Half Time by Bob Burford

This book is best described by its subtitle "Changing Your Game Plan From Success to Significance". I was pointed to this book by one of the founders of Ambata (http://www.ambatausa.net/), Nathan George. This is a US website, selling fair trade products through church communities, that is trying to do some good for the world and Nathan is apparently trying to put his business skills to some good purpose.

The main theme of this book accepts that it is inevitable that we will be selfish and driven in the first half of our lives, but the author tells us that we should use the second half of our lives to do something "good" (of significance) for the world. This certainly sums up where I am and this is what I am trying to achieve with www.yourtomorrow.co.uk. There are some useful exercises to help one work out how best to put the "significance" back into one's life. I am still working through these and, if I discover important truths, will certainly write about them in my Blog!

I do have difficulty, however, accepting that it is inevitable that people will be selfish and purely money-driven in the first half of their lives. I feel sure that we can build a better world if we encourage people, not to be selfish and concerned just for themselves and their families, at all. Sure, it is better to help others in the second half of life than to continue being selfish; but how much better to care about others throughout one's entire existence.

My second difficulty with this book is its over-bearing "Godliness". I do believe in the objectives of religions, peace, harmony, caring and community. But I do get put off these aims by such explict overuse of God as the reason for doing (or not doing) things. It seems to me that this book makes it point without the need to use God as a prop. The points are well made without needing God's help!

However, this book is to be recommended as a very helpful pointer for people who need help in (or a structure for) finding a purpose for the rest of their lives. Details are "Half Time" by Bob Burford, (1994) published by Zondervan ISBN 0-310-21532-3.

Wotnot Jewellery

Times move on! Wotknot, the community of AIDs patients in South Africa, have just launched a new range of jewellery. This is very attractive and suitable for the young (at heart even!). This picture shows a Choker and Earrings in turqoise and rust colour.

Hilary, the organiser of this community, has used her design and sailing knotting skills again to develop this range of six beautiful pieces, each in three colour options. You can see (and buy!) them from the following web address http://www.yourtomorrow.co.uk/product/21/wotnot-jewellery.php. You can even get a 10% discount by using the following promotion code "d61i97"!

As I was with the Thump Mats, I am very excited to be involved in this development because it combines helping others, particularly those less fortunate than me, while also launching a product about which I am excited and whose prospects seem very good.