Whatsit Wednesday: Jar licker

I remember cooking with my mom and siblings in the kitchen when I was young. Whenever Mom made cookies or a cake or some such, we were allowed to help, especially with the clean-up. This meant, since there were multiple siblings, that someone got the spoon, someone else the spatula and two others the bowl. When we ended up having six, it got harder to be fair. Each kid had something to lick off and enjoy. 

So when I got to the Netherlands and heard that they had a utensil which is literally called a “jar licker” - pottenlikker - I was intrigued. What did this utensil look like and how was it used. But there wasn’t much of a mystery. It was exactly what it purported to be - a utensil which helps clear out a jar. 

Mind you, it is not a spatula. A spatula can be used to clean a pan or bowl or pot. It is a bit of silicon on a stick that can be used, better than a spoon, to clean the edges of the pan or bowl or pot. The “pottenlikker” has a different task in the kitchen. It is specifically used for (usually glass) jars. The word for jar in Dutch is “pot”, just to make things a bit more confusing. 

The Dutch are considered to be thrifty. Some call I stingy. The joke among the Belgians about the Dutch is: How do you know which yard is from a Dutchman? It is the one with the toiletpaper hanging up to dry. So wanting to get the very last bits out of a jar makes perfect sense for a Dutchman. After all, you paid for everything in the jar, you should be able to enjoy every last bit. That is what a pottenlikker is for - to get the very last bit. 

But it also touches on another desire of the Dutchman - being environmentally friendly. The Dutch have a lot of things in jars. They buy their vegetables in jars instead of cans. Glass jars can be recycled. There is a place in every neighborhood to bring your used glass containers (jars). But these should be dumped or gathered clean. If you leave bits of food in the jar, it will only attract bugs of all sorts and will stink up the area. So every jar should be cleaned. Enter the pottenlikker. 

Laying the weapons down

Today is another holiday in Belgium. At the beginning of our street is a statue of sorts. It is the Belgian lion and in front of the lion is a short stand which is hardly even noticeable most of the year. But on this day you can see it quite well since there is a flame on its top. This is the monument to the fallen soldiers of the village. There are two and they died in WWI. Today is Armistice Day, November 11. 

It is a day which is celebrated in Belgium, but not in the Netherlands. In the Netherlands they celebrate their fallen on May 4. In the US this day in November is called Veteran’s Day, although it does not always fall oil the 11th. For the Belgians it is always on November 11 because that is the day that the armistice was signed. It was a day to put down all weapons. In Dutch, the word is literally “weapons stillness” (wapenstilstand). 

In our world today there are many places that are trying to reach an armistice. One of our young Ukrainian brothers in the church in Maastricht heard recently that his father died in the fighting in Ukraine. We know others who want to see the fighting stop in Israel and Gaza and Lebanon. Fighting continues in areas of Sudan and South Sudan,Yemen, Syria and Irak, or civil conflicts in Libya or Myanmar.  

For some of us those may all seem to be far-away conflicts, the “far-from-my-bed show”. And we might think that it is normal as long as it is NIMBY (not in my back yard). But there are other conflicts every day in our own lives. Conflicts between parents and children, between family members who don’t like each other anymore, between people who think differently politically. 

Perhaps some of these conflicts must exist. Some would look at WWII and say that it was necessary to end the evil which was growing in the world. But are all conflicts of the same magnitude? Is it really necessary to pull out the heavy artillery when your husband leaves his socks on the floor or your wife leaves the drawer open (even if both are for the “bazillionth” time)? Sometimes we need to look at what we are fighting about and see if there is another way of dealing with the situation. 

We pray that we are able to be peacemakers as much as possible, without giving up our desire to see righteousness prevail. We want to take the time to examine situations to see what weapons are necessary. Because sometimes it is diplomacy instead of attack or defense. This is a day to think about laying the weapons down. 

But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. Peacemakers who sow in peace reap a harvest of righteousness. James 3:17-18

Whodunit Wednesday: Peter Paul Rubens

One of the first times we visited Antwerp I remember having someone point out that the famous painter, Rubens, had lived here. His house is now a museum downtown. I had heard the name of Peter Paul Rubens and knew that he had been a painter, but did not know much about him. 

Pieter Paul Rubens was born in 1577 and is considered the most influential of Flemish Baroque painters. He was also a diplomat who traveled around Europe and mingled with nobility. His paintings are well-known. Rubens’ female nudes were typically full-bodied, which was considered voluptuous at the time. Today we still might call a woman “Rubenesque”. Whereas later generations might consider a thinner woman more desirable, the fashion in Rubens' time was for voluptuous women. This showed that they were rich and healthy. 

Rubens painted all sorts of subjects. He painted portraits of the rich and famous, started with landscapes and continued on in later life with Biblical themes. Several of his apprentices became famous in their own right, just as he, too had followed the greats of his time. You might be familiar with his paintings "Susanna and the Elders", "Lot and his daughters", or "Landscape with milkmaids and cattle".  

Those who enjoy art either love or hate Pieter Paul Rubens. His technique is unmistakeable. One has to decide if the style fits one’s taste. His emphasis is on color, movement and sensuality. But it is clear that he is one of the greats - from the little country of Belgium, right “down the road” from us in Antwerp. 

Maintenance

This past weekend was the end of our Fall camps, a special religious holiday in Belgium and a day to get things ready at camp for the coming winter. Although Halloween is not really a holiday here, All Saints Day is. This is the day that many visit the graves of their loved ones. It is one of the biggest days for florists as everyone is getting flowers (mostly chrysanthemums) to put on the graves. It is a time to remember, to put family first, sewn into society and the social calendar of the year.

Down at camp it is a time for maintenance. We have to get the buildings ready to go into the winter, never knowing how bitter the winter might be. It is time to clean off the leaves from the roofs, clear off the driveway, and prep the buildings inside. This weekend we also had a hill of dirt to move from one place to another. The field had begun to settle after the flooding a few years back, so it was time to set things to rights again. This was especially important around some metal lids in the field which give us access to our septic system. We do not want any kids falling in or hitting their heads on these metal lids. 

More importantly, a day like this down at camp is a time to talk during the coffee breaks and lunch breaks. There were only 6 of us down there, but it was a good group that worked hard. Two of the 6 men were the young sons of one of our camp leaders. They did quite a bit of the work digging out the dirt, shoveling it into wheelbarrows and letting the wheelbarrows be wheeled to where they were to be dumped. In the end we all went home satisfied and dirty, knowing that camp was ready for the coming months. 

Back in Maastricht yesterday was the first Sunday of the month and was a good day to be back together with Christian family. Some have been off on holiday (it was a school holiday break in Belgium) and others were finally back after a short period of typical Fall colds. One of our Ukrainians heard this past weekend that his father was killed in a battle in the East. This young man has been with us for the last two years and so has not seen his father for the last three years. Death never seems to be expected, even in war. 

Wild Wonderful Wednesday: Hunting in the Ardennes

Hundreds of years ago the forests around where we now have our Bible camp would have been full of wildlife. The few people who lived in the area would have hunted all sorts of animals, including wild pigs and deer. The wolf would have roamed in the area, hunting as well. In the past century hunting of a different sort took place in these woods as soldiers of conflicting countries hunted one another during two world wars. Then the wars stopped, tourists started visiting the area and Bible camp was built (first just tents) in 1965. 

Throughout the years that we have attended and helped with Ardennes Bible Camp (ABK) we have experienced a little bit of this wild life that slumbers still in the woods around camp. Young campers love to run through the grass in our field looking for grasshoppers, butterflies, frogs and maybe even little grass snakes. In the creek babbling along the field they look for frogs and fish (although there are no fish). Periodically they cry out in astonishment as the cows on the other side of the creek come down into the water to drink. 

If you get up early enough in the morning to see the mist rising across the field, you might also surprise a family of deer munching on the tall grass just past the fence marking our land. In recent years we have been able to acquire that land, so the grass is not as high, but we still find signs of the deer visiting this area. But the land that is our camp is just a small postage stamp. Camp is still surrounded by forests full of wildlife. 

Stepping up the steep driveway leading down to our camp we regularly take the kids from a week of Bible camp on a walk through the woods. There is a short walk along the street that passes our camp. This is the most dangerous section as it is in a bend and the cars and motorcycles like to speed along this twisty road. So we make sure that the kids pay attention and walk 2x2 until we can leave the main road after about 100 meters. 

Turning left off the road we can ascend on a rough road between fields where the cows most often range peacefully. The bushhes along the road are full of blackberries and stinging nettle - a delicious risk of thorn and sting to get to sweet reward while climbing higher into the woods. The view back over the village below and into the next valley always elicits cries of awe. 

As we reach the beginning of the woods we have to chose at a typical crossroads: right, straight, or left. Going right looks like it goes downhill. It does just this for a time, again splitting with one section returning to the village. But another section continues higher up the hill. Going straight is clearly a climb and most do not want to go that way after having already climbed a bit to get to this crossroads. It is however the best place to gather blueberries. 

It is the path going left that we usually take. This is a level path running along the field we passed coming up, but just inside the trees of the forest. It follows a narrow, well-worn but muddy path. These days you can see that bikes come this way as well as horses. But if you look closely in the mud, you will also see that the wild pigs know their way through these woods and along this path. 

Each year we have to warn the kids not to pick blueberries too close to the ground. The fox and stone marten roam freely in these woods and like to mark their territory on the low-hanging bushes. So blueberries hanging low may have received a “blessing” that we do not want to share. These stone Martens, something like a weasel, have through the years also made their nests in the nooks and crannies between our building walls and roofs. One might also catch a glimpse of one of these elusive creatures if one is awake and about in the early morning. 

It is during our Fall Camp that we have to take special precautions at camp. This is hunting season. We are not allowed in the woods past sunset and there are areas where we are not allowed at all. Hunters are out hunting the wild boar. More recently we have also learned from the news that the wolf has once again made its way into these areas. 

This past week was our Fall Camp and we had a great group of young people learning about Joseph and how to deal with adversity. This week the younger kids are down at what has become our newest addition of camp Vacation Bible Camp (VBK). The Belgian schools all have a Fall vacation, so this is a good time to be down at camp with friends learning about God. 

The trees are all turning glorious colors, painting the forest in multiple shades of red and yellow and orange. The mist rises in the morning and sets into the field again in the evenings as the various wildlife steps quietly through the forest and fields, wondering who these loud kids are and what they are doing. The kids are simply hunting for a wonderful time and full life in God’s glory. 

Taking every opportunity

For the last while we as a congregation in Maastricht have been working through the Psalms. What a blessing to see how God listens, hears, responds and helps. It was so good to see how many of the writers obviously have the same emotions as we all do and that God allows these emotions in the right place. When we trust Him with our thoughts and desires, then things work much better for all.

As we have finished the psalms we are looking at a new set of lessons where we touch on the fundamentals of our faith and how they help us with the difficult questions presented us in our society. Last Wednesday evening we looked at the foundational truths that make up the truly good news of the gospel. One of the things we hope to be able to (re)emphasize is how we can speak with those around us. And as we were looking at these fundamentals we have been praying for the conversations that God presents us with each day. 

As usual, I was not prepared for how wonderfully God surprises. He loves to do what we do not expect or even think of. So the days after our study I had several good opportunities to talk about this very good news. One conversation was with someone who specifically asked what we believe, as he was not religious and wondered what kind of faith this could be. Another was with believers about the struggles we have in life. That same evening a dinner with friends brought conversation about God’s faithfulness and how we struggle to trust, but how good it is. 

This is the reality of every day. We try to keep our eyes open for every opportunity that God presents us to talk about His wonderful love and grace. Sometimes we do not really recognize these moments as opportunities until we are in the middle of a conversation. It is not that we are manipulating conversations. We are simply speaking of the One we love and the good that He has brought us. 

We are thankful that God wants to and can use us in every situation to bring His grace into the world. We pray that we are allowing Him to work through our conversation in all of our daily activities - as parents, grandparents, brothers and sisters, shoppers in a store, drivers on the road or wherever else we may find ourselves. 

Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity. Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone. Colossians 4:5-6

Where oh Where Wednesday: the town where we live

When I put my return address to paper or answer someone as to where we live, I name the town of Lanaken. But Lanaken is actually 7 different towns or villages all combined back in the years just before we moved here. The largest town is Lanaken itself, a town of some 11,000 inhabitants. But we actually live in the small village of Neerharen. 

Neerharen is the opposite village of “Opharen” on the other side of the river which is a short 500 meters from our back door. The river has ever been the border between the Netherlands and Belgium - at least as long as Belgium has existed. “Op” means above and “Neer” means below. So our village was the vial leg below the river. The other one received a castle at some point and so has become “Borgharen” and is a neighborhood of the city of Maastricht now. 

Our village can be found on maps of Napoleon when he was taking parts of Europe over, bringing some semblance of formal administration with him. The house across from us is from the 19th century and the castle to which our street would lead (if the canal did not cut across it) has elements from the 13th century. So this place has been around for some time. 

The village north of us, which is still part of the conglomerate of Lanaken, is called “Rekem”, although it used to be “Reckheim”. It had even been its own little city with city rights. The castle which housed the lord at the time has been a psychiatric hospital and now serves tourists. The village south of us, Smeermaas, is where the border crosses in fromt of the river bringing everyone into the next country. Both of these villages are where the stores are situated that we use in our daily lives. Our village has a butcher and some restaurants, but no real stores. 

Neerharen does have what some call the Gold Coast. As I explained recently to a visitor from Kenya, it is along this Gold Coast, on the other side of the main road splitting the village, that the truly rich people live. Of course, even the houses on our side of the village were more than large enough to count as a Gold Coast for him. 

The canal behind our house, built in the 1920’s, has bunkers from WWII as a reminder of a more terrible time. The canal itself carries boats ferrying goods from the harbor of Antwerpen to the harbor of Rotterdam and everywhere in between. The provincial road which cuts through the village used to be a tramway carrying passengers and goods from Maastricht to Maasmechelen and further. 

We are thankful for the place we have been able to live and bring up our family while also sharing the truth and joy of living with Jesus. We have good neighbors in a quiet neighborhood full of history. It is a small place surrounded by busy life on all sides. 

(The picture is of our boys, when they were boys, playing in our street.)

Fun and family

This past year we have tried every second Sunday to have a time of games after our services. This was an idea of our young Ukrainian couple. Those who wish can stay for a cup of soup and some sandwiches followed by some time with board games. But it is much more than just fun. 

One of the first times we had two or three different tables. One had some games for the younger kids, another for kids who weren’t so sure about games, and a third where most of the adults sat, laughing and talking. And that is what has happened each second Sunday. A group sits around a table and laughs together, getting to know one another better. 

Last month it was the first time for one of our university students. It was fun to see her laughing and to hear how glad she was to get to know the others in a different way. This month we had to move the Games Sunday one week behind since the Ukrainian couple had been off to the first 20+ camp in decades. This had been planned and fell on the second Sunday, so we moved everything to yesterday. 

This time we also had a guest - an evangelist from Kenya who is visiting congregations and people he met when he first came to study in Belgium more than 10 years ago. In the meantime his family has increased by 4 sons and he has planted several works in the western part of Kenya. But to see him laughing and talking during games was a thrill. 

These kinds of games give people a chance to show a different side of themselves. It gives more time to simply talk about life as well (before and after the games). So we get to know each other a little better every month. We play games where you work as a team (like yesterdays game of Sequence), or where you have to be able to take some loss and still be happy. That is the joy of such a time. We are just family having a good time and getting to know one another better. 

Whensday: October 16

This day, or there about, has been quite important in various ways in history. On this day in 1793 Marie Antoinette lost her head during the French Revolution. The picture we have of this queen has changed through the years. Whereas the French at the time were more than happy to see her lose her head, people since then have wondered if she was as evil as she was made out to be. 

On October 15, 1917, over 120 years later, Mata Hari, or Margaretha Geertruida Zelle, a Dutch exotic dancer, was executed by a French firing squad for spying for the Germans in World War I. Even during her trial rumors swirled of her being a double agent. After her execution her name took on a mythic quality and a legend grew up around her past and exploits. 

On October 13, 1792, a year before Marie Antionette was beheaded, George Washington was laying the first stone of the White House. The French had helped the new country in its struggle against England, fighting alongside American revolutionary forces. After the Revolutionary War ended and the United States was a reality, making a capital city and home for the president set the country even further on its path in the new political world that was taking shape. 

About 100 years later, on October 15, 1889, the new train station in Amsterdam was officially opened. Amsterdam Central Station would become the center of so much that was happening in the Netherlands. Even today, it is this train station that welcomes so many to the city and so much of what people consider “Dutch”. As you exit the station, all of the wonders of the city of Amsterdam await you across a square. A modern bike parking with all sorts of bikes entering and exiting, boats plying the canals of the city, trams riding the center of the streets taking passengers to the various museums or tourist spots. 

Almost 100 years after the opening of this train station Jon Postel died - it was October 16, 1998. Who? Jon Postel was the co-organizer and pioneer of the internet. These days if we wonder about anything or want information, we simply go to the internet. The internet has become the central station we all enter, being brought to every sort of information at our fingertips. 

This would never have been possible without Jon Postel who also thought up the SMTP protocol. This is the basis for sending email via the internet. Of course these days email is perhaps getting as old as some of the tidbits presented here. It has, after all, already been a quarter of a century since this internet co-organizer passed away. What will things look like in another 100 years? 

Conversations that connect

The past few weeks have brought us some wonderful conversations. The coming weeks will offer more opportunities. We are so thankful for the various ways that we can talk to people and how God works through those conversations. 

Some of the conversations have been in person. We had a wonderful visit from Rudy and Pam Schellekens from Muscatine. We had worked with them in the past and they are a part of our lives and of how we were formed by God. As you have been able to read, they helped out with our Youth Day and Rudy spoke for us on the Sunday they were here. We also enjoyed a day in Maastricht taking them around to the various sights. 

Just after they left we hoped to be able to see some other old friends (Dottie Schulz and her daughter, Rachel), but due to sickness we had to adapt our visit. We had driven up north to stay with Jim and Ruth Krumrei for the night before visiting Dottie the next day. Dottie was not feeling well, so we had a great day with Jim and Ruth. Jim was Scott’s mentor back when Scott first came to the Netherlands. 

We had actually just seen Jim and Ruth at a wedding celebration for Ruud and Karla’s youngest daughter. We were thankful for the conversations at that meeting as well. We saw some of Ruud’s family who we seldom see and were able to see Ruud and Karla’s 3rd daughter who lives in the US. We met her two kids as well and were amazed that they spoke Korean, Dutch and English (Kyana is married to Juheon who is Korean). 

This reality and a conversation with others on this day about grandkids and language helped to convince Scott that it would be good to speak some Dutch to granddaughter Sophia. And then we are very thankful for technology and how it helps us with conversations. Scott has started sending short video’s to Sophia (often in Dutch) to keep in touch. Thankfully, we were also able to see Sophia on our last video call with Stephan. 

And video calls have been good for many of our conversations. Every other Tuesday we have a Bible study online with the English speakers in the congregation. One of our sisters who moved to France with her husband has also been able to join in online for her Bible questions. Technology can be amazing and we are very thankful for these opportunities. 

And still, sometimes meeting face-to-face is the best or only way to have a conversation. Our old neighbor is currently in prison in Antwerp. We cannot call him or send an email, although he can call us sometimes. So Scott makes time to visit him in prison and encourage him however possible. Mostly this is in letting him know that he is not alone and sharing the things we have been studying in the Bible (this neighbor used to come to our home Bible studies). This last weekend Scott was also able to vote for this neighbor since he could not go (using a power of attorney). 

We are thankful for every moment that we get to talk to our sons, daughters-in-love and our granddaughter as well as all of our brothers and sisters in Christ and family members. Short messages via social media channels, or even simply making a call. Taking time to talk brings us together. How do you stay connected? 

Whatsit Wednesday: Licorice (“Drop”)

Every Tuesday I visit our sister from the church who is homebound and terminal. We talk about family, church family and God. We pray together. And I take her list to the grocery store down the street so that she has enough food in the house. I have come to know her writing and her list quite well. But the other day she had a new one on the list, since she has been getting some visits from people: “drop”. 

Some of you who know us and are not from the Netherlands or Belgium might have heard of and even tasted “drop”. This is something that Dutch ex-pats miss immensely when living outside the Netherlands. Our friends who recently visited fro Muscatine also came ready to buy things to take back to the US. “Drop” is one of those things. It is certainly something one will never forget once one has tried it. 

“Drop” is black licorice. I don’t know that I would call it candy, but it is something for eating between meals. Whereas some in the US might recognize the word “licorice”, they would not recognize “drop” if they tried it. Dutch “drop” comes in at least 4 types: salt, extra salt, double salt, and sweet. Most would recognize the sweet “drop” as licorice. It can come in various colors, is chewy and is sweet. But that is not what the Dutchman is typically looking for. 

The real “drop” is salty. It is black and comes in various shapes, although most often in the shape of a coin. Some are shaped like little cars. There are specific brands that people would swear by, and there are store brands for those who are just looking for a hit, needing to be able to put some “candy” on the table for the visitors. Some people can eat 3 or 4 pieces. Some people know that they have to have someone put the sack away before they eat the whole thing. 

Most non-Dutch people are quite surprised by “drop” the first time they try it. They are expecting sweet licorice and are hit by the extreme salty nature of this candy. But some come to like it. I do not. My son Stephan is also not a fan. But Shirley and Sean love it. If you get the chance when you are in the Netherlands, drop in a store and get some. Don’t worry about getting it at the souvenir shop where you will pay too much. Just go in to any Dutch supermarket and you will find it on the shelves by the candy. 

(The picture is of "double salt")

Whodunit Wednesday: Mark Rutte

Yesterday, Mark Rutte was sworn in as the new Secretary General (or SecGen) of NATO, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. NATO is headquartered in Brussels, right down the street from where I used to have to bring my Sony videocamera to be repaired. Rutte takes over the reigns of NATO at a very serious and difficult time in the world. 

Mark Rutte is a Dutch politician known for being able to bring people together and keep his own job at the same time. Some in Dutch politics consider him a slick dealer. Others consider him an accomplished politician. He was able, in any case, to remain prime minister of the Netherlands for longer than any other, lasting 13 years until last year. 

Rutte is not married and was known in The Hague for riding his bike to work, even as Prime Minister. He is always ready with a smile and a quick handshake, but knows how to throw out a sharp one-liner as well. At one point he bit off the words “Doe gewoon” (Act normal) in response to a political leader. At another time he was not ashamed to tell young people who were being rude to “Get out” (“Pleur op” in his own dialect) if they didn’t like what was going on. 

It will be intriguing to see how his form of politics and diplomacy work with the various countries tied together in NATO. He becomes SecGen as the Middle East is once again heating up and as the war in Ukraine and Russia seems to be growing even bigger. 

Another great youth day

The past two years the congregation in Maastricht has decided to expand our focus on our youth. Youth activities in the church are organized generally by the various congregations in Belgium and the Netherlands and spread throughout the year. But all of these weekends begin at qo years old. Our young people were younger. 

In the past we have also organized “Dieno”days (servant days with a play on words to include it sounding like dinosaurus). These were even for kids as young as 4 years old. So we decided as a congregation that we wanted to have a day for our kids, knowing that there were also other kids in the congregations of this age who would also be interested. 

Our age spread was actually from 7-13 at the time. So we planned a youth day utilizing our members who were very interested in the task and in the spiritual welfare of the kids. One of our members brought her grandkids to the first one, which was held in our backyard. But we realized from the beginning that doing the day in Maastricht (in our backyard in Lanaken) meant that parents had to travel quite far, since we are on the edge of both Belgium and the Netherlands. 

So in 2023 we moved the day to a community center in the village of one of our members - in Herselt, in the middle of Belgium. This meant that parents even from theWest could get to the day, spend some time in the area, and head home with their kids at a reasonable time. And more parents lived closer to this central area. The community center was well-suited to our needs for the day as well. 

The day in the Fall of 2023 went well, so we planned two for 2024 - again in Herselt - one in the Spring and one in the Fall. We have a great team working together from the congregation and the parents of the kids are quite happy that there are activities for their kids (even the younger ones). We focus the lessons on the younger and older ages, splitting the ages up for the 2nd lesson. 

This past weekend was the Fall Youth Day. Being in Belgium we always having to hope and pray that we can work well with whatever weather we get. This time the weather was not great, but it was also not terrible. We were thankful to have Rudy and Pam Schellekens visiting who could also help out. Some of the kids got sick at the last minute and could not come, but that is the reality of working with kids. 

The theme of this day was the elements which help us to grow in faith - based on 2 Peter 1:3-11. It always amazes me, although it should not anymore, how well children can learn and remember. Even the boys who have trouble sitting still are actually listening! We are so thankful for being able to work together with such a great group of brothers and sisters from the church in Maastricht for these days. We already have the next ones on the schedule for 2025. 

Thank you for your prayers for these activities, for the team and for the kids. You can find some pictures on our picture site. 

Where oh Where Wednesday: Mechelse Heide

About 20 minutes drive from our house is a nature park called “Mechelse heide” or the “Mechels heath”. It is nestled between the little towns of As and the bigger town of Maasmechelen and is part of the National Park in the area. It is 700 hectares of lightly wooded, sandy ground covered in heather. 

All sorts of birds, snakes, butterflies and grasshoppers make the area special and a desired place to take a walk. In the right season (right about now) the heath colors purple and the sunsets and sunrises make for amazing picture opportunities. And all of this within shouting distance of a large area for gravel mining. 

Every time we drive to Antwerp we drive past this swath of nature as the highway cuts through, with two vast sections on each side. We have often visited for a walk with friends.and members of the church. One of my fondest memories of a dear sister in the past was walking through this heather not long before her passing away. Other memories include running the sand paths between the heather with our boys when they were young. Not far from the heather is a special "bare foot walking path" where you can walk through all sorts of natural areas in your bare feet. 

Listening for God

This past weekend I was privileged to teach at the Fall European Singles Retreat (ESR) in Gemünden, Germany. As I mentioned to someone who asked - I taught in English, not in German. The retreat is for singles from around Europe. We had people there from Germany, Romania, Belgium, Netherlands and the US. There were three people who had never attended before and had found the information at the website. The theme was “Listening for God”. 

What a challenge to think about how we listen for God, why we want to listen for God and what that looks like. In the end we also talked about how - even if we can hear God, are we listening “to” Him? This group had lots of questions and good and intense conversation time - especially at the campfire on the Saturday evening. But it is also a group that likes to laugh. 

I have always enjoyed being able to be with this group. Singles are at a different season in their life and have different questions in their walk with God. The Single’s Retreat has always been a good place to share those questions and encourage one another in faith. 

The first morning I went out for a walk as the sun was rising. I love walking in this area. The campground where the retreat is held is in the middle of the German hills. I am usually here in February for a different Bible study week, so seeing the trees with leaves was a bit different. But the beautiful quiet, the birdsong and blanket of silent mist, the peacefulness remains the same. 

God wants us to walk with Him. The most important thing that we can hear, and that he continuously tells us, is that He want to have a relationship with us. HE is making this possible. If we are listening, He continues to say this. He tells us through people (I am telling you right now), through the beauty of His nature, through songs that we hear and sing and through our conscience and minds that have been filled with His words. It is not that God is not speaking. It is that we need to listen. We can check what we hear by comparing it to His words in the Bible. 

And when we hear God - “Please come to me. Follow me. Turn around. Don’t fear, I am here. I am the mighty one. You can have true, abundant life in ME.” - we can truly listen “to” Him and do what is good and right and precious. Then we will truly be listening. Are you listening?

“Why do you call me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say? As for everyone who comes to me and hears my words and puts them into practice, I will show you what they are like. They are like a man building a house, who dug down deep and laid the foundation on rock. When a flood came, the torrent struck that house but could not shake it, because it was well built. But the one who hears my words and does not put them into practice is like a man who built a house on the ground without a foundation. The moment the torrent struck that house, it collapsed and its destruction was complete.”  Luke 6:46-49

Whensday: Day of the princes

Yesterday, the 3rd Tuesday of September, was a day for hats, briefcases, pictures with the Dutch royal family and the King’s speech. It was Day of the Princes - originally the day to celebrate the birthdays of the royal princes. This is now the day every year that the current government presents their budget for the coming year and that the King gives a speech - written by the sitting government. For many it is a day to do some royalty watching as the Dutch royal family takes a ride in the glass coach, waves from the balcony in Amsterdam and enjoys celebrations. 

All of the politicians and very important people in the land gather at the Knight’s Hall in The Hague to listen to the King’s speech. Women wear all sorts of special hats for the occasion. It is a bit like Oscar evening in the US with journalists all talking about who is wearing what hat and who looks good. 

The finance minister of the country arrives with a briefcase. The briefcase holds the budget which has been agreed upon by the governing parties in the coalition and sets out the policy for the coming year. It is this policy that the King alludes to in his speech. The speech is written by the new prime minister, but the King presents it. 

Plenty of pomp and circumstance, bright colors and lots of formality. This year the two eldest daughters of the King will also take part, since they are both older than 18. The youngest daughter has to wait her turn. Princess Amalia (the oldest daughter) will some day be Queen of the Netherlands after her father. 

In the news people are questioning whether this day should become an official holiday. Some say that it should not. There are plenty of other things that happened and are celebrated at this time. In Eindhoven, the city celebrates Operation Market Garden (the film “A Bridge Too Far”) since Eindhoven was the first city in the Netherlands to be freed by Allied forces in 1944. This year cities all over the Netherlands, including Maastricht, are celebrating the 80th anniversary of this liberation.  

Visiting with the family

Yesterday the congregation in Maastricht organized the yearly Family Day held down at camp. This has always been a day for the various congregations together from around Belgium or the Netherlands for a day of fellowship and encouragement. Each year a different congregation organizes the day. 

We were thankful to be able to put this day together and it was exciting to see all of the members doing their part. Shirley coördinated the food - we provided lunch for everyone that came as well as coffee, tea and drinks with cookies and cake for during the lesson time. Several of the ladies helped her throughout the day. Our youth teaching couple, Paul and Deysi too care of the young kids during the lesson - which was presented by our Ukrainian brother, Alexander. And two of our brothers took care of the singing (Mario and Paul) while I presented a quiz on the lessons that had been offered in the 4 camp weeks this summer.

The great thing about a day like this is that people come from all over who we don’t usually get to see. This year almost all of the congregation from Den Dolder in the Netherlands took the time to come to the day. This meant that some of them had to come earlier to stay in accommodation nearby instead of driving down for the day. But there were also several from Ghent and the Belgian coast, which is a good 2.5 or 3 hour drive across Belgium. But this is the kind of day people do not want to miss. 

For some it was the first time to visit camp. One of our sisters brought a friend with her. Since they were early, he got to help set things up with me - putting all the chairs out, sweeping the leaves away, moving tables outside. But that is the feeling on this day - everyone is willing to help and simply enjoys being together. 

We were really thankful that the weather blessed us as well. Several years back we moved this day from the end of Family Camp (in August) to the 2nd weekend in September. Although September can have some truly beautiful days, it is also a time for plenty of rain. We had a dry day, although it was a bit cool. That didn’t stop the kids from getting out to play on the basketball court or take advantage of the swings hanging in the trees. 

One of the special moments of the day was a time to pray together. We split up into various groups, including a group of women together, in order to pray for our world, the church, our local congregations, brothers and sisters around the world and much more. It was good to see the various groups and also a group of kids that Paul Brazle organized together to pray together as well. It is never too early to learn about talking to our wonderful Father. 

The day ended officially at 4pm after a nice walk in the woods, but some continued on with the yearly evaluation and planning meeting for camp. This was also well-attended and helped start things off for the camp weeks in 2025. Camp has grown from 4 full weeks and 2 weekends to 6 full weeks and 3 weekends, as well as various days and mid-weeks organized by the various congregations around the countries. We are thankful that God has made it possible for us to use this facility and that there are so many brothers and sisters willing to help and encourage one another. 

(You can find some pictures of the day here.)