Dec '18 The beautiful road to Stilbaai in pics.

STILBAAI: It has been a tremendous joy to walk people through a "sand-tray" experience. Part of my Masters' Retreat has been to incorporate sand-tray with Lectio Divina, a very old Bible Study method.

I've been using the Woman at the Well in John 4 as the main story line to introduce this method. If you look closely to some of these photos, you will see that the large tray consists of a well and that the amount of figures around the well started to fill the tray. It is so much fun to see John 4 come alive in the sand.

Doing this with children has been a new and enriching experience too. It is amazing how children are so open to hear Holy Spirit speak to them.

Every participant also had to create a "clay-monster" that we used for story telling. I did find the green monster with its red eyes so creative.

THE 1550km ROAD TO STILBAAI

was long and beautiful.

First I had to pick up two cats!

They hid from my aunt and I (this was in Clarens) under a massive Prickly Pear Bush! For an hour it was a GONG SHOW but finally we had two of the four. I did not even drive 1Km when the white cat escaped the first of 3 times from the box. Clever cat!

The photo of the white cat in my car was the first time she escaped. I looked in the mirror and there she was. I just started to laughing and laughing.

Lilly Jordan, my Yorkie, was the most well behaved dog ever on this long road. She did not make a peep, except on our very last stop at the Engine garage in Mossel Bay, when she saw the baboon... as you can see.

Last Photo: The other Yorkie is my Father's Pippa, bigger but younger than Lilly.

AVOIDING ACCIDENTS

Out of principle I never went over 120km. Was 140ish tempting? VERY. But walking and keeping authority means not to be law-less. It also meant that one massive accident was avoided if I did go faster. (There was a few smaller ones too). It was so close that I shook and cried when all the cars involved finally got moving again. I massive truck tire came flying and the cars in front of me hit the brakes. The man with the caravan that ended up driving on the side can be grateful that his caravan was the 4x4 type. We were literally 4 cars next to each other as suppose to be behind each other.

ARRIVAL in STILBAAI

How beautiful is the sign in the form of a boat on the N2 that says "STILBAAI" after 1550km

THE TRAIN - moment of childhood joy revisited

It was my first time driving a car from Gauteng to the Western Cape alone. For one, I had such a good time with God. I worshiped and prayed the whole way. It was sacred.

At one point I had a flash back memory how my father use to have us kids wave at the train if it came by and then the train, if he saw us, would blow his loud whistle back to us.

Early in the morning after I departed from Colesburg on the long forsaken road to Graaf Reinette (no fuel-stations for 200km) I saw the train in the early morning light. I could not believe it. The flashback was still fresh on my mind.

I decided to wave! and then LOUD... THE WHISTLE back to me! I smiled and felt so happy!

I took a pic (of course!!) and also another one of the road - to the front and to the back in the rare-view mirror to show how loooonngg the road was.

Not too long after the train, I checked my kilometers.

I was about to hit 1000km. Then I did and stopped at that very moment.

This was the sign right in front of me as I stopped at exactly 1000km. It was funny.

(The light was too bright to show the speedometer on 1000 in the car)

I also met my cousin Suzaan's BIG Barnaby dog, visited Uncle Johan's farm and saw my cousins. What a joy-filled trip.
 

MY TWO BOYS - Janco (5) and Alexander (4) I am one happy Godmother!

Finally...

We have to talk about food!

It's December!

I am just enjoying Stilbaai and eating what I avoided the entire 2018 (mostly bread/pasta and pork!) But Oh Ciabatta how I love thee!! Oh Gout how I hate you but you will have my deaf ear until 2019...

Unfortunately I discovered during 2018 that I became allergic to Prawns. How sad is that. I love Lamb... its my favorite but it hurts me nearly as bad as pork. I do not touch pork! Not even in December when all my rules go flying out the window.

I hope you can enjoy what you eat this December & enjoy life. It is a gift.

Ecclesiastes 3:12-13

So I concluded there is nothing better than to be happy and enjoy ourselves as long as we can. And people should eat and drink and enjoy the fruits of their labor, for these are gifts from God.

Timothy 6:6-8

Now there is great gain in godliness with contentment, for we brought nothing into the world, and we cannot take anything out of the world. But if we have food and clothing, with these we will be content.