Cleaning your mousepad purchased from Beroepsvrou has never been easier. Like my kids say – Easy Peasy Lemon Squeezy! Watch the video below and follow the instructions included….happy cleaning! And of course a special thanks to my sister from another mister, Dora!
The weekend of 9 to 11 September 2022, marked the fifth year of Adorned ministries’ annual retreat camp. The usual suspects were there, if I may refer to them in that way, humorously speaking of course.
The theme of this year’s retreat was Woman. Thea van Rooyen, from Thea’s Poeierkamer did an excellent job with the creation of woman of the bible, all whom were featured in her class on Saturday afternoon.
The theme for the camp was ‘Ishshâh Nâshîym which means Woman.
As usual, we all were exhausted the Friday evening. Tammy (again I have to check her surname because, my word, for the life of me I cannot remember this one!) Tambourlas from WOW Woman of Worth said to me that I was also tired last year, what is wrong?
I realised later, that it is because I have just come out of a busy period work wise, AND had stayed up until almost mid-night the night before, finishing off a car made from boxes for a school parade. Don’t ask. All I can say is, it consisted of three boxes, plenty of spray paint (Chrome nogal), screws, wooden blocks, lace and glue.
Back to the retreat. Confucius tried to take over again the Friday evening, similar to last year. Lynn’s page (from JOTW Journaling on the Way) was just sooooo confusing to us, but I think it was more that we were all just so exhausted!
Confucius tried to take over again, but we managed to overcome any form of confusion that tried to take over.
The venue was changed from last year and I am sure everyone that was there last year and again this year, were very grateful that there was no Donkey keeping us from sleeping!
Again it was not luxurious and at the end of the day that does not matter at all! You only sleep in your room, so I guess you do not need a five star hotel room with room service!
God needs to take you from your comfort zone to a place of almost total exhaustion so that He can work with us. This is my opinion and may not be right, but, when you step out of your comfort zone, God can work more and better in your life.
The word for Woman in Hebrew looked like Greek to me.
Elsie Potgieter
Before I go on about the messages that were brought to us, I want to chat a bit more about the retreat. I woke up one morning, a few months ago, with Carolien and the camp in mind and the words Back to your roots and a sandy brown color in mind. Now by now, I know that God speaks to me in a strange way and I no longer question Him.
True to God’s word – this is what the camp was about. Shortly before the camp, I asked Carolien for more information about the retreat, just so that I could get my mind around it and what it is about, and of course for some inspiration for this blog entry. She sent me a word and its meaning.
We are made to shine. Stepping out into the role that we were created for.
Lynn Grobler – Journaling on the Way
It looked Greek to me. But it was actually Hebrew. Same difference right? No, not at all. The word was (and yes, I too cannot read or pronounce the word, so you are not alone AND I had to type this from the advertisement image) ‘Ishshâh Nâshîym.
Around about this time in writing the entry, I realised that this is going to be a longer than usual post. This is purely because I am trying to capture three days’ worth of events in one entry. Splitting them up will loose the essence of what I am trying to say. So make yourself a cup of tea or coffee and proceed reading. I am also only doing this in English, so sorry nê – geen Afrikaanse weergawe nie….
So the Greek aka Hebrew word means Woman. Lynn’s message was for us to shine and her page was a cutex bottle with glitter. It was higher grade stuff – making this cutex bottle. It involved a whole lot of folding and sticking things together with the green Tombow glue, NOT the blue one!
I ended up purchasing both from Tammy’s shop, only for it to probably lie in my bag for a year to dry out again (I don’t stick stuff in my bible that often). Eventually we got it right! She continued with her message to say that the word Shine stood out to her as she was preparing for the camp and the message she was to bring to all. We need to step into the role that we were created for.
The message from Soria Vermeulen was Daughter of the King
EnDeo Bible Journaling
Saturday morning, Soria Vermeulen (from EnDeo Bible Journaling) presented her class. Her message was Daugther of the King. An ever so delicate face made by a Cricut machine (everyone is on this bandwagon now about this machine and it can apparently do everything except make coffee and do your admin for you it seems). A very handy thing to have, especially if you are into Bible journaling. One day I will have one is one of the thoughts that I have had about this machine…..making my heart’s desires known to God in the process too…
So again there was a little bit of confusion. Not as much as the night before, but it also seemed every time I sat down to do a page, exhaustion overwhelmed me. Perhaps because I was relaxing and did not have to worry about meals for my family for an entire weekend? Anyway, the confusion was with the sticking of the delicate face….some people gave it lots of glue making it impossible to handle and stick down.
Soria finished off by reading a poem that someone wrote, confirming that we are strong women, no matter what happens to us. The Saturday afternoon it was Thea’s turn, from Thea se Poeierkamer. My word, all I can say is that I just LOVE this woman and her personality and sense of humor! She was the one that drew and painted all the Dollas van die Bybel as she calls them. The ones that were used to advertise the retreat.
Dollas van die Bybel
Thea van Rooyen – Thea se Poeierkamer
But first, before we can do anything, we have to fold something. This is Thea’s thing. There was a bit less confusion than last year. Those who attended will understand that the junk journal is just way above all of our heads and you need ten post graduate degrees to do that one it seems.
We folded our little envelope and then we could move onto the good and exciting part of the class. Making a cross with a Dolla van die Bybel on. She explained all of them, who they are and random Dollas were handed out to all the ladies. She further said that pencils and paint don’t talk back so you can do ANYTHING with them!
I believe that God gave each person the Dolla that they should have gotten, as there is a special message behind it for all of us. Part of the kit that we got was a sterfbed geheim hand made item from Thea. It looks like a doily and gives the cross just a bit of depth and texture. There was even a lady that just did not want Eve, but Eve kept on following her no matter what she tried to do!
Of course in between everything we were trying to rest and had our meals, which were lovely by the way, journaling in between. Now up to this point, if I had thought these pages and the cross that we had to make were higher grade, well I had it wrong.
Carolien’s class was higher grade, explaining the content and roots of the words God, Man and Woman.
Carolien presented the evening class. And she whipped out some Greek aka Hebrew words and meanings for us. I lost her half way through as my brain was just too tired to capture and grasp everything. But, I understood the core message. There is a little bit of God in a man and woman (please see the pictures in the gallery then this will make more sense).
And a little bit of a man and woman in each other. The same thing that is in the Greek aka Hebrew word for God, man and woman, gets removed when we fight and do not have God as the center of our lives. Then we are only left with fire and then we all know what fire does – everything is destroyed and goes up in flames so to speak.
This time round I had the privilege to serve people. Last year I was on the other side being served. Sobbing and crying like I have not done before. But I can tell you, all those tears, healed the wounds and scars that were left in my heart over time and by so many things that happened to me all through my life.
Just by the way – I was not always this chirpy happy person that I am now. I can feel the change in myself that God has brought over me since the Adorned Camp that I attended in 2021. My first camp. The life changing camp. The one where the Pink Feathers Range was born.
Being used by God was such a privilege. Never in my life have I experienced God in this way. He was talking to me in pictures. As we served people, He gave me visions. They seemed strange to me but when I shared them, the Holy Spirit did the rest and helped with the healing process in all the ladies.
Through all of the serving of ladies, God served me too through them. I received confirmation that I did hear correctly with Beroepsvrou (something doubt is trying to take away very so often) and I further received revelation about the black colour of my Beroepsvrou apron, something that I also was unsure of and why it had to be black.
Somewhere over the weekend (I forget whether it was the Saturday or Sunday), Carolien revealed the first Afrikaans bible, designed by her, which has been a process of two years! A gorgeous hard covered, ring bound bible, split between the old and the new testaments called Die Sierlike Kuns Bybel. She explained the Strelitzia flower on the cover and why she chose this. And I must say, this is something that wants to be done! In spite of all the challenges and delays, God made a way for this Bible to see the light!
Don’t compare your journey with the person next to you. The battle is normally in our minds.
Anri -Painted Lemons and Rochelle – LaRochelle Crafts
Sunday morning we were joined by Anri Erasmus (from Painted Lemons) and Rochelle Rossouw (from La-Rochelle Crafts). Man, I just love these two ladies. They are opposite of each other but complement each other so well! Again we had to do math on a Sunday morning. After all the crying and lack of sleep the night before, we had to cut and paste something after measuring it.
We were confused but we managed to get it right. And then of course Anri and her colour mixing came up, to mix flesh coloured water colours! We got it right, with a bit of effort and struggle, but we managed it! The essence of their message? Don’t compare your journey with the person next to you, the battle is normally in our minds.
The retreat was closed off by Thea and her folding again. Just in case we have an empty box of long life milk and needed a wallet of some sort. She showed us what to do, where to cut, place brads (I know them as split pins but the fancy scrapbooking term is brads) and then an elastic or string to close it up. So now we all know (and have forgotten again) how to make a full cream beursie.
We packed up, greeted and parted our ways. Of course I was almost half way home when I thought I had forgotten something. I turned around, rushing back like a mad thing, only to not find it there. Of course I had packed it up and put it in my suitcase without me even realising that I had done this. This just proved to me that not all the thoughts in our minds are from God….but maybe I had to go back to say goodbye a second time, for what ever reason!
Thea closed off the camp with the folding and cutting of a full cream beursie from an empty 1 litre box of long life milk.
It was fun being on the retreat, mom guilt tried to take over but the Holy Spirit showed me that us as woman need to spend time with Him alone too. Without our families. To fill up our cups. To get that intimate relationship with God going so that He can romance us, like Carolien said, filling us up with the truth that the devil tries to destroy with lies.
My prayer will always be that God will bless this ministry of Adorned through Christ to new levels, more, higher, all to the glory of His Name and Kingdom. So that women’s lives can be changed one page at a time. One entry at a time. One day at a time and one camp at a time.
It is Thursday morning. I woke up with sore muscles in places that I did not know had muscles. The reason? Death by Cross Fit the day before. My word, I did not know that my arms and so many other places can be stiff and sore from a WOD (Work out of the Day). I was sitting proverbially speaking, with my hands in my hair (and sometimes with hair in my hands too).
The entire week, actually the entire month, I have been thinking about this month’s scripture on the desk pad and I am not sure what I want to write about. But as time progresses and it becomes mid-September, I start to relate with the scripture even more than before…
It frequently feels as if I have this anxiety trying to squash my heart and breath from my body. It is 15 September and I am still trying to get through and finalise the admin tasks following the month of August. Why is it taking so long this month? I can just not figure out why it feels like I am held back when it comes to work!
My online shop for Beroepsvrou is faulty too, to top it all off! Suddenly, overnight the WooCommerce plug in (let me now use the fancy lingo so that I sound like some or other clever Trevor while I am busy) is just gone and not installed. HOW this happened is unknown. I do not know.
I experienced a fleeted moment of panic, tears wanting to overwhelm and consume me. My excitement of the past few days is almost stolen by this. It is as if it wants to tell me that I lied over the radio interview that I had. It is impossible for anyone to always look for the positive in everything.
And really, the trials and tribulations that I spoke about, how am I handling that now? Am I still walking around with a song in my heart? Why is my work now even further behind than what it was last week this time? Only 5 business days have passed since then, I am working everyday, feeling like I am running around like a headless chicken, not getting anything accomplished. WHY??????
Then I decide to go and read the scripture for this month again. Philippians 4:6-7 (AMP) Do not be anxious or worried about anything, but in everything [every circumstance and situation] by prayer and petition with thanksgiving, continue to make your [specific] requests known to God. And the peace of God [that peace which reassures the heart, that peace] which transcends all understanding, [that peace which] stands guard over your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus [is yours].
Do not be anxious or worried about anything. Let us start there. Of course I am concerned and worried about time that is ticking by with the speed of white light, while my work pace seems to be that of a snail (not the snail in Turbo and at that speed – a real, genuine-enuine slooooooow snail’s pace it feels). Then on top of that, I am anxious about my online shop. WHY????? What now???? Must I redo everything? Back to my day job – how am I going to get everything submitted by the deadline date of 24 October 2022?
There is so much to do? I MUST exercise, that I am not going to give up for anything in this world. Because I know, if I do not exercise, I am going to lie around on the couch and become a potato so to speak. Then I may as well go and exercise and be productive and do something constructive. Ok God, I think to myself. I am now going to try REALLY HARD not to be anxious about ANYTHING that is bothering me. Done. Ticked off the list.
But in everything by prayer and petition with thanksgiving, continue to make your requests known to God. Ok, so this tells me that I must talk to God, prayer, something that I am doing, so I think I can tick this off my list. Petition this I am doing ever so often, especially with my crisis with the online shop. Do you have any idea how long it took to set up that shop?????
So I recon that I can tick that off my list too, because in my spirit I am crying. I cannot sit and physically cry, in the first place I am potentially going to look like I don’t know what, with make up smudging.
In the second place I am, in my opinion, only going to waste time by crying. I have things that have to be done, I cannot waste more time with crying. And thirdly, ag I don’t even know why I should not cry, I just know that I should not cry. That leaves me with the last part of the verse – thanksgiving.
I wonder what Paul (it was Paul that wrote the letter to the Philippians right?) meant with this. I think that I must praise God and be thankful that He is going to repair my online shop, that He will let time stand still so that I can get a head with my work and not feel like a failure the whole time. So, THANK YOU God for that which you are going to restore, have restored already and that which you are busy restoring as I am typing this.
And the peace of God which transcends all understanding, stands guard over your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. After typing away at the preceding paragraphs, it feels like I am feeling less anxious. The supernatural peace I know, I have experienced it A LOT in my life. Especially when I cease to try and do something myself, leaving it for God and His capable hands. Because let us face it – He is our Maker and His hands are more than capable. He is more than capable even if we still try and declare Him incompetent by taking everything onto ourselves.
My heart is feeling more at ease and my mind and heart, (that which springs forth all things in our lives), must also find peace. I must now start to speak as if it has been restored. Ok, I think I get it! Thank you God for the restoration on all levels of things that are bothering me, that things are going to be resolved in the blink of an eye (God you know my deadlines and pressure that I am under and I know that you are going to resolve everything very quickly). I pray this in the Name of Jesus! Amen and Amen!
I decide to move my focus to MY responsibilities. That which I am required to do now. I have someone that can assist with the online shop, hopefully a back up that can be restored or something simplistic like that. But my EDP work (the tax business), there I must move my bumb and work faster. The birds and angels are surely NOT going to do my work for me. I must still carry my weight there and do what I have to do!!
And the peace of God which transcends all understanding….I hear the words echo through my mind. I feel less anxious, in spite of the sore muscles and anxiety that I felt earlier. I know that everything will be resolved quickly! God is good ALWAYS!!
After I finished this entry, (the Afrikaans version), and started to focus on work again, the person that was assisting me with the webpage, let me know that the shop is in a working order. All the data is there. It is unexplainable as to WHY this happened and seems to be something that happens. I leave it at that and thank God for favor that follows me in all my days!
Hande in die hare
Dis Donderdagoggend. Ek word wakker met seer op plekke wat ek nie geweet het spiere het nie. Die rede? Death by Cross Fit die dag voor dit. Liewe aarde, ek het nie geweet my arms en als kan so styf wees van ‘n WOD (Work out of the Day) nie. Ek sit spreekwoordelik met my hande in my hare (en dan soms met hare in my hande ook nog).
Nou die hele week, eintlik hele maand al, loop ek met die skrif op die desk pad en is ek nie seker wat ek daaroor wil skryf nie. Maar soos wat die tyd aanstap en dit middel September se kant toe staan, begin ek meer vereenselwig met die teks.
Dit voel of ek kort-kort met ‘n beklemming om my hart sit. Dis 15 September en ek probeer nogsteeds van Augustus se administratiewe take en my eie maandeinde finaliseer en afsluit. Hoekom vat dit so lank die maand? Ek kan net nie my vinger op dit plaas oor hoekom dit net voel of ek vasgehou word en nie vorentoe kan beweeg met my werk nie!
Om alles te kroon, is my aanlyn winkel van Beroepsvrou foutief. Skielik oornag, is die WooCommerce plug in (laat ek nou maar klink soos hierdie ongelooflike slim IT boffin terwyl ek besig is) net weg en nie geinstalleer nie. HOE dit gebeur het weet Vet alleen. Want ek weet nie.
Ek het so ‘n oomblik van paniek, die trane wil-wil my kom verswelg, my opgewondenheid van die afgelope paar dae kom steel en weg vat. Dis amper asof dit vir my wil kom sê dat ek gejok het oor my radio onderhoud. Dis onmoontlik vir iemand om die positiewe altyd in alles te soek.
En regtig, die trials and tribulations waarvan ek gepraat het, hoe hanteer ek dit nou? Loop ek nogsteeds met ‘n lied in my hart? Hoekom is my werk nou nog verder agter as wat dit laas week die tyd was? Net 5 werksdae het verloop sedertdien, ek sit tog elke dag en werk, tog voel dit of ek soos ‘n mal vark rond hardloop en eintlik niks uitgerig kry nie. HOEKOM????
Dan besluit ek om maar net weer die skrif te lees. Filippense 4:6-7 Wees oor niks besorg nie, maar laat julle begeertes in alles deur gebed en smeking met danksegging bekend word by God. En die vrede van God, wat alle verstand te bowe gaan, sal julle harte en julle sinne bewaar in Christus Jesus.
Wees oor niks besorg nie. Kom ons begin daar. Natuurlik is ek besorg oor die tyd wat aanstap teen die spoed van witlig en ek wat werk teen ‘n slakke pas (nie die slak Turbo se spoed nie – ‘n regte egte staaaaaadige slak se pas voel dit). Dan bo op dit, is ek besorg oor my aanlyn winkel. HOEKOM??? Wat nou???? Moet ek alles oordoen??? Terug by my day job – hoe gaan ek die sper datum van 24 Oktober 2022 haal met belastingopgawes wat ingedien moet word?
Daar is so baie om te doen? Ek MOET oefen, dit gaan ek vir seker nie opgee nie. Want ek weet as ek nie gaan oefen nie, gaan ek net soos ‘n vrot vel op die bank lê en niks doen vir daardie uur nie, so ek kan net so wel maar gaan oefen en iets produktiefs doen. Ok Here, dink ek by myself. Ek gaan nou regtig BAIE HARD probeer om NIE BESORG te wees oor alles wat my pla nie. Done. Afgemerk.
Maar laat julle begeertes in alles deur gebed en smeking met danksegging bekend word by God. Goed, so die vertel vir my dat ek met die Here moet praat, gebed, wat ek doen, so ek dink ek kan hom afmerk van my lysie af. Smeking die doen ek gereeld, veral met my krisis van die aanlyn winkel. Het jy enige idee hoe lank dit gevat het om die winkel op te stel???????
So ek reken ek kan dit ook van my lysie af merk, want in my gees sit en huil ek. Ek kan nie nou sit en fisies huil nie, in die eerste plek gaan ek moontlik soos ek weet nie wat lyk, met grimering wat op al die verkeerde plekke gaan wees…
In die tweede plek gaan ek net tyd mors in my opinie. Om te huil. Ek het goed wat moet klaar, ek kan nie nog tyd mors om te huil nie. En derdens, ag ek weet eintlik nie eens hoekom ek nie moet huil nie, ek weet net ek moet nie. Dit los my met die laaste gedeelte van die vers – danksegging.
Ek wonder wat het Paulus (dit is mos Paulus wat die brief aan Filippense geskryf het?) met dit bedoel. Ek dink ek moet die Here dank dat Hy my webblad se winkel gaan herstel, dat Hy die tyd gaan laat stil staan en sodat ek net bietjie voor kan kom met my werk en nie soos ‘n mislukking voel nie. So, DANKIE HERE vir dit wat U gaan herstel, reeds herstel het en besig is om te herstel soos wat ek hierdie tik.
En die vrede van God, wat alle verstand te bowe gaan, sal julle harte en julle sinne bewaar in Christus Jesus. Na ek die bostaande paragrawe getik het, voel dit of ek rustiger begin raak. Die bonatuurlike vrede ken ek, ek het dit al BAIE in my lewe ervaar. Veral wanneer ek net ophou om iets self te probeer doen en dit los vir die Here en in Sy bekwame hande. Because let us face it – Hy is ons Skepper en Sy hande staan vir niks verkeerd nie. He is more than capable al probeer ons Hom onbevoeg verklaar deur alles op onsself te neem.
So my hart voel rustiger en my sinne, nou hier neem ek aan dit wat ek praat, want ek verstaan nie andersins wat dit sou wees nie, maar my sinne moet ook vrede kry. Ek moet nou begin praat asof alles reeds herstel is. Goed, ek dink ek het dit. Dankie Here vir die herstel op alle vlakke van goed wat my pla, dat dit sommer in ‘n japtrap uitgesorteer gaan word (Here U ken my druk en sperdatums en ek weet sommer U gaan dit vinnig uitklaar). Ek bid dit in die Naam van Jesus! Amen en Amen!
Ek besluit om maar my fokus te verskuif na wat EK nou moet doen. Ek het iemand wat my kan help met die webblad, hopelik ‘n back up of iets met die winkel herstel. Maar my EDP werk (die belasting besigheid), daar moet ek my boude beweeg en vinniger begin werk. Daar gaan die voëltjies en engele NIE my werk vir my doen NIE. Ek moet daar nogsteeds my kant bring en my deel doen!!
Die vrede van God, wat alle verstand te bowe gaan….eggo die gedeelte van die skrif vers in my gedagtes. Ek begin rustiger voel, ten spyte van al my seer spiere en beklemmings wat ek net nou gevoel het. Ek weet sommer dat alles vinnig uitgesorteer gaan word! God is goed altyd!!
Na ek die inskrywing getik het en weer begin werk het, laat weet die persoon wat my help met die webblad, dat die aanlyn winkel reg is. Al die data is daar. Dis onverklaarbaar oor HOEKOM dit gebeur, maar is blykbaar iets wat gebeur. Ek laat dit daar en dank die Here vir Sy goedheid en guns wat my volg in al my dae!
Hands in the hair
With a lump in my throat, sweat breaking out in strange places and child-like excitement, I got in my car and took the trip to Pretoria. It is Thursday 8 September 2022. I have been invited for an in studio interview at Radio Pulpit in Kilnerpark.
It would have been telephonic and I was comfortable with the idea of a telephonic interview. I reconed that I will be very comfortable in my room and then I must just pray that a Hadeda does not scream right by my bedroom window during the interview.
On short notice the telephonic interview was changed to an in studio interview. Arrangements are made to fetch kids from school (by a wonderful friend who selflessly and instinctively offered to help) and just like that, God let everything fall into place so that I could have this wonderful experience.
I was a bit paranoid that I would say something wrong and that I will clear my throat the whole time. And even more so about WHAT will be asked. Must I prepare? Must I ask them to tell me what they are going to ask me? How does one do this? How does it work?
I decided to rather not ask my hundred and ten questions and just to take it as it comes. All the way to Pretoria, I tried to recall the presenter’s name. I know it starts with a Ch but cannot remember anything else. Perhaps his name is Christo? I wonder by myself.
I was so caught up in my own thoughts, that I did not go slow enough around the bend, past the second tollgate close to Zambezi off ramp. I triggered a speeding camera….
I arrived at the building thinking how convenient it is to have Google Maps on my phone. It took me to the front door. At first I drove around the building and parking area, because I could not find the gate to the parking area. At reception I say that I have an interview with….(and then I search on my phone for the name) Charles. Thank goodness I did not call him Christo!
Charles’ spirit was so open to what God wanted to say through me, this in my opinion, made everything easier and smoother. Like a peanut I asked him for a photo (and I used the word neut in the sentence too, because, let us be honest, the moment is just too big and overwhelming and then we end up using wrong words on top of everything else).
He agreed immediately and we took a photograph together. The receptionist took one from me alone too and she did a good job to capture the moment. In studio Charles (now I must remind myself to type his name correctly) explains how everything works.
He refers to the headphones, I think he called them kanne, but I cannot remember if this was the right word. He explained to me how it works and that I will hear myself over the headphones. I asked him if it was not going to be weird? He answered by saying Yes a little, but also not too much. One gets used to it quickly.
He puts me at ease by telling me that he was also nervous the first few times that he was hosting as a presenter on the radio, so my feelings are quite normal. He offered to take a picture of me in the studio. If it was not for my ears my smile would have gone right around my head.
I was in my element! Charles gave a tip before hand – when greeting I must say Charles and listeners, so that the audience feels included in the interview. The red light goes on and the interview starts. Charles talks about my blog and readers and there my brain goes and grabs a hold onto the word readers rather than listeners.
I was on my nerves and greeted Middag Charles en lesers. In my mind I said listeners. But, none the less, the interview proceeded and the nerves that were gnawing disappeared in the blink of an eye. We talked and laughed and I forgot that I was in a studio.
The time flies by, I felt like talking more and sharing more with everyone about flamingos and why my business cards have flamingos on, why it reads Pink Feathers for God. The interview captured the essence of my blog so beautifully, explaining more what it is all about.
I am still in awe about what God did for me with this radio interview. I did not even KNOW it was something that I really wanted to do. He knew my heart’s desires even before I knew it and thought about it!
Afterward I was so overwhelmed by messages of people close to me. Some joked and said that I am famous. I just laughed, because I am still me. Of course, if I have to do a career change, I will choose radio!! I think I will enjoy chatting with people, day in and day out about their lives and what God has done for them.
Some of my clients also joked and asked if I do not have enough work to keep me busy. While driving home, I could not stop smiling. I even had a conversation with God, talking out loud in the car, saying to Him thank you soooooo much for this!!!!! It was sooooooo nice!!!!!
I want to close off by saying that I know God has big plans for those who love Him and obey Him. That is also all that He wants – obedience and an intimate relationship with Him. Make disciples of the nations. That is our task and the instruction given to us. Where I can, I chat with people about Jesus. Telling them what He has done for me in such a short time. What He is busy doing with Beroepsvrou.
Big things are coming. That I can feel in my spirit. To tell people about Him and why you must have Pink Feathers for God. And if you are still wondering about the Pink Feathers and Flamingos, contact me and then I will come and tell you and others at the same time about it. Why not?
Goeiemiddag Charles en lesers….I can still hear the error echo through my mind. I grin every time I think about it. This is God’s way of keeping us humble. We are not perfect. At least I did not say Christo! That would have been a disaster!!
Charles, I trust that you will be reading this entry. From the bottom of my heart, thank you so much for putting me at ease in the studio, explaining everything so nicely about what to do! To Radio Pulpit and Jeanine, thank you for the opportunity and privilege to share my story with the listeners (not readers).
Above all I want to thank God. That He fulfilled my heart’s desires that was not yet known to me. I am excited about what the future holds!
Die Radio
Met ‘n knop in my keel, sweet op ongewone plekke en kinderlike opgewondenheid, pak ek die pad Pretoria toe aan. Dis Donderdag 8 September 2022. Ek is genooi vir ‘n in studio radio onderhoud by Radio Kansel in Kilnerpark.
Dit sou eers telefonies gewees het en ek was gemaklik met die idee van ‘n telefoniese onderhoud. Ek het gereken ek kan op my gemak in my kamer wees, en net bid dat daar nie ‘n Hadeda skree reg by my kamer venster nie.
Op kort kennisgewing word dit verander na in studio toe. Reëlings word getref om die kinders na skool te gaan afhaal (deur ‘n wonderlike vriendin wat onbaatsugtig en instinktief geoffer het om uit te help) en die Here laat net alles in plek val sodat ek die wonderlike ervaring kan beleef.
Ek was paranoid dat ek verkeerd gaan praat en heeltyd gaan keel skoonmaak. Nog meer ook oor WAT gevra gaan word. Moet ek voorberei? Moet ek vir hulle vra watter vrae gaan hulle vra? Hoe doen mens dit? Hoe werk dit?
Ek besluit toe om maar nie al my honderd en tien vrae te vra nie en dit net te vat soos dit kom. Al die pad Pretoria toe probeer ek die omroeper se naam onthou. Ek weet dit begin met ‘n Ch maar kan niks verder onthou nie. Is sy naam Christo dalk? Wonder ek by myself.
Ek was so ingedagte dat ek nie stadig genoeg gery het om die draai na die tweede tolhek naby Zambezi nie. Ek laat toe ‘n spoed kamera afgaan…..
Ek kom by die gebou aan, Google maps se aanwysings is darem maar gerieflik is dit nie? Dit vat my tot by die voordeur van die Radio stasie. Ek ry eers om die gebou en parkeer area omdat ek nie die hek kon sien nie. By ontvangs sê ek dat ek ‘n onderhoud met….(en soek toe op my foon die naam) Charles het. Gelukkig het ek nie hom Christo genoem nie.
Charles se gees was so oop en ontvanklik vir dit wat die Here deur my wou sê, dit het sommer, in my opinie, alles makliker en gladder laat verloop. Ek het soos ‘n neut vir hom gevra vir ‘n foto (en het die woord neut in die sin gebruik want, kom ons wees eerlik, mens voel so bietjie oorweldig deur als en die oomblik en praat deurmekaar en gebruik vreemde woorde).
Hy het dadelik ingestem en ons het ‘n foto saam geneem. Die ontvangsdame het een van my alleen ook geneem, en sy het ‘n goeie werk gedoen om die oomblik vas te vang. In die studio beduie Charles (nou moet ek myself heeltyd herinner om die regte naam te tik) hoe alles werk.
Hy verwys na die oorfone, ek dink hy het hulle kanne genoem, maar ek kan nie onthou nie. Hy verduidelik hoe dit werk en dat ek myself sal hoor in die oorfone. Ek vra toe of dit nie weird gaan wees nie? Hy antwoord en sê Ja so bietjie maar ook nie eintlik nie. Mens raak dit maklik en vinnig gewoond.
Hy vertel my dat hy ook maar op sy senuwees was die eerste paar keer dat hy op die radio as omroeper was, so my gevoelens is heel normaal. Hy bied aan om ‘n foto te neem in die studio. As dit nie was vir my ore op my kop nie, sou my glimlag reg rondom my kop gegaan het.
Ek was omtrent in my element! Charles gee ‘n tip voor die tyd – wanneer ek groet, moet ek Charles en luisteraars groet, sodat die gehoor ingesluit voel in die onderhoud. Die rooi lig gaan aan en die onderhoud begin. Charles praat van die blog en lesers en daar gryp my brein die woord lesers eerder as luisteraars aan.
Ek was op my senuwees en groet toe Middag Charles en lesers. In my kop het ek gesê luisteraars. Maar nie te min, die onderhoud gaan voort en die senuwees wat geknaag het verdwyn soos mis voor die son. Ons gesels en lag en ek vergeet ek is in ‘n studio.
Die tyd vlieg verby, ek voel ek wil nog vertel en deel met almal, oor flaminke en hoekom my besigheidskaartjies flaminke op het en hoekom daar Pienk Vere vir die Here op staan. Die onderhoud het egter die essence van die webjoernaal (kom ons gebruik die mooi Afrikaanse woord) vasgevang en waaroor die webjoernaal gaan.
Ek sit nou nog in verwondering oor wat die Here vir my gedoen het met die radio onderhoud. Ek het nie eens GEWEET dit was iets wat ek graag wou doen nie. Hy ken my hartsbegeertes nog voor ek dit geweet en gedink het!
Na die tyd was ek oorweldig met boodskappe van mense na aan my wat geluister het. Sommige spot en sê ek is nou famous en dan lag ek net. Want ek is steeds net ek. Natuurlik as ek ‘n career change moet doen sal ek radio kies!! Ek dink ek sal heeldag en aldag met mense wil gesels en onderhoude voer en hoor waaroor gaan hul lewens en wat die Here vir hulle gedoen het.
Sommige van my kliënte spot en vra of ek nie genoeg werk het nie. Soos wat ek terug ry huis toe, kon ek nie ophou glimlag nie. Ek gesels sommer hardop met die Here en sê vir Hom soooooo baie dankie vir die!!!! Dit was soooooo lekker!!!!!
Soos wat ek afsluit, weet ek net dat die Here groot planne het vir die wat Hom lief het en die wat gehoorsaam is aan Hom. Dit is ook al wat Hy soek – gehoorsaamheid en ‘n intieme verhouding met Hom. Maak dissipels van al die nasies. Dis ons opdrag. Waar ek kan, gesels ek met mense oor Jesus. Vertel ek wat Hy alles vir my gedoen het in ‘n kort tyd. Wat Hy besig is om te doen met Beroepsvrou.
Groot dinge lê nog voor, dit kan ek sommer voel in my gees. Om mense te gaan vertel van Hom en hoekom jy Pienk Vere vir die Here moet hê. En as jy nog wonder oor die Pienk Vere en Flaminke, kontak my dan kom vertel ek sommer vir jou en ‘n klomp mense almal saam. Hoekom dan nou nie?
Goeiemiddag Charles en lesers….eggo my blaps nog deur my gedagtes. Ek grinnik elke keer as ek daar aan dink. Dis God se manier om ons humble te hou. Ons is nie perfek nie. Ten minste het ek nie gesê Christo nie. Dit sou ‘n ramp gewees het!
Charles, ek glo jy gaan die inskrywing lees. Uit die diepte van my hart, so baie dankie dat jy my op my gemak laat voel het en mooi beduie het wat om te doen! Aan Radio Kansel en Jeanine, dankie vir die geleentheid en absolute voorreg om my storie met die luisteraars (nie lesers nie) te kon deel.
Bo alles wil ek net die Here bedank. Dat Hy my hartsbegeertes wat nog nie by my opgekom het nie, kom vervul het! Ek is opgewonde oor wat die toekoms inhou!
The Radio
Just the other day I was driving in my car. I decided to listen to Spotify via the blue tooth of the car. I felt like listening to a specific song, which I found and started to play.
You see, the first time when I heard this song, which my sister-in-law introduced me to, I thought, jôh, it is a bit of a wild one. But it grows on you. I realise more and more that there is somewhere a techno rocker inside me that wants to break free for a spot in the sun.
As I was sitting in my car, jamming and singing (yes I am one of those people that look weird to other drivers), I thought to myself that this is HOW I feel about Jesus. I really have this urge in me to tell everyone about Him. And which I am pretty much doing.
As the guy sings in the song Lemme Tellya, it is as if he is hammering on Jesus and you cannot help but to sing along JESUS! JESUS! JESUS! Well, this was just a quick feel good post. A little something to listen to and to jam on if the opportunity presents itself.
I relive the words of the song I am closing off this entry, thinking of my head bobbing and jamming moment in the car….Lemme tellya ’bout Him, Jesus is His name. And I’m all about Him, I live to bring Him praise. He is the way and the truth and the life, God is three in one. Reigning undefeated, our God has overcome. Jesus (Jesus) Jesus (Jesus) Jesus (Jesus)…..
Laat ek jou vertel
Net laas week ry ek in die kar. Ek besluit toe om na Spotify te luister oor die Bloutand (blue tooth) van die kar. Ek is toe sommer lus vir ‘n spesifieke liedjie wat ek toe opsit.
Nou kyk, die eerste keer toe ek die liedjie hoor, my skoonsussie het my aan hom blootgestel, toe dog ek jôh, hy is bietjie wild. Maar, dit groei op mens. Ek besef opnuut ek het iewers ‘n techno rocker binne in my wat wil uitkom.
Soos wat ek sit en jam in die kar, al singende (ja ek is daai een wat weird lyk vir ander bestuurders) dink ek by myself dat dit is OOK hoe ek voel oor Jesus. Ek voel regtig hierdie drang in my om net vir almal te vertel van Hom. En wat ek pretty much doen.
Soos die ou sing in die liedjie Lemme Tellya hammer hy op Jesus en jy kan nie anders as om saam te juig JESUS! JESUS! JESUS! nie. Nou ja, die was net ‘n vinnige feel good post. So ietsie om te luister en net saam op te jam as die geleentheid homself voordoen.
Ek herleef weer die woorde van die liedjie soos wat ek hierdie inskrywing afsluit en dink aan my kop knikkende jamming (daar is maar net nie ‘n lekkerder woord as jamming om te gebruik nie) oomblik in die kar… Lemme tellya ’bout Him, Jesus is His name. And I’m all about Him, I live to bring Him praise. He is the way and the truth and the life, God is three in one. Reigning undefeated, our God has overcome. Jesus (Jesus) Jesus (Jesus) Jesus (Jesus)…..
Let me tell you…
First and foremost – is tumbleweed really the right word to use for tolbos? Anyway, it is Monday evening and the whole house is asleep. Fudge the Pekingese is snoring away happily on the bed between us. I hear the sound of the clock in the lounge, silently counting the number of times it rings. I actually know it will be 12. It is midnight. The hamster is having a race to the moon and back on her wheel in the cage in the lounge. I wonder how many watts a hamster generates in their lifetime?
It is officially Tuesday and not Monday anymore. My brain feels like a tumbleweed (yes I do seem to think this is the right word to use), being driven by the wind in a direction. Like something I have no control over. The wind and my thoughts.
I think about what is lying ahead. Provisional tax. How I am going to feel tomorrow, potentially like a worn out rag. All because I missed my little window of sleep (due to an unplanned task landing on my desk, not work related). I missed the opportunity to sleep by I don’t know how many hours.
How many calculations must be done before 31 August 2022? Was it right of me to remove someone from my list because they owe me money for months and I am unable to reach them by all means possible to me? Is my interpretation of a provisional tax payer correct? Am I reading and interpreting the Act correct? What am I going to wear to the event that I was invited as a guest speaker in November?
What must I tell the people??? Who wants to listen to me? I wonder how the Adorned camp is going to be like? Am I going to know anyone there? Am I going to share a room with a stranger? How am I going to submit all the tax returns by 24 October 2022? Why did I choose this job??? This job that makes me want to panic and run around the room, every second day, like Spongebob and Patrick. If you are wondering what I am talking about – go to Whatsapp and under gifs search for Spongebob and Patrick panic and then you can laugh with me with what I am trying to say here.
I AM now both Spongebob AND Patrick. Or can I let my husband be Patrick? He does not look like he has a worry of a day old. I envy him and my daughter that can just fall asleep when they get into bed. Why am I typing this? What am I going to achieve with this? Oh my word, are the 2023 diaries really going to look pretty? What am I trying to say with this entry?
Just like a tumbleweed being blown around by the wind, all my thoughts are tumbling and twisting through my brain. Without control and left at the mercy of the wind. I take a deep breath, close my eyes and try to sleep. But man oh man, it is like sleep is playing a dodge game with me. There is just too much traffic in my brain. Then, out of no where, it is as if God comes to create order in my thoughts.
That which must be said at the event later the year starts to take shape. Of course I am making mental notes, because it was just too cold to get up for a pen and notebook or even start up my laptop to capture the concept.
The uncertainties about how I am going to get everything done is moved to one side. Everything is going to be ok. I am going to finish in time with everything. I must just do my bit. If people do not want to pay, then I am not obliged to render a service. Pick ‘n Pay does not hand out sugar to people who does not want to pay for it. Why should our industry be any different?
I can feel how Tiredness is stalking me. Slowly but surely, on tippy toes and gently so that I do not get a fright that might change my DNA or blood group if I spot Tiredness. With a greatful heart, I snuggle in and pull the duck down duvet up to my nose, turn on my side, greeting Tiredness with open arms.
The Tuesday, as I was getting ready for the day, I find myself humming a song. Psalm 46 (featuring Chelsey Scott) by Bifrost Artists. The chorus stands out to me. Be still….and know… that I… am God. I realise again, that this is what God told me in the wee hours of the morning when sleep was avoiding me….
Die tolbos
Dis Maandag nag. Die hele huis slaap. Fudge die Pekingese, snork te heerlik op die bed by ons. Ek hoor die horlosie in die sitkamer slaan en tel hoeveel slae ek hoor. Eintlik weet ek dit gaan 12 wees. Dis middernag. Die hamster hardloop vir die eerste span daar in die sitkamer. Ek wonder hoeveel watts se krag wek ‘n hamster in ‘n leeftyd op?
Dis nou Dinsdag en nie meer Maandag nie. My brein voel soos ‘n tolbos wat deur die wind aangedreef word in ‘n rigting. Soos iets waaroor ek nie beheer het nie. Die wind en my gedagtes.
Ek dink aan dit wat voorlê. Voorlopigebelasting. Hoe potensieël op soos ou brood ek die volgende dag gaan wees omdat ek my slaap venstertjie gemis het (weens iets wat onbeplan op my tafel geland het, glad nie met werk uit te waai nie). Ek het die geleentheid om te slaap met ek weet nie hoeveel ure nie gemis.
Hoeveel berekeninge ek nog moet doen voor 31 Augustus 2022? Was dit reg om iemand van my lysie af te haal omdat hulle my vir maande geld skuld en ek net nie hulle in die hande kan kry nie? Is my interpretasie van ‘n voorlopigebelastingbetaler reg? Lees en interpreteer ek die wet reg? Wat gaan ek aantrek na die geleentheid waarheen ek genooi is as gasspreker in November?
Wat moet ek vir die mense sê??? Wie wil nou na my luister? Ek wonder hoe die Adorned kamp gaan verloop? Gaan ek iemand ken daar? Gaan ek saam met ‘n vreemdeling ‘n kamer deel? Hoe gaan ek al my belastingopgawes ingedien kry teen 24 Oktober 2022? Hoekom het ek hierdie beroep gekies??? Hierdie beroep wat my elke tweede dag ‘n Spongebob en Patrick oomblik van paniek laat beleef. As jy wonder waaroor ek praat – gaan soek op Whatsapp onder die gifs Spongebob and Patrick panic en dan lag jy maar lekker saam vir dit wat ek probeer oordra hier.
Ek IS nou beide Spongebob EN Patrick. Of kan ek maar Patrick afstaan aan my man? Hy lyk nie of hy ‘n dag se bekommernis het nie. Ek beny hom en my dogtertjie wat net aan die slaap raak wanneer hul in die bed klim. Hoekom tik ek nou hierdie? Wat gaan ek daardeur bereik? O aarde gaan die 2023 dagboeke regtig mooi lyk? Wat probeer ek eintlik sê met hierdie inskrywing?
So tol en draai die gedagtes deur my brein, presies net soos ‘n tolbos wat deur die wind rondgewaai word. Beheerloos en aan die wind se genade oorgelaat. Ek vat ‘n diep teug asem, maak my oë toe en probeer slaap. Helaas, die slaap ontwyk my. Daar is net te veel verkeer in my brein. Dan vanuit nêrens is dit asof die Here my gedagtes kom orden.
Dit wat ek moet sê en vertel by die geleentheid later die jaar begin vorm aan neem. Natuurlik maak ek net mental notes want dis gans en al te koud om nou op te staan vir ‘n notaboek en pen, of selfs my rekenaar aan te skakel om die konsep vas te lê.
Die onsekerheid oor hoe ek alles werksgewys gaan doen word opsy geskuif. Alles gaan ok wees. Ek gaan betyds met alles klaar kry. Ek moet net my kant bring. As mense my nie wil betaal nie, is ek nie verplig om ‘n diens te lewer nie. Pick ‘n Pay deel nie suiker uit vir mense wat nie wil betaal nie, hoekom moet ons bedryf anders wees?
Ek voel hoe die Moegheid my bekruip. Stadig maar seker, op tippy toes, sagkuns sodat ek nie my in ‘n ander bloedgroep in skrik as ek Moegheid gewaar nie. Met ‘n dankbare hart trek ek die gansdons duvet nog hoër op tot oor my neus, draai op my sy en groet Moegheid met ope arms.
Die Dinsdag, toe ek regmaak vir die dag, vind ek myself ‘n liedjie neurie. Psalm 46 (featuring Chelsey Scott) deur Bifrost Artists. Die koor gedeelte staan uit vir my. Be still…. and know…. that I…. am God. Ek besef net weer, dat dit is wat die Here vir my kom sê het in die middernagtelike ure toe die slaap my ontwyk het….
The tumbleweed
This entry is written on a lighter note. And actually just a bit of humor on a cold Saturday! This past Monday, I walked through our house, on a mission as always. Dressed and ready to leave to go to Cross Fit.
Somewhere while getting dressed, I looked at myself in the mirror and decided that the fat roll around my waste, that is making sure that I am exhausted from exercise, is due to all the milky coffees (and rusks) that I consume – more the coffee than the rusks I might add. I really try NOT to consume rusks daily! But with my exercise clothes on I decided it does not look that bad, if I am allowed to like and complement myself.
None the less, I walked to the kitchen to pack my cooler bag with Herbalife products – CR7 for the sore muscles and Protein shake to help repair the microscopic tears caused by exercise. Yes, apparently that is what happens when you exercise. You tear your muscles. So THAT is probably also part of why you feel stiff and sore?
This together with something else that I, for the life of me, cannot remember from matric Biology. Something like anaerobic (I used Google translate for this one so I hope it is right and in context) respiration. Yes, I think this is the term. Where was I? Oh yes, on my way to the kitchen. I walked past my son (13 years of age). We smile at each other and he says: “Mom, you look like a Barbie!”
For an ever so slightly millisecond my heart was pounding proudly in my chest. I thought to myself – the exercising is WORKING!!! It was merely a figment of my imagination that I have a little fat roll from too much coffee and rusks!!! And just as quickly as what that moment appeared it dissappeared again. Going up in smoke so to speak. Poof just like that.
Like a balloon that briefly touched a thorn – that is how this moment was shattered. My son continues, he says “Mom, the stuff on your eyes makes you look like a Barbie! What is that on your eyes?” Oh my WORD!!!!! it was my MAKE UP all the time that made him think of a Barbie and literally NOTHING ELSE!!! I had an appointment with a client that day and put more make up on than what I normally do.
So now you know how I experienced a Barbie moment. Was nice while it lasted but I recon I must work a bit more by doing more core exercises, hopefully that will work away the coffee and rusks displayed around my waist. A six pack seems too much to try and achieve, because it starts in the kitchen they say. And I love lekker food too much to get a Barbie body with a six pack.
I know in real life, the proportions of a Barbie is not like that of the toy doll, (they are way off apparently) but that is not what I am looking at here when I think of a Barbie…I think of all the clothes that just fit when worn and of course, the perfect make up that goes with it. And the hair. Do not forget the hair!
Die Barbie oomblik
Hierdie inskrywing is op ‘n ligter noot. En eintlik maar net vir ‘n bietjie humor so op ‘n koue Saterdag! Laas Maandag loop ek deur die huis. Op ‘n mission soos altyd. Reg aangetrek om te gaan Cross Fit.
Iewers toe ek aantrek kyk ek weer vir myself in die spieël en besluit die vetrol wat my so uitput by oefening is te danke aan my melkkoffie (en beskuit) inname – seker meer die koffie as die beskuit reken ek want ek probeer regtig NIE elke dag beskuit eet nie. Maar toe my oefen klere aan is, toe lyk dit nie te sleg nie, as ek nou myself kan like en komplementeer.
Nie te min, ek stap kombuis toe om my koelsakkie met Herbalife produkte te laai – CR7 vir die seer spiere en Protein shake om die spiere wat mikroskopiese skeurtjies kry te help met herstel. Ja, dis blykbaar wat gebeur as jy oefen. Jy skeur jou spiere. So DIS seker deel van hoekom dit styf en seer is?
Saam met nog iets wat ek nou vervlaks nie uit my matriek Biologie kan onthou nie. Iets soos anaerobiese respirasie. Ja ek dink dis die term. Waar was ek? O ja, oppad kombuis toe. Ek loop verby my seun (13 jaar oud). Ons glimlag vir mekaar en hy sê “Mamma, jy lyk soos ‘n Barbie!”
Vir ‘n vlietende vlugtige oomblik klop my hart breëbors hier binne my. Ek dink by myself – die oefening WERK!! Ek het my net verbeel dat ek ‘n koffie en beskuit magie het!!! En net so vinnig as wat ek hierdie oomblik beleef het, word hy gebars.
Soos ‘n ballon wat op dorings val verbrokkel my oomblik wat ek beleef het. My seun praat verder, hy sê “Mamma, die goed op jou oë laat jou soos ‘n Barbie lyk! Wat is dit op jou oë?” Oh my WORD!!!!! Dis toe al die tyd my GRIMERING wat vir hom soos ‘n Barbie lyk en letterlik NIKS ANDERS NIE! Ek het daardie dag ‘n afspraak met ‘n kliënt gehad en toe meer grimering as normaal aangewend vir daardie doel.
Nou ja toe, ek het ‘n Barbie oomblik beleef die week. Was nice while it lasted maar ek reken ek moet maar nog so bietjie core oefeninge doen om die beskuit en koffie magie weg te kry. ‘n Six pack sien ek nie voor kans nie, want dit begin in die kombuis hoor ek die slim mense praat. En ek hou maar te veel van lekker kos om ‘n Barbie lyf en six pack te kan hê.
Ek weet in regte lewe is Barbie se proporsie glad nie so goed uiteengesit soos die speelding nie, maar dis nou glad nie waarna ek kyk as ek dink aan ‘n Barbie nie….ek dink aan al die klere wat net pas wat sy aantrek en natuurlik, die perfekte grimering wat saam met dit gaan. En hare. Moet nie die hare vergeet nie!
The Barbie moment
While I am sitting here, typing away at this entry, I feel like everything in my life has been blown out of order and it almost feels as if the August winds of a few days ago has something to do with it. For those who do not know – August is also a busy month work wise. Less hectic than February, but also a peak time with loads of things that have to be completed with limited time available in the day. Speed dating for taxes time again.
The pages on my deskpad are getting less and less. There are only 4 left and if I blink my eyes again, I am going to tear off the page for August too. Then there are only 3 months left in this year. WHERE DID THE TIME GO TO???? Where did 2022 dissappear to? In my mind I am still caught up somewhere in March.
None the less, the page for August is full of notes with additional maths classes and times, exercise times for me, exercise times for the kids at school and then a mountain of notes on the side of the page, competing with the beauty of the flamingos in the background.
Yet again I am not surprised about this month’s scripture. It is so applicable and appropriate, as was every other month’s scripture. You see, when I chose 12 verses last year, I literally chose 12 verses that stood out to me, and in the order I received them I allocated them to the months of the year. There is NO WAY that I would have known how this month’s scripture would be seen as pertinent and applicable to me and where I am now.
What a BIG WORD! Pertinent. There I am getting side tracked again. Something that I feel happens too often these days. Almost like Dory in Finding Nemo. I am busy working on something, searching for a document on our network, then I remember about an e-mail I was supposed to send to a client. Then I send the e-mail and then I forget what I was busy with in the first place!
When I thought about the scripture this morning and what I want to write about, I only got the words Life Guard. It was in English and for my Afrikaans version I had to think carefully what the Afrikaans word is for Life Guard. It is very interesting how God sometimes reveals things only in English to me and other times only in Afrikaans. Back to the scripture.
I remember the first time I read this scripture. Somebody sent me a picture. It was a little girl with arms full of flowers (a cartoon image) and it read something in the lines of God will help you. Something like that.
When I read it in the Bible (I reverted to the Afrikaans version), I realised what a powerful scripture this is and how the picture almost dumbed it down too much, if I can state it like that. You see, at that time in my life, I had to present Financial Statements to a company and discuss it with them. A company that had a turnover of more than 1 BILLION RAND. I had to Google how many zero’s a Billion had (it is 9 just by the way), because I have never worked with that sized numbers in our business.
I even purchased a dress or two for these meetings (there were a few), because I felt I had to look the part and my clothes would not be able to compete with the turnover (sales if you are wondering what turnover is). I cannot arrive in my denim and sneakers like I dress most days when I work from home. None the less, the scripture just still stands out to me. Especially the part that says (in the Afrikaans version only) do not look around anxiously (kyk nie angstig rond nie). It makes me think of Peter who did not focus on Jesus and allowed the waves around him to loose focus and disabled him to walk on water.
And of course, when I think of waves, I think about what I wrote in June 2021 (or was it May?). About how I felt as if the waves of anxiety were trying to consume me. It still feels this way at times with a new routine with the kids, together with changes in work circumstances, other things and circumstances in our lives and all of that, added together, equals a moment of anxiety or three every two minutes and then it lasts the whole day it feels.
A month or two ago, I heard a new song on Spotify. Things that I’m afraid of by Ross King and Josh Wilson. I do not know who sang the song first (almost like what was first – the chicken or the egg?), and I like both versions. In the song he sings that the things that he is afraid of, fears God too.
That made me think. Because I NEVER thought of it like that. Sometimes we sit with so much fear bottled up inside of us, that we forget where fear comes from (it is not from God just by the by) and that which we fear, fears the Name of Jesus even more.
As I see the waves of everyday life around me, I try to stay focussed on Jesus. It is hard at times. Sometimes I fail myself when I get dispaired about so many things. Getting negative and not counting my words when I speak. Getting angry about circumstances in my life. Frustrations about things in my life that are not within my control. Many times the frustrations are about non-work related things.
And then, just as I feel the horison is rising, because I am not on top of the water anymore, the righteous right hand of the Life Guard reaches out to me, picking me up from the chaos. That which I fear has a bigger fear for the Life Guard. THAT is something that I must always remember. The things that I’m afraid of are afraid of you….I hear the words of the song wandering through my thoughts and mind….
Die Lewensredder
Soos wat ek hier sit en hierdie inskrywing tik, voel ek deurmekaar gewaai en dit voel amper of die Augustus winde van ‘n dag of wat gelede bygedra het tot die gevoel. Vir die wat nie weet nie – Augustus is ook een van ons besige tye. Minder besig as Februarie, maar ook ‘n kritiese tyd van tonne goed wat moet klaar met beperkte ure in die dag. Speed dating wat belasting aanbetref.
My deskpad se bladsye raak nou min. Daar is net 4 oor en as ek weer sien gaan ek Augustus se bladsy ook afskeur en dan is daar net 3 maande van die jaar oor. WAAR HET DIE TYD HEEN GEGAAN??? Waar het 2022 heen verdwyn? In my kop is ek nog vasgevang in Maart iewers.
Nie te min, die bladsy vir Augustus is vol geskribbel met ekstra Wiskunde klasse en tye, oefen tye vir my, oefeninge vir die kinders by die skool en dan hope nota’s aan die kant van die bladsy wat kompeteer met die prag van die flaminke in die agtergrond.
Weereens verbaas dit my nie dat die maand se skrif so van toepassing is nie. Jy sien, toe ek die skrif laas jaar gekies het, het ek letterlik 12 verse wat vir my uitgestaan het geneem en in orde soos wat ek dit ontvang het gaan allokeer teenoor ‘n maand. Daar is mos nie ‘n MANIER dat ek nou kon weet dat die maand se skrif vir my so pertinent sal uitstaan nie.
Sjoe – dis ‘n GROOT WOORD! Pertinent. Goed, daar raak ek alweer side tracked. Iets wat vir my voel gereeld gebeur. Amper soos Dory in Finding Nemo. Ek is besig om te werk aan iets, gaan soek iets op die netwerk, dan onthou ek van ‘n e-pos wat ek moes stuur vir ‘n kliënt, dan stuur ek die e-pos en dan het ek heeltemal vergeet waarmee ek besig was!
Toe ek vanoggend dink aan die skrif en wat ek wil skryf kom Life Guard by my op. Ek moes mooi gaan dink wat die Afrikaans is vir Life Guard. Dis vir my bitter interessant hoe die Here soms net in Engels goed vir my openbaar en ander kere net in Afrikaans. Terug by die skrif.
Ek onthou die eerste keer toe ek die skrif gelees het. Iemand het nog vir my ‘n prentjie gestuur. Dit was ‘n dogtertjie wat baie tevrede met haarself gelyk het met arms vol blomme (‘n cartoon prentjie) en dit het iets in die sin van Die Here sal jou help en red gelees. Iets soos dit.
Toe ek dit in die Bybel gaan lees, besef ek hoe powerful die skrif is en hoe die prentjie dit net amper te veel vereenvoudig het, as ek dit nou so kon stel. Jy sien, op daardie stadium in my lewe, moes ek vir ‘n maatskappy hul Finansiële State gaan voorlê en bespreek. ‘n Maatskappy met meer as 1 BILJOEN RAND se omset. Ek moes gaan google hoeveel nulle is ‘n Biljoen (dis 9 net so tussen ons), want ek het voor dit nog nooit met sulke groot syfers gewerk in ons besigheid nie, en ook nie iets so groot soos dit alleen moes voorlê nie.
Ek het selfs ‘n rok of twee gaan koop, want ek het gevoel my klere steek af teen die omset (verkope as jy wonder wat omset is). I had to look and dress the part jy weet. Ek kan nou nie daar gaan opdaag in my denim en tekkies soos wat ek meeste van die kere maar in sit en werk by die huis nie. Nie te min, die skrif staan vir my uit. Veral die deel wat lees kyk nie angstig rond nie. Dit laat my dink aan Petrus wat nie op Jesus gefokus het nie en toegelaat het dat die golwe om hom, hom laat sink het.
En natuurlik met die golwe saam, dink ek weer aan wat ek geskryf het in Junie 2021 (of was dit Mei?). Oor hoe ek gevoel het of die golwe van angs my probeer verswelg. Dit voel steeds by tye so met ‘n nuwe roetine met die kinders, saam met werksveranderinge, ander omstandighede in my lewe en dit alles saam is vir seker gelyk aan ‘n angstige oomblik of drie elke 2 minute en dan hou dit aan die hele dag lank voel dit vir my.
Ek het so maand of twee gelede ‘n nuwe liedjie gehoor op Spofity. Things that I’m afraid of deur Ross King en Josh Wilson. Ek weet nie wie het eerste die liedjie gesing nie (dis nou amper soos wat was eerste – die hoender of die eier?), en albei se weergawes is vir my mooi. In die liedjie sing hy dat die dinge waarvoor hy bang is, ook bang is vir die Here.
Dit het my laat dink. Want ek het NOOIT so daaraan gedink nie. Ons sit soms met soveel vrees in ons opgekrop, maar ons vergeet waar kom vrees vandaan (dis nie van God af nie) en dit wat ons vrees, vrees die Naam van Jesus nog meer.
Soos wat ek golwe om my sien en ervaar in alledaagse dinge, probeer ek gefokus bly op Jesus. Dis moeilik soms. Soms laat ek myself in die steek deur moedeloos te raak oor so baie goed. Negatief te praat en nie altyd ‘n wag voor my mond te plaas nie. Kwaad te word vir omstandighede buite my beheer. Gefrustreerd met ander goed in my lewe, meeste van die kere nie eens eintlik werk nie, wat ook buite my beheer is.
En dan soos wat ek voel ek begin sink, kom die Lewensredder se reddende regterhand en tel my op uit die chaos uit. Dit wat ek vrees, het ‘n groter vrees vir die Lewensredder. DIT moet ek altyd onthou. The things that I’m afraid of are afraid of you….hoor ek weer die liedjie deur my gedagtes dwaal….
The Life Guard
Navy court shoes, silver grey stockings. If you have to ask me what I remember about my school clothes, then it is probably that. I walk through reception, probably the first time in 24 years in daylight, on a week day, at the school where I matriculated. Goudrif High School. I notice the school emblem against the wall with the slogan (is this the right word for leuse as we call it in Afrikaans?) Roepingsbewus and I suddenly wonder if it was always there. I recon that I did not visit this part of the school enough to actually remember.
Elsabé Lartz meets up with me just as I exit the ladies room – the one for staff and teachers only, prohibited for use by kids. This is now part of the area that I am allowed to move around in. Strangely enough, I am convinced that this ladies room was bigger than what it appears now. We walk to my car to take out the things I brought with. She asks me a few questions – what year I matriculated, what my maiden name was, do I have kids. Mrs. Lartz will be at this school for 20 years in 2022. We missed each other in the school passages by 4 years.
She tells me that I probably still remember where the school hall is, letting me walk ahead of her. The moment I walked into the hall, it was as if 24 years disappeared. The shy, uncertain matriculant is back for a moment. A flood of memories flash through my mind. I recall the night we were announced as Prefects in grade 11, how we practiced for hours and hours for the Revue in that same hall.
The stage stands proud with stairs and various platforms, ready for a Revue to take place on it. The hall still smells the same. Is it not amazing how smells can take you back in time? I can still relive the layout of the tables while writing the various exams in matric – probably all the exams for that year were written there? I cannot remember. I only remember the one around August / September and then the finals in October / November.
She asks me how it feels to be back at the school. My answer was one word – Weird. I stand opposite the Head Girls nameboard against the wall. I take a picture for my sister who was Head Girl in 1994. A while later, the sound team come in to set up a microphone for me (one which I decided not to make use of). One of the boys asks me if I have music that I want to play. I have this dumbstruck look on my face – that is certainly something that I DID NOT think of. Music and a slideshow. “Maybe next time” I answer them.
The bell rings for a break, the kids enter the hall. More than what I had expected. Mrs. Lartz said that she asked her grade 12’s to invite other kids that are not Consumer Study students. I hope I have the translation right here! I can never remember the English for Verbruikerstudies.
This time round my nerves are gnawing at me, a bit more than usual. It feels like I will be judged by the young hopeful kids in front of me, about where they are now and where they will be one day, measured by me and what I say to them and how I am presented to them. I know this is not true and push through the gnawing to deliver my message.
I even sing a song for them, one that I remember from church as a child. “Weet jy nie, weet jy nie, jy’s ‘n tempel? Vol van lof, vol van krag, vol van vreugde” hand movements and all. For the life of me, I do not know the English version of this song, so I am not even going to TRY to translate that one. A few looked at me as if I am Crazy Daisy, others giggled because they knew exactly what I was talking about.
They were, by far, my most interactive audience to date (not that I have done this a 100 times before – this is the fourth school that I have visited). When I asked the question – “Who of you knew that Flamingos are not born pink?” the hands shot up into the air, answering the question that was asked.
Seed was sown, that I know. One girl, who appeared to be in tears, came to thank me for the beautiful message. Absolutely a Holy Spirit inspired moment and all the glory be to God, not to me. Another girl’s spirit was so open and receptive, I spotted her a mile away and told her that too.
Those who chose to take a picture with me for Facebook and Instagram, looked more than chuffed with their aprons. When I look at the photo, I can see the laughter and giggles of the kids. I can feel and see the energy, remembering how it was being 17 or 18 years of age. In a way I miss that, but I am also grateful that I have moved on and am where I am in my life.
The more things change the more they stay the same. This I saw that day again. I wonder how many people have walked through those passages and classes? How many have matriculated there? It feels like an impossible calculation to do. 24 years have flown by in an instant. In the blink of an eye.
I realised again that being a Teacher must be one of THE most difficult jobs under this sun. To teach children from different backgrounds, domestic circumstances, cultures, habits and who knows what else, so that they UNDERSTAND and are able to write exams and pass, is most certainly not everyone’s cup of tea. Not everyone is made for that, I am certainly one of them who is NOT made to be a Teacher!
My prayer is that each student, not only the Consumer Studies students, got a little something that day. That God will water it on the right time so that the trees will grow to produce His fruit, reflecting Pink Feathers for Him.
My mind wanders back to the slogan. Roepingsbewus. I chew on this for a while. What does it really mean? I use Google translate to get the English word. Vocation Conscious I see on my screen. I think to myself, WHAT does Vocation mean? I do not think I have even heard of this word before!!
Yes you guessed it, I Googled the word Vocation too. The meaning? A strong feeling of suitability for a particular career or occupation. WOW!!! This revelation seems even better than the Afrikaans version that I wrote. But it comes down to the same thing. It means to be CONSCIOUS of your CALLING (and in worldly terms career and jobs) that God has called you for.
How interesting is this? The slogan and message that was portrayed comes down to the same thing. God is TRULY AMAZING!!!!!! May everyone that go through those school passages, live that slogan in this world that we find ourselves in.
In my mind I can hear the tune of the school anthem, as I remember it. The words that I am singing in my mind are most certainly wrong, but I am singing it to myself and I know I will remain ROEPINGSBEWUS (or VOCATION CONSCIOUS as I have learnt it is translated into English). Without realising it and making a conscious effort in my life after school, I feel that I have been living this slogan in my life.
Jy is… deel 4
Navy hofskoene, silver grey sykouse. As jy my moet vra wat onthou ek van my skooldrag dan is dit seker maar dit. Ek stap deur die ontvangs, seker maar die eerste keer in 24 jaar weer in daglig, op ‘n weeksdag by die skool waar ek gematrikuleer het in. Hoërskool Goudrif. Ek merk die skoolwapen met die leuse Roepingsbewus op teen die muur en wonder of hy altyd daar was, en reken maar dat ek net te min op skool dáár waar die wapen hang, gekom het om te onthou.
Elsabé Lartz ontmoet my net soos ek uit die kleedkamer uitkom – die personneel badkamer wat verbode grond vir kinders is en nou deel van my grondgebied is waar ek mag beweeg. Dis vreemd, ek was oortuig die kleedkamer was groter as wat hy nou voorkom. Ons stap saam na my kar toe om die goedjies uit te haal wat ek saam gebring het. Sy vra uit na my, watter jaar ek gematrikuleer het, wat my nooiensvan was, het ek kinders. Juffrou Lartz is hierdie jaar 20 jaar by díe skool, ons het mekaar spreekwoordelik met 4 jaar gemis in die gange.
Sy sê vir my dat ek seker nog onthou waar die saal is en laat my voor stap. Die oomblik toe ek by die saal instap, is dit asof 24 jaar verdwyn. Die skaam, onseker matrikulant, is vir ‘n oomblik terug. Ek herroep die aand toe ons in Graad 11 as Prefekte aangewys was, hoe ons geoefen het vir ure en ure vir Revue in die einste saal.
Die verhoog pronk breëbors met die trappe en loopvlakke, reg vir Revue om op hom uit te speel. Die saal ruik nog dieselfde. Is dit nie amazing hoe reuke jou terug kan vat in tyd nie? In my geestesoog sien ek hoe ons nog parallel met die verhoog by ons enkel tafeltjies gesit en Rekord eksamen en later ook eindeksamen geskryf het. Eintlik seker maar al die eksamens in ons matriek jaar? Ek kan wragties nie onthou nie.
Sy vra my hoe dit voel om terug te wees by die skool. My antwoord was een woord Weird. Vreemd. Ek staan en soek die hoofdogters se naambord. Neem ‘n foto vir my sussie wat in 1994 hoofdogter was. ‘n Rukkie later kom die klankspan om ‘n mikrofoon vir my op te stel (wat ek toe later besluit om nie te gebruik nie). Een van die seuns vra of ek musiek het wat ek wou speel. Ek kyk verdwaas na hulle – dis wragties NIE iets waaraan ek gedink het NIE. Musiek en ‘n slideshow. “Miskien volgende keer.” Antwoord ek hulle.
Die klok lui vir pouse, die kinders stap die saal binne. Meer as wat ek verwag, Juffrou Lartz het gesê sy het vir haar graad 12’s gesê om ander maats ook te bring al is hulle nie Verbruikerstudie leerders nie.
Die keer knaag die senuwees so bietjie meer as normaal. Dit voel of ek geoordeel gaan word deur jong hoopvolle kinders oor waar hul nou is en waar hul eendag gaan wees, gemeet aan wat ek vir hulle sê en hoe ek voorkom. Ek weet dis nie waar nie en druk deur die geknaag en gaan voort met my boodskap.
Ek sing selfs vir hulle die liedjie wat ek in die kinderkerk onthou. “Weet jy nie, weet jy nie, jy’s ‘n tempel? Vol van lof, vol van krag, vol van vreugde” handgebare en al. ‘n Paar kyk my aan asof ek nou van die lootjie getik is, ander giggel lekker want hulle weet presies waarvan ek praat.
By verre was hulle my mees interaktiefste gehoor ooit (nie dat ek die al 100 keer gedoen het nie – hierdie is die vierde skool wat ek besoek). Toe ek die Vraag vra – “Wie van julle het geweet Flaminke word nie pienk gebore nie?” vlieg daar heelwat hande op en in die lug.
Saad was gesaai, dit weet ek. Een meisie het selfs, wat vir my gelyk het of sy in trane was, my kom bedank vir die mooi boodskap. Absoluut ‘n Heilige Gees geinspireerde oomblik en alle eer aan God, nie aan my nie. ‘n Ander een se gees was net so oop en ontvanklik, ek het haar ‘n myl ver gesien en dit vir haar gesê ook.
Die wat gekies het om saam met my in die Facebook en Instagram foto te wees het meer as in hul noppies gelyk met hul voorskote. As ek kyk na die foto kan ek die opgewondenheid, gelag en giggel SIEN! Ek kan amper tasbaar die energie van die kinders voel. Ek kan nog onthou hoe dit was om 17 of 18 jaar oud te wees. In ‘n mate mis ek dit, maar aan die ander kant is ek dankbaar dat ek is waar ek is in my lewe.
The more things change the more they stay the same. Dit het ek daardie dag weer gesien. Ek wonder hoeveel asems is al deur daardie skoolgange en klasse? Hoeveel het al daar gematrikuleer? Dit voel vir my ontelbaar baie en ‘n moeilike som om te maak. 24 jaar vlieg verby in ‘n oogwink.
Ek besef net weer dat Onderwysers seker een van díe moeilikste werke onder die son moet hê. Om kinders uit verskillende huislike omstandighede, agtergronde, kulture, gewoontes en wie weet wat nog alles te moet leer sodat hulle VERSTÁÁN en kan eksamen skryf en slaag, is nie almal se cup of tea nie. Nie almal is gemaak vir dit nie, ek is vir seker een van hulle!
My gebed is dat elke leerder, nie net Verbruikers leerders nie, die dag ‘n stukkie saam met hulle kon vat. Dat die Here dit gaan natlei op die regte tyd, sodat die bome sal opkom wat Sy vrugte dra en Pienk Vere vir die Here reflekteer.
Ek dink weer aan die skool se leuse. Roepingsbewus. Ek herkou so bietjie aan dit. Wat beteken dit regtig? Ek reken, direk uit dit uit, om BEWUS te wees van jou ROEPING en waarvoor God jou geroep het.
Hoe interessant is dit nie net nie? Die leuse en die boodskap wat oorgedra is, kom op dieselfde neer. Sit in wat nodig is sodat jy jou werk waarvoor God jou geskape het, kan doen – wees bewus van jou roeping. Die Here is voorwaar AMAZING!!! Mag elkeen wat deur hierdie skool se gange stap, die leuse uitleef in hierdie wêreld waarin ons onsself bevind – nie net in hul beroepe nie maar ook dit waarvoor die Here hulle geskape het en op aarde voor gesit het.
In my gedagtes neurie ek die deuntjie van die skoollied soos ek hom ken en onthou. Die woorde is seker verkeerd wat ek in my kop sing, maar ek sing hom vir myself en weet Roepingsbewus sal ek bly. Sonder dat ek dit besef het, het ek doelbewus my roeping, dit waarvoor God my geroep het, uitgeleef in my lewe na skool, voel dit vir my…
You are… part 4
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.
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.
You are… part 3
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
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
