Denise's festive journey through life!

Rustig? want dis Sondagmiddag waar ek weereens alleen - maar nie eensaam - kuier op my liggeel sagte sofa met vintage kussings wat my koester. Ek groet die nuwe seisoen ; die ritseling van die Bouganvillea takke roer op my klein systoepie waar die deure darem nog kan oopstaan vir die ietwat yler herfson. Ek is bly oor die son want die wintergrou le voor en in my gedagtes draal ek na die reen wat wat ons so nodig het, na sambrele wat omdop in die Kaapse wind, na die begeerte vir enige iets knus en warm en vertroostend.... soos bekers warm sjokoladedrankies, pantoffels, jou warmwatersak en oorgooikombersies wat wag op elke stoel, ook na bredies en sjerrie, 'n vriendin se biltongsop en heerlike vet boeke om te lees! Dan kan ek nie vergeet van my kat en my opkrul met genotvolle Kyknet programme, die brei of hekelwerk byderhand en natuurlik my altyd-teenwoordige inkleurboeke. Ek lief die kies van kleure vir prente, mandalas, modes of patrone. Meimaand is verjaarsdag wat die keer...

O p 'n onskuldige Dinsdag in die Sep-lente van die Kaap is ek nog om 9.20 in die kooi! ( vir die oningeligtes -die bed) . Skande want die son sukkel om uit te kom en die voëls sing lustig - dit in skrille kontras met my gemoed ( dalk net change of season blues?). Al wat help ,wanneer ek uiteindelik surface is om d.m.v my stiltetydboeke myself na Jesus se voete te sleep. .... en dan na die lees van die boeke, met die titels "Love that will not let you go", Streams in the Desert,, Asemskep-oomblikke met my kat, Saphera   wat haarself lê  en was,en die wete dat ek in Sy sorg is, voel ek bietjie meer myself ... en kan ek weer begin met " My Festive Journey...!"

My belewenis van 'n Sondag alleen.. . Teen die heuwel - die Tygerberg heuwel Teenoor die berg - die Tafelberg Met ver langs, in die oog, die see - die Bloubergsee Voor my 'n rietomsoomde dam - 'n bruin dam met eende Links van my hoe bome - Bloekombome Reg langs my 'n grys boomstomp- 'n afgekapte grysaard. Daar is tekens van mense - hier 'n man met hond daar 'n vrou met kind hulle is min , en dis goed so Dis 'n soel Sondag met son bestreel Die nou-en-dan se briesie is nog winters Die belofte van lente is daar... En ek? - sit op my roesrooi opvoustoel en weerkaats die oranje van die Mangovlug wat bokant my opstyg. Doelbewus is ek hier - eenkant in die natuur wat troos, vernuwe en inspireer dalk op soek na antwoorde - Sy stem hoor? Na hartelus verlang -as jy wil Niemand word belas... Mymer net of dalk murmereer... Vrede is hier in die natuur een eend jaag 'n ander, tarentale pik-pik en mens word bewus van geveerde vriende ...

A little spirit...and a little soul From Streams in the Desert. 28 May I will not let you go unless you bless me…”Then he blessed him there.”Gen 32:26,29 Jacob won the victory and the blessing here not by wrestling but by clinging. We too will not win the victory until we cease our struggling. We must give up our own will and throw our arms around our Father’s neck in clinging faith. It is not by applying pressure or insisting upon  our own will that brings victory. It is won when humility  and trust unite in saying “Not my will, but yours be done” I have noticed in my life , that if I leave God in control , then I need not worry so much...after all He knows what is best for me!! Soul/Mind and positive living Went to listen to the motivational speaker, Elsabe Aldrich who with a lot of humour packs a powerful message of being positive and living life with enthusiasm…also about the benefits of laughter! Appparently even pseudo or fake laughter make...

It being Sunday - the day of rest and perhaps the time to meditate or look inwards -I thought I would share this wisdom I have encountered in various of my Quiet time books, one of which is "Streams in the Desert"By a lady called L B Cowman. Over the years I have found real treasures in this little book to guide me on my daily path. For example: Everything is possible for him who believes   Mark 9:23 The "everything "mentioned her does not always come simply by asking, because God is always seeking to teach you the way of faith. Your training for a life of faith requires many areas of learning, including the trial of faith, the discipline of faith, the patience of faith , and the courage of faith. Often you will pass through many phases of faith before you finally realize the result of faith- namely, the victory of faith When you have made your request to God, and the answer still has not come, what are you to do? Keep on believing His word. Do not be sw...

In this new , older phase of my life I want to share what I am experiencing of a good life in three different parts of my life-  hence the three hats. which will represent The body - the physical   - which I call thet  Red Hat- red being the colour of our blood and source of life My idea is to share things about the body.... about loving and caring for your one and only body...things like exercise ( not my strong point) and healthy eating ( me I am Banting and feel great!) and the importance of good sleeping habits,,,, and so on.... The mind - the intellect which I chose to make green for growth which is especially important when we grow older ...not to stagnate or let those brain cells shrink ... here I shall share thoughts and ideas on the essentials of thought and also being mindful ( the new buzzword - mindfulness...being aware of the moment and perhaps focusing on one thing at a time! Also about reading and books and intellectual pursuits... Th...

In an effort to accept and make sense of this ageing matter , I had this sudden inspiration to embrace the fact the fact that I am turning 70 in this month of May...rather than to fear it or make it go away...and this after several years of not easily admitting to my 60-plus status! The fact is that I feel so much younger.... healthy and with more energy and exuberance than a lot of younger people. I realised that there is no getting away from the years... thus why not go big... hence the week-long festivities. I set about it by creating a Powerpoint invitation of several slides in which I set out the plans I had for doing pleasurable acitivities every day for a week...with which ever friends cared to join in. This was , more or less what my first page contained: I took great pleasure in designing this page and writing the rhyme/verse playing with the words starting with S as in the heading  SASSY SENSUOUS AND A SHARP SEVENTY which is how I see myself... not for me the g...