"May the best day of your past Be the worst day of your future." My Dad always wished me this Irish Blessing and I want it to matter today and every other day in my life.
Sunday 21 June 2015
share joke that Cristian wrote on his blog Teehee
“Heard joke once: Man goes to doctor. Says he’s depressed. Says life seems harsh and cruel. Says he feels all alone in a threatening world where what lies ahead is vague and uncertain. Doctor says, “Treatment is simple. Great clown Pagliacci is in town tonight. Go and see him. That should pick you up.” Man bursts into tears. Says, “But doctor…I am Pagliacci.” ― Alan Moore
Saturday 20 June 2015
God watches over me for my good
Saturday
afternoon and everyone is busy in our house, my step daughter is painting the
gate outside and my husband and step son are fixing our tiles in the
house. I have been struggling with tonsillitis
for a couple of weeks now and today I really feel a little better. My throat isn’t that sore anymore and thank
goodness my ears are better too.
The funny
thing about this tonsillitis thing is that I have been grumpy and miserable for
days on end and I just could not get rid of these self-pity feelings I have
been carrying around with me.
We went
shopping today and I have been eyeing this little ‘Hedgehog’ at the store since
they put it on display, it is so cute and I really love it. We were walking down the aisle looking for
the stuff I need for the Sunday meal my husband is going to cook.
Walking
past the little ‘Hedgehog’ my husband says ‘take one’. I was surprised and he said again ‘go on,
take one.’ I looked at him and smiled
taking the first little chap I liked.
I think
God is real, He does hear us when we feel a little down in the dumps and He
uses people to help us get through our difficult days and sends beautiful gifts
we so desire.
Jeremiah
24:6
'My eyes will watch over them for their good, and I will bring them back to this land. I will build them up and not tear them down; I will plant them and not uproot them.'
'My eyes will watch over them for their good, and I will bring them back to this land. I will build them up and not tear them down; I will plant them and not uproot them.'
As always the Lord my God is watching over me, yes it seems I
have been feeling a little sick but thank the Lord for keeping watch over
me. Thank the Lord for helping me and
gifts I receive unexpected.
May you have a stunning day and a wonderful rest of the
weekend, and not forgetting ‘Happy Fathers day.’
Friday 12 June 2015
Racheltjie de Beer - her story
Racheltjie de Beer is one of the stories we were told as
young children. I would like to share
this story with you today.
During the month of June 1843 we were on our way from the
Orange Free State to the Transvaal. As
the Ox Wagons move through the long grass which has turned yellow as the winter
started you can see for miles around you.
The sky is blue with streaks of white clouds here and there,
the wind is blowing today, it’s cold and the folk are all quiet. The oxen’s move forward and the dogs run
alongside the wagons. We have packed up
all our belongings and are looking forward to living in the Transvaal.
Rumor has it that there is gold to be found and that the
province is beautiful, mountain country and that we can make our fortunes
there. On the horizon I can see a
mountain range and the trees are starting to come into sight. The people in our company are all getting excited;
we are entering into the Transvaal.
The surrounding area is very different to the Orange Free
State, there are trees all over the place with loads of rocks and we are
experiencing some problems with our wagons.
Every now and then someone has to stop for a wheel has come off or is
broken. But the people are in good
spirits. We don’t know what kind of wild
animals are roaming around but we have seen some beautiful ‘Spring bucks’ and ‘Wilde
Bees.’ As we pull our Ox Wagons into a
ring and make fire for the evening super the people are all busy with
collecting wood and getting their pots out for super. The fires are warm and as we sit around the
fire enjoyed the stews and black coffee.
It’s still cold there isn’t any snow but the wind is ice
cold and the temperatures drop rapidly. Early
morning everybody is preparing for the long trek, we don’t want to stay in one
place too long. The kids are enjoying
the new surrounding but we don’t allow them to move away from the company it is
really dangerous.
It was around late afternoon when Rachel and her brother
both came running up to me from the back of the wagon. As I sat on my horse I stopped and spoke to
them ‘what is it?’ I asked as I leaned down to them.
‘Pa, pa Frikkie is missing.’
Rachel said with her brother standing next to her.
‘When did you realize his missing?’ I asked as I got off my
horse.
‘We don’t know, his missing.’ Rachel said as she looked
around to see if she could spot him.
‘Go back to your mom and sit in the wagon, I will speak to
Oom Ben and see what we can do about his.’
I said as I got back onto my horse and road off to the front of the
company.
‘Ben’ I called out as I was riding toward his ox wagon.
Ben was sitting in front of the wagon with a felt hat on and
warm jacked directing the oxen.
‘Woa Woa’ he called out as the oxen came to a halt.
‘Ja, de Beer. What is
the problem?’ Ben asked as he took the
pipe from his mouth.
‘Our little calf Frikkie is missing.’ I said as I sat on my horse looking at the
old man.
‘that’s no good, we will have to speak to the rest of the
company and see if we can find the calf.’
Ben said as he jumped off the wagon.
The company came to a halt and all the men came up to see what was
wrong. They discussed the situation and
the ox wagons where arranged into a circle as was the custom. The woman and children would wait and prepare
meals.
‘Pa, pa … please let us come with you. We also want to help in finding Frikkie.’ Rachel pleaded as we stood waiting for the
men to gather. ‘No, Rachel it’s not safe
and you can stay helping your mom.’ I
said not wanting to endanger my children.
‘Oh please Pa, please’ Rachel kept at me.
‘On one condition, you and your brother stay near us; on
wondering off on your own.’ I said as I
pulled both my children towards me hugging them and then I stood up and walked over
to the men.
We were all calling out ‘Frikkie’ and walking into the wilderness. The children on toe, it the day was changing
and dusk was upon us. We stopped and
regrouped, I called out ‘Rachel and de Beertjie’. There was no answer it was too late to walk
about and it was decided we will resume our search early in the morning. I was angry but there wasn’t anything I could
do.
‘We are lost and all alone.’ He walked moaning while Rachel
looked for a place they could find shelter.
The wind wasn’t blowing but the night air was cold and she knew it was imperative
to find somewhere they could shelter.
While they were walking in the dark Rachel noticed an
anthill, it was hallway open, and an aardvark had already dug it out. ‘Come let’s get into the whole and see it we
can stay warm’ Rachel pulled on her brothers arms half dragging him to the
anthill. Standing looking at the anthill
she realised it was too small. Bending
down she started to dig a little more so that she could fit her brother in the
whole.
‘I want my mommy, I am cold.’ He was complaining as she
moved him into the whole. He sat down
and she sat in front of him but he kept on moaning. Standing up Rachel took off her warm jacket
and jersey and put it over her brother. Sitting
down she was shivering, Brr it was cold tonight. Still he was moaning. Rachel took off her little dress and placed
over her brother and sat down in front of the whole, her little slip was so
thin but she crossed her arms and place her head on them. It was very cold. She fell asleep and died.
Early the next morning I rose and all the men were ready to
help me look for my two children. The
funny thing is the children weren’t that far away from the wagons. They must have been a half a kilometre away. We found my beautiful girl sitting in front
of an anthill with only her slip on. Her
brother nestled in the back of the anthill covered with all her clothing. On finding them my heart broke. I couldn’t stop the tears from running down
my cheeks. My daughter gave her life to
protect and keep her brother safe.
We buried my little girl in the veld and placed a couple of
rocks on her grave. I love my children
and will never forget her bravery.
Racheltjie de Beer gave her life to protect her brother from
the freezing cold. My darling child.
Sunday 7 June 2015
Friday 22 May 2015
Death in Printers Alley - Book Review
Book Review: Death in Printers Alley
Author: Ken
Brigham
Personal
Quality Rating: 5
Reviewer: Yvette
van Niekerk (South Africa)
Summary:
This Science Fiction Novel revolves around a murder taking
place in ‘Printers Alley’ – which is associated with musicians and
nightclubs. Bonz Bagley the owner
of a club in the street is murder in the early hours of Sunday morning. A former detective, Shane Hadley hears the
shots fired and wheels his wheelchair into the direction of the fired
shots. On reaching the porch overlooking
‘Printers Alley’ he see’s someone running away from the crime scene, with a
slight hitch in their gait.
The police arrive within minutes and detective Hardy Seltzer
interviews detective Shane Hadley. A
connection is made and Hardy and Shane start with their detective work. Hardy goes with his gut and arrests Jody and
Shane still keep the investigation going on his end. Not believing that the criminal will hand
over the gun.
KiKi (Katya Karpov) is Shanes wife and she is suspicious
about data she thought did not make sense.
Cy Bartalak and his wife Beth work alongside KiKi and she has her doubts
about the results of the tests. She
looks access Beth’s computer and finds information that is damming to the
project.
Social / Historical
Context:
This dynamic story tells about the drive for success in the
business world, the craziness of the academic world – the quest to find a cure
for Alzheimer’s disease. The morals and
standards of people involved.
The policing and the politics that is ongoing throughout the
story and the way Hardy and Shane work together. How they reach their different goals.
Writing Style:
The writing style to my mind is evocation and common
place. It narrates the experimental
drugs that are used on people and the outcome of the tests. The story is really about finding a cure for
Alzheimer’s and the people involved in the studies. The focus is on the studies and detective
work around finding the murder. The
characters are exciting and interesting.
The writer knows the academic world and is able to describe environment,
his investigative skills are really good.
I think the writer has the ability to draw you into the story and you
keep wondering what’s going to happen next.
I enjoyed the read and to be honest I just could not put the
book down, it was thrilling and interesting and I like the angle the writer
took.
My Thoughts:
I liked the story; I like Katya Karpov – the neurologist,
her retired detective husband Shane Hadley and the people she was associated
with. Beth and Cy Bartalak at the
university. Bartalak’s business dealing
and the cunning way he draws people into his business venture. The murder of one of the club owners in
Printer’s Alley, Bonz Bagley. Not
forgetting the detective doing all the hard work Hardy Seltzer, not your normal
run of the mill kind of guy. Excellent
story! Must read!
Wednesday 20 May 2015
To live a Godly life
In the half-century that I have
been around I have come to the conclusion that it is imperative for me to live
a Godly life. I want to please my Lord
and Saviour and I want to be gracious as I grow older. As I have been thinking about what it takes
to get to living such a live I want to share my thoughts with you.
How to live a Godly
life?
Let’s start by following the Lord
Jesus’s instructions as it is written in Mark 12: 29 – 31 (CEB) and Jesus
replied, “The most important one is Israel, listen! Our God is the one Lord,
and you must love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your being,
with all your mind, and with all your strength.
The second is this, you will love your neighbour as yourself. No other commandment is greater than these.”
Imitators
Because I am human and have
problems with my fellow man I will get angry and upset with them, family and
neighbour. How to deal with my
frustrations and get on with my live turning more Godly? The Lord Jesus speaks to us in John 13: 15 ‘I
have given you an example, that as I have, so should you do.’ Here’s the first part we need to do ‘follow
by example’, and to confirm this Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 11: 1 ‘Imitate me
as I imitate Christ.’ So we need to
read, learn and follow the Lord Jesus Christ.
Another scripture to consider is Ephesian 5: 1 ‘Be imitators of God as
dear children’.
Disobedient
Since I didn’t always allow
myself to be obedient and follow the Lord’s footstep, the word says that in
Matthew 12:44 “… the house unoccupied, swept clean and put in order.” Now there is a chance for the devil to come
and move in. I was the one who neglected
to stay in the word of God. Making me
lukewarm as a Christian, weakening me in my trails and testing’s.
Turning back
Proverbs 8: 17 – 21 ‘I love those
who love me, and those who seek me find me.
With me are riches and honour, enduring wealth and righteousness, along
the paths of justice, bestowing wealth on those who love me and making their
treasuries full.’ I now start to study
the scriptures and look to become more like the Lord. I want to chance my unrighteousness into
righteousness.
Psalms 1: 1 – 3 ‘Blessed is the
man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of
sinners or sit in the seat of mockers.
But his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law he mediates
day and night. He is like a tree planted
by streams of water, which yields it fruit in season and whose leaf does not
wither. Whatever he does prospers.’
John 14: 21-27 ‘Whoever has my
commands and obeys them, he is the one who loves me. He who loves me will be loved by my Father,
and I too will love him and show myself to him.
Then Judas (not Judas Iscariot) said, “But, Lord, why do you intend to
show yourself to us and not to the world?”
Jesus replied, “If anyone loves me, he will obey my teaching. My father will love him, and we will come to
him and make our home with him. He who does
not love me will not obey my teaching. These
words you hear are not my own, they belong to the Father who sent me. All this I have spoken while still with
you. But the Counsellor, the Holy Spirit
whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind
you of everything I have said to you.
Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not
be afraid.”
Repentance of Sin
2 Chronicles 7: 14 “If my people,
which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my
face, and turn from their wicked ways;
then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal
their land.” As I consider my position I
have realised that there are things that aren’t right in my own life, I have to
repent and change my ways. Coming back
to the Lord my God.
Read you Bible
We teach our children in the
Afrikaans Sunday Schools to ‘read your Bible and pray each day, so that you are
able to grow spiritually.’ This is my
advice too, read your Bible and pray each day.
James 1: 22 “Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive
yourselves.” And Matthew 4: 4 Jesus answered,
“It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that
comes from the mouth of God.’” 2 Timothy
3: 6 says ‘All scripture is inspired by God and profitable [for something] for
teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness;’
With these scriptures I am able to
meditate on God’s word, learn to imitate Him and live a Godly life.
Allow God to change me
Ezekiel 36: 26 – 27 “I will give
you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart
of stone and give you a heart of flesh.
And I will put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees and be
careful to keep my laws.” I have come to
that point in my life that I need to allow the Lord my God to change me. I have to let this happen so that I am able
to grow spiritually. Taking the
responsibility for my own life, look at what Ephesians 4: 24 says “and to put
on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.” By clothing myself each day with Jesus I will
become a new person. My ways start to
change, it will be seen by others on how I speak to them, what I say and what I
do. People will notice on my person what
I wear and look like, how I react and what my likes and dislikes will be
like.
James 1: 21 says ‘therefore, rid
yourselves of everything impure and every expression of wickedness, and with a gently
spirit welcome the word planted in you that can save your souls.’
Persecution
In 2 Timothy 3: 12 ‘in fact, everyone who
wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted,’ people will
find you difficult to live with, it will frustrate them because your life style
with clash with theirs. They will
persecute you because you do things soberly and consciously not wanting to make
a fool of yourself or embarrass yourself.
Daily Devotion
In Ephesians 1: 16 Paul reminds
us to pray for a “Spirit of Wisdom and Revelation” now then also pray this
prayer with me Ephesians 1:16-23 (CEB) ‘I don’t stop
giving thanks to God for you when I remember you in my prayers. I pray that
the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, will give you a spirit
of wisdom and revelation that makes God known to you. I pray that
the eyes of your heart will have enough light to see what is the hope of God’s
call, what is the richness of God’s glorious inheritance among believers, and what is the overwhelming greatness of God’s power that is
working among us believers. This power is conferred by the energy of God’s
powerful strength. God’s power
was at work in Christ when God raised him from the dead and sat him at God’s
right side in the heavens, far above every ruler and
authority and power and angelic power, any power that might be named not only
now but in the future. God put
everything under Christ’s feet and made him head of everything in the church, which is his body. His
body, the church, is the fullness of Christ, who fills everything in every way.’ In praying this prayer we will allow the Lord
to open our spiritual eyes to His word, and help us in our development.
Their point of view
It is really difficult for me to
see other people’s point of view when I want it my way. So now I am learning to just give others the
right to their own point of view. I don’t
know everything and should allow others to discover their own way to the Lord
and not try and enforce it on them. Difficult lesson for me but I am working on
this.
Accommodating
Because I have become so set on
having my own way it is difficult for me to accommodate other people. “It’s my way or the highway.” Now, I have to understand that not everybody
will do as I say. I have to practice restraint
and patience and learn to understand them.
I also have to love my enemies, because God loves them and me.
Serve others
Caring for other people is
something we need to do each day, I have teenagers. I also need to care about other people, those
in need. James 2: 16 “if one of you says
to them, ‘Go in peace; keep warm and well fed,’ but does nothing about their physical
needs, what good is it?” So when you can help your fellow man, the one who is
struggling. Give with a happy heart,
clothing or food and if you can with money.
What goes around comes
around
If you treat others
disrespectfully, be sure it will come back to you. Treat each other with respect and kindness;
do unto others as you want done unto you.
Peace in the home
In 1 Thessalonians 4: 11 ‘Aim to live quietly, mind your own
business, and earn your own living, just as I told you’. By living a peaceful live we must guard
against becoming filled with pride, which simply is judging other people and
thinking we are that much better than they are.
Allowing ourselves to be filled with pride; we are allowing sin to come
back into our lives. Pride is sin, when
we have so much pride we become greedy, we lust after, we hate other and other
sins come out.
Spread the good news!
Living a Christian life requires we
share the Good News! Speak to people
about what God has done for each of you.
Be a living testament to the Lord.
I never allow people to say bad things about my God. I stand up for what I believe. God loves you.
Go to church
In living a Godly life you need
to fellowship with other Christians, we grow by going to Church and learning
the word of God. People need people to
grow spiritually. Fellowship with other
Christians makes the word come to life.
God works through each one of us and we need to be there for each other.
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