Month: January 2023

Posted on by — Leave a comment

The fruit

When I started with God’s crazy plan (said with respect of course – because in my mind it did not make sense at all) for Beroepsvrou’s desk pads, calendars and other dated items, notebooks and mouse pads, I just did it. I did not think about it and I did not really plan much. I am starting to realise more and more just HOW God’s Upside-Down Kingdom works – His calculations are not our calculations, His plans are not our plans, His time is not our time.

To just do things without thinking is a bit out of my comfort zone. Because for my day job, that is ALL that I must do. Plan and think – everything must make sense you know? When it came to Beroepsvrou, I just pushed through (never in my life have I ever experienced anything like this before, feeling how hard God pressed something on my heart) and the slogan, if I can call it that, that Beroepsvrou identifies with and what everything is about, is Pink Feathers™ for God. When I talk about Pink Feathers™ I am referring to the Flamingos and what God revealed to me about that bird specie. If you still don’t know what it is about – go to the Pink Feathers™ category – start with the oldest article and work your way through to the newest article on my blog.

This was also the theme for the first year of the Pink Feathers™ range, not only dated items, but notebooks and mouse pads too. I soon realised that Flamingo’s are not everyone’s flavour and that one gets tired of looking at the same picture on your diary or desk pad for 12 months. January 2022 (one year ago) I had a moment of absolute panic so to speak about what 2023’s theme will be and how it will work in the future. Yes, I know, it was a WHOLE year in advance, but there IS this part of my personality that likes the planning part (although I actually don’t like it, but anyway – does this even make sense to feel like this? Almost a love-hate relationship with planning).

Now it feels as if I am taking a wide turn telling this story and getting to the point. But, the point that I want to make is, that shortly after having this moment, God gave confirmation, early February 2022, of the theme for 2023, something that I was wondering about. Again, it was in such a wonderful manner, like only God can. It was one of those fist pump moments with God. My redheaded friend (in my opinion everyone needs one of those – a real Ginger) came to visit me one Saturday. We had been struggling to make a date to see each other and our visit was long overdue. Very modest and embarrassed, she hands over a gift with the words “Abba Father said you had questions about this and that I must give this to you” something to that effect.

I look down to my hands at what she had given me – a set of clay earrings, red pomegranates. I burst into tears almost immediately, because that was one of my questions to God (no one knew it). Can I do a theme, what must it be, can I use Pomegranates? With that I obviously had a ton of other questions too, and as time is progressing, they are being answered.

The speed at which I got my answer, made me realise again that the planning that goes into Beroepsvrou, is just going to be totally different than that of my day job. There is planning, but the way God wants to do it and not the way the world determines it. Now this brings me to the first scripture for 2023 on the desk pad, here at the end of January. This was a BUSY month, worse than what I had experienced before and hence the reason why I am only getting to this now. Nothing drastic has changed work wise and I cannot place my finger on it and why it feels like this – the rush getting worse. It is what it is. Probably deadlines being moved forward and shortened that actually contributes to the chaos that I feel around me.

I felt that thís Bibleverse is applicable to the theme for 2023, and even though it refers to fruit that is not named in the Bible, (it refers to a vine and branches so one can only think and assume that it refers to grapes), but, I recon Pomegranates can also work for this purpose. I think it can be any fruit actually – grapes, apples or oranges. But God laid Pomegranates on my heart. We can only bear fruit when we are IN HIM. This comes back to the Pink Feathers™ – because what are you filling yourself with? Does the fruit that you bear show that you have Pink Feathers™ for God? What fruit are your Pink Feathers™ bearing? Do you tell people that you are a Pomegranate tree, but then, the fruit that you bear is bananas and is so far removed from that which you proclaim and what your actions show?

Without Jesus we cannot do anything, as we are taught in this scripture. When we are IN Him and fill ourselves with HIM then we will bear much fruit. Do you live in Him? And does He live in you? Do you bear fruit? What fruit do you bear? Does your walk and talk agree? At the beginning of the new year (the Year of Jubilee), when everything just feels faster than what we can handle, it is difficult to stick to this and proceed with it. It is then, in the middle of what feels like chaos, that we must be reminded of this scripture. We must live it and SHOW people that God is in us, and we are in Him. Our fruit must agree with our words and deeds and vice versa. What fruit do your Pink Feathers™ bear?

Posted on by — Leave a comment

Die vrugte

Toe ek die Here se mal plan (met respek gesê natuurlik – want in my kop het dit glad nie sin gemaak nie) vir Beroepsvrou begin deurvoer van desk pads, kalenders en ander gedateerde items, notaboeke en muismatte, het ek dit net gedoen. Ek het nie gedink nie en nie regtig beplan nie. Ek besef net al hoe meer HOE God se Upside-Down Kingdom werk – Sy somme is nie ons somme nie, Sy planne is nie ons planne nie, Sy tyd is nie ons tyd nie.

Om net goed te doen sonder om te dink, is iets wat so ietwat buite my comfort zone is. Want vir my day job is dit AL wat ek moet doen. Beplan en dink – goed moet sin maak jy weet? Vir Beroepsvrou het ek deur gedruk (nog nooit so iets in my lewe beleef wat die Here so hard op my hart gedruk het om te doen nie) en die leuse, as ek dit nou so kan stel, waarmee Beroepsvrou identifiseer en waaroor dit alles gaan, is Pienk Vere™ vir die Here. Wanneer ek van Pienk Vere™ praat, verwys ek natuurlik na die Flaminke en dit wat die Here vir my openbaar het oor hierdie voëlspesie. As jy nou nog nie weet waaroor dit gaan nie – gaan lees die stukke onder die kategorie Pienk Vere™ – begin by die oudste artikels en werk jou pad deur na die nuutste artikels toe.

Dit was dan ook die eerste jaar se tema vir alles van die Pienk Vere™ reeks, nie net die gedateerde items nie, maar ook notaboeke en muis matte. Ek het egter gou besef dat Flaminke nie in almal se smaak val nie, en, mens raak maar moeg om vir 12 maande vir dieselfde prentjie te kyk op jou desk pad of dagboek. Januarie 2022 (een jaar gelede) slaan ek ‘n panic so te sê oor wat 2023 se tema gaan wees en hoe dit gaan werk in die toekoms. Ja, ek weet, dis ‘n hele jaar voor die tyd, maar daar IS die deel van my persoonlikheid wat van beplanning hou (alhoewel ek eintlik glad nie van dit hou nie maar toemaar – maak dit sin om so te voel? Amper ‘n love-hate verhouding met beplanning…).

Nou dit voel of ek met ‘n Kaapse draai by my punt uitkom. Maar die punt wat ek wil maak is, die Here het kort daarna, sommer vroeg in Februarie 2022, vir my bevestiging gegee van die tema vir 2023 waaroor ek gewonder het. Op so ‘n wonderlike manier, soos wat net die Here kan. Dis weer een van daai fist pump oomblikke met God. My rooikop vriendin (almal het so een nodig in my opinie – ‘n regte egte Ginger) kom kuier een Saterdag by my. Ons het gesukkel om ‘n datum te kry wat beide van ons pas en ons kuiertjie was so bietjie overdue. Heel beskeie en verleë oorhandig sy vir my ‘n persentjie saam met die woorde “Abba Vader het gesê jy het vrae hieroor en dat ek dit vir jou moet gee” iets in daardie lyn.

Ek kyk af in my hande na wat sy vir my gegee het – ‘n stelletjie klei oorbelle, bloedrooi granate. Ek bars amper oombliklik in trane uit, want dit was een van my vrae aan God (niemand het dit geweet nie). Kan ek ‘n tema doen, wat moet dit wees en is granate ok? Saam met dit het ek natuurlik honderde ander vrae gehad, en soos wat die tyd aanbeweeg is dit besig om beantwoord te word.

Daar het ek sommer gou my antwoord gekry en besef ek net weer dat Beroepsvrou se beplanning ietwat anders gaan wees as my day job se beplanning. Daar is beplanning, maar op God se manier, nie soos die wêreld dit bepaal nie. Nou dit bring my by die heel eerste skrifvers vir 2023 se desk pad, so hier op die einde van Januarie. Hierdie was ‘n BESIGE maand, erger as wat ek al voorheen beleef het en daarom dat ek nou eers hierby uitkom. Niks het drasties verander nie en ek kan wragties nie my vinger lê op dit en hoekom dit so voel nie – die gejaag wat net erger word. Dit is net wat dit is. Seker maar sperdatums wat verkort word wat bydra tot dit wat soos chaos voel om my.

Ek het gevoel díe Bybelvers is van pas by die tema vir 2023, en alhoewel die vrug waarna verwys word nie benoem is in die Bybel nie, (dit verwys wel na lote en wynstokke en dus neem mens maar aan dat dit na druiwe verwys), reken ek Granate kan ook werk vir die doel. Dit kan eintlik maar enige vrugte wees reken ek – druiwe, appels of lemoene. Maar die Here het Granate op my hart gelê. Ons kan slegs vrug dra wanneer ons IN HOM is. En dit sluit weer aan by die Pienk Vere™ – want waarmee vul jy jouself? Wys jou vrugte wat jy dra dat jy Pienk Vere™ vir die Here het? Watter vrugte dra jou Pienk Vere™? Sê jy vir mense jy is ‘n Granaat boom maar dan dra jy piesangs en is so ver verwyderd van dit wat jy proklameer en dit wat jy uitleef?

Sonder Jesus kan ons niks doen nie, soos die skrifvers ons leer. Wanneer ons IN Hom woon en onsself opvul met Hom, dan dra ons baie vrugte. Woon jy in Hom? En Hy in jou? Dra jy vrugte? Watter vrugte dra jy? Does your walk and talk agree? So aan die begin van die nuwe jaar, (die Jubel Jaar), wanneer alles net vinniger uit die blokke wegspring as wat ons kan hanteer, is dit soms moeilik om hierdie by te hou en deur te voer. Dis juis dan, in hierdie woeste tye, dat ons moet onthou en herinner word aan hierdie skrif. Dit uitleef en vir mense WYS dat God in ons is en ons in Hom is. Dat ons vrugte ooreenstem met ons dade en woorde. Watter vrugte dra jou Pienk Vere™?

Posted on by — Leave a comment

Miss read

This entry is on a lighter note about something that I miss read. Towards the end of 2022, we were driving through Krugersdorp with me as a passenger in the car.

As we were driving, I was staring out the window. I noticed some election posters on lamp posts. I noticed a poster, in Afrikaans, that read Stem Amy Stem (translated it would be Vote Amy Vote but you will see later why a translation here will not have the same effect).

I think to myself that this is a strange use of words to promote that party’s representatives and to get people to vote. It is almost as if they are making up a chant to prompt Amy to cast her vote. I cannot help but think of the Afrikaans song, Swem Jannie Swem! while reading the voting poster.

I then turn my attention back to Google maps on my phone, following the instructions to our destination. Not too long after this, I look up and see another voting poster like the previous one. This time we were driving slower, because we almost had to turn off the road that we were on.

The words on the poster? Stem Amy Steyn and NOT Stem Amy Stem! I burst out laughing almost immediately and shared the moment with my husband, who laughed even more than what I did! Everytime I pass a voting poster, I will be reminded of this moment, giggling to myself, especially when I pass the ones promoting Amy Steyn.

Posted on by — Leave a comment

Mis gelees

Hierdie inskrywing is op ‘n ligter noot van iets wat ek mis gelees het. Einde 2022, ry ons deur Krugersdorp, ek was die passasier in die kar.

Soos wat ons ry, kyk ek by die venster uit. Ek sien verkiesingsplakkate op die lamppale. So in die ry, lees ek Stem Amy Stem en ek dink by myself, dis nou ‘n vreemde nuwe manier vir bemarking van die party se verteenwoordigers en om mense te kry om te stem…

Dis asof hulle ‘n chant op maak om Amy te oortuig om haar kruisie te gaan trek en te stem. Onmiddellik dink ek aan die liedjie Swem Jannie Swem! terwyl ek die slagspreuk lees.

Ek los dit daar, en besluit om Google maps te volg op my foon, na ons bestemming toe. Nie te lank daarna nie, kyk ek op en sien weer ‘n plakkaat, soos die vorige een. Die keer ry ons bietjie stadiger want ons moet amper afdraai.

Die woorde op die bordjie? Stem Amy Steyn nie Stem Amy Stem nie! Ek begin dadelik hardop te lag en deel die oomblik met my man wat net so lekker saam lag. Nou giggel ek elke keer as ek verby ‘n verkiesingsplakkaat ry, veral die een van Amy Steyn.

Posted on by — Leave a comment

The Year of Jubilee

This is officially my first entry of 2023. I have been meaning to catch up on some drafts that I wrote, but never translated and therefore never published, since my offices closed on 15 December 2022. Guess what? That just never happened! It was as if I was without energy this December holiday. Almost like a battery running on empty.

I had a discussion with my domestic worker about this, she said she also felt like that. Everything was effort. She makes a joke, saying she thinks we are getting older. Just there and then I rebuke that, saying we have just turned 40, so seriously, it cannot be old age. After a quick chat with our neighbour (her dog had puppies and now the Potgieters visited the Krugers every week, and then, when every pup has found a home, we see and hear little of them….my kids just love seeing puppies, oooooohing and aaaaahing about the little miracles that were born). Well, I have deemed it necessary to stop the sentence there, because, as per usual, information overload. Anyway, after having a chat with my neighbour, she said they also felt like that. Not wanting to do anything. So maybe it is something in the air?

This year is supposed to be the Year of Jubilee. 2023 the year of Jubilee. But, boy oh boy, it feels like the enemy just wants to come and steal it. The song in my heart, the praises just feel like they are disappearing into thin air. I can feel January in the air. You know? The feeling of being rushed that kicked in. The athletics atmosphere. The mornings that are gradually becoming cooler (in spite the heat wave we are currently experiencing), just as summer is making her last appearance before handing over to Autumn who will be performing in the falling leaves. I know it is not Autumn yet, because, man oh man, it is HOT. But, I can feel the change in the air. It feels as if this year started a bit more bumpy than usual. First lightning struck my laptop. This time round there are less documents that are lost, but still a few internal documents, especially Beroepsvrou admin type documents….but, it is what it is. It happened and I cannot do anything about it.

The week before our offices re-opened officially, I decided to get going work-wise. But it is a struggle. The stationery for school was purchased later than planned. I just did not have the energy for that. Then the bags full of books, pens and who knows what else, was lying around in my home office, glaring at me and mocking me. It must still be labelled. I recall what it felt like the previous year and how long it took. That was my framework on which I based this task. At the end of the day it was not that bad, I left it until number 99, something that does not work for me. But, I made it and will leave the commentary at that.

Just to put the cherry on top of everything, at the beginning of a new year, we decided to repaint our daughter’s room. Something we meant to do beginning of the holidays, but did not get round to doing, because we just did not feel up to it. This was the weekend before our offices opened officially for the new work year. None the less, we decided to address the elephant in the room and start the process. During this process, my husband sustained a self-inflicted wound to his foot. At that stage we thought it meant 6 to 8 weeks on crutches. At the time of publishing this article (how fancy does that sound, almost like a newspaper article?), the expected time on crutches was reduced significantly and resulted in only about 2 weeks. He is still not able to walk on the foot properly and can also not run around, but at least his extra pair of legs is something of the past and he can function relatively normal.

My list of challenges and moan songs goes on and on, but I will not repeat everything here. The purpose is not to complain in everyone’s ears about what I am experiencing, right at the beginning of the year. I am sharing my irritations and frustrations and challenges. I started writing this entry about a week or so before it was officially published, but never got round to finishing it off. It is even starting to feel like the enemy is stealing time, because time to do everything that I want to do, feels so little, scarce and few & far between. Just last week I was driving somewhere, thinking about how this does not feel like a year of jubilee. When I looked to the left of me, I saw a Farmer’s truck that read (in Afrikaans) Rejoice in the Lord.

Just there I realised that God was reprimanding my thoughts, addressing them sternly. It does not matter what is happening in our lives, we must celebrate by praising and worshipping God! Because when we do that, the enemy has no power. Not that he had much power to start with, but when we start to praise and worship God, we put a big lock in front of the enemy’s mouth so that he cannot throw around any other rubbish in our minds. Approximately one week later, after seeing the truck, I had a chat with my husband. He was talking about an electrical fault on the electricity supply at his mom’s biltong shop. I told him that it is hard to stay positive, especially when things do not work as they should. Just then he became almost discouraged with me, saying “You must not also start with this.”

I looked at him, much to my amazement and surprise, because, in general we do not talk negatively about the country and the state of things, saying how bad it is. But it IS indeed very hard to stay positive, let us just be realistic here. Especially if everything else around you feel so negative. And also, after watching a recent Carte Blanche episode, where it appears that things are not working as they should, the levels of positivity are low. My husband mentioned someone that was like the prophet of doom, being negative about something and the future and who knows what else. He finishes the conversation by saying, all he can hear in his mind, is (in English), Rejoice in the Lord, Rejoice. I looked at him in amazement and with surprise, hearing the words repeated that I read on a truck not too long ago (and actually know that I should not be surprised, because it IS God we are talking about).

It was as if it was a confirmation of that which I read on the truck the week before. I shared with him the scripture that was on the truck, and we both were just amazed at how God really works. It was as if God was just coming to remind me about everything that He stands for (as if I do not know this, but sometimes one gets so caught up in negative thoughts that one tends to forget). He provides for us in abundance. Tomorrow holds its own worries; we do not have to worry about tomorrow. God is already there, in tomorrow and the future. He knows what the best for us is.

Then I think again how I felt a year ago – last year this time. How we struggled to get into a routine after changing schools. I wonder by myself; how did I get to write blog entries? Then it is as if the Holy Spirit reminded me that I did everything between everything else. I started writing on my phone, while I was waiting for the kids, and only later I would finish the entries on my laptop. Work also happened between everything else and while I was waiting for school activities to be completed.

I don’t like working like that. Rushing from point A to point B, laptop bag over the shoulder. But it is the reality of the world that I find myself in. I am sure there are many moms that feel like this! At least I am there for my kids in the afternoons. To be able to give them their food and spray sunblock on them. To be able to sit and sweat beneath a Gazebo at the school athletics, taking pictures of them on the podium. Being there to cheer for them. Something that I never experienced as a child, because my mom had to work the whole day. I always try to use my time wisely and effectively. And between everything else, I do praise and worship God. It does not always take place at a specific time of the day. While doing work and even between work and kids, I chat with Him. Building a relationship with God, hearing from Him who created me. Trying to stay positive, even if everything around me is negative, struggling with cell phone signals between load shedding, shortened deadlines, things that just want to frustrate the living day light out of me. Between everything else, we must still CHOOSE to be positive. To be a LIGHT in this world.

Perhaps it does not feel like a year of Jubilee. For many people I recon it feels like this. It feels like challenge upon challenge, right at the beginning of the year. And that is exactly why we should continue to praise and worship God. To be joyful over His goodness! So that we can prove the contrary to the devil, that is constantly trying to throw a spanner in the works, day in and day out. I refuse to let the devil throw any spanners into my engine, causing it to cease. I will keep on keeping on. It has just taken a while to get back into routine after the December holiday. But moving forward is what I will do, while singing my praises! 2023 is the Year of Jubilee.

Posted on by — Leave a comment

Die Jubel Jaar

Hierdie is amptelik my eerste inskrywing van 2023. Ek dreig al sedert my kantore gesluit het die 15de Desember 2022 om net bietjie op te vang op inskrywings wat ek klaar geskryf het maar nie vertaal of gepubliseer het nie. En raai wat? Dit het nie gebeur nie. Dit was asof ek die Desember vakansie futloos en sonder energie was. Soos ‘n battery wat leeg was.

Ek en my bediende redeneer hieroor, sy sê sy het ook so gevoel. Als was moeite. Sy sê laggender wys dat sy dink ons word ouer. Ek bestraf sommer dit daar en dan en sê vir haar ons is nou net 40, dit kan wragties nie die ouderdom wees nie. Na ‘n vinnige geselsie met ons buurvrou (haar hond het kleintjies gekry so nou boer die Potgieters weer by die Krugers en dan as almal huise het, sien en praat ons min met hulle….my kinders is mal daaroor om klein hondjies te sien en te oooooeeeee en aaaaaaahhhhh oor die wonderwerkies wat gebore was). Nou ja, noodgedwonge stop ek die sin daar, want, ai, soos altyd, oormaat inligting. Nie te min, na ‘n gesels met die burvrou, sê sy dat hulle het ook so gevoel. Lus vir niks. So dalk is dit iets in die lug?

Hierdie jaar is veronderstel om die Jubel Jaar te wees. 2023 the year of Jubilee. Maar ai, dit voel vir my of die vyand dit net wil kom steel. Die lied in my hart, die lofsange, voel net of hulle soos mis voor die son verdwyn het. Ek voel sommer Januarie in die lug. Jy weet? Die gevoel van die gejaag wat nou weer afskop. Die atletiek atmosfeer. Die oggende wat stadig maar seker koeler begin word (al beleef ons tans ‘n hittegolf) soos wat die somer haar laaste draaie draai en een van die dae gaan oorhandig aan Herfs om te baljaar in die blare. Ek weet dis NOG NIE Herfs nie, want vet weet, dis WARM. Maar, ek kan die verandering in die lug voel. Die jaar, voel vir my, het bietjie bumpy begin. Eers slaan die weerlig my ou laptop gaar. Die keer is daar nie so baie dokumente wat ek verloor nie, maar tog waardevolle goed, veral met Beroepsvrou se admin….maar, dit is wat dit is. Dit het gebeur en ek kan niks omtrent dit doen nie.

Die week voor ons kantore heropen, besluit ek om maar aan die gang te kom met werk. Maar dit gaan sukkel-sukkel. Die skool se skryfbehoeftes het ek later gekoop as beplan, ek het nie krag vir dit gehad vroeër nie. Toe staan die sakke vol boeke en penne en wie weet wat nog rond en was soos iets wat my koggel. Dit moet nog gemerk word. Ek herroep hoe erg die vorige jaar vir my was en hoe lank dit geneem het. En dit was my verwysingsraamwerk waarop ek hierdie taak gebasseer het. Op die ou einde was dit nie so erg nie, ek het dit wel tot op nommer 99 gelos, iets wat net nie vir my werk nie. Maar nou ja. Dit daar gelaat.

Om alles te kroon, besluit ek en my man om ons dogter se kamer te begin oordoen en verf. Iets wat ons aan die begin van die vakansie wou doen. Maar nie by uitgekom het nie en ook nie lus voor was nie, want, weereens weet ons dat dit eintlik nie ‘n eenvoudige taak is nie. Nie te min, die naweek voor ons amptelik weer ons kantore open, besluit ons toe om die bul by die horings te pak. Gedurende die proses, kry my man ‘n besering aan sy voet, wat ons op daardie stadium reken, seker 6 tot 8 weke op krukke vir hom sal wees. Ten tye van die publikasie van die berig (dit klink nou fêncy soos ‘n koerantberig), was die verwagte tyd op krukke toe heelwat minder en net so 2 weke. Hy kan nou nog nie behoorlik op die voet trap nie en ook nie rond hardloop nie, maar ten minste is sy ekstra paar bene iets van die verlede en kan hy eintlik redelik soos normaal funksioneer.

Nou my lys van treurmares en moan songs gaan aan en aan, maar ek sal nie als hier herhaal en oordra nie. Die doel is glad nie om in almal se ore te kla nie. Ek deel maar frustrasies en irritasies en uitdagings. Hierdie inskrywing het ek al ‘n week of wat voor hy gepubliseer was, begin skryf. Maar kom nie daarby uit om dit klaar te maak nie. Dit begin selfs voel of die vyand tyd steel, want tyd vir alles wat ek wil doen, voel soos altyd min, skaars en few & far between. Net laasweek ry ek iewers, en dink aan hoe dit nie soos ‘n jubel jaar voel nie. Net toe ek links van my kyk, sien ek ‘n trok, van ‘n Boerdery wat sê Verbly julle in die Here.

Net daar besef ek dis die Here wat my gedagtes berispe en aanspreek. Maak nie saak wat nie, ons moet feesvier en die Here loof en prys! Want wanneer ons dit doen, het die vyand geen mag nie. Hy het geen mag gehad om mee te begin nie, en wanneer mens die Here loof en prys, snoer jy omtrent die vyand se mond sodat hy nie verdere gemors kan strooi in jou gedagtes nie. Net ongeveer een week later, na ek die trok gesien het, gesels ek en my man. Hy praat van ‘n fout op die elektrisiteit voorsiening by sy ma se biltong winkel. Ek sê vir hom dit is maar moeilik om positief te bly, veral as goed nie reg werk nie. Net daar raak hy amper moedeloos met my en sê vir my “Moet jy nie nou ook begin nie.”

Verbaas kyk ek na hom, oor die algemeen praat ons nie die land en die stand van sake sleg nie. Maar, dit IS uiteraard moeilik om positief te bly – kom ons wees maar eerlik hier. Veral as alles om jou negatief voel. En ook veral na ‘n Carte Blanche insetsel wat ons onlangs gekyk het en hoe dit oorkom asof dinge net nie werk soos dit moet nie. My man noem toe van iemand wat soos ‘n doem-profeet negatief was oor iets, en die toekoms en wie weet wat nog alles. Hy sluit af en sê al wat hy in sy gedagtes hoor is (in Engels), Rejoice in the Lord, Rejoice. Ek kyk so in verbasing na hom toe hy die woorde uiter wat ek op ‘n trok gelees het ‘n week vantevore (en eintlik weet ek dat ek nie moet nie, want dit IS die Here waarvan ons praat).

Dit was asof dit ‘n bevestiging was van dit wat ek gesien het op die trok die week van te vore. Ek deel die trok se skrif met hom en ons albei is net in verwondering oor hoe die Here nou regtig werk. Dit is asof die Here my net wil kom herinner aan alles waarvoor Hy staan (so asof ek dit nie weet nie, maar wanneer mens vasgevang voel in omstandighede dan vergeet mens maar). Voorsiening in oorvloed, kom van Hom af. Môre hou sy eie bekommernisse, ons hoef nie onsself vandag al te bekommer oor môre nie. Die Here is reeds in môre. Hy weet wat die beste is vir ons.

Dan dink ek weer aan hoe ek laas jaar gevoel het. Hoe ons gesukkel het om in roetine te kom na ons kinders na ‘n nuwe skool geskuif het. Ek wonder by myself hoe het ek dan by skryf uitgekom? Dan herinner die Heilige Gees my aan hoe ek alles tussen alles deur gedoen het. Ek het geskryf op my foon terwyl ek gewag het vir die kinders en dan later eers dit op my rekenaar klaar gemaak. Werk het ek ook tussen deur gedoen, soos wat ek sit en wag vir die kinders by skool aktiwiteite.

Ek hou nie daarvan om so te werk nie. So te jaag van punt A na punt B, laptop sak oor die skouer. Maar dis die realiteit van die wêreld waarin ek myself bevind. Ek is seker baie mamma’s voel so! Ek is ten minste daar vir my kinders naskool. Om die kossies te gee en sunblock te spuit. Om te sit en sweet onder ‘n Gazebo by die Huissport, foto’s te kan neem van my kinders op die podium. Daar te wees om vir hulle te cheer. Iets wat ek nooit as kind ervaar het nie, want my ma moes voldag werk. Ek probeer altyd my tyd effektief gebruik. En tussen alles deur, loof en prys ek tog die Here. Dit vind nie altyd op ‘n spesifieke tyd plaas nie. Tussen werk deur en selfs terwyl ek werk, gesels ek met Hom. Bou ek verhouding, hoor ek by Hom wat my geskape het. Probeer ek positief bly, al is alles om my negatief en sukkel ons met selfoon seine tussen beurtkrag deur, verkorte sperdatums, goed wat net die wit waks uit mens uit frustreer. Tussen dit alles, moet ons steeds aanhou KIES om positief te wees. Om LIG te wees in die wêreld.

Dit voel dalk nie soos ‘n Jubel Jaar nie. Vir baie mense reken ek voel dit so. Dit voel soos uitdaging op uitdaging, so aan die begin van die jaar. En dis presies hoekom ons moet aanhou om die Here te loof en te prys. Te jubel oor Sy goedertierenheid! Sodat ons die teendeel kan wys vir die duiwel, wat ‘n spanner in the works probeer gooi, dag in en dag uit. Ek weier dat die duiwel se spanners my enjin sal laat cease. Aanhou sal ek aanhou. Dit het net weer ‘n rukkie geneem om in die roetine te kom na die Desember vakansie. Maar beweeg sal ek beweeg en sing sal ek sing! 2023 is the Year of Jubilee.