Author: Elsie Potgieter

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You are… part 2

Monday 14 March 2022 marks the second day that I had the privilege to hand out aprons and tell students more about the Pink Feathers and what it symbolizes. That morning I was awake at 3 am. It was probably the excitement or nerves (or both) for what was lying ahead for the day.

I had an appointment at a local school, Bekker High School, to have a 15 minute chat with the Home Economics (I have no idea what they call this subject in English these days) students, all in grade 12. I saw each class individually, which probably helped ease me into public speaking….as I have not done this for a very long time.

I think the last time I had to talk in front of people was our wedding and before that I was in grade 12. I am not counting the appointment in January I had at another local school, HaMaKom Private School. I was so nervous there I could not remember WHAT I said that day but pretty much told the same story that I told at Bekker.

Anyway, back to my original story. The first speech went well, I seemed to have the attention of all the students, remembered everything I felt that God laid on my heart. As the day progressed, the order of the speech changed slightly but the core message stayed the same.

The Home Economics teacher, Marié Booyse, added to what I said by saying that the aprons provide you protection. Not only physical (food stains on your clothes) but also spiritual protection. That was so true and another revelation to the meaning of the apron.

As the week progressed, I kept on thinking about what was said on Monday, it is as if God dropped it into my spirit that the protection is similar to the Breastplate of Righteousness that Paul writes about in Ephesians 6.

That was very striking to me, as that is what I stand for. Trying to be righteous and ethical always, even when no one is watching. I further had a discussion with my sister from another mister Dora (my domestic worker if you were wondering). She saw the things that I was preparing for the Easter Market that I will be attending as a Vendor (early April), selling my items and making myself available to chat and tell people about that which God has laid on my heart to say.

Ok, back to the discussion with Dora. On the printouts that will be on display at my table at the market, I had some fun facts from my son’s facts book that I retyped for this purpose. One of them was (and this is the question I asked the students on Monday) Did you know that Flamingos are pink due to what they eat?

She told me that this made her think even more about the whole Pink Feathers range and that the Holy Spirit is working with her the whole time about this. Thoughts I left with the students on Monday was – what are we doing to make ourselves reflect pink to the world? Dora and I, then further had a discussion about what we are filling ourselves up with, reading, listening and eating (also something that I told the students on Monday).

The conversation then turned to, what I like to call, empty calories. In my conversations at Bekker I referred to eating too much sugar that will make you crash the whole time. All my friends know that I like to refer to chips, biscuits and chocolates as empty calories. Things that are jam packed with calories (which make us fat by the way) but lacks nutritional value to feed our bodies and build them up to be what they should be, as God intended.

Again this revelation came that we must fill our spirits and minds with things that are not empty calories spiritually. What are you watching, reading and listening to? If you binge read, watch and listen to something that is empty then you will remain empty and will not produce Pink Feathers and reflect pink for God to the world. The same is true for eating by the way, but that we all know…

After my discussions and handouts to the students, it was photo time. The kids seemed very chuffed with their gifts and I truly hope that everytime they wear those aprons, not only in grade 12, but also after they finish school, that they will remember what it stands for and symbolizes.

All the glory be to God always! He inspired the aprons, He gave me the vision and the people to produce an electronic logo and the apron. Without Him none of this would have been possible. I just know deep down in my heart, there is so much more to these aprons than just an apron….like we have already discovered and may still discover.

Just as I was closing off this blog entry, I read the scripture verse that forms part of my logo again. Proverbs 10:21. The lips of the righteous feed many: But fools die for want of wisdom. (KJV). Wow is all I can say….this ties in to the latest revelation of the aprons, what you are feeding your body, soul and spirit with and what Beroepsvrou stands for. All the glory be to God always!

Jy is… deel 2
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Jy is… deel 2

Maandag 14 Maart 2022 merk die tweede dag wat ek die voorreg gehad het om voorskote uit te deel en studente meer te vertel van die Pienk Vere en wat dit simboliseer. Daardie oggend was ek al 3 uur wakker. Dit was seker opgewondenheid of senuwees (of beide) vir dit wat voorgelê het vir die dag.

Ek het ‘n afspraak by ‘n plaaslike skool, Hoërskool Bekker, gehad om ‘n 15 minute gesprek te hê met die Huishoudkunde (ek weet nou dit word deesdae Verbruikerstudies genoem) studente, almal in graad 12. Ek het elke klas individueel gesien, wat my seker gehelp het om gewoond te raak aan public speaking want ek het dit lank laas gedoen.

Ek dink die laaste keer wat ek moes praat voor mense was by ons troue en voor dit toe ek in Graad 12 was. Ek tel nou glad nie die afspraak wat ek in Januarie, by ‘n ander plaaslike skool, HaMaKom Privaatskool gehad het nie. Ek was so op my senuwees daar, ek kon glad nie onthou WAT ek gesê het daardie dag nie, maar ek het min of meer dieselfde storie vertel wat ek by Bekker vertel het.

Elkgeval, terug by my oorspronklike storie. Die eerste toespraak het goed gegaan. Dit het gelyk of ek almal se aandag gehad het en alles onthou het wat die Here op my hart gelê het. Soos wat die dag aangegaan het, het die volgorde van die toespraak effe verander, maar die kern van die boodskap het dieselfde gebly.

Die Verbruikerstudie juffrou, Marié Booyse, het bygevoeg tot dit wat ek gesê het, deur te sê dat die voorskote vir jou ook beskerming gee. Nie net fisiese (kos en olie kolle op jou klere) beskerming nie, maar ook geestelike beskerming. Dit was so waar en nog ‘n openbaring oor die betekenis van die voorskoot.

Soos wat die week aangegaan het, het ek aanhou dink oor wat Maandag gesê was. Dit is asof die Here dit in my gees laat val het dat die beskerming soortgelyk is aan die Borsharnas van Geregtigheid waaroor Paulus skryf in Efesiërs 6.

Dit was baie treffend vir my, want dit is waarvoor ek staan. Om te probeer regverdig (hier klink righteous net beter maar toemaar) en eties te wees, altyd, selfs wanneer niemand kyk nie. Ek het verder ook ‘n gesprek met my sister from another mister Dora (my huishulp as jy gewonder het). Sy het die goedjies gesien wat ek besig is om voor te berei vir die Paasmark wat ek gaan bywoon as ‘n Verkoper (begin April), waar ek my items gaan verkoop en myself beskikbaar gaan stel om te gesels en met mense te praat oor dit wat die Here op my hart lê om te sê.

Ok, so terug na die gesprek met Dora. Op die drukstukke wat ten toon gestel gaan word op my tafel by die mark, het ek ‘n paar vinnige feite van my seun se feiteboek oorgetik vir hierdie doel. Een van hulle was (en dis die vraag wat ek die studente gevra het Maandag) Het jy geweet dat Flaminke pienk is as gevolg van dit wat hulle eet?

Sy het my vertel dat dit haar nog meer laat dink het oor die hele Pienk Vere reeks en dat die Heilige Gees met haar werk die heeltyd oor dit. Gedagtes wat ek by die studente gelos het Maandag was – wat doen ons om onsself pienk te laat vertoon vir die wêreld? Ek en Dora het toe verder ‘n gesprek gehad oor waarmee ons onsself opvul deur te kyk, lees, luister en eet (ook iets wat ek die studente vertel het Maandag).

Die gesprek het toe gedraai na wat ek van hou om te verwys as, leë kalorieë (liewe aarde – ek ken nie my spelreëls so goed om te weet of hierdie woord een of twee e‘s in het nie…so verskoon maar die wat taalkundig is en weet…). In my gesprekke by Bekker, het ek verwys na wanneer mens te veel suiker eet en dan die heeltyd crash (die woord verduidelik net die impak van suiker vir my beter). Al my vriendinne weet ek hou daarvan om na skyfies, koekies en sjokolades te verwys as leë kalorieë. Goed wat propvol kalorieë is (wat ons vet maak net so tussen ons) maar wat voedingswaarde ontbreek om ons liggame te voed en op te bou na wat dit moet wees, soos God dit bestem het.

Weer was hierdie ‘n openbaring dat ons moet seker maak dat ons ons gees en gedagtes vul met goed wat nie leë kalorieë is nie. Waarna kyk, lees en luister jy? As jy binge (wat sou die Afrikaanse woord vir dit wees?) kyk, lees en luister na iets wat leeg is, gaan jy leeg bly en sal jy nie Pienk Vere kan produseer om die wêreld te wys dat jy ‘n kind van God is nie. Dieselfde is waar vir eet net so tussen ons, maar dit weet ons almal….

Na my gesprekke en oorhandigings aan die studente, was dit tyd vir foto’s. Die kinders het baie in hul noppies voorgekom oor hul geskenke en ek vertrou regtig dat, elke keer wanneer hulle die voorskote dra, nie net in graad 12 nie, maar ook wanneer hul klaar is met skool, dat hulle sal onthou waarvoor dit staan en simboliseer.

Al die eer aan God altyd!! Hy het die inspirasie gegee vir die voorskote, die visie aan my toevertrou asook die mense om die elektroniese logo te kan produseer en die voorskote. Sonder Hom sou niks van hierdie moontlik gewees het nie. Ek weet net diep binne in my hart, dat daar soveel meer aan die voorskote is as net ‘n voorskoot….soos ons reeds ontdek het en steeds gaan ontdek.

Net soos wat ek die inskrywing afsluit, besluit ek om die skrifvers wat deel vorm van my logo weer te gaan lees. Spreuke 10:21 Die lippe van die regverdige help baie mense reg; maar die dwase sterf deur gebrek aan verstand. Die engels stel dit so mooi en ek sit dit ook in, want toe ek die inskrywing begin het, het ek díe keer eerste in Engels getik en nie Afrikaans soos ek normaal weg doen nie. Dit was in Engels wat ek die openbaring gekry het. The lips of the righteous feed many: But fools die for want of wisdom. (KJV). Wow is al wat ek kan sê….hierdie sluit so aan by die nuutste openbaring oor die voorskote, wat jy jou liggaam, siel en gees voed en waarvoor Beroepsvrou staan. Al die eer aan God altyd!

You are… part 2
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The song… Chapter 2

Sometimes I wonder about Mary. How did she feel after she heard that she was expecting the Messiah? You see, the Bible does not tell us about her emotions. Not everything. We do know that she sung a song and was excited about that which God called her for.

But…was she shocked before the song? Did she feel rejected by people? What did they say about her and what did they think about her? Did they discuss her like we, as people, like to do quite so often? Did she also lie awake at night? Sleeping for only 3 hours and then being awake the rest of the time while everyone around her is snoring away?

I don’t think it was easy for her. Similar to situations we find ourselves in at times. You see, perhaps you have a song in your heart about what God has planned for you and spoke to you over your life. But in other aspects of your life there is not necessarily a song in your heart.

I think sometimes God wants us to be impulsive for Him. To do things without overthinking it, something I do often. Just trust Him. Even if life presses hard on other levels, when I feel like I cannot breathe and cannot sleep at night. Even when the devil every so often tries to steal my song….I must stay impulsive for Him.

The song that God has laid on my heart for a while now, is Rooftops by Kim Walker-Smith. I feel I want to stand on the rooftops and just shout out His name and proclaim it over my life. Irrespective of the work requirements and work pressure. Irrespective of the fact that the devil tries to kill my song with things that happen from everyday life.

I shout out Your Name, from the rooftops I proclaim, I am Yours! I hear the words echo through my thoughts. I sing it even louder to mute the lies the devil is trying to tell me in my mind. I did not write my own personal song like Mary, but this one is close enough to something for ME. What is YOUR song that God placed on your heart? Do you sing it or do you allow the difficulties of life (let us be honest here – nothing these days are easy any more) to suppress your song and smother it?

What do you choose today? I choose to still sing and believe that God trusted Beroepsvrou and everything that goes with it, to me. This is what HE planned for my life. He did not plan for me to lie awake night after night, worrying about how I am going to get everything done work wise. Or that I lie and worry about our outstanding debtors and outstanding debts.

Surely there will always be someone that owes you money and you will surely owe someone money. You will probably never have enough money for everything. Or enough time for everything. The work that I do, will surely not become easier and the deadlines will certainly (not maybe or perhaps) remain. Will one ever have enough patience with your children? Will you ever not have days that you will feel despaired about HOW you are going to help your child through Grade 7?

At the end of the day, God IS and STAYS in CONTROL of EVERYTHING. We do not have control over anything else except our own actions and outlook on life. Why not do this with a song on your lips and in your heart? From the rooftops I proclaim, I am YOURS!!!!! I sing, amplified and on the loudest volume in my thoughts, just to be sure that the devil HEARS me.

Die lied… Hoofstuk 2
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Die lied… Hoofstuk 2

Ek wonder soms oor Maria. Hoe het sy gevoel nadat sy uitgevind het sy verwag die Messias? Jy sien, die Bybel vertel ons nie van haar emosies nie. Nie alles nie. Ons weet sy het ‘n lied gesing en was opgewonde oor dit waarvoor die Here haar gekies het.

Maar…was sy geskok voor die lied? Het sy verwerp gevoel deur die mense? Wat het hulle van haar gesê en gedink? Het hulle haar bespreek soos ons mense alte graag doen? Het sy ook wakker gelê in die nag? Geslaap vir net 3 ure en dan is sy wakker vir die res van die tyd terwyl almal om haar heerlik lê en snork?

Ek dink nie dit was maklik vir haar nie. Soortgelyk aan situasies waarin ons, onsself soms bevind. Jy sien, jy het dalk hierdie lied in jou hart oor dit wat die Here vir jou beplan en oor jou lewe gespreek het. Maar in ander opsigte en aspekte van jou lewe is daar nie noodwendig ‘n lied nie.

Ek dink soms wil die Here hê ons moet impulsief vir Hom wees. Goed doen net sonder om dit te overthink soos wat ek alte graag doen. Hom net vertrou. Al druk die lewe op alle ander vlakke dat ek voel ek kry nie asem nie en kan nie slaap snags nie. Al probeer die duiwel gereeld my lied steel…ek moet impulsief bly vir Hom.

Die lied wat die Here weer vir ‘n ruk al in my hart gesit het is Rooftops deur Kim Walker-Smith. Ek voel ek wil op die dakke staan en Sy naam uitroep, proklameer oor my lewe. Ongeag die werksvereistes en werksdruk. Ongeag die feit dat die duiwel die lied probeer smoor met alledaagse dinge in die lewe.

I shout out Your Name, from the rooftops I proclaim, I am Yours! Eggo die woorde deur my gedagtes. Ek sing dit sommer harder om die leuens wat die duiwel vir my in my kop vertel te probeer uitdoof. Ek het nou nie my eie persoonlike lied geskryf soos Maria nie, maar die een is vir my nagenoeg aan iets vir MY. Wat is JOU lied wat die Here in jou hart gesit het? Sing jy hom of laat jy toe dat die lewe se moeilik (kom ons wees eerlik, niks is meer maklik deesdae nie) jou liedjie onderdruk en versmoor?

Wat kies jy vandag? Ek kies om steeds te sing en te glo dat die Here Beroepsvrou en alles wat met dit saam gaan aan my toevertrou het. Dis wat HY vir my lewe beplan het. Hy het nie beplan vir my om nagte om wakker te lê en te bekommer hoe ek alles werksgewys gaan doen nie. Of dat ek lê en bekommer oor ons uitstaande debiteure en ons uitstaande skuld nie.

Daar gaan altyd seker maar iemand wees wat jou geld skuld en jy gaan seker altyd iemand anders geld skuld. Jy gaan seker nooit genoeg geld hê vir alles nie. Of genoeg tyd vir als nie. Die werk in ons bedryf gaan seker nooit makliker word nie en die deadlines gaan vir seker (nie net seker nie) daar bly. Gaan mens ooit genoeg geduld hê met jou kinders? Gaan jy ooit nie dae hê wat jy moedeloos voel as jy nie weet HOE jy jou kind gaan help deur Graad 7 nie?

Op die ou einde van die dag IS en BLY God in BEHEER van ALLES. Ons het nie beheer oor enige iets behalwe ons eie optrede en uitkyk oor die lewe nie. Hoekom dan nou nie dit maar met ‘n lied in die hart doen nie? From the rooftops I proclaim, I am YOURS!!!!! Sing ek sommer amplified en op sy hardste in my gedagtes, net om seker te maak die duiwel HOOR my.

The song… Chapter 2
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The empty bath

Just yesterday morning, as I was getting ready for the day ahead in our bathroom, I noticed the bath in our bathroom. I see the stickeez on the side of the bath, used to pull out the plug (purely because we have not had time to fix the mechanism that has broken). Then my eyes wander further and I see a lost sponge number (nogal number 7), that the kids always play with when they bath, pushed into the shelf above the bath.

But it is as if the stickeez and the sponge number have teamed up against me, mocking me. They are mocking me by accentuating the empty bath, the bath that, every now and then, has a few bugs in and a layer of dust due to little or no use. Then it is as if they stab my heart with a knife, twisting it. The pain shoots through my whole body when I realise – the children are now almost grown up.

Gone are the days sitting next to the bath, playing, teaching numbers, alphabet letters and colors. Gone are the moments that, at times felt too long and torturous (God knows my heart and EVERY mother feels like this at times, that I am confident of!). These moments felt that way, especially when I got very little sleep due to breastfeeding through the night, or long hours of work (or both). It was not the children’s fault that I felt like that, yet some days, the moments that I had to treasure, (especially when I was very tired and slept badly) where too much for me to handle.

Earlier this week I had a conversation with a friend. She tells me that someone told her that they only have 7 Christmases (this spelling looks wrong but I am leaving it here because I have no idea how else to spell it) left with her eldest living with them in the house, then that time is over. I look at her in total disbelief, as if she is lying to me. I then start to think, doing some calculations myself. I have less than that left with my eldest child!! When I have months, weeks and weekends like we have had since January right up to now in March, when I slave away behind my computer (what feels like days without end) just to get things submitted on time and to get through the work load, then deep inside of me, there is this rebellion that builds up against my work. (My goodness WHAT a LONG sentence, but I do not think I can break it up more?).

I feel more than angry, because I feel that my work steals from me and my children. To top it all off, sometimes the working, days without end, week in and week out, working on weekends, is not even rewarded with a payment. Many clients (not only one) just shine like a bright little star not paying our accounts, even though they receive the statement, which is sent very patiently and politely month after month. Unfortunately Pastel does not have that little man that is on his knees, crying with the words Please pay, overdue that you can insert on the statement. Not like the old days, where an admin tannie (aunty if you are wondering) prints out the statements, stamping them with Mr. Please Pay Overdue, folding it neatly and then posting it. No, now it is just very convenient and easy to leave e-mails as unread.

But there I am losing my plot again about what I actually want to say. You see, this rebellion actually starts to create bitterness and bitterness makes you ill and tired. It wastes so much precious energy. So back to the empty bath. I think about it the whole day while driving to Johannesburg to see a client, and back again. I wonder by myself just WHY God made me aware of the bath?

Then I start to think, when last DID the kids bath in our bath? Somewhere between last year and this year, they started showering in their own bathroom. In the beginning it was nice to have my bathroom back to myself (and my husband of course). No toys lying all over the show. But suddenly I realise that it is over for ever, the toys lying all over the show. That which was the biggest irritation to me at times (not always) is now gone and that implies that the kids are growing up and are moving into a new phase.

I also think back to a conversation I had with another friend (also earlier this week, and YES I talk alot!). She tells me that her eldest is at University. Again I stare at her in total disbelief (and again as if she too, is lying to me). She is only 42, how can she have a child at University? Then I realise she is right. He is 18 already! She tells me that I must enjoy the time I still have to sleep and lie next to the kids at night. I must tolerate it, bear it. When you see again, it is over.

With tears in my eyes I realise that at least I only have an empty bath. She has 3 things that are empty – a bath, a bed and a room. I feel the Holy Spirit working on my heart, gently removing the knife that was turned and twisted. The reality of the empty bath does not hurt less. But He reminds me that I still have 2 of the 3 items in my house. “Treasure it” I feel the whispering in my spirit. “Have more patience and just trust me with the work and everything that bothers you so much” He continues to tell me.

“Leave everything at the feet of Jesus” words that I keep on repeating to myself and which I also hear other people say to me and I, myself, even utter to people that are feeling discouraged. “It is HARD God!” I almost want to shout back to Him. “Everyone expects something from me, every moment of every day. I am just ONE person. By the time that the kids arrive home in the afternoons, I am finished.” (In Afrikaans we say ‘op soos ou brood’ but a direct translation of this just does not sound right). “Where do you scratch out some patience? I don’t even have crumbs to spare? Plus my kids deserve more than just crumbs.” I continue reasoning with God. As if He knows NOTHING that is going on in my life.

I remain silent for a moment and see the bath again. The bath that is empty. Then I see the rooms that are full and the beds that we share every evening with our kids. I know it is ok to do it in this manner. Even if it is frowned upon by other people, I know it is ok for us. This is the little bit that we can give back to our kids for all the nights, weekends, holidays, days, weeks, months that we had to work, missing out on time with them, not being able to assist with studying and tasks that have to be done, the list is LOOONG. For all the ungrateful work that we have ever done for people. For all the unpaid statements, without Mr. Please Pay Overdue on.

I feel a calmness coming over me and I know, God knows my heart. I am doing the best that I can with that which I have available to me. My best will probably never be good enough in my own eyes, because I have this expectation, an expectation about how life should be. Not how life really is. I truly hope that my best is good enough for my kids.

I then also leave my unpaid accounts, without Mr. Please Pay Overdue on at the feet of Jesus, with my work and the pressure that comes with it, together with, what feels like 10 million other things. I hear an echo through my mind – I need only to be still, for the Lord will fight the fight for me. God is fighting, even if it does not feel like that. Exodus 14:14 (KJV) The LORD shall fight for you, and ye shall hold your peace. I place the last little piece of something at Jesus’ feet – the empty bath. Then I turn around in search of crumbs, scraping them together so that my kids can experience more than just crumbs from this afternoon and every other afternoon and evening from now on.

Die leë bad
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Die leë bad

Net gister oggend staan ek in ons badkamer, besig om reg te maak vir die dag wat voorlê, toe my oog die bad in ons badkamer vang. Ek merk die stickeez op wat langs die bad staan om die prop uit te trek (bloot omdat die meganisme gebreek het en ons nie noodwendig tyd het om daardie probleem te probeer oplos nie). Dan dwaal my oog na die verlore sponsnommer (hoeka nommer 7) wat in die rakkie ingedruk is, waarmee die kinders altyd speel as hulle bad.

Maar dis asof die stickeez en die sponsnommer ‘n sameswering het en my koggel. Hulle koggel my deur klem te lê op die leë bad, die bad wat elke dan en wan ‘n paar goggas en stof in het van min of geen gebruik. Dan is dit asof hulle die mes dwars draai in my hart. Die pyn skiet deur my hele lyf soos wat ek tot die besef kom – die kinders is nou groot.

Weg is die dae van langs die bad sit, speel, syfers, alfabet en kleure leer met die einste sponsletters en -nommers. Weg is die oomblikke wat soms vir my te lank en uitmergelend gevoel het. (Die Here ken my hart en ek is oortuig dat elke ma sulke dae beleef het). Ek het so gevoel, veral wanneer daar min geslaap was a.g.v. borsvoeding deur die nag, of lang ure se werk (of beide tegelyk). Dit was nie die kinders se skuld dat ek so gevoel het nie, tog het dit vir my gevoel of die oomblikke wat ek moet koester, net sommige dae (veral as ek baie moeg was en baie sleg geslaap het) net een te veel was vir my om te hanteer.

Ek gesels vroeër die week met ‘n vriendin en sy vertel my dat iemand sê vir haar hulle het net nog 7 Kersfeeste (is dit die regte woord?) oor saam met haar oudste in die huis, dan is dit verby. Ek kyk haar in ongeloof aan, so asof sy vir my jok. Ek begin dink en somme maak. Ek het minder as dit oor saam met my oudste!! Wanneer ek maande, weke en naweke het soos wat ons gehad het van Januarie af tot nou in Maart, waar ek my dae omwerk, naweke omwerk net om deur alles te kom en betyds ingedien te kry, raak ek hier diep binne in my opstandig teen my werk.

Ek raak verby kwaad want ek voel my werk steel by my en my kinders. Om alles te kroon, is sommige kere se dae, weke, naweke omwerk nie eens beloon met vergoeding nie, want die mense (baie, nie net een nie) skitter in hul afwesigheid om betaling te maak op die staat wat geduldig, maand na maand per e-pos uitgestuur word. Ongelukkig het Pastel nie die mannetjie wat op sy knieë staan en huil, met die woorde Please pay, overdue wat jy kan opsit nie. Nie soos die ou dae se state wat die kantoor tannie gedruk het, gestempel het met Mr. Please Pay Overdue, netjies opgevou en gepos het nie. Nee, nou is dit net te gerieflik en maklik om die e-posse ongelees te laat.

Maar daar verloor ek alweer wat ek eintlik wil sê. Jy sien, hierdie opstandigheid skep weer bitterheid en die bitterheid maak mens siek en moeg. Mors kosbare energie. So terug by die leë bad. Ek dink daaraan die heeldag terwyl ek Johannesburg toe ry na ‘n kliënt toe, en terug ook. Ek wonder by myself juis hoekom die Here my attent gemaak het op die bad?

Ek begin dink, wanneer laas HET die kinders in ons bad gebad? Iewers tussen laas jaar en hierdie jaar het hulle net begin stort in hul eie badkamer. Aan die begin was dit vir my lekker om my badkamer weer terug te hê vir myself (en my man natuurlik). Sonder speelgoed wat die wêreld vol lê. Maar skielik is die besef daar dat dit vir ewig verby is, die speelgoed wat rondlê. Dit wat die grootste irritasie by my veroorsaak het is nou weg en dit impliseer dat die kinders groot word en ‘n nuwe fase in beweeg.

Ek dink ook terug aan ‘n gesprek met ‘n ander vriendin (ook vroeër die week, en ja, ek gesels met baie mense gereeld). Sy vertel my haar oudste is op Universiteit. Ek kyk haar in ongeloof aan (weer asof sy óók vir my jok). Sy is dan 42, hoe kan sy ‘n kind op Universiteit hê? Dan besef ek sy is tog reg, hy is reeds 18. Sy vertel my net dat ek die lê langs die kinders in die aande moet geniet, duld en verdra. As jy weer sien is dit verby.

Met trane in my oë besef ek dat ek ten minste nou net ‘n leë bad het. Sy het nou 3 goed wat leeg is – ‘n bad, ‘n bed en ‘n kamer. Ek voel hoe die Heilige Gees aan my hart werk, die mes wat dwars gedraai is sagkuns uithaal. Dit maak nie minder seer nie, die realiteit van die leë bad. Maar Hy herinner my dat ek nog 2 uit die 3 goed het in my huis. “Koester dit” voel ek die fluistering in my gees. “Hê meer geduld en vertrou my net met die werk en alles wat jou so pla” praat Hy verder.

“Los alles by die voete van Jesus” woorde wat ek oor en oor vir myself sê, en ander mense ook vir my sê en ek selfs uiter aan ander wat mismoedig is. “Dis MOEILIK Here!” skree ek amper terug. “Almal verwag iets van my elke oomblik van elke dag. Ek is net EEN mens. Teen die tyd dat die kinders by die huis kom in die middae is ek op soos ou brood. Waar krap mens dan geduld uit? Ek het nie eens krummels oor nie? Plus my kinders verdien meer as net krummels.” redeneer ek hier met die Here verder. So asof Hy NIKS weet wat in my lewe aangaan nie.

Ek raak weer stil en sien weer die bad. Die bad wat leeg is. Dan sien ek die kamers wat vol is en die beddens wat ons elke aand deel met ons kinders. Ek weet dis ok om dit so te doen. Selfs al frons ander mense vir jou, weet ek dis ok vir ons. Dis die bietjie wat ons kan terug gee vir ons kinders vir al die nagte, naweke, vakansies, dae, weke, maande se werk en uitmis op tyd saam met hulle, nie tyd kry vir help met leerwerk en take nie, die lysie is LAAANK. Vir al die stank-vir-dank werk wat ons al vir mense gedoen het. Vir al die onbetaalde rekeninge, sonder Mr. Please Pay Overdue op.

Ek voel ‘n rustigheid oor my kom en weet, die Here ken my hart. Ek doen die beste wat ek kan met dit wat ek het. My beste sal seker nooit goed genoeg wees in my eie oë nie want ek het hierdie verwagting, ‘n verwagting van hoe die lewe moet wees. Nie hoe die lewe in werklikheid is nie. Ek hoop regtig dat my beste goed genoeg is vir my kinders.

Ek los dan ook my onbetaalde rekeninge sonder Mr. Please Pay Overdue op by die voete van Jesus, saam met my werk en die druk wat saam met dit gaan, saam met wat vir my voel soos 10 miljoen ander goed. I need only to be still, for the Lord will fight the fight for me eggo dit deur my kop. Die Here veg al voel dit nie so nie. Hy veg want ons kan dit nie in eie mag doen nie. Exodus 14:14 (KJV) The LORD shall fight for you, and ye shall hold your peace. Ek sit die laaste stukkie ding by Jesus se voete neer, die leë bad. Dan draai ek om en gaan soek my geduld krummels, skraap bymekaar sodat my kinders darem meer as net krummels kan ervaar vanmiddag en elke middag en aand van nou af.

The empty bath

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The song… Chapter 1

Just like that, February 2022 came and went. We survived another big deadline. At times it really felt as if the ball and chain that I was wearing at the Accountant’s Inn, was heavier than what it was supposed to be. Some days were harder than others. I paced myself to work, at what felt like a snails pace, during February, just to get through everything. I did not work long hours on one day, but rather more days in the week.

Then, suddenly, on 28 February 2022, it was as if I could feel how the key was being turned in the lock so that I will be released earlier than planned. By 12 noon, I clicked on the submit button on my last IRP 6 return. I sit back and think – HOW DID THIS HAPPEN? This has NEVER happened before? In previous years, we sit and work so hard, the only sound you can hear are our fingers typing away at our key boards and mouse clicks flying like they are going out of fashion (I wonder how many clicks we do on a mouse in a day??), echoing in our ears, as we struggle to get everything submitted in time.

Other years, I usually submitted the last returns around 9 or 10 at night, sometimes even just before midnight. I still recall my daughter (now 8) at a younger age, bringing a pillow and blanket to sleep on the floor in the office while I was working to get everything submitted on time. Suddenly the load is just lighter.

Everyone gets into bed at a reasonable time. It almost feels wrong, as if we forgot someone or something. We review the control list again – no, we did not forget anyone, all have been submitted. I realise again, as if it is a new revelation, that we made the deadline because we have a set of hands that WORKS and KNOWS what she is doing. Someone we can trust to do the work and to do accurate calculations. Bringing her side, pulling her weight, irrespective of her circumstances.

Come 1 March 2022, I woke up and I almost want to say with a song in my heart. The song is not quite there for my work (although I thoroughly realise that if I do not work, this blog will not exist, amongst other things, other than the obvious provision for our basic needs), but the song is there in my heart, for what God has planned for me and what He is revealing bit by bit.

You see, God is revealing more and more to me while I start to advertise the Beroepsvrou platform more and doing new designs, everything between the day job. On that particular day (March 1st) I saw a client. I was not stationed at my desk and that is just what happened that day. I was recovering from working almost 9 days in a row (even if it was not 7 or 10 hours every day), just finding my feet in the next task that had been staring at me, waiting (im)patiently for me to finish it off.

I wondered the whole day WHAT the scripture for March was, I truly could not remember it. Eventually I got to tear off the dirty page for February. It was as if it reflected HOW hard I worked by being extra dirty. Water marks, ink that smudged, you name it, that was what my February calendar looked like. Eventually I sat down to read the verse. I think it was only on the second of March.

I read it and for a fleeting moment it did not make sense. I wondered by myself WHY I chose THAT verse? It does not make sense, the sentence starts blunt and in the middle of something. I decide to view it on the bible app on my phone. I read it and still it does not make sense. I decide to start reading from a few verses before this one.

Finally I understand! I grasped it!! I could not fit EVERYTHING on the calendar, plus this particular verse was on a key ring that I purchased some time ago. It was said in such a beautiful way on the keyring and hence the reason for choosing this scripture. If you are perhaps wondering why I cannot recall the scripture that was chosen – the last time I worked on these designs were in October / November 2021.

Six years’ time has passed (that is how it feels to me in the mere 6 months that actually passed). My brain cannot remember every single little bit of detail. Ok so back to the verse. I start reading from verse 45. My eye catches the heading just beneath verse 45 – The Magnificat. At first I looked at this thinking WHAT DOES THIS MEAN? (Remember I read this in Afrikaans first and there it is clear what this is).

Anyway, I compare the scripture to other versions in my application on my phone and the New Living Translation has extra words, Mary’s Song of Praise, next to it. (I also Googled the word Magnificat and there it refers to the hymn of the Virgin Mary.) Wow, that is very interesting. I feel as if I have a song in my heart and here is the scripture that refers to a song that was sung by Jesus’ Mother. WOW that is coincidence – or is it? I know with God NOTHING is ever a coincidence.

Luke 1 : 45 – 49 And blessed [spiritually fortunate and favored by God] is she who believed and confidently trusted that there would be a fulfillment of the things that were spoken to her [by the angel sent] from the Lord.” And Mary said, “My soul magnifies and exalts the Lord, And my spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior. For He has looked [with loving care] on the humble state of His maidservant; For behold, from now on all generations will count me blessed and happy and favored by God! For He who is mighty has done great things for me; And holy is His name [to be worshiped in His purity, majesty, and glory]. Amplified translation.

There is so much more to this scripture than what I can even begin to think or realise… I almost feel like I have to break up this scripture and analyze it a bit further. There is so much power captured in this. So many promises for me and for each one who believes and stands on that which God has called them for and that which He has disclosed to them of their calling.

To be continued…

Die lied… Hoofstuk 1
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Die lied… Hoofstuk 1

So het Februarie 2022 gekom en gegaan. Nog ‘n sperdatum was oorleef. By tye het dit regtig gevoel of die ball & chain wat ek by die Accountant’s Inn gedra het swaarder was as wat hy veronderstel was om te wees. Sommige dae was moeiliker as ander. Ek het myself teen ‘n, wat vir my soos ‘n slakke pas voel, laat werk in Februarie, net om deur als te kom. Nie lang ure op een dag noodwendig nie, maar eerder meer dae in die week.

Skielik op 28 Februarie 2022,was dit asof ek kon voel hoe die sleutel in die slot gedraai word en hy vroeër as beplan losgemaak gaan word. Teen 12 uur die middag click ek submit op my laaste IRP 6 opgawe. Ek sit terug en dink by myself – HOE HET DIT GEBEUR? Dit het NOG NOOIT gebeur nie? Elke ander jaar tevore sit en werk ons dat die spoeg spat en tik dat dit al klank is wat jy in jou ore hoor eggo, saam met die muis se click geluide (ek wonder hoeveel keer click ‘n mens se muis daagliks?), soos wat ons spartel om alles betyds in te dien.

Ander jare dien ek gewoonlik hier teen 9 of 10 uur die aand die laaste opgawes in, soms nog later en net voor middernag. Ek onthou nog hoe my dogtertjie (nou 8) haar kussing en kombers gebring het en op die vloer by my geslaap het terwyl ek sit en werk. Maar skielik is daardie las net ligter. Ons almal kom teen ‘n redelike tyd in die bed.

Dit voel amper verkeerd, so asof ons iets of iemand vergeet het. Ons gaan weer deur die lysie – nee, niemand vergeet nie, almal ingedien. Ek besef opnuut dat ons die sperdatum gehaal het omdat ons ‘n stel hande het wat WERK en wat WEET wat sy doen. Iemand wat ons kan vertrou om werk en berekeninge akkuraat te doen. Haar kant te bring ongeag haar omstandighede.

So staan ek 1 Maart 2022 op, ek wil amper sê met ‘n lied in my hart. Die lied is nog nie daar vir my werk nie (alhoewel ek besef dat as ek nie werk nie, hierdie blog nie sal kan bestaan nie en natuurlik weet ek dat my werk in ons behoeftes voorsien), maar die lied is wel daar vir dit wat die Here vir my beplan en wat Hy vir my so stuk-stuk begin wys.

Dit alles terwyl ek Beroepsvrou se platform meer bemark en nuwe ontwerpe doen, en tussen werk deur. Ek sien ‘n kliënt die betrokke dag (1ste Maart) en sit nie eintlik by my tafel om te werk nie, dis maar net wat daardie dag gebeur het. Ek recover so bietjie van die amper 9 dae se werk aaneen (al is dit nie 7 of 10 ure elke dag nie, dis steeds werk elke dag) en vind net my voete in die volgende taak wat vir my lê en loer….en (on)geduldig wag tot ek dit afhandel.

Ek wonder die heeldag WAT die maand se skrif vers is, en kan dit wragties nie onthou nie. Uiteindelik skeur ek Februarie se vuil bladsy af. So asof die bladsy weerspieël HOE hard ek gewerk het deur ekstra vuil te wees. Waterkolle, ink wat smeer, jy noem dit, dit is hoe Februarie se kalender aan my kant gelyk het. So gaan sit ek UITEINDELIK weer en lees die vers, ek dink hoeka dit was eers 2 Maart.

Ek lees en vir ‘n oomblik maak dit nie sin nie. Ek wonder by myself HOEKOM op dees aarde het ek nou DAARDIE skrif gekies? Dit maak nie sin nie, die sin begin so stomp en in die middel van iets. Ek trek dadelik my foon nader en lees op die Bybel toepassing (hoe is daai vir ‘n fêncy Afrikaanse woord vir application?). Ek lees, maar steeds maak dit nie sin nie. Ek besluit om so paar verse vroeër te begin lees.

Uiteindelik het ek dit! Ek snap dit!! Ek kon nie ALLES inpas op die kalender nie, PLUS die skrif vers is op ‘n sleutelhouer wat ek een keer gekoop het. Dit was vir my so mooi hoe dit op die sleutelhouer was en daarom dat ek hom gekies het. As jy dalk wonder hoe ek nou nie die skrif wat EK gekies het kan onthou nie – ek het Oktober / November 2021 laas aan die ontwerpe gewerk.

Ses jaar se tyd, voel dit vir my, het sedertdien in die kort rukkie van ongeveer 6 maande verloop. My brein kan net nie elke liewe detail onthou nie. Goed, so terug by die skrif vers. Ek begin lees van vers 45 af. My oog vang die opskrif net onder vers 45 – Die loflied van Maria. Sjoe, dis nou vir jou interessant. Ek voel of ek ‘n lied in my hart het, en hier is die skrif ook ‘n lied wat deur Jesus se Moeder gesing was. WOW dis nou vir my toevallig, of is dit? Maar ek weet dadelik met God is NIKS ooit toevallig nie.

Lukas 1: 45-49 Gelukkig is sy wat glo dat in vervulling sal gaan wat die Here vir haar gesê het!” En Maria het gesê: “Ek besing die grootheid van die Here, omdat Hy na my in my geringheid omgesien het. Kyk, van nou af sal elke nuwe geslag my gelukkig noem, omdat Hy wat magtig is, groot dinge aan my gedoen het. Heilig is sy Naam! Afrikaans 1983 vertaling.

Hier is soveel meer aan hierdie skrif as wat ek kan dink of besef….ek voel amper ek moet dit versie vir versie opbreek en analiseer. Daar is soveel krag hierin. Soveel beloftes vir my en vir elkeen wat glo en staan op dit wat die Here openbaar aan my en hulle oor dit waarvoor ons geroep is.

Word vervolg…

The song… Chapter 1
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The Sweet Words….Finalé

Alóha here from the Accountants Inn. Wait, Alóha sounds too exotic, almost as if I am watching over the ocean (exotic like white sand and turquoise water) while I am doing all these calculations, the speed dating of tax as I like to refer to provisional tax. Maybe I should rather say Modimôle, Modimôle like the advertisement of Lekkeslaap? It sounds almost more realistic of where I find myself….and not that I think that Modimôle is a jail or less exotic place….I am sure you understand what I am trying to say.

All jokes aside. This will be my closing chapter on this scripture. February is short, the pressure is high and the work load is astronomical, and I am more than likely not going to be able to find time to publish another something about this scripture after this entry.

So….I want to close off by saying that when I look back on February, I can conclude that I had one very interesting month, especially while thinking about the verse. You see, my sweet words were also under attack. Not only that which were snarled at me, but those which I uttered. Emotions were running high, stress levels were through the roof, life goes on and I just have to cope with everything.

It certainly was not easy, nor was it all glamorous and pretty. But I certainly learnt a lot and grew in the process. I know I must think before I speak, especially if I am frustrated with something and then I have a conversation with someone close to me about something else. I must not let my frustrations spill and tumble over into those conversations.

It is certainly easier said that done and I contemplate and doubt whether my words contain serotonin, similar to honey. But God showed me what I did wrong so that I could repent and ask for forgiveness, and learn from my mistakes. Is this not part of the process of becoming holy like Jesus?

I want to close off by saying that we are going to have to answer to God one day about the words that we utter. BUT He has LOTS of grace for us, He forgives us and then it is as if it never happened. What we must remember is to stop sinning and truly turn our backs on that. We must stop with our bad habits and poorly chosen words.

It takes 21 days to break a habit, if I started 1 February with that, then, theoretically I should have overcome it by Monday 21 February or Tuesday 22 February….but, we do not consciously make such decisions regarding bad habits on a daily basis, this is also not something that happens to me every 5 minutes or every hour. To me it is not similar to having bad eating habits that I want to turn around. No, for me it is very sporadic and random at times but I suppose that can also be seen as habitual, because I always act the same way in similar situations.

I must learn from my mistakes and pass the test. Because surely I am going to keep on writing the test until I pass it. Even if it takes more than 21 days….so long and farewell until next month when I write about the March scripture! Alóha from the Accountants Inn. (Is Alóha not hello and goodbye in Hawaii?)

Die soet woorde…Slot
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Die soet woorde…Slot

Alóha hier vanuit die Accountants Inn. Wag, Alóha klink te eksoties, so asof ek vir die see sit en kyk (wit sand en turquoise water se eksoties) terwyl ek werk aan al die berekeninge, die speed dating van belasting soos ek na voorlopigebelasting verwys. Miskien moet ek eerder sê Modimôle, Modimôle soos die Lekkeslaap advertensie? Dit klink amper meer realisties van waar ek myself bevind….en nie dat ek nou dink Modimôle is ‘n tronk of minder eksoties nie….ek is seker julle verstaan wat ek bedoel.

Alle grappies op ‘n stokkie. Hierdie sal my slot hoofstuk wees. Februarie is kort, die druk hoog en die werk astronomies baie en ek gaan heel waarskynlik na die inskrywing nie weer tyd kry om ietsie te publiseer oor die maand se skrif vers nie.

So….ek wil afsluit deur te sê dat ek een ongelooflike interessante maand gehad het as ek terug kyk en aan die skrif vers dink. Jy sien, my soet woorde was self aangeval ook. Nie net dit wat aan my toegesnou was nie, maar dit wat ek geuiter het. Gemoedere loop hoog, spanning is baie, die lewe gaan aan en ek moet net cope met alles.

Dit was vir seker nie maklik nie en ook nie maanskyn en rose heel maand nie. Maar ek het vir seker geleer en gegroei in die proses. Ek weet ek moet dink voor ek praat, veral as ek gefrustreerd is met iets en ‘n gespek oor iets anders met iemand na aan my het. Ek moet nie dat my frustrasies oorspoel in daardie gesprekke toe nie.

Dis vir seker makliker gesê as gedaan en ek weet nie of my woorde aldag seritonien bevat het soos wat heuning bevat nie. Maar die Here het my gewys wat ek verkeerd doen sodat ek kon repent en omvergifnis vra en leer uit my foute uit. Dis mos deel van die heiligmakingsproses is dit nie?

Ek wil afsluit deur te sê dat ons woorde wat ons uiter, ons voor rekenskap gaan moet gee eendag voor die Here. MAAR Hy het BAIE genade vir ons en as ons Hom omvergifnis vra vir dit wat ons verkeerd gedoen het, vergewe Hy ons en is dit asof dit nooit gebeur het nie. Wat ons wel moet onthou, is om op te hou sonde pleeg en werklik ons rug op dit te draai en te bekeer. Ons moet ophou met slegte gewoontes soos slegte woorde.

Dit vat 21 dae om ‘n gewoonte te breek, as ek 1 Februarie begin het met dit, moet ek teoreties teen Maandag 21 Februarie of Dinsdag 22 Februarie dit afgeleer het…maar, ons maak nie aldag sulke doelbewuste besluite in slegte gewoontes nie, want dit is nie iets wat vir my elke 5 minute gebeur of elke uur nie. Nie soos wanneer ek probeer slegte eetgewoontes reg kry nie. Nee, vir my is dit sporadies en op random tye maar kan seker maar gesien word as gewoonte, omdat ek altyd dieselfde optree in dieselfde situasies.

Ek moet nou net leer uit my foute en my toets slaag. Want ek gaan hom vir seker aanhou skryf tot ek hom regkry! Al vat dit meer as 21 dae….ek groet nou tot volgende maand en wanneer ek oor volgende maand se skrif skryf! Alóha hier vanuit Accountants Inn. (Alóha is mos hallo en totsiens in Hawaï is dit nie?)

The Sweet Words….Finalé
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Die Deurlopende Etiese Opleiding duur voort…. Maand 2

Die Engelse opskrif klink vir my meer catchy. Maar toemaar, ek is seker julle verstaan wat ek hier bedoel. Elkgeval, terug by my ervaring van hierdie ding wat ons etiese opleiding noem….ek het eers my oë gerol (ek het dit al voorheen genoem) om opleiding te doen om eties te wees. Vir my is dit ‘n natuurlike ding en my verwagting van ander mense is ook om so te wees.

Duidelik funksioneer ander nie soos ek nie (wat ‘n skok vir die sisteem, dog die waarheid en realiteit). Maar, soos ek deur alles werk, besef ek net daar is iets diepers betrokke hierby. Natuurlik kan niemand geleer word om eties te wees nie! Maar, as jy jou denk patrone verander, sal jy tot die besef kom oor hoe dit jou lewe, aksies, keuses en uitkomste werklik beïnvloed.

Iewers tussen September 2021 en Februarie 2022 het ek behoorlik uitgefreak oor die etiese opleiding. Elke keer wanneer ek ‘n kennisgewing kry dat daar nuwe inhoud beskikbaar is (die begin van die maand gewoonlik) dan begin ek amper hiper-ventileer. Want regtig, WAAR moet ek die tyd kry om alles te DOEN wat daar van my verwag word? Ek het slegs maand 1 se opleiding gedoen teen einde Desember en nou moet ek 11 maande se goed opvang in iets soos 8 maande of minder (ek weet eintlik nie hoeveel nie, ek het dit nie gaan uitwerk nie en my brein is regtig net te moeg om uit te werk hoeveel tyd het ek nog oor van my 12 maande etiese opleiding).

Dan, tussen al die chaos deur wat ek ervaar, kalmeer die Here my gedagtes. Dis ok om agter te raak. Dit gebeur. Weer freak ek uit want ek is nou eers besig met maand 2 se joernaal inskrywings wat daagliks moet plaasvind en HOE GAAN EK DIT DOEN??? Ek het amper in my gedagtes geskree vir God (met respek as daar so iets bestaan). Ek het ‘n tantrum gegooi. Ek sal nou nie die Afrikaanse slagspreuk gebruik nie, maar iewers in dit is ‘n vloer en iets wat rym met vloer. Ek is seker jy weet wat ek hier bedoel.

Dit het my die HELE Januarie gevat om ‘n klomp goed uit te werk, insluitende die opleiding in ‘n baie besige skedule. Dan iewers tussen my geskree en freak out wat ek gehad het, kom die lig aan. Wat die proses jou EINTLIK probeer leer is nie om jou inskrywings te begin met Liewe Dagboek nie. Nee. Wat hulle ons probeer leer om te doen is om ons gedagtes te declutter van goed en gedagtes wat jou so besig hou en jou vreugde en fokus steel.

Sodra jy dit begin neerskryf en uit jou gedagtes uit kry, kan jy meer fokus op die dag wat voorlê. Makliker gesê as gedaan, MAAR dis die uiteinde dink ek. Ons het soveel clutter op soveel vlakke, dis SCARY!! Dit begin intimiderend raak en as jy weer sien is jy oorweldig, angstig en kan jy eintlik nie werk soos jy veronderstel is om te werk nie, alles op dieselfde tyd.

Ek het ‘n doelbewuste besluit geneem om die eerste week in Februarie, net te BEGIN met hierdie opleiding en dit net te doen. En ek het. En dit laat my meer bemagtig voel (is dit die regte woord vir accomplished?). Ek voel beter want ek is besig om baba tree se vordering te maak….en raai wat??? Jy HOEF nie eers maand 2 se joernaal inskrywings klaar te maak voor jy kan aangaan met maand 3 nie.

Nee, jy kan daagliks joernaal inskrywings maak, maand 2 se video’s kyk (en al die inhoud lees net so terloops), die assessering doen en aan beweeg na maand 3 toe. Dit is wat ek gaan doen. Ek kan mos meer as een daaglikse inskrywing doen as ek wil. Daar is geen reëls nie, so dis haalbaar om op te vang en in te haal.

Wat ek ook gaan doen, is om te probeer kombineer met wat ookal in maand 3 gebeur met maand 2 se joernaal inskrywings en so uitbrei. Ek het GEEN idee wat maand 3 vir my inhou nie, maar ek is reg vir dit. Dankie tog ek het ‘n hoër mag (die Here as jy gewonder het) wat oor my waak. Wat ek ook begin doen het is om so 2 tot 3 joernaal inskrywings se vrae te antwoord in een dag. Deur dit te doen, maak ek ook vordering en vang ek ook op!! My plan, is soos elke ander plan in die lewe – onder ontwikkelling en onderhewig aan verandering.

God inspireer my, kalmeer my, gee my planne om my vrese en probleme wat ek daagliks ervaar, te oorwin, sodat ek iets so eenvoudig soos hierdie etiese opleiding kan doen. Dit is regtig nie so moeilik nie en sal my vir seker baat op die lang duur. Jy sien, wat jy, die leser van die artikel nie sien nie, is die angstige gedagtes wat ek daagliks het, oor alles – goed, lewe, kinders, werk.

Dit affekteer my vermoë om te werk en produktief te wees. So vir die buite wêreld lyk ek soos iets, ek weet eintlik nie waarmee om myself te vergelyk nie, maar ek kom voor as iets anders as wat ek werklik is. Ek sit maar ‘n brawe gesig op elke dag, smile and waive, fake it ’till you make it tipe houding. Dit gee ‘n wan-persepsie van wie ek werklik is.

Maar, iewers tussen my skrywery op die platform deur, terwyl ek my bybelstudie doen (terwyl ek blog) en my gedagtes joernaliseer, is ek besig om iets te word, iemand beter as wat ek voorheen was. Hierdie proses help my om te declutter in my gedagtes en nie so angstig te wees soos ek altyd was nie.

Ek kry dit steeds nie reg op ‘n daaglikse basis nie, maar sommige dae is beter as ander. Hierdie is alles ‘n leer-proses vir my, iets wat my as mens ontwikkel. En natuurlik het die Here vir my gewys dat ek een van my Beroepsvrou dagboeke kan gebruik vir hierdie doel! Vir hierdie etiese opleiding en daaglikse bybel verse!

Een ding wat ek wel agter gekom het, is, na ek hierdie artikel begin skryf het begin Februarie, het daar ‘n klomp tyd verloop. Twee weke (of is dit nou drie?) het verby gegaan en ek probeer my uiterste beste om hierdie etiese opleiding se joernaal inskrywings daagliks te doen, op ‘n weeksdag (naweke is so bietjie anders en moeiliker omdat ons ‘n ander roetine het). Elkgeval, terug by wat ek probeer sê. Wanneer jy die joernaal vrae antwoord (dit kry eintlik net jou gedagtes aan die gang) oor hoe jy byvoorbeeld, kan verbeter om take af te handel, is dit asof die duiwel en al sy nasaad (in Engels verwys ek na spawn of the devil) jou aanval op dit wat jy neergeskryf het.

Vir my is dit baie interessant, dog niks nuuts nie. Jy sien, wanneer dit met my gebeur, sit ek met ‘n glimlag op my gesig en neem ek kennis hiervan, want, wanneer ek voel of ek aangeval word, weet ek net dat ek op die regte spoor is! Die duiwel weet ook wat my potensiaal is en hy sal alles probeer om my te keer om te doen wat gedoen moet word.

Moet nie mismoedig voel as jy ‘n twee of drie weke tydperk agter die rug het soos wat ek gehad het nie (na ek met die etiese joernaal inskrywings begin het). Dit beteken net dat jy op die regte spoor is en moet aanhou en deur druk! En net asof die Here wil bevestig vir my wat ek hier sê, kry ek ‘n bybelvers net na ek die artikel begin afsluit. 2 Thessalonicense 3:3. Wat ‘n powerful en profound skrif vers om te kry wanneer jy voel of jy aangeval word!

So, as jy steeds wonder of dit die moeite wêrd sal wees om die kursus te doen of waar jy die tyd sal vind – hou op om dit te oordink. Hou op om te prokrastineer soos wat ek vir maande gedoen het. Begin net en voor jy weet, sal jy soveel meer kennis hê en insig kry as voor jy hierdie hele proses begin het.

Een ding wat ek opgemerk het van hierdie opleiding is dat jy ALLES MOET LEES!! Voor jy die aanlyn assessering probeer, maak seker jy LEES die inhoud….dit gaan jou net versterk in jou kennis en self-worth (en natuurlik gaan jy die assessering slaag as jy alles gelees het want die vrae kom nie net uit die videos uit nie).

Ek kan afsluit en ‘n gevolgtrekking maak dat Ek tot alles in staat is deur Christus wat my krag gee! Fillipense 4:13. Ek kan selfs hierdie opleiding ding doen, werk EN ‘n ma wees!! En dit nogals in Februarie, ons besigste maand! Want regtig, WANNEER is ‘n goeie tyd om te begin? Dis nou of nooit!

Word vervolg…..

The Continious Ethics Training continues…. Month 2
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The Continious Ethics Training continues…. Month 2

Note the pun in the heading. Anyway, back to my experience of this thing called training and ethics….so at first I rolled my eyes (I have said this before) at having to do training about being ethical. To me it comes naturally and that is my expectation that I have of others.

Clearly everyone does not function like I do (what a shocker to my system but a reality and truth). But as I work through everything, I realise that there is something deeper here. Of course no one can be taught to be ethical! But you can start to think about your thoughts and how it influences your life and actions.

I was freaking out somewhere between September 2021 and February 2022 about this ethics training. Everytime I get a notification about new content (at the beginning of the month) I almost start to hyperventilate. Because seriously, WHERE am I supposed to find the time to DO that which is expected of me. I only did month 1 by end December and now I have to catch up 11 months in something like 8 months or less (I don’t know, I did not calculate this and quite frankly my brain is too exhausted to calculate how many months are left of my 12 months ethics).

Then, amongst all the chaos I was experiencing, God calmed my thoughts. It is ok to fall behind. It happens. Again I was freaking out because now I am only in month 2’s journalling that has to take place daily and HOW AM I GOING TO DO THIS??? I was almost screaming in my mind to God (with respect). Throwing a tantrum.

It took me the whole of January to figure a lot of things out, including this training that I have to fit into a very busy schedule. Then somewhere between screaming and freaking out, the light came on. What this process is trying to teach you is to not start your journal entries with Dear diary. Nope. What they are trying to get us to do is to declutter your mind of stuff and thoughts that occupy you and steal your joy and focus.

Once you start writing them down and getting them out of your mind, you can become more focussed on the day ahead. Easier said than done BUT this is the bottom line I think. We have so much clutter on so many levels in our lives, it is SCARY! It becomes intimidating and when you see again you are overwhelmed, underpeforming and anxious all at the same time.

I made a conscious decision during the first week of Feb, to just START with this training and just do it. And I did. And that makes me feel more accomplished because I am making baby steps in progress….and guess what??? You don’t HAVE to do every day’s journalling for month 2 before you can proceed to month 3.

No, you can journal daily, watch month 2’s videos (and read the material by the way), do the assessment and move on to month 3. That is what I am going to do. I can answer more than one daily journalling thought if I want to, there are no rules, so it is manageable to actually catch up.

What I am also going to do, is combine what ever is added on in month 3 with month 2’s journalling and just expand. I have no idea what month 3 has installed for me but I am ready for it. Thank goodness I have a higher power (called God if you were wondering) watching over me. What I also started doing, is to answer 2 to 3 journalling questions on one day. That way I will also make progress and catch up!! My plan for this is like every plan in life – under development and subject to change.

God inspires me, calms me, gives me my plans to overcome my fears and problems I face daily so that I can so something as simple as this ethics training. It is really not that hard and it will really benefit me in the long run. You see, what you, the reader of this article, don’t see is, in the background there are all these anxiety thoughts I have daily about stuff, life, kids, work.

This affects my ability to work and be productive. So to the outside world I look like something, I don’t know what to compare myself with, but I appear to be something I am not, to others. I put on a brave face daily, smile and waive, fake it till you make it type of attitude, which is what others perceive to be this thing which I am not.

However, between writing this blog, doing my bible study while blogging and journaling my thoughts like I am being thaught in this course, I am actually becoming something and someone better than what I was before. This all helps me to declutter my mind and not be as panicked as I used to be.

I still don’t get it right on a daily basis, but some days are better than others. This all is a learning and developing process to me. And of course God showed me what I could use one of my Beroepsvrou diaries for! For this ethics journalling and daily bible verses!

One thing I have noted, is, after I started writing this article at the beginning of February, an amount of time has lapsed. Two weeks (or is it three?) have passed and I am trying my utmost best to do this ethics journaling daily on a weekday (weekends are different because then our routine is slightly different). Anyway, back to what I am trying to say. When you answer the journaling questions (that just gets your mind going) about how you can improve, for example on finishing tasks, it is like the devil and all the spawn of the devil, attacks you on what you wrote down.

To me this is very interesting, yet nothing new. You see, when ever this happens to me, I grin and I take note of this, because when I feel under attack, I know I am on the right track! The devil also knows my potential and he will try everything to stop me from doing what needs to be done.

Don’t be discouraged if you have had a two to three week period like I have after starting this ethics journaling. It only means you are doing something right and you must persevere and push through! And as if God just wants to confirm what I am saying here, I get a bible verse shortly after finishing up this article – 2 Thessalonians 3:3. What a powerful and profound scripture to get when feeling like you are under attack!

So, if you are still wondering if it will be worth it to do this course, or where you will find the time – stop overthinking it. Stop procrastinating like I did for months. Just start doing and before you know it, you will be so much more knowledgeable than what you were before you started this whole thing.

One thing I have noted from this training is you HAVE TO READ everything!! Before you attempt the questions and assessment, make sure you READ the content…after all, it will only strengthen your knowledge and self-worth.

I can conclude that I can do all things with Christ! Phillipians 4:13. I can even do this training thing, work AND be a mom! And nogal in February, our busiest month! Because really, WHEN is it a good time to start? It is now or never!

To be continued…..

Die Deurlopende Etiese Opleiding duur voort…. Maand 2
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The sweet words… Chapter 2

I have been thinking about this month’s scripture as the month is progressing and life is getting more and more hectic work wise. It makes me wonder as to why Solomon referred to honey in this scripture and why it is referred to as being able to heal.

Naturally I grab my phone to google the medicinal value of honey. The facts that Mrs. Google showed me was pretty interesting…

It enhances immunity. So it physically helps to keep your body healthy. Very interesting. I read a little further – it enhances serotonin. Now those of you who do not know – serotonin is the feel good hormone that makes you feel happy (amongst other things) and it also regulates a whole lot of other things.

It is further my understanding that it contains anti-oxidants, reduces stress and anxiety, is anti-bacterial and a whole list of other things. It was really interesting to read all these facts about honey. Surely Solomon did not google the medicinal facts about honey when he wrote this piece of scripture.

No, he was the wisest person ever who lived on earth and it was the Godly wisdom that God blessed him with that is portrayed in this scripture. Wow, what an awesome revelation about this scripture!

Sweet words have the same healing effects as honey….if this is then true, then surely the opposite must be true too? Destructive words that criticizes, are like an illness that eats away at you and will eventually kill and destroy you if you keep on listening to (and uttering) such words. Makes you think does it not….?

To be continued….

Die soet woorde… Hoofstuk 2
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Die soet woorde… Hoofstuk 2

Soos wat die besige maand vorder dink ek steeds aan die skrif. Dit laat my verder dink aan hoekom Salomo na heuning verwys het en hoekom dit as genesend is in die teksvers.

Natuurlik gaan gryp ek my foon en google die medisinale waarde van heuning. Dis nou nogal interessant hierdie feite wat Mevrou Google toe nou vir my uitspoeg…

Dit bevorder immuniteit. So dit hou jou lyf fisies gesond. Dis interessant. Ek lees verder – dit bevorder serotinien. Nou seritonien is die feel good hormone wat jou gelukkig laat voel (onder andere) en die spesifieke hormoon reguleer ook ‘n hele rits ander goed.

Dit bevat anti-oksidante, verminder stress en angs, is anti-bacterial (by gebrek aan ‘n beter woord in Afrikaans – die Afrikaanse woord klink tog so formeel) en nog ‘n hele rits ander goed soos ek dit nou verstaan.

Dit was vir my interessant om al hierdie feite te lees. Salomo het vir seker nie google gebruik toe hy hierdie skrif geskryf het nie. Nee, hy was die slimste mens ooit op aarde en dit was die Goddelike wysheid waarmee die Here hom geseën het. Wow. Wat ‘n awesome revelation oor hierdie teks en heuning!

Soet woorde is so genesend soos heuning…so dan moet die teenoorgestelde dan waar wees? Afbrekende woorde is soos siekte wat jou verdor en dood maak as jy aanhou luister na afbrekende woorde (en aanhou om dit te uiter). Laat mens dink nê….?

Word vervolg….

The sweet words… Chapter 2
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You are…

“You are what you eat.” How many times have I heard that line before? It is almost like the advertisement from the late 80’s – Farmer Brown’s Chickens. “They look so good because they eat so good.” I can still recall the oom‘s voice (oom just sounds better here than uncle). If I recall correctly it was a bit of a husky voice (is that the right term? In Afrikaans we call it rasperstem.)

Husky voice or not, that line always stayed with me. When I was older, I even joked about my body by saying “I look so good because I eat so good!” Because let us be honest. Anything refined, sweet and unhealthy is the nicest to eat!

And so it happened, that God showed me a few years ago, while channel hopping on TV (almost as fast as popcorn that jumps while being made), pausing for a brief moment on one or another absurd reality show. I just have to interrupt myself here – my goodness, what a long sentence with very little punctuation marks! I feel out of breath just reading through it….

Anyway, as we were watching these people, everyone in search of something that they do not know what it is that they are looking for (they looked helpless and lost in this show as it was one or another weird dating something or another), God dropped in my spirit You are because I am. It was in English and just like that. For a moment I thought about it and then I realised that this is so true! God referred to Himself as I am who sent Moses to the Pharaoh, did he not? Oh my goodness, did I spell Pharaoh correct??? You know, the guy with the goatie that enslaved the Israelites, the Egyptian king. That is the guy I am talking about!

Jump forward to 2020 or 2021 (I don’t even know anymore when what happened because everything seems like a blur). Somewhere there, I wrote on my own personal Facebook page something similar to this article I am writing, and that we are because God is. But later God expanded even more on this for me.

You are what you eat, what you think and what you speak. And just like that, everything falls into place in my head (I actually cannot explain HOW that happens, it just does). Body, mind or soul (not sure whether to use mind or soul here in Afrikaans it is Liggaam, siel en gees) and spirit. You are that which goes around in your heart (there is a bible verse to this effect is there not? Somewhere in Psalms?). You are what you think in your mind (and then speak). You are what you physically eat.

The power of life and death is in the tongue – it says so in the Bible too….so we must be aware of what we speak, as this manifests in the flesh normally….and actually what you speak starts with what goes on in our hearts, does it not? Does it make sense what I am saying here?

I recon from these Godly thoughts (not me but God for sure!) is where Beroepsvrou started to exist. For YEAAARS I thought that I, Elsie, am the only one that does not wake up with a song in my heart and birds that chirp just for me in the mornings. You know, almost like Snow White that whistles and then all the birds come to do what ever they do for her. I thought that is how it should be….

I know, it is a fairy tale full of lies, but give me credit. I have said it before, I feel like a late bloomer when it comes to things like this (at least I did not come to this realisation now only, probably early 30’s if I really have to draw a timeline for you and no, I did not think the little birdies will do my work for me). Now, to get back to Beroepsvrou…that what you are fits in so nicely with the whole theme of Beroepsvrou and the Pink Feathers range and what I stand for.

Pink Feathers for God. Your spiritual (and soul I suppose) person is fed with what goes on in your mind and heart. From there the Pink Feathers for God….but what God actually showed me is that the apron was the forerunner to the whole Pink Feathers range.

When you put on an apron, you are busy serving other people with food. A bit of a double meaning with the apron. But you are also busy preparing something to feed your body with (you must look after your temple that God gave you – THAT also stands in the Bible).

It feels to me as if I am talking deurmekaar as I call it in Afrikaans. But I believe that God will pull all the strings together here so that those who read this will understand. We also have to constantly refresh our minds and thoughts with God’s word so that our hearts do not turn black and ugly, so that our mouths do not speak curses and our bones do not dry out from this which we speak.

Back to the aprons – recently I had the absolute privilege to bless a local school’s Consumer Study children with aprons (absolutely in order from God) and I further had the privilege to speak to them for 5 minutes (ok maybe 10 minutes, I am not sure), serving them with what God has laid on my heart and Beroepsvrou and the Pink Feathers.

I cannot recall what I said and it felt like I did not talk sense at all, but I believe that seed was sown that day and that it will come up when the time is right…I also know that I am busy growing, learning and that God will absolutely put the right words into my mouth when I go to the next school to serve them with God’s word and to bless them with the aprons.

The conclusion that I want to make about this piece is, you are what you eat, you are what you think and you are what you speak. This is what will manifest in our lives and this is within our control and in our hands. That is actually THE ONLY THING we have control over. Wow, what a wonderful revelation. I have known this for a while now, that this is the only thing we can control, but God has just put it all together so beautifully and finished it off with the blog and the Pink Feathers range…

All the glory be to God always! May this blog always be what God has planted in my heart, to put it into words for others to read and may this NEVER be about me!! He inspires me, gives me the knowledge and wisdom, the vision and talents to do what is busy happening…

Jy is…
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Jy is…

“Jy is wat jy eet.” Hoeveel keer het ek nie al daai lyn gehoor nie? Dis amper soos die advertensie van die laat 80’s – Farmer Brown se hoenders. “Hul lyk so goed want hul eet so goed.” Kan ek nou nog die oom se stem hoor. Ek verbeel my dit was so ‘n rasperige stem, maar ek kan verkeerd wees.

Nie te min, rasper stem of de not, daardie lyn het my altyd by gebly. Ek het selfs in latere jare gespot oor my lyf deur te sê “Ek lyk so goed want ek eet so goed!” Want kom ons wees eerlik. Enige iets verfynd en soet en ongesond is mos maar die lekkerste!

Maar so gebeur dit ‘n paar jaar gelede, dat die Here nog iets vir my wys toe ons een aand deur die kanale spring (soos wanneer popcorn wat gemaak word en spring) en vir ‘n vlietende oomblik op een of ander absurde realiteitsprogram afkom. Liewe aarde, ek wil net gou myself onderbreek, maar daardie was ‘n lang sin met min leestekens! Ek is skoon uitasem gelees….

Soos wat ons vir hierdie mense kyk, almal wat soekende is na iets maar nie weet wat nie, laat val die Here in my gees You are because I am. Dit was in Engels. Ek sit so oomblik en dink….dis waar! Die Here verwys mos in Moses se tyd na Ek is wat Moses gestuur het na Farao toe.

Spring vorentoe na 2020 en 2021 toe (ek weet eintlik nie meer wanneer het wat gebeur nie want als is ‘n blur). Iewers daar het ek op my eie Facebook blad iets soortgelyk gesit soos die stuk wat ek nou skryf, en dat ons is omdat God is. Maar later van tyd het die Here dit nog so bietjie uitgebrei vir my.

Jy is wat jy eet, wat jy dink en wat jy praat. En net so val alles in plek in my kop (ek kan ook nie eintlik verduidelik HOE dit gebeur nie, dit doen net). Liggaam, siel en gees. Jy is wat in jou hart omgaan (daar is mos so ‘n skrif iewers in Psalms as ek dit nie mis het nie?). Jy is wat jy in jou gedagtes dink (en dan praat). Jy is wat jy fisies eet.

Die mag van lewe en dood lê in die tong – so sêg die Bybel ook…so ons moet waak teen wat ons spreek, want dit manifesteer gewoonlik in die vlees ook….en eintlik begin dit wat ons praat met dit wat in ons harte omgaan doen dit nie? Maak dit sin wat ek sê?

En ek reken uit hierdie Goddelike gedagtes (nie ek nie maar God vir seker!) is waar Beroepsvrou ontstaan het. Ek het vir JAAAARE gedink EK wat Elsie is, is die enigste een wat nie elke oggend met ‘n lied in my hart en voëltjies wat buite NET vir my fluit wakker word nie. Jy weet soos Sneeuwitjie wat fluit en dan kom die voëltjies en doen wat ookal vir haar. Ek het gedink dis hoe dit moes wees….

Ja ek weet, dis ‘n fairy tale wat propvol leuens is, maar gee my darem krediet. Ek het al voorheen gesê ek voel soos ‘n late bloomer wat sulke goed aanbetref (ek het darem nie nou eers tot hierdie besef gekom nie, seker maar vroeë 30’s as ek nou regtig ‘n tydlyn vir jou moet trek en nee ek het nooit gedink die voëltjies sou my werk vir my doen nie). Nou om terug te kom Beroepsvrou toe….dit wat jy is pas vir my eintlik so mooi in by die hele Beroepsvrou tema, die Pienk Vere Reeks en waarvoor ek staan.

Pienk Vere vir die Here. Jou gees (en seker maar siel) mens word gevoed met dit wat in jou hart en gedagtes omgaan. Vandaar die Pienk Vere vir die Here…maar wat die Here vir my gewys het is dat die voorskoot eintlik die voorloper was vir die hele Pienk Vere reeks.

Wanneer jy ‘n voorskoot aantrek, is jy besig om ander mense te bedien met kos. So dubbele betekenis met die voorskoot. Maar jy is ook besig om iets voor te berei wat jou liggaam moet voed (jy moet jou tempel wat die Here vir jou gegee het mos oppas – DIT staan ook in die Bybel!)

Dit voel vir my of ek deurmekaar praat hier maar ek glo die Here gaan al die toutjies bymekaar trek sodat diegene wat dit lees sal verstaan. Ons moet ook konstant ons gedagtes vernuwe en vul met God se woord sodat ons harte nie swart word nie, ons monde nie vloeke spreek nie en ons gebeentes nie uitdroog van dit wat ons spreek nie.

Van die os op die jas en weer by die voorskote – onlangs het ek die absolute voorreg gehad om ‘n plaaslike skool se Verbruikerstudie kinders te seën met voorskote (absoluut in opdrag van die Here) en ek het verder die absolute voorreg gehad om hulle vir 5 minute (ok dalk 10 minute ek is nie seker nie) te bedien en meer te vertel van Beroepsvrou en die Pienk Vere….

Ek kan nie regtig onthou wat ek gesê het nie en dit het gevoel of ek deurmekaar gepraat het, maar ek glo dat daar saad iewers gesaai was en dat dit sal opkom wanneer die tyd reg is…ek weet ook dat ek besig is om te groei en te leer en dat die Here absoluut die woorde in my mond sal sit wanneer ek die volgende skool gaan bedien en seën met voorskote.

Die gevolgtrekking wat ek wil maak van die stuk is, jy is wat jy eet, jy is wat jy dink en jy is wat jy praat. Dit wat in ons lewens manifesteer is absoluut in ONS hande. Dit is eintlik AL waaroor ons beheer het. Wow, wat ‘n wonderlike revelation (by gebrek aan ‘n beter Afrikaanse woord wat nie so treffend is soos die Engelse woord nie). Ek weet dit al lankal, dat dit is waaroor ons beheer het in hierdie wêreld, maar die Here het alles vir my so mooi bymekaar kom sit en afgerond met die blog en die Pienk Vere reeks…

Alle eer aan God altyd! Mag die blog altyd dit wat die Here in my hart plant deurgee en mag dit NOOIT oor myself gaan nie!! Hy inspireer my, gee my die kennis en wysheid en die talente en visies om te doen wat besig is om te gebeur…

You are…
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The sweet words… Chapter 1

Before I start writing entry, I just want to say – I know the picture at the beginning of the article is the one for January on the desk pad calendar. Obviously I could not take a picture of every month’s page as that would have affected my stock’s quality….and I cannot take a picture of mine because it is scribbled full of notes….and I only have the Afrikaans one on my desk….

This particular item in the Pink Feathers range, has been used by myself better than what I ever could imagine. You see, I was very skeptical about the desk pad, wondering if I ever will use it. Well, all doubts are gone now and I think I have become a desk pad-using-gal. Now, with that admin being said, I can continue writing about this month’s scripture.

Proverbs 16:24 – Pleasant words are like a honeycomb, sweet and delightful to the soul and healing to the body. When I got the scriptures for each month last year, I never would have guessed how applicable each month’s scripture would be.

You see, February is our busiest month. It is financial year end. A fairly rough time if I can refer to it like that. Little sleep, long hours and the normal life in between everything else (even a birthday on the 7th nogal – one of the deadline days). Our kids know already but I cannot keep wondering if they really do understand? Or are we busy making scars for them? This that we work, work and work some more.

So now you probably wonder how the scripture ties in with February? You see, when you are not under pressure, it is easy to comply with this scripture. It is when you are under pressure that it becomes harder to comply. Without saying much more in a month like February the pressure IS more so the challenge with this scripture will be bigger than normal…

But, it is not necessarily when WE experience pressure that WE have to be mindful of our words. Many times for me, it is when I do not experience sweet words from my clients that it hurts. You know, those words that just brutally breaks down the one thing you worked so hard to do as thorough and accurate as you could. Critisising everything you have ever stood for.

When everything you have ever done for someone with rightousness and integrity is broken down to a big pile of nothing. When accusations are thrown around (yes you guessed it, a similar occurence took place during the first week of February like it has happened before). It is then that I think of this scripture. Because such words are not sweet for the soul and healing to the bones.

To be continued…

Die soet woorde… Hoofstuk 1
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Die soet woorde… Hoofstuk 1

Voor ek begin skryf, wil ek net sê, ek weet die foto aan die begin van die artikel is die Januarie bladsy op die tafel kalender (deskpad). Uiteraard kon ek nou nie elke maand se kalender afneem nie want dit sou beteken dat die voorraad se kwaliteit geaffekteer sou word….en ek kan nie myne afneem nie want hy is al vol geskribbel met nota’s….

En vir iemand (dis nou ek) wat skepties was oor die deskpad en gewonder het of ek hom wel gaan gebruik, word die ding nogals baie gebruik. Nou ja, nou dat ek daardie admin afgehandel het kan ek begin skryf oor die maand se teks.

Spreuke 16:24 – Vriendelike woorde is soos ‘n heuningkoek: soet vir die siel en ‘n genesing vir die gebeente. Toe ek laas jaar die skrifverse gekry het vir elke maand en dit op die kalender geplaas het, sou ek nie kon raai hoe van toepassing dit wel sou wees in elke maand nie.

Jy sien, Februarie is ons besigste maand. Dis finansiële jaareinde. Redelike rowwe tyd as ek nou so daarna kan verwys. Min slaap, lang ure en die gewone lewe tussen als deur (selfs ‘n verjaarsdag op die 7de Februarie – ‘n dag waar daar ‘n sperdatum op is waarvan ons nie kan wegkom nie). Ons kinders weet al maar ek wonder tog of hulle regtig verstaan? En of ons besig is om skade te maak by hulle? Met die dat ons so werk, werk en nogmaals werk.

Goed so jy wonder seker nou hoe die skrif met Februarie gekoppel word? Jy sien, wanneer mens nie onder druk is nie, is dit maklik om die skrif uit te voer en deur te voer. Dis wanneer mens onder druk is dat dit nie altyd maklik is nie. So uiteraard is Februarie ‘n druk maand so die uitdaging met die teks voel vir my of dit groter is nou…

Maar, dis ook nie noodwendig wanneer ONS druk ervaar wat ONS moet versigtig wees met ons woorde nie. Vir my is dit baie keer wanneer ons NIE soet woorde van kliënte af ontvang nie, wat dit seer maak. Jy weet, daai woorde waar elke stukkie iets wat jy altyd met soveel deeglikheid gedoen het, afgebreek word en gekritiseer word.

Wanneer alles wat jy nog ooit vir iemand met integriteit gedoen het afgebreek word na niks. Waar beskuldigings rondgeswaai word (ja jy raai reg, dit het weer die afgelope week gebeur soos soveel keer tevore). Dis dan wanneer ek aan die skrif dink. Want wragties, dan is die woorde nie soet vir die siel nie en ook nie genesend vir die gebeente nie.

Word vervolg….

The sweet words… Chapter 1
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The Burpee…

No, not that type of burpee where you break up winds. The exercise called a BURPEE. That is how it feels to me since 15 March 2020. As if I must do emotional Burpees, even if I am not able or ready to do it.

Before I started Cross Fit in February 2020, I also did not know WHAT a burpee was. I learned the hard way though and in the process I became more fit physically.

Do your self a favour and google what a Burpee is if you are uncertain. Let me tell you, the people in the videos make it look EASY. When last did you do a Burpee? Have you ever done a Burpee?

With that being said and me going off point (again), I experienced this whole Pandemic as emotional exhaustion. And the only thing I can compare it with is a hectic heavy exercise such as a Burpee. One thing you must know about Burpees is, they make you fit like nothing else.

But it is hard. Grueling. To be exhausted like this emotionally and to be at a point where you just CANNOT go on anymore is tough! I know that I am NOT the only one that feels like this. It is as if these feelings are flaring up again everywhere, just like during and after the first hard lockdown.

The whole world expects one to function like normal. To go on as if nothing happened and to work as if there is nothing wrong. That while nothing is normal. Was it even normal to begin with? Or where we caught up in this lie of what we perceived to be normal?

You see, in my line of work (and here all accountants will agree and understand) things are just getting harder and hardee. The institutions you work with become more strict, issue penalties much quicker and faster and sometimes it feels just unfair. We are expected to perform, while it feels like they are doing very little from their side to make things work and make progress on finalising matters that have been with them for months!

The emotional wellness of people are not taken into consideration. Illnesses, days in isolation, compassion towards people are just not taken into consideration….is that then not the same as expecting someone to do a Burpee the whole day, every day?

From the moment that you wake up until you go to bed, you must do at least one burpee per second. Let us say it is 12 hours (we all know it is more as none of us sleep for 12 hours in a day). 60 minutes per hour. 60 seconds in every minute. Thus 12 hours x 60 minutes x 60 seconds. 43,200 burpees. And yes, I used my calculator for this calculation, purely because my brain in incapable of thinking this hard and do calculations to this extent. And now I doubt if I even did this calculation right….

Then I start to wonder…..is it God’s way to make us fit? Can He be this cruel? Getting us fit for what? The end times? I know that going through hardship forms you and shapes you….but I don’t know. I still wonder about the Pandemic.

When I started writing this article, it was January. Now it is February. January was for me and many people with whom I had discussions, an EXCEPTIONALLY (I use caps to express how I experienced it) tough month. It was as if there was this block and cloud hanging over us.

Your mind reminds you about everything that must be done, but at the same time it is on some or another strike that refuses point blank to continue to do these burpees. Then he condems you by reminding you how far you have fallen behind and that you will never be able to catch up your daily 43,200 burpees that is expected from you. You barely did ten for the day…..

As I was thinking about this article and talked to God about it between everything else, He sends me 2 songs. The first one is Hello, my name is… by Matthew West and the second one is en Borrow (one day at a time) by Josh Wilson.

Both songs had such a great impact on those thoughts that were moving around in my mind. The thoughts that made me feel that what I am doing is not even close to a burpee. I realise that this what I am feeling, is NOT from God. I serve a living God of order and full of love.

Then I softly and in my mind sing (for a few days now I might add) the words from Josh Wilson’s song…..Don’t Borrow, no trouble from tomorrow…..na na na….one day, one day, one day at a time! And I know that God calmed me (suddenly from beginning of February) so that I can focus on that which lies ahead relating to work.

We are all on our way to checking in at the Accountant’s Inn just to be forced to work behind your computer and desk with a ball and chain. To go speed dating with your clients and their tax matters. To pray that your speed date appointment allows you to see everything and to account for everything so that you don’t have to sit, later in the year, with your hands in your hair about not paying enough tax….

Die Burpee…
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Die Burpee…

Nee, nie die winde opbreek burpee nie. Die oefening BURPEE. Dis hoe dit vir my voel sedert 15 Maart 2020. Of ek emosioneel Burpees moet doen, al is ek nie opgewasse vir dit nie en ook nie reg vir dit nie.

Voor ek in Februarie 2020 begin Cross Fit het, het ek OOK nie geweet WAT is ‘n burpee nie. Ek het wel op die harde manier geleer en sodoende fikser geword op ‘n fisiese vlak.

Gaan google maar wat is ‘n Burpee as jy nie seker is nie. Die mense in die videos laat dit BAIE maklik lyk, laat ek jou nou vertel. Wanneer laas HET jy ‘n Burpee gedoen? Het jy al ooit een gedoen?

Dit daar gelaat want daar dwaal ek alweer van my punt af. Ek ervaar die hele Pandemie as ‘n emosionele uitputting wat ek slegs met ‘n harde strawwe oefening soos ‘n Burpee kan vergelyk. Nou Burpees maak jou fiks soos niks anders nie.

Maar dis moeilik. Uitmergelend. Om emosioneel so uitgeput te wees dat jy nie meer KAN aangaan nie is tough! Ek weet wel dat ek NIE die enigste een is wat so voel nie. Dis asof die gevoelens weer opvlam oral, soos tydens en net na die eerste hard lockdown.

Die hele wêreld verwag van mens om soos normaal te funksioneer. Aan te gaan en goed gedoen te kry asof daar niks fout is nie. Dit terwyl niks meer normaal is nie. Was dit ooit voorheen normaal? Of was ons vasgevang in hierdie leuen van wat ons sien en ervaar as normaal?

Jy sien, in my bedryf (en hier sal alle accountants saam stem en verstaan) raak dit regtig net moeiliker en moeiliker. Die instansies met wie jy werk raak strenger, reik vinniger en sommer vir niks boetes uit (so voel dit vir my). Verwag van ons om te perform dit alles terwyl dit voel of daar min tot niks aan hul kant werk nie.

Die emosionele welstand van mense word nie in ag geneem nie. Siekte toestande, dae in isolasie, menslikheidsfaktore word nie in ag geneem nie…..is dit nie dan dieselfde as om te verwag mens moet Burpees doen heeldag en aldag nie?

Vandat jy jou oë oopmaak tot jy gaan slaap moet jy elke sekonde ten minste een burpee doen. Kom ons sê dis minstens 12 ure waarvan ons nou praat (soos die Engelse sê hypothetically speaking want ek weet ook niemand van ons slaap vir 12 ure nie). 60 minute per uur. 60 sekondes in elke minuut. Dus 12 ure x 60 minute x 60 sekondes. 43,200 burpees. Ja ek het my calculator gebruik om die som te doen, bloot omdat my brein net nie meer KAN dink nie. En nou wonder ek en hoop ek dat ek die som reg gedoen het.

Dan begin ek wonder….is dit die Here se manier om ons fiks te kry? Kan Hy so wreed wees? Fiks vir wat? Die eindtye? Ek weet swaar tye vorm mens….maar ek weet nie. Ek wonder steeds oor die Pandemie.

Toe ek hierdie stuk begin skryf het, was dit Januarie. Nou is ons al in Februarie. Januarie was vir my en baie mense met wie ek gesels het ‘n ONGELOOFLIKE (ek gebruik hoofletters om die klem te lê oor hoe dit was) moeilike maand. Dit was asof daar hierdie blok of wolk oor mens was.

Jou kop herinner jou aan als wat gedoen moet word maar terselfde tyd is hy op een of anser sit-staking wat volstrek weier om aan te hou burpees doen. Dan sê hy weer vir jou hoe ver agter jy nou is en hoe gaan jy maak om jou 43,200 burpees in te haal? Jy het dan skaars tien gedoen vir die dag….

Soos wat ek die stuk deur dink het en met die Here daaroor gepraat het tussen alles wat moet gebeur deur, stuur Hy vir my 2 liedjies. Die eerste een is Hello, my name is… van Matthew West en die tweede een is Borrow (one day at a time) van Josh Wilson.

Beide liedjies het so ‘n groot impak op dit wat in my gedagtes rond beweeg, die gedagtes wat my laat voel dit wat ek nou doen is nie nagenoeg aan ‘n burpee nie. Ek besef dit wat ek voel is NIE van Hom af NIE. Ek dien ‘n lewende God van orde en vol liefde.

Dan neurie ek (vir ‘n paar dae al I might add) die woorde van Josh Wilson se liedjie….Don’t Borrow,no trouble from tomorrow…..na na na….one day, one day, one day at a time! En ek weet dat die Here my rustig gemaak het (skielik van begin Februarie af) sodat ek weer kan fokus op dit wat voorlê werksgewys.

Ons is mos almal hoeka oppad om onsself in te teken by die Accountant’s Inn net om met ‘n ball & chain vasgemaak te word agter jou lessenaar en weer speed dating van belasting te doen. Te bid jou blits afspraak werp goeie vrugte af en dat jy wel alles raak sien en in berekening bring sodat jy later die jaar nie met jou hande in jou hare sit oor te min belasting wat betaal was nie….

The Burpee…
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The continuous ethics training

Yes, I am talking about this topic again. January 2022 is gone (how I do not know but it is over) and I have not done ANYTHING to make progress on my continuous ethics training hosted by Tall Trees. I enrolled in September 2021 for a 12 month programme.

I started it with the hope and anticipation that I would do my bit every week so that this training is NOT like a mountain in front of me. But, guess what? Life happened! Work life and life-life’s life happened…

I started off well and somewhere in September I started watching the first lot of videos, made notes, etc. But then the end of year rush started, as I like to refer to it (this starts normally around September) and there is that plan up in smoke.

End of December I was sitting in front of my computer doing my tax training that was required before the 31st. (Yes, I have to do that TOO between everything else). I realised, as I was working through everything, that I NEVER finished my first month of ethics training…..

Luckily one can do this in your own time and when it suites you, which is not necessarily good for my personality….because training actually never suites me. Let us be honest, no one is ever wanting to do training. There are always more important things to do, work, children, etc….

But this training is different. I WANT to do it, it is just the number of hours in a day and week does not permit me to do training. This is not hard, it is interesting and insightful. If you break it down the way that they wrote it, then it is manageable in my opinion.

We must just get our heads around it and do it. Something that I can confirm is, that I do try my very best to prioritise my tasks, all which are written in a book by the way, into the 4 quadrants that Lynette spoke about in the very first video….

It will definitely help one to prioritise, it is just hard for me to distinguish which tasks are Important & Urgent. Because it is these tasks that requires priority attention – those which are both important AND urgent….and no one else can help me except me. I really still feel like a headless chicken, January was a difficult month in the sense of getting started again after the holiday.

I am most certainly going to try my utmost best to get to my ethical training again this coming week….maybe I can learn a little something that I can apply to my ever increasing and growing list. The work that comes in at 90 miles per hour while I get work out at 1 mile per hour….

I pray for help from above, because alone I cannot do it…as the Psalm writer wrote – I lift my eyes unto the hills, where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord who created heaven and earth…..

Die deurlopende etiese opleiding

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Die deurlopende etiese opleiding

Ja ek is weer terug by die onderwerp. Januarie 2022 is verby (hoe weet ek nie maar hy is) en ek het net nog mooi NIKS gedoen aan my deurlopende etiese opleiding aangebied deur Tall Trees nie. Ek het September 2021 ingeskryf vir ‘n 12 maande program.

Ek het dit begin met die hoop en verwagting dat ek elke week my bietjie gaan doen om hierdie opleiding te voltooi sodat dit NIE soos ‘n berg voor my lê nie. Maar, raai wat? Die lewe gebeur! Werkslewe en lewe-lewe se lewe het gebeur….

Ek het goed begin en iewers in September die eerste klomp videos begin kyk, nota’s gemaak, en so meer. Maar toe kom die end of year rush soos ek daarna verwys (dit begin gewoonlik hier rondom September maand) en daar is daardie plan daarmee heen.

So sit ek mos toe nou einde Desember met my belastingopleiding wat ek moes doen voor die 31ste. (Ja ek moet dit OOK nog doen tussen alles deur). Ek besef toe, soos wat ek deur alles werk, dat ek NOOIT my eerste maand van die etiese opleiding klaar gemaak het nie….

Gelukkig kan mens die tipe opleiding doen wanneer dit jou pas, wat nie noodwendig goed is vir my persoonlikheid nie….want opleiding pas my nou eintlik nooit. Kom ons wees eerlik, niemand is ooit lus om hul opleiding te doen nie. Daar is mos altyd belangriker goed om te doen, werk, kinders, en so meer….

Maar hierdie opleiding is vir my anders. Ek WIL dit doen, dis net die ure in die dag en week laat dit nie vir my toe om net my half uur te neem en daardie week of dag se opleiding te doen nie. Hierdie is nie moeilik nie, dis interessant, dis insiggewend. As jy dit opbreek soos hulle dit geskryf het is dit regtig haalbaar in my opinie.

Ons moet net ons koppe regkry rondom dit en dit net doen. Iets wat ek wel kan sê en van getuig is, ek probeer regtig baie hard werk om my take wat so ewe in ‘n boek opgeskryf is, te prioritiseer in die 4 kwadrante wat Lynette van gepraat het in die heel eerste video….

Dit gaan mens vir seker kan help om te prioritiseer, dis net vir my moeilik om te onderskei watter van my take is Belangrik & Dringend. Want dís die take wat eerste aandag moet geniet – die wat belangrik EN dringend is…en niemand anders kan my help as ek self nie. Ek voel nog soos ‘n afkop hoender, Januarie was ‘n moeilike maand in die sin om weer aan die gang te kom na die vakansie.

Ek gaan vir seker die week wat kom my beste probeer om wel weer by my etiese opleiding uit te kom….miskien kan ek nog so ietsie leer wat ek kan toepas op my lysie wat net groei en groei. Die werk wat inkom teen 90 myl per uur terwyl ek goed uitkry teen 1 myl per uur….

Ek bid vir hulp van bo, want alleen kan ek nie die stryd wen nie….soos die Psalm digter geskryf het – ek slaan my oë op na die berge, waarvandaan sal my hulp kom? My hulp kom van die Here wat hemel en aarde geskape het….

The continuous ethics training
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The Career woman from the bible – grand finalé

While doing this entry, I look at the date and see that it is end of January 2022! How did that happen? Yesterday it was still December, we were on leave, preparing for the new school year in 2022 and poof just like that it is the end of February….

I chewed and thought about the scripture about Deborah the whole month, a bit longer actually. None the less. I still have a lot of questions (it feels like a thousand) about her. Answers that I do not see at first glance in the scripture. Did people treat her with respect or did they treat her the way they sometimes treat me? That is something I don’t know…

I noted however, that she WORKED WHILE she was a prophet. In other words, she was not FULL TIME in ministry. No, she had her day job too that required her attention.

Now that answers quite a bit of questions that I have currently and had in the past. For a long time it felt wrong to work and not be in ministry full time. Not being able to do what I perceive God wants me to do.

The long and short of what I read between the lines of this bible verse is, she had to make time to spend time with God to be able to be a prophet. That is not something that just happened all by itself. As a human being, she had to put in effort to hear from God what it is that she was supposed to do. This is my own conclusion and to me it is logic and makes sense.

The lesson that I learnt from Deborah? It is ok to be a working career woman. It is ok not to be in full time ministry, winning over souls for heaven. It is ok to not go into Africa, living off one tin of canned food per month, struggling without running water as a full time evangelist (not that this was ever what I felt I had to do, but you understand what I am trying to say here). It is not meant for everyone to win over souls for heaven in THAT manner.

You can do it WHILE you are working and exercising your career. I for one, see lots of people all day, everyday (ok not that much but I am in contact with people and the outside world). Why can I not use the position that God placed me in to spread the gospel? There is nothing wrong with that?

It all comes back to my work and this blog. Even though I thoroughly enjoy blogging (because here it feels like I am plugged into God’s voice and can HEAR what He tells me), it is ok to work too. The secret is that I must make TIME to spend with Him in His word. I have to make TIME to blog, this is when I hear His voice. I experience Him in a way while blogging that I cannot explain or experience in any other way.

The blog is certainly not a hobby or something that I do just for fun. It is also not my way of coping with things. No, it is MY way of spending time with God. He knows I cannot spend hours reading bible or drawing pictures in my journaling bible, or even do bible study the way other people do it.

No, this, together with the Pink Feathers range deskpads, is MY way of spending time with God. Many people ask me and comment about HOW I manage to get everything done between life, work and children. The only difference between them and me, is, the way that I spend time with God, is on a public platform, a place where everyone can see it. Theirs is private where no one can see it.

Now I am not saying this to let anyone feel bad, because the time you spend with God is between you and Him. But for some people, some of us, He called to be different. Doing things in a way that is different than the way majority of people do it. How are we going to make a difference if everyone does everything in the same manner?

For the first time since launching the Pink Feathers range (yes, the crazy plan as I refer to it and what I thought about yesterday afternoon as to why I did it) I understand better why God destined it to be in this manner. It is not necessarily for anyone else. It is for me to spend time with Him. And if I can help motivate and support someone else through this, then so much better.

The bible says that we have our testimonies and that God will use it to save people (or something to that effect – this I am trying to recall off the top of my head and there is the possibility that I have it slightly wrong…I will double check this though, just for myself). Important thing to remember is that the Holy Spirit will do the convincing not the people. Our testimonies are ALL that we have to tell people about God, to spread His word and tell people about His miracles. Let us use it!

Till next month…..

Die Bybelse Beroepsvrou – Slot
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Die Bybelse Beroepsvrou – Slot

Soos wat ek die inskrywing maak, kyk ek na die datum en ek sien dis einde Januarie 2022! Hoe het dit gebeur? Ons was dan nog gister in Desember, met verlof, besig om voor te berei vir 2022 se skooljaar wat begin en poof net so is dit einde Januarie….

Nou ek kou en oordink die stuk van Debóra al die heel maand lank, eintlik al langer. Maar nie te min. Ek het vrae oor haar (dit voel soos duisende vrae). Antwoorde wat ek nie ooglopend kan sien uit die skrif uit nie. Het mense haar met respek behandel of het hulle met haar gemaak soos hulle met my soms maak? Dis iets wat ek nie weet nie…

Wat ek wel gesien het, is dat sy GEWERK het TERWYL sy profeet was. So met ander woorde – sy het nie VOLTYDS in die bediening gestaan nie. Nee, sy het haar day job ook gehad waaraan sy moes aandag gee.

Nou dit antwoord vir my nogals baie oor die vrae wat ek het en gehad het. Vir so lank het dit vir my verkeerd gevoel om te werk en nie te kan voltyds doen wat ek voel die Here wil hê ek moet doen nie.

Die lang en die kort wat ek nou tussen die lyne lees van hierdie bybel vers is, sy moes tyd gemaak het om met die Here te spandeer om te kan profeet wees. Dis nie iets wat net gebeur nie. Sy as mens moes moeite gedoen het om by die Here te hoor wat Hy wou gehad het sy moes doen. Hierdie is nou my eie afleiding, maar dis logies en maak sin.

Die les wat ek geleer het van Debóra? Dis ok om as vrou te werk en ‘n beroep te beoefen. Dis ok om nie voltyds in die bediening te staan en siele te wen vir die hemel nie. Dis ok om nie in Afrika te moet ingaan en van een blikkie kos per maand te oorleef en te sukkel sonder lopende water as ‘n sendeling nie (dit was nou glad nooit wat ek in my hart gevoel het nie maar jy verstaan wat ek bedoel). Dis nie vir almal beskore om op DAARDIE manier siele vir die hemel te wen nie.

Mens kan dit doen TERWYL jy werk en jou beroep beoefen. Ek vir een, sien mense heeldag en aldag (ok nie so baie nie maar ek het baie kontak met mense en die buite wêreld). Hoekom kan ek nie die posisie wat die Here my in geplaas het gebruik om sy evangelie te verkondig nie? Daar is mos nie iets fout met dit nie?

Dan kom alles weer terug na my werk en my blog toe. Alhoewel dit vir my bitter lekker is om te blog (want hier voel dit vir my of ek ingeprop word met die Here se stem en kan HOOR wat Hy vir my sê), is dit ok om te werk ook. Die geheim is, ek moet TYD maak om met Hom in Sy woord te spandeer. Ek moet TYD maak om te blog want deur dit te doen, HOOR ek Sy stem. Ervaar ek Hom op ‘n manier wat ek nie anders kan nie.

Die blog is vir seker nie ‘n stokperdjie of iets wat ek doen vir die lekker en vir sommer-net se sommer nie. Dis ook nie my uitlaat om my te laat cope met die lewe nie. Nee, dis MY manier om tyd met die Here te spandeer. Hy weet ek kan nie vir ure sit en bybel lees nie, of prentjies teken in my bybel nie, of bybelstudie doen op die maniere wat ander mense dit doen nie.

Nee, hierdie, saam met die Pienk Vere reeks deskpads is MY manier om tyd saam met Hom te spandeer. Baie mense vra my, en lewer kommentaar oor dat hulle nie verstaan en weet HOE ek alles reg kry nie. Die enigste verskil tussen my en hulle is – my manier van tyd met die Here spandeer is op ‘n publieke platform, op ‘n plek waar almal dit kan sien. Hulle sin is privaat waar niemand dit kan sien nie.

En ek sê nou nie dit om iemand te laat sleg voel nie, want mens se tyd met die Here is tussen jou en die Here. Maar vir sommige mense, vir sommige van ons, het Hy geroep om anders te wees. Dinge op ‘n ander manier te doen. Nie soos meerderheid mense dit doen nie. Want hoe gaan ons almal ‘n verskil maak as ons almal dit op dieselfde manier doen?

Vir die eerste keer sedert ek die Pienk Vere reeks begin het (ja, die mal plan soos ek daarna verwys en waaroor ek gistermiddag nog gewonder het hoekom ek dit gedoen het) verstaan ek nou beter hoekom die Here juis dit SO bestem het. Dis nie noodwendig vir enige iemand anders nie. Dis vir myself om tyd saam met Hom te spandeer. En as ek iemand kan help, motiveer, bystaan deur dit, soveel te meer.

Dit staan mos in die woord dat ons moet getuig, want ons getuienis is wat God gebruik om mense red (of iets soos dit – hierdie het ek nou wragties uit die vuis uit onthou wat moontlik verkeerd is – ek sal wel vir myself dit gaan opsoek en seker maak ek kwoteer nie skrif heeltemal verkeerd nie). Belangrik om te onthou is dat die Heilige Gees altyd die oortuiging gaan doen, nie ons as mense nie. Ons getuienis is AL wat ons het om God se woord en wonderdade te verkondig. Kom ons gebruik dit!

Tot volgende maand….

The Career woman from the bible – grand finalé
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The Career woman from the Bible – Chapter 3

While designing the Pink Feathers range last year and choosing the scriptures for each month for the deskpad calendar, I sensed that God wanted me to blog about each month’s scripture that was chosen.

I did it without hesitation but still did not know HOW I was going to do it, how often I would write something or what I will have to say about each scripture. I thought to myself that I am more than likely to only make one entry about the scripure.

But here I am, typing away at chapter 3. In particular the scripture about Deborah was interesting to me. I mean, how much can one write about the limited information available to us in the Bible about her? This is where the part of the Living Word of God comes in. You see, the more you read it and the more you think about it (I do it the whole day while working) the more God reveals to you.

On Friday we were at our children’s athletics. It was interesting and new to us, because we moved to a new school and we have been a bit out of it when it comes to activities such as these. Next to our overly big borrowed Gazebo, was another couple sitting under a beach umbrella.

We invited them to share the shade of our gazebo if the sun gets too hot and too much. Initially they sat in the shade of the gazebo (but next to it) and still under their umbrella. Eventually the sun was too hot and they moved into the shade with us.

At some stage (before we all shared the same shade under the gazebo) I saw the wife on a laptop with a headset. She was attending a virtual meeting. Just like that, next to the athletics field. I realised immediately that I am not alone in trying to keep all the balls in the air. The constant juggling game.

This I have known for some time now, but it is as if God just came to show it to me again. Everyone has one or another challenge. Majority of woman these days are Career woman. Everyone has a role they portray.

Everyone can identify with Deborah who was a Career woman. Everyone is standing at the beginning of a new work year, school year, what ever the new year means to you – everyone gets to stand in front of it and have to find their rhythm. Sometimes people feel alone and as if they are the only ones that feel this way.

That is why the scripture about Deborah was chosen for January. Just a little something to help everyone, to support them. To remind you that you are not alone. All woman who portray a career role have some or other challenge.

We are not alone! Know this – you are not alone! Everyone feel the way they do at times and that is ok. The most important thing to remember is to look for God in everything and to move into His rest. When we are in His rest everything else falls into place. It is easier said than done, especially if you are like me, trying to plan and do everything without errors the first time….

Grand finalé to follow.…

Die Bybelse Beroepsvrou – Hoofstuk 3