Sometimes we blame ourselves for not doing something right… sometimes we blame others… sometimes we blame the elements, the animals, the plants, society in general, religion… something or someone has to be to blame for things not working.  But often, if you are like me, you will blame yourself… you did not prepare enough… you did not get the right team together … you did not communicate the objective to the team well enough… your plan was not good enough… and on and on.

Yet, very often we forget that no matter what plans we make, it is through God that things work for the best … in fact, if we rather chose to follow God’s plan through prayer, God’s plan is more complete than we can perceive.  We fail to see that a single step of God’s plan touches everything in our lives in one go, and so deeply that we can only stand in awe.  We forget that without God, our plans are empty and even if they succeed as we perceived, they are very often sources of satisfaction only for a short time.  Not long after, we will go in search of another plan that we hope will bring us the kind of happiness or joy that we seek.

God's beautiful Garden lighting up in the morning

It took a long time, but I finally understood that God knows the right path always, and if we involve Him in our plans, we are more likely to find the right path if we take heed of what He says.  It is in giving God the role of being our Father and Guide that we find our paths straight and our days organized so well that we end the day amazed at what we have been able to achieve, give and receive… and when we think about it more deeply, we begin to see the effect it has had in other areas of our lives we did not expect, and in the lives of others as well.

Yes, it is amazing to find that always, God’s blessing to me, is a blessing to others as well, both directly and indirectly … from the person that realizes God’s power, love and mercy and draws closer to Him from seeing God’s blessing to me … to the person that also receives the same blessing at the same time… a blessing that is so complete that we cannot fathom it all except by slowly realizing that we are reaping and reaping and reaping the fruits of that one blessing for a long time and in many ways… every day finding new joy which only God can give.

For sure that is infinitely better than the short lived joy of completing my own so called wonderful plan that does not involve God in any way at all.  Yes, God’s plan is always complete, will always succeed, and will always grant joy and blessings in many different ways for you and those connected to you.

I thank God for teaching me to follow His way, and as I continue to strive to follow Him and seek His guidance in all my plans, I know this will make my stay in His great and beautiful Garden exactly as He has created it to be for me.  Will you join me?

God's beautiful Sunrise ... in the Garden

Come … walk with me in the Garden.

Copyright © 2012, Ophelia Swai. All Rights Reserved.

A beautiful lake ... in the Garden

To get to the lake shore one had to go down a steep slope running about 100m down. 

It seemed easy at first… the slope was gentle.  Then as we got closer to the lake surface itself, our guide gently informed us that there were going to be some tough spots and we were to watch exactly where he stepped, and step at those exact positions lest we go tumbling down to the lake shore quite unceremoniously and painfully.

My tough veneer was beginning to fade as the short walk grew tougher…. going downhill is not so easy at all, I thought… and the care we had to take stepping carefully behind our guide took its toll.  I was breathing heavily and my moccasins (certainly not made for climbing or going down steep slopes) began to pinch my toes.  I wondered how it would be going back up if going down was this tough, but somehow, I kept the pace.

We reached the bottom of the slope and onto the lake shore itself where cool waters on my feet finally eased the pain of the pinching shoes.  The view from the shores of the lake was just as beautiful as at the top, but with the added cool breeze and crystal clear water splashing against the rocks and onto my feet, this was certainly better than the top.

The walk down had been worth it. If only we could set up camp here so that we did not have to go back up.  This place was peaceful and safe, and was so much cooler than the hot, breeze-free top.

Eventually, we had to go back up… and it was surprisingly easier… until the muscles I never knew existed presented themselves the next day… 

Now that the muscles are no longer making themselves felt, I begin to ponder at the phenomenon of the difficulty of the downhill walk.  So often we think of a climb being more difficult, but as I found out, sometimes, it is the going down that is more difficult.  Yet it is possible to find a place at the bottom of that slope that is better than anything you ever thought possible… a place that is filled with the awesome power and beauty of God’s creation, a place that is a manifestation of His love and blessings beyond anything you could ever have imagined.

Sometimes going down is harder than climbing up ... in the Garden

So I look at our lives today… where we work tirelessly and endlessly looking for our best way up the ladder of success, fame, fortune, happiness.  We have convinced ourselves that the only way to true happiness is up this ladder that we have ourselves created.  Yet, God’s blessings come in many forms and in many places, if only we believe in Him, trust in Him and obey Him.

Yes… sometimes it may look like we are going down the ladder of success, fame, fortune, and happiness.  By human standards and understanding, this downward slide cannot bring us to those things, yet it is right at the foot of that slope that God’s heavenly blessings are revealed… and you may never want to leave that place again … for He will show you His love, mercy, blessings, happiness, and peace beyond anything you could ever have imagined.

I have put my faith and trust in God, and know that as I obey Him, He will show me the right way to that which He has already laid out for me… wherever that may be.  I am walking closely with God in the Garden.  Will you join me?

Come … walk with me in the Garden

Copyright © 2012, Ophelia Swai. All Rights Reserved.

A different place ... in the Garden

It is another Sunday afternoon, after a cool morning sunrise …  in a different place … a different time … a different environment.  The silent Giraffe is far away now, but the birds continue to chirp as they fly from tree to tree in search of their God-given food… their daily bread … and God’s loving presence remains constant in this great big Garden that He created.

In every corner of the Garden, it is the same… a little peace, a little quiet… and the presence of God is manifested deep inside you, to bring you a taste of the joy He brings that is everlasting.

Stop for a moment … listen.  God’s peace is there for you to receive… if only you stop for a moment,  listen, and do God’s will … in the Garden.

Stop for a moment ... in the Garden

Come … walk with me in the Garden

Copyright © 2011, Ophelia Swai. All Rights Reserved.

Do you remember the Dikdik that trusted me enough to turn back to his meal under the false marula tree as I walked into my home less than 5 meters away? He was only able to do this because he had developed an understanding that I had no negative intention towards him… after many days of watching me as I walked in and out of my home in my little corner of the Garden. Only then could he develop the trust he needed to continue with his meal in peace… that trust which we all need to be able live with those around us in peace.

Trusting Dikdik ... in the Garden

So I ask you again: “What is your intention? To take care of your spouse and children in the light of God or to have people around you that can take care of your needs and desires?”

“What is your intention? To make the most amount of money you can make, or to provide a service that will help someone and make their life better than it is?”

“What is your intention? To be recognized as a person of great fame, or to share your talent in a way that makes another’s heart sing with joy at the gift that God gives through your talent?”

No… I do not mean that you should do what you do for free… I just ask what your intention is as you do it.

So often we go astray. We seek to do God’s will, but fail to recognize our heart’s true intention. As we forge ahead in the path of life, we often find we have made a mistake and should have gone a different way… like a wildebeest so intent on chewing on his favorite grass that he does not realize the rest of the migration has left his path and gone another way … leaving him alone and more vulnerable to prey than he could ever have intended.

Vulnerable ... in the Garden

It is not often we stop to ask ourselves this before any action we take… and so often we find ourselves walking on a path that is in conflict with God. So often we find that our intention to serve God has ended up putting us in a bad place… because our hearts and minds were not in synch … we sought to do one thing, but did another, because we had not understood our true intention in choosing the path to take.

Yet, it is only through God that we can truly find our way to that peace and lasting happiness that we all seek so passionately… even as we fulfill His will in someone else’s life.

It is only through God, that we can forge a path that builds us yet also builds those around us … through the love that God fills in our hearts and lives… that ever steadily grows and strengthens us to have the right heart and the right intention in all things … and that grants us a true life of peace with those around us in His great and beautiful Garden.

Do you know your true intention? I know I do not want to find myself lost and vulnerable to prey because I did not know my true intention and did not make sure to steer it correctly. I know that by steering my heart towards the right intention of loving God with all my heart, soul, mind and strength and loving my neighbor as myself in all my works, I will have taken the first step towards fulfilling God’s purpose in my life and receiving His blessing of lasting peace.

So … I am doing my best to have the right intention in my daily work and life ahead, and walk ever more fully in God’s light in the Garden.

Will you join me?

Come … walk with me in the Garden.

A new sunrise ... in the Garden

Copyright © 2011, Ophelia Swai. All Rights Reserved.

So I stepped out for a walk whilst pondering.  The rains have been very late this year … there was a team from the municipal council that had been trying to expand and level the road a little to make it passable …  then the rains began and the road project had to stop.  However, a week later, the sun came out again and for 3 days there had been no rain… and no work on the road again.

Why were they not acting quickly? The rains were supposed to be running continuously and this break was a big opportunity… the rain would be back any minute, and the 4 wheel vehicles that were getting stuck during the rains had made such big ruts that no saloon vehicle could use that road again.  If it rained, there was no leaving or coming to this place except on foot.  As the thoughts ran round in my head, I jokingly asked an older gentleman in the garden whether I should pray for rain or for the road to be fixed.

He thought for a while, and then wisely said, “Rain is needed by every living thing … man, animals, birds, plants… every living thing needs water to live.”  He took a deep breath, then continued to say, “Yet the road is used by everybody and when it is in good condition it brings about development.” He repeated these 2 statements over and over again, as though weighing them, yet I could already see the answer he had given me.  The road would serve me and the few that needed to use it… the rain would serve every living thing within reach of it… and it would definitely cover more ground than that half kilometer stretch of road. 

I thought to myself, how wise he is, and immediately resolved to pray for rain. I would find another way to get to Church on Sunday.  Half a kilometer is not the end of the world even on a steep slippery slope.

So I prayed for rain … and continue to pray.

There is still no rain 5 days after it stopped, but the municipal council officials returned instead … on the very next day … the evening before Sunday …  and as the older gentleman in the Garden excitedly told me, they had made the road so smooth, that to him it was smooth as glass!

Smooth as glass? ... in the Garden

I know that God understood exactly what was going inside of me and I thank Him for showing me how selfish I was being… and for understanding me and loving me enough to still grant me my other wish, once I resolved to stop being selfish.  I thank Him for also showing me that when one prays for the right things, He will grant you the rest, for He knows exactly what you need… even more than you do yourself.

So … I continue to pray for rain, so that all of God’s creation can benefit, and experience the love and mercy of God that we need.  I pray too for God’s wisdom … the He may use it to guide me through life on the road ahead … in His light … always.  Will you join me?

Come … walk with me in the Garden ®

Copyright © 2011, Ophelia Swai. All Rights Reserved.

The sun rises at the right time ... in the Garden

When the sun rises, it is the right time… when the wildebeest gives birth, it is the right time… when the elephant gives birth, it is the right time… and when a woman gives birth, it is the right time.

The wildebeest gives birth at the right time ... in the Garden

As with nature, so is life in faith.  Before God, everything is right in its time… sometimes to give us a blessing, sometimes to mould us, sometimes to teach us a lesson that we need in order to grow in faith in Him. 

Many times we feel that God takes too long to answer our prayers, and grant us our blessings… after all, did He not say that we should ask and we shall receive?  Yet, we also have a role to play in determining that time…yes, it is possible to determine that time through our acceptance of God’s way more fully each day.

The more we follow God’s way, the faster we will accomplish His will… the faster we learn that lesson we need to receive in order to properly appreciate that which God gives.  The sooner we learn what we need to learn,  and the sooner we begin to live according to the lesson He has taught us, the sooner He will show us our next step, our next blessing … the answers to our questions

… because God is not a God of disorder, but a God of order. 

Through God’s gentle lessons, through listening to His direction, through following God’s commandments, we find ourselves in a place where we understand so clearly where we are to go, and what we are to do, that we are able to quickly accomplish the lesson, the task, the purpose which God knows we need to accomplish… before He presents to us what we truly need, and have asked for. 

It is only after learning that lesson, or accomplishing that task that we will fully understand what God is giving us.  It is only after we pass through the steps God knows we need to go through that God answers our prayers… in a way that is greater and more blessing than anything we could ever have imagined… because we have taken the steps we need to take to understand the blessing more fully. 

Yes, it is only after we allow God to mould us according to His will, that our eyes finally open, and we begin to see the blessings that God has had before us all along the way … and the plan He had put in place for us long before we even imagined it.  Indeed, it is by learning and living according to God’s gentle lessons that He opens our eyes to see His blessings that He has already given us.

That time… time it takes between our prayers and the answers that God gives, is the time it takes for us to learn God’s way and live in His light enough to recognize His blessings and His answers, in and around us, that were there in any case in a more beautiful way than we could ever have imagined.

It is not always easy to stop and listen, or even follow God’s commandments… and there are many distractions along the way… yet… God’s gentle voice of guidance remains, calling us to listen to him and do His will, fulfill His commandments and so be healed.

It is wonderful to walk with God in the Garden… do you want to join me?

Come … walk with me in the Garden.

Copyright © 2011, Ophelia Swai. All Rights Reserved.

Mellow and gentle … at the crack of dawn … in the Garden

It is not often that I get to sit and write a story when I am away from my little corner of the Garden.  Yet it is at times like these that I realize just how beautiful that little corner really is.  I have often wondered what I would write about if it were not for that beautiful corner of the Garden, and all the love and lessons it gives to me.  Yet, here I am, filled with love and trusting that by God’s grace, there will be a lesson in this experience of life for me still.

The corner of the Garden that I am usually in is very mellow, and gentle.  Don’t get me wrong … the humans are rushing about in typical fashion, but all the while, the tall giraffe looks on… bemused at all the goings on… then dashes off if any human gets too close.  The elephants go on about their business, not caring very much for what the humans are doing… until the humans begin to make a noise, at which point they pointedly move away, almost running from the distraction that the noise represents.  You see, elephants are really and truly gentle creatures, great and strong though they may be… as gentle as all strong people should be.  Gentle because they need not show that they have strength, for they know they have it and can use it if need be… only if need be, and for the right reasons if need be.

Strong yet gentle ... in the Garden

Would it not be wonderful if we all recognized our incredible strength within and did not feel the need to prove it?  Can you imagine what impact this would bring to our wonderful Garden?  Can you imagine what it would be like if no leaders felt they have to prove their strength by maiming and killing those who do not have their kind of strength … if no leaders felt the need to prove how strong and powerful they can be?

Wouldn’t it be wonderful in the Garden if more leaders would recognize their inner strengths and use them positively to lead those they lead towards prosperity?  Would it not be wonderful if they did this rather than spend their life trying to prove how strong they can be through beating other leaders down using every means available to them?

What about the parents who use one another and their children as verbal and physical punching bags? Wouldn’t it be wonderful if they recognized their inner strengths and realized they did not need to beat anyone down to prove themselves to be men or women of power?  Would it not be wonderful if they would instead use their God given strengths to build their families and raise their children lovingly in God’s light?

Maybe this is too simplistic… and I am clearly only scratching the surface on this … yet I feel that just taking that one step of accepting your strength within, knowing it, understanding it, and then using it positively, can bring such immense change in our corners of the Garden that all the other sources of pain could more easily begin to fall away as well.

I know I still have a long way to go, but as I walk gently, and steadily through the Garden, I believe, I will find a place of true peace … and even if events around me seem aimed at creating unnecessary distractions in my life, I can chose to walk away with God to guide me as to the best path to take in peace. 

From God’s creation – the elephant – I have learnt another wonderful lesson … to walk away from noise, in search of true peace… and to understand my strengths, be confident in them, and use them positively for the glory of God, for the good of my soul, for the love of God, and for the love of my neighbor as myself.

I am making a choice for peace today… will you join me?

Oh so beautiful ... sunset glowing in peace ... in the Garden

Come … walk with me in the Garden

Copyright © 2011, Ophelia Swai. All Rights Reserved.

A few seconds later someone mentions the elephants and I look to my left to realize that we had stopped and stepped out of the vehicle like people from the city… only caring about whether we were obstructing other vehicles, but totally forgetting the place we were in.  The elephants had been there all the time…hmmm I wonder what would have happened if we had found we had a flat wheel… and then noticed them only a short distance away…

The elephants are busy munching on the trees and stripping the bark as I slowly drive past.  The dust raised from my vehicle wheels almost reaches them, but they are not irritated.  There is a male Thompson Gazelle that is bang in the middle of the road and has turned towards me, almost daring me … I edge forward and he slowly gets off the road with his head held high … almost as if to say: “You know you can’t touch me.” 

You know you cannot touch me ... in the Garden

I edge past him and continue on my way.  The team with me is talking about adventures in the Garden and all the theories people have about how to tackle an encounter with a wild animal… until they have an encounter themselves… then all the macho drains out of their system and they either fall flat on the ground, or disappear faster than any of their friends can say jack sprat… only to find out that the scuffle they heard from the bush was just a rabbit… Hilarious! 

Or the ones who make a bush-stop for breakfast and only realize that they had the company of a pride of lions (please note… a pride, not a bunch, not a troop, and certainly not a group) on the other side of the bush the whole time…after they finish breakfast… hmmm… who wants to become breakfast?

The pride under the fallen tree ... in the Garden

But then the journey ends. We are at our destination and work begins again…. The network signal strength needs to be increased… and soon, another beautiful day is ending in this great and beautiful corner of God’s Garden.

Wanna share my life?

Come… walk with me in the Garden

Copyright © 2011, Ophelia Swai. All Rights Reserved.

Yet I cannot help but remember that they and their specie kin are the masters of delegation… the queen reproduces, the gatherers go out and search for food, the builders build… none does everything, and every one of them does their very best at what they are supposed to do to keep the colony living in peace… ever at work and ever growing and ever keeping any threat at bay.

As the rain patters down on thirsty soil outside, I begin to think about the many things I have decided I can do myself… because I am the only one I can trust to do it correctly… because everyone else is so busy… because I have not had time to show them how to do it… giving myself excuses and more excuses, as I do my very best to force the time envelope to stretch ever more each day.

What makes me think I am the only one with the talent to do anything?  What makes me think ‘they’ can’t make the time to do something for me if I let them know the value of it?  Most important of all, what if I taught someone how to do it and then never had to do it again?  Would that not free me up for other things?  Is that not a better choice than tying myself down to mundane repeated activities daily?

Clearly it is time to take a lesson from God’s creation again.  If only I could have seen it sooner and recognized my mistake … and jumped off that supersonic jet more quickly.  I am getting off now, and taking time to take in more of God’s beautiful creation and learn even more lessons from it…perhaps a whole new way to stretch that fast paced time envelope.

Enjoying more of Gods creation ... in the Garden

Wanna join me?

Much better ... in the Garden

Come … walk with me in the Garden

Copyright © 2011, Ophelia Swai. All Rights Reserved.

Therefore, serve God in all that you do and you will not be disappointed… look beyond the horizon for a treasure that will not fade… Your thoughts?

Beyond the horizon ... in the Garden

Come … walk with me in the Garden

Copyright © 2011, Ophelia Swai. All Rights Reserved.