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2021 – The Year we get things done

As the heading of this entry confirms, that is how it was to a certain extent for me and my family. As we say farewell to the last day of 2021 for ever, and welcome 2022, one cannot help but think back on the past year.

Yes I know, I sound like an old lady and an LP that is stuck (all at the same time) when I say “Thís year went by QUICKLY.” But, man-o-man, it did go by QUICKLY did it not?

It feels like yesterday that I worked my shoulder into spasm, preparing the kitchen cabinets for painting (that is still not finished by the way, because the absolute desire to paint and do some home reno has not yet overwhelmed me). But, that was last December……..December 2020….

I cannot say that I will be greeting 2021 “until we meet again”. No. It is So Long, Farewell. Cheers. Koebaai. Overs-ke-dovers. Over and out. I am sure you understand what I mean. 2021 is over FOREVER. What a scary thought. But it is what it is.

2021 the year we get things done as I had proclaimed it. Indeed it was like that and also not. New things that crossed my path, like this blog. The Beroepsvrou business that started out of nothing and unplanned.

Yes, the kitchen is still not finished, all the cupboards in my house are waiting anxiously for me to work through them and create order. So I can go on and on about everything that has not happened during 2021.

Why not? Because everything that did happen, took time! And the other time that I had available, I tried (I emphasize this for a reason as it feels to me that I fail at this often) to rest and spend time with my family.

Back to my other statement that I utter often – the one about HOW quickly time flies. I have been thinking about this for YEARS and I think I have it. When you are young, time goes by relatively slowly. You don’t have kids and have very little or no responsibilities.

But then, you have to wee-wee on a stick that produces two little lines and breaks the news. You hear the sound of an LP that is stopped abruptly and tires screeching as the car that you were in, going nowhere slowly, makes a U-turn at 180 miles per hour.

Then it is as if someone bashes on the watch hard and continuously that makes the time go by EVEN faster…..suddenly it is 13 years since you were pregnant with your eldest child and not only a few months. Suddenly you realise the milestones that your baby makes and reaches (even if it felt like forever to get them to the age of 4 or 5 where they function a bit more independently).

Suddenly things just happen and if you do not have your safety belt on, then this thing called time throws you out of the car in a similar way that a Crash Test Dummy without a safety belt on is thrown out a vehicle upon impact.

In the process one (hopefully) becomes wiser. Older and wiser. In Afrikaans we have a saying Wysheid met die grysheid which means that as you age and your hair turns grey, you gain more knowledge. Literally. My husband was very surprised and amazed at the same time the other day when he observed himself in the mirror. “Look how grey my hair has become!” he probably said more to himself than to me.

On the last day of the year I am trying to catch up on my tax training hours, marking school stationery for 2022 in between (because my daughter wants to do it NOW). It is hard, the motivation is pretty much zero. The holiday is shouting and screaming my name, so loudly that I struggle to focus to get this over and done with.

At least I managed to resolve some things for 2022 at the end of this year – the kids’ school things. Stationery and clothes. It already feels to me as if 2022 is trying to infiltrate 2021, pushing and bumping like a buffalo to get the old year out the way.

As I observe everything and try to process everything, I know that everything, even time, is in God’s hands. He wants the best for us. Plans of prosperity and not of hardship.

Here is to 2022! May the year ahead move at a glacial pace rather than the speed of light, giving us all time to gather ourselves after surviving the Pandemic. Just yesterday I was thinking – everyone that is still on earth can say that they have survived a world-wide Pandemic. Wow.

May 2022 be filled with prosperity and favour for everyone. May it be the year that the Pandemic stops just as suddenly as it started. May God hold us (and time) in His hand. May we just move closer and closer to Him daily and may our relationship with Him grow stronger.

So long and farewell 2021 and Hello 2022! I look forward to welcome you with open arms into my life…..

“2021 – The Year we get things done”
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“2021 – The Year we get things done”

Nou ja, soos die opskrif lui en dit bevestig, was dit toe so gewees in ‘n mate vir my en ons gesin. Soos wat ons die laaste dag van 2021 vir ewig vaarwel roep en 2022 welkom heet, kan mens nie anders as om terug te dink aan die jaar wat verby is nie.

Ja ek weet, ek klink soos ‘n ou tannie en ‘n plaat wat vashaak op dieselfde tyd as ek sê “Díe jaar het VINNIG gevlieg.” Maar a-la-mapstieks, hy hét VINNIG gevlieg het hy nie?

Dit voel soos gister dat ek my skouer in ‘n spasma ingeskuur het aan ons kombuiskassies (wat nou nog nie klaar is nie want die oorweldigende lus vir verf en home reno het my nog nie weer oorval nie). Maar, dit was laas Desember……Desember 2020….

Ek kan nie sê ek gaan 2021 groet “tot wedersiens” nie. Nee. Dis vaarwel. Cheers. Koebaai. Overs-ke-dovers. Oor en uit. Ek is seker jy vang wat ek bedoel. 2021 is VIR EWIG VERBY. What a scary thought. Maar dit is wat dit is.

2021 the year we get things done soos ek dit proklameer het. Inderdaad was dit so en ook nie so nie. Nuwe goed het oor my pad gekom, soos hierdie webjoernaal (nee blog klink net beter hier). Die Beroepsvrou besigheid wat uit niks uit en onbeplan ontstaan het.

Ja, die kombuis is nou nog nie klaar geverf nie, al die kaste in die huis wag angstig vir my hande om deur hulle te krap en reg te pak en weg te gooi, en so kan ek aangaan van als wat nie gebeur het in 2021 nie.

Hoekom nie? Want alles wat wel gebeur het, het die tyd opgeneem! En die ander tyd wat ek gehad het, het ek probeer (ek lê klem op dit vir ‘n rede) rus en tyd met my gesin spandeer.

Terug by my ander sin wat ek gereeld uiter oor HOE vinnig die tyd gaan. Ek dink al hieraan vir JARE en ek dink ek het dit. Wanneer jy jonk is, gaan die tyd relatief tot matig stadig. Jy het nie kinders nie met min of geen verantwoordelikhede.

Maar dan pieps jy op die stokkie wat vir jou 2 strepies gee en die nuus breek. Skielik is dit amper asof ‘n plaat krap en bande skree soos wat jou kar waarin jy rustig oppad was na nêrens ‘n U-draai (nee U-turn klink net beter) maak teen 180 myl per uur.

Dan is dit asof iemand die horlosie hard en aanhoudend klap en skud sodat die tyd net NOG vinniger gaan…skielik is dit 13 jaar sedert jy met jou oudste swanger was en nie net ‘n paar maande nie. Skielik kom jy agter hoe gou die baba mylpale behaal en verander (al voel dit vir ewig om hulle tot op so 4 of 5 te kry wat hulle bietjie meer onafhanklik funksioneer).

Skielik gebeur daar net goed en as jou gordel nie vas is nie, gooi tyd jou uit soos wat ‘n Crash Test Dummy sonder ‘n veiligheidsgordel aan, uit ‘n voertuig geslinger word op impak.

In die proses word mens (hopelik) slimmer. Ouer en wyser. Wysheid met die grysheid. Letterlik. My man kyk ander dag verbaas na homself in die spieël. “Kyk hoe grys het ek geword!” Sê hy seker meer vir homself as vir my. Dit gebeur toe nou met almal, nie net met ou mense nie. Want iemand moet weer ou mense word….en dis nou ons beurt….

So op die ou jaar probeer ek die laaste ure se belasting opleidingsure inhaal en gedoen kry EN 2022 se skryfbehoeftes merk want, my dogtertjie wil NOU haar tas pak. Dis moeilik, die motivering is min. Die vakansie skree en roep te hard vir my om doelgerig te sit en dit net oor en verby te kry.

Ek het darem so op die amper ou jaar die kinders se goed vir 2022 uitgesorteer. Dit voel al klaar of 2022 besig is om homself in te wurm in 2021 in en 2021 uit die pad te stamp soos ‘n buffel.

Soos wat ek net alles observeer en probeer verwerk, weet ek net dat alles, tyd ook, in God se hande is. Hy wil net die beste vir ons hê. Planne van voorspoed en nie teëspoed nie.

Hier is op 2022! Mag die jaar net so tritsel stadiger verby beweeg en ons tyd gee om tot verhaal te kom na die Pandemie. Ek staan net gister en dink – ons almal wat nou nog op aarde is, kan sê ons het ‘n wêreld-wye Pandemie oorleef. Wow.

Mag 2022 net goedheid en guns inhou vir almal. Mag dit die jaar wees wat die Pandemie net skielik stop. So skielik as wat hy begin het. Mag God ons (en tyd) styf vashou in Sy hand. Mag ons net nader aan Hom beweeg en ons verhouding met Hom versterk.

Vaarwel 2021 en Hallo 2022! Ek sien uit om jou met ope arms te ontvang en welkom te laat voel in my lewe……

2021 – The Year we get things done
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Reflect – The final chapter

Now that my brain has done its channel hopping between my childhood and the past two years, I decide to sit quietly and gather my thoughts…..I have been reflecting all the way. I truly hope that I am not going to end up in a dead end and also hope that I am not going nowhere slowly (or fast for that matter).

I wait patiently for God to put some sense into my mind while he is busy calming the spout of thoughts that have been racing around in my mind. Why does one feel like this? Why is it as if nostalgia is trying to make a little nest in your mind and heart? Grateful is the next word that is starting to take the lead in my mind, racing to make it to the end of my fingertips so that it can be used and typed. Just like that. Grateful? I am starting a conversation with myself and God again about this.

Jip, you got it girl! Grateful. Alrighty then. Grateful it shall be. I chew a little bit on this. It is not long before the light comes on. I got it! I get it! I feel this way about everything and this time of the year, because deep, deep down inside of me, I actually have this huge sense of being grateful for everything that was and is still to come.

Grateful that we have been spared for another year on earth. Grateful that God provided for us despite the Pandemic. Grateful that we have work, can generate income. Grateful that we are healthy.

Now it feels like all these thoughts are streaming in through my mind. It is as if they are all jumping up and down, putting their hands up, as if to say “Pick me! Pick me!!” How can one pick only a few when there is so much to be grateful for?

Grateful for good memories despite the hardship and tough times the entire world finds itself in. That is why it feels like nostalgia. It is actually nostalgia in a good way….thinking back on good times…..fun times…..

With a grateful heart I close this entry. I ask God to give me a song that will fit in with what I am feeling. I close my eyes for a moment. Then I remember a song from Matthew West. Brand New.

I can hear the song, the music notes and lyrics dance through my mind. I am sure I have already blogged about this. But that is the wonderful thing about God’s word and praise and worship music too.

It is as if it lives and each time you listen to it or read it, then there is this whole new meaning that you can identify deep within. He is making you new, He is breaking your chains, he is making you BRAND NEW! I hear the words rumble around in my mind……

As time goes on and things happen, it is God who is constantly renewing us, IF we let Him, I might add. Everything that happens with us, the good and the bad (as it feels for all of us some times) is busy making us better and stronger for the next set of memories that we are going to make…..our time on earth is short. I realise that more and more every day.

When you are 20, 40 feels so far away. But when you are 40 you KNOW 70 or 80 is so close. Have you done your part for God’s kingdom? Do you still have enough time on earth to do what God has placed you on earth to do? Are you busy doing what He called you to do? Or are you waiting for one day? Goodness me, it is as if there is a whole new bunch of thoughts starting to march through my mind….

I listen to the song again…..drinking in the words. I am watering my thoughts like the rain feeds and wets the earth….in the hope that Godly thoughts will grow and come to be and that one will not be caught up in the demands of this world…..He is making you BRAND NEW!!!!!

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Reflekteer – Slot

Nou dat my brein sy channel hopping gedoen het tussen my kinderjare en die afgelope twee jaar, raak ek en my gedagtes weer stil….Ek reflekteer nog al die pad. Ek hoop nie ek is in ‘n doodloopstraat nie en ook nie going nowhere slowly (or fast for that matter) nie.

Ek wag geduldig dat die Here net so bietjie sin in my kop kom sit terwyl hy die spout van gedagtes kom stilmaak het. Hoekom voel mens so? Hoekom is dit asof dit heimwee is wat probeer nesskrop?Dankbaarheid is die volgende woord wat vir my begin voorloop tussen al die woorde wat resies jaag tot my vingerpunte. Net so. Dankbaarheid? begin ek alweer met myself en die Here praat.

Jip, you got it girl! Dankbaarheid! Nou goed dan. Dankbaarheid sal dit wees. Ek kou so bietjie aan hom maar dis nie lank nie of ek het dit. Ek vang dit. Ek voel so oor alles en die tyd van die jaar want diep diep binne my het ek eintlik hierdie ongelooflike dankbaarheid van alles wat was en alles wat nog kom.

Dankbaar dat ons nog ‘n jaar gespaar is op aarde. Dankbaar dat die Here vir ons voorsien ten spyte van die Pandemie. Dankbaar dat ons werk het, inkomste het. Dankbaar dat ons gesond is.

So stroom die dankbaarheidslysie deur my gedagtes. Dis asof hulle almal opspring en hul hande opsteek om te sê “Pick me! Pick me!” Hoe kan mens net ‘n paar pick as daar so baie is om voor dankbaar te wees?

Dankbaar vir goeie memories ten spyte van die swaar en moeilike tyd waarin die hele wêreld hom bevind. Dis hoekom dit voel soos heimwee. Dis eintlik nostalgie op ‘n goeie manier….terug dink aan goeie tye. Lekker tye.

Met ‘n dankbare hart sluit ek af. Ek vra die Here om ‘n liedjie te gee wat hierby sal aansluit. Ek maak my oë vir ‘n oomblik toe. Dan kom Matthew West se Brand New by my op.

Ek hoor al die liedjie. Ek is seker het al hieroor geblog (of webjoernaal soos my skoonsussie my uit my misery gehaal het deur die Afrikaans vir blog te google). Maar nie te min, dis die wonderlike ding van God se woord en uiteindelik praise & worship musiek ook.

Dis lewend en elke keer wat jy dit lees of luister is daar net weer ‘n nuwe betekenis wat jy daaraan koppel…..He is making you new, He is breaking your chains, He is making you BRAND NEW! Hoor ek die woorde sing deur my kop….

Soos wat tyd aanstap en dinge gebeur, is die Here konstant besig om ons te vernuwe, as ons Hom toelaat, bygesê. Alles wat met ons gebeur, die goeie en die slegte (soos dit soms vir ons voel) is besig om ons beter mense te maak vir die volgende memories wat ons gaan maak…..ons tyd op aarde is so kort. Ek besef dit elke dag meer en meer.

As jy 20 is voel 40 so ver. As jy 40 is, weet jy 70 of 80 is bitter naby. Het jy jou deel gedoen vir God se koninkryk? Het jy nog genoeg tyd om te doen waarvoor die Here jou op aarde geplaas het? Is jy nou besig om te doen waarvoor jy geroep is? Of wag jy tot eendag? Liewe aarde, dis asof daar nou weer ‘n hele swetterjoel van gedagtes is wat nou weer deur my kop begin marsjeer…..

Ek luister die liedjie weer…..drink die woorde in. Laat dit oor my gedagtes spoel, soos wat die reën die aarde nat maak…..in die hoop dat daar Goddelike gedagtes sal voortspruit en dat mens nie in die wêreld en sy gebruike en demands vasgevang sal wees nie….He is making you BRAND NEW!!!!!

Reflect – The final chapter
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Reflect – Chapter 3

Today my mind wandered back to my childhood. How it felt when it was December…..as Christmas time approached. My mom usually worked, never had leave over a December month. Not that I can remember anyway but maybe I am just thinking of one December? Who knows….

I think it must have been hard for her. To get up in the mornings and go to work while the rest of us lied around at home. Due to a lack of being able to do anything else, I started to watch cricket. I taught myself how the rules worked and what everything meant. There are normally 5 day games on. That gave me lots of information as it was very boring and long (not the excitement of one day games or 20/20 cricket).

To this day, I still remember the King Pie advertisement. The one where the umpire stands with his finger up in the air, the signal showing a player is out. Then the words at the bottom of the screen would read One Hot Pie Please. My husband and I still laugh about this advertisement and sometimes joke about it when we feel like having a pie….

Then my mind wanders to Christmas eve. It was always at my mom’s parents in Benoni. She grew up English and they rather celebrated Christmas eve than Christmas Day. Come to think of it, maybe we did Christmas eve in that manner because we always used to visit my dad’s brother in Pretoria on Christmas Day, swimming and eating the whole day.

So we had best of both worlds so to speak. Both sides of the families were visited over the Festive season. Not the way we do it nowadays (sort of). This year it is her family, next year his family. We are not as strict with that, we spend most of the time with my in-laws in any event rather than my family, as my family (sisters and their families – not my parents and these days my father and his new wife) were always in different places over Christmas….normally camping at the coast….

We grew up with a Christmas tree. Not that many presents under the tree, but a little something. I always volunteered to put up the Christmas tree. When I was younger, I did not understand the concept of balance on the tree. It ALWAYS used to fall over when I was done, this was my BIGGEST frustration….

When we left to have dinner at my grandparents’ house, there were no presents under the tree. When we arrived home later that night, there were presents. Because I was the youngest, my mom used to pretend that Father Christmas existed for a long time. Today I know that NOTHING about how we celebrated Christmas, the tree or any other worldly celebrations are Biblical.

Back to the Christmas tree and presents. I could NEVER understand HOW Father Christmas got into our house. There is no chimney or fireplace for him to come in with. My mom always said that he used to make himself very small and entered the house through the key hole in the front door. That still boggled my mind, but I think I accepted that explanation.

Innovative and creative, the stories of my mom! When I was older, I used to ask her how she managed that? The presents under the tree. She then let me in on her secret. She always, just as we were about to leave, “remembered” about something she forgot. She would run back into the house, put the presents under the tree and take the forgotten item and put it in the car.

I wonder the whole time why my mind keeps on jumping around to different times in my life….

To be continued……

Reflekteer – Hoofstuk 3
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Reflekteer – Hoofstuk 3

Vandag dwaal my gedagtes terug na my kinderjare. Hoe dit gevoel het as dit Desember was….as Kersfees nader staan. My ma het gewoonlik gewerk, nooit verlof gehad oor Desember nie. In elkgeval nie wat ek regtig kan onthou nie….miskien dink ek dalk nou net aan een Desember? Wie weet….

Ek dink dit was seker swaar vir haar. Om te werk terwyl ons almal by die huis rondgehang het. By gebrek aan enige iets anders om te doen, het ek begin krieket kyk. Myself geleer hoe werk krieket. Daar is mos gewoonlik 5-dag krieket aan. Dit het my baie inligting gegee want dis mos baie boring en lank (nie die opgewondenheid en aksie van een dag krieket of 20/20 krieket nie).

Ek onthou nog die King Pie advertensie. Die een waar die umpire met sy vinger in die lug staan wanneer ‘n speler uit geboul of uitgevang is. Dan lees die woorde onder One Hot Pie Please. Ek en my man lag nou nog oor dit en spot self soms so as ons lus is vir ‘n pastei…..

Dan dwaal die gedagtes na Ou Kersaand. Dit was altyd by my ma se ouers in Benoni. Hulle het Engels groot geword en eerder Ou Kersaand saam gekuier as Kersdag. Ons het dalk Ou Kersaand so gedoen omdat ons altyd gaan swem en kuier het by my pa se broer in Pretoria op Kersdag, nou dat ek daaraan dink.

So ons het elke jaar best of both worlds gehad. Beide families gesien oor Kerstyd. Nie soos ons dit nou soortvan doen nie. Die jaar is dit haar familie, volgende jaar sy familie. Ons is nie so streng met dit nie, spandeer in elkgeval meeste van die tyd met my skoonfamilie eerder as my familie, want my familie (sussies en hul gesinne – nie my ouers nie en deesdae my pa en sy nuwe vrou nie) spat altyd in rigtings see toe om te kamp oor Kersfees….

Ons het met ‘n Kersboom groot geword. Nie woes baie persente onder die boom nie, maar tog ‘n ietsie. Ek het altyd gevolunteer om die Kersboom op te stel. Toe ek kleiner was het ek nie die konsep verstaan van balans op die boom nie. Die boom het ALTYD vorentoe geval na ek klaar was tot my GROOTSTE frustrasie….

Wanneer ons gery het na my Ouma en Oupa toe, was die boom leeg onder. Geen persente. Wanneer ons terugkom laat die aand was daar persente. Omdat ek die jongste was het my ma vir lank gemaak of Kersvader bestaan. Vandag weet ek NIKS van die manier van hoe ons Kersfees gevier het, die boom, of die hele konsep is nie Bybels nie.

Terug by die Kersboom en persente. Ek kon NOOIT verstaan HOE Kersvader in ons huis kom nie. Daar is nie ‘n kaggel of skoorsteen nie. My ma het altyd vertel dat hy homself klein maak en deur die sleutelgat van die voordeur kom.

Innoverend en kreatief, die stories van my ma! Ek het later jare haar gevra hoe sy dit altyd gedoen het. Die persente onder die boom. Sy laat toe die geheim uit. Sy het altyd as ons almal in die kar reg was om te ry, gou “iets vergeet” en terug gehardloop in die huis in, die persente onder die boom gesit en die item wat vergete was kar toe gebring.

Ek wonder heeltyd hoekom my gedagtes my terug vat na verskeie tye toe in my lewe…..

Word vervolg…

Reflect – Chapter 3
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Reflect – Chapter 2

It is as if the call from a certain bird, in Afrikaans we refer to it as the Piet-my-vrou, wants me to Reflect on what was and what happened. This past week I heard him almost the whole day. From early morning. I can hear him sitting in a tree close to our back door.

It is as if he is calling to only me. I hear him. Then my thoughts wander back to 11 April 2021. It feels like yesterday, yet it was 8 months ago already! I calculate on my fingers (yes fingers) how long ago it was. I could have calculated it by deducting 4 from 12 too. But I decided to do this calculation on a physical manner.

Yes I know. CA’s are NOT supposed to do calculations on their fingers. Yet, I still did it, because it works for me. Why I don’t know. Back to the Piet-my-vrou and 11 April 2021. That day we celebrated my birthday.

40 years old. I cannot say one or two hands full, because we only have 10 fingers….but it marked the day that I turned the BIG 40. The Piet-my-vrou also called from early in the morning on that day. It was as if he tried to leave a sound memory in my brain. Every time I hear that sound, I think back to that day.

My mom did not see me turn 40. It was very sad for me, but I know it is also ok. I will survive. Many people’s parents do not see them turn 5 or 10 or even 18 years old.

The previous year, when I turned 39, we were in Hard lockdown. That day I realised and knew why God sent me to earth in 1981 and not 1980 which I had wished for while still at school. Stupid wish that I had, I know…

When I look back on 2020 and 2021, it feels very intertwined and inseparable to me, as I had mentioned previously. It is hard to distinguish between this year and last year. Things that happened in 2020 feels like yesterday and things that happened in 2021 feels like ages ago. And vice versa. It is strange. Weird.

I talk a lot to God about this and WHY it feels like this for us as humans? One thing that I do know is that people are not that eager to hide behind their masks and walls since the start of the Pandemic.

For the first time people SHARE their emotions, how they feel, how they experience things. Previously we all just gave the standard Well thanks and you? answer if someone asked us how we are doing. But since March 2020 it was DIFFERENT.

To be continued…..

Reflekteer – Hoofstuk 2
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Reflekteer – Hoofstuk 2

Dis asof die Piet-my-vrou se geroep my ook wil laat Reflekteer oor dit wat was. Ek hoor hom die afgelope week amper die heeldag. Van vroegdag af. In die boom vlak duskant ons agterdeur.

Dis asof hy roep net vir my. Ek hoor hom. Dan dwaal my gedagtes terug na 11 April 2021 toe. Dit voel soos gister, tog was dit 8 maande gelede. Ek werk uit op my vingers hoe lank terug dit is….ek kon ook 12 minus 4 gebruik het maar besluit op ‘n fisiese manier om hierdie som te maak.

Ja ek weet, CA’s is NIE veronderstel om somme op hul vingers te maak NIE. Maar tog doen ek dit want dis iets wat vir my werk. Hoekom weet ek nie. Terug by die Piet-my-vrou en 11 April 2021. Daardie dag het ons my geboorte dag gevier.

‘n Volle 40 jaar oud. Ek kan nou nie sê een handjie vol of twee hande vol nie want ons het net 10 vingers…..maar dit merk die dag wat ek 40 geword het. Die Piet-my-vrou het daardie dag ook van vroeg af al geroep. So asof hy net ‘n klank memory wil los in my brein….elke keer as ek hom nou hoor dink ek aan daardie dag.

My ma het my nie sien 40 word nie. Dit was vir my baie erg maar ek weet dis ook ok. Ek sal oorleef. Baie mense se ouers sien hulle nie 5 of 10 of 18 jaar oud word nie…..

Die vorige jaar, toe ek 39 geword het (of geraak het soos my dogtertjie steeds soms die verkeerde woord gebruik) was ons in Hard lockdown. Nie Grendeltyd nie. Dit klink te ordentlik vir hoe dit werklik was daardie tyd. Daardie dag het ek besef en geweet hoekom die Here my in 1981 aarde toe gestuur het en nie 1980 soos ek altyd voor gewens het op skool nie. Stupid ek weet, hierdie wens van my toe ek jonger was….

Wanneer ek terug kyk na 2020 en 2021, is dit verstrengel vir my soos ek voorheen genoem het. Dis moeilik om te onderskei wat was die jaar en wat was laas jaar. Goed wat in 2020 gebeur het voel soos gister en goed wat in 2021 gebeur het voel soos eeue gelede. En andersom ook. Dis vreemd. Weird.

Ek praat baie met die Here hieroor en vra Hom HOEKOM dit so voel vir ons as mens? Een ding wat ek wel weet van die Pandemie is dat mense nie meer so gretig is om agter hul maskers en mure weg te kruip nie.

Vir die eerste keer DEEL mense hul emosies, hoe hulle voel, hoe hulle dinge ervaar met mekaar. Voorheen sou ons en ander net die gewone Goed dankie self? antwoord gegee het as iemand jou vra hoe dit gaan. Maar van 2020 af was dit ANDERS.

Word vervolg…..

Reflect – Chapter 2
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Reflect – Chapter 1

This time of the year it always seems to me that there is some or another form of nostalgia (I had to google what the English of heimwee was and I am not entirely convinced that this is the right word…but perhaps it is?) that tries to make itself at home in my heart. This makes that I actually do not like this time of the year. I would not say despise, as that is such a strong word. Dislike is a better word to use….This is the time we are all supposed to celebrate one of the biggest events that occurred for mankind – the birth of Christ. I know there have been many debates on when He was actually born but let’s leave that out of this conversation…

I often wondered WHY it is like this for me this time of the year. Why do I feel like this? Why is this time of the year hard for some people? As the questions spin around in my mind, making something similar to a funnel, it is as if I can feel the Holy Spirit placing His hand in the midst of the turmoil to calm all the thoughts I am having.

I take some quiet time and try to HEAR what it is that I feel God is trying to tell me. The word that stands up above everything else is REFLECT. Reflect? I ask. The answer comes back to me – Yes, reflect.

Reflect. I chew on this word like my son does with his bubblegum the whole day long. Reflect. I decide to look up a more formal meaning in the English Oxford Dictionary. Not because I do not know what it means. No, just to be a bit different in my blog entry and also to be sure that I do understand the context in which God is giving this word to me.

I take the dark blue dictionary off the bookshelf and I blow off the dust that has settled on it from not using it as often as it probably was intended to be used. This dictionary has a few more meanings and explanations than the Afrikaans dictionary. But I find the one that I feel fits what God is trying to say. Here too it is a verb and the meaning I consider the closest to what I am trying to say is meditate. To meditate on something. Another one I found is to remind oneself. So basically I am meditating on or remining myself of what has happened in the past.

The only difference is, I am not only looking back, reflecting on 2021, but rather 2020 and 2021 together. You see, last year and the current year feels like they are intertwined and twisted into one another. I cannot tell the difference between the years. I am sure this is how everyone feels, not only me.

To be continued……

Reflekteer – Hoofstuk 1
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Reflekteer – Hoofstuk 1

Die tyd van die jaar is dit altyd asof daar een of ander vorm van heimwee in my hart probeer nes maak en sy plekkie vind. Dit maak dat ek eintlik glad nie van die tyd van die jaar hou nie. Die tyd wanneer ons eintlik een van die grootste gebeurtenisse vir die mensdom moet vier. Christus se geboorte. Ek weet ook dat daar baie debatte is oor wanneer Hy werklik gebore was maar dit daar gelaat…

Ek het al baie gewonder HOEKOM dit so is. Hoekom voel ek so? Hoekom is die tyd van die jaar so swaar vir sommige mense? Soos wat al die vrae deur my kop maal, is dit asof die Heilige Gees Sy hand in die gekolk en gemaal van gedagtes steek om dit stil te maak.

Ek raak stil en probeer weer hoor en LUISTER wat die Here vir my probeer sê. Die woord wat bo alles uitstaan is REFLEKTEER. Reflekteer? vra ek. Ja Reflekteer kom die antwoord terug.

Reflekteer. Ek kou aan die woord soos wat my seun sy kougom kou heeldag lank. Reflekteer. Ek besluit om die betekenis van die woord in die H.A.T. te gaan opsoek. Nie omdat ek nie weet wat dit beteken nie. Nee, net om bietjie iets anders in my blog te doen vir ‘n verandering en om maar tog seker te maak ek verstaan die konsep waarin die Here die woord vir my gee.

Ek haal die wynrooi woordeboek van die boekrak af, blaas die stof van min gebruik af. Dit blyk ‘n werkwoord te wees. Ander verduidelikings is terugkaats, weerspieël. Dit laat my dink….as ek reflekteer op die jaar wat verby is, dan kyk ek na als wat terugkaats na my toe. Al die gebeurtenisse.

Een verskil is, ek kyk nie net na 2021 nie, maar na 2020 en 2021 so saam-saam. Jy sien, laas jaar en die huidige jaar voel ineen verstrengel vir my. Ek is seker dis hoe dit vir almal voel, nie net vir my nie.

Word vervolg….

Reflect – Chapter 1
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The Minefield Game

When I started my first job, no wait, when I was still at school and we purchased a second hand computer from someone, around 1996 or 1997, I discovered this game on a computer. It is a game with a whole bunch of blocks. When you right click with your mouse, then you place flags on the blocks.

Two types of flags – red flags and black flags if I remember correctly. If you click on some of the blocks, they open up a bigger area with nothing underneath them. Others reveal the numbers one and two. Nothing that I ever did on this game made sense to me. I tried to read the rules, understand the logic of the game. At some stage I figured out that the numbers one and two is supposed to give you an indication of the amount of bombs close to the one you just selected.

The red flags mean you mark where you THINK the bombs are and the black flags are area’s that you recon is bomb-free. All this time, I just played the game, not fully understanding the rules and not bothering to actually trying to understand it so that I can actually beat the game. Every time I played it, it was just a matter of time before I chose a block with a bomb underneath it.

This past week or two it felt to me as if I was playing a similar game in real life. Ok, since the start of December 2021 it felt like this to me and it feels like we are trapped in some reality game. The bombs that I was trying to miss? The feared virus of the Pandemic that we find ourselves in. You see, to me it feels like it does not matter how closely you follow the rules and play the so-called game, it is only a matter of time before you will step on a bomb.

You read the rules, think you understand it, follow it, mark what you recon are bombs with the flags and the safe areas are also marked by you. But, you take your eye off the game for just a tiny moment only to discover that you have stepped on one. The bomb goes off. Your husband tests positive. The thing is in your house. The thing that no one can see is HERE.

You freak out because you don’t know WHAT to expect. He is NEVER ill. Now he sleeps for hours during the day. All the responsibilities of parenting comes down on the one that is not ill. Goodness me, let me tell you, I felt like a single mom at some stage. It was no fun at all.

It was even worse for me to see him like that. I find myself crying secretly in the bathroom where no one can see me. I don’t want to upset him or the kids. I must be strong. I must ensure that he eats, drinks his medicine and sleeps. The devil tried to catch me with lies in my mind.

He even tried to convince me that my husband is not going to make it. He actually had it very light and his symptoms were not as terrible as one hears other talk about their experience. But, I still fall for the lies – hook, line and sinker. That makes me freak out even more.

I sleep in the children’s room with them. We have to isolate from him. My arms start to feel sore from lack of sleep. My back feels like it is going to go into spasm any moment because I am sleeping on a mattress that is not mine. You see, my mattress feels to me, as if it folds itself around me when I lie down. I miss my bed. About three nights of bad or little sleep leaves me in tears. I cry for nothing and cannot get anything done relating to work. I decide by myself, this is it, now I am sleeping in my own bed again.

That was the Monday evening. The next day I feel like a brand new person. My arms are no longer sore because I actually slept well. It is very strange, but they always ache when I go through stressful times and on top of it all when I don’t sleep well too. Thank God for my mattress and a good night’s rest!

At some stage I hear a song on Spotify. Jeremy Camp’s Out of my hands. I heard it before and have marked it as a favorite song. It comes up every so often on my playlists. But this time it is as if God is TALKING to ME. I listen carefully to the words.

I realise that this whole Pandemic, the virus, the bombs that we are all trying to miss, is something that we do not have control over. It is not in our hands. Does not matter HOW hard you try, you cannot avoid the unavoidable….

I listen carefully to the words again. Take this out of my hands I hear Jeremy Camp sing. Out of my hands and into Yours…..I stand quietly for a moment and LISTEN to what God is trying to tell me about this….He is in control ALWAYS. Nothing is too big for Him. We just have to let Him take it out of our hands and into His so that He can handle it on our behalf.

https://www.beroepsvrou.co.za/2021/12/18/die-bom-speletjie/
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Die Bom Speletjie

Toe ek begin werk het, nee wag, toe ek nog op skool was en ons iewers in 1996 of 1997 ‘n tweede handse rekenaar by iemand oorgekoop het, het ek ‘n sekere speletjie op die rekenaar ontdek. Dis ‘n speletjie met ‘n klomp blokkies op. As jy regs click met jou muis, dan plaas jy vlaggies op die blokkies.

Twee tipes vlaggies – rooi vlaggies en dan swart vlaggies as ek reg onthou. As jy op sommige blokkies druk, dan maak dit ‘n hele rits blokkies oop met niks onder hulle nie en ander maak nommertjies oop – een’s en twee’s. Niks wat ek ooit op die speletjie gedoen het, het OOIT sin gemaak nie. Ek het probeer om die reëls te lees en het later uitgewerk dat die syfertjies wat ontbloot word vir jou ‘n indikasie gee van die hoeveelheid bomme wat naby jou gekose blokkies is.

Die rooi vlaggies beteken jy merk waar jy DINK die bomme is, en die swart vlaggies die area’s wat jy reken bom-vry is. So kap ek altyd aan met die speletjie, verstaan glad niks van die reëls nie en trap altyd een of ander bom af, al analiseer ek die nommertjies en merk die blokkies wat ek dink bomme het.

Hierdie afgelope week of twee het dit vir my gevoel of ek ‘n soortgelyke speletjie in die regte lewe speel. Ok, sedert begin Desember 2021 al, voel dit of ons in hierdie realiteitsding vasgevang is. Die bomme wat ek probeer mis? Die gevreesde virus van die Pandemie waarin ons onsself bevind. Jy sien, maak nie saak HOE versigtig jy die reëls probeer volg en die spel probeer speel nie, dis net ‘n kwessie van tyd voor jy ‘n bom gaan aftrap.

Jy lees die reëls, dink jy verstaan en volg dit, merk wat jy reken bomme is met vlaggies en dit wat jy as veilig sien met die ander kleur vlaggies. Maar helaas, jy vat vir ‘n oomblik jou oog van die spel af en daar is dit so. Jy trap op hom. Die bom gaan af. Jou man toets positief. Die ding is in jou huis. Die ding wat niemand kan sien nie is nou hier.

Jy freak uit want jy weet nie wat om te verwag nie. Hy is NOOIT siek nie. Nou lê en slaap hy vir ure in die dag. Al die verantwoordelikhede van ouerskap kom op die een wat nie siek is nie neer. Liewe aarde, ek het soos ‘n enkelma gevoel op ‘n stadium. Dit was glad nie pret nie, laat ek jou vertel.

Nog erger vir my is om hom so te sien. Ek huil kort-kort en gaan doen dit maar in die badkamer waar niemand my kan sien nie. Ek wil nie hom ontstel nie. Wil nie die kinders ontstel nie. Ek moet sterk staan, hulle versorg. Sorg dat hy eet, medisyne kry, rus. Die duiwel kom kort-kort met jok stories in my gedagtes.

Hy probeer my selfs oortuig dat my man dit nie gaan maak nie. Hy het eintlik dit baie lig gehad en sy simptome was nie so woes soos mens ander hoor praat het nie. Tog val ek hook, line & sinker vir die leuen. Dit laat my nog meer uitfreak.

Ek slaap saam met die kinders in hul kamer. Ons moet mos isoleer van hom af. My arms raak seer van sleg en min slaap. My rug voel styf en verslaap omdat ek op ‘n matras, wat nie myne is nie, slaap. Jy sien, my matras voel of hy homself so om my lyf vou as ek gaan lê. Ek mis dit. So drie aande se min of geen slaap los my in trane. Ek is huilerig, kry niks uitgerig wat werk aanbetref nie. Ek besluit by myself, bogger daai liefde vanaand slaap ek in my eie bed.

Dis die Maandagaand. Die volgende dag voel ek soos ‘n nuwe mens. My arms is nie meer seer van sleg slaap nie. Dis vreemd maar dit pyn altyd as ek deur druk tye gaan, en nog bo op dit alles wanneer ek sleg slaap. Dank die Here vir my matras en ‘n goeie nag se rus!

Een of ander stadium hoor ek ‘n liedjie op Spotify speel. Jeremy Camp se Out of my hands. Ek het al voorheen die liedjie gehoor, as ‘n gunsteling gemerk en hy kom gereeld op my playlists op. Maar die keer is dit asof die Here met MY praat. Ek luister aandagtig na die woorde.

Ek besef die hele Pandemie, die virus, die bomme wat mens so probeer mis, is iets waaroor niemand van ons beheer het nie. Dis nie in ons hande nie. Maak nie saak HOE hard jy probeer nie, jy kan nie die onvermeidelike vermy nie…..

Ek luister aandagtig na die woorde. Take this out of my hands hoor ek Jeremy Camp sing. Out of my hands and into Yours…..ek staan ‘n oomblik stil en LUISTER net wat die Here vir my probeer sê hieroor…..Hy is in beheer ALTYD en niks is te groot vir Hom nie. Ons moet net oorgee dat Hy dit kan hanteer namens ons.

The Minefield Game
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Good Bye….

Saturday 4 December 2021. What a lovely morning. Slightly overcast and cool, something that is welcome after the intense heat that we had experienced the few days before. As per usual, the parents park their vehicles at Eden Leersentrum to attend the annual price giving and concert.

But this time it is different, different for our family. It is our children’s last price giving and concert at Eden. Why? you may ask. My answer? The children grow up. Franco, my eldest, is finished with primary school.

You see, we all knew that this day would come, since 2016 when we first enrolled our children, we knew that this day would come. Yet we decided to avoid this subject and not have a stare-down competition with it. Just not giving it any attention.

It is even more strange and different than usual, because I attended this alone. My husband could not attend as he tested positive for the virus and is self-isolating in the house, separate from us, so that we can attend the function. We also tested and the results were negative for the rest of us. We could attend the morning with a peaceful heart (for what it is worth).

My heart is broken on his behalf, because he could not see the last concert, he could not hear them say their speeches that they worked so hard on, hear the songs and see the dances they performed. He had to view everything via a video that I took with my cellphone, which was sent via Whatsapp to him. I keep my distance, keep the mask on, avoid physical contact with anyone. Another thing that is strange for me.

A friend walks closer and waves at me. I can see she wants to give me a hug. I stop her immediately. My heart breaks into even smaller pieces, you see, my love language is not getting the food it needs, especially on a day like this. One of the hardest days that I had secretly hoped would never arrive.

The concert, speeches and rhymes that the kids had prepared go according to their plans, everything was perfect, no one forgot their words. Everyone talks loud and clear while it continues to rain softly every now and then. Certificates are handed to the children, they stand proud with their teachers for photographs, holding their certificates that they had worked so hard for.

The morning goes by quickly, quicker than what one would expect. This is it. The time to say goodbye has arrived. With tears in my eyes, I walk to the first teacher, thank her for all that she had done. I cannot help it, the tears and emotions overwhelm me and take over everything.

I walk towards the other teachers, all emotional and crying I greet them and thank them for all that they had done. It is such a bitter-sweet moment. The kids grow up, we have to move on. This phase is over for ever. Yet it is so hard to say goodbye.

Michélle Nortjé – this is just a small something that I could give you from the bottom of my heart. Something to thank you for all that you had done over time and meant for our kids. May God bless Eden Leersentrum even more and may it grow from strength to strength.

This is certainly not a farewell, but just a goodbye. Until we meet again. The end of a season always arrives and we have to meet the new season with open arms. Bitter-sweet, this is how I would describe the transition to the new season….

Totsiens maar nie Vaarwel
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Totsiens maar nie Vaarwel

Saterdag 4 Desember 2021. Dis ‘n lieflike oggend. Effens bewolk en koel wat baie welkom is na die drukkende hitte van die vorige paar dae. Oudergewoonte stop & parkeer daar karre by Eden Leersentrum om die jaarlikse toekenningsoggend by te woon.

Maar die keer is dit anders, anders vir ons gesin. Dis ons kinders se laaste toekenningsoggend en konsert by Eden. Hoekom? vra jy dalk. My antwoord? Die kinders word groot. Franco, my oudste is klaar met laerskool.

Jy sien, ons almal het geweet hierdie dag gaan kom, sedert 2016 wat ons die kinders daar ingeskryf het, het ons geweet die dag gaan kom. Tog het ons besluit om dit te vermy en nie die ding in die gesig te staar nie. Nie aan hom aandag te gee nie.

Dis verder nog meer anders en vreemd, want dis net ek en die kinders daar. My man kon nie dit bywoon nie want hy het positief getoets vir die virus en self-isoleer in ons huis, apart van ons, sodat ons die oggend kan bywoon. Ons het ook gaan toets en was negatief en kon ons dus met ‘n geruste hart (soort van en vir wat dit werd is) die dag bywoon.

My hart breek vir hom, want hy kon nie hul laaste opvoerings, woorde wat gespreek was, liedjies wat gesing was of dansies wat opgevoer was beleef en ervaar nie. Hy moes alles met ‘n video aanskou, videos wat ek met my selfoon geneem het en per Whatsapp aan hom gestuur het. Ek hou my afstand, hou my masker op, vermy fisiese kontak met almal. Nog iets wat vreemd is vir my.

‘n Vriendin stap nader en waai vir my. Ek sien sy wil my ‘n drukkie gee. Ek keer haar vinnig. My hart krimp ineen, my liefdestaal kry nie kos op ‘n dag soos vandag nie, juis die dag wat ek dit die nodigste het. Die moeilikste dag wat ek gehoop het nooit sou arriveer nie.

Die opvoerings en rympies en gediggies wat die kinders opsê verloop seepglad. Niemand vergeet hul woorde nie. Almal praat mooi en duidelik terwyl die reën by tye saggies neer sif. Sertifikate word uitgedeel, kinders staan trots vir hul foto’s saam met hul juffrouens, sertifikaat in die hand.

Die oggend se verrigtinge gaan verby, vinniger as wat mens sou verwag. Toe is dit nou so. Die tyd om te groet het aangebreek. Met trane in my oë loop ek na die eerste juffrou toe, bedank haar vir alles wat sy gedoen het. Ek kan nie dit keer nie, die trane en emosie oorweldig my.

Ek loop na die ander juffrouens toe, al huilende bedank ek hulle vir alles wat hulle gedoen het. Dis so ‘n bitter-soet oomblik. Die kinders word groot, ons moet aanbeweeg. Die fase is verby vir ewig. Tog is dit so bitter moeilik om te groet en totsiens te sê.

Michélle Nortjé – hierdie is net ‘n ietsie wat ek kon gee uit die diepte van my hart uit om jou te bedank vir dit wat julle vir ons kinders gedoen en beteken het oor al die jare. Mag die Here Eden Leersentrum net nog meer seën en laat groei van krag tot krag.

Die is vir seker nie Vaarwel nie, maar net ‘n Totsiens. Tot wedersiens. Die einde van ‘n seisoen kom altyd en ons moet ook die nuwe seisoen met ope arms aangryp. Bitter-soet, dit is hoe ek die oorgang van hierdie een seisoen na die volgende sou beskryf….

Good Bye….
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Om agteroor te buig

“Hou jou rug reguit wanneer jy die kettlebell swing doen.” Instruksies wat deur Tonia, ons afrigter by Cross Fit gegee word. “Jy moet jou tegniek reg kry anders gaan jy jou rug seermaak. Moet nie jou rug agteroor buig nie.”

Ek hoor wat sy sê en selfs terwyl ek oefen, is dit asof die Heilige Gees in my gees net laat val dat ek hieroor moet blog. Die tydsberekening is nie wat wonders nie want ek sweet, sukkel om asem te haal en is in die middel van ‘n tegniek wat ek probeer leer met geen hande beskikbaar (of penne) om nota’s te maak nie. MAAR ek het geleer om mental notes te maak.

‘n Paar dae gaan verby en weer die afgelope Maandag (gister om presies te wees) sê sy dieselfde ding. Nou begin ek lag (stil-weg by myself natuurlik want NIEMAND om my gaan die persoonlike grappie wat ek met die Here deel verstaan nie en die oefening wat ons besig is om te doen is vir seker nie ‘n lag wêrd nie) en ek sê vir Hom, OK dis reg so Here, ek sal hieroor blog. So hier is ek nou besig om hieroor te blog.

Wat die Here vir my gewys het oor dit, is dat, wanneer jou fisiese liggaam oefeninge doen en jy doen dit verkeerd, gaan jou spiere in spasma in en gewoonlik dan kan jy nie behoorlik loop nie en ook nie jou take verrig soos jy veronderstel is om dit te doen nie. Jy hoef ook egter glad nie die verkeerde beweging of oefening oor en oor te herhaal vir so iets om te gebeur nie. Nee, slegs so min as een keer se verkeerde beweging kan jou verskriklike pyn laat ervaar….en omdat ons liggame so wonderlik geskape is om jou te waarsku wanneer jy iets verkeerd doen, stop ons gewoonlik waarmee ons besig is en vat dinge rustiger vir ‘n paar dae tot die spasma uitgesorteer en weg is.

Die volgende vraag of ding wat ek in my gees ervaar, is, is dit nie dieselfde met ons emosionele mens en gees mens nie? Seker eerder die emosionele mens (die een waar al ons emosies en gevoelens plaas vind – daar waar ons die moegheid, angs, geluk of ekstase ervaar) sou ek sê.

Jy sien, God het ons liggaam, siel EN gees geskape. Die sielsdimensie is die een wat uitgeput raak, sonder lewenslus dag in en dag uit deur swoeg en sweet, mismoedig raak, enige negatiewe ding, in my opinie gebeur hier (natuurlik die positiewe gevoelens en emosies gebeur ook hier – ek is seker jy verstaan wat ek bedoel).

Wanneer jou emosionele mens agteroor buig (jy kan maar erken, ons almal is op een of ander manier people pleasers) maak jy soms jou “spiere” seer wat jy daar gebruik. Die verskil tussen hierdie persoon en ons fisiese liggaam, is dat ons soms sukkel om te onderskei en identifiseer wanneer die emosionele persoon seergekry het en in pyn is. Ons weet nie wanneer ons daardie persoon moet laat rus en NIE die oefening herhaal wat die pyn aangewakker het in die eerste plek nie.

MAAR, wat doen ons? Ons gaan bloot net aan en aan en aan. Wanneer dit vakansies is of oor naweke, wonder mens soms hoekom jy nie behoorlik kan slaap nie of hoekom jy skuldig voel omdat jy rus of iets doen anders as werk. Ek weet ek is een van hulle!

Vir my persoonlik, was 2020, die Pandemie en die hard lockdown of grendeltyd (dit klink mooier in Afrikaans maar was glad nie ‘n mooi tyd nie), ‘n rugbreker tyd. Dit was die spreekwoordelike strooihalm wat die kameel se rug gebreek het. Dit is hoe ek (en ek is seker die hele wêreld) dit ervaar het. Ek gaan nie eens sê “meeste van ons” nie, soos wat ek al te gereeld lees in artikels of hoor op video’s wat mense maak. Nee, ek maak ‘n standpunt hier dat dit ALMAL geaffekteer het.

Deur dit alles was God goed vir my. Hy is steeds, tot op hede, besig om my stadig maar seker te genees op ‘n emosionele vlak. Van al die agteroor buig oor al die jare, nie net gedurende 2020 nie. Ek meen, in ons lyn van werk gaan ons die ekstra myl (dis hoe ons dit sien en ervaar) en doen baie goed uit geloof uit, net vir dit om terug gegooi te word in ons gesigte propvol kritiek en in sommige gevalle sonder om vergoed te word vir ons tyd. Dit gebeur nie altyd nie en is vir seker in die minderheid (dis so min dit kan seker op een hand getel word reken ek). Maar die kere wat dit wel gebeur, maak dit so seer dat jy voel of jy in ‘n grot moet gaan wegkruip en wag vir die sneeustorm om verby te woed.

Ek het al oor en oor hierdie gesprek met die Here gehad – HOEKOM maak die minderheid so seer? HOEKOM affekteer dit ons so erg op ‘n emosionele vlak? Ek het nie dadelik my antwoord gekry nie, maar terwyl ek die beroemde kettle bell swings gedoen het laas week en gister, het ek wel my antwoord gekry.

Jy sien, dis eintlik baie eenvoudig. Dit vat net een, of 2 of 10 verkeerde bewegings om jou amper lam te lê (nie regtig lam nie maar dit affekteer jou in so ‘n mate dat jy nie soos normaal kan funksioneer nie) en dit is dieselfde beginsel wat van toepassing is op ‘n emosionele vlak. Selfs al is die mense wat mens seermaak in die minderheid, maak dit steeds seer, soveel so dat ons voel of ons nie kan aangaan nie.

Wat ek wel geleer het van hierdie hele ervaring is, dat as ek so voel oor iets, dan moet ek begin luister vir my emosionele spiere en dadelik ophou waarmee ek besig is. Dit gaan my so negatief affekteer dat ek nie konstruktief iets sal KAN doen vir die meerderheid mense wat nie mens seermaak nie.

Dit is wel makliker gesê as gedaan, dit sal ek vir seker erken. Maar, dag-vir-dag is die Here besig om my te genees, my te leer om op te hou doen wat ek nie moet doen nie, wat om te los en waarop om wel te fokus. As Hy dit vir my kan doen, kan Hy dit vir seker vir ENIGE IEMAND doen. Ons moet net LEER om Hom te VERTROU en te luister na die instinkte en boodskappe wat Hy aanwakker in ons Gees. Op die ou einde van die dag is dit tog maar ons Geestelike mens wat ons lei en as ons nie in sync is met die Here nie, dan gaan die resultate nie wees soos Hy dit bedoel het nie.

Bending over backwards
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Bending over backwards

“Keep your back straight when you do the kettlebell swing.” Words spoken by Tonia, our instructor at Cross Fit. “You need to get the technique right, else you will hurt your back. Do not bend over backwards.”

I hear what she is saying and even while exercising, it is like the Holy Spirit dumps into my spirit that I need to blog about this. The timing for me sucks as I am sweating, struggling to breathe and in the middle of trying to learn a technique with no hands (or pens) to make notes. BUT I have learnt to make mental notes.

A few days pass and again this past Monday (yesterday to be exact) she says the same thing. Now I start laughing inside and silently (because NO one around me will understand my own personal joke with God and no one will think that the exercises we are doing at that moment is worth a laugh) and I say to Him, OK I will blog about this. So here I am blogging about this.

What God showed me about this, is, when your physical body exercises and you do exercises incorrect, your muscles go into spasm and then usually you cannot walk or perform your usual tasks due to this. You do not need to repeat a movement done incorrectly too many times for this to happen. Nope, just as little as one wrong move can cause you severe pain….and because your body is so wonderfully made to warn you when there is something wrong, we normally do not continue the exercise or just take it calmly for a few days until the spasms are sorted out.

The next question or thing that I felt in my spirit is, that, is this not the same with our emotional person and our spiritual person? More the emotional side (the one where all our emotions are and whether we are happy, or tired and exhausted or elating with joy) I would say than the spiritual side.

You see, God created us Spirit, body and soul (mind). The soul dimension is the one that gets exhausted, not wanting to do something, discouraged, you name any negative thing, in my opinion, it happens there (and of course all the positive things also happen here – I am sure you catch my drift).

When your emotional person bends over backwards (you can admit it – we are all people pleasers in one way or another) you sometimes hurt your “muscles” that you have there. The difference between this person and your physical person is, that, one often struggles to identify when the emotional person is hurt and in pain, needs to rest and NOT repeat the movement that brought the pain on in the first place.

BUT, what do we do? We just go on and on and on. When it is holidays or weekends, one often wonders why you cannot sleep properly or why you feel guilty when you are resting or doing something other than work. I for one am one of those people!

For me personally, 2020, the Pandemic and the hard lockdown that we had, was a back breaker. It was the proverbial straw that broke the camel’s back. That is how I (and I am sure the entire world), experienced it. I am not even going to say “most people” as I often read in articles and hear on videos that people made. No, I am making a statement here that it affected EVERYONE.

Through it all, God was good to me. He is still, to this day, slowly healing my emotional person. From all the bending over backwards that happened over all the years, not only in 2020. I mean, in our line of work, we go the extra mile and do a lot of things out of faith only for it to be thrown back into your face with criticism and in some instances non-payment of our accounts. Not always, but the few times that it does happen (which can be counted on one hand by the way) hurts so badly that you feel like hiding in a cave until the snow storm has passed.

I have had a conversation with God so many times, asking Him WHY do the few people, the ones that are in the minority, hurt us so badly and affect us so badly on an emotional level? I did not get my answer right away, but I did while doing the famous kettlebell swings last week and yesterday.

You see, it is actually very simple. It only takes one or 2 or even 10 incorrect movements to almost paralyze you (not really paralyze you but it affects you so that you cannot function as you usually did) and it is the same on an emotional level. Even if the people who are hurtful to us are the minority, it still hurts and paralyzes us to not be able to go on.

What I have learnt from this whole experience is, if I feel this way about something, then I should listen to my emotional muscles and stop it immediately. It is going to affect me so badly that I will not be able to do anything constructive for the majority of people who are not hurtful….

It is easier said than done, that I will admit. But day-by-day God is busy healing me, teaching me what to stop doing, what to let go of and what to focus my attention on. If He can do it for me, He can surely do it for ANYONE. We only need to learn to TRUST God and the instincts and messages that He instills within our Spirit. After all, the Spiritual person is the one guiding us and if we are not in sync with God then the results may not be as He intended it to be.

Om agteroor te buig
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The Pink Feathers range – the online shop

What felt like forever (which was in reality only one week since I released my first advertisement on Whatsapp) I can confirm that the online shop is READY! I did it with my own two hands and let me tell you, it is not necessarily difficult but rather time consuming.

Between everything else this past week, including and not limited to the tax return deadline that I had to tend to, I made time and worked on this project and I am very proud to say that EVERYTHING – digital and physical items, are now available on this page.

After I released my advertisement last week Sunday via Whatsapp, I received such a positive response from people wanting to order items and wanting to place their orders via Whatsapp. The positive feedback was overwhelming and that forced me to immediately type a message with the instructions that I will only take orders via e-mail and that items will only be supplied based on orders.

Well, that idea was quickly blown out the front door with a tornado named Reality. You see, the Reality is that I still have to design an order form and what must that look like??? How do I ensure that I do not order or deliver the incorrect items? How do I get it to people? These are just a few of the questions that were twisting around in my mind.

Just as I was approaching the big barren desert of hopelessness (something that seemed to happen a lot during this process) I felt a nudge from the Holy Spirit. You cannot get this far to quit NOW. There are REALLY people that WILL benefit from this. You must push through.

I share the hopelessness to someone very close to me (she is more like a little sister or friend than an employee), and she tells me that she read something in the past week that God does not call the equipped, He equips the called. I sit for a moment, I read it and understand it, yet I decide to still reply with emojis crying streams of tears because that is just how I felt.

I decide to move forward and just to STOP trying to THINK about this and HOW I am going to do it all. God will surely not let this thing happen out of nothing if I cannot handle it. My answer to everyone who asks about why or how this started is very simple – it just happened. I did not think anything through, I just did it! If I thought about it I would not have done it.

I leave you on this cold wet afternoon from the North West province (it is raining here if you were wondering). Select the menu at the top, browse through my shop and order something if you feel in in your heart to do so. If you are in the Hartbeespoort area choose the collection option when checking out and I will contact you to meet up with you somewhere to collect the items when I am in the area. Of course those of you in the Magaliesburg, Hekpoort, Skeerpoort and other surrounding areas can also choose collection and then we can arrange a date and time for you to collect.

I will be placing my first order with the printers on Monday 29 November 2021. If everything goes well and according to plan and they have no load shedding (something that I am praying about because I know that God will not disappoint me) then I should have it within the next 5 to 7 business days, thus around 7 or 8 December 2021.

The week thereafter, 6 December 2021, I will be placing my second order so that it will be ready around mid-December. This will be my last order for 2021 after which it will be delivered, so do not miss out on making your workspace for 2022 something to motivate and inspire you or to get the last items gifts wise for Christmas!

All the glory be to God and the Holy Spirit who guided me during this entire process. Without Him I am not able to do ANYTHING, because I am surely not as tech-savvy as those who do this for a living. Please excuse the Afrikaans and English pages that are mixed on my website (this is at the menu options), I am working on it to translate it so that there are both English and Afrikaans pages for all.

Die Pienk Vere reeks – die aanlyn winkel
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Die Pienk Vere reeks – die aanlyn winkel

Na wat voel soos ‘n ewigheid (wat eintlik net ‘n week was sedert ek my eerste advertensie gedoen het) is die aanlyn winkel REG! Ek het dit met my eie twee hande gedoen en laat ek jou vertel, dis nie noodwendig moeilik nie maar dit vat tyd.

So tussen alles deur die afgelope week, onder andere die belastingopgawe sperdatum wat ek aan moes aandag gee, het ek tyd gemaak en daaraan gewerk en kan ek nou trots sê dat ALLES – digitaal asook fisiese items, is nou beskikbaar op hierdie blad.

Na ek my advertensie vrygestel het laas week Sondag het daar sommer heelwat Whatsapp boodskappe deur gekom van mense wat belangstel en bestellings via Whatsapp wou deurgee. Die positiewe reaksie het my absoluut oorweldig en het my genoodsaak om DADELIK ‘n boodskap met instruksies te stuur in die lyn van dat ek slegs per e-pos bestellings sal neem en dat voorraad slegs op bestelling aangekoop gaan word.

Vinnig is daardie voorneme by die voordeur uitgewaai met die tornado genaamd Realiteit. Jy sien, die Realiteit is, dat ek nog ‘n bestelvorm moet ontwerp en hoe moet dit lyk??? Hoe maak EK seker dat EK nie verkeerde goed bestel nie? Hoe kry ek dit by mense uit? So maal al die vrae deur my kop.

Net toe ek weer op moedverloor se vlakte sit (wat baie was tydens die projek) por die Heilige Gees my aan. Jy kan nie so ver kom en NOU moed op gee nie. Daar is REGTIG mense wat SAL baat hierby. Jy moet deur druk.

Ek deel my mismoedigheid met iemand baie na aan my (sy is meer soos my klein sussie of vriendin as ‘n werknemer), en sy vertel vir my dat sy in die week gelees het dat God does not call the equipped, He equips the called. Ek sit vir ‘n oomblik stil en lees dit. Ek verstaan en hoor, maar tog stuur ek ‘n boodskap terug met emoji gesiggies wat strome trane huil want dis net hoe ek voel.

Ek besluit om voort te beur en net te ophou dink aan HOE ek alles gaan doen en HOE dit gaan werk. Die Here sal wragties nie so iets net uit niks uit laat gebeur as ek dit nie kan hanteer nie. My antwoord aan almal as hulle vra maar hoekom en hoe het die reeks ontstaan, is my antwoord dood eenvoudig – dit het net gebeur. Ek het dit glad nie deurdink nie. Net gedoen. As ek daaroor gedink het, sou ek dit vir seker nie gedoen het nie.

Ek los julle nou op ‘n nat koue Saterdagmiddag vanuit Noord-Wes (dit reën by ons as jy gewonder het). Gaan kies die menu bo, gaan browse deur my winkel en bestel as jy dit op jou hart voel om iets te bestel. As jy in die Harties omgewing is, kies collection opsie met die uitteken proses en ek sal jou kontak en by jou uitkry wanneer ek in die Harties omgewing is. Diegene wat in die Magalies, Hekpoort, Skeerpoort en ander omliggende areas is kan ook die collection opsie kies en dan sal ons ‘n datum afspreek wat dit afgehaal kan word by my.

Ek plaas eerskomende Maandag, 29 November 2021 my eerste bestelling by die drukkers. As alles goed gaan en hulle het nie load shedding nie (iets waaroor ek nou nog bid ook want ek weet net die Here sal my nie teleurstel nie) behoort ek dit binne 5 tot 7 werksdae na dit te ontvang, dus rondom 7 of 8 Desember 2021.

Ek gaan dan die week daarna, 6 Desember 2021 weer ‘n bestelling plaas sodat dit weer teen middel Desember 2021 reg sal wees. Dit sal my laaste bestellings en lewering vir 2021 wees, so moet nie uitmis om jou werkspasie vir 2022 mooi te maak nie, of om die laaste klein ietsie “geskenkerigs” te kry vir Kersfees nie!

Alle eer aan God en die Heilige Gees wat my deurentyd gelei het in die proses. Sonder Hom sou ek NIKS kan doen nie, want ek is vir seker nie so tech-savvy soos mense wat die vir ‘n lewe doen nie. Verskoon asb. die Afrikaans en Engels gemeng op die blad (by die “menu” opsies), ek werk daaraan om al die hoof bladsye nog te vertaal sodat alles in beide Afrikaans en Engels daar is.

The Pink Feathers range – the online shop
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The Pink Feathers- the confirmation

Can I tell you how Mr. Doubt tried to destroy the Pink Feathers ever since I collected the proofs from the printers last week? He comes and then he sows seeds of doubt between that which I have felt God had laid on my heart, and the weeds of doubt almost, very close to ALMOST started to grow, trying to oppress (this word I had to Google because I could not think of the English word for Verdruk) the Pink Feathers.

This morning, we attended church at Doxa Deo Hartbeespoort campus. As always, Kobus Windt is marching up and down the stage (I am SURE it is a stage and not another fancy word to describe what is used as a stage), giving his sermon. He is so passionate and uses examples that we all can relate to, to UNDERSTAND what God is trying to say.

He always uses the saying that sleeping in a garage does not make you a car. The same is applicable to our Christianity. You cannot ONLY attend church on a Sunday and call yourself a Christian. You have to LIVE like one too. Today’s message was no different and certainly portrayed God’s message.

The name of the Series that is being discussed is Reageer (in Afrikaans) or React if you wish to translate it in English. We must react on God’s voice. As I am listening and making notes in my notebook, I can hear the Holy Spirit talk with me and I can sense that he is throwing weed killer over all the little plants of doubt that is trying to grow. Again, He presses on my heart to say “This is what I want YOU to do.”

Just this morning, while getting ready for church, doubt comes yet again and tries to sow negativity all over my mind. The thoughts? How can God use YOU, really? You fail at pretty much everything in your life. Your YouTube video that you tried to make, you called an Epic Fail yourself and laughed about it. What makes you so special and different than other people? You don’t even know the books of the Bible in order and off the top of your head. Not even to talk about the Bible itself.

Doubts similar to the previous ones repeat and continue in my mind. But God is faithful. In the sermon I receive my confirmation that this ís what God wants me to do. I must do thís, I have to reach a certain demographic area, Career woman, as this is where God wants to use me. If I am not going to do it, who will?

For the first time since I started the blog, I heard God speak to me through an Afrikaans song (they are normally English songs). While Kobus closes off the sermon, the worship team walks back onto the stage. Carindé sings in her gorgeous voice Stuur My, so passionate, you can see she is overflowing with God. He invites us to stand up while they are singing the song, if you feel you want to make an impact on a certain demographic environment.

I want to jump up immediately, but as per usual, I am self-conscious. Why I cannot tell you, because NO ONE in the church is observing who stand up and who remain seated. I ask my husband if I heard correctly – can we stand up? He does not answer me immediately, he is sitting with his eyes closed, worshipping God. After a while I hear him say – you may stand up.

I stand up and the moment I did that, I felt the Holy Spirit in a tangible form in my spirit. My eyes shoot full of tears. Not tears of heart ache, just tears that I have NO control over. From experience I KNOW that this is the Holy Spirit. I am on the right track, I am doing what God is expecting from me.

With that being said I am closing off this entry with what I perceive to be better YouTube videos. Shorter videos that explains each individual item better. I am busy working on price lists and I am just going to do it. I am not going to use my technical Accounting skills to try and work out and calculate complex formulae. I am just going to trust God. He will let it happen the way it should. After all, it is all about Him and not about me, so why doubt?

Die Pienk Vere – die bevestiging
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Die Pienk Vere – die bevestiging

Kan ek vir jou vertel hoe het Mnr. Twyfel probeer om die Pienk Vere te vertrap en te verpletter in my gedagtes sedert ek die voorbeelde gaan afhaal het by die drukkers laas week? Hy kom en saai twyfel tussen dit wat die Here op my hart gelê het, en amper, net so bietjie AMPER het die twyfel onkruid opgekom en die Pienk Vere verdruk.

Vanoggend sit ons in die kerk, by Doxa Deo Hartbeespoort kampus. Kobus Windt marsjeer oudergewoonte op en af op die verhoog (by gebrek aan ‘n beter woord vir daar waar hy nou eintlik op staan – ek sien dit as ‘n verhoog en is nou nie seker of daar een of ander fêncy woord is wat ander mense sou gebruik nie). Hy is passievol en gebruik voorbeelde wat mens mee kan vereenselwig om te VERSTAAN wat die Here vir jou probeer sê.

Hy sê mos altyd – as jy in ‘n garage slaap maak dit jou nie ‘n kar nie, net so is dit van toepassing op ons Christenskap. Jy kan nie NET Sondae kerk toe kom en jouself ‘n Christen noem nie. Jy moet dit UITLEEF. Vandag se boodskap was geen uitsondering nie en het vir seker weer God se boodskap oorgedra.

Die naam van die Reeks wat behandel word is Reageer. Ons moet reageer op God se stem. Soos wat ek sit en luister en nota’s maak in my boekie, hoor ek hoe die Heilige Gees met my praat en die onkruiddoder spuit op die twyfel plante wat probeer opkom. Hy druk op my hart om te sê “Dit is wat Ek wil hê JY moet doen.”

Net vanoggend toe ek regmaak vir kerk, kom twyfel weer en probeer weer net nog ‘n ietsie vir oulaas saai in my gedagtes. Die gedagte? Hoe kan die Here JOU gebruik, regtig? Jy kry dan amper niks in jou lewe reg nie? Jou YouTube video’s wat jy gemaak het, het jy dan self ‘n “epic fail” genoem en daaroor gelag. Wat maak jou so “special” en anders as ander mense? Jy ken dan nie eens die Bybel boeke in volgorde uit jou kop uit nie. Nie eens te praat van die Bybel nie.

So gaan die gedagtes aan en aan. Maar die Here is getrou. In die diens kom bevestig Hy vir my wat dit ís wat ek moet doen. Ek moet díe doen, ek het ‘n demografiese area van mense, Beroepsvrouens, wie die Here wil bereik. As ek dit nie gaan doen nie, wie gaan dit dan doen?

Vir die eerste keer sedert ek die blog begin het, praat die Here met my deur ‘n Afrikaanse liedjie. Terwyl Kobus afsluit, stap die worship (worship klink net so mooi vir my) span op die verhoog. Carindé sing in haar nagtegal stem Stuur My, so passievol, jy kan sommer sien sy loop oor van die Here. Hy nooi ons uit, as jy voel jy wil ‘n impak maak op ‘n sekere demografiese omgewing, staan op terwyl hulle dit sing.

Ek wil amper dadelik opstaan, maar is soos gewoonlik self-bewus. Hoekom weet ek nie, want NIEMAND in die kerk kyk wie staan op en wie sit nie. Ek vra my man of het ek reg gehoor – mag ons opstaan? Hy antwoord my nie dadelik nie, sit met sy oë toe en luister en aanbid die Here. Na ‘n rukkie hoor ek hom sê – jy mag opstaan.

Ek staan op, en die oomblik toe ek dit doen, ervaar ek die Heilige Gees tasbaar in my wese. My oë skiet vol trane. Nie hartseer trane nie, net trane wat ek GEEN beheer oor het nie. Uit ervaring WEET ek net, dis die Heilige Gees. Ek is op die regte pad, ek doen wat die Here van my verwag om te doen.

Met dit gesê, sluit ek af met wat ek dink beter YouTube video’s is. Korter video’s wat elke item individueel verduidelik. Ek is besig om die pryslyste uit te werk en gaan dit net doen. Ek gaan nie tegnies raak en my Rekeningkundige skills probeer toepas en allerhande gekompliseerde formules probeer bereken nie. Ek gaan net die Here vertrou. Hy sal dit laat gebeur soos dit moet. Dit gaan in elkgeval oor Hom en nie oor my nie, so waaroor twyfel ek?

The Pink Feathers- the confirmation
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The Pink Feathers Range – the YouTube advertisement

I had this perfect plan in my mind, one with high expectations to make this perfect YouTube advertisement of the Pink Feathers Range that is changing from something that was just a dream and a thought to something tangible and realistic.

Can I tell you? That balloon stuffed full of expectations was popped in the blink of an eye with the pin called REALITY. You see, I have a day job too that I need to work on and tend to, so I do not have time to sit and play around on software programs to edit things until I have the perfect end result, exactly like the one I have in my mind.

The English version of the video I had to retake probably around 10 times (it feels like 500 times and probably even was not 10 times but certainly more than 3 times). Each time, just as I am getting the hang of it and feeling more comfortable, someone walks into the room where I am recording, or someone yells from another room something (we all do that so no judgement here), or the phone rings or the dogs bark too hard or the parrot is too noisy or the cars ZOOM too loudly past our house.

Yesterday morning, when the house was quiet and everyone was somewhere, I decided this is IT. I have been trying to do this video since collecting the proofs on Saturday. Yesterday was the proverbial D-Day. I record it (for the umpteenth time in English) and thankfully the Afrikaans one was just once and I decide this is it. I am not redoing it again. It will be released to the world as it is, because this is how it will be. It is what it is.

I invite you, if you are on Facebook (I am still struggling with Instagram and you may not judge me for that too), to like my page and feel free to share this entry with others or even only the YouTube video. I am still busy setting up the shop on Facebook and truly hope that it is approved now. If not approved then I will make another plan to take orders.

With that being said, I am closing off this entry. I truly hope I am not judged too harshly for my attempt at a YouTube video. This is my first time and I am not one to look at the camera and talk. So you will not see my face, but you will be able to hear my voice…..

Die Pienk Vere Reeks – die YouTube advertensie
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Die Pienk Vere Reeks – die YouTube advertensie

Met hoë verwagtinge het ek hierdie perfekte plan in my kop gehad om ‘n YouTube advertensie te maak van die Pienk Vere Reeks wat besig is om te verander in iets wat net ‘n gedagte en droom was na iets tasbaar en werklik.

Kan ek net vir jou vertel? Daai ballon propvol verwagtinge was in ‘n oogwink gebars met die spelt genaamd REALITEIT. Jy sien, ek het ‘n day job ook wat ek moet handhaaf, so ek het nie tyd om te sit en speel op sagteware programme om goed te edit tot dit perfek en reg is volgens dit wat in my kop is nie.

Ek het die Engelse weergawe van die video seker nagenoeg 10 keer (dit voel soos 500 keer en was dalk nie eens so baie as 10 keer nie maar vir seker meer as 3 keer) probeer opneem. Elke keer as ek lekker op spoed is, dan stap iemand in, of iemand skree iets uit ‘n ander kamer uit (ons almal doen dit so geen judgement hier nie), of die foon lui, of die hond blaf te hard of die pappagaai raas te veel of die karre ZOEM net te hard en vinnig verby.

Gister oggend, toe die huis stil was en almal weg was iewers heen, toe besluit ek dis nou SO. Ek probeer sedert verlede Saterdag, na ek die proewe opgetel het, om die video te maak en kry dit net vervlaks nie reg nie. Gister was dit nou die spreekwoordelike D-dag. Ek neem hom op (eers vir die hoeveelste keer in Engels) en Afrikaans slegs een keer en ek het besluit dis dit. Ek doen hom nie weer nie. Hy word so aan die wêreld bekend gestel net soos hy is want dis hoe dit is.

Ek nooi jou uit, as jy op Facebook is (ek sukkel regtig nog met Instagram en julle mag my nie veroordeel vir dit ook nie), om my blad te gaan like en voel vry om die inskrywing te deel met ander of net die YouTube video. Ek is ook besig om die winkel op Facebook op te stel en hoop wragties hulle het dit nou goed gekeur, as dit nie goedgekeur is nie sal ek ‘n ander plan maak om bestellings te neem.

Met dit gesê sluit ek hierdie inskrywing af. Ek hoop nie ek word te veel veroordeel vir my poging tot ‘n YouTube video nie. Dit is my eerste keer en ek is nie een vir die kamera kyk en praat en goed nie, so julle sien nie my gesig nie maar sal darem my stem kan hoor……

The Pink Feathers Range – the YouTube advertisement
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The Pink Feathers – digital platform launch

This is probably going to be one of the shortest entries ever! After what felt like for ever, I managed to get one of the first digital platforms linked and live ready for the launch…

The name of the platform is Buy me a Coffee….on this platform I will release digital designs.

So without typing too much, click the link below and view the welcome page.

The digital designs are in both Afrikaans and English….on that platform the main language of communication will be English, however, the Afrikaans will not fade and disappear! It is just easier to keep it to English on that platform.

With that being said – go and enjoy that which has been made available!

https://www.buymeacoffee.com/Beroepsvrou/welcome-page-768866
Die Pienk vere – digitale platform bekendstelling
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Die Pienk vere – digitale platform bekendstelling

Hierdie gaan seker die kortste inskrywing nog wees! Na wat vir ewig gevoel het, het ek een van die eerste platforms gekoppel gekry en live gekry om te kan bekendstel….

Die naam van die platform is Buy me a Coffee….op hierdie platform gaan digitale ontwerpe bekend gestel word.

So sonder om nog verder iets te tik – kies die skakel hier onder en gaan besigtig my verwelkomingsblad (dit is daar slegs in Engels gedoen).

Die digitale ontwerpe is in beide Afrikaans en in Engels – so moet nie bekommer nie, die Afrikaans gaan nie verlore nie….dis net makliker om op hierdie platform in Engels te kommunikeer….

Met dit gesê – gaan geniet dit wat beskikbaar gestel is!

https://www.buymeacoffee.com/Beroepsvrou/welcome-page-768866
The Pink Feathers – digital platform launch
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The Pink Feathers – The Grand Finalé

It is time for the Grand Finalé! Drum roll please…..The moment everyone has silently been waiting for, with the exception of one person, Lynn Grobler, who was prepared to share her curiosity on Facebook…..The great reveal! The reason for the delay in publishing this post will be better understood while you read this entry….

With that being said, I can stop the cryptic messages, I feel that now I may TALK with EVERYONE about the divine heavenly download that God laid on my heart! The Pink feathers was actually a clue with regards to the new season of Beroepsvrou and that which will start to form part of the logo and so forth.

Last weekend, Francis Hartzer (Woordkuns) guessed right about what she perceived the pink feathers represented. I tried to bluf, not sure if I got it right. It is a Flamingo. You see, these days, for some odd reason, I have this fondness and liking to Flamingos. The pink and the prettyness of it all just grabs my attention.

I did one of Woordkuns’ Bible journaling kits that had a Flamingo in it. But this was long before I started noticing the Flamingos. At that stage, I had this preset idea of not sticking ANYTHING in my new Illustrating bible. NO, I shall only paint and draw (I almost sound Shakespearian here…)

Ha ha, biggest joke EVER! Because I then attended the Adorned camp and then it was over. I got over my preset idea. Now you see, the kit from Francis, had a pink flamingo sticker that you can stick in your bible.

The scripture of the kit? Isaiah 60:1-2. The more I read the scripture, the better I understand the association that she had made with the Flamingo and why I decided to use that scripture as part of this project, to further connect the dots with a Flamingo so to speak. That is just one POWERFUL awesome scripture.

The main message in my very secretive project is from Colossians 3:23-24. ALWAYS do your work as if for God and not for man. You see, even if you report to a human being on earth, you still serve God. This is what I have taken out of this scripture – my dumbed down version if you want to call it that.

Is the blog not called Beroepsvrou? We all work for someone. Some for themselves and ultimately for the clients who support their businesses, others for bosses, others are what we call in Afrikaans tuisteskeppers or Home Executives (that just sounds better than stay-at-home-mom). But at the end of the day, we all have to report to someone on this earth. However, God remains above all so we are actually serving Him.

The purpose of this entry is to unravel that cryptic messages and to reveal the big secret. Soooooo……with that being said. God laid it on my heart to create items that will be printed and advertised with scripture on it – aimed at Business Women. Irrespective of what you do for a living and whether you feel you are only a secretary or only the head of a business. By the way, no one is just only somebody. You ARE someone.

Every month of 2022 will have a certain scripture and then God laid it on my heart to blog a bit more in depth on that scripture for that month. God wants to reach ALL business women, even if you do not sit behind a computer and desk the whole day long, there will be something that you can use.

I tried to think of a rhyme for 2022 but could not come up with one in Afrikaans, only English. You see, 2020 was the year of plenty – which ended up being plenty of washing, plenty of school work, plenty of everything we did not have planned.

2021 was no different, but I proclaimed it as 2021 the year we get things done. And it was like that! Still is! Things we wanted to do in and around our house, but never got round to it, happened, some even early in January. I stand in amazement when I look back at the year that passed, at everything that was achieved, and we still have a little less than 2 months left to continue achieving goals, climbing mountains.

So what will the rhyme be for 2022? I thought about it long and hard. The only thing I could come up with, was from a childhood nursery rhyme. Apparently I am the only one that knows this – my husband looked at me strangely when I said it, and someone else if not mistaken, but I cannot remember who.

2022 Buckle my shoe (from the rhyme One, two buckle my shoe, thre four, knock on the door….). I sit and think about this for a while, why buckle my shoe? Then the penny drops in my spirit. We must fasten our shoes to be ready to stand up against the enemy’s attacks and spread the word of peace. It can be found in Ephesians 6:15, if you were wondering where this is written in the bible…

Back to the items that are being made. The aim is to have an A3 sized desk pad calendar printed (this will be the one with the scriptures on). Then there will be a notebook, a mousepad and a small calendar that looks like a tent (which is called a tent calendar) and of course a few digital goodies to brighten up your computer and cellphone. At the Adorned camp, God also laid it on my heart to make aprons and to have them embroidered. I am pleased and excited to say that the first (small) order has arrived!

I will blog in more depth about the background and why I chose WHAT, else this blog will become too long to read. But here is a fun fact about Flamingos. One that I read in my son’s one facts book (he has been intrigued by facts since he was small and still is).

Do you know why the feathers of a Flamingo are pink? There is Beta carotene (I hope Google translate is correct here – the fact book is in Afrikaans) in their food. Should they be moved to another place with different nutrients in their food, their feathers will become grey. Flamingos in a Zoo get carrot juice to maintain the pink feathers. Source: Helen Lewis’ “Vinnige Feite”.

That brings me to the next thing that God dropped in my spirit (just like that). What are you filling your spirit up with? Do you present yourself grey to the world? How PINK are your feathers for God? Do you eat enough spiritual food to maintain the pink color of your feathers or do you eat very little or almost nothing that results in your feathers being dull and grey?

You must remember, you cannot fill your spirit sporadically with something spiritual. It is a constant feed, almost like a drip, directly to your veins, that will ensure that your feathers stay pink. I ask again – how pink are your feathers for God? The words from I am SOLD OUT are dancing around in my mind again. I certainly have PINK feathers for God and I am totally SOLD OUT to follow Jesus. Always, irrespective of the circumstances.

The platforms on which the said items can be acquired from will be made known soon (I am still working on some of them and hence the delay in the publishing of this final chapter) and I certainly do not want this to sound like a Verimark Ad….But wait, there’s MORE! With that being said I close off this Grand Finalé and know that everyone will be as excited as I am about the news that has just been made public knowledge!

Die Pienk Vere – Slot hoofstuk