WHAT MADE US FEEL GOOD THIS WEEK?


Wednesday, August 29, 2012

Pastor Mosa Sono In Fine Form This Past Sunday

   Arguably one of the best sermons I have ever heard him deliver since I started attending Grace Bible Church. This past Sunday Pastor Sono was in his element during the 9.00am service.
   The subject of the sermon was about staying on to finish the race, even when your fellow runners have long tired of running. Pastor Sono implored us to stay and finish the course in the service of the Lord. If we do, we will be richly rewarded.
   He gave an example of the well known evangelist - Billy Graham. When Billy Graham started in the ministry there were two other preachers who were also starting out. These two gentlemen, it was generally agreed at the time, were going to make a big impact in the evangelical field. They were considered future superstars.
   But along the way these two future stars fizzled out. Because of one reason or another these two contemporaries of Billy Graham could not stay the course. In the end, of the three preachers who started out together, Billy Graham was the the only man left standing. He had shown true commitment to the cause of evangelism. And this is probably why today we are more aware of Billy Graham and his work, than we are aware of the two other gentlemen who started with him.
   The delivery and the content of this sermon were from the top drawer. Not to mention the Pastor's singing(on occasion). This was inspiration at its finest.


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THANK YOU UNIVERSE. THANK YOU FOR OUR 'FEEL GOOD MOMENTS'.

                                        =======================

SO, SOUTH AFRICA AND THE WORLD OUT THERE, WHAT MADE YOU FEEL
GOOD THIS WEEK?

Let us know at - feelgoodmovement@gmail.com
=====================================
Learn the Exact Formula




            




                        

Sunday, July 8, 2012

Oscar 'Wa Rona' Is Going To The London Olympics

Our wish has been granted, ladies and gentlemen.
   Oscar 'Blade Runner' Pristorius has been included in the South African team of athletes going to the London Olympics.
   In our post last year about Oscar - ''Oscar 'The Blade Runner' Making It At Last"(a post that is also in our book - FEELING GOOD) - we had been happy for him  when he finally managed to run an Olympic qualifying time(of sub-45.30 secs) in a 400m race meet. We had then expressed our wish for him to make the South African Olympic team (by being able to run a second sub-45.30 secs time in another 400m race meet, as it was required by our athletic sports authorities). We felt that as someone trying to make history by being the first disabled athlete to take part in the able-bodied Olympics, Oscar needed all the support he can get. 
   As it later turned out, however, Oscar was never able to run another sub-45.30 secs time in a 400m race. He had tried really hard to run this sub-45.30 secs time again in  several meets leading up to London, but without success. In his last failed attempt, Oscar himself had admitted 
defeat( The Citizen, 5th July 2012).
   It was a pleasant surprise, therefore, to hear that our athletic sports bodies(Athletics South Africa and Sascoc) had included Oscar in the SA team, despite him not qualifying for inclusion in the strict sense of the word. 
   We see Oscars's inclusion in the SA Olympic team as a form of reward by the SA athletic sports authorities for his brave attempts to qualify for the able-bodied athletes Olympics. We think this inclusion is also a reward from God and the Universe. One's hard work and sacrifices in trying to achieve a dream are never in vain. The payoff can come in unexpected ways.

                                 =============================          

THANK YOU UNIVERSE. THANK YOU FOR OUR 'FEEL GOOD MOMENTS'.

                                        =======================

SO, SOUTH AFRICA AND THE WORLD OUT THERE, WHAT MADE YOU FEEL
GOOD THIS WEEK?

Let us know at - feelgoodmovement@gmail.com
=====================================
Learn the Exact Formula




========             

Sunday, July 1, 2012

The DREAMS DO COME TRUE(DDCT) Tour - Part 7, Pick'n Pay(Protea North)

   This was the first time I had ventured into the supermarket worker territory. This industry is heavily unionized. For example, from the beginning to the finish of arranging this DDCT talk, I only dealt with union(saccawu) shop stewards, as opposed to management like it was the case with the other places I have given motivational talks at. After I had finalized the talk date with the shop stewards, it was only then that management was informed of my coming to the premises to give a talk.        
   The DDCT Talk was not going to stand by itself. I had to give this talk during a general workers' meeting. Work issues came first in such an arrangement. The visiting speaker comes in at the end of the meeting if there is still time. As it happened, on my first visit to this Pick'n Pay store the DDCT Talk never took place as per plan. Then I had arrived nice and early(7.30am) and was ready to do my thing, but only to discover that for this meeting there were just too many work issues to be discussed. We had to reschedule my motivational talk for another day.
   And that day was this week. Even this week the meeting was still choc-a-block with issues. I was fortunate to be squizzed in. It was still under tight conditions though. From the 20 minutes (or so) I  
was prepared for, I ended up getting only 3 minutes. I gave it my best shot.
   After my brief motivational talk, we closed the meeting the only way comrades do. We closed it by singing the national anthem - 'Nkosi Sikelela'. And here I must admit, with shame, that 18 years after democracy here in South Africa, I am still not well versed with the Afrikaans lyrics of our national anthem. This is something that needs to be urgently rectified.

                                            SOME THANK YOU's   

Tebogo & Sipho(my union contacts) - for helping me put this gig together.

Kayi - for your enthusiasm for my positive thinking message.

sis Thandi - for promising to support us by buying our FGM blog book.

sis Annie Hlongwane - for okaying this Talk.

Pick'n Pay staff(comrades) - for you time.                                                                           


                                        ======================

THANK YOU UNIVERSE. THANK YOU FOR OUR 'FEEL GOOD MOMENTS'.

                                        =======================

SO, SOUTH AFRICA AND THE WORLD OUT THERE, WHAT MADE YOU FEEL
GOOD THIS WEEK?

Let us know at - feelgoodmovement@gmail.com
=====================================
Learn the Exact Formula




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Sunday, June 24, 2012

The DREAMS DO COME TRUE(DDCT) Tour - Part 6, FNB - Bankcity branch

On this second trip to the Johannesburg CBD for a DDCT gig I was on time. I left Soweto earlier and I used a different route to town. I was not going to mess up my second chance to give a good impression.
   The talk itself went relatively well. I am starting to know my DDCT Talk material better. But I did still experience one or two moments of 'blankness'(moments of not remembering what comes next) during my presentation. From this, I am learning that recalling something by re-writing it down is different compared doing so by reciting it. In the former instance it is much, much easier to recall. In the latter case - i.e. in front of a live audience - the pressure is intense. Here one has no time to stop and remember because your audience will quickly notice this. So it all boils down to having a really good grasp of one's material. You need to know the material so well that when you do stand in front of that live audience eventually, your only worry is how much applause you will get at the end.
   The Bankcity branch staff taking well to my 'intro'(the 'TP' bit), I thought. But they received our last 'feel good' exercise even better. The enthusiasm with which this exercise was done bowled me over. It was like each staff member had found a long lost friend in the colleague they embraced. Really lovely to witness this.

                                             SOME THANK YOU's

Branch management and staff - for taking time to hear me out.

                                        =======================

THANK YOU UNIVERSE. THANK YOU FOR OUR 'FEEL GOOD MOMENTS'.

                                        =======================

SO, SOUTH AFRICA AND THE WORLD OUT THERE, WHAT MADE YOU FEEL
GOOD THIS WEEK?

Let us know at - feelgoodmovement@gmail.com
=====================================
Learn the Exact Formula




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Sunday, June 10, 2012

The DREAMS DO COME TRUE(DDCT) Tour - Part 5 (FNB, Johannesburg Branch)

Sometimes things don't go according to plan.
   My plan was to arrive on time for this DDCT Tour speaking gig at the Johannesburg branch of FNB. This time was 8.15am. But I didn't make it on time like I had wished. I was late. Not by 5 minutes(or 10 minutes), but by a whole 25 minutes.
   I take full responsibility for this cock-up. My estimation of how long it was going to take me to get to the Johannesburg CBD travelling by taxi was incorrect. I have not had to travel to the CBD in the mornings during the rush hour in a long time. In more than 3 years possibly. Three years ago it used to take me about 30 minutes(or so) to get to the JHB CBD from my 'kasi'(Protea North in Soweto) by taxi. On this particular morning of my DDCT Talk it took us 1 hour 15 minutes to arrive in the CBD. When I got off the taxi in Commissioner street the time was 8.40am. Our taxi having left Protea North around 7.15am.
   When I arrived at the branch I had decided already that the Talk was not going to take place because I had failed to arrive in time. If management and the staff chase me away, I was going to to understand. All I now wanted to do was to offer my sincere apologies and then go back home. 
This was least I could do.
   I did get a tongue lashing from management alright. But they were generous enough to still allow me to address the staff, which I found really humbling.  
   I did my best to condense my usually 25 minute long Talk into just 10 minutes.This was all that  was left of the original 30 minutes that I was allocated. This shorter version I hope still went some way towards motivating and inspiring the Jhb branch staff. As I left the branch we agreed with management that I will need to come back again to give a fuller version of my Talk.
   One thing I am taking from the Johannesburg branch though - in addition to their generosity - is to start my day with a prayer. Loved,loved,loved how the branch staff start their working day by saying the Lord's Prayer.


                                                  SOME THANK YOUs


Ausi Winnie(the branch manager) - For your understanding.
Bongani(Sales and Service Manager) - For pulling all the right strings to make this DDCT Talk happen.                         
The branch staff - for 'forgiving us our trespasses'.
Nomsa,Sammy & Thomas - for an interesting 'after Talk' discussion on poetry and places to go to for poetry sessions.                               
                                               =====================


THANK YOU UNIVERSE. THANK YOU FOR OUR 'FEEL GOOD MOMENTS'.

                                              ======================

SO, SOUTH AFRICA AND THE WORLD OUT THERE, WHAT MADE YOU FEEL
GOOD THIS WEEK?

Let us know at - feelgoodmovement@gmail.com
=====================================
Learn the Exact Formula




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Sunday, June 3, 2012

It's Official. Optimists Live Longer.

The researchers on aging should tell us something new.
   Here in the FGM we have known it all along. The reason why we are into making ourselves feel good every week is because we want to feel good, yes, but we also do it because we want to become centenarians. We want to live to a 100 years old and beyond. We kind of knew this intuitively, if you know what we mean.
   Science has provided us with the empirical evidence at last. The results from a study of people who live long(reaching 100 years and more) has found that most of these people owe their longevity to a positive attitude towards life. This survey was conducted by the Albert Einstein College of Medicine's Institute for Aging. It took a sample of 500 Ashkenazi Jews from Eastern Europe who have a history of long life. Most of the study's subjects exhibited what the researchers called a "sunny disposition towards life."(MailOnline, 27th May, 2012). They focused  
more on positive things in life, in other words.
   The researchers did acknowledge that the genes of this group of Jews - which were similar - had something to do with them having long lives to a certain degree. But the biggest contributor to their longevity was no doubt the way they approached life. Most of them were optimists.
   So, if the Ashkenazi Jews have joined the movement(i.e the Feel Good Movement), what is the rest of the world waiting for, we ask.
   From one group of 'the glass is half-full' people(and future centenarians) to another(current centenarians), we say keep the spirit of 'happy, positive & uplifting thoughts always' alive                  
on your side. We will do our damnedest this side of 100.

                                                         ===========================


THANK YOU UNIVERSE. THANK YOU FOR OUR 'FEEL GOOD MOMENTS'.

                                                          ===========================

SO, SOUTH AFRICA AND THE WORLD OUT THERE, WHAT MADE YOU FEEL
GOOD THIS WEEK?

Let us know at - feelgoodmovement@gmail.com
=====================================
Learn the Exact Formula




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Sunday, May 27, 2012

Why The SKA, And Not 'The Spear'

We are about celebrating things that unite us as a country and not those that divide us. This is why we are not going to touch 'The Spear' issue. 
   For the benefit of those who are not aware of this issue, 'The Spear' is a painting by the artist - Brett Murray - that depicts President Jacob Zuma with his private parts(genitals) showing. Needless to say, this painting has resulted in some heated debates. Those for the painting, saying the artist is exercising his freedom of expression - a right protected by our constitution - by painting what he deems appropriate. Those against the painting say it infringes on the right of the President to dignity and self-respect. They add that the portrayal of an elderly person's private parts is not the done thing in the African culture.
   The SKA(Square Kilometre Array) project, though, and South Africa winning the right to host this radio telescope, is more our cup of tea. This is what we want to talk about.
   Congratulations to the SA team that worked tirelessly to get South Africa the SKA telescope. Taking the lead from the excitement shown by our minister of Science and Technology - Ms Naledi Pandor - we are also over the moon about South Africa winning the right to host the majority(70% of it , while Australia and New Zealand will host the balance - 30%) of this telescope.
   Of course to the man on the street the benefits of hosting this telescope are a bit hazy. But we are told that the building of this telescope will create jobs in our country's science and technology industry. The SKA project will also apparently raise South Africa's profile in the astronomy field worldwide.
   It would have been nice to have gotten the whole right - 100% of it - instead of sharing it with Australia and New Zealand. But to share the spoils of victory with two of our biggest rivals when it comes to the sport of rugby and cricket is not a bad thing. For once the three countries will be pulling together instead of going at each other.

                                                          ===========================


THANK YOU UNIVERSE. THANK YOU FOR OUR 'FEEL GOOD MOMENTS'.

                                                          ===========================

SO, SOUTH AFRICA AND THE WORLD OUT THERE, WHAT MADE YOU FEEL
GOOD THIS WEEK?

Let us know at - feelgoodmovement@gmail.com
=====================================
Learn the Exact Formula




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