Month: July 2022

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You are… part 3

Die Jirre lief jou!! Finish & klaar! I read the message on the bottle, jampacked with bran muffins… I cannot help but stare at the paper roses (my favorite flower just so by the way). The one is made from a page from an old storybook which gives it a vintage type look.

I try to get a muffin out of the bottle without it breaking into a million pieces, they are so fresh they are falling apart! Muffins made especially for me by a group of very special students. Children with other needs that we are (or rather I am) used to. Children who also want to claim their place under the sun.

Children of worried parents, wondering if they will survive one day when they (the parents) are not on earth anymore. Children of concerned parents that wonder if they will be able to generate their own income when the breadwinner/s will no longer be able to do so. I walk with someone, with the same first name as what I have, Elsie van Staden (together I refer to us as Elsie to the power of 2 as they refer to it in Mathematical language) through the halls of Oom Paul School in Rustenburg.

We walk past two kids, I hear the one ask the other one “Is that a new teacher?” and I assume that they are referring to me. I grin to myself and think “Noooooooo boy, you do not understand, this lady is not cut out to be a teacher.” It takes SUPER special people to be teachers in my opinion. And I feel like a failure daily when I cannot be patient with my own kids, especially after a long day’s work struggling with slow on-line systems.

Back to the school halls. For those of you who may not know, Oom Paul School is a School of Skills for learners that are referred to them from Main Stream schools. Gold fish that cannot climb trees like the Curriculum expects them to do. They are then placed in the proverbial goldfish pond at Oom Paul School, where they are nurtured, taught and educated at their level. The stream in the main stream is just TOO strong for them and they get lost in the system.

But Oom Paul School is even more different, because they offer Hairdressing AND Food Production, together with other subjects like Science, Social Studies, and so forth. Students who have had to endure disappointment upon disappointment in a Main stream school are accepted here with open arms. Skills are thought to them. How to work PRACTICAL with your hands. Something that I feel is lacking these days. To be trained in a Trade.

These days it seems that everyone is stuck behind a laptop for more than 8 hours a day (myself included), busy doing their work and that while the Trade does not have as many people like in the past (this is my perception, I did not compare it with statistics of some sorts and I may be wrong here). People cannot do practical and physical things it seems, things that this world actually still needs, in spite of where we are when it comes to technology. I know, for the life of me I CANNOT do sewing, let alone to be able to make something fancy in the kitchen.

None the less. God granted me the opportunity on Tuesday 26 July 2022, to serve a small group of students, with His word and knowledge, that He is systematically giving to me and revealing to me about Flamingos. The whole thing that the Blog and Beroepsvrou is about. Pink Feathers for God.

I only realised later, as I sat to make the entry, that my nerves that normally bothers me before a day such as this (like a rodent gnawing away at something), was not even in the close vicinity. I did not have doubts for one second about anything! As I was talking to the children and later the staff too, I quoted scriptures from the Bible. Not the exact words, but scriptures that I feel God is linking to flamingos, interpreted and portrayed in my own words to keep it as simple as possible and to not let it feel like a church sermon.

I later realized that I referred to David and Psalms while I was talking about the scripture to watch over your heart and guarding your heart, when it was supposed to be Solomon and Proverbs. An honest mistake and I trust God understood and everyone heard what they were supposed to hear.

Just a little something extra to add onto the aprons, and I probably have mentioned and said this before, but, when the kids put on the aprons, they are also doing a prophetic action to cover themselves with the breastplate of righteousness. To guard their hearts as Solomon said. Don’t get me wrong – there is NO POWER in the aprons, this is what God revealed to me the deeper meaning of the aprons is.

It takes Flamingos approximately 2 years to turn pink from what they eat, and they only stay pink if they eat the right nutrients…..it is the same with us as Christians. You must constantly take in the right things so that you can have Pink Feathers for God.

I am also certain that the scripture from 1 Thessalonians 5:21 where Paul wrote and said But test all things carefully [so you can recognize what is good] – is like the flamingos, when they filter their food (because they are filter feeders) – they excrete that which is bad and only take in that which is good for them.

Oom Paul School is unique and one of a kind. From Potchefstroom to Wolmaransstad, between Klerksdorp and Brits there is only one fishpond available for all the gold fish that just cannot climb a tree, and that is Oom Paul School. There is a similar school in Krugersdorp and two in Pretoria. That is is as far as I know and have been told.

Unique and one of a kind. Patient and kind is how I would describe the Teachers at Oom Paul School. It takes a super special person to be a Teacher and an Angel to teach kids skills at a place like this.

It seems to me that there is a little piece of heaven on earth, a place where children can be planted to grow so that they can also reach their potential, claiming their spot under the sun. Giving peace of mind to parents that their children will be able to learn something and to know that they will be able to survive one day, when they as parents are not able to look after their children any more. That place is Oom Paul School.

Elsie2
Jy is… deel 3
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Jy is… deel 3

Die Jirre lief jou!! Finish & klaar! Lees ek die boodskappie op die bottel volgeprop met bran muffins (kolwyntjies voel soos die verkeerde woord om te gebruik want daar is nie versiersuiker op nie)… ek verkyk my aan die rosies (my gunsteling blom net so tussen ons) wat uit papier gemaak is. Die een uit ‘n ou storieboek se bladsy, wat dit net so ‘n vintage anderste look gee.

Ek probeer ‘n muffin uithaal sonder dat hy heeltemal disintegreer tussen my vingers, dis so vars, dit val omtrent uitmekaar uit! Muffins spesiaal vir my gebak deur ‘n groepie baie spesiale studente. Kinders met ander behoeftes as waaraan ons (of dalk eerder ek) gewoond is. Kinders wat ook hul plekkie onder die son wil claim.

Kinders van ouers wie bekommerd is of hulle dit eendag gaan maak wanneer hulle nie meer hier op aarde is nie. Kinders van ouers wat wonder of hulle ‘n inkomste sal kan genereer wanneer die broodwinner/s nie meer oor die vermoë beskik om te kan sorg vir hulle nie. Ek stap saam met my naamgenoot, Elsie van Staden (saam verwys ek na ons as Elsie tot die mag 2 soos in Wiskundige taal gepraat) deur die gange van Oom Paul Skool in Rustenburg.

Ons stap verby twee kinders, ek hoor die een vra vir die ander een “Is that a new teacher?” en ek neem aan hulle verwys na my. Ek grinnik stilletjies by myself en dink, “Neeeeeee outjie, jy verstaan nie, die tannie na wie jy kyk is nie uitgeknip om ‘n juffrou se werk te doen nie.” Dit vat SUPER spesiale mense om onderwysers te wees in my opinie. En ek voel daagliks of ek my eie kinders faal wanneer ongeduld na vore kom na ‘n lang dag se werk en gesukkel op stadige aanlyn sisteme.

Terug by die skoolgange. Vir die wat dalk nie weet nie, Oom Paul Skool is ‘n Vaardigheidskool vir leerlinge wat vanaf hoofstroom skole verwys word na hulle toe. Goudvissies wat nie kan boomklim soos die kurrikulum verwag van hulle om te doen nie. Dan word hulle in die spreekwoordelike goudvis dammetjie by Oom Paul Skool gesit, gekoester, geleer en opgevoed op hul vlak. Die stroom in die hoofstroom is net TE sterk vir hulle en daar raak hulle verlore in die sisteem.

Maar Oom Paul Skool is verder nóg effens anders, want hulle bied Haarkappery EN Voedselproduksie aan, saam met ander vakke soos ons almal dit ken – NW, SW, tale, daardie tipe vakke. Leerlinge wat in Hoofstroomskole teleurstelling op teleurstelling beleef, word hier met ope arms ontvang. Hulle word skills geleer. Hoe om PRAKTIES met jou hande te werk. Iets wat ek voel deesdae ontbreek. Om in die Ambag opgelei te word.

Almal sit mos deesdae agter ‘n laptop op hul boudjies vir meer as 8 ure per dag (ek in kluis), besig om hul werk te doen en dit terwyl die Ambagte nie noodwendig nog mense oplewer nie (hierdie is nou net my persepsie en ek mag verkeerd wees – ek het glad nie statistieke gaan trek hieroor nie). Mense kan nie meer prakties en fisies die werk doen wat ons wêreld maar eintlik steeds nodig het nie, ten spyte van waar ons is wat tegnologie aanbetref. Ek weet, for the life of me kan ek NIE NAALDWERK doen NIE en nog minder iets fêncy in die kombuis maak.

Maar nie te min. Dinsdag 26 Julie 2022, het die Here vir my die geleentheid gegun om ‘n klein groepie Verbruikerstudie studente te gaan bedien met Sy woord en kennis wat Hy stelselmatig vir my gee en openbaar oor Flaminke. Die hele ding waaroor die Blog en Beroepsvrou draai. Pienk Vere vir die Here.

Ek besef eers later toe ek sit om die inskrywing te maak dat die nerwe wat my gewoonlik so pla voor so ‘n dag (soos ‘n muis wat aan ‘n kabel knaag) glad nie naby was nie. Ek het nie vir een oomblik gewonder en twyfel het oor enige iets nie! Soos wat ek die kinders toespreek en later ook die personneel, haal ek stukke uit die Bybel aan. Nie presiese verse nie, maar skrif wat ek voel die Here vir my koppel aan flaminke, geinterpreteer en in my eie woorde om dit eenvoudig te probeer hou en nie soos ‘n kerkdiens te laat voel nie.

Ek besef toe wel dat ek die heeltyd na Dawid en Psalms verwys as ek praat van die stuk oor bewaar jou hart terwyl dit eintlik Salomo en Spreuke moes wees. An honest mistake en ek glo die Here verstaan en almal het gehoor wat hulle moes hoor.

Net so ietsie ekstra om aan te sluit by die voorskote, en ek het seker al dit voorheen genoem, maar, wanneer die kinders dit aantrek, beoefen hulle ook ‘n geestelike profetiese aksie om hulself te bedek met die borsharnas van geregtigheid. Dit beskerm hul harte soos Salomo gesê het. Moet my ook nie verkeerd verstaan nie – daar is GEEN krag in die voorskote nie. Dis simboliek en hoe die Here vir my gewys het wat die voorskoot eintlik beteken.

Dit neem Flaminke ongeveer 2 jaar om pienk te word en hul bly slegs pienk as hul die regte voedingstowwe inneem….dis dieselfde met ons as Christene. Jy moet konstant die regte goed inneem sodat jy Pienk Vere vir die Here kan hê.

Ek is ook seker dat die skrif uit 1 Thessalonicense 5:21 waar Paulus skryf en sê Beproef alle dinge, behou die goeie – is soos die flaminke wat hul kos filter (omdat hul filtervoerders is) – hulle skei uit dit wat sleg is en neem slegs dit wat goed en reg is in.

Oom Paul Skool is uniek en enig in sy soort. Van Potchefstroom tot Wolmaransstad, tussen Klerksdorp en Brits is daar net een visdam beskikbaar vir al die goudvissies wat net nie kán boom klim nie, en dis Oom Paul Skool. Daar is nog ‘n soortgelyke skool in Krugersdorp en twee in Pretoria. Dis dit sover ek weet en vertel was.

Enig en uniek in hul soort. Lankmoedig en geduldig is hoe ek die Onderwysers by Oom Paul Skool sal beskryf. Dit vat ‘n besonderse mens om ‘n Onderwyser te wees en ‘n Engel om kinders vaardighede te leer soos hier by hierdie plek.

Dit wil tog vir my voorkom of daar wel ‘n stukkie hemel op aarde is, ‘n plekkie waar kinders geplant kan word om te groei om ook hul potensiaal te bereik, om hul plekkie onder die son op te eis. Vir ouers gemoedsrus gee dat hul kindertjies wel ietsie sal kan leer en weet, sodat hulle kan oorleef eendag wanneer ouersorg nie meer moontlik is nie. Daardie plekkie is Oom Paul Skool.

Elsie2
You are… part 3
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Being Bold… Chapter 1

When I initially started this entry, I thought by myself that it is actually artificial (is that the right word to use here? Or is superficial a better word….?) to write about something like this. It is almost like my entry about the centimeters that I had lost, that can be seen as superficial. Though someone told me that the particular entry that I wrote just motivated her to push through with something else….so then it cannot be THAT superficial, can it…?

With the sky covered with clouds, raining ever so lightly, at Magalies Park holiday resort (where we are currently finding ourselves), I reckoned that this is a good place to get the fire burning in the fireplace, to snuggle under a blanket, taking on (and finishing) this entry that I have had doubts about.

As I was showering the other day, I thought about so many things, this entry as well as the one about the unplanned weight loss. I feel a movement in my spirit and the word transformation is all that I can think of.

I realise that the Holy Spirit is showing me that which I had written about, is actually part of a transformation process, to change me Elsie Potgieter. From a normal letter in a document that just flows with the rest to a Capital Bold letter, one that stands out above the rest and is more noticeable.

The point I am trying to make is that I feel that God is busy with a transformation in and through me and of course that is going to manifest in the flesh (in a good way, not the bad manifestation that we normally link to the word manifest).

You see, the world that we live in is a fast paced, fast moving place these days. Almost everything happens on social media. There are so many platforms available that people actually feel overwhelmed by everything and don’t even always know what to look at that is meaningful.

As you may know, I attended a Masterclass hosted by Alétte Winckler in April. During this presentation, she gave a lot of stats about things. How long it takes to create an impression, that woman actually dress to impress other woman rather than their husbands – purely because we live in this very competitive space.

Mrs. So and So MUST be thinner than the one next to her, must have better, prettier hair, make up, clothes, you name it, it must be better. And let me tell you, if Mrs. This and That is not feeling up to her standards and because she fetched her kids from school in her slippers, she does not hesitate to comment and discuss someone else that is dressed better than her on that day that she chose to not put her make up on or even shoes for that matter!

Back to the point that I want to make. The transformation is busy happening. I did not get up one day and decided that by a certain date in 2022 I have to loose this amount of centimeters. And by that date in 2020 I was supposed to have this, that and the next done to transform on the outside.

No, it is almost like my one teacher at school said – every day’s little bit every single day. Bit by bit God is busy stretching me, moving me out of my comfort zone so that I can do His work that He has called me for.

If you do not risk it, you will not win it. I don’t know if this makes sense, in Afrikaans we say Wie nie waag nie sal nie wen nie. My previous sentence was just a direct translation but I am sure you catch my drift here. Sometimes we have to move out of the little block we have placed ourselves in. You know – out of your comfort zone. It starts with something simplistic as changing your hair, that gives you just that little bit of confidence that is needed.

My blog articles that I write, has a purpose and that purpose is to motivate others and to build them up. We are all caught up in this rat race. The balance I feel is just not there! Between work, kids, exercising, preparing meals, eating healthy and everything in between, leaves very little room to truly spend time with God.

Yet the time with Him is so much more important than all our earthly and fleshly needs. Many people that read my entries are working mothers. Full time in a very demanding line of work. Time to exercise is non-existent! Let alone eating healthier AND spending time with God! Not even touching on all the other things we have to spend time on, demands that must be met!

My prayer stays the same – that which I write about will encourage people, letting them know you are not alone. We are all in the same space. We have to MAKE time! I feel if I can do it, then anyone can! It makes me think of a song written by Josh Wilson – That was then, this is now. We all were somewhere and over time we have changed, (hopefully) moving closer to God in the process.

To be continued….

Om “Bold” te wees… hoofstuk 1
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Om “Bold” te wees… hoofstuk 1

Toe ek aanvanklik hierdie inskrywing begin doen het, het ek by myself gedink dat dit eintlik oppervlakkig is. Amper soos wat dit vir my voel my inskrywing oor my sentimeters wat ek verloor het as oppervlakkig gesien kan word. Tog het iemand vir my gesê daardie spesifieke inskrywing het haar net weer gemotiveer om deur te druk met iets anders…. so dan kan dit seker nie SO oppervlakkig wees nie… kan dit?

Met die wolke dig toegetrek en reën wat liggies val by Magalies Park vakansie oord (waar ons onsself tans bevind) het ek gereken dis eintlik ‘n goeie plek om die kaggelvuur te laat aansteek, onder ‘n kombers in te kruip en die inskrywing, waaroor ek so baie twyfel maar tog aan te pak en klaar te maak.

Soos wat ek een oggend in die stort staan en dink oor so baie goed, insluitend hierdie inskrywing (en die een oor my onbeplande gewigsverlies) voel ek ‘n roering in my gees en die woord transformasie kom by my op.

Ek besef die Heilige Gees wys my dat dit waaroor ek geskryf het eintlik deel van ‘n transformasie proses is om my, Elsie Potgieter, te verander. Van ‘n doodgewone letter in ‘n dokument wat net saam met ander vloei en nie regtig uitstaan nie, na ‘n hoof vetgedrukte (in Engels noem ons dit Bold en ek weet eerlik nie wat die mooi Afrikaans vir Bold is nie) letter toe wat uitstaan bo die ander en meer opvallend is.

Sjoe, die vorige sin het my skoon uitasem en ek het dit nie hardop geuiter nie! Ek hoop die kommas is almal op die regte plekke sodat die leser dit kan lees EN asemhaal. Nie te min. Die punt wat ek probeer maak is, die Here is besig met ‘n transformasie in en deur my en dit gaan natuurlik in die vlees begin manifesteer (op ‘n goeie manier nie die slegte manifestasies nie, soos ons geneig is om te koppel aan die woord manifesteer).

Jy sien, die wêreld waarin ons leef is deesdae ‘n fast paced, fast moving plek. Amper alles gebeur op sosiale media. Daar is soveel platforms tot ons beskikking, dat mense eintlik oorweldig voel deur als en eintlik nie weet eers waarna om te kyk wat sinvol is nie.

Soos julle dalk mag weet, het ek ‘n Masterclass by Alétte Winckler in April bygewoon, en in hierdie voorlegging het sy ‘n klomp stats gegee oor goed. Hoe lank dit vat om ‘n indruk te skep, dat vrouens eintlik aantrek om ander vrouens te beindruk, eerder as hul mans (want ons bly in hierdie kompeterende spasie).

Mevrou So en So móét maerder wees as die een langs haar, mooier, beter hare, grimering, klere, you name it, dit moet beter wees. En laat ek jou vertel, as Mevrou Dit en Dat nie op standaard voel nie, want sy het haar kinders by die skool gaan afhaal in haar slippers (dit klink net beter as pantoffels) huiwer sy nie om enige iemand anders wat beter as sy geklee is te bespreek en kommentaar oor te lewer nie. Die gesprekke begin bloot omdat sy daardie dag gekies het om nie grimering aan te sit nie en dalk ook skoene ontbreek en nou voel of sy afsteek teen ander.

Terug by my punt wat ÉK wil maak. Die transformasie is besig om te gebeur. Ek het nie op ‘n dag opgestaan en besluit – teen hierdie datum in 2022 wil ek soveel sentimeters verloor nie. En teen daardie datum in 2020 moes ek nou al dit, dat en die volgende gedoen het om te transformeer in die uiterlike nie.

Nee, dis amper vir my soos my een juffrou op skool gesê het – elke dag se bietjie elke liewe dag. Bietjie vir bietjie is die Here besig om my te rek en strek en uit my gemaksone te skuif sodat ek Sy werk kan doen waarvoor ek geroep is deur Hom.

Wie nie waag nie sal nie wen nie. Soms moet ons uit die blokkie wat ons om onsself getrek het tree. Jy weet – uit jou comfort zone uit. Dit begin by iets eenvoudig soos om jou hare te verander wat jou net die bietjie confidence gee (ek kan nie dink aan die Afrikaanse woord nie en die Engelse woord maak net ‘n beter indruk voel dit vir my).

Dit waaroor ek skryf, se doel is om ander te stig en te motiveer. Ons almal is in hierdie rot-resies vasgevang. Die balans voel vir my is net nie daar nie. Tussen werk, kinders, oefen, kos maak en gesond eet en alles tussen in, is daar bitter min tyd om werklik tyd saam met God te spandeer.

Tog is die tyd saam met Hom belangriker as al ons vleeslike behoeftes. Baie wat my inskrywings lees, is werkende mamma’s. Voltyds in ‘n very demanding line of work. Tyd vir oefen is daar nie! Wat nog te praat van gesonder eet EN dan nog tyd saam met die Here? Nie eens al die ander goed wat ons aan moet voldoen en tyd aan spandeer in ag geneem nie!

Ek bid steeds dat dit waaroor ek skryf mense sal bemoedig en laat weet you are not alone. Ons is almal daar. Ons moet die tyd maak! Ek voel as ek dit kan doen, kan enige iemand dit doen! Dit laat my dink aan ‘n liedjie geskryf deur Josh Wilson – That was then, this is now. Ons almal was iewers en het met tyd verander en (hopelik) nader aan God beweeg in die proses.

Word vervolg…

Being Bold… Chapter 1
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The steam train

An idea pops in my head as I settle down behind my computer, with the late afternoon sun shining through the window over my keyboard. I see a little train taking on a steep hill, he is working hard and I hear the noise that he is making I-know-I-can-I-can-do-it-I-know-I-can-I-can-do-it rather than the normal chugga-chugga-chugga sound that a steam train makes.

I don’t know if this is now just by accident that I remember a picture from my childhood or whether I watched a story at some time with this image. But I do know that God showed it to me for a reason.

None-the-less, the sun is LOVELY here and I realise just HOW privileged I am to be right here at this very moment. This month’s scripture is also one of my favorites, from Philippians. I can do ALL things through Christ who gives me strength.

You see, like the little train, it sometimes feels to me, and probably to others too, that I have to get on top of this massive hill called life. Along the way there are challenges, nowhere in the Bible we are exempted from a life without challenges. But, we are guaranteed that God is next to us and we can do things through Him that gives us strength.

We have to choose how we see the challenges. The road of uncertainty and with no clear footpath that we sometimes feel that we are on, uncertain of where we must go or whether we are on the right road. Or the potholes that make us move a bit slower than what we want to so that we cannot climb out the hill as quickly as we think we should.

Again this scripture is so accurate at this point in time, I cannot help but want to give God a fist pump. You see, like my previous entry stated – the dynamics in the firm has changed and things are landing up back on my desk. Sometimes I wonder if I really will be able to deal with it all and other times I just know that we will be more than ok.

God is busy showing us the way, filling our engines with coal and lighting it up so that we can get to the top of the hill. When I feel down and out about things that I must do and deal with, changes with authorities and systems that I perceive to be not so great in my opinion (if I may give an opinion at all), then I look at this scripture and I see the train.

God’s train. I am His train, as I climb the hill, with smoke coming from my engine as a sign that I am His and that His fire is burning inside of me (not pollution type of smoke – I am sure you understand what I am trying to say here). Smoke that is a sign for other engines that they must get their coal loaded, filled with God’s word and to get it lit by the Holy Spirit, so that they too can climb steep hills.

Where is your train? Do you feel like you cannot go on anymore? Do you have enough coal to burn? Maybe we should start there! You cannot run on fumes and expect get to the top of the hill. You must ensure that your engine is filled with God’s word so that the Holy Spirit can strike the match to burn the coal, turning it into energy. It is only then when Philippians 4:13 can be activated in your life, enabling you to do everything through Christ that gives you strength.

I-know-I-can-I-can-do-it-I-know-I-can-I-can-do-it I hear my engine’s efforts to get up the steep hill that I feel is lying in front of me. Maybe it is not so steep and hard? Maybe I am just not yet close enough to know that it is actually only a little speed bump. But until then I will repeat the words from scripture. I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength.

Die stoomtrein
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Die stoomtrein

Soos wat ek hier agter my rekenaar inskuif, met die laat middag son wat deur die venster oor my sleutelbord (hoe is dit nou vir ‘n mooi Afrikaanse woord eerder as keyboard soos ons maar geneig is om die Engels in te gooi tussen die Afrikaans wanneer ons praat?) kom daar ‘n gedagte by my op.

Ek sien ‘n treintjie wat teen ‘n bult uit ry, hy stoom hard en aanhoudend en ek hoor die geluid wat hy maak Ek-weet-ek-kan-ek-kan-dit-doen-ek-weet-ek-kan-ek-kan-dit-doen eerder as die tjoekoe-tjoekoe-tjoekoe geluid wat ‘n stoomtrein gewoonlik maak. Ek weet nou nie of dit dalk per ongeluk ‘n prentjie uit my kinderdae is wat ek dalk iewers gelees het of ‘n storie gekyk het nie maar ek weet wel dat die Here dit vir my gewys het vir ‘n doel.

Nie te min, die sonnetjie is HEERLIK hier en ek besef net weer HOE bevoorreeg ek is om nou op hierdie oomblik hier te wees. Die maand se skrif is weer een van my gunstelinge uit Filippense uit. Ek is tot ALLES in staat deur Christus wat my krag gee.

Jy sien, soos die treintjie, voel dit soms vir my, en ek is seker vir ander ook, of ek hierdie moewiese bult van die lewe moet uitklim om bo uit te kom. Langs die pad is daar uitdagings, nêrens in die Bybel word ons gevrywaar van ‘n lewe sonder uitdagings nie. Maar, ons word wel gewaarborg dat God aan ons sy is, en ons goed kan doen met Hom wat ons krag gee.

Ons moet kies hoe ons die uitdagings sien. Die spoorlose pad wat ons soms voel ons moet volg, onseker oor waarheen ons moet gaan en of ons wel op die regte pad is. Of die slaggate wat maak dat ons net so effe stadiger moet ry en nie vinnig genoeg na ons sin aan die bo kant van die bult uit kom nie.

Weereens is hierdie skrif vir my op hierdie tydstip net so akkuraat, ek kan nie anders as om die Here ‘n fist pump te wil gee vir die een nie. Jy sien, soos my vorige inskrywing gelui het, weet julle seker nou dat die dinamika in die firma verander het en goed weer terug land op my tafel. Soms wonder ek of ek dit regtig alles sal kan behartig en ander kere dan weet ek net dat ons sal ok wees.

Die Here is besig om vir ons die pad te wys en die steenkool in ons enjins te sit en aan die brand te steek, sodat ons die bult wel kan uitklim en bo uit kom. Wanneer ek mismoedig raak oor alles en nog wat, wat ek moet doen en hanteer, veranderinge van owerhede, sisteme wat sommer net nie lekker is nie, in my opinie (as ek nou my opinie kan en mag gee), dan kyk ek na die skrif vers en sien ek die trein.

God se trein. Ek is Sy trein wat, soos wat ek die bult uitbeweeg, rook by my enjin laat uitkom wat ‘n teken is dat ek Syne is en dat Sy vuur in my brand (nou nie lugbesoedeling tipe rook nie – ek is seker julle verstaan wat ek bedoel). Rook wolke wat ‘n sein vir ander treintjies stuur om hul steenkool gelaai te kry, opgevul met God se woord en aan die brand te kry, deur die Heilige Gees, sodat hulle ook hulle bulte kan uitklim.

Waar staan jou treintjie? Voel jy of jy nie meer kan nie? Het jy genoeg steenkool om te brand? Miskien moet ons daar begin! Jy kan nie op fumes hardloop en die bult uitkom nie. Jy moet sorg dat jou enjin met God se woord opgevul is, sodat die Heilige Gees die vuurhoutjie kan brand wat die steenkool laat verander in energie. Dis slegs dan wat Filippense 4:13 geaktiveer kan word in jou lewe en jy in staat is om alles te doen deur Christus wat jou krag gee.

Ek-weet-ek-kan-ek-kan-dit-doen-ek-weet-ek-kan-ek-kan-dit-doen hoor ek my enjin kreun teen die stywe bult wat ek voel voor my lê. Miskien is hy nie so styf en styl nie? Miskien is ek net nog nie naby genoeg om te weet dat dit eintlik net ‘n klein hoogtetjie is nie. Maar tot dan gaan ek die skrif vers herhaal. Ek is tot alles in staat deur Christus wat my krag gee.

The steam train