Alóhahere from the Accountants Inn. Wait, Alóha sounds too exotic, almost as if I am watching over the ocean (exotic like white sand and turquoise water) while I am doing all these calculations, the speed dating of tax as I like to refer to provisional tax. Maybe I should rather say Modimôle, Modimôle like the advertisement of Lekkeslaap? It sounds almost more realistic of where I find myself….and not that I think that Modimôle is a jail or less exotic place….I am sure you understand what I am trying to say.
All jokes aside. This will be my closing chapter on this scripture. February is short, the pressure is high and the work load is astronomical, and I am more than likely not going to be able to find time to publish another something about this scripture after this entry.
So….I want to close off by saying that when I look back on February, I can conclude that I had one very interesting month, especially while thinking about the verse. You see, my sweet words were also under attack. Not only that which were snarled at me, but those which I uttered. Emotions were running high, stress levels were through the roof, life goes on and I just have to cope with everything.
It certainly was not easy, nor was it all glamorous and pretty. But I certainly learnt a lot and grew in the process. I know I must think before I speak, especially if I am frustrated with something and then I have a conversation with someone close to me about something else. I must not let my frustrations spill and tumble over into those conversations.
It is certainly easier said that done and I contemplate and doubt whether my words contain serotonin, similar to honey. But God showed me what I did wrong so that I could repent and ask for forgiveness, and learn from my mistakes. Is this not part of the process of becoming holy like Jesus?
I want to close off by saying that we are going to have to answer to God one day about the words that we utter. BUT He has LOTS of grace for us, He forgives us and then it is as if it never happened. What we must remember is to stop sinning and truly turn our backs on that. We must stop with our bad habits and poorly chosen words.
It takes 21 days to break a habit, if I started 1 February with that, then, theoretically I should have overcome it by Monday 21 February or Tuesday 22 February….but, we do not consciously make such decisions regarding bad habits on a daily basis, this is also not something that happens to me every 5 minutes or every hour. To me it is not similar to having bad eating habits that I want to turn around. No, for me it is very sporadic and random at times but I suppose that can also be seen as habitual, because I always act the same way in similar situations.
I must learn from my mistakes and pass the test. Because surely I am going to keep on writing the test until I pass it. Even if it takes more than 21 days….so long and farewell until next month when I write about the March scripture! Alóha from the Accountants Inn. (Is Alóha not hello and goodbye in Hawaii?)
Alóha hier vanuit die Accountants Inn. Wag, Alóha klink te eksoties, so asof ek vir die see sit en kyk (wit sand en turquoise water se eksoties) terwyl ek werk aan al die berekeninge, die speed dating van belasting soos ek na voorlopigebelasting verwys. Miskien moet ek eerder sê Modimôle, Modimôle soos die Lekkeslaap advertensie? Dit klink amper meer realisties van waar ek myself bevind….en nie dat ek nou dink Modimôle is ‘n tronk of minder eksoties nie….ek is seker julle verstaan wat ek bedoel.
Alle grappies op ‘n stokkie. Hierdie sal my slot hoofstuk wees. Februarie is kort, die druk hoog en die werk astronomies baie en ek gaan heel waarskynlik na die inskrywing nie weer tyd kry om ietsie te publiseer oor die maand se skrif vers nie.
So….ek wil afsluit deur te sê dat ek een ongelooflike interessante maand gehad het as ek terug kyk en aan die skrif vers dink. Jy sien, my soet woorde was self aangeval ook. Nie net dit wat aan my toegesnou was nie, maar dit wat ek geuiter het. Gemoedere loop hoog, spanning is baie, die lewe gaan aan en ek moet net cope met alles.
Dit was vir seker nie maklik nie en ook nie maanskyn en rose heel maand nie. Maar ek het vir seker geleer en gegroei in die proses. Ek weet ek moet dink voor ek praat, veral as ek gefrustreerd is met iets en ‘n gespek oor iets anders met iemand na aan my het. Ek moet nie dat my frustrasies oorspoel in daardie gesprekke toe nie.
Dis vir seker makliker gesê as gedaan en ek weet nie of my woorde aldag seritonien bevat het soos wat heuning bevat nie. Maar die Here het my gewys wat ek verkeerd doen sodat ek kon repent en omvergifnis vra en leer uit my foute uit. Dis mos deel van die heiligmakingsproses is dit nie?
Ek wil afsluit deur te sê dat ons woorde wat ons uiter, ons voor rekenskap gaan moet gee eendag voor die Here. MAAR Hy het BAIE genade vir ons en as ons Hom omvergifnis vra vir dit wat ons verkeerd gedoen het, vergewe Hy ons en is dit asof dit nooit gebeur het nie. Wat ons wel moet onthou, is om op te hou sonde pleeg en werklik ons rug op dit te draai en te bekeer. Ons moet ophou met slegte gewoontes soos slegte woorde.
Dit vat 21 dae om ‘n gewoonte te breek, as ek 1 Februarie begin het met dit, moet ek teoreties teen Maandag 21 Februarie of Dinsdag 22 Februarie dit afgeleer het…maar, ons maak nie aldag sulke doelbewuste besluite in slegte gewoontes nie, want dit is nie iets wat vir my elke 5 minute gebeur of elke uur nie. Nie soos wanneer ek probeer slegte eetgewoontes reg kry nie. Nee, vir my is dit sporadies en op random tye maar kan seker maar gesien word as gewoonte, omdat ek altyd dieselfde optree in dieselfde situasies.
Ek moet nou net leer uit my foute en my toets slaag. Want ek gaan hom vir seker aanhou skryf tot ek hom regkry! Al vat dit meer as 21 dae….ek groet nou tot volgende maand en wanneer ek oor volgende maand se skrif skryf! Alóha hier vanuit Accountants Inn. (Alóha is mos hallo en totsiens in Hawaï is dit nie?)
Die Engelse opskrif klink vir my meer catchy. Maar toemaar, ek is seker julle verstaan wat ek hier bedoel. Elkgeval, terug by my ervaring van hierdie ding wat ons etiese opleiding noem….ek het eers my oë gerol (ek het dit al voorheen genoem) om opleiding te doen om eties te wees. Vir my is dit ‘n natuurlike ding en my verwagting van ander mense is ook om so te wees.
Duidelik funksioneer ander nie soos ek nie (wat ‘n skok vir die sisteem, dog die waarheid en realiteit). Maar, soos ek deur alles werk, besef ek net daar is iets diepers betrokke hierby. Natuurlik kan niemand geleer word om eties te wees nie! Maar, as jy jou denk patrone verander, sal jy tot die besef kom oor hoe dit jou lewe, aksies, keuses en uitkomste werklik beïnvloed.
Iewers tussen September 2021 en Februarie 2022 het ek behoorlik uitgefreak oor die etiese opleiding. Elke keer wanneer ek ‘n kennisgewing kry dat daar nuwe inhoud beskikbaar is (die begin van die maand gewoonlik) dan begin ek amper hiper-ventileer. Want regtig, WAAR moet ek die tyd kry om alles te DOEN wat daar van my verwag word? Ek het slegs maand 1 se opleiding gedoen teen einde Desember en nou moet ek 11 maande se goed opvang in iets soos 8 maande of minder (ek weet eintlik nie hoeveel nie, ek het dit nie gaan uitwerk nie en my brein is regtig net te moeg om uit te werk hoeveel tyd het ek nog oor van my 12 maande etiese opleiding).
Dan, tussen al die chaos deur wat ek ervaar, kalmeer die Here my gedagtes. Dis ok om agter te raak. Dit gebeur. Weer freak ek uit want ek is nou eers besig met maand 2 se joernaal inskrywings wat daagliks moet plaasvind en HOE GAAN EK DIT DOEN??? Ek het amper in my gedagtes geskree vir God (met respek as daar so iets bestaan). Ek het ‘n tantrum gegooi. Ek sal nou nie die Afrikaanse slagspreuk gebruik nie, maar iewers in dit is ‘n vloer en iets wat rym met vloer. Ek is seker jy weet wat ek hier bedoel.
Dit het my die HELE Januarie gevat om ‘n klomp goed uit te werk, insluitende die opleiding in ‘n baie besige skedule. Dan iewers tussen my geskree en freak out wat ek gehad het, kom die lig aan. Wat die proses jou EINTLIK probeer leer is nie om jou inskrywings te begin met Liewe Dagboek nie. Nee. Wat hulle ons probeer leer om te doen is om ons gedagtes te declutter van goed en gedagtes wat jou so besig hou en jou vreugde en fokus steel.
Sodra jy dit begin neerskryf en uit jou gedagtes uit kry, kan jy meer fokus op die dag wat voorlê. Makliker gesê as gedaan, MAAR dis die uiteinde dink ek. Ons het soveel clutter op soveel vlakke, dis SCARY!! Dit begin intimiderend raak en as jy weer sien is jy oorweldig, angstig en kan jy eintlik nie werk soos jy veronderstel is om te werk nie, alles op dieselfde tyd.
Ek het ‘n doelbewuste besluit geneem om die eerste week in Februarie, net te BEGIN met hierdie opleiding en dit net te doen. En ek het. En dit laat my meer bemagtig voel (is dit die regte woord vir accomplished?). Ek voel beter want ek is besig om baba tree se vordering te maak….en raai wat??? Jy HOEF nie eers maand 2 se joernaal inskrywings klaar te maak voor jy kan aangaan met maand 3 nie.
Nee, jy kan daagliks joernaal inskrywings maak, maand 2 se video’s kyk (en al die inhoud lees net so terloops), die assessering doen en aan beweeg na maand 3 toe. Dit is wat ek gaan doen. Ek kan mos meer as een daaglikse inskrywing doen as ek wil. Daar is geen reëls nie, so dis haalbaar om op te vang en in te haal.
Wat ek ook gaan doen, is om te probeer kombineer met wat ookal in maand 3 gebeur met maand 2 se joernaal inskrywings en so uitbrei. Ek het GEEN idee wat maand 3 vir my inhou nie, maar ek is reg vir dit. Dankie tog ek het ‘n hoër mag (die Here as jy gewonder het) wat oor my waak. Wat ek ook begin doen het is om so 2 tot 3 joernaal inskrywings se vrae te antwoord in een dag. Deur dit te doen, maak ek ook vordering en vang ek ook op!! My plan, is soos elke ander plan in die lewe – onder ontwikkelling en onderhewig aan verandering.
God inspireer my, kalmeer my, gee my planne om my vrese en probleme wat ek daagliks ervaar, te oorwin, sodat ek iets so eenvoudig soos hierdie etiese opleiding kan doen. Dit is regtig nie so moeilik nie en sal my vir seker baat op die lang duur. Jy sien, wat jy, die leser van die artikel nie sien nie, is die angstige gedagtes wat ek daagliks het, oor alles – goed, lewe, kinders, werk.
Dit affekteer my vermoë om te werk en produktief te wees. So vir die buite wêreld lyk ek soos iets, ek weet eintlik nie waarmee om myself te vergelyk nie, maar ek kom voor as iets anders as wat ek werklik is. Ek sit maar ‘n brawe gesig op elke dag, smile and waive, fake it ’till you make it tipe houding. Dit gee ‘n wan-persepsie van wie ek werklik is.
Maar, iewers tussen my skrywery op die platform deur, terwyl ek my bybelstudie doen (terwyl ek blog) en my gedagtes joernaliseer, is ek besig om iets te word, iemand beter as wat ek voorheen was. Hierdie proses help my om te declutter in my gedagtes en nie so angstig te wees soos ek altyd was nie.
Ek kry dit steeds nie reg op ‘n daaglikse basis nie, maar sommige dae is beter as ander. Hierdie is alles ‘n leer-proses vir my, iets wat my as mens ontwikkel. En natuurlik het die Here vir my gewys dat ek een van my Beroepsvrou dagboeke kan gebruik vir hierdie doel! Vir hierdie etiese opleiding en daaglikse bybel verse!
Een ding wat ek wel agter gekom het, is, na ek hierdie artikel begin skryf het begin Februarie, het daar ‘n klomp tyd verloop. Twee weke (of is dit nou drie?) het verby gegaan en ek probeer my uiterste beste om hierdie etiese opleiding se joernaal inskrywings daagliks te doen, op ‘n weeksdag (naweke is so bietjie anders en moeiliker omdat ons ‘n ander roetine het). Elkgeval, terug by wat ek probeer sê. Wanneer jy die joernaal vrae antwoord (dit kry eintlik net jou gedagtes aan die gang) oor hoe jy byvoorbeeld, kan verbeter om take af te handel, is dit asof die duiwel en al sy nasaad (in Engels verwys ek na spawn of the devil) jou aanval op dit wat jy neergeskryf het.
Vir my is dit baie interessant, dog niks nuuts nie. Jy sien, wanneer dit met my gebeur, sit ek met ‘n glimlag op my gesig en neem ek kennis hiervan, want, wanneer ek voel of ek aangeval word, weet ek net dat ek op die regte spoor is! Die duiwel weet ook wat my potensiaal is en hy sal alles probeer om my te keer om te doen wat gedoen moet word.
Moet nie mismoedig voel as jy ‘n twee of drie weke tydperk agter die rug het soos wat ek gehad het nie (na ek met die etiese joernaal inskrywings begin het). Dit beteken net dat jy op die regte spoor is en moet aanhou en deur druk! En net asof die Here wil bevestig vir my wat ek hier sê, kry ek ‘n bybelvers net na ek die artikel begin afsluit. 2 Thessalonicense 3:3. Wat ‘n powerful en profound skrif vers om te kry wanneer jy voel of jy aangeval word!
So, as jy steeds wonder of dit die moeite wêrd sal wees om die kursus te doen of waar jy die tyd sal vind – hou op om dit te oordink. Hou op om te prokrastineer soos wat ek vir maande gedoen het. Begin net en voor jy weet, sal jy soveel meer kennis hê en insig kry as voor jy hierdie hele proses begin het.
Een ding wat ek opgemerk het van hierdie opleiding is dat jy ALLES MOET LEES!! Voor jy die aanlyn assessering probeer, maak seker jy LEES die inhoud….dit gaan jou net versterk in jou kennis en self-worth (en natuurlik gaan jy die assessering slaag as jy alles gelees het want die vrae kom nie net uit die videos uit nie).
Ek kan afsluit en ‘n gevolgtrekking maak dat Ek tot alles in staat is deur Christus wat my krag gee! Fillipense 4:13. Ek kan selfs hierdie opleiding ding doen, werk EN ‘n ma wees!! En dit nogals in Februarie, ons besigste maand! Want regtig, WANNEER is ‘n goeie tyd om te begin? Dis nou of nooit!
Note the pun in the heading. Anyway, back to my experience of this thing called training and ethics….so at first I rolled my eyes (I have said this before) at having to do training about being ethical. To me it comes naturally and that is my expectation that I have of others.
Clearly everyone does not function like I do (what a shocker to my system but a reality and truth). But as I work through everything, I realise that there is something deeper here. Of course no one can be taught to be ethical! But you can start to think about your thoughts and how it influences your life and actions.
I was freaking out somewhere between September 2021 and February 2022 about this ethics training. Everytime I get a notification about new content (at the beginning of the month) I almost start to hyperventilate. Because seriously, WHERE am I supposed to find the time to DO that which is expected of me. I only did month 1 by end December and now I have to catch up 11 months in something like 8 months or less (I don’t know, I did not calculate this and quite frankly my brain is too exhausted to calculate how many months are left of my 12 months ethics).
Then, amongst all the chaos I was experiencing, God calmed my thoughts. It is ok to fall behind. It happens. Again I was freaking out because now I am only in month 2’s journalling that has to take place daily and HOW AM I GOING TO DO THIS??? I was almost screaming in my mind to God (with respect). Throwing a tantrum.
It took me the whole of January to figure a lot of things out, including this training that I have to fit into a very busy schedule. Then somewhere between screaming and freaking out, the light came on. What this process is trying to teach you is to not start your journal entries with Dear diary. Nope. What they are trying to get us to do is to declutter your mind of stuff and thoughts that occupy you and steal your joy and focus.
Once you start writing them down and getting them out of your mind, you can become more focussed on the day ahead. Easier said than done BUT this is the bottom line I think. We have so much clutter on so many levels in our lives, it is SCARY! It becomes intimidating and when you see again you are overwhelmed, underpeforming and anxious all at the same time.
I made a conscious decision during the first week of Feb, to just START with this training and just do it. And I did. And that makes me feel more accomplished because I am making baby steps in progress….and guess what??? You don’t HAVE to do every day’s journalling for month 2 before you can proceed to month 3.
No, you can journal daily, watch month 2’s videos (and read the material by the way), do the assessment and move on to month 3. That is what I am going to do. I can answer more than one daily journalling thought if I want to, there are no rules, so it is manageable to actually catch up.
What I am also going to do, is combine what ever is added on in month 3 with month 2’s journalling and just expand. I have no idea what month 3 has installed for me but I am ready for it. Thank goodness I have a higher power (called God if you were wondering) watching over me.What I also started doing, is to answer 2 to 3 journalling questions on one day. That way I will also make progress and catch up!! My plan for this is like every plan in life – under development and subject to change.
God inspires me, calms me, gives me my plans to overcome my fears and problems I face daily so that I can so something as simple as this ethics training. It is really not that hard and it will really benefit me in the long run. You see, what you, the reader of this article, don’t see is, in the background there are all these anxiety thoughts I have daily about stuff, life, kids, work.
This affects my ability to work and be productive. So to the outside world I look like something, I don’t know what to compare myself with, but I appear to be something I am not, to others. I put on a brave face daily, smile and waive, fake it till you make it type of attitude, which is what others perceive to be this thing which I am not.
However, between writing this blog, doing my bible study while blogging and journaling my thoughts like I am being thaught in this course, I am actually becoming something and someone better than what I was before. This all helps me to declutter my mind and not be as panicked as I used to be.
I still don’t get it right on a daily basis, but some days are better than others. This all is a learning and developing process to me. And of course God showed me what I could use one of my Beroepsvrou diaries for! For this ethics journalling and daily bible verses!
One thing I have noted, is, after I started writing this article at the beginning of February, an amount of time has lapsed. Two weeks (or is it three?) have passed and I am trying my utmost best to do this ethics journaling daily on a weekday (weekends are different because then our routine is slightly different). Anyway, back to what I am trying to say. When you answer the journaling questions (that just gets your mind going) about how you can improve, for example on finishing tasks, it is like the devil and all the spawn of the devil, attacks you on what you wrote down.
To me this is very interesting, yet nothing new. You see, when ever this happens to me, I grin and I take note of this, because when I feel under attack, I know I am on the right track! The devil also knows my potential and he will try everything to stop me from doing what needs to be done.
Don’t be discouraged if you have had a two to three week period like I have after starting this ethics journaling. It only means you are doing something right and you must persevere and push through! And as if God just wants to confirm what I am saying here, I get a bible verse shortly after finishing up this article – 2 Thessalonians 3:3. What a powerful and profound scripture to get when feeling like you are under attack!
So, if you are still wondering if it will be worth it to do this course, or where you will find the time – stop overthinking it. Stop procrastinating like I did for months. Just start doing and before you know it, you will be so much more knowledgeable than what you were before you started this whole thing.
One thing I have noted from this training is you HAVE TO READ everything!! Before you attempt the questions and assessment, make sure you READ the content…after all, it will only strengthen your knowledge and self-worth.
I can conclude that I can do all things with Christ! Phillipians 4:13. I can even do this training thing, work AND be a mom! And nogal in February, our busiest month! Because really, WHEN is it a good time to start? It is now or never!
I have been thinking about this month’s scripture as the month is progressing and life is getting more and more hectic work wise. It makes me wonder as to why Solomon referred to honey in this scripture and why it is referred to as being able to heal.
Naturally I grab my phone to google the medicinal value of honey. The facts that Mrs. Google showed me was pretty interesting…
It enhances immunity. So it physically helps to keep your body healthy. Very interesting. I read a little further – it enhances serotonin. Now those of you who do not know – serotonin is the feel good hormone that makes you feel happy (amongst other things) and it also regulates a whole lot of other things.
It is further my understanding that it contains anti-oxidants, reduces stress and anxiety, is anti-bacterial and a whole list of other things. It was really interesting to read all these facts about honey. Surely Solomon did not google the medicinal facts about honey when he wrote this piece of scripture.
No, he was the wisest person ever who lived on earth and it was the Godly wisdom that God blessed him with that is portrayed in this scripture. Wow, what an awesome revelation about this scripture!
Sweet words have the same healing effects as honey….if this is then true, then surely the opposite must be true too? Destructive words that criticizes, are like an illness that eats away at you and will eventually kill and destroy you if you keep on listening to (and uttering) such words. Makes you think does it not….?
Soos wat die besige maand vorder dink ek steeds aan die skrif. Dit laat my verder dink aan hoekom Salomo na heuning verwys het en hoekom dit as genesend is in die teksvers.
Natuurlik gaan gryp ek my foon en google die medisinale waarde van heuning. Dis nou nogal interessant hierdie feite wat Mevrou Google toe nou vir my uitspoeg…
Dit bevorder immuniteit. So dit hou jou lyf fisies gesond. Dis interessant. Ek lees verder – dit bevorder serotinien. Nou seritonien is die feel good hormone wat jou gelukkig laat voel (onder andere) en die spesifieke hormoon reguleer ook ‘n hele rits ander goed.
Dit bevat anti-oksidante, verminder stress en angs, is anti-bacterial (by gebrek aan ‘n beter woord in Afrikaans – die Afrikaanse woord klink tog so formeel) en nog ‘n hele rits ander goed soos ek dit nou verstaan.
Dit was vir my interessant om al hierdie feite te lees. Salomo het vir seker nie google gebruik toe hy hierdie skrif geskryf het nie.Nee, hy was die slimste mens ooit op aarde en dit was die Goddelike wysheid waarmee die Here hom geseën het. Wow. Wat ‘n awesome revelation oor hierdie teks en heuning!
Soet woorde is so genesend soos heuning…so dan moet die teenoorgestelde dan waar wees? Afbrekende woorde is soos siekte wat jou verdor en dood maak as jy aanhou luister na afbrekende woorde (en aanhou om dit te uiter). Laat mens dink nê….?
“You are what you eat.” How many times have I heard that line before? It is almost like the advertisement from the late 80’s – Farmer Brown’s Chickens. “They look so good because they eat so good.” I can still recall the oom‘s voice (oom just sounds better here than uncle). If I recall correctly it was a bit of a husky voice (is that the right term? In Afrikaans we call it rasperstem.)
Husky voice or not, that line always stayed with me. When I was older, I even joked about my body by saying “I look so good because I eat so good!” Because let us be honest. Anything refined, sweet and unhealthy is the nicest to eat!
And so it happened, that God showed me a few years ago, while channel hopping on TV (almost as fast as popcorn that jumps while being made), pausing for a brief moment on one or another absurd reality show. I just have to interrupt myself here – my goodness, what a long sentence with very little punctuation marks! I feel out of breath just reading through it….
Anyway, as we were watching these people, everyone in search of something that they do not know what it is that they are looking for (they looked helpless and lost in this show as it was one or another weird dating something or another), God dropped in my spirit You are because I am. It was in English and just like that. For a moment I thought about it and then I realised that this is so true! God referred to Himself as I am who sent Moses to the Pharaoh, did he not? Oh my goodness, did I spell Pharaoh correct??? You know, the guy with the goatie that enslaved the Israelites, the Egyptian king. That is the guy I am talking about!
Jump forward to 2020 or 2021 (I don’t even know anymore when what happened because everything seems like a blur). Somewhere there, I wrote on my own personal Facebook page something similar to this article I am writing, and that we are because God is. But later God expanded even more on this for me.
You are what you eat, what you think and what you speak. And just like that, everything falls into place in my head (I actually cannot explain HOW that happens, it just does). Body, mind or soul (not sure whether to use mind or soul here in Afrikaans it is Liggaam, siel en gees) and spirit. You are that which goes around in your heart (there is a bible verse to this effect is there not? Somewhere in Psalms?). You are what you think in your mind (and then speak). You are what you physically eat.
The power of life and death is in the tongue – it says so in the Bible too….so we must be aware of what we speak, as this manifests in the flesh normally….and actually what you speak starts with what goes on in our hearts, does it not? Does it make sense what I am saying here?
I recon from these Godly thoughts (not me but God for sure!) is where Beroepsvrou started to exist. For YEAAARS I thought that I, Elsie, am the only one that does not wake up with a song in my heart and birds that chirp just for me in the mornings. You know, almost like Snow White that whistles and then all the birds come to do what ever they do for her. I thought that is how it should be….
I know, it is a fairy tale full of lies, but give me credit. I have said it before, I feel like a late bloomer when it comes to things like this (at least I did not come to this realisation now only, probably early 30’s if I really have to draw a timeline for you and no, I did not think the little birdies will do my work for me). Now, to get back to Beroepsvrou…that what you are fits in so nicely with the whole theme of Beroepsvrou and the Pink Feathers range and what I stand for.
Pink Feathers for God. Your spiritual (and soul I suppose) person is fed with what goes on in your mind and heart. From there the Pink Feathers for God….but what God actually showed me is that the apron was the forerunner to the whole Pink Feathers range.
When you put on an apron, you are busy serving other people with food. A bit of a double meaning with the apron. But you are also busy preparing something to feed your body with (you must look after your temple that God gave you – THAT also stands in the Bible).
It feels to me as if I am talking deurmekaar as I call it in Afrikaans. But I believe that God will pull all the strings together here so that those who read this will understand. We also have to constantly refresh our minds and thoughts with God’s word so that our hearts do not turn black and ugly, so that our mouths do not speak curses and our bones do not dry out from this which we speak.
Back to the aprons – recently I had the absolute privilege to bless a local school’s Consumer Study children with aprons (absolutely in order from God) and I further had the privilege to speak to them for 5 minutes (ok maybe 10 minutes, I am not sure), serving them with what God has laid on my heart and Beroepsvrou and the Pink Feathers.
I cannot recall what I said and it felt like I did not talk sense at all, but I believe that seed was sown that day and that it will come up when the time is right…I also know that I am busy growing, learning and that God will absolutely put the right words into my mouth when I go to the next school to serve them with God’s word and to bless them with the aprons.
The conclusion that I want to make about this piece is, you are what you eat, you are what you think and you are what you speak. This is what will manifest in our lives and this is within our control and in our hands. That is actually THE ONLY THING we have control over. Wow, what a wonderful revelation. I have known this for a while now, that this is the only thing we can control, but God has just put it all together so beautifully and finished it off with the blog and the Pink Feathers range…
All the glory be to God always! May this blog always be what God has planted in my heart, to put it into words for others to read and may this NEVER be about me!! He inspires me, gives me the knowledge and wisdom, the vision and talents to do what is busy happening…
“Jy is wat jy eet.” Hoeveel keer het ek nie al daai lyn gehoor nie? Dis amper soos die advertensie van die laat 80’s – Farmer Brown se hoenders. “Hul lyk so goed want hul eet so goed.” Kan ek nou nog die oom se stem hoor. Ek verbeel my dit was so ‘n rasperige stem, maar ek kan verkeerd wees.
Nie te min, rasper stem of de not, daardie lyn het my altyd by gebly. Ek het selfs in latere jare gespot oor my lyf deur te sê “Ek lyk so goed want ek eet so goed!” Want kom ons wees eerlik. Enige iets verfynd en soet en ongesond is mos maar die lekkerste!
Maar so gebeur dit ‘n paar jaar gelede, dat die Here nog iets vir my wys toe ons een aand deur die kanale spring (soos wanneer popcorn wat gemaak word en spring) en vir ‘n vlietende oomblik op een of ander absurde realiteitsprogram afkom. Liewe aarde, ek wil net gou myself onderbreek, maar daardie was ‘n lang sin met min leestekens! Ek is skoon uitasem gelees….
Soos wat ons vir hierdie mense kyk, almal wat soekende is na iets maar nie weet wat nie, laat val die Here in my gees You are because I am. Dit was in Engels. Ek sit so oomblik en dink….dis waar! Die Here verwys mos in Moses se tyd na Ek is wat Moses gestuur het na Farao toe.
Spring vorentoe na 2020 en 2021 toe (ek weet eintlik nie meer wanneer het wat gebeur nie want als is ‘n blur). Iewers daar het ek op my eie Facebook blad iets soortgelyk gesit soos die stuk wat ek nou skryf, en dat ons is omdat God is. Maar later van tyd het die Here dit nog so bietjie uitgebrei vir my.
Jy is wat jy eet, wat jy dink en wat jy praat. En net so val alles in plek in my kop (ek kan ook nie eintlik verduidelik HOE dit gebeur nie, dit doen net). Liggaam, siel en gees. Jy is wat in jou hart omgaan (daar is mos so ‘n skrif iewers in Psalms as ek dit nie mis het nie?). Jy is wat jy in jou gedagtes dink (en dan praat). Jy is wat jy fisies eet.
Die mag van lewe en dood lê in die tong – so sêg die Bybel ook…so ons moet waak teen wat ons spreek, want dit manifesteer gewoonlik in die vlees ook….en eintlik begin dit wat ons praat met dit wat in ons harte omgaan doen dit nie? Maak dit sin wat ek sê?
En ek reken uit hierdie Goddelike gedagtes (nie ek nie maar God vir seker!) is waar Beroepsvrou ontstaan het. Ek het vir JAAAARE gedink EK wat Elsie is, is die enigste een wat nie elke oggend met ‘n lied in my hart en voëltjies wat buite NET vir my fluit wakker word nie. Jy weet soos Sneeuwitjie wat fluit en dan kom die voëltjies en doen wat ookal vir haar. Ek het gedink dis hoe dit moes wees….
Ja ek weet, dis ‘n fairy tale wat propvol leuens is, maar gee my darem krediet. Ek het al voorheen gesê ek voel soos ‘n late bloomer wat sulke goed aanbetref (ek het darem nie nou eers tot hierdie besef gekom nie, seker maar vroeë 30’s as ek nou regtig ‘n tydlyn vir jou moet trek en nee ek het nooit gedink die voëltjies sou my werk vir my doen nie). Nou om terug te kom Beroepsvrou toe….dit wat jy is pas vir my eintlik so mooi in by die hele Beroepsvrou tema, die Pienk Vere Reeks en waarvoor ek staan.
Pienk Vere vir die Here. Jou gees (en seker maar siel) mens word gevoed met dit wat in jou hart en gedagtes omgaan. Vandaar die Pienk Vere vir die Here…maar wat die Here vir my gewys het is dat die voorskoot eintlik die voorloper was vir die hele Pienk Vere reeks.
Wanneer jy ‘n voorskoot aantrek, is jy besig om ander mense te bedien met kos. So dubbele betekenis met die voorskoot. Maar jy is ook besig om iets voor te berei wat jou liggaam moet voed (jy moet jou tempel wat die Here vir jou gegee het mos oppas – DIT staan ook in die Bybel!)
Dit voel vir my of ek deurmekaar praat hier maar ek glo die Here gaan al die toutjies bymekaar trek sodat diegene wat dit lees sal verstaan. Ons moet ook konstant ons gedagtes vernuwe en vul met God se woord sodat ons harte nie swart word nie, ons monde nie vloeke spreek nie en ons gebeentes nie uitdroog van dit wat ons spreek nie.
Van die os op die jas en weer by die voorskote – onlangs het ek die absolute voorreg gehad om ‘n plaaslike skool se Verbruikerstudie kinders te seën met voorskote (absoluut in opdrag van die Here) en ek het verder die absolute voorreg gehad om hulle vir 5 minute (ok dalk 10 minute ek is nie seker nie) te bedien en meer te vertel van Beroepsvrou en die Pienk Vere….
Ek kan nie regtig onthou wat ek gesê het nie en dit het gevoel of ek deurmekaar gepraat het, maar ek glo dat daar saad iewers gesaai was en dat dit sal opkom wanneer die tyd reg is…ek weet ook dat ek besig is om te groei en te leer en dat die Here absoluut die woorde in my mond sal sit wanneer ek die volgende skool gaan bedien en seën met voorskote.
Die gevolgtrekking wat ek wil maak van die stuk is, jy is wat jy eet, jy is wat jy dink en jy is wat jy praat. Dit wat in ons lewens manifesteer is absoluut in ONS hande. Dit is eintlik AL waaroor ons beheer het. Wow, wat ‘n wonderlike revelation (by gebrek aan ‘n beter Afrikaanse woord wat nie so treffend is soos die Engelse woord nie). Ek weet dit al lankal, dat dit is waaroor ons beheer het in hierdie wêreld, maar die Here het alles vir my so mooi bymekaar kom sit en afgerond met die blog en die Pienk Vere reeks…
Alle eer aan God altyd! Mag die blog altyd dit wat die Here in my hart plant deurgee en mag dit NOOIT oor myself gaan nie!! Hy inspireer my, gee my die kennis en wysheid en die talente en visies om te doen wat besig is om te gebeur…
Before I start writing entry, I just want to say – I know the picture at the beginning of the article is the one for January on the desk pad calendar. Obviously I could not take a picture of every month’s page as that would have affected my stock’s quality….and I cannot take a picture of mine because it is scribbled full of notes….and I only have the Afrikaans one on my desk….
This particular item in the Pink Feathers range, has been used by myself better than what I ever could imagine. You see, I was very skeptical about the desk pad, wondering if I ever will use it. Well, all doubts are gone now and I think I have become a desk pad-using-gal. Now, with that admin being said, I can continue writing about this month’s scripture.
Proverbs 16:24 – Pleasant words are like a honeycomb, sweet and delightful to the soul and healing to the body.When I got the scriptures for each month last year, I never would have guessed how applicable each month’s scripture would be.
You see, February is our busiest month. It is financial year end. A fairly rough time if I can refer to it like that. Little sleep, long hours and the normal life in between everything else (even a birthday on the 7th nogal – one of the deadline days). Our kids know already but I cannot keep wondering if they really do understand? Or are we busy making scars for them? This that we work, work and work some more.
So now you probably wonder how the scripture ties in with February? You see, when you are not under pressure, it is easy to comply with this scripture. It is when you are under pressure that it becomes harder to comply. Without saying much more in a month like February the pressure IS more so the challenge with this scripture will be bigger than normal…
But, it is not necessarily when WE experience pressure that WE have to be mindful of our words. Many times for me, it is when I do not experience sweet words from my clients that it hurts. You know, those words that just brutally breaks down the one thing you worked so hard to do as thorough and accurate as you could. Critisising everything you have ever stood for.
When everything you have ever done for someone with rightousness and integrity is broken down to a big pile of nothing. When accusations are thrown around (yes you guessed it, a similar occurence took place during the first week of February like it has happened before). It is then that I think of this scripture. Because such words are not sweet for the soul and healing to the bones.
Voor ek begin skryf, wil ek net sê, ek weet die foto aan die begin van die artikel is die Januarie bladsy op die tafel kalender (deskpad). Uiteraard kon ek nou nie elke maand se kalender afneem nie want dit sou beteken dat die voorraad se kwaliteit geaffekteer sou word….en ek kan nie myne afneem nie want hy is al vol geskribbel met nota’s….
En vir iemand (dis nou ek) wat skepties was oor die deskpad en gewonder het of ek hom wel gaan gebruik, word die ding nogals baie gebruik. Nou ja, nou dat ek daardie admin afgehandel het kan ek begin skryf oor die maand se teks.
Spreuke 16:24 – Vriendelike woorde is soos ‘n heuningkoek: soet vir die siel en ‘n genesing vir die gebeente. Toe ek laas jaar die skrifverse gekry het vir elke maand en dit op die kalender geplaas het, sou ek nie kon raai hoe van toepassing dit wel sou wees in elke maand nie.
Jy sien, Februarie is ons besigste maand. Dis finansiële jaareinde. Redelike rowwe tyd as ek nou so daarna kan verwys. Min slaap, lang ure en die gewone lewe tussen als deur (selfs ‘n verjaarsdag op die 7de Februarie – ‘n dag waar daar ‘n sperdatum op is waarvan ons nie kan wegkom nie). Ons kinders weet al maar ek wonder tog of hulle regtig verstaan? En of ons besig is om skade te maak by hulle? Met die dat ons so werk, werk en nogmaals werk.
Goed so jy wonder seker nou hoe die skrif met Februarie gekoppel word? Jy sien, wanneer mens nie onder druk is nie, is dit maklik om die skrif uit te voer en deur te voer. Dis wanneer mens onder druk is dat dit nie altyd maklik is nie. So uiteraard is Februarie ‘n druk maand so die uitdaging met die teks voel vir my of dit groter is nou…
Maar, dis ook nie noodwendig wanneer ONS druk ervaar wat ONS moet versigtig wees met ons woorde nie. Vir my is dit baie keer wanneer ons NIE soet woorde van kliënte af ontvang nie, wat dit seer maak. Jy weet, daai woorde waar elke stukkie iets wat jy altyd met soveel deeglikheid gedoen het, afgebreek word en gekritiseer word.
Wanneer alles wat jy nog ooit vir iemand met integriteit gedoen het afgebreek word na niks. Waar beskuldigings rondgeswaai word (ja jy raai reg, dit het weer die afgelope week gebeur soos soveel keer tevore). Dis dan wanneer ek aan die skrif dink. Want wragties, dan is die woorde nie soet vir die siel nie en ook nie genesend vir die gebeente nie.
No, not that type of burpee where you break up winds. The exercise called a BURPEE. That is how it feels to me since 15 March 2020. As if I must do emotional Burpees, even if I am not able or ready to do it.
Before I started Cross Fit in February 2020, I also did not know WHAT a burpee was. I learned the hard way though and in the process I became more fit physically.
Do your self a favour and google what a Burpee is if you are uncertain. Let me tell you, the people in the videos make it look EASY. When last did you do a Burpee? Have you ever done a Burpee?
With that being said and me going off point (again), I experienced this whole Pandemic as emotional exhaustion. And the only thing I can compare it with is a hectic heavy exercise such as a Burpee. One thing you must know about Burpees is, they make you fit like nothing else.
But it is hard. Grueling. To be exhausted like this emotionally and to be at a point where you just CANNOT go on anymore is tough! I know that I am NOT the only one that feels like this. It is as if these feelings are flaring up again everywhere, just like during and after the first hard lockdown.
The whole world expects one to function like normal. To go on as if nothing happened and to work as if there is nothing wrong. That while nothing is normal. Was it even normal to begin with? Or where we caught up in this lie of what we perceived to be normal?
You see, in my line of work (and here all accountants will agree and understand) things are just getting harder and hardee. The institutions you work with become more strict, issue penalties much quicker and faster and sometimes it feels just unfair. We are expected to perform, while it feels like they are doing very little from their side to make things work andmake progress on finalising matters that have been with them for months!
The emotional wellness of people are not taken into consideration. Illnesses, days in isolation, compassion towards people are just not taken into consideration….is that then not the same as expecting someone to do a Burpee the whole day, every day?
From the moment that you wake up until you go to bed, you must do at least one burpee per second. Let us say it is 12 hours (we all know it is more as none of us sleep for 12 hours in a day). 60 minutes per hour. 60 seconds in every minute. Thus 12 hours x 60 minutes x 60 seconds. 43,200 burpees. And yes, I used my calculator for this calculation, purely because my brain in incapable of thinking this hard and do calculations to this extent. And now I doubt if I even did this calculation right….
Then I start to wonder…..is it God’s way to make us fit? Can He be this cruel? Getting us fit for what? The end times? I know that going through hardship forms you and shapes you….but I don’t know. I still wonder about the Pandemic.
When I started writing this article, it was January. Now it is February. January was for me and many people with whom I had discussions, an EXCEPTIONALLY (I use caps to express how I experienced it) tough month. It was as if there was this block and cloud hanging over us.
Your mind reminds you about everything that must be done, but at the same time it is on some or another strike that refuses point blank to continue to do these burpees. Then he condems you by reminding you how far you have fallen behind and that you will never be able to catch up your daily 43,200 burpees that is expected from you. You barely did ten for the day…..
As I was thinking about this article and talked to God about it between everything else, He sends me 2 songs. The first one is Hello, my name is… by Matthew West and the second one is en Borrow (one day at a time) by Josh Wilson.
Both songs had such a great impact on those thoughts that were moving around in my mind. The thoughts that made me feel that what I am doing is not even close to a burpee. I realise that this what I am feeling, is NOT from God. I serve a living God of order and full of love.
Then I softly and in my mind sing (for a few days now I might add) the words from Josh Wilson’s song…..Don’t Borrow, no trouble from tomorrow…..na na na….one day, one day, one day at a time! And I know that God calmed me (suddenly from beginning of February) so that I can focus on that which lies ahead relating to work.
We are all on our way to checking in at the Accountant’s Inn just to be forced to work behind your computer and desk with a ball and chain. To go speed dating with your clients and their tax matters. To pray that your speed date appointment allows you to see everything and to account for everything so that you don’t have to sit, later in the year, with your hands in your hair about not paying enough tax….
Nee, nie die winde opbreek burpee nie. Die oefening BURPEE. Dis hoe dit vir my voel sedert 15 Maart 2020. Of ek emosioneel Burpees moet doen, al is ek nie opgewasse vir dit nie en ook nie reg vir dit nie.
Voor ek in Februarie 2020 begin Cross Fit het, het ek OOK nie geweet WAT is ‘n burpee nie. Ek het wel op die harde manier geleer en sodoende fikser geword op ‘n fisiese vlak.
Gaan google maar wat is ‘n Burpee as jy nie seker is nie. Die mense in die videos laat dit BAIE maklik lyk, laat ek jou nou vertel. Wanneer laas HET jy ‘n Burpee gedoen? Het jy al ooit een gedoen?
Dit daar gelaat want daar dwaal ek alweer van my punt af. Ek ervaar die hele Pandemie as ‘n emosionele uitputting wat ek slegs met ‘n harde strawwe oefening soos ‘n Burpee kan vergelyk. Nou Burpees maak jou fiks soos niks anders nie.
Maar dis moeilik. Uitmergelend. Om emosioneel so uitgeput te wees dat jy nie meer KAN aangaan nie is tough! Ek weet wel dat ek NIE die enigste een is wat so voel nie. Dis asof die gevoelens weer opvlam oral, soos tydens en net na die eerste hard lockdown.
Die hele wêreld verwag van mens om soos normaal te funksioneer. Aan te gaan en goed gedoen te kry asof daar niks fout is nie. Dit terwyl niks meer normaal is nie. Was dit ooit voorheen normaal? Of was ons vasgevang in hierdie leuen van wat ons sien en ervaar as normaal?
Jy sien, in my bedryf (en hier sal alle accountants saam stem en verstaan) raak dit regtig net moeiliker en moeiliker. Die instansies met wie jy werk raak strenger, reik vinniger en sommer vir niks boetes uit (so voel dit vir my). Verwag van ons om te perform dit alles terwyl dit voel of daar min tot niks aan hul kant werk nie.
Die emosionele welstand van mense word nie in ag geneem nie. Siekte toestande, dae in isolasie, menslikheidsfaktore word nie in ag geneem nie…..is dit nie dan dieselfde as om te verwag mens moet Burpees doen heeldag en aldag nie?
Vandat jy jou oë oopmaak tot jy gaan slaap moet jy elke sekonde ten minste een burpee doen. Kom ons sê dis minstens 12 ure waarvan ons nou praat (soos die Engelse sê hypothetically speaking want ek weet ook niemand van ons slaap vir 12 ure nie). 60 minute per uur. 60 sekondes in elke minuut. Dus 12 ure x 60 minute x 60 sekondes. 43,200 burpees. Ja ek het my calculator gebruik om die som te doen, bloot omdat my brein net nie meer KAN dink nie. En nou wonder ek en hoop ek dat ek die som reg gedoen het.
Dan begin ek wonder….is dit die Here se manier om ons fiks te kry? Kan Hy so wreed wees? Fiks vir wat? Die eindtye? Ek weet swaar tye vorm mens….maar ek weet nie. Ek wonder steeds oor die Pandemie.
Toe ek hierdie stuk begin skryf het, was dit Januarie. Nou is ons al in Februarie. Januarie was vir my en baie mense met wie ek gesels het ‘n ONGELOOFLIKE (ek gebruik hoofletters om die klem te lê oor hoe dit was) moeilike maand. Dit was asof daar hierdie blok of wolk oor mens was.
Jou kop herinner jou aan als wat gedoen moet word maar terselfde tyd is hy op een of anser sit-staking wat volstrek weier om aan te hou burpees doen. Dan sê hy weer vir jou hoe ver agter jy nou is en hoe gaan jy maak om jou 43,200 burpees in te haal? Jy het dan skaars tien gedoen vir die dag….
Soos wat ek die stuk deur dink het en met die Here daaroor gepraat het tussen alles wat moet gebeur deur, stuur Hy vir my 2 liedjies. Die eerste een is Hello, my name is… van Matthew West en die tweede een is Borrow (one day at a time) van Josh Wilson.
Beide liedjies het so ‘n groot impak op dit wat in my gedagtes rond beweeg, die gedagtes wat my laat voel dit wat ek nou doen is nie nagenoeg aan ‘n burpee nie. Ek besef dit wat ek voel is NIE van Hom af NIE. Ek dien ‘n lewende God van orde en vol liefde.
Dan neurie ek (vir ‘n paar dae al I might add) die woorde van Josh Wilson se liedjie….Don’t Borrow,no trouble from tomorrow…..na na na….one day, one day, one day at a time! En ek weet dat die Here my rustig gemaak het (skielik van begin Februarie af) sodat ek weer kan fokus op dit wat voorlê werksgewys.
Ons is mos almal hoeka oppad om onsself in te teken by die Accountant’s Inn net om met ‘n ball & chain vasgemaak te word agter jou lessenaar en weer speed dating van belasting te doen. Te bid jou blits afspraak werp goeie vrugte af en dat jy wel alles raak sien en in berekening bring sodat jy later die jaar nie met jou hande in jou hare sit oor te min belasting wat betaal was nie….
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