Beyond the Rainbow (a future "work" by craig loc

‘BEYOND THE RAINBOW’ (A “FUTURE WORK” by craig lock)

Posted on October 7, 2010 by craiglock

“

Only when peace lives within us, will it live outside us

“Either we stayed as we were, trapped inside our fortress of paranoia, deformed by fear and greed, or we opened the door to Africa and set forth into the unknown.”

-Rian Malan (in his brilliant book ‘My Traitor’s Heart’ – page 413)

“From the depth of the valleys, in the deserts of despair, there is hope… as there is the unquenchable oasis of the human spirit… always.”

- craig

rainbow (+ lightning from wwwblogspot.com)

THE HOPE FOR PEACE

(or at least a more peaceful and better world)

“Hope is a state of mind, not of the world. Hope, in this deep and powerful sense, is not the same as joy that things are going well, or willingness to invest in enterprises that are obviously heading for success; but rather an ability to work for something because it is good.”

Vaclav Havel, Czech poet and former leader

For dearest mom and dad

Your spirits live on … forever

“Aim at heaven…

and you’ll have earth thrown in”

CS Lewis

Posted in books, future books, PEACE, South Africa | Tagged "inspirational, craig lock, empowerment", future books, spiritual | Leave a comment

It’s Not the Mountain We Conquer, but Ourselves”

Posted on December 7, 2010 by craiglock

Article Title: “It’s Not the Mountain We Conquer, but Ourselves”

Submitted by: Craig Lock

Key words (tags): Hope, Spirituality, Mind, Mind-power, Quotations, New books, Spiritual Growth, Spirituality, Faith, Inspiration, Words of inspiration, “Spiritual Thoughts”, Peace (enough there now, craig!).

Other Articles are available at: http://www.selfgrowth.com/articles/user/15565

and http://www.ideamarketers.com/library/profile.cfm?writerid=981

(Personal growth, self help, writing, internet marketing, spiritual, ‘spiritual writings’ (how ‘airey-fairey’), words of inspiration and money management, how boring now, craig!) Publishing Guidelines:

These are some notes I have jotted down over the years; so sharing some thoughts of “the spiritual journey”, which may be incuded in a new “work”, “a labour of love”. Just “planting, sowing and watering, some seeds” (not my unkept garden)… and hope they may be of interest. Enjoy.

These thoughts (as with all my articles) may be freely published, electronically or in print.

“We share what we know, so that we all may grow.”

“IT’S NOT THE MOUNTAIN WE CONQUER, BUT OURSELVES”

INTRODUCTORY COMMENTS

Here are some thoughts I’ve collected (instead of stamps or bottle-tops) and jotted down recently in my “little grey book”. Some of from authors unknown, and others mine, which may form part of a new work, true stories on HOPE and SPIRIT. These notes form part of a new manuscript, which I may name ‘BEYOND THE RAINBOW’

These are some of the notes (in point form) from thoughts and ideas that I’ve written down and collected over the years (some from authors and sources unknown), which may be of interest and get you “tinking” about these “airey-fairey matters”. Hope it’s not too “heavy heavy” for you and that these thoughts may be helpful, uplifting and perhaps even inspirational to you in your spiritual growth. Enjoy…

craig

“IT’S NOT THE MOUNTAIN WE CONQUER, BUT OURSELVES” (from ‘BEYOND THE RAINBOW’)

Find a new way of telling a story
THE MIND

“The mind is a lot stronger than the body.”
- US motor-cycle rider (Moto GP) Nicky Hayden
From success to significance

“Greatness is forged in the valley of adversity.”

“The greatest mountain we need to climb lies in our our own minds. It’s not the highest mountain that we conquer, but ourselves, our own mentality. Overcoming perceived limits to reach (attain) the pinnacle of our own minds.”
- craig (as inspired by the words of Sir Edmund Hillary, conquerer of Mount Everest (1919-2008)
“It’s not the mountain we conquer, but ourselves.”

SPIRITUAL THOUGHTS

“Aim at heaven and you’ll have earth thrown in. Aim at earth and you’ll hit neither.”
- CS Lewis

“In the midst of darkness, light exists (there is light)

Shine a light in the darkness.
“If these words are true, then God will make a way.”

“If this is from God, it WILL one day come to pass.”

“The most noble aspects of the human spirit, unrelenting and unquenchable in its search for freedom and justice.”
- fine writing by Rian Malan in his great book, ‘My Traitor’s Heart’

“I work for ALL humanity”

“I work for human rights for ALL.” (China, Myanmar (Burma???)

I have a passion for mutual tolerance and moderation

(“an extremist for tolerance and moderation”)

No physical or mental barrier can restrain the power (and strength) of the human spirit.

It’s a tribute to the tenacity of the human spirit.

MINE RESCUE RECONNECTS US TO THE BEST OF HUMAN SPIRIT

Miners story gripped the world, because it inspired.

“In an increasingly complex world, this was a tale that reminded the world of the enduring values of friendship, resilience, resolve, endurance, stoism and ingenuity.

Stories imbued with the spirit of such men have lost none of their ability to inspire countless people in extremely difficult situations around the globe.

“The only way God can speak to people on planet earth is through people (US and YOU).
- my good friend, “The Prophet”

As John Shelby Spong, former archbishop of Newark (very controversial in Christian circles) wrote in his book ‘Jesus for the Non Religious’:
“The real Jesus is the figure, the world, humanity needs today to lead it back to the ‘God experience’ on which Christianity was originally built.”

“I want to belong to God.”
- Mother Teresa

“I’m just a pencil in the hands of God.”
- Mother Teresa

“I think God exists.”
the words of famous German psyco-analayst, Carl Jung aged 18
“I KNOW God exists.”
- Carl Jung at age 80
*
PEACE

The principles you live by create the world we live in.

“Change can only happen when you change the hearts and minds of those who oppose you.”
- Kadeer (can’t recall her first name)

There are other ways to resolve conflict other than through war.

“Out of the ashes of defeat, she (he) arose in glorious triumph (victory)

NOTHING is impossible. Even peace is possible…one sunny day.

*
HOPE

“He who does not hope to win has already lost.”
- Jose Olmedo

“The country, South Africa survives, because of the strength, hope and optimism of its people.”???

Plant seeds of hope

“Faith is the light that guides you through the darkness.”
- Emmet Fox

“There are infinite possibilities in little beginnings.”

The word ‘esperanza’ = hope (in Spanish)

Shine a light in the darkness

“When you have hope in the heart, you’ll never walk alone.”

“From the depth of the valleys, in the deserts of despair, there is hope… as there is the unquenchable oasis, the immense breadth and depth of the human spirit… always.”

- craig

shared by craig (“incorrigible encourager and people-builder”)

About the Submitter:

Craig has a ‘passion’ for writing books that tell stories about people doing positive things in this often so hard, sometimes unkind world, occasionally cruel, yet always amazing world – true stories that leave the reader feeling uplifted, empowered and hopefully even inspired. Craig’s mission is to encourage people to believe in themselves and try to help inspire people around the world to achieve their goals and dreams in life, whatever they may be. http://members.tripod.com/~lock77/ www.craiglockbooks.com and www.selfgrowth.com/experts/craig_lock.html

The various books that Craig “felt inspired to write”are available at:
http://www.creativekiwis.com/books.html#craig and www.lulu.com/craiglock

“Together, one mind, one life at a time, let’s see how many people we can impact, encourage, empower, uplift and perhaps even inspire to reach their fullest potentials.”

THESE THOUGHTS MAY BE FREELY PUBLISHED

“When you have hope in the heart, you’ll never walk alone.”

“

Posted in Beyond the Rainbow, books, future books, Hope | Tagged "Spiritual Thoughts", craig!)., Faith, hope, inspiration, Mind, Mind-power, new books, Peace (enough there now, Quotations, Spiritual Growth, Spirituality, Words of inspiration | Leave a comment

‘BEYOND THE MIRACLE’ BY ALLISTER SPARKS: A BOOK “REVIEW”

Posted on November 13, 2010 by craiglock

‘BEYOND THE MIRACLE’ BY ALLISTER SPARKS: A BOOK “REVIEW”

Tags (key words): South Africa, books, good books, ‘Beyond the Miracle‘, Allister Sparks, book reviews

Sourced from

http://www.thenile.co.nz/books/Allister-Sparks/Beyond-the-Miracle-Inside-the-New-South-Africa/9781868421503/It is the dramatic story of how a handful of rookie politicians came ‘out of the bush’ – to use Mandela’s own phrase – to take over the running of a complex and deeply troubled country that they thought was richly endowed but in fact was almost bankrupt; of how they struggled to come to terms with an often hostile bureaucracy; and how above all they found themselves struggling not only with the complexities of their own society but also with the bewildering and often destabilizing forces of the new globalized economy. It is the story of singular triumphs and some distressing failures. South Africa still faces many problems, but it is also one of the most vibrant and exciting places on earth - and, as Sparks suggests, a microcosm of the world. For this is a country not only of white and black, but one where the impoverished meet the rich everyday, where Christians and Jews and Muslims and Hindus, sophisticated urbanites and tribal traditionalists, Zulus and Xhosas, English and Afrikaners, must all surmount their historical conflicts and find a common national identity. Mandela’s dream was of a nonracial democracy, and this book is a realistic assessment of the status of that dream as the new South Africa nears the end of its first decade. But Sparks also suggests that it is much more than that. South Africa also represents a unique negotiated resolution to a historical conflict that had its roots in rival claims to sovereignty over the same piece of national territory. Whose country is it? Both white Afrikaners and black Africans laid claim to South African sovereignty – one as a God-ordained right, the other by indigenous birthright. This is a conflict that repeats itself in many of the world’s most intractable trouble spots – between Israelis and Palestinians, Protestants and Catholics in Northern Island, Greeks and Turks in Cyprus. In that respect particularly, Sparks suggests that the great South African experiment is of abiding global importance.

From:

http://www.thenile.co.nz/books/Allister-Sparks/Beyond-the-Miracle-Inside-the-New-South-Africa/9781868421503/

PPS: As Sparks writes: ‘An equivalent settlement in the Middle East would see Israel, the West Bank and the Gaza Strip consolidated into a single secular state which, before long, would be ruled over by a Palestinian majority government and in which Jews could live in peace and security as a minority group.’

Shared by craig (“just another student of life”)“What we believe is not nearly as important as how we relate, interact with each other… and how we live. Only when we can say, ‘I am first and foremost a human being, and second a Jew, Muslim, Shi’ite, a Sunni, Christian or a Hindu …’ will we progress and break down barriers between peoples, countries and cultures. Let not our beliefs , but our shared humanity define who we really are. “

“As I share, I learn”The submitter’s blog (with extracts from his various writings: articles, books and new manuscripts) is at http://en.search.wordpress.com/?q=%22craig+lock%22&t=post and http://craiglock.wordpress.com

- craig

Posted in 'BEyond the Rainbow' by Allister Sparks, books, South Africa | Tagged Allister Sparks, ‘Beyond the Miracle‘, ‘Beyond the Rainbow’, book reviews, books, good books, South Africa | Leave a comment

Nothing is Impossible… perhaps PEACE is even one day POSSIBLE!

Posted on November 3, 2010 by craiglock

Article Title: Nothing is Impossible… perhaps PEACE is even one day POSSIBLE!

Author Name: Craig Lock
Category (key words/tags): “Inspiration”, peace, possibilities for peace, negotiation, peace negotiations, peace strategy, South Africa, inspirational writings.
Web sites: http://www.creativekiwis.com/books.html#craig and www.lulu.com/craiglock

The submitter’s blog (with extracts from his various writings: articles, books and new manuscripts) is at http://en.search.wordpress.com/?q=%22craig+lock%22&t=post and http://craiglock.wordpress.com Other Articles are available at: http://www.ideamarketers.com/library/profile.cfm?writerid=981+ http://www.selfgrowth.com/articles.html
(Personal growth, self help, writing, internet marketing, spiritual, ‘spiritual writings’ (how ‘airey-fairey’), words of inspiration and money management, how boring now, craig)
Publishing Guidelines:

This piece may be freely reproduced electronically or in print. All my articles (and quotations) may be freely published. If they help at all, or make any difference in people’s lives by bringing some joy, then I’m very happy.

NOTHING (ABSOLUTELY) NOTHING IS IMPOSSIBLE- PERHAPS EVEN PEACE IS ONE DAY POSSIBLE!

Ït’s only the ‘belief’ that circumstances seem impossible that makes them really appear so. Then it’s just a matter of changing our beliefs and the solutions WILL appear.”

- me

Some thoughts and reflections…

Contemplating the road that my country, South Africa took, here are a few personal thoughts on A MODEL, A STRATEGY FOR PEACE (or at least a more peaceful world) … and a possible road map ahead in the “trouble spots” around the globe. The South African peace negotiations template can serve as a model for facilitating peace efforts around the world TODAY, from the continent of Africa, Zimbabwe, to the Middle East, to Iran, to North Korea, Myanmar, even to Afghanistan.

There HAS to be another, a better way than the past in other conflict-riddled countries! Diplomatic, economic and international pressure (as long as it is united), I truly believe, IS the way to resolve nearly all conflicts and can work wonders. The path to peace, I believe starts with the resolve (absolute), moral WILL to effect change towards working towards a more peaceful and prosperous future…no matter the country. And (can I begin a sentence with an ‘and’?) this PROCESS comes about little by little through coaxing at times, encouragement at other times through economic rewards, effective and consistent pressure (it can be threats – the “carrot and stick” approach), “bargaining” and most importantly, negotiation. Yes, even talking with “perceived enemies”.

“There comes a moment in intractable disputes when someone or something turns existing thinking upside down to reveal an altogether new approach to resolution. Upending the chess board, as it is known in some political circles, can unlock minds and banish stalemate. It was evident in the end of apartheid in South Africa and the troubles in Northern Ireland and in the change in fortunes for American troops in Iraq once some Sunni insurgents were co-opted to the general cause of peace.” NB: Have hope, great and high, that the process WILL ultimately bear positive results and be successful to ALL parties. And so benefit ordinary citizens, as peace inevitably brings prosperity.

Out of a violent and bloody past, South Africa’s extraordinary relatively peaceful transition to democracy was a minor “miracle”… from epic injustice to a “negotiated revolution of epic reconciliation”.

from http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10633682

“South Africa’s ability to overcome deep divisions, to negotiate a common future and to commit itself to reconciliation and reconstruction offers new hope – not only to South Africa, but across the globe.”

South Africa showed that Peace is even one sunny day Possible

To end off, here are a few concluding thoughts…

An amazing transformation from out of the epic injustice of apartheid towards the tortuous tiny first steps of a “negotiated revolution“, ultimately arose an epic reconciliation. And those negotiations from epic injustice to a “negotiated revolution of epic reconciliation” birthed in the distant past leading relatively peacefully to a New Democratic South Africa are more than history; they are really relevant today. Because those early contacts between former enemies in the ‘beloved country’ have perhaps formed a ‘trailblazing and imaginative template’: for these kind of talks and negotiations to provide SOLUTIONS to endemic conflicts around the globe. With fortititude, resolve and especially the political and moral WILL by our leaders, the world WILL slowly become a more peaceful and better place for ALL of us.

NOTHING IS IMPOSSIBLE – PERHAPS EVEN PEACE IS ONE DAY POSSIBLE!

Craig Lock

Authors Note:

The above extract is from a new manuscript on which Craig Lock is currently “working” (or rather it’s “writing itself”). It is based on some true and inspiring tales of the indomitable human spirit, that lies within each one of us – stories of ‘Endless Possibilities’. The central theme of this new manuscript is the “ever-present great thought”… that somewhere “out there”, somehow in the future there exist endless possibilities. The ideal, the vision, the dream, is to usher in a new age to bring some more peace to a world “hell-bent” on destruction. This “story” can be read at different levels from the personal, to a national, international or “spiritual” perspective (“go as deep as you want”). And there are NO limitations to what we human beings can achieve, if we truly know WHERE we want to be. There IS a “spiritual solution” to every problem on earth.

“The greatness of a nation consists not so much in the number of it’s people or the extent of it’s territory as in the extent and justice of it’s compassion.”

- Inscription at the Horse Memorial in Port Elizabeth, for horses killed in the Anglo-Boer War (1899-1902).

P.S: I am reminded of something Mahatma Gandhi’s said not long before he was assassinated: “When I despair, I remember that all through history the way of truth and love has always won. There have been tyrants and murderers and for a time they seem invincible; but in the end, they always fall. Think of it, ALWAYS.”

“Love suffers long and is kind. Love does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails. And now abide faith, hope, love; but the greatest of these is love.” (1 Corinthians 13)

“There is only one thing that has power completely, and that is love. Because when a man loves, he seeks no power, and therefore he has power. Only strive for power, if it is not at the cost of other people. Power corrupts. You first have to be pure and righteous, before one can attain power. I believe that love is a greater force than power.”

- Alan Paton, great South African humanitarian and author of the classic ‘Cry the Beloved Country”

“The measure of love is to love without measure.” ~ Saint Augustine

About the author:
In his various writings Craig strives in some small way to break down social, cultural, religious and economic barriers. Craig believes that whilst we should celebrate our differences, what we share is way more important than what divides us.

The submitter’s new blog is at http://en.search.wordpress.com/?q=%22craig+lock%22&t=post and http://craiglock.wordpress.com

Craig Lock’s novel on South Africa that he “felt inspired to write” , ‘Over the Rainbow’ is available at: http://www.creativekiwis.com/books.html#craig and www.lulu.com/craiglock

A look at the many colourful peoples, who make up this diverse and vibrant society, as seen through the eyes of a newspaper reporter.

“YOU be the change you wish to see in others. Then in changing YOUR world you help change THE world.”

THESE THOUGHTS MAY BE FREELY PUBLISHED

Man is a great wall builder
The Berlin Wall
The Wailing Wall of Jerusalem
But the wall most impregnable
Has a moat
flowing with fright
around his heart

- Rian Malan (in his brilliant book ‘My Traitor’s Heart’)

“Trust can never be a fortress, a safe enclosure against life. Trusting is dangerous. But without trust there is no hope for love, and love is all we have to hold against the dark.”“What we believe is not nearly as important as how we relate, interact with each other… and how we live. Only when we can say, ‘I am first and foremost a human being, and second a Jew, Muslim, Shi’ite, a Sunni, Buddhist, Christian or a Hindu …’ will we progress and break down barriers between peoples, countries and cultures. Let not our beliefs , but our shared humanity (ALL of us) define who we really are. “

- craig

“When the world is filled with love, people’s hearts are overflowing with hope.”

– craig

“Here was light beyond the darkness, a tiny pencil-prick of dawning possibilities, causing just enough glow to show the way.”

- superb writing by Rian Malan in his compelling work ‘My Traitor’s Heart’

“Peace. it does not mean to be in a place where there is no noise, trouble or hard work. it means to be in the midst of those things and still be calm in your heart.”

- author unknown

A wall without windows for the spirit to breeze through
without a door for love to walk in.”

- OSWALD MTSHALI, Soweto (South African) poet
from ‘My Traitor’s Heart’ by Rian Malan (published by Vintage 1990)

“Either we stayed as we were, trapped inside our fortress of paranoia, deformed by fear and greed, or we opened the door to Africa and set forth into the unknown.”

Posted in future books, PEACE, South Africa | Tagged “Inspiration”, inspirational writings., negotiation, peace, peace negotiations, peace strategy, possibilities for peace, South Africa | Leave a comment

A Model, A Possible Template for Peace Negotiations Around the World

Posted on November 1, 2010 by craiglock

Article Title: A Model, A Possible Template for Peace Negotiations Around the World
Author Name: Craig Lock
Category (key words/tags): “Inspiration”, peace, possibilities for peace, negotiation, peace negotiations, peace strategy, South Africa, inspirational writings.
Web sites: http://www.creativekiwis.com/books.html#craig and www.lulu.com/craiglock

”We share what we know, so that we all may grow.”
*

A MODEL, A STRATEGY, A POSSIBLE TEMPLATE FOR PEACE NEGOTIATIONS AROUND THE GLOBE

A MODEL, A STRATEGY FOR PEACE

Some thoughts and reflections…

There HAS to be another, a better way than the past in other conflict-riddled countries! Diplomatic, economic and international pressure (as long as it is united), I truly believe, IS the way to resolve nearly all conflicts and can work wonders. The path to peace, I believe starts with the moral WILL to effect change towards working towards a more peaceful and prosperous future…no matter the country. And (can I begin a sentence with an ‘and’?) this PROCESS comes about little by little through coaxing at times, encouragement at other times through economic rewards, effective and consistent pressure (it can be threats – the “carrot and stick” approach), “bargaining” and most importantly, negotiation. Yes, even talking with “perceived enemies”.

So WHAT to DO?

* An initial contact and approach between adversaries (usually in secret)

* This then slowly opens channels (lines) of communication, leading to gradual acceptance by ‘ordinary’ people in “opressed, occupied and war-torn” countries.

* Use a multi-pronged approach (diverse) with many pressure points. “The “carrot and stick” approach, emphasising benefits, especially economic aid as positive reinforcement, rather than sanctions (largely ineffective as despots just “dig in” in the face of threats)… which leads to more stability. In time, the “scatter-gun” approach of ‘constructive engagement’ will naturally become way more FOCUSED.

* Leaders should see the peace process as an ongoing work in progress. Move negotiations forward in little steps through finding areas of consensus and developing these. TRY really hard!

* Even though there will inevitably be serious differences in position, work hard on narrowing these differences. In doing so a momentum to negotiations will be created. Then slowly, day by day, diligently working on the process of getting to see former adversaries and political rivals as human beings and not as terrorists on one side and “gangsters and brutal opressors” (and perhaps even the “devil”) on the other side. In so doing negotiators affirm another person’s shared HUMANITY.

* Make a commitment to your adversary to not go back in dealings. Make firm resolutions to move forward.

* Absolute COMMITMENT by ALL parties to the process of NEGOTIATION… which in due course will lead to a successful outcome… a “win-win” solution.

* Negotiating and resolving conflict takes HARD work. What is required is great effort, creativity and most importantly, IMAGINATION in solving seemingly impossible problems. Was it Einstein who once said that “imagination is more important than knowledge”? Also big doses of FLEXIBILITY and BOLDNESS. Risks have to be considered and taken…. so be brave in the face of uncertainty.

To end off, back to South Africa for a few concluding thoughts…

Craig Lock

Authors Note:

The above extract is from a new manuscript on which Craig Lock is currently “working” (or rather it’s “writing itself”). It is based on some true and inspiring tales of the indomitable human spirit, that lies within each one of us – stories of ‘Endless Possibilities’. The central theme of this new manuscript is the “ever-present great thought”… that somewhere “out there”, somehow in the future there exist endless possibilities. The ideal, the vision, the dream, is to usher in a new age to bring some more peace to a world “hell-bent” on destruction. This “story” can be read at different levels from the personal, to a national, international or “spiritual” perspective (“go as deep as you want”). And there are NO limitations to what we human beings can achieve, if we truly know WHERE we want to be. There IS a “spiritual solution” to every problem on earth.

“The greatness of a nation consists not so much in the number of it’s people or the extent of it’s territory as in the extent and justice of it’s compassion.”

- Inscription at the Horse Memorial in Port Elizabeth, for horses killed in the Anglo-Boer War (1899-1902).

- Alan Paton, great South African humanitarian and author of the classic ‘Cry the Beloved Country”

“The measure of love is to love without measure.” ~ Saint Augustine

The submitter’s new blog is at http://en.search.wordpress.com/?q=%22craig+lock%22&t=post and http://craiglock.wordpress.com

Craig Lock’s novel on South Africa that he “felt inspired to write” , ‘Over the Rainbow’ is available at: http://www.creativekiwis.com/books.html#craig and www.lulu.com/craiglock

A look at the many colourful peoples, who make up this diverse and vibrant society, as seen through the eyes of a newspaper reporter.

“YOU be the change you wish to see in others. Then in changing YOUR world you help change THE world.”

THESE THOUGHTS MAY BE FREELY PUBLISHED

Man is a great wall builder
The Berlin Wall
The Wailing Wall of Jerusalem
But the wall most impregnable
Has a moat
flowing with fright
around his heart

- Rian Malan (in his brilliant book ‘My Traitor’s Heart’)

“Trust can never be a fortress, a safe enclosure against life. Trusting is dangerous. But without trust there is no hope for love, and love is all we have to hold against the dark.”

“When the world is filled with love, people’s hearts are overflowing with hope.”

– craig

Creina Alcock (from the same compelling book)

NOTHING IS IMPOSSIBLE- PERHAPS EVEN PEACE IS POSSIBLE!

“Here was light beyond the darkness, a tiny pencil-prick of dawning possibilities, causing just enough glow to show the way.”

- superb writing by Rian Malan in his compelling work ‘My Traitor’s Heart’

A wall without windows for the spirit to breeze through
without a door for love to walk in.”

- OSWALD MTSHALI, Soweto (South African) poet
from ‘My Traitor’s Heart’ by Rian Malan (published by Vintage 1990)

“Either we stayed as we were, trapped inside our fortress of paranoia, deformed by fear and greed, or we opened the door to Africa and set forth into the unknown.”

from http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10633682

Posted in books, future books, PEACE, South Africa | Tagged “Inspiration”, inspirational writings., negotiation, peace, peace negotiations, peace strategy, possibilities for peace, South Africa | Leave a comment

THE DAWN OF HOPE

Posted on October 26, 2010 by craiglock

THE DAWN OF HOPE

“He who does not hope to win has already lost.”

- Jose Olmedo

“In the depth of the valleys there is hope. In the deserts of despair, there is the refreshing oasis of the human spirit…always.”

- craig

Esperanzo (esperanto?) = hope

SOUTH AFRICA

“Sport has the power to change the world. It has the power to inspire, the power to unite people that little else has…It is more powerful than governments in breaking down racial barriers.”

- the words of Nelson Mandela

“Here was light beyond the darkness, a tiny pencil-prick of dawning possibilities, causing just enough glow to show the rest of the way.”

- superb and powerful writing by Rian Malan in his compelling work, ‘My Traitor’s Heart’.

The most noble aspects of the human spirit – unquenchable in its search for freedom and justice.

“Either we stayed as we were, trapped inside our fortress of paranoia, deformed by fear and greed, or we opened the door to Africa… and set forth into the unknown.”

The country survives because of the strength and optomism of its people.

From out of the epic injustice of apartheid towards the tortuous tiny first steps of a “negotiated revolution”, ultimately arose an epic reconciliation.

WALLS

“Man is a great wall builder

The Berlin Wall

The Wailing Wall of Jerusalem

But the wall most impregnable

Has a moat

flowing with fright

around his heart

A wall without windows for the spirit to breeze through

without a door for love to walk in.”

- OSWALD MTSHALI, Soweto (South African) poet

from ‘My Traitor’s Heart’ by Rian Malan (published by Vintage 1990)

“The most noble aspects of the human spirit – unquenchable in its search for freedom and justice.”

- great writing by Rian Malan in his compelling book ‘My Traitor’s Heart’

Neil and Creina Alcock were pioneers in the country that South Africa would one day become. Their lives, together with a few other “true patriots heralded a new dawn) … for the country, the “dark continent”… and perhaps even for the world.

“Here was a light behind the despair, beyond the darkness. At first a flicker of an ember, just a tiny pin-prick of dawning possibilities. Then burning slowly, brightly and bigger, a glimmer, a candle in the blackness of despair, which gave off just enough of a glow (luminescence?) to light a path. And so show the rest of us the way ahead… a path to endless possibilities…from the darkness into the eternal light.”

as adapted (slightly) from Rian Malan’s powerful words in ‘My Traitor’s Heart’ (pg 413)

“Without trust, there is no hope for love and love is all we ever have to hold against the dark.”

- Creina Alcock

Posted in books, Hope, My Traitor's Heart by Rian Malan, South Africa | Tagged books, future books South Africa, heroes, hope, inspiration, love, My Traitor’s Heart, Neil and Creina Alcock, new books, Rian Malan, true patriots | Leave a comment

A NEW DAWN: THE DAWN OF HOPE AND LOVE

Posted on October 23, 2010 by craiglock

MY TRAITOR’S HEART by RIAN MALAN

BOOK THREE

Tags: South Africa, Neil and Creina Alcock, hope, love, My Traitor’s Heart, Rian Malan, books, new books, inspiration, heroes, true patriots

THE RATHER STRANGE LIVES OF TRUE WHITE AFRICANS: Neil and Creina Alcock

A NEW DAWN: THE DAWN OF HOPE AND LOVE

The final chapters of this compelling and passionate book cover the lives of on Neil and Creina Alcock, who lived among the Zulu. Theirs is a gripping story that embodies the whole book — but so do most of the stories . The book sobers; it stuns; it reminds one of what lies deep in the heart of the heart throughout the world: fear of the other, white fear of black and black fear of white. Probably no country on planet earth dramatizes that story more than South Africa.

Yet still a miracle that apartheid could be dismantled without even more bloodshed…

from epic injustice to epic reconciliation

“Trust can never be a fortress, a safe enclosure against life. Trusting is dangerous. But without trust there is no hope for love, and love is all we have to hold against the dark.”

-

Creina AlcockThere is, of course, a problem with love. On the one hand it seems to promise us everything, happiness, pleasure, a sense of security and well-being which nothing else on earth can provide; on the other hand it can let us down so easily and to such an extent that life becomes miserable and hardly worth living. Love can promise the world, but it can also be the cause of great unhappiness if its expectations are not met. Creina Alcock expresses well how she felt betrayed by her expectations of love, or rather by what she had been led to expect of love.

“I felt utterly betrayed by loving. All the things I had ever been told about love just weren’t true. It was full of false promises. I understood that love was a safety and a protection, and that if you loved you would be rewarded by someone loving you back, or at least not wanting to damage you. But it wasn’t true, any of it. I knew that if I stayed, this was how it was going to be: It would never get any better; it would stay the same or get worse. I thought if you’re really going to live in Africa, you have to be able to look at it and say, This is the way of love, down this road: Look at it hard. This is where it is going to lead you”

(Quoted in Rian Malan’s My Traitor’s Heart, Vintage International, 1991, p 409)

　

You could say that is precisely what Jesus did with his disciples when he told them that they must love. He made them take a good hard look at what it really means to love. In no uncertain terms he (Jesus) spells out for them what true love is all about. “I say to you that hear, love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you, …” There is certainly nothing soft or sentimental about that; they must love in the same way as God loves, who “is kind to the ungrateful and the selfish”. This is not a self-seeking love, nor a love which promises comfort.

Creina Alcock discovered that the hard way – “The path of love is not a path of comfort. It means going forward into the unknown with no guarantee of safety, even though you’re afraid. Trusting is dangerous, but without trust there is no hope for love, and love is all we ever have to hold against the dark.”

(ibid p 423)　

As adapted from

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2007/jun/24/southafrica.featuresand

http://articles.latimes.com/1990-02-08/news/vw-638_1_south-african/6****************

DIVIDED LOYALTIES

A Liberal Afrikaner Explores His Own ‘Racist Heart’ to Probe the Complexity of South African Apartheid

February 08, 1990|KATHERINE STEPHEN | Stephen is a free-lance writer based in Washington .

(Page 6 of 6)

The final third of Malan’s book deals with the poignant story of Neil and Creina Alcock–a story that is emblematic of Africa, Malan believes. The Alcocks, who after their treatment in Malan’s book may well become a legend in the West, have come as close as any white South African ever has to entering the reality of being black in their country.

Shedding virtually all the trappings of white society, the Alcocks lived in a mud hut by a river in one of the most inhospitable and hostile territories in South Africa, a place called Msinga (“The Place of Lost Grasses”). They devoted their lives to developing an agricultural co-operative, to helping Msinga become a productive place.

But in the end, Malan reports, Neil Alcock was murdered, caught between rival Zulu factions. His widow, Creina, continues to live in Msinga and has salvaged through incredible effort an existence for herself despite opposition from whites, blacks and the elements. If there is a hero or heroine in this bleak book, it is she.

Malan clearly admires Creina Alcock greatly, and yet he knows that her story is as frightening as it is inspiring: Even saint-like figures such as the Alcocks have suffered almost past endurance because of the chasm between blacks and whites.

As

Divided Soul

COLUMBIA JOURNALISM REVIEW — MARCH/APRIL 2008

From http://galbeckerman.wordpress.com/2008/03/20/divided-soul/

　

“The third and final section of My Traitor’s Heart is a parable: the story of Neil and Creina Alcock, white South Africans who decided that they would live in Africa on Africa’s terms, making a home in a parched region of Zululand called Msinga. There they devoted their lives to creating a cooperative farm and revitalizing the arid landscape.

By the time Malan went to visit, looking for answers, Neil had already been killed while trying to broker a truce between two local warring tribes. All the farm work had come to naught. Malan found the thin, weathered widow living in a mud hut, persisting in spite of all these setbacks. And Creina’s life offered a sliver of a solution to Malan’s paradox. He was forced to see that he had always been two people, “a Just White Man appalled by the cruelties Afrikaners inflicted on Africans, and an Afrikaner appalled by the cruelties Africans inflicted on each other, and might one day inflict on us. There were always these two paths open before me, these two forces tugging at my traitor’s heart.” The example of Creina Alcock, who had taken “the path that led into Africa, the path of no guarantees,” did not seem easy or even desirable. But Malan came to the conclusion that it was the only real path open to him.

In the end, it is Creina’s words that serve as a fitting coda for the book, and anticipate the relative stability of post-apartheid South Africa, which nobody could have imagined during the turmoil of 1986:

“Trust can never be a fortress, a safe enclosure against life. Trusting is dangerous. But without trust there is no hope for love, and love is all we have to hold against the dark.”

From http://galbeckerman.wordpress.com/2008/03/20/divided-soul/

Columbian Journalism Review

*****************

To dearest mom, Hazel, another child of Africa, another soul with the spirit of Creina… which lives on… forever

“Trust can never be a fortress, a safe enclosure against life. Trusting is dangerous. But without trust there is no hope for love, and love is all we have to hold against the dark.”“The path of love is not a path of comfort. It means going forward into the unknown with no guarantee of safety, even though you’re afraid. Trusting is dangerous, but without trust there is no hope for love, and love is all we ever have to hold against the dark.”

　

http://articles.latimes.com/1990-02-08/news/vw-638_1_south-african/6Creina Alcock suggested, the world ‘transcends defeat’ through love, and is transformed if only one voice connects through the silence.http://articles.latimes.com/1990-02-08/news/vw-638_1_south-african/6

Posted in future books, South Africa | Tagged books, heroes, hope, inspiration, love, My Traitor’s Heart, Neil and Creina Alcock, new books, Rian Malan, South Africa, true patriots | Leave a comment

LETTERS * (from THE LIFE APPLICATION STUDY BIBLE)

Posted on October 14, 2010 by craiglock

MY NOTES

Message of FAITH and FORGIVENESS

Enlarged Job’s concept of God

TACKLE NEW POSSIBILITIES… TODAY

“Humanity has a common soul.”

Jesus proclaimed the greatest possibility…

The immeasurable mercy and love of God.

Make God, the Creator of the universe as BIG as you can possibly conceive… unlimited.

Jesus is my path, my doorway to that God, because that is my experience. Jesus makes God real to me, within me. “There are infinite possibilities in little beginnings.”

In Jesus’s own life was the key of his nearness to God, that he expressed as no other coulds, the spirit and will of God.

The full flower that is the hope of the world may be found inthe figure and life of Jesus.

We become “humanised”. Through Jesus we realise our true humanity.

Look upwards and you go within.

The treasure house is within you. YOU are the light of the world.

Isiah 9:6

Matt 5:9

John 14:27

If these words are true, then God will make a way

craig

11th October in the year 2010

“There are infinite possiblilities in little beginnings

.”

LETTERS * (from THE LIFE APPLICATION STUDY BIBLE)

* FOLLOWS THE GOSPELS

　

　

Notes and comment sourced from the LIFE APPLICATION STUDY BIBLE published by Tyndall House Publishers, Inc, Wheaton, Ilinois, USA.

Key words: Life Application Bible, Tyndall House Publishers, Christianity, Bible, Letters

INTRODUCTION

Here are some of my notes from the Letters in the Life Application Study Bible (in point form). This material has been sourced from my studies, extracts and notes from LIFE APPLICATION STUDY BIBLE published by Tyndall House Publishers (1996)

As I research and study this excellent Bible (New Living translation) given to me by my good friend, Lindsay, ‘The Prophet”, I’m taking notes. And as I learn and grow spiritually… so in turn, am passing on these words of wisdom (eternal). I hope, I trust that they may encourage, empower, uplift and hopefully even perhaps inspire you as they do me. And this is my reason for sharing.

　

Thank you sincerely to the many contributers, as`well as Tyndall House Publishers for the immense work you have put into your inspiring ‘New Possibility Thinkers Bible’

and for encouraging me from the depths of despair to pursue my dreams through thinking endless possibilities through faith in Jesus Christ.

craig

“Only when you’ve been in the deepest valley can one know how magnificent it feels to stand on the highest peak.”- powerful and inspiring words from former US President, Richard Nixon *

“Aim at heaven and you’ll have earth thrown in.”

- CS Lewis

Here are some of my notes from the NEW TESTAMENT #

(which I’ll add to from time to time), which I find extremely helpful, encouraging, empowering and inspiring in my daily living…in every aspect of my life…TODAY and EVERYDAY

# New King James Version

“A life lived in the Spirit of Christ will never die.”

*

ACTS

Purpose:

To give an accurate account of the birth and growth of the Christian church. The church can be a vibrant agent for change.

Acts is the connecting link betwen Christ’s life and the Life of the church, between the Gospels and the Letters

Key verse:

“But when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, you will receive power and will tel people about me everywhere- in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”

(1:8)

　

After the resurrection of Jesus Christ, Peter breached boldly and performed many miracles. Because of the Holy Spirit, God’s people were empowered, so they could accomplish their taskjs. The Holy Spirit is available to empower believers… TODAY. We should turn to the Holy Spiritb to give us the strength, courage and insight toaccomplish our work for God.

The gospel could not be confined to one corner of the world. This was a faith that offered hope to ALL humanity.

Witness, love and serve.

*

ROMANS

Purpose: To introduce Paul to the Romans and to give a sample of his message before he arrives in Rome.

Paul presents the Good News:

Salvation is open to ALL. We are saved by grace (unearned, undeserved favor from God) through faith (complete trust) in Christ and his finished work.. Through Him we can stand before God, justified, “not guilty” (3:21 – 5:21)

KEY VERSE

“Therefore, since we have been made right in God’s sight by faith, we have peace with God because of what Jesus Christ our Lord has done for us” (5:1)

　

*

1 CORINTHIANS

Purpose

To identify problems in the Corinthian Church, to offer solutions, and to teach the believers how to live for Christ in a corrupt society.

Key Verse

“Now dear brothers and sisters, I appealk to you by the authority of the Lord Jesus Christ to stop arguing among yourselves. Let there be real harmony, so there won’t be divisions in the church. I plead with you to be of one mind, united in thought and purpose.” (1:10)

*

GALATIANS

We are saved by faith, not by the good that we do. Have you placed your whole trust and confidence in Christ? He alone can forgive you and bring you into a relationship with God.

When the Holy Spirit leads us, he produces his fruit in us. Just as we are saved by faith, not deeds, we also grow by faith.

*

EPHESIANS

To strengthen and encourage the churches in the area

Key Verses:

” We are all one body, we have the same Spirit, and we have all been called to the same glorious future. There is only one Lord, one faith, one baptism, and there is only one God and Father, who is over us all and in us all and living through us all” (4:4-6)

God’s Purpose

According to God’s eternal, loving plan, He directs, carries out and sustains our salvation.

Unity in Christ

　

PHILLIPIANS

Purpose

To thank the Phillipians for the gift they had sent Paul and to strengthen these believers by showing them that true joy comes from Jesus Christ alone. Paul wrote this letter to encourage them in their faith.

Key Verse

“Always be full of joy in the Lord. I say it again – rejoice!”

Happiness depends on happenings, but joy depends on Christ.

Be humble. Laying aside self-interest is essential for all our relationships. We are to take Christ’s attitude in serving others. We must renounce personalrecognition and merit. When we give up our self interest, we can serve with joy, love, and kindness.

　

We can have joy, even in hardship. Joy does not come from outward circumstances, but from inward strength. Followers of Christ get their joy from Christ within.

1.Joy in suffering

2.Joy in serving

3. Joy in berlieving

4. Joy in giving

　

What we put into our mind, determines what comes out in our words and actions. Paul tells us to program our mind with thoughts that are true, honourable, right, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent , and worthy of praise.

　

Focus all your energies towards winning the race. Spiritual exercise will help you grow in faith and character.

“For I can do everything with the help of Christ, who gives me the strength I need.” (4:13)

Can we really do everything? THe power we receive in union with Christ is sufficient to do his will and to face the challenges that arise from our commitment to doing it. Ask Christ to strengthen YOU!

“And this same God, who takes care of me will supply all your needs from his glorious riches, which have been given to us in Christ Jesus.” (4:19)

“May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit.”

(4:23)

*

COLOSSIANS

Purpose:

To combat errors in the church and show believers have everything they need in Christ, the fullness of God

The Author of Reconciliation. Basis of the believer’s hope. The source of a believer’s power for a new life.

In this letter Paul clearly teaches that Christ has paid for sin, that Christ has reconciled us to God… and that Christ gives us the power to grow spiritually and be all that we can become.

Union with Christ

Because our sin has been forgiven and we have been reconciled to God, we have a union with Christ that can never be broken.

Because Christ is God, he is head of the church

We must not cling to our own ideas and try to blend them into Christianity. Christ is our hope and our true source of wisdom.

*

1 THESSALONIANS

Purpose

To strengthen the Christian Thessalonians in their faith and give them the assurance of Christ’s return

Key Verse

“For since we believe that Jesus died and was raised to life again, we also believe that when Jesus comes, God will bring back with Jesus all the Christians who have died.” (4:14)

*

1 TIMOTHY

Purpose:

To give encouragement and instruction to Timothy, a young leader

To give practical advice to the ministry.

Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners.

“There is only one God and one Mediator who can reconcile God and people.” (2:6)

We human beings are seperated from God by sin, and only one person in the universew is our mediator and can stand between us and God and bring us together again – Jesus, who is both God and man. Jesus’s sacrifice brought new life to all people.

　

*

2 TIMOTHY

Paul passed on to Timothy the torch of leadership

　

Tells us to use his gifts with boldness, prepare others to follow him in the ministry, be disciplined and ready to endure suffering, keep his eyes and mind focussed on Christ.

Paul, the missionary apostle was a man of deep faith, undying love, constant hope, tenacious conviction, and profound insight. And he was inspired by the Holy Spirit to give us God’s message.

Paul and Timothy were active in preaching and teaching the Good News about Jesus Christ. Paul encouraged Timothy not only to carry thge torch of truth, but also to train others, passing on to them sound doctrine and enthusiasm for Christ’s mission.

　

“With the strength God gives you, be ready to suffer with me for the proclamation of the Good News.” (1:8)

“Teach these great truths to trustworthy peoplew, who are able to pass them on to others.” (2:2)

“It is God’s way of preparing us in every way, fully equipped for every good thing God wants us to do.” (3:17).

The purpose: to equip us to do good.

Paul’s final words…

“I have fought the (a) good fight, I have finished the race, and I have remained faithful. And now the prize awaits me – the crown of righteousness that the Lord, the righteousness Judge, will give me on that great day of his return. And the prize is not just for me, but for all who regularly look forward to his glorious return.” (4:7-8)

*

TITUS

Are you putting your faith into action by serving others?

PHILEMON

Purpose

To convince Philemon to forgive his runaway slave, Onesimus, and to accept him as a brother in the faith.

*

HEBREWS

Hebrews is a masterful document written to Jews who were evaluating Jesus or struggling with this new faith. The message of Hebrews is that Jesus is better, Christianity is superior, Christ is supreme and completely sufficient for salvation.

Purpose

To present the sufficiency and superiority of ChristKey Verse:

“The Son reflects God’s own glory, and everything about him reflects God exactly.” (1:3)

Jesus alone can forgive our sins

. He has secured our forgiveness and salvation by his death onthe cross.

Jesus guarantees our access to God, the Father. He intercedes for us, so that we can bodly come to the Father with our needs.

Christ removed sin. Jesus is the fulfilment and culmination of God’s revelation through the centuries.

“Let us run with endurance the race that God has set before us.”

(12:1)

Faith

Faith is confident trust in God’s promises. God’s greatest promise to us is that we can be saved through Jesus.

Endurance

Faith enables Christians to face trials – the commitment to stay true to God when we are under fire. Endurance builds character and leads to victory.

*

JAMES (the brother of Jesus and a leader in the Jerusalem church)

Purpose

To expose hypocritical practices and to teach right Christian behavior.

James says, it is not enough to talk the faith

WE MUST LIVE THE FAITH

Prove it by your actions!

Genuine faith will inevitably produce good deeds

Read James and become a doer of the Word (1:22-25)

Key Verse:

“Now someone may argue,

Some people have faith; others have good deeds.’ I say,

‘I can’t se your faith if you don’t have good deeds; but I will show you my faith through my good deeds.” (2:18)

　

Sincere service. Put our faith into action.

Love

one another.

Prayer is part of God’s healing process.

Be responsible for how we live each day.

Belief, faith, trust

*

1 PETER

Offer encouragement to suffering Christians

“These trials are only to test your faith.” … So if your faith remains strong after being tried by fiery trials, it will bring you much praise and glory and honour on the day when Jesus Christ is revealed to the whole world.” (1:7)

“Turn away from evil and do good.

Work hard at living in peace with others.

The eyes of the Lord watch over those who do right,

and his ears are open to their prayers.

But the Lord turns His face

against those who do evil” (3:11,12)

*

2 Peter

Purpose

To warn Christians about false teachers and to exhort them to grow in their faith in and knowledge of Christ.

To encourage followers.

Key Verse:

“As we know Jesus better, his divine power gives us everything we need for living a godly life. He has called us to receive his own glory and goodness.” (1:3)

Christ’s Return

One day Christ will create a new heaven and earth, where we will live forever. As Christians, our hope is in this promise. But with Christ’s return, comes his judgment on all who refuse to believe.

“Their words are like a light shining in a dark place – until the day Christ appears and his brilliant light shines in your hearts.” (1:19)

*

1 JOHN

Purpose:

To reassure Christians in their faith and to counter false teachings.

John is the apostle of love, and love is mentioned throughout this letter. Love is action – showing others we care- not just saying it. To show love we must give of our time and money to meet the needs of others.

John presents God as “life” (5:1-21)

John was written to let you know the reality of God through your faith in Christ.

1. God is light

Live in the light.

God is truth.

2. God is love

Discern false prophets.

3. God is life

Make the most of every opportunity

*

2 JOHN

Purpose

To emphasize the basics of following Christ – truth and love – and to warn against false teachers.

Christ is truth and love in person. Recommit yourself to being a person of truth, of love and of obedience

Watch out for false teachers.

Key Verse

“Love means doing what God has commanded us, and he has commanded us to love one another, just as you heard from the beginning.” (1:6)

*

3 JOHN

Purpose

To commend Gaius for his hospitality and to encourage him in his Christian life, his faith. John encourages Gaius to practice hospitality, continue to walk in the truth, and do what is right.

Generously giving to others. Love the truth and reflect Christ’s values in your relationships.

SUMMARY

Hospitality: John wrote to encourage those who were kind to others.

Faithfulness: Gaius and Demetrius were commended for their faithful work in the church. They were held up as examples of faithful, selfless servants.

*

JUDE (brother of Jesus and James)

Keep strong in the faith and oppose heresy.

Beware the danger of false teachers.

The duty to fight for God’s truth.

Amen

from LIFE APPLICATION STUDY BIBLE published by Tyndall House Publishers (1996)

　

“Lord,

Make my life a window for Your light to shine through, a mirror to reflect Your love to everyone I meet.”

Shared by craig (“just another nobody for Jesus”)

“I’m just a pencil in the hands of God.”

- Mother Teresa

God IS blessing you

“What we are is God’s gift to us.

What we become is our gift to God.”

This piece may be published with acknowledgment to the source, thanks

Posted in books, Christianty | Tagged Bible, Christianity, Letters, Life Application Bible, Tyndall House Publishers | Leave a comment

Beyond the Rainbow (a future "work" by craig loc