A Star is Born

A Star is Born

it is September 22, 2017 I am visiting my mother in Pimville Soweto at the home where I grew up. I find her in her Mercedes Benz which she loved and made no secret about loving Mercs.

I find her as usual working on quotation for a door to be placed at one of our properties. I then show her a trick of photographing the document so that she can shop around for a better price without having to run around Kliptown, Lenasia and Southdale.

We exchange pleasantries like old pals as opposed to mother and son. We speak in Tsotsi tall (a combination of the Afrikaans Language and Township Slang) which she taught me as a kid. Then we go into the house and she shared her famous Gemmer Ginger Beer. We went upstairs to the balcony to chat.

A few calls came in and I was the old vintage Mac Donald particularly as I addressed issues of the Diamond Business with International partners who think that Africa is stuck in the 1800’s. Mind you I am talking to them from a Balcony not a Hut, in Soweto on a WhatsApp line. How much modern can one be?

Then suddenly there was a lal and no call came in……Suddenly I receive a Call from Church and Pastor K……He then tells me that he just got instruction to prepare a sermon for the evening service so our telephonic discussion that we were to have at 17:30 will have to wait until the next day Saturday.

It is now a few minutes before 17:00 and the service has to start at 18:30.

So, I understood his dilemma and obliged.

I carried on with my mother talking general business strategies and she was telling me about the funeral that she attended earlier in the day and how her MOTHER’s Union is holding up. I then remember that she is about to hit 80 years soon and does not look a day past 60 years.

I then go down stairs to park he car and do some errant as I get ready to go to Church. I realise that I am dressed very casually and felt under dressed then I remembered that my Church is a great Church and that our dress code is easy.

I get into the car and remembered that I have not had lunch or dinner and I though aaah!.........The word of God is very filling at times, in particular when taken on an empty stomach.

Driving through Soweto on a Friday night after the 20^th of the month when some folks have been paid has I certain rush and unnecessary excitement driven by alcohol. I realise then that I am now saved to Christ and have different priorities with the rest of society and that is to get closer to God and work towards saving more souls. Now, here is Mac Temane, the Party Organiser on a Friday night going to Church. How God has Changed the world.

I get to Church and as I parked I can hear sister Margorie Maponya leading prayer and then suddenly a sense of calm engulfs me and I feel the warmth of the word of God at a distance. I then enter the Church being greeted by familiar faces and smiles of the children of God……Alpheus our camera man has heard that I am working on a cheap ticket for him to visit his family in Cameroon. He then pulls me aside to ask me about the details and I avoid giving him with a smile and keep him in suspense.

Pastor Sennie Mdluli who I call Quincy Jones then takes over the service with his crispy voice that would make Teddy Pendergrass and Joe Cocker marvel with envy……Now Jehovah Reigns (JR) is in full swing with PRAISE & WORSHIP of GOD………We then go into the business of church and finish the seed offerings as we have come to the house of the Lord. With the seed offering we receive from our covenant with God…….! Our Mother the Prophetess prepares the ground by preparing our heats for the for the Word.

Then Pastor K.

He walked up the pulpit upright with his youthful charm and un assuming nature.

JEHOVAH Baal-PARASM!

This was his sermon, it was taken from 2 Samuels 5-17

Now, I Pray that I be anointed once and little did I know that King David was anointed three times. This Pastor K explained that it is because we serve a God of Elevation as opposed to stagnation. This is not for showing off but for Service to the Kingdom of God.

What is key though is that David lived God’s Purpose in that he consulted God on everything that when the Philistines to attack he asked God if the time was right for him to go up and Attack and the lord obliged to say. He will deliver them for his victory.

His final destruction of the Philistines is a study of pure war tactic where God instructs him how to navigate the Physical elements to Vanquish the tyrants…. the lesson here is that when you stay God Conscious and only do God’s purpose you will always be navigated to Victory.

Allow God to be your compass your GPS and you will only know Victory in the eyes of defeat.

This sermon was delivered by the Holy Spirit into our hearts and we all caught its meaning, which is testament to how God works.

When you watch the video of this sermon and you miss this message. Please know that it has to do with how your heart is prepared in receiving Gods Message than the way the message was delivered.

All I can say is that Pastor K.”Preached a Tsunami” as Ntate Segole (our church Elder)would say!

I wish to pause here and say that I now know why we always miss God’s MESSAGE. It has a lot to do with the way your heart was prepared than the message…. So as our Apostle Mabaso always says that God Talks all the time like a transmitter or Radio it is just that we do not know how to tune in to his Station…. When you know this method of opening your heat, Even you will be able to converse with God Like David…. Learn to WALK WITH GOD.

(By the way Pastor K is Pastor Peace Kunene of Jehovah Reigns Warship Centre. He is the Child of the House in the language of the Saints at JR. I Prophesy that you will hear a lot about him and God is going to raise him to dizzying heights in the world. As for me I am going to enjoy the ride for last knight I saw a Child of the house become a General in the army of God……BEWERE a Star Is Born!

By

Mac Donald Temane

For contributions to: ‘’Dad These Children Can Not Pray’’

The Epitaph on my Tombstone

THE EPITEPH ON MY TOMB STONE

For many years I have been told never to write the epitaph on your Tomb Stone.

Since it is not done or it is some bad luck……….Well I do not want some Bozo to write something that they think is appropriate. I, will be laying under a WRITTING that I do not approve of, No, No, No.

This is what I would like written on my Tomb Stone:

‘Here Lays A Man, that, If You met…..Your Life Gets Better’.

My purpose in life is to make every life better. This is what I live for and this is what I like…….Period.

I give a good time, even if I do not know you. Those who have spent time with me will attest to this. I am supposed to be the go to Guy. I used to admire Harvey Weinstein because he was the go to guy. He would organise you, From Frank Sinatra to Will Smith. From Ocean’s Eleven to the Karate Kid. Weinstein is the man. If you want something particularly in show biz, go to Weinstein. In this case go to MAC.

For many years I used to entertain every Friday Evening at my house to the extent that I had to change the carpet twice. These days I would meet people who would tell me what fun they had at my house and I would not even remember that they were ever there. The other day at Emperors Palace a lady went on and on about the great time he had at the house and I swear to God I did not remember her ever having been at the house.

Look, they were times that I would have to force people to go home in the morning. But one thing I hated was people who would come to my house as guests and ask for what they could not afford by themselves. This used to annoy me.

But I remember when I made the decision to stop. One evening I was between the kitchen and the pool. A drunk gentlemen came out of nowhere and asked if I was having a good time. I did not even know him, He went on to ask me if I wanted a beer…..I knew that this thing of entertaining drunk strangers has to stop, besides they leave your house dirty.

Anyway, let me continue to finish my dark side. This reminds me of a scene in Star Wars where Master Yoda is explaining good and evil to Luke. Now, if you know anything about Master Yoda, is that he is the epitome of Cool and he exudes wisdom , you can also see that he is beyond earthly needs. He is just content and even knows where the world is going and that he knows the fate of life .And that destiny is already pre-determined.

 If we believe that the creator of the universe knows what is come, and what will be in this life. Why then, do we resist the pre-determined?

It is from this coolness that I draw inspiration and if you all remember the Late Madiba. He was Cool. And lived it.Oprah Winfrey once said that before one of her shows. Madiba wanted to know what the audience were all EXITED about and who was the Attraction. Then she said You ! He was surprised that he would cause such a commotion. This is an example of a man very comfortable in his own skin.

This is what I yearn for…..This is what should be Me!

You may wonder why I choose such an unnatural subject to include in my life story. Well I must let you know that one of the business that my mother formed after the death of my father was the Undertaking business. Bataung Funerals had its first office in Phomolong Soweto. Now as an obedient child one of my chores was to work at the undertakers. Do not get me wrong it was a hip job because I was paid R30 to find new business for the mortuary. This is something called Touting or marketing. Another R30 for delivery and coffining, then R30-00 for doing the Saturday or Sunday Burial.

So if I did a full case from start to finish. My mother paid me R90-00.

This was good money for a 16 year old in 1978 who was still in high school with petrol at +- R1.50 a litre with the rand R.20cents stronger than the dollar. These were good times. So I would also attend a post-mortem at the Johannesburg hospital. For an extra R50-00.

Man no wonder I always felt like a millioner.

Think about it .A packet of Simba Chips cost R0.12cents at the school tuckshop and I would be sitting on R140-00 in my pocket for just one weeks work. I even had access to a car and going to see a girlfriend in Thembisa(a township 40km away from home) was not a problem.

Of all these chores, the best was the day of the Burial.I would be dressed in my Black Suit with a white shirt and a bow tie. Looking all snazzy with my white gloves. Now if you want a sense of power even for just two hours. Conduct a Funeral.

You arrive at the Church or at the home for final pick up. First you sound the siren, this gets everybody’s attention. If you are in a Crowded neighbourhood. The dogs begin to haul and the cats run for cover. And as you walk in you look at your watch in an exaggerated fashion just to indicate to the Priest or whom so ever is in charge that time is up. You then walk into the congregation being the snazziest person in the room and with the authority to order anybody around.

Then you direct friends and family to carry the coffin into the hearse. At this time after the coffin is securely in the hearse and the family is in the two leading cars. Then I stand and direct all proceedings since everybody has to follow me and they go nowhere until I say so.So I will then instruct that all cars put their head lights on and face one direction. Then I will communicate with my bus drivers by sign language that they look at me at all times and press all these cars between my hearse and them. Then I would slowly allow everybody to be in their cars before I sound the siren again to bid the locality goodbye.

After a kilometre or so I would then stop the procession, just to keep order and allow the slow ones to catch up. This will be done in full view of everybody and also to remind them that I am still in charge and plan to run an orderly funeral.

My temporary power will end at the cemetery once everybody has arrived safely, Normally I would then take off in my hearse after lowering the coffin for my next Gig.

Sometimes I would have three Gigs in one day. Notice the language I am using ‘Gig’ not funeral.

It is in this spirit that I embrace the Epitaph on my Tomb Stone. This is because while I do not wish to die yet. I have embraced death as a natural order of life.

As master Yoda would put it:

                                                ‘Death is our Destiny and may the force be with you!’.  

How do I know that he is the One?

How do I know that he is the one?

Well, I thought of giving a one sentence answer on this one, and decided against it.

You see as a man, I can tell you a lot about guys for a simple reason that I have spent time with them .Hunted with them, discussed all issues of the hunt after the hunt. The jokes. The machismo, the lies and so on. What the men do not know is that they are the hunted and that you as women need a good bang as much as they do in the early years……..You know that session when you are done right!

It always helps if the guy is someone you like or someone you have had a crush on….You know that guy that has the nice shoulders and that six pack because at this stage in your life you are just being driven by the pure physical and the hype of competition among your friends. You know that guy that when you see him years later you say to yourself: What did I ever see in him?.......you know what I am talking about. Please do not just stand there and act as if you do not know what I am talking about.

Obviously your taste change, you mature and you know what is important in life and you now know what you are looking for.

Now, as you mature and you guys mature quickly, you get to that stage where you are looking for the One. The Knight in shining Armour. The one who makes your heart go click-de-click and your knees weak……I am Sorry to tell you that this one may not be the one for you BECAUSE this is the wrong criteria. This click-de-click does fade. Do not get me wrong, it is a good start but the wrong criteria. Look I hate to blow your bubble but please believe me on this one.

You see, as you grow you get to know that a happy marriage is about oneness of spirit in each other and in God. Both of you have to be interwoven into the word like a rope that is made of three parts. Your spirit, the Holy Spirit, his spirit as a Rope!

Anything short of this has a high chance of failure!

Before you continue to read please stop right here and reflect on the paragraph above……..STOP INTERNALISE!

If you have not internalised this for at least five minutes then you do not want to know if he is the one!

Why do you think it is that there are so many divorces and the institution of marriage is under threat?

I will be blunt, the criteria for marriage these days is wrong and for this reason if you understand what the bad criteria are you are well on your way to know what to avoid. The answer to this big question you get to it in reverse. This answer to this question is among the holy grails of happy living in modern times. But before we get ahead of ourselves the answer I have given you has been the answer since the beginning of time. It is just that each generation gets stupid and confused by whatever is supposed to be modernity or what is hot today.

You see, there are things that have not changed since we have been on this earth. This is one of the things we that should keep in mind and never underestimate………………………….

(An Extract from Tear Drop by MacDonald Temane)