What a day!!!

Can I please tell you about this last day of 2006! It started in the early hours of the morning, to be exact, few minutes past twelve, Bouts and I on our way to bed, realized we can't find Beethoven.
Let me introduce Beethoven:

Meet our 12 year old baby, he was a gift from my Dad to Nino on his second birthday, and he was just gone! He is terrified of thunder, and normally he is always with me, I was upstairs in my scrapbook room and only realized then that he was missing. We search for hours, Bouts got into the car and drove around town, scared that maybe somehow he got out the gate and was wondering around.

I have never prayed this much for my animals and we eventually found him, all wet and scared. I was so thankful I cried! (i think Bouts too)

The good thing about this day, 31 December 2006, is that it is the "Poppies's" birthday. Let me introduce you to them:

On the left is Abby and the other one is Noela. They are 2 years old today, happy birthday to them, and we love them like crazy! They keep us all young and on our toes, VERY BUSY girls these two, always up to something. LOVE to swim, and Bouts tries his best to keep them out of the pool, to much hair in the filter he says. I will let you know later who wins this contest!!


Then, last but not least, there are the other two, older women in this dog family of ours, let me introduce them:

On the left is Missy, she was my Mom's dog, and we adopted her after my Mom died. Chicka on the right is ours since she was a baby. These two are the two difficult old ladies, smallest but they rule all the other other animals in this family.


Now you know our dog family, the birds I will introduce to you later, and today we pay tribute to Gato, the only cat we ever had, who died two years ago in December at the wonderful age of 15 years.
We are thankful for our animals, they are kind and loving and I love that God created them, we can learn so much from them!!

I hope you all have a wonderful last day of 2006, we are spending the day with friends who will be arriving later. The braai will start at about seven tonight, and will go right through untill next year.
luv ya all
karin
xx

Santa's little helpers...

Just look at them, and the reason they look so funny is cause the sun was shining into their eyes! We had so much fun with them, I cannot remember what we used to do before they all came along!

My own, personal family! I love to say that!

Every Christmas spend with them is a gift, and I pray for many more!

Nino posed for a photo with Ouma Meraai, just look how tall he is!!!!

The Christmas Eve dinner table speaks for itself, dinner was provided by the Turkey Squad (middle picture) and the setting by Santa (Johan) himself!




Last but not least, Santa, Mrs Santa and the little helpers. Thanks from the Botha's to the Herbst's for a wonderful Christmas!

I leave you with this verse from my new Bible!

Proverbs 16:3
Roll your works upon the Lord (commit and trust them wholly to Him, He will cause your thoughts to become agreeable to His will, and ) so shall your plans be established and succeed!

luv ya lots
karin
xx

It is all about freedom

I bought this wonderful Bible,

The Every Day Life Bible, with notes and commentary by Joyce Meyer, and I have been blessed!! I loved this morning's commentary in Joshua, it is all about being faithful, listen to this!

God works through and blesses faithful people - people who are faithful in the wilderness (in times of testing) as well as in the Promised Land (in times of blessing). Being faithful means being devoted, supportive and loyal. Faithful people are worthy of trust or belief, they are reliable, consistent, constant and steadfast. They will stay wherever God places them and be true to those God has given them to work with.

If we want to exercise authority, we must first learn to come under authority and stay wherever God has placed us until He moves us. We must do the right thing simply because it is right, even though we may never understand the 'why' of every situation - which is a real test of our faithfulness and obedience.

Do you want to have authority and be respected? Then learn to be reliable and loyal, God loves to reward the faithful.

Do you understand as I do, that through being faithful comes freedom. I made this page for Nico, to tell him all about this freedom. To let no one stand in his way, but to be kind, wise and gentle with other people's feelings. I trust this child, I know his potential and I love him with all of my heart!

My wish for you is a funfilled, glorious day tomorrow!!

love and kisses

karin

xx

God's promise for the New Year

It's the last days of December'06, I haven't felt like talking for a while, hence the silence on my blog, missing my Dad and my Mom like crazy!
One very good thing came from all of this, my relationship with God is becoming stronger, and that is my only wish for the New Year, a deeper love for my Saviour, a deeper understanding of His power and love for me, and faith, life changing faith every day of my life!!

I need to share this morning's scripture with you all, and this is God's promise to me (once again) for the New Year, my future, my Husbands future and our Children's future! Share this wonderful Word with me!!


11 - For I know the thoughts and plans that I have for you, says the Lord, thoughts and plans for welfare and peace and not for evil, to give you hope in your final outcome.
12- Then you will call upon Me, and I you will come and pray to Me, and I will hear and heed you,
13- Then you will seek Me, inquire for, and require Me (as a vital necessity) and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart.
14 - I will be found by you, says the Lord, and I will release you from captivity and gather you from all the nations and all the places to which I have driven you, says the Lord, and I will bring you back to the place from which I caused you to be carried away captive!!

Isn't this amazing, my God is a Strong and Mighty Tower, a Refuge for my soul!!
Amen

Have a glorious day!
love
karin
xx