Entries – Uit die Pen van 'n Beroepsvrou

Posted on 15 June 202415 June 2024 by Elsie Potgieter — Leave a comment

Look Good Feel Better

This is my first entry in a very long time. The space that I find myself in currently, makes it difficult to be inspired to write. But Friday 14 June 2024, God stirred something in my spirit, to write about an encounter I had, an event I attended.

I am currently busy with radiation at Pinehaven hospital in Krugersdorp. 32 sessions were prescribed by the Oncologist. For 32 business days, which works out to six and a half weeks, we have to travel from our house in Skeerpoort to Krugersdorp. As expected, I started to dread the travelling up and down. I realise again, that I am not built for travelling on a daily basis. Of course I would feel like this, I have been working for myself for 20 years, from home, so I am unfit when it comes to travelling, if I can put it like that.

Wednesday 12 June 2024, one of the therapists, that assists with positioning me for the treatment, mentioned about an event that is hosted by a non-profit organisation, will be taking place on Friday 14 June 2024. It is for 2 hours, from 9 to 11. I gathered from our conversation, that it has something to do about make-up and a support for patients that are going through a cancer diagnosis and treatment. I still did not quite get what it was about but decided in any event to attend.

For a fleeting moment I wondered whether I should go without make-up, because I gathered that it is about make-up, but I decided against that thought. Because, my oh my, if I arrive without make up, it will really look like there is something wrong with me (said with my tongue in my cheek)….so here I was, going for my 30th session of radiation (yes, can you believe that it is session 30 already? By the time it was session 3, I never thought that number 30 would arrive, but anyway). Before the session, the therapists and I pose for our usual photos (all the while being grateful that I decided to put make up on, because everyone would have had the skrik of their lives to see me without it).

For some or another reason, the list for treatments was running late and I was late attending the session. Upon arrival, I noticed that it is a small, intimate group of 4 ladies, including myself. Christie from Look Good Feel Better, proceeded with the session and she starts by telling a story of a patient that was under the care of an Oncologist, and this patient was just not getting better. The doctor, later, out of desperation for his patient’s well-being, went to his receptionist, asking her for her lipstick. The patient put the lipstick on and when she saw herself in the mirror, she smiled for the first time.

This hit home, because I realise that looking better has a bigger impact on one’s mental state of mind. Because, true as it is, you also feel better. While Christie was talking, my thoughts wandered a bit, and I realised that is WHY I wore make-up through my journey (not that it was the first-time wearing make-up, I always wore make-up, I just made a point of it to focus on my own appearance during chemo). THIS is why I felt that if I look better, I may just start feeling better spiritually and mentally, in spite of what was going on in my body at that stage.

My thoughts were interrupted with the presentation that was busy happening, right in front of me. I realised I must focus on it, that is why I am attending it in the first place. When Christie said she was going to show us how to make-up ourselves, my instincts were to say No thank you, I know I am capable of putting make-up on better than today (I was just not wanting to pull out all my make-up brushes to do proper make-up and I reverted to the basic light make-up with eye liner and mascara). But I decided against it. I did not want to be the spoil sport.

Without water, with cleanser and a wipe, I removed my make up. I warned everyone that I may just look like the lead singer of some or another heavy metal band, with my mascara that will be stuck under my eyes. Thankfully I was able to remove all the make-up and start over in this class. At some stage, Christie got a bit frustrated with the make-up sponges that was supplied in the goodie bag, pulling out her brushes and proceeding to make-up everyone. I could feel her pain, because I could never do proper make-up on my face with those sponges!

Jokes were made, we laughed and even joked with some ladies that they look so fêncy they may just find a rich husband. For a moment, we forgot what we have gone through and are still going through. We heard from Christie that the non-profit organisation received a lot of sponsorships before 2020, much more than what they have today, which resulted in much more products being sponsored in the past. Apparently more than what we received (and may I just add, we did not receive only a few products!). But like anyone knows, the pandemic had its impact here too. They still have sponsors, but not like before. The institution is totally dependent on sponsorships, in any form. To ensure that the organisation could continue to exist, Christie resigned as a director and found a full-time job.

Another lady, Yvette (who I must still meet in person), took over as director and in this manner, they ensured that their overhead costs can be reduced so that the organisation can continue to exist. From what I understood from our conversations, they are also dependent on volunteers to assist with certain tasks. It sounds to me like Christie is one of them. She accumulates her lunch hours that she works in at her full-time job, which she exchanges to present days like these.

This hit me deep and hard, that people still, in spite of their own challenges, make time and plans to assist others that are going through something like cancer. Christie herself is a survivor of breast cancer, I am not sure about the other people involved in the institution, but I believe there must be some or another connection with cancer that they connected with, that resulted in them becoming involved.

From my side, I want to thank everyone involved with Look Good Feel Better, for the good work that they do. Thank you that you confirmed to me that I was not crazy to put on make-up while I received chemotherapy. Thank you that you confirmed to me, that which God laid on my heart to do, in terms of make-up, that I will feel better when I look better. Thank you that you confirmed that I do not have to look like death dawned up on me while going through something like this, and that which I did for myself was not out of vanity, but rather self-preservation (yes, the devil tried to make me believe that I was vain to put on make-up and trying to look good without hair).

I want to challenge everyone that is reading this article, to make a contribution in whichever way possible. Whether you have time to give or are in a position to contribute financially or even donate products, just do it. Don’t have second thoughts about it. It all contributes to a bigger and better purpose and makes a difference in people’s lives. Like they say, a little bit goes a long way. Of course I got Christie out of her comfort zone, by taking selfies with her and even making a funny face. Christie, Yvette – keep up with the good work. There are so many women out there that needs to hear what you have to say in terms of their appearance. While a woman is caught up in this diagnosis, treatments and who knows what else, a session like this is like a ray of light, a little piece of hope and something to look forward to that can be preserved in your heart, a good memory that was made.

Posted on 7 February 20247 February 2024 by Elsie Potgieter — Leave a comment

Healing

Growing up, I never really thought about healing. No one in our house was chronically ill. Every now and then there would be a cold or something similar, but nothing serious. If it was a bit bigger and more serious than a cold, we would go to the doctor to get the illness resolved.

I never realised that healing comes from God. And that is the reason why Jesus died on the cross for us. I know it sounds stupid to say it like this, but that is how it was for me. Probably also the exposure I had to religion that resulted in me thinking of it in this manner. Perhaps also because I never read the bible on that manner, if that makes sense. I always thought Jesus died so that we can go to heaven.

There is more to His death on the cross than only going to heaven. Of course I do not imply that going to heaven is not the best thing ever. Of course it is first prize! But there is so much more included for us in His death on the cross. Again, when I chose the verses for 2023, I could not imagine in my wildest dreams how relevant November 2023’s scripture would be on my life. I know, I sound like a record stuck in one place when I explain why November’s entry on the scripture is late. I will not elaborate on this topic anymore. At least I am writing it even if it is more than two months late….

Back to the scripture. I just love the English version. For by His stripes we are healed. Wow. Each and every lashing from the whips, was for us. For every person on earth. Not just for me. Also not only for a select few people. I cannot help but wonder, and it sounds strange to say it like this, but I am going to say it, then we will see how it works out. I wonder, when Jesus was on the cross, and every time he got a lash to His body, did He talk to me in His thoughts? Saying, Elsie, this one is for you. For the diagnoses of September 2023. For everything you have to go through in this entire process.

Would He, with a next and a next lashing, think about me and everything I had been through thus far in my life? This one is for your kidney pipe infection at the age of 5, tonsils, miscarriage, ectopic pregnancy, cracked vertebrae from the car accident, neck, arm or hand that is sore from sleeping in the wrong manner….I can go on with my list. If He said it about me more than 2,000 years ago, then He said it about every single person on earth. Wow. This is huge. He has, over all the decades, taken each and every person’s illness and ailment on Him that day on the cross and with each lashing. That is huge. Have you ever thought of it like that?

Just the other day, we were travelling to Milpark hospital for the umpteenth time. The route we take goes past a burial site. My husband, Heinrich, said that he cannot believe that there is still place for people to be buried. We see what looks like freshly dug graves. I answer him with a question, saying that I wonder how many people have ever walked on this earth. From the beginning of time up to now. I leave the question unanswered, because I don’t think anyone knows and even if there is a number, I most certainly will not be able to pronounce it, because there will be so many thousands, hundreds, millions and billions in that number! I will not even know where to start with that pronunciation. If I look at it like this, then my brain cannot fathom God’s greatness. It cannot even begin to grasp how much Jesus did for us.

For a few years now, when I pray, I rebuke the illness to go away in the Name of Jesus. For by His stripes, we are healed. Jesus already did the healing on the cross. The illness cannot do anything but go away. When I look at the results of the sonar that we did in November and that the tumour had already shrunk by 6 mm, then I get reassurance that God has got this. Even if the sonar measurements taken after this one is different – which I assume is normal, because the thing is busy dying and changing shape in the process. The healing is not in the medicine or the doctors. Those are the instruments that are there for us to receive healing. Instant healing from God is most certainly available. Deep down inside of me, I do know that there is a greater purpose for this. What it is, I cannot say.

Only time will tell. I know when I am going to look back on this time, when everything is over, I will only stand in absolute awe about God’s hand in everything. I know I am healed. God has already done this. I am just going through the process, because this is where God wants to use me. I am trusting that I am doing what God wants me to do during this process. I still cry a lot about everything. I am only human. With emotions and made in the image of God. We also laugh a lot. Try to function as normal as possible. But the most of it all is prayer. I pray a lot, rebuking the tumour and the swollen lymph nodes in the Name of Jesus. For by His stripes, we are healed...

Posted on 25 November 202325 November 2023 by Elsie Potgieter — 1 Comment

The one with Rachel

Ever since I could remember, I always felt an emotion when I saw Oncology patients without hair. I always wondered how they do it and how they cope without hair? Never in my life, did I think that I would be in a similar position years later. But, here I am, with no hair on my head, having to work through the emotions of hair loss.

A while ago, my husband and a client convinced me to think about wearing a wig. It was not an option for me, as I thought I would be going through this thing without hair, as that is part of the process. I worked through the hair loss process, cried my cries and moved on. Going big on make up and earrings when I feel better between treatments, wearing something to cover my head when I go out in public.

I decided to give it a go, this wig thing that they convinced me to do. A friend of mine, Lorinda, offered to help me with the wig shopping and travelling. I made an appointment for one Saturday morning and off we went to Linden Johannesburg. The place where we had the appointment was at A Few Gray Hairs. A play of words, as the emblem is that of a few bunnies (or hairs). Here we met with Delia Dashwood.

Delia started first by explaining all the science behind the hairs and hair follicles. So much info was given through to us, all of which we did not realise the reality of what is happening while receiving Chemotherapy treatment. I knew that hairs are fast growing cells and that is why the Chemo targets it first (cancer is also a fast growing and dividing cell and that is why Chemo is administered to patients with Cancer). What I did not know is, that due to the treatment, the shaft of the hair follicle changes in shape. Delia mentioned many terms, but I could not remember them at all so I am not going to even try to recall and retype them here.

The Chemo does not kill the hair, so they do not die, they are just targeted while receiving treatment and hence the reason for it falling out, as it is not allowed to divide and grow as it normally does within the body when you don’t receive treatment. The Chemo also causes inflammation of some sort around the hair follicles and that is why it is sore when it falls out. She explained that there is a gland that produces oils and what ever the hairs need to grow, the natural shampoo and conditioner for hair.

I learnt that I was not supposed to shave my hair off with a razor. OOPS! I did it this two weeks ago, as the hair loss of the short stubs was just an irritation. I further learnt that I should not place any products on my head like cream or oil. It is more than likely that the opening on the scalp, will be clogged up, causing inflammation and it can run the risk of being infected. Something which I am trying to avoid at all costs.

She also explained that the change in the hair shaft/follicle, causes the hair to not grow out like it used to be before. Previously the shaft would have been straighter, the Chemo causes it to be less straight, almost with a kink here and there. This in turn causes the hair to grow out curly. They also call it Chemo curl. It will take approximately two years for it to return to normal. I was also told that it is highly likely to grow out grey…

She further explained that in her 30 years of hairdressing experience, she noted that clients took about 10 minutes to adjust to any changes to their hair. Whether voluntary (or involuntary), colour or style changes. The reactions were the same. She then decided to let her clients comb their own hair shortly after cutting or colouring it, leaving them alone for 10 minutes to process it all. She explained that the same hormones, Cortisol, is released, similar to when you go into flight of fight mode. The doses, is, of course less than another stress situation, and our bodies do not necessarily feel it, but the reality is, it is there.

That is why we have this emotional connection with our hair. That is why, when I went through the process of cutting my hair even shorter after it started to fall out, I posted on social media, that it is not just hair. My own hairdresser asked me in the past, when I wanted to cut my hair shorter or do a drastic change, whether I was going through something emotional? I then realised that, when one cannot change anything in your current circumstances and you feel emotional, you revert to changing your hair, in the hopes that you will feel better…. Now it makes more sense to me.

We then proceeded to discuss the wigs and the inner linings, synthetic and real human hair. She compared the inner linings to vehicles. A Honda Jazz vs a BMW. Of course the BMW was much more comfortable, but, it was the pricing that made the decision for me….choosing the Honda over the BMW….real human hair seemed to be a better option as it will last longer than the synthetic hair, which does not like friction. We all know what a Barbie doll’s hair looks like after a while, and I do not want to look like one of those Barbies!

While fitting the wigs on my head, I was amazed at how weird it felt. I have become used to having no hair and now, having hair on my head, seeing it out the corner of my eyes, was just WEIRD! My whole face changed again while having hair on my head. There was one wig, that Lorinda noted, changed my facial expression more than others. Not even I noticed it! But she noticed it. I did not realise that I actually wanted hair. I really thought that I had dealt with having no hair and that I was comfortable with it. Which I was. But wow, with hair, it is just on another level.

On the way home, Lorinda asked me what we are going to call the wig? She must have a name. Something elegant and royal. But for the life of me, I could not think of a name. Shortly after leaving Delia’s premises, my husband phoned me. He wanted to know if we came right with a wig. Of course, he was very curious with what was chosen, and I simply said that he would have to wait and see. I asked him for a name for her, something that does not sound cheesy or “off”. Something nice. It was him that came up with Rachel, named after Rachel from the Friends series.

Lorinda and I immediately took a liking to the name, and that is what we call her now. Rachel is now a part of my life for how long ever it is needed for her to remain, so that I can have some form of normality under the current circumstances that I find myself in. The reaction of my children when I came home was priceless. My son immediately jumped up from the chair he was sitting on, greeting me with a huge smile, saying that he likes it. My daughter also ran to me with a huge smile on her face.

My husband was standing there, looking at me, saying it is weird to see me with hair again, but that it looks really nice to him. He was amazed at how natural it looks. I really thought that my kids were going to be freaked out by the hair, but clearly having no hair at all, was worse for them. Not once did they ever make me feel uncomfortable without hair, nor did they say anything about it. But deep down, their emotions about seeing me without hair was there, hidden away without anyone being the wiser.

I had such a pleasant experience at A Few Gray Hairs with Delia. She really explained everything to me, without being impatient and without just jumping into wig fittings and trying to make a sale. Delia also does such a good job, she, herself, makes wigs from donated hair. She goes around to schools, collecting hair from girls’ ponies, using that in wigs. The wig that I chose is imported from the US, it was readily available to take home immediately (which I secretly had hoped would be the case before going there). I had the choice of waiting for one to be made, but, decided that the one that I fitted had the right hair colour, length and fit on my head. Delia, from the bottom of my heart, thank you for what you do. For the good deeds that you do by making wigs to fit everyone’s needs – from donated free wigs, to hand made wigs to imported wigs. May you be blessed in abundance for your good heart!

Posted on 16 November 202316 November 2023 by Elsie Potgieter — Leave a comment

Cryday

Almost every day of the week that I receive Chemotherapy, feels like Cryday. I am struggling to discern the days of the week, because every day I just feel like crying. The Mondays are normally the worst. The drips hurt and it seems that I am the exception to the rule, being that one person whose drips leak into the tissue in my arm. According to the info brochure that I received; it is not something that is “likely” to happen.

The Tuesday is normally a bit better, but that is all before receiving the injection that produces white blood cells in my body. You see, it is not the Chemo that is killing the intruder in my body. It is the white blood cells – the Chemo makes it vulnerable and then the army that is being produced in my body, comes and attack it (with force of course, like only white blood cells can do). This was merely round number two. Four more to go. Words that are so cheap and easy to say. Words, that no one realise, are not easy for me to say.

I say it, but cringe as I say it, because I know what each number from 1 to 6 mean to me.How my body feels. For the first time in my life, I can feel the difference in my body when I eat. Especially in Treatment week, it is as if I can feel I need food. The moment that I eat, I feel better. But, when it takes longer than what is allowed, to get something to eat, my oh my, then my body has a protest of its own!

I took so many things for granted. Things like being able to make and pack school lunch boxes, feeding the house dogs, bathing, getting dressed and putting on make-up. Everything comes so easy when your body is not weak. Everybody comments on how brave I am and how well I am handling this thing. Then I hear the devil stir in my thoughts, saying it is all fake. You are fake. You only post the beautiful photos of yourself with make-up on.

At first I believed the father of all lies. You see, my whole world and life has been ripped out from under my feet. This is truly a season in my life where I am stripped from everything. From my hair, nails (yes, I now have to patiently wait for it all to grow out), being able to function like normal to exercise, even my work (even if it was jam packed with stress, it helped me to develop into the person that I am today). My work is something that I know how to do it. I am sure if you were to wake me at 3 am in the morning, with some or another tax question, I would be more than likely be able to steer you into the right direction for the solution.

Fact is, I don’t know how to be the way I am now. To be able to function normally just does not exist. Nothing happens the way it always did. During treatment week, I do not have energy to sit up straight, quickly write a bible verse, making the video and then do my thoughts about that verse. It feels like I am busy losing my pink feathers®. I just cannot seem to feed myself spiritually within God’s word. The best that I can so is to put on praise & worship music. That is all that I can do now.

Bathroom crying has become a norm and in the order of the day. There I cannot distinguish between tears, bath water or shower water (the days that I do have energy to shower). The house is normally quiet, my husband would have taken the kids to school and then I can cry like a girl and call out to God over and over to just stop this process. God, can it not just stop? I find myself asking over and over. The day before the very first treatment, I found myself asking God Why God? Why this? Why me? WHY? During the first treatment cycle, I woke up one morning early, shortly after asking my questions to God. I sleep with praise & worship music too…. that morning when I woke up, I was wide awake. The words that were playing on the speaker was from Mercy Me‘s Dear Younger Me. The words that I clearly heard were Dear Younger Me, It’s not your fault. You were never meant to carry this beyond the cross… This was the first time that I heard God audible in this manner.

So many people check in via Whatsapp, sending scriptures, praying for me. I pray that this will be over quickly and that I will stop thinking about Treatment Day, with the vile taste of medicine in my mouth. I pray that my body will continue to respond to treatment. This thing must now be over and done with. Every time that I think about treatment day, I feel nauseous. It is as if I am trying to get it out of my system. I think for the first time in my life, I understand Philippians 3:13-14 better: Brothers and sisters, I do not consider that I have made it my own yet; but one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the [heavenly] prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.

I try not to think about how it felt. I am trying to ignore the taste in my mouth. I am trying to continue to function as normally as I can. It is hard, but I try. Yes, I have always been someone to only place pretty pictures on social media, who wants to post pictures without make-up (and in my case without hair too) of themselves on social media? During all of this, I start to understand so many more bible verses better. It just starts to make more sense to me. Only when one goes through something like this, where you are stripped of literally everything and kneel before God with literally with nothing, in prayer and begging Him to let this cup pass you, then, and only then, do you start to realise the true value of life.

The most important to me, in all of this, is to acknowledge and see God in everything in this process. Even if it is not nice. Because of that reason, I decided to share this journey with the world. So that people can see what God can do for them, irrespective of the circumstances that you find yourself in. I think it is normal to be sad, to cry, to beg that this should pass. But God stays in the middle of it all. He brought me to this, and He will carry me. It is not easy for me, but it is what it is.

Thankfully, the smiles on the photos of Heinrich and I are everything but fake. If there is one thing that we have learnt in all of this (and basically any situation that you find yourself in) – you can either sit in a little pathetic heap, swaying back and forth while consuming a can of worms, or you can lie in bed while having movie marathons while you recover and heal. The moment that you feel better and become healthier, then you can get up, shake off the dust that tried to settle and go on. A good sense of humour helps and goes a long way. Normally before every photo, Heinrich does something funny like pull his face in a weird way, so that I cannot help but laugh at him.

My sense of humour is very important to me and helps to carry me through it all. I was extremely sad about my hair, but now I must make the best of it. Poena Potgieter I heard myself say to my husband. He laughed and it is as if everything became normal for us in these circumstances. The little hair stubs irritate me, it feels like Velcro. It clings to my pillow when I move while sleeping.

The half outgrown acrylic nails is even more of an irritation. Small things that I must face frequently, having to deal with it to remember what the end goal is. To be healthy. To do what God wants me to do and be where He needs me to be. Inside the fiery furnace. It is very hot inside that place and one sweats perfusely. I always say sweating like a pig, but I honestly don’t know if pigs can sweat. The story about Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego tells us that they walked out of the fiery furnace alive and they did not smell of smoke, nor did their hair or clothes burn.

The Bible does not say anything about their emotions. Or whether they were sweaty. But the Bible teaches us that they walked out unharmed. This is what I trust God for. To walk out of there with no damage. Yes, I may smell a bit like sweat, but, I will not be scortched and I will not smell of smoke. As I am typing this, I feel the Holy Spirit talking to me, reminding me of the scripture from Philippians. Stop thinking about the Monday that you received treatment… I hear the whispering in my spirit. Stretch out to what lies ahead.

I cannot help but know that everything will work out for the greater good. In spite of everything that happens, how terrible and emotional I feel during Treatment Week, I will be ok. More than ok. In the mean time I must do what I must do to spread God’s word wherever I go. Whether it be at the Oncologist or at any other doctor’s office, God’s word will be spread. With a grateful heart, grateful that I know God and have Him in my life, I want to close off. I have found myself saying over and over, that I do not know how people do it without Him. How does one get through something like this without Him? Then I hear the words from Mercy Me again…Dear Younger Me, It’s not your fault….

Posted on 30 September 202330 September 2023 by Elsie Potgieter — Leave a comment

God’s perfect time

During May 2022, when I chose the scriptures for the 2023 year’s range of deskpads of Beroepsvrou, I think I felt that this scripture is applicable to the month of September. Purely because the season starts to change, trees get new leaves, flowers are blooming and everything seems to get life again after the winter. Well, what I thought was appropriate, was not the case at all. If you read deeper into this scripture, especially in the Amplified version, you will understand better.

God revealed the meaning of this month’s scripture beautifully and now I am grateful that I did not write about it earlier in the month. Else I would have missed it. I cannot help but notice that the meaning of the scripture is interlinked with what is happening in our lives, how quickly things changed, without our interventions, something that feels like months, but in reality, is only 3 weeks. Let me explain.

The Amplified version reads as follows – He has also planted eternity [a sense of divine purpose] in the human heart. Now it feels if it hit a bullseye and explains what I am feeling inside of me. You see, since September 2021, I have had this thing pressing on my heart. That thing manifested and the Pink Feathers ® range of Beroepsvrou was born. Something that I could not explain yet followed through. Something I actually did not have time for, especially in my very busy, overloaded schedule. Yet I pushed on with it.

My husband did not quite understand in the beginning, and I did not know how to explain it to him. I just continued to proceed with it, without him fully understanding what is going on and why I feel the way I do. Now, two years later, I understand why I felt what I felt. It was not my heart’s desires that I was chasing, but rather God that planted my purpose in my heart. The Divine Purpose as the Amplified calls it.

The next thing that stands out to me, also from the Amplified version, are the words in brackets – a mysterious longing which nothing under the sun can satisfy except God. You see, nothing that I did, felt right to me anymore. I did not know how to put it into words to my husband. Yet I continued with that which I felt God placed on my heart to do. I had this longing for something that only God could satisfy. That is also the reason why I do this writing thing, MAKING time for it. Because it feels as if I am finding my divine purpose for which I was created while doing it.

In between everything else, God kept on pressing it on my heart. In spite of crazy busy times, with deadline upon deadline. More admin loaded onto me due to changes in legislation. It feels like chaos in my day job (due to things changing rapidly there and me not being able to keep up), but when I sit and write, doing something for Beroepsvrou, it feels like the chaos disappear. It is just confirmation that this is where I must be.

The last thing in the verse that I want to point out, also from the Amplified version – yet man cannot find out (comprehend, grasp) what God has done (His overall plan) from the beginning to the end. And this is where I am now. My brain feels too small to even start figuring out what God’s plan with everything is. With me, the diagnosis, Beroepsvrou, the day job, everything. I have this childlike excitement about what lies ahead, but at the same time I am nervous, because this is BIG. The greatness of everything is what causes the nervousness, but I know, that I know, because I know, that God also has this under control. Like everything else in my life.

I cannot help but wonder if others also feel the way I do? If they also feel as if they are called for something bigger than that which they do every day? I cannot help but think that God does big things in my life, annually, in September. September is our anniversary month. September 2021 my life changed for the greater good on a Bible Journaling camp, where God revealed to me in such a unique way, that my sister and her husband MUST move to New Zealand (this is what He wants) and where I cried my cries, truly undergoing a transformation, from who I was before the camp.

September 2022 I was invited to Radio Pulpit for an interview. The highlight of my life, together with our wedding day, the birth of our two kids and other big life events. And now in September 2023, where I am going through the fire, with God by my side, undergoing another transformation. It is here where something bigger is busy developing. Something that my brain cannot fathom. I cannot help but think of the start of Ecclesiastes 3:11 – He has made everything beautiful and appropriate in its time.

Posted on 30 September 2023 by Elsie Potgieter — Leave a comment

Seventeenth Anniversary Lunch

Posted on 30 September 202330 September 2023 by Elsie Potgieter — Leave a comment

In sickness and in health

Today, my husband and I celebrate our 17th wedding anniversary. So much has changed in a year’s time. Last year this time we were on our way to our seaside vacation, travelling the whole day, not really enjoying an anniversary like we have come accustomed to do. This year, neither of us expected the diagnosis to be made two weeks before our special day. These past few weeks feel like months. So much has happened in such a short period of time.

When you stand at the altar, you vow to love each other, come what may. Never once, did it cross my 25-year-old brain at that time, the impact of that vow. There have been really great times, there have also been tough times. For the first time this year, actually when he had his little DIY mishap in January, injuring himself underneath his foot, we were confronted with the sickness part of the vow.

Our world was turned upside down by that event. I played chauffeur, taking him to a client to work, as he was not able to drive himself. It was a bit of a frustration to me, as I had my day planned differently than that. But I did it, because, that is what we do right? Then all went better, he was up and running again, able to walk on his foot, things were slowly getting back to normal. Then Vertigo hit me like a freight train – unexpectedly and unannounced. This time it was his turn to take me to the doctor when it did not get better.

On and off this year, we had our moments. Where we either felt very exhausted or a bit under the weather and not too healthy like we are used to feeling. The event in our marriage, that shook everything, was the diagnosis that was spoken over something in my body. Our world was shattered. This was not what we had planned. Illness is never in anyone’s plans, can I just add! But at that time, we realised just how short our time on earth together is. How quickly our lives could change in the blink of an eye.

Now the short period of time on earth, is by no means that we accepted a death sentence with the diagnosis. Not one of the Professors we have seen have given any indication that I only have two hours to live, so best I get my things in order and choose a nice shady tree to curl up under and wait for the end to come. Not at all! But, something like this, just makes us realise, that we truly love each other. That we truly want the best for each other. That we are there for each other, come what may.

It actually drew us closer to each other, like we have never been before. The shock to our bodies was horrific, we struggled to sleep, cried a lot together, woke up at odd hours, having chats and conversations that we normally did not have time for before. It actually just made us realise to appreciate every single moment in every single day that we have together.

Today we celebrate 17 years of that! 17 years, made up of I don’t know how many seconds, of everything we have shared – laughter, tears, fights (there were many when we were younger – the arguments are less now, thank goodness for growth!), health, sickness, frustrations, holidays, fun times and sad times. You name it, we probably experienced it. To my husband Heinrich – thank you for who you are. Thank you for the person you have helped me become. Thank you for caring for me, loving me dearly, being who God created you to be! I prayed for you, I was not very specific in my prayer at that time, but God ticked the two requirements that I had in that prayer as a young woman.

I thank God every day for you. Yes we have had tough times too, not always agreeing on everything. But, those tough times are the times that formed both of us. God does not make mistakes when He puts two people together like He did with us. Here is to another 17 x 17 years of marriage for us! May we always be in this place where we seek God in all we do. May we always be in this place where we share everything with each other, not being afraid to talk about what ever may be bothering us, or wondering about something and even how to react to a certain situation that needs to be dealt with.

Posted on 26 September 202326 September 2023 by Elsie Potgieter — Leave a comment

The jail / Die tronk

So now that God has cleared my diary so to speak, tending to minimal day job matters, I can actually do a proper post about the daily scripture. It will still be bilingual all in one, like I have started doing with the daily scriptures, but the only difference is, it will be on the blog with the link being shared on socials. As some pieces may be a bit longer than others.

Nou ja, soos julle almal seker weet, het Professors ‘n diagnose gemaak oor ‘n knop in my bors. Sedert 17 September 2023 was dit net soos ‘n woeste storm om my. Alles het so vinnig gebeur, dokter’s afsprake en dinge. Al wat ek die heeltyd by die Here hoor is Don’t Think. Just Do. Dis al. So met dit in my gedagtes het ek net gedoen en nie gedink nie. Die Here het vir my ‘n visie gegee van ‘n boek se voorblad en toevallig ken ek ‘n baie goeie illustreerder wat seker nie eens 5 km van my af bly nie. Ek het laas week met haar vergader om die visie wat die Here gedeel het deur te gee. Dit was die eerste Don’t Think. Just Do. oomblik.

For a long time, I was considering doing microblading on my eyebrows, because my eyebrows are very pale in colour (I always have to colour it in). I made an appointment with Irene who does my nails, she also does the microblading. Well, the microblading turned into permanent make up. That was the second Don’t Think. Just Do. moment in my life. This is now besides the doctors’ visits for scans, and professors’ visits for discussions and so forth. I was also advised to cut my hair shorter in anticipation of their chemo treatment plan. I had a hairdresser appointment on Friday and the plan was not to cut the hair short. But, after receiving this advice, I cut my hair short. I am still adjusting to it, because I was not emotionally prepared for that. This was the third Don’t Think. Just Do. moment.

Toe ervaar ek Saterdag oggend dat die Here my bonatuurlike genesing aanbied, sonder behandeling. Ek was omver gegooi deur dit. Want dit was nooit iets wat ek by myself aan gedink het nie. Vir my om hierdie bonatuurlike genesing te aanvaar, moes ek deur goed werk. Die detail hiervan spaar ek vir my boek. Want ja, dit is OOK besig om te gebeur. Ek meen, die voorblad is klaar uitgesorteer. Ek weet mens doen seker die voorblad heel laaste, maar vir die boek, gebeur dit anders om….

In church on Sunday, I felt a warm sensation where the tumour is. Something I have never felt before. This was while the pastor was preaching and also while we were singing a song I speak Jesus. I felt it a few times, twice I think, cannot remember exactly where in the sermon, but I felt it. I knew God was doing something. I was then called forward so that they could anoint me and pray for me. The message was the same, even though different people were praying – BE HEALED IN JESUS NAME!

Ek het toe gevoel ek moet iets deel op die Whatsapp groepie wat ek het om almal op hoogte van alles te hou. Ek het getwyfel of ek moes deel van wat ek voel die Here aan my openbaar het oor die genesing, en ook dit wat ek in die kerk ervaar het. So herkou ek toe ‘n dag of wat aan dit, terwyl ek besluit wat om te doen. Toe hoor ek weer God sê Don’t Think. Just Do. Die deel op Whatsapp van dit wat die Here my bied en die kerk ervaring, was die vierde Don’t Think. Just Do. oomblik. God sal my nie beskaam nie. Soms is ons so huiwerig om te deel wat ons ervaar, en dit belemmer die getuienis wat hieruit gaan kom!

Yesterday, I received two messages from two different people who do not know each other. Each one of them, played a role in my daughter’s education. The first message was in Afrikaans and it contained the scripture from Acts 16:26. The reflection and thoughts on that verse was also shared in that message. EXACTLY 30 minutes later a message came in from the second lady, this time the message was in English but it was EXACTLY the same verse, same daily reflection, just in English.

Toe ek dit sien, kon ek nie help om God se hand in dit te sien nie. Hy probeer iets vir my sê. Nou die verse voor die vers, is waar Paulus en Silas in die tronk sit. Hulle het God geloof en prys en gebid tot Hom. Toe gebeur die aardbewing en die tronk se deure gaan oop en die boeie val af. As jy verder aan lees, sal jy sien dat Paulus en Silas nie self uitgeloop het nie, hulle het gewag vir die owerhede om hulle vry te laat. Wat ek hier ervaar het, is, die ding wat gediagnoseer is, probeer my gevange hou. Maar die Here skud die fondamente. Die Here maak die tronk onstabiel sodat ek vry kan wees.

But it is not up to me to get up and walk out. Like Paul and Silas I have to wait for the authorities (the Professors) to let me go from the jail. Again I was contemplating whether I should post anything publicly about this and again I heard God say Don’t Think. Just Do. Which is what I am doing now. I cannot save everything of the miracle for my book! I have to share some as I go along. And this is now my fifth Don’t Think. Just Do. moment. A good friend of mine said that Dawid took 5 little pebbles to defeat the giant. He only needed one. Five is the number for grace.

Dit is nou waaraan ek herinner word soos wat ek hierdie tik. God se genade is met my. Ek moes 5 klippies op tel. My Don’t Think. Just Do. oomblikke. Maar daar is net EEN klippie wat nodig is om die reus te oorwin. Ek moet net stil wees en weet die Here veg hierdie geveg vir my. En raai wat…..? My tweede naam is Davina. Dis die vroulike vorm van Dawid. Ek noem dit maar net per toeval….’n naam wat ek nooit baie van gehou het nie, tot ek die betekenis uitgevind het.

So the long and the short is, God is sorting this out in one wonderful way. A way I don’t even think I can imagine and I am not sure if it is going to go exactly as I have it planned in my mind. But I know God is always terribly on time. This is the beginning of something new. The short hair is so that God can work with me when I am not all polished and pretty with my long hair. He needs to get me to a place where I can be open to hear Him clearly, so that I can serve others and so that the dream that He gave me 15 years ago, can be fulfilled.

Laaste ding voor ek afsluit. My noem naam Elsie, beteken Consecrated to God. Set apart for His work and glory. Wow. Dis hoekom so baie goed op my hart gedruk was deur die Here. Hy het my werklik by my naam geroep! Om te doen waarvoor Hy my geskape het! En net so tussen ons, die liedjie wat ons oor en oor speel na en van dokter’s afsprake is Praise….ek sluit hom ook in op die post….

Posted on 23 September 202323 September 2023 by Elsie Potgieter — 2 Comments

The change

This has been the hardest thing for me to do. To cut my hair which I had been growing for almost a year after cutting it a very short bob last year December.

I cannot help but hear God’s whisper echo in my spirit Don’t think. Just do. I even joked yesterday saying that it would be really funny if I did all of this, the permanent make up and cutting the hair short, only for nothing to fall out. Something which I am secretly hoping for and praying for.

I am glad I did not know how painful the permanent make up is to apply, I surely would not have done it if I knew. I literally made an appointment one hour before going, not planning on doing it that day when I got up. No time to prepare myself mentally for that either.

Don’t think. Just do. That is all I can hear. It is scary, but, I know that this is the start of something beautiful that will develop and unfold. The song that keeps me going is from Elevation worship – Praise. I cannot help but keeping on praising God, irrespective of what is happening.

He has got this. I know this. So, with all of that being said, here are some pics before the haircut and permanent make up and then the after photo…..praaaise the Lord, oh my soul! In the after photo, I have a bit of a bad “ass” girl look 🤣.

Posted on 31 August 202331 August 2023 by Elsie Potgieter — Leave a comment

Faith and the works that go with it

The clock (is this now the right word to use? Watch sounds wrong) in our lounge rings the tune it normally does, just before announcing the hour. It is one o’clock in the morning. The whole house is sound asleep. With the exception of myself and the hamsters. I sit and listen to the dog’s breathing, how it goes to the next level of deep sleep, as if she is preparing herself to chase butterflies in her dreams. Or maybe rather a Hadeda, after all, the dachshunds and the Hadeda’s have declared a silent war against each other in our garden.

The peep sounds of the baby hamsters can be heard better now that the entire house is quiet (the hamster that my son won at a church bazar beginning of August had babies, without us knowing that she is pregnant – is this the right word to use for a hamster having babies?). Then I sit and think about all the work that has to be done. The extra workload that came unexpectedly due to changes in legislation. Just like that boom, we are part of the FICA train. One that I did not really want to get on to begin with. But here I am. On my way to FICA land, with all its acronyms and stuff that make my head spin.

I cannot seem to find my comfy spot to lie down to sleep. I try to sit upright to sleep on the one couch. That feels impossible too. Some or another infection in my body is keeping me from sleeping. As if I need this too! On top of everything else. Swollen lymph nodes are not for the weak. And I feel weak. I must stop myself; I want to cry every now and then due to the discomfort that I am experiencing. The frustrations of not being 100% healthy is getting to me.

I am trying to make sense of where it comes from but, realise that the signs of infection have been there for some time now. I was just not clever enough to recognise it, and I wrote it off as stress, burnout, little to no sleep. And old age. I really thought in my head that this is probably how it feels when you start ageing? Especially when I could not keep up anymore at the weekly Cross Fit exercise sessions. Moving slower than usual. I thought this is what it feels like when you age. Your strength is not what it used to be, in spite of healthier lifestyles, exercise and who knows what! I almost accepted it as the norm, when this is not the case at all!!

My head turns to this month’s scripture on the desk pad. Then I wonder why, every month this year, I only write about it the last weekend of the month? Why do I not get time like I used to previously, earlier in the month? Why don’t I start working on this earlier in the month? Then I wonder about my designs for 2024. Whether I should continue with designing desk pads, tent calendars and other things subsequent to 2024? Whether I should do an eagle tent calendar for 2024 for men? And a desk pad for men? Would they even use it and buy it? I don’t KNOW!!!!! Everything feels overwhelming!

Too tired to look at my phone’s screen much longer, I decide to continue writing this with a fresh brain and eyes. That is IF can get some sleep. What felt like the longest night in history, with sleep avoiding me like crazy, it is Saturday morning. Here I am, behind my computer. I have to work. I actually want to craft and write. The weekends feel too short for everything that I want to do to fill up my tank for the week ahead.

I decide to do the responsible thing and rather tend to work than to write or do anything else that is more fun than work. Here I am, a few days later, on the day before the last day of August, finishing off this entry. Only for it to be published on the last day of August. But that is just how it all worked out. I read the scripture again and the verses before this one. It is about Abraham that had to offer Izak.

I am trying to make sense on how I am interpreting this scripture, thinking about the story about Abraham, how he in total faith, went to the place where he had to offer Izak, because that was the instruction from God. The specifics about the location is avoiding me too. I wonder so many times what he must have thought. We all just read it as a story, don’t always think of emotions and feelings of the people we read about.

I remember also that he said something to the effect of “God will provide” whenever Izak used to ask him where the animal is that must be offered. And I think this is what this is all about. We must have faith with actions. We must purposefully do something, that does not make sense, to confirm our faith. Does this make sense? Because having faith, is believing in something that we have not necessarily seen or experienced, is it not?

Let me give an example from my own life. Before I was pregnant with my daughter, I felt that God placed it on my heart to buy a home pregnancy test (or two). At that stage, falling pregnant did not happen quickly or easily like it was the case with my son. Grateful that we did not struggle, but it just did not happen spontaneously.

I got prophetic word about a baby girl, months before falling pregnant with her. This deed of mine, to purchase something that did not make sense at that stage, is where my faith came in. You see, I could have chosen to ignore that which God placed on my heart to do. But I chose to believe that I will use the tests and that they will be positive, in spite of where I was in my life.

And I think it is actions such as these, that relates to this scripture. Faith without actions is nothing. Does it make sense what I am trying to say here? I hope so, because this is how I interpret this and I am sure if I read this verse again a few years from now, God is likely to reveal something else that I cannot see now….that is why His word is living and alive!

May we continue to choose to believe, doing things that God places on our hearts to do, so that our faith may be built by our actions. Growing stronger. As I close off here, God reminds me of Beroepsvrou and the faith that came with it. How I started writing without me knowing and understanding why. And when I had to make the aprons, without a plan for it and the plan not coming from myself. How wonderful is God? What does He do for you, and what do you do for Him? To build your faith…..?

Posted on 30 July 202330 July 2023 by Elsie Potgieter — Leave a comment

The Pot of Gold

I grew up in a world where there are so many myths, stories and also lies. Especially in children’s stories. Many people will tell you “It is just a story” and make it off as nothing. But, all these stories and things that we take in, is the enemy’s way of desensitising us, making us used to things that are not from God. So much so, that we cannot distinguish between right and wrong. We cannot distinguish between that which is from God and that which is from the world.

The one myth that I think about, is the one about a leprechaun (the short little man with the hat displaying a four leaved clover on it, who is always trying to trick people) with his pot of gold at the end of a rainbow. In these stories, everyone is searching for this pot of gold and in some instances, I think they see it, but it remains out of reach.

Now the reason why I am talking about this is, the world made up a story to let people believe that there is something precious to be found in a place that is impossible to locate. Of course, we know that the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow does not really exist. But, until you learn the truth from someone about something, you will continue to believe the lie, because you do not know of better.

This proverbial pot of gold that is being searched for, can actually be applied to any situation in our lives. We believe the lies, chasing after things that do not really exist, thinking that we will find what we are searching for. All the while, that which we are searching for, does not really exist and will never be found. As humans, we will always be searching for SOMETHING. We have a little hole we have to fill.

Now it feels like I am starting to think random thoughts and giving it through, but I am sure you will follow what I am trying to say here. The rainbow is God’s sign of a covenant with mankind, one that He set with Noah. Do you see how the world twists the beauty of the rainbow? Letting it symbolise different things in life, representing everything that it is not? In this myth that I refer to, it represents something valuable that cannot be found at the end of the rainbow that does not exist.

This brings me to this month’s bible verse. Here God confirms something and gives us a promise. The verse confirms that humans are ever searching for something. That something that we are searching for, is God. Only He can fill the hole in our lives. If we seek Him with all of our heart, we WILL find Him. How wonderful is this? The rainbow, representing God’s promise and covenant, leads to something more precious than a pot of gold. It leads to God. His covenant and promise to us as humans. If we do it whole heartedly, with everything inside of us, WE WILL FIND HIM!

Wow! I am so grateful for the revelation that God has given me about this verse. I pray that everyone that reads it, will continue the search for God rather than for empty promises, myths, stories and lies from the world. That which is waiting for us at the end of God’s rainbow, is so much more than that which the world can offer us. What are you searching for today? Are you following God’s rainbow or the one the world has to offer with a pot of gold that does not exist?

Posted on 22 July 202323 July 2023 by Elsie Potgieter — Leave a comment

A story…

Not too long ago, one morning after attending church, a friend of mine, Tanja Smith, calls me closer. She introduces me to Karien Bosman, saying she should ask me. Like the obedient friend I am, I stand closer, ever so slightly confused with what needs to be asked of me. The conversation leads in the direction of selling tickets for a table, attending a Cherish morning for women, at our church, Doxa Deo Xanadu. To be a hostess at this event.

I have never in my life before, portrayed the role of a hostess at an event such as this (I was always hesitant for these types of things, the one reason is the fear of the unknown, and also fearing that I will be asked to do something that is outside my comfort zone). None the less, here I am, acting as a hostess. I must sell 9 other tickets and then ensure that the tea pots are full of hot water and filter coffee. I reckoned that this is easy enough and agreed to this, selling tickets to other friends and people I know.

One Saturday, at my nail appointment, I chatted with Irene about this event and she asked what it entails. I shrugged my shoulders saying that I don’t know much. Just that it includes something to eat. She started to laugh, because that was not what she had asked. She wanted to know who the guest speaker is and what she is going to talk about. Again, I could not really answer her, and we left it at that. She reserved a seat at my table, and so the process started with other friends reserving seats at my table.

The day before the event, all the hostesses had to get together to help set up in the hall. Everyone is responsible to set their tables with everything that is provided by the church. It does not sound too difficult to do, and here I go from the one side of Hartbeespoort Dam to the other side, to fulfil this task that was assigned to me. Part of the things that have to be placed on the table, is Khayelitsha Cookies. Now let me tell you quickly – I took a photo of the biscuits and I had to double check the spelling of Khayelitsha from the photo, because man of man, I would not get this right on my own.

None the less, I do as I am told and don’t wonder too much about what is going to happen. I did not try to figure out who Adri Williams is and didn’t think twice about the biscuits. At some stage I heard Karien saying that when Adri flies in that evening, she will bring this, that and the next with her. Now in my mind I am starting to do calculations about where Adri is from. Khayelitsha (oh my hat I must check this word’s spelling the whole time!!) is in the Cape Province. So I reckoned that she is somewhere from the Cape area.

On the day, someone mentioned to me that Adri purchased Khayelitsha Cookies for something like R1 in 2013, I think, and turned the business around. Again, my head starts doing calculations and I reckoned she will be giving her testimony of how God turned that business around into one massive profitable business. And like that, the morning started, coffee, tea and boiling water is carried to the table, and I convinced myself that I will get my daily steps recorded on my exercise watch, because, my table is on the far side of the hall, right on the opposite side of where the coffee and boiling water is. Then it was Adri’s turn to speak.

I am trying to remember all the facts, but I must admit, she talked a lot and mentioned so many things, that I just cannot remember everything. I also did not sit to make notes, so here it goes. I am going to say what I remember from the morning. I also reckon that her story cannot be fitted into a blog entry, so I will give the short version. Her story is worthy of a book, I don’t even think a morning like this, can describe in detail all God’s miracles. Because that is what it is about, is it not?

You see, I am someone that likes the detail. I like to hear HOW God lets people’s paths cross, how someone prays over here and someone, 700 km away, hears something, experiencing how God just brings everything and everyone together in His Godly manner. Something that cannot be fabricated by people. The long and the short is – Adri was in a cosy corporate job. Had a company car, marble countertops in the kitchen and the works. Real fancy. Then at one stage, she quit her job and joined Khayelitsha Cookies (oh man me and the spelling of this word). The role that she portrayed, I could not detect from her testimony, the year I cannot remember – was it 2003 or 2007?

Adri mentioned that her family thought she was crazy to do something like this, but now they are rock solid behind her, supporting her. Somewhere in her testimony, she was involved with a Children’s home (I think with her church…?) and every second Saturday, they would do an outreach to these kids. She always kept to the toddlers rather than the babies (from what I could understand, she was afraid she will break them if she holds them, so she rather just avoided them). One particular Saturday, a baby was placed in her arms, the nurse asking her to help give the baby 15 ml of milk before she leaves that day, else the child will surely die.

She mentions a shocking fact that 1 out of 5 children die annually because of malnutrition. Now this is where the Cookie company came in, somewhere around here (now I am avoiding the spelling of Khayelitsha because it frustrates me too much to constantly check how it is spelt). She shared with us how she became a fellow shareholder, after the previous owners wanted to close down the company, because they were operating at a loss and just could not pay the bills anymore. This company does not receive government funding I learnt, and they also bake at a profit margin of 1% (I may have the % incorrect, but it is not very big) on the sales of the biscuits. She tells us where she started with three small ovens like those you would use in your home (I know exactly what oven she refers to – for many years, that was what I had to use in our house before we upgraded to a bigger one). She showed us pictures of where they are now, a wonderful space with big ovens, something that looked like a vision that God gave her right at the start when she joined the Cookie company.

At this point, her testimony turns to something that I did not expect. She tells us how she heard God’s voice audibly, one year on Christmas day, while having Christmas lunch with her family, about cattle feed that she must take to a farmer. She proceeds to tell us how God just let everything fall into place, like only He can. How cell phone calls dialled through to places where there is no cell phone reception. How the farmer prayed to God for help on that same Christmas day that she heard God audibly, 700 km away, about what to do. It is just AMAZING and the detail is too much to share here (I am most probably going to get the detail wrong, I would have to sit with her, making notes, because I want to get the detail right).

The story progress further about how she started to arrange and organise a fleet of trucks to deliver cattle feed, doing research about what feed different types of cattle eat (because yes, there is humour in this story – the very first feed truck that she arranged, was food that sheep do not eat and from what I gathered, it was taken to a sheep farmer). She further had to do due diligence investigations about the farmers that needed help, because it is other people’s money and donations used in this process and she cannot afford for anything to go wrong here. She drove with each truck where feed is delivered, arranging the diesel, drivers, trucks, cattle feed. You name it, she had to arrange it. We learnt how God touched farmer’s lives (and hearts) who had become hard hearted towards God, how communities turned back to Him. How they prayed for farmers’ wives, serving others like only God can.

Then came the accident. A gruesome accident where they thought she would not survive. She tells us how the car rolled 6 and a half times after a tyre burst. How her right arm twisted twice I think, in an unnatural manner and was totally out of place. The arm was crushed in medical terms. She tells us how God sent someone, to pray for the woman in the car. A man that looked like her dad and called her Miss (Juffrou in Afrikaans), something that only her dad called her. She was freed from the car after 3 and half hours of cutting away at the wreck, with who knows what machinery (I cannot remember everything). How God sent farmers to pray for her health, because it looked like she was not going to survive.

An ICU ambulance was sent from the Cape, to transport her for medical assistance. She tells us jokingly, how the coloured paramedic was fighting with her to stay alive so that they can help her in the hospital. It is just trauma upon trauma upon trauma in her testimony and all the way, one cannot help but to notice God’s hand in everything (and His humour too, because three years after the accident, she learnt that the local doctor was not available and the doctor that was standing in at that time, assisting her, was also the local veterinarian). It was so amazing to notice God’s hand in everything, to hear how He is in the detail in everything that happened with her. She tells us that she flatlined when she saw her family at the hospital and how they resuscitated her. How she had all these thoughts going through her mind, while she was lying in the wreck, coming in and out of consciousness. How she wondered if she was truly a good mother to her children and whether she really did everything right and did enough?

The core of her message was this – we are enough, but we are also at times our biggest enemy. Every person has a story. We must testify of God’s goodness, how He provides. How He helps us when people can’t. She told us further that the doctors did not have hope for her arms, that she had to go in for the umpteenth time for an operation, signing forms beforehand authorising doctors to amputate her arms if they feel they cannot do anything more for her. How her husband pledged R777 at a local radio station in the Cape province, how he was praying for the healing of his wife and her arms. At this same event at the Radio station, was Gary Kieswetter.

Gary felt that God told him that her arms will be God’s trophies. She goes on by telling us that Gary phoned her, telling her what he felt God told him. After all the operations, the lack of life that the doctors spoke over her arms, she still has both her arms and full use of them. God restored and healed it completely! Only a living God can do this! The biggest miracle of all? The scars on both her arms are 27cm long – this represents the number of trucks that God asked her to arrange. The total holes in her body, as a result from the stitches, amounts to 161. This represents the number of farmers that God assisted through the feed trucks that were arranged. I cannot help but to see someone standing in victory, arms flexing upwards.

True trophies with engravings of God’s goodness and favour. Just like Gary Kieswetter experienced and shared with her. Even after all the revelations, there were more operations, and the other miracles of these operations? No additional stitches or cut marks were made on the surface of her skin. If there were stitches, it was placed internally. How wonderful is God? Wow. I did NOT expect to hear this type of testimony. I almost felt ashamed about how boring my life is and how I feel that I do not do enough for God. How I almost started to listen to the lies from the devil, that I can only write a blog and nothing more. I mean, what does a blog help for draught and cattle dying from a lack of food? But a very important thing was said by her – we must not compare our stories with those of others. Everyone has their own story, unique and written by God.

Of course, I got my answer from God about Beroepsvrou. I have been struggling for a while now about the purpose of Beroepsvrou and whether I should not retire the Pink Feathers ® range of Beroepsvrou. To just focus on writing and my day job and life that keeps on happening, raising two kids and just doing my part when it comes to that… but God’s answer this morning was clear, audible, spoken by Adri. Do not stop, keep on doing something for God. It does not have to be something that you make a living from. Just keep on. I cannot recall her exact words, but this is what I got from it. Testify, because everything comes back to our Creator. How great He truly is. How He is in every single detail.

Adri, my prayer for you is God’s goodness and favour over you (here I go again with the spelling) and Khayelitsha Cookies and everything that God lays on your heart to do. Your obedience and testimony are so inspiring. It is wonderful to know that there are other crazy people out there, doing things that do not make sense, but just being obedient in that what God lays on their hearts to do. There is a song from Casting Crowns called Crazy People – one of my favourite songs. Go and testify and keep on praising God’s name, bringing glory to Him, because it is His breath in our lungs, and we cannot do less than that – to praise and worship His Name!

Posted on 6 July 20236 July 2023 by Elsie Potgieter — Leave a comment

The sliced bread invention for Accountants and Auditors

Now I was going to wait until I have used my newly acquired gadget, before blogging about it. But, today’s training session that I attended, just sold it even more to me (the demo last week sold it to me when a simple recon was done in a few seconds). I decided that I MUST write about this, before my enthusiasm flies out the window. Now you are probably wondering WHAT I am going on about? If you are an Accountant or Auditor, continue reading here. If not, well, just continue reading so that you can enjoy my sense of humour in what I experienced during today’s training session.

The invention that I am going on about is called The Audit Toolbar ™. To dumb it down a bit – it is an Excel Plug In that is incorporated in the toolbars of Excel. What this thing does, is, it saves you so much time filtering through data, deleting unwanted rows and cells, to name only a few. It is more aimed at auditing, assisting with things like sample selections, catching out people hiding things in sheets (yes, we can now virtually see everything clients give us), errors in formulae, etc.

Now I am not going to reinvent the wheel here, retyping everything that I have learnt in my two-hour session. The only thing that I do want to say is – Christiaan did virtual pull ups when he was showing us what this toolbar can do with messy data. A pull up is one of the most difficult exercises to do in my opinion. When I attend weekly Cross Fit exercise classes, and either Kerneels or Schwartz (our instructors at Steel Eagle Fitness Gym in Skeerpoort) demonstrate the movement, they make it look so easy.

This was the same for me during today’s training session. Christiaan made it look so easy. I always say that my brain has muscles like Arnold Schwarzenegger. Although after today, I think Christiaan’s brain has more muscle tone than my brain, and rightfully so! This is such an incredible invention! So much time and effort went into this development. Those who think a program just works, think again. It is hours and hours of blood, sweat and tears that go into something like the Audit Toolbar ™.

Having a quick chat with him last week after the demo session of the morning and signing up to purchase the toolbar, I learnt that Christiaan took a huge leap of faith in resigning his full-time job (with a confirmed income also left behind, just by the way) to take on this invention. This was approximately two years ago. Now, he can see the fruit that his labour is bearing. And I must say, I think it is great. It is almost like one of those old cars that have been taken from a rusty and dusty old thing that does not work, to a polished, pretty red car that can move at the speed of light (almost).

Like every newly developed system I expect some teething issues, but, from what I can see on reviews on this product, is that Christiaan is always ready to assist. His aim is to resolve queries within 30 minutes, which I think is also great, because if you have a deadline, stuck with a schedule and need help, you cannot wait for weeks or days for it to be resolved! Christiaan – I truly hope that you will get some sleep and that the 30 minute rule does not apply to issues submitted after hours. Because anyone that has friends that are Accountants and Auditors know that we work strange hours at times…

I look forward to doing my first GL cleanup with this toolbar, actually being able to recover all my time on an engagement. Getting more done in a day/week/month and year. With the pressure we have and with everything going on, such as changes in legislation, anything to assist, will most certainly help and be welcome! Christiaan, from my side – congratulations on a well written and designed product! May you experience God’s favour in abundance, and may He bless you with this new baby that He has entrusted with you.

Posted on 29 June 202329 June 2023 by Elsie Potgieter — 2 Comments

Footprints

The entire month I felt like I almost had writer’s block when it comes to this month’s bible verse. I am struggling to identify with the verse. I have written a few pieces, only for them to be deleted again, because they do not feel right. It feels like that what I am trying to say is not carried over correctly. This whole time I am talking to myself and God, asking what it is that I must write.

I also cannot help but think that this year feels less and less like a Jubilee year. Something that I declared in 2022 with the new year’s diaries, now feels like something out of ancient history and almost like a lie. Now I will not bore you with everything that I feel does not belong in a year of Jubilee in my life personally. I think the cherry on the top was our little pup that died after being hit by a car now in June. But the long and the short is – this year feels really tough for me!

Back to the bible verse – I read it over and over. But it feels like I hear nothing. Until last weekend. While I was washing dishes, my thoughts wander to the very famous piece that was written called Footprints. You know, the one about the two rows of footprints? And when the person asks Jesus where He was when it was difficult in this person’s life and only one row of footprints can be seen. With that Jesus answered the person – That was when I carried you.

Suddenly a few lights go on for me. You see, I am searching the whole time for something to identify with, to be able to testify about how God has carried me through one specific situation. But I realised that I missed it. Totally. This is not what the verse is about. As I let my thoughts go about the verse, I think back to my life.

How so many things happened at so many different times and God saved me and carried me through it all. Since I was young and before I had accepted Him properly as my Saviour. Until now, here where I am older but still relatively young, He carries me. Protects me. I can actually testify daily of His goodness in my life. Even if I cannot pinpoint only one specific moment.

Then I start to think – this is how simple it is. Nothing complicated or elaborated about what is happening in the verse. No, the fact that God protects us daily, is enough to identify with this bible verse. When you look back you will most certainly see only one row of footprints, at other times there will be two. There where the one row of footprints are, those are the carry times that is spoken about in this verse.

My thoughts cannot help but to wander back to the famous piece of Footprints. And the answer from Jesus on the question about the one row of footprints. It was when I carried you.

Posted on 31 May 202331 May 2023 by Elsie Potgieter — Leave a comment

Peace beyond all measure

Every time I think about peace, I think of the movie, Miss Congeniality where she closed off her answer, to a question that was asked, with the sentence “And World Peace.” And then while I am typing it like this, I cannot help but wonder if I have not written something similar to this? I cannot remember, because I write as much as what I talk and talk as much as what I write. None the less, this month’s scripture is about God’s peace that exceeds anything we will ever understand and experience. This whole month I was waiting in anticipation of experiencing it (because I have experienced it before) but it is as if it was dodging me the whole time.

Then I realise that this month’s circumstances is of such a nature, that I experienced peace like the world offers it. Sort of. I went to Google the proper definition of peace, as the dictionary explains and describes it. Unlike the Afrikaans definition that I Googled referring me to Wikipedia, I found the English definition from the Oxford Languages Dictionary. The definition is said to be freedom from disturbance, tranquillity. A state or period in which there is no war, or a war has ended.

While reading this, it struck me. On the surface it seems that there are no disturbances and actually a state of tranquillity, no war going on. However, on my own I have declared war against the webpage of an institution that does not want to work as it should. No one declared war against me, so theoretically it is not a state of war. I will not blame and shame the institution, because the purpose of this blog is not to sweep people up to be negative. But silently I have this war against this webpage, with an outlook that I will win and get everything submitted on time and before or on the due date of 31 May and not miss the deadline.

So, if I then have this silent war that I declared against this webpage, then I do not have God’s peace, do I? In worldly terms I actually have peace, even if the webpage is not working. It is not going terrible with me. I mean, no one has declared a physical war against me, this is just another thing that I have to deal with and resolve and can be seen as part of the day job. You know, the saying, every sport has its injuries? This is now one of those everyday injuries of the “sport” that I exercise daily when it comes to the day job.

The whole time while I am working, struggling to get things done, I get frustrated and irritated. So for sure I do not have God’s peace. And then in the process, the frustrations make me slap my hands together out of pure disbelief, or hitting the table that I am working on, unintentionally jump scaring my husband, who is working in the same office. Of course, the words that come with the frustrations want to be uttered and I have to focus really hard not to say them, but I must confess, I do not always get it right. So, you see, I feel I do not have the peace of God that this text is referring to.

Because this is peace that exceeds anything we can understand, peace that the world cannot offer us. And this peace guards our hearts and minds. Which implies I will not slap my hands in frustration or utter words that I should not be said. Now I have experienced God’s peace and I must say, that is a very nice place to be in. Even if it is chaotic around me, I cannot help but experience His peace that exceeds all things I have ever experienced. This is something that I long for on a daily basis in my life. In spite of my silent and self-proclaimed war, I feel some form of peace inside of me.

I can almost feel how the Holy Spirit is gently blowing peace into my spirit. Here I am now, war halfway won, busy making other plans to ensure that I will get all submitted on time, keeping my side clean so that no one can turn around and say Sorry nê, your submission was not on time and therefore we are levying a penalty. Even if the late submission was not my fault and that of the system, the outlook is always that penalties will be levied if not submitted on time.

As I close off this article, I think I understand better what is meant with the peace like the world offers. You see, all of us, myself included, can get so worked up when things do not go according to plan. It is not the end of the world and everything does not fall apart, but things are just not working as they should. It is in these moments of frustration and being worked up, that we miss God’s peace and just experience the peace like the world offers us. Does it make sense what I am trying to say?

The long and the short is, we must not fall for the devils lies, hook, line and sinker. We do not have to get worked up and miss God’s peace in the process. We do not have to be content with the peace like the world offers us. If we miss God’s peace, then we are missing the guidance He is offering us in our lives…. ever thought about it in this manner? What are you choosing today? Are you choosing to get all worked up, being frustrated about that which is not working? Are you giving space for things and stuff, other than that which is from God, to guide your mind? I know that I want God’s peace AND His guidance in my life, irrespective of the circumstances.

Posted on 10 May 202310 May 2023 by Elsie Potgieter — 1 Comment

2023 Hoërskool Bekker High – aprons / voorskote

Hierdie inskrywing is tweetalig en ook maar net vir diegene wat my webjoernaal volg, wat nie op sosiale media is nie, se inligting…. wat ‘n wonderlike voorreg om God se woord te kon verkondig aan die jeug, die toekoms, die mense aan wie ons die aflosstokkie moet oorhandig.

A big thank you to Bekker High School for receiving me on Monday and making me feel at home like always! I trust the Holy Spirit that the seed that was sown to grow at the right time so that they too can be light bearers for God’s Kingdom on earth! As I said to the children on Monday, this past weekend it was the Coronation of King Charles. Our Pastor at Doxa Deo said a true thing – everyone knows who King Charles is, but King Charles does not know who I am or many other people on this earth.

Maar Koning Jesus ken ons elkeen by ons naam! Is dit nie wonderlik nie? Hy het ons eerste lief gehad nog voordat ons Hom gekies het! Wat doen jy om te sorg dat jou vere pienk bly? Het jy Pienk Vere ® vir die Here? Is dit wat jy besig is om in te sit goed en van God af? Die saad van dit wat ons insit deur ons sintuie, gaan lê in ‘n mens se hart en dit bepaal ‘n mens se lewe soos Salomo tereg gesê het in Spreuke 4:23.

Be vigilant always, and it is ok to be a bit weird and different, because that is what distinguishes us from the rest of the world. To stand out, proud, tall and pink like the Flamingo to be recognised as a Child of God. Sometimes our actions seem weird to the rest of the world, just as the Flamingos manner of eating with its head upside down, filtering its food (because it is a filter feeder). Just like the Flamingo filters its food while eating, we as Christians should filter that which is thrown to us by the world (through social media and everything around us), as it states in 1 Thessalonians 5:21 – But test all things carefully [so you can recognize what is good]. Hold firmly to that which is good. (Amplified).

Tot volgende jaar Hoërskool Bekker! Ek kan nie wag nie, en sien uit om die nuwe groep Graad 12’s te ontmoet en mee te gesels!

Posted on 30 April 202330 April 2023 by Elsie Potgieter — Leave a comment

Fake-it-till-you-make-it-day

When I started to write this piece, I was feeling a bit blue. Initially, I thought I was not going to publish this at all, but, as true and faithful as God is, He showed me the light and I decided to proceed with the publication of this, as the purpose of the blog is to show people that I am only human and that God picks me up when I feel down and out. The days leading up to Fake-it-till-you-make-it-day AKA my Birthday (in April and shortly after the Easter weekend) was rather interesting. My outlook on life and how quickly time goes seems to be changing as rapidly as the wind and tides change. You see, for a long time, even before reaching the age of 40, I have been realising just how short our time on earth is. Watching the movie The Intern with Robert Dinero and Anne Hathaway in the leading roles, made me realise or rather recap this even more.

The movie starts with Robert Dinero as Ben, a 70 year old retired widower, telling this modern, online business, why they should hire him as a senior intern as advertised. He talks about his wife who had passed away three years earlier, how tough retirement is when you have nothing to get up for and how he coped with being retired and alone. He decided to have an attitude of getting out of the house in the mornings to be at the local Star Bucks at a certain time daily. That gave him purpose.

Now back to my life, that makes me think of what we perceive to be the distant future. The reality is, it is closer than what we can ever think. Just yesterday I was 21 years old. In the blink of an eye it is 21 years later and I am celebrating my 42nd birthday. I still cannot seem to get over the fact that I am getting older. I really had this thing in my mind, when I was in my twenties and even thirties, that I don’t think I will ever get THERE you know? Grow old, because it is just so far away and so far in the distant future. NEWS FLASH to all the twenty-something-year-olds reading this – life happens, time goes by! You will age, you will get older. Your kids will leave the house and start their own families and lives without you as their primary care-giver.

2023 marks the year that I know my husband for half of my life. Say what now? Yes, read that again. I have known my husband for HALF OF MY LIFE! Old people know people for half of their lives! Not me! In my mind I am still a 20-something year old. In my mind, I am still 24, still have dreams of becoming fitter and more toned, doing things that my heart desires rather than what pays the bills.

I still have all these plans and dreams, some of which, seem to be ridiculous at this age – the one of becoming more toned for one, seems to be the most ridiculous of them all, yet, I am religiously following my dream, going to the gym three times per week now. I have come to a point, where I am realising that One Day may just not arrive for certain goals I had set for myself unintentionally at a very young age. Having a more than hectic first quarter for 2023, ending up with Vertigo, which is stress related, just makes me weigh up everything in life, especially the work-life balance that I am trying so hard to achieve. I think my biggest wish or goal rather at this stage, is to not be exhausted when it comes to the birthdays of my family members, including my own.

You see, being a Chartered Accountant in business is very stressful. The demands to keep all the balls in the air are just becoming more hectic. As times change, the workload increases. Systems change and every “little” additional thing that we have to send to authorities, effectively adds about 15 to 30 minutes to our already overloaded work schedule. For years I could not figure out why we could just never get ahead with our work. Then it struck me. It is all these changes in systems, things that authorities just expect to happen, without undue interference or hinderance from our side.

Not even to mention the impact that load-shedding has on running a business. We lose internet signal at times, having to live without cell phone reception and internet connectivity for a few hours up to a few days at times (in the extreme cases, which, thank goodness, does not occur frequently. But it normally happens at a critical time). Everything is online you know. Then you cannot do your work. You cannot send e-mails, cannot submit returns. It becomes a frustration.

Anyway, I am NOT here to sing a moan song about the stress of my job, because, at the end of the day I chose my day job, not the other way around. So, I have to make peace with that which I chose to make a living for myself and my family. Back to the day before my birthday. It is Monday evening, 10 April 2023. I am a bit teary eyed, because man, turning 42 felt worse than turning 40. My husband tries to encourage me before we go to put the kids to bed. Lying next to my daughter, now 9 years old, I was silently crying to myself. She turns to me and asks me what is wrong?

Next thing I see, she turns on her bedside lamp, looks me in the eyes and asks me why I think I feel this way. This to me, was so mature for a 9-year-old. I continue to chat with her, telling her that I feel like a bad mother. I feel like I am not nurturing enough, not showing sufficient sympathy and empathy when they are sick or not feeling well. I feel like my impatience is making me a bad mother. I even ended my sentence crying, saying that I am not like her. Because, man oh man, she has a nurturing personality. Something that does not come naturally for me.

She answers that statement by saying that when her tonsils were sick, I took her to the hospital to have them removed. So, I am a good mother. When I responded saying that I did not show much sympathy and empathy with her with the pain, because I got cross with her for being stubborn and not drinking her medication like she should have, she shrugged her shoulders, saying “Such is life.” We continued the conversation, I continued to say that I feel bad that I cannot give her everything that her heart desires. She again answered me with “Such is life. I cannot get a new game on the cell phone I play with every day.”

When I heard these very mature answers from my 9-year-old daughter, I realised that I am doing something right somewhere. All the Ethics training and Tall Trees analysis of my own personality, EI Activator courses and all the other stuff that I do rather than just boring work-related training (this training counts for CPD points by the way), made me realise that it is not in vain. It is starting to pay off. Even if I still have a mountain of training to catch up on, something is working somewhere. I am contributing to the next generation. Trying to raise children with responsibility, accountability, empathy, sympathy, humanity, nurturing habits. I don’t think I always do everything right, but, when I have a day like that and end it off with a conversation like this with my daughter, then I know I cannot call my birthday Fake-it-till-you-make-it-day. Because in reality, I am not faking it, I am actually making it.

All the Glory be to God always. For the instincts He places within us as parents. All the guidance He provides through His word. For being able to call myself a child of God, being so privileged to be chosen by Him first and having this ministry to share with other moms out there, who may be feeling the same emotions and issues than what I am feeling. We are going to be ok. We are making mistakes as we go along, but that is human nature. With God by our side, we cannot help but bear forward and Make it rather than Fake it till you make it. Here is to all the moms out there, feeling like failures! You are not a failure and you are not alone! God is always with you and all those other moms around you, who seem to have it all together, is fighting just as hard to keep on keeping on.

Posted on 30 April 202330 April 2023 by Elsie Potgieter — Leave a comment

Deed and truth

I cannot help but wonder what is actually busy happening to time. I am not finding time to write like I used to in the past. Come to think of it, I am not finding time to do anything it seems. My circumstances have changed, no doubt about that, but can it truly have such a big influence? Anyway, on the last day of April, I am finally finding time to write about this month’s scripture. Now, I have been thinking about it for a while now, chewing on what I want to say. Maybe it is not really the being busy that is hindering me to write, but rather what I feel I want to say about the scripture, that is truly the hold up here. I do not want to write for the sake of writing you know.

Now this month’s verse is yet again very interesting to me, especially the manner in which God is busy breaking it open to understand it from a different point of view. When you love someone, then you say it to them, right? But with it comes other things too. You treat the person nicely and do things for them, because you love them, something that you may not do for a total stranger.

The part of the verse that stands out the most is in the last part. The word – truth. You see, when you truly love someone, you will also tell them the truth. You will not tell them stories and things that are contradicting to love. Now here is the other deep part of the verse, if I can put it that way. Who must we love? A question that Jesus answered the Pharisees and other people who studied the bible (whose collective name I cannot think of right now in this moment). We must love our neighbours as ourselves.

Wow! So, in other words, this verse is applicable to all people, not only those close to you and with whom you have a relationship with. I don’t think this implies that we have to say that we love people whom we do not know from a bar of soap! Because the word love is deep. But, you must have respect for others, even if you do not know them on a personal level. Showing them that Jesus is within you. The same is applicable to our deeds – we don’t have to do something by moving into someone’s personal space. But, if you are stuck in traffic, you can give a space for the person next to you and in this manner show a deed of love, even if you do not know that person. Does it make sense?

The word I seem to come back to the whole time is truth. What are you busy doing? Are you telling the truth on all levels? Are you telling people of Jesus? He is the truth. Are you speaking the truth when you interact with people and when you are doing business transactions? Do you keep to your word? Are you truly busy showing love through your tongue, forcing yourself to speak the truth, irrespective of the circumstances?

I also don’t think you should tell someone that you do not like the shirt they are wearing, because that is personal taste in my opinion. And when you say things to people in this manner, then you are attacking their personality. Does it make sense what I am trying to say here? The verse makes me think of the English saying Actions speak louder than words. How true are those words? Maybe you have these people in your life, whether it is friends or family. They tell you things that would make you think that you have a good relationship, but their deeds say the contrary. Maybe the truth is lacking a bit in that what is actually busy happening. Respect may be absent – because everything is always about them rather than those around them.

May we be reminded frequently, to show love in deed and in truth, and not only by words and with our tongue. This is not only applicable to fellow humans here on earth. Not at all! Our relationship with God must also be like this! Don’t just say that you love God if your actions and deeds speak the contrary. Where do you stand today? What is your relationship with Him like? Are you truly busy showing Him that you love Him? Or are you getting stuck at a superficial Sunday relationship with Him? Something to think about I would say….

Posted on 28 April 202328 April 2023 by Elsie Potgieter — Leave a comment

Chow, cheers and goodbye

Now let me tell you. To say chow, cheers and goodbye to someone that you know for almost your whole life, sucks, if I can say it like it is, with no tact at all. This past week, I experienced one of those chow, cheers and goodbye days again. The first time that I realised how much it sucked to say chow, cheers and goodbye, was in 2017, when my mom completed her race on earth. Only then did I realise what death really means and entails.

The other time was in 2021. When I had to greet my sister Erika, her husband Jaco and their two children, 580 times (ok not really that much, but it was a lot of times) before they finally left Pretoria to immigrate to New Zealand. To me it felt like I would never, ever, see them in real life, ever again. Never ever. Because I know how expensive it is to travel back and forth. For them and for us.

Well, Tuesday 25 April 2023 marks another chow, cheers and goodbye day. When I had to greet the same brother-in-law (or heavy as we translated swaer directly from Afrikaans to English), after a short visit to South-Africa. On 6 April 2023, he slept over at our house for one night. My instructions to Dora was to get the house spick and span. Everything must be packed away. The floors washed. Everything that could be scrubbed clean, was scrubbed. The house dogs’ blankets were washed. Linnen spray was being sprayed, probably much too often, to ensure that the house smells fresh and nice.

I even purchased new bedside tables for our room, because that is where Jaco was going to sleep that night. I could not let him sleep in a room with lamps that had hanging heads. The lamps had fallen and broken over time, and I just never got round to replacing them. Purely because I could not find something that I liked and seemed to be more durable than the broken ones that were in our bedroom. None the less, that was a very good excuse to replace them even if it was for one night’s stay only.

The one night that he slept over, that feels like months ago, but in reality it was only 2 and half weeks ago on Tuesday, the last day that we got to see him, before he returned to New Zealand. When I read this previous sentence, it did not quite make sense. What I meant to say was, on Tuesday, the last day that we saw him, it was only two and a half weeks before, that he slept over for one evening. I did not want to let him go that first time, so that he can go to his sister in Brits. I did what I could to stretch the visit for as long as I could. Tuesday it was the same thing. The three of us (myself, Jaco and my husband Heinrich) had a lovely Impala coffee while we visited with him like old times. During the conversation, all three of us looked at our watches, hoping the others would not notice it. Knowing that the chow, cheers and goodbye time is slowly creeping closer and closer. We even walked through Impala, just to avoid that moment that we all knew was due to arrive. But then, the unavoidable happened. We all had to part our ways. Jaco had to go to Pretoria and we had to go back to our daily routine of work and collecting kids from school.

I decided to ask for a last in person photo with Jaco, even if it was in the parking area. Heinrich rolled his eyes at me and asked me how many photos I still want to take and have, and whether I want to take another picture, because I am dressed up a bit more than usual? He takes my phone to take the picture. After the photo, we greet for a last time. We cannot prevent the tears from welling up in our eyes. We give each other a hug more than once. Just to be sure that we remember what it feels like to give fleshy hugs to each other. A man passes us in the parking area, probably to do his shopping at Impala, looking at us strangely, especially when I turned away from Jaco after greeting him, with tears in my eyes. I knew if Jaco and I kept eye-contact, we would have cried even more.

I realise more and more how God had to split my sisters and I up, over continents and provinces, so that we can talk to each other more frequently. My other sister left Centurion for Riversdal, while the eldest and her husband Jaco, exchanged South Africa for New Zealand. How ironic is life? You only appreciate someone when they are no longer within your reach. Pretoria is not far from Skeerpoort, yet we did not visit each other that frequently when they were in Pretoria. Before kids, it was well the case, we visited more frequently, but, as time passed, adding little feet to each of our families, the visits started to become less and less….

I was grateful for each second I had with Jaco. Even if it was not as much as I had hoped for, it is still something I will treasure in my heart for ever. Erika and Jaco – I miss you guys more than you will ever know. Like everything in life that is hard for me to process, I try not to think about it the whole time. Because, if I do, then I will be this miserable heap of tears and crying the whole time! One cannot help but to be sad from longing for people that you have known your whole life!

Until we see each other again. Hopefully soon. I pray that our ship will come in and that we will not be waiting at the airport, missing it in the process! I know my brother-in-law for 28 years. Old people know each other for 28 years. Neither him nor I feel old, so I am scrapping that saying of old people who know each other that long. It was an honour to host you for one evening and to be able to see you for a quick cup of coffee, before you had to travel back over the waters to your new home. Travel safely, I am treasuring the conversations and fleshy hugs until we can do that again. By the time this entry is published, you will have arrived safely back in New Zealand….that is how quick time flies and how easy it actually is to travel that far! Love you to the moon and back. Miss you like crazy!

Posted on 28 March 202328 March 2023 by Elsie Potgieter — Leave a comment

The chase…

Like every month before, since I started writing about the Bible scriptures on the Desk pads, I cannot help but smile and grin by myself. Because God KNOWS. He is outside of time, and He KNOWS that I will be able to relate in some way to the scripture every month.

This month the scripture is about righteousness and kindness or loyalty as some versions refer to it. The other word to be used instead of kindness or loyalty is benevolent. Not too long ago, I wrote something about this word (see entry – The Word published in November 2022). Benevolence means to have a quality to do good and be kind.

I am therefore interpreting this scripture that we have to chase after (or seek – although some versions speak about hunt – which implies it is an activity of finding something that is not always visible and easy to find) righteousness AND benevolence. My perspective and experience with people, is that everyone does not hunt or seek this. To me, this does not make sense as to why people don’t act in this way, because it is so obvious to me. Something that I have made a part of my life. Logic you know? It seems that people do not always live this way. Someone once told me Not everyone eats from the Logic tree. Something that is logic and obvious to me, is not so for the next person.

Everywhere I am confronted with righteousness and benevolence. Situations cross my path that I am confronted with and must deal with – it is not always necessarily work related, but rather when life happens, and other decisions need to be taken. Things happen that really go against my grain and what I stand for. Then I cannot help but think HOW such things can happen? What spirit is truly ruling in people’s lives? Righteousness or wickedness? Are they truly benevolent towards others or are there always motives behind their actions, living with a motto of each for his own?

Now I can spend hours talking about bad experiences that I have had in my life, from way back when up to this day. But this is not the purpose of this blog. The purpose is not to make everyone negative about life and how others seem to live their lives. The purpose is to be uplifting, inspiring, building up rather than breaking down. To seek the positive in all situations, even if the situations come across very negative. To be able to identify with Scripture, clinging onto God’s promises, rather than having pity parties AND opening up a can of worms with it. My goodness, WHO wants to eat worms AND moan at the same time?

This brings me back to the Scripture for this month. Do people not know the promises held for those who seek or hunt righteousness and benevolence? There it is, black on white in the Bible. If you seek or hunt righteousness, you will find life, righteousness AND honour. Wow. This is HUGE. I will rather not go into the opposite meanings – but maybe it is something to think about… My question is – what are you chasing? Do you know what the result will be of that which you are running after? What are you choosing today? From what tree are you eating today? Are you also at the Logic Tree? Is it obvious to you? To chase after righteousness and benevolence?

Posted on 10 March 202310 March 2023 by Elsie Potgieter — Leave a comment

The last honour

Language purist. Tennis fanatic. Entrepreneur. Friendly. These are all characteristics of Eugene Smith. Today was the last opportunity to honour his life, a big legend that went home to our Heavenly Father. The day was gorgeous and could not be more perfect. Bright sunshine with clear blue skies. The birds singing and everything else on earth going on as normal, even if he is no longer with us.

I met Uncle Eugene through his daughter Nadine. He was one of my clients. I did not see him on a monthly basis, but we had telephonic conversations intermittently, throughout the year and I saw him and Aunty Ria at least once a year to discuss business, signing off financials and minutes and so forth.

He was always eager to chat, telling a story from his younger days. In the finest detail he would describe how he worked out the measurements for signage for his businesses. So many times, he told me that I must enjoy it being 40. The time goes so fast and 40 is actually a really nice time on one’s life. He always said In die Haak (here I cannot translate to English because what would I say? Sharp?) when we had a discussion about something and had to make a decision about something that we had to finalise. He always had a smile on his face, and I am sure if he had a theme song for his life, it would be something to the effect of a very old Afrikaans song called Ek is lief vir die wêreld sung by Groep Twee.

The family’s request, for those attending the funeral, was to wear white or colourful clothes. Not black. My husband and I chatted when I saw the request on Facebook. We understand that it is actually more appropriate than black, because it is a celebration of his life on earth that is going to take place. For sure it is not easy for those left behind, but we must all be elated with joy that he is with Jesus now, a much better place! The service was led by Aunty Ria’s eldest brother. My thoughts wander back to my own mother’s funeral.

I was not focussed on what was being said the whole time, because I am thinking back about how it felt for me on that day. The day when I was right in front of the church, next to my sisters and father. It feels like a blur, I cannot remember it in much detail. It also feels like 100 years ago, even if it was only a mere 6 years ago. My thoughts come back to the here and now. I listen attentively to tributes that are being told by those who knew him well. The core of everyone’s messages was how he touched their lives and the same characteristics that he portrayed came through in the messages. What a big personality he had, in spite of chronic pain that he constantly had and never showed. How he overcame all his challenges in life. With a song in his heart and a smile on his face.

I remember how Aunty Ria once told me that Uncle Eugene is very set on speaking pure Afrikaans. It almost made me more aware about the way that I talked. He always ended telephonic conversations with Totsiens while I said Bye on my side. I cannot help but think that the English that comes through in my language is linked directly to my work (I work in English every day, the whole day, even if the clients are Afrikaans, all calculations and returns are done in English). Of course, my mother was also English, so I think that also adds to the reason why I say Bye at the end of a conversation rather than Totsiens. To join in with Uncle Eugene’s humour, I added a meaning of an Afrikaans word in the gallery of this entry, I am sure he would have enjoyed this!

Back to the day, I listen attentively to what everyone said. How he made a big impact at the PNA, with plans and dreams for the group. How his daughter elaborated about how he ran with her, helping her to achieve a 21 km run in less than 2 hours. How he supported and motivated her. How he made Aunty Ria run the Comrades, after she made a joke saying that is something that she wants to do. The memories just go on and on. In the process, I learnt more about Uncle Eugene, even if he is no longer on earth.

After the service, I chat with Nadine. We both get teary eyed. I search frantically for a tissue in my handbag. Nadine stops me, opening up the zipper of her handbag that she was wearing across her chest saying I must take one. I look down and cannot help to burst out in laughter. It is jam packed with tissues. Not a wallet or cell phone in sight. Her son asked her if she is packing tissues for everyone that is attending the service, only for her to answer him that it is actually just for her. I think Uncle Eugene would have laughed at this handbag full of tissues!

Aunty Ria, Nadine, Justin and family – my heart is shattered with you about someone that is no longer here, living such a full life, an inspiration for so many people. I will always remember his laughter, how we could laugh and share jokes. You are so blessed to be able to call him husband, father and grandfather! May his legend live on through those left behind. He leaves a big legacy behind, something we can look up to; remember and learn from. Now that I think about it, he lived the PNA slogan in his life. Colour your world. That is what he did with every person whose life he touched – he came to colour it, enriching it. Uncle Eugene, you are missed by many people on earth, but we know that you are now in a much better place. Rest in Peace.

Posted on 24 February 202325 February 2023 by Elsie Potgieter — 1 Comment

Trust

The whole time while I am working, I am thinking about this month’s scripture. A tough one I think to understand fully without taking offence so to speak from what God is trying to tell us here. But in the same breath, I want to say it is actually very simple.

Well, as I have said many times before, February is our busiest month, which means I work longer hours than usual to get everything that is required to be done, done and submitted on time. It is nothing new to me. I just feel sorry for my kids, because time with them is few and far between at the beginning of a year. Time to write feels even less. I decided, unofficially, the other day, that the first term of the year is just busy and NOTHING that I try to do about this, is going to change that fact.

Unless I do a career change of course, but, who wants to, at almost 42, take on something new and start from scratch? Ok, I admit, I DID start something new with Beroepsvrou, but not to replace my day job. Ok, back to the realities of being BUSY at work. Now, for us it is really very busy. It is financial year end for majority of our clients. There are important calculations that need to be done before 28 (or 29) February. Of course, the extra day in a leap year helps, only if it falls on a weekday though. None the less, we have 28 days available for 3 out of 4 years to do these tasks.

This scripture makes me think of what we do for a living, day in and day out and what we have stumbled across in our lives. People that are not always honest, not declaring everything. Potential new clients with ridiculous requests, that we stop in the first meeting, only to never hear of them again. We stand for righteousness. Tax must be paid, if you like it or not. I know I am wandering off, but I am trying to put everything into perspective about how things are in my life, what the expectations are and what the legal implications of everything is.

Back to the scripture. It can also be taken back to the smallest thing that you are dishonest about. I worked at a firm, years ago, where a senior staff member explained it to me once about how a timesheet works. His words were something to the effect of: When you work at Pick n Pay, and you steal sugar, you are stealing. When you work here, and you steal time, doing private things when you should be working, you are also stealing. I will NEVER forget this. Such a good example about what an employee is trusted with. Actually anyone doing work, whether for yourself or an employer. Theft is not restricted to physical items, but can also go to something like time – time billed on timesheets, invoices issued. The list of things feels endless.

Now I can sit here for days talking and debating about what is big and small and what one can be dishonest about. The long and the short is, if you do something private for 15 minutes, and you are actually stealing your employer or the client’s time for whom you are doing the tasks, or if you take one teaspoon of sugar from the canteen, well, it remains theft. I reckon that is what THIS verse is about. Now that we are caught up in financial year end, the following also comes up with me – what is really declared on returns? Are people truly honest about EVERYTHING in their lives?

If you can be dishonest about something small, then you can easily be dishonest with bigger things. This is the exhortation (I had to Google this word the English version of vermaan in Afrikaans – I have NEVER heard of it before) from God. Then, there is the proverbial tap on the shoulder in the first part of the verse – if you can be honest with small things, then you can be trusted with many bigger things. What image are you portraying to the world? People’s reputations usually go ahead of them. What is your reputation? Honest or dishonest?

Posted on 19 February 202320 February 2023 by Elsie Potgieter — 2 Comments

The Joy

The distinct smell of Creosote (I had to google this spelling) always takes me back to my childhood. Why? You may ask. Growing up with a Wendy Hut in the back yard, converted into a Craft Room, the wood of the wendy was treated with Creosote. I was exposed to crafting at a young age. I will always associate that smell to crafting.

I grew up, having a mother who always did something creative, teaching her three girls to escape from the real world through crafting. I am guessing that is why she crafted, because that is why I craft. To me, crafting does not have rules. It has rules, but it is not like my day job you know? If you make a mistake, you repaint it or start over again, or you wing it and see where the project goes and what it lands up looking like.

With my day job it is not that simple, and I feel obliged to do things perfectly and correctly the first time round. At this point in writing this article, I do want to point out that now is the time to switch on the kettle and make yourself a nice cup of coffee (or tea) before continuing.

You see, I cannot break this article up into smaller chapters as I will lose the essence of what I feel is being pressed on my heart to say. February is a busy month. Probably my least favourite month of the year, if one is allowed to have a least favourite month.

For many reasons I am not a Feb Fan. One of the biggest reasons, is the fact that I am always exhausted by the time it is my daughter’s birthday on the 7th. Yes I know, it is only the beginning of the month, but I know what lies ahead, I know the hours I am required to work, I just know what is waiting for me work wise. My little EMP201 (for those who don’t know – it is one of the many tax returns due on the 7th of each month) is such an enthusiast when it comes to her birthday.

I feel guilty that I cannot always share her excitement with her. Even more so, that I only had until around the 14th of February in 2014, the year she was born in, to spend undivided attention on her, before reverting back to my laptop to work, do calculations and submit returns. It was almost breastfeeding while typing and filing returns. It is like I do not have ample time available to just be in the moment, enjoying the preparations coming up to her birthday. Does this make sense? Or am I so caught up in my little work world, that I forget to stop and smell the roses?

The other reason for the lack of love for the Month of Love is, there is just NO TIME for anything else. The kids are growing up, their schedules are starting to pick up pace, something I never get right at budgeting for time-wise. I mean, I feel like I do not have time to purchase groceries (it is a frustration because fresh salad on a weekly basis is a MUST for us but getting around to Woollies is a challenge), let alone to get the kids on time to their additional maths classes, taking them food before their art classes start and exercise.

Exercise I refuse to skip. That is the one thing that keeps me sane. I cannot do all the funky moves associated with Cross Fit, but I arrive twice a week and I try them – I can see how I have grown stronger and am amazed at what I can do compared to when I just started. I then attend another day of exercise, and on that day I do spinning, which is something my son loves doing, so this is our time together. The extracurricular activities of the kids are also a no-go zone when it comes to deciding whether to not do it. We have to do it and work around that.

You see, in 2020, before the lock down and before the Pandemic, I made a conscious decision to stop putting work ahead of everything. I was missing out on life, because we lived a motto of Let’s just get through this month. Twelve months of the year, year in and year out. And that is how we lived for many years. I even felt that time was stolen from me, for years, because of this motto that we lived by. Actually, it may have been 2019 already that I made this decision. Anyway. In the middle of February 2020, at the busiest time of all, I started to Cross Fit, (after praying for years to God to make me love exercise, I finally found the thing that I can do and enjoy while getting back into shape).

Yes you can laugh. I am just complaining about how hectic February is and then I take on something like that. Is there ever a good time? No there is not. Now you may wonder how I am connecting the dots with this entry. I started with crafts, sang my moan songs about work and this month of Love which I do not love so much and now I am talking about exercise. But wait, you will see…. everything is intertwined in my life.

Back to the crafts. For months I had been dreaming about a Cricut machine. I was torn between the Joy and the Maker. My final decision was the Joy – due to size and price. In February (you see the trend here…?) I decided to make the purchase.

I knew it was the wrong month to make the purchase, because I knew that I would want to craft more than work in this crazy month. I decided to make the purchase from Kelirosh Studio. Her prices were the best (I missed the Takealot specials and could not get to Makro). I have also only heard good things about this online shop and this was enough to convince me to make the purchase there.

The guilt that I experienced after making the purchase was insane. But when the box arrived, it was as if God showed me that it is ok. It is ok to want to have a life, wanting to do things and not only work. On the box, I noticed two Flamingos. Now the whole thing that my blog and ministry revolves around is Flamingos. This is mind blowing and insane – the Flamingos on the box.

Even the posture of the Flamingos on the box were similar to two used in my designs. Immediately I felt as if God was talking to me here. Confirming that it is ok to make this purchase in the month which I consider to be not the best month for me personally.

I realise too, that we are raising a new generation of crafters. I grew up with things like making candles, cards with stamps and embossing powder, little wire trees with gemstones stuck on them, to name only a few. The next generation of crafters involves technology like this little Joy machine. As you can gather, both my children have hi-jacked the machine, fighting over who is going to use it next. Taking the pressure off me to use it so that I can focus on work for now – but when this busy period is over, I am going to jump in and do stuff with it.

A week or so after the purchase of the Joy, I received a phone call from a Mrs. SA semi-finalist, Nicky Kruger, asking if I would like to consider being a sponsor to her for this pageant or competition (not sure how we are supposed to refer to this?). Now this is a longish story of how we “know” each other, but the long and the short is, she is a teacher at a school where I served last year, handing out aprons to students.

I was dumb-struck, overwhelmed and excited all at the same time. My initial response was that it is CRAZY mad at work, I can only answer her mid-March after all my deadlines have been tended to. Of course, curiosity got the better of me, I read through the information she sent me and made up my mind. This is such a wonderful opportunity, I cannot decline.

Now you see, again this is February. Again there seems to be little time to think things through and get things done. I am starting to wonder if God is not pushing me in a direction and allowing all these things to happen in the Month of Love, just so that I can start loving Feb again?

Who knows, but, it seems that big things happen in February. The birth of a child, the need to exercise, the need to craft more and now the sponsorship for a HUGE event like Mrs. SA. I think God is giving back my Joy for the month when I experience it the least.

I just have to love the puns from God. The Joy represented by a physical tangible little machine, literally bringing Joy to those using it. Because is that not how we as humans are? We want to SEE it and KNOW it is there…. and don’t get me wrong – I am not placing my Joy in the Joy, it is just God’s way of talking to me, giving me a tangible reminder of things that I need reminding of.

Posted on 4 February 20239 February 2023 by Elsie Potgieter — Leave a comment

Coffee that slaps

Waking up a bit earlier than planned this morning, on a Saturday morning nogal, I head out to Harties. I have an early, 7 am nail appointment with my other Sister from another mister, Irene. I just love early morning drives, especially those on a Saturday. It is as if they have this mystical something to it that makes it special. The Magalies mountains sets the tone for the day with clear blue skies, washed clean after some rain this week, shortly after one of THE hottest January months ever.

None-the-less, the plan was to go and do my nails, run some errands at our local shopping centre, Village Mall and then return home to do some day job tasks. Leaving while the whole household was sleeping, meant I could not whip up my shake in the blender. I leave with only coffee to fill my stomach and off I go.

One of my stops in Village Mall was Woolworths Food, to acquire the fresh salad and fruit for the week. On the way out, my stomach reminded me that it STILL only has had coffee to consume. I stop at the recently installed coffee counter (and with recent I mean towards the end of 2022 – somewhere in the last quarter of the year, Woolworths decided that those in Harties can be spoilt with a coffee counter). Now I am doubting whether it was 2022 or 2021? The days fly past so quickly, I cannot tell. Anyway.

Since the installation and erection of that particular coffee bar, I have only walked past, smelling the very lovely smell of freshly ground coffee beans. Always in a hurry and never having time to stop and just buy one. Today I stopped there, actually wanting to purchase a muffin or something and a coffee. Whilst inspecting the muffins on display and without looking up at the Barista, I asked what muffins they have, I am hungry.

She answers me saying she has plenty of nice things. I ask about the coffee. My question was Is it Lekker? Her reply? Lekker is an understatement. It is Coffee e Monate. I look at her, almost saying HUH? but decide to politely ask her to repeat what she said asking for an explanation of what she meant. She says it is Coffee that slaps. Now she has my attention. Coffee that slaps. What IS that supposed to mean? I guess very much more than Lekker coffee. I LOVE coffee. I consume too much coffee I think.

This convinced me to continue with my decision made a few seconds earlier to purchase and try some of Woolworths’ coffee on this particular Saturday morning. Because, boy oh boy, I need some caffeine to stay awake! We have a pleasant and loud conversation, laughing, talking all the while she is making the coffee. Somewhere during this time, I decided to write about my experience, and I asked her to write down the phrase, because, for the life of me, I am NOT going to remember coffee e Monate until I return home.

During our conversation, I learnt that the lady, with the ever so lovely smile and personality that is also e Monate (if I can use a part of the phrase she taught me with something else – not sure if this is how it works in Tshwana. With this I mean her personality cannot be described with a word like Lekker as that would just be an understatement). Anyway, I learnt that the lady has just returned from leave. She explains that is the reason why she is in a good mood today. Tomalo (I think that was her name – the picture on my phone does not show the name tag clear enough) asks me what coffee I want and do I want to add something extra like sugar, honey or sweetner. I give through my order for a Grande Cappuccino with one brown sugar.

The other Barista calls me to the till to pay. I swipe my Woolworths card more than once and miraculously I get a discount of more than 10% on a Grande coffee at Woollies. Before I leave, Tomalo (sorry if I have your name wrong) says I MUST taste the coffee before I leave, to be sure it is nice. I asked her in Afrikaans Het jy die suiker geroer ook? She explains that while on leave her Afrikaans became a bit rusty, I laugh at this and repeat the question in English.

She stirred it, like a good Barista would do. I take a sip, and gesture with my hand to my face that it IS Coffee e Monate (Coffee that slaps). For the life of me I cannot pronounce the gentlemen’s name, but I ask him and Tomalo to smile, I want to take a picture for my blog entry. Ever so excited they pose and laugh for this picture. Eventually I have a photo that is to my liking, showing everyone’s smiles and excitement.

Before leaving, Tomalo tells me to say hashtag best_baristas_in_harties with my entry. People will comment is her response. We continue to joke and I added a few hashtags to this – #coffee_e_monate and #best_coffee to name a few. She even said that I must return for a second date, this was now the first date. And I must say, I may just make a Woollies Grande Cappuccino a part of my weekly shopping list. Sadly, my coffee did not last as long as the lekker feeling after having this discussion with these two people! It was finished before I got to the dam wall, heading back home to the lovely Skeerpoort.

#best_baristas_in_harties #coffee_e_monate #coffee_that_slaps #best_coffee #Woolworths_harties #saturday_morning_vibes #what_a_lekker_experience #have_you_had_coffee_e_monate_yet?

Posted on 28 January 202328 January 2023 by Elsie Potgieter — 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?

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