Thursday 24 January 2019

THE RAT RACE! THE ANSWER IS EXTREMELY SIMPLE. READ BELOW



Image of happiness: credit: internet images

The other Sunday in church our minister played a short internet video clip about the rat race! And the pursuit of happiness at all costs. Please have a look at it at this link. This video is by a most brilliant man namely Steve Cutts - I do give you  all the credit in the world for creating this great clip!

It is worth your while to watch the entire clip. 

Many years ago when I was a very young man, I heard the saying about the rat race. And at first I couldn't figure it out how that can be applicable on me, a human being. Then I begin to understand! And I promptly took a firm decision against it and I am standing by that decision many, many, many years later. My decision? The answer is extremely simple: I AM NOT A RAT! Why on earth do you want to compare yourself with a rat? Why? 

When I became converted to Jesus Christ, I new I was a new creature and His words in John 15 verse 11 are still true in my life: "I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete." It does not mean for one moment that I am always on top of the world. No not at all. It means that in my innermost being, I have joy and that trumps the so called happiness of the world. 

May you find it as well. Please write me a e-letter at: neelscoertse@wirelessza.co.za  

Monday 24 December 2018

THE ONLY REAL REASON FOR CHRISTMAS! MY CHRISTMAS MESSAGE TO YOU PERSONALLY

Samuel writig his name in his New Testament, Psalms and Proverbs on 
19 December 2018

This photo of Samuel is probably the most unusual Christmas card you have ever seen. There is a valid reason for this. Please continue reading.

This message is for you personally – according to the statistics there were just more than 13’000 page views. When I started out some years ago, I never imagined that it would come to many people actually reading my posts and looking at my photographs. I had people from Albania and China looking at my blog.

Although I don’t know all of you personally, I do appreciate it that you interact with me.  I do know some of you thru Facebook and Whatsapp contacts I appreciate our contact. Tomorrow is Christmas and we are middle in all of this silliness of happy, happy, happy. What is it all about?

Samuel is a Telkom technician who attended to our complaint about our landline and internet connectivity. He arrived on the scene within about 18 hours after we lodged our complaint and he sorted the problems out within the space of an hour. He was friendly and courteous towards us and took his time to answer all of my questions.

He was climbing his ladder and working outside in blistering sunshine during the heatwave hitting us in Sandton area. My plants are wilting, chickens panting and the air void of any moisture. The light winds blowing are hot and stale.

It was hot.

And dry.

Samuel did his job to the best of his abilities and solved the problems.

I invited him back to my home/office and offered him a glass of water from the fridge. He finished that in one gulp!

Then I offered him a little blue New Testament, Psalms and Proverbs – the type the Gideons International in South Africa distribute. The moment he saw it, his face lit up with a huge smile that you could wrap around his head.

“Oh,” he said, “I got one while I was at school in Zimbabwe.” I asked him it he reads it. “No,” was his answer “I don’t know where it is. May I have one?” he asked. I gave him this one and started quoting John 3:16 and he took over and completed the verse. Do you know that important verse in Scriptures? Just to jog your memory, here is the exact quote:

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

Do you believe this verse? If you don’t, I ask you to reconsider and accept it – it is worthwhile because this is the real Christmas story.

Is it about snow covered candles or a bushveld thorn tree covered with LED lights? Is it about presents brought to you with the compliments of Father Christmas on his sleigh with his reindeer? Is it about the best whisky you can afford? Is it about laughter with abandon and frolicking in the swimming pool? Is it about a well-earned holiday in the bushveld or at the sea? Is it happiness that we should pursue at all costs like the mouse in the video clip? Click here and enjoy this clip.

The list can go on and on and on … and you may add some stuff yourself.

I suggest to you that the birth of the Christ-child is the real and penultimate reason for Christmas and nothing else. I will repeat that the real reason is Christ and nothing else.
His birth was like no other in the entire history of the world.

Prince William and his wife Kate’s babies were born in privacy under the strictest of strict security measures and in the utmost luxury. The best medical attendance you can imagine was on duty with each birth. The births of these babies were announced at Buckingham Palace and on social media.

Not so with the Christ-child. He was born in a stable because the world at that time had no place for Him to be born. Angels came down from heaven to sing His praises. Shepherds and special men from the East came to honour him. All of this happened while the animals were surrounding His earthly father and Maria. I am sure that there was not a security guard to be seen – not anywhere at all! This Babe is the Christ and not an ordinary baby at all.

It was predicted in the Scriptures that He would be born and He was indeed and in fact born at the right time.

Please read with me the prediction as experienced by Isaiah7: 10 & 11 & 9: 1 – 6

Again the Lord spoke to Ahaz, 11“Ask the Lord your God for a sign, whether in the deepest depths or in the highest heights.” ... Nevertheless, there will be no more gloom for those who were in distress. In the past he humbled the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, but in the future he will honor Galilee of the nations, by the Way of the Sea, beyond the Jordan—
2The people walking in darkness
have seen a great light;
on those living in the land of deep darkness
a light has dawned.
3You have enlarged the nation
and increased their joy;
they rejoice before you
as people rejoice at the harvest,
as warriors rejoice
when dividing the plunder.
4For as in the day of Midian’s defeat,
you have shattered
the yoke that burdens them,
the bar across their shoulders,
the rod of their oppressor.
5Every warrior’s boot used in battle
and every garment rolled in blood
will be destined for burning,
will be fuel for the fire.
6For to us a child is born,
to us a son is given,
and the government will be on his shoulders.
And he will be called
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

A medical practitioner by the name of Luke recorded for posterity the birth of this Christ-child and I invite you to read with me Luke2: 8 - 20

And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. 9An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. 10But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. 11Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. 12This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.
13Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,
14“Glory to God in the highest heaven,
and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”
15When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.”
16So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. 17When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, 18and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. 19But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. 20The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.

I ask you to read my emphasis again: “This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.” Luke tells us that he personally researched these events and we can trust him for the accuracy and reliability of it. And the shepherds found it exactly as the angels told them. It was proven in other words. This is not an ordinary cute little baby! He is the Christ-child the Saviour of the world. Of you and me.

I pray that you may indeed experience the wonder of the Christ-child in your life during this wonderful festive Christmas period. Remember Christ is the reason for this season.

Neels Coertse
Sandton
South Africa
24 December 2018


Saturday 27 October 2018

Donkeys in the Free State South Africa - a fun short project. Enjoy it!


It is a fun part of photography - I mean taking photographs of donkeys! One can walk like a flaneur in the streets of Sandton, but not taking photographs of donkeys and that in the Free State of my country South Africa.

I later recorded the sound - please be assured that it is not me snoring! Just in case you were wondering.

Enjoy it!

Wednesday 10 October 2018

TODAY I AM VERY PROUD ABOUT STATISTICS ABOUT MY PUBLICATIONS

Screenshot of my blog on 10.10.2018

As you can see from this screenshot of my blog I had 12575 views as of today! I readily admit that I am not the world's most active or prolific blogger. I have a fair number of other interests to keep my mind busy: for instance: my law practice since 1979 and not retiring; photography [I will publish a screenshot of my YouTube audio visual here under]; growing vegetables; cooking & baking; writing legal articles; researching legal topics relating to refugees and peoples migration and so on.

I really thank you my readers for viewing my blog and my YouTube publications. I means a lot to me and inspire and motivate me to continue with this kind of a thing. I request you, however, to get in touch with me and write me an e-letter at my e-address: neelscoertse@wirelessza.co.za

Now for a screenshot of my YouTube publication pertaining to Plumtree, Zimbabwe. Here it is:
  
Screenshot of my YouTube publication

Last night I had a look at this publication and then there were only 3105 views. It means that during the night I gained another few views. I took the images last year 2017 when I visited our ex-gardener who worked 30 years for us. He got very ill and his brother decided to take him back to Gwamagwama in Zimbabwe. That was also a family decision. And so he went! We still miss him very much and I keep on paying him a pension. The move from Sandton to deep rural Zimbabwe was a cultural shock to old Leonard and he had problems getting to grips with his move. But now, I am happy to report that he has settled in nicely and enjoying the pension his gets from me. He is even thinking of taking a wife - but he is looking for an older woman. Why an older woman? Because, according to him, the young ones talk too much! Wisdom? Here is a link to that audio visual report. 

Once again thank you for you support, it means a lot to me. Keep on praying for me and my family.



Tuesday 25 September 2018

D-Day veteran Harry Read, 94, skydives for first time since WW2

Have a  look for a jump of a liftetime.


94 and he skydives again after his first jump in 1944!

Here is the link

Wednesday 4 July 2018

How do you handle grief?

Credit: internet.
Everybody hurts - so goes the song. Listen to it on the internet by clicking on this link and I do give due credit to R.E.M. for this incredible song. And it is true. According to the Scriptures the entire universe suffers and is hurting. I am no exception. My reader, you are also hurting and you are suffering grief. How do you handle that grief of yours?

My question, and I dare say most people will ask the same question, is: How do you handle grief?

A few years ago I was dealt the most severe blow ever. I am still hurting but not so much because time marches on but more than that I trust in the living Jesus Christ for healing or endurance or whatever He might have in store for me and my loved ones. I cannot change the past; I am not a prisoner of the past and my hope in Jesus Christ drags me forward - that is dragging me on when I can't keep walking. 

Last night [3 July 2018] my wife read me this portion that was posted on Facebook and it brought great comfort and relief to me and to her - have a look at this link. Please read it to the end and I will pray that it will bring comfort to you, my reader. 

If you wish to drop me a note, please write to my e-mail address: neelscoertse@wirelessza.co.za I will appreciate your note. 

Monday 25 June 2018

Paul McCartney’s Extraordinary Carpool Karaoke Tour of Liverpool With James Corden


Paul McCartney 


Sir Paul McCartney


When I grew up during the 1960’s and 1970’s I was led to believe that the Beatles were the blood brothers of the devil himself; nevertheless, I listened to some of their stuff and even liked it, in spite of the dire and stern warnings!

They had long hair and made a lot of very loud music and were extremely popular. I remember that it was a hair-raising experience for the older people. My parents were horrified! There was even a very well-known Afrikaans preacher [“dominee”] who alleged that if you play some of these very popular band’s lyrics [not the Beatles’ by the way] backward, you get satanist verses! Oh, my word!

Now that I am much older I realize that those ideas were expressed within a specific political environment and from a specific political spectrum. Even in light of those sentiments the popularity of the Beatles rose and nothing could keep them down. Listen to Paul McCartney at this link; even he is startled by their lyrics being evergreen and still popular many, many years later. It is such an experience to see and listen to him, being a much older man now, and to see his vivaciousness. If you want to read the story, click on this link.

It is clear to me that every generation will and do test the previous generations viewpoints and lifestyles – it does however not mean that there is something inherently wrong with that. It only means that we test life all the time and move forward. Sometime it is excruciatingly painful and it can be life threatening at that. Yet, life finds a way and life goes on – and there are new “threats.”

The young of today are the oldies of tomorrow and even they and theirs will be tested and found lacking or adequate or only to be tolerated!
link