. How proud he was of these things whereas other boys took it for granted. He said God chose him and he said yes to God. One person at a time in his life made all the difference.

Are you making a difference in peoples lives. I am sure you do. Please tell me about it by writing me an e-letter at my e-mail address: neelscoertse@wirelessza.co.za

I would appreciate it to hear from you.

God bless and keep on making a difference in peoples lives.

Read More