June
Blue Mind
(With gratitude to Dr Wallace J. Nichols who teaches on red and blue mind and how much in need we are of water to revive us.)
From outer space
A view of
ONE
blue, marble-like earth-planet,
mostly made of water and
billions of human specs,
mostly made of water
with each a brain,
mostly made of water.
ONLY ONE PLANET.
Water is medicine for ‘red’, over stimulated, tired minds and bodies. We are promised life from the Fountain that never runs dry and our personal deserts are not without wells – drops of ‘water’ to revive us. We just need to see.
Photographer: Stiaan du Plessis
Our spot (Europe) on this ‘blue marble planet’ is heating up. We had our first heat wave of the season with code red announced, schools closed, people dying, wild fires consuming and retailers of air conditioners and fans running out of stock.
Things are heating up in the European Parliament in Brussels. The member states struggle to agree in choosing the new president and other candidates for key positions within parliament.
But water is healing to our ‘red minds and bodies’. We go to water to be alone, to relax, to create, for love and romance and even a touch of nostalgia.
Photographer: Stiaan du Plessis
Photograper: Stiaan du Plessis
Zinkwazi Beach, South Africa
Our personal ‘go-to water’ was an apartment on the Opal coast of France overlooking the broad walk, the beach and the sea. The coastline is dotted with the remainders of the Great War. And now, 75 years after horrific D-Day, British, French and Germans kite surf together on windy days. And I was wondering if there might have been maybe some German soldiers, whilst guarding the channel from a bunker, also stood in awe at the magnificent display of sunsets, maybe a ‘go-to water’ moment…
We were awed (like the visiting toddlers) at the colorful, delicate heart of the ocean at Europe’s biggest aquarium in Boulogne-sur-Mer. (The visiting teenagers raced through noisily and were mostly interested in taking ‘selfies’.) Man, plants, animals, sea and solar system are all brilliantly, intricately, mysteriously inter-connected. Whatever good or bad happens with the one, affects ALL the other!
Hopefully Wim and the message he shares, were like a stream of fresh cold water from the water fountain we use to drink from at school, long before water came in plastic bottles. He shared with students in Paris for a week, spoke at our church and a small congregation in Flanders and to a group of lay counsellors in training at our church.
‘Fresh water’ from the southern hemisphere (South Africa) were inaugurated as senior pastor and his wife at our local church. May the retiring couple find their waters of rest for the new season in their life. We honour them for freely giving water to us all.
The leaders of our 4 YWAM ministry locations in Belgium came together to share life – a drop, hopefully creating a refreshing pond for others.
*
Looking from outer space, even deserts are surrounded by water. This is how it was made. We stand in awe and wonder, grateful to be part of it all – connected as one living community.
May we see the true value of ALL our water.
