Wild Wonderful Wednesday: Cats and dogs

The last three weeks we have been cat-sitting. For those of you who know us, you are aware that this is remarkable. We love cats, but we are dog people. And cats are for petting in the street or seeing in the yard. Our neighbor cat regularly drops down next to me when I am weeding in front of the house. But this time we had our colleagues’ cat, Mocca, in our house for three weeks. 

He is an inside-outside cat, but since he was at our house and we didn’t want to lose him (he might have tried to find his way back home which is 7 kilometers away), he had to stay inside while with us. We tried at the beginning to find an option for this.We purchased a harnas for a cat and planned on taking the cat for a walk. The cat had other ideas. I did get the harness on him, but by the time we got outside he had found a way to get it off. 

This morning I brought him back to his own house. His family will be back home in two days. He was clearly glad to be back in his own place, although he had also clearly gotten used to us and our house and habits. I brought him home because today we said hello to a dog which we will be watching for two weeks. Lizzy is a little Boomer (a Lhasa Apso, Shi Tzu mix). 

When Mocca got here, he hid under our couch for a day. Lizzy is pretty-well scared of everything, so she doesn’t just allow us to pick her up. But she has allowed us to take her walking twice already today. So we will see how things work out by the end of the time together. We will first have to see how she sleeps tonight. That is always the most important test. 

So cats and dogs (although the weather has been great) have meant that our house is full of animals again. It has been almost three years since Chester left us. We were not sure how we would feel, but it has been quite nice. Mocca, more like a dog, greeted us every morning when we came downstairs. Lizzy is already used to us and sits next to us (when she is not running away in a jitters). 

Wild and wonderful this Wednesday! 

What about your tongue?

We are so thankful for the opportunities we are given to work with young people and the members of the church in Maastricht. For the last two years we have organized a youth day, putting together a team from Maastricht and inviting kids from across Belgium and the Netherlands. We organize the day in the middle of Belgium so that it is more accessible for people than going all the way down to camp (which would be easy for us). 

This past weekend we organized the day around the theme of the tongue and what we learn in James 1 and 3. We had a smaller group (Vacation Bible Camp had just taken place e the previous week and this weekend was King’s Day in the Netherlands), but it was a great day. The sun came out to play and we enjoyed working together to learn about how to use our words in a good way and not be used in a bad way. 

James 1:19 has always been a verse to challenge me: Be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to anger. In my younger years I was always quick to anger and slow to listen. But thankfully God has changed my heart and ways bit by bit as I have grown in grace as well. This is something we want all of our young people to know and experience - growth in grace. 

Thankfully we have a great team. Shirley organizes the food with Tonia. Tonia’s husband Mario takes care of the 2nd lesson for the older kids. I usually take the first lesson and welcome, which takes place outside. And Paul and Deysi come up with great visual activities for the second lesson for the young kids and a craft activity for everyone. 

Everyone works well together and the kids have enjoyed the days we have organized. Now we hope and pray they also remember the lessons we have tried to pass on. Hearing good things doesn’t help if we are not doers (James 1:22). We learned about how just as fierce and terrible things can be done with small words, so too amazingly beautiful things can be done with simple small words. How are you using your words today? 

(The picture is of how anger can boil over. Empty it out and fill it with clean water - the living water of Jesus.)

Where oh where Wednesday: Deventer

Because of a busy week, I missed Where oh where Wednesday on Wednesday, but I didn’t want to leave you without this post. So we will put this Wednesday post on a Sunday and just pretend it is still Wednesday. 

Several years ago Shirley and I were able to take a few days off in the middle of a week in the winter. This is usually when we are able to get away and celebrate our wedding anniversary and Shirley’s birthday. In those days I was still singing with Listen Up! Which meant that we were also giving Christmas concerts throughout December. So finally being able to get away for a few days was great. 

We decided to go somewhere we could reach with the car and that we had not yet visited. This included a stop in the city gf Deventer. Deventer is one of the oldest cities in the Netherlands. It is already mentioned in the 9th century and is mentioned in 952 as a city. It was part of the Hanseatic League in the Middle Ages. It is home to the oldest stone house in the Netherlands. 

We knew of the city because of my singing with Listen Up!. Years before we had been asked to sing at a soccer match between Ajax (Amsterdam) and PSV (Eindhoven) - the two teams at the top of the league that year. The game was being played in the ArenA - the home stadium of Ajax. We were to add atmosphere by singing Christmas songs wearing Charles Dickens costumes. 

The reason we had been contacted was that someone had heard us at one of our Always CHRISTmas concerts and knew that we had a repertoire and could sing. He was part of a group that did enactments with Charles Dickens costumes. This was something that was done every year in … Deventer. Not only that, but this city also host the largest book market in Europe every year. So stopping off in the winter was a bit of a no-brainer for the two of us. 

Most recently Deventer unexpectedly became the center of an even bigger celebration as its own professional soccer team won the Dutch Cup, beating PSV on the way to the final. Deventer is a city of fewer than 100,000 inhabitants, but its Go Ahead Eagles (their stadium is the Eagle’s Nest) not only went to the final for the second time in their rich history (they lost 60 years ago), but won the cup. 

New life!

Every Sunday we celebrate the powerful message and truth of God’s grace in the death and resurrection of Jesus. The blood of Jesus washes our sins, even today, because He is risen. And therefore we, who have died in Him, are risen to new life and hope. Around the world this is celebrated by many at least this past weekend. And the religious calendars were aligned this year so that Catholic, Orthodox and Protestant all celebrated on the same day. 

For us this day was even more beautiful than others because we were reminded of the beauty of the salvation that Jesus brings. Isaak, one of our young people, decided to give his life to Christ and be buried and raised in Him through faith and in baptism. He has become more and more aware the last months of his own life and how much he needs Jesus in his life. So on Friday afternoon, Isaak was buried in Christ and rose to new life. 

How much can a young heart know? He knows that he needs Jesus to save him from himself. He knows that Jesus is mightier than sin and death. He knows that life and happiness, both now and in eternity, are to be found in Jesus. He knows he wants to speak of this great news to any and all around him. We are encouraged to see how much a young heart knows. 

A few weeks ago, some of our older young people were together with young people from around Europe at CYC (Christian Youth Conference). This past week some of our young people were together down at camp for Vacation Bible Camp. Please keep all of these young hearts in your prayers as they too wonder if they need Jesus and if He is their King. In the meantime we have several others in Maastricht, not young ones, who are also considering this same question. And on a Sunday we all remember how beautiful it is that Jesus has given us new life as well. 

Whensday: April 1, 1980

It wasn’t an April Fool’s joke, it was really true. And if you thought that it was long forgotten, you would be wrong again. Teletkst began on Dutch televisions on April 1, 1980. Not every television set could show this special text news in the beginning, but within a few years every set could show it and many people swore by its use. 

Teletekst began at the BBC as Ceefax (See facts) in 1974. Several years later a few workers from the Dutch television NOS saw this special service and thought it would be great for the Netherlands, so they developed their own version. This became Teletekst. The first thing broadcast in the blocky letters was a chess match by Dutch chess legend Max Euwe. 

Teletekst has always been a place where viewers can find all sorts of information quickly, before the internet came along. Weather reports, sports scores, up-to-date news headlines and more could be found on the various pages of the service. The remote control had a special button to call up the teletekst, which could even be projected over the program being watched at the time. 

With the advent of the internet you would think that Teletekst would go out of service. Instead it remained a popular way to get information. Just a few years ago it was found that 11 million Dutchmen above 50 were still getting their news via teletekst. Many of them still did this via the television, but some followed the service via mobile telephone or internet. 

Walking into Spring

Officially Spring arrived more than three weeks ago, but In Belgium it kind of peeks around the corner before really arriving. In February the crocus flowers in the back of our yard poke their purple heads above the pile of leaves, telling us that Spring is truly coming. Sometimes we get a sprinkling of snow over them, but mostly they are followed by the little white flowers and then a batch of yellow flowers - all colorfully shading the bit of the yard under the walnut tree. 

Shirley and I have been trying to walk more regularly. Since we no longer have a dog, it takes more gumption to get up and go. But it has been working pretty well. And as we walk out of the house, up to the lock and around to the castle, we have been able to notice all the changes as Spring has arrived. We have a pair of swans above the lock and a pair below the lock. Both are more than willing to come say hello when we walk by. 

On the back side of our walk, we pass what used to be the pear orchard. All of the trees have been removed and replaced with a field, except for the line of trees that formed the fence. These have now flowered and are readying themselves to give the pears they have always given throughout the years. Across the way another field - sometimes corn, sometimes other crops - has turned bright yellow with rapeseed. The trees along the canal have turned from a light sheen of green to full-on leafy green as the Spring continues. 

We look forward to the warmer days (we are still wearing light coats on most days) and even more color as the year progresses. Even more exciting, we are looking forward to how God is bringing growth into the lives around us. This weekend many people will be celebrating Easter, some without even vaguely knowing what it is actually celebrating or means. But we are so very thankful for resurrection, for new life, for the defeat of sin and death and the victory of life in Jesus Christ. 

(You can share some of these spots on our walks at the album linked to the picture above - or click here.)

Whatsit Wednesday: Kliko

Tomorrow is trash day in our street and we can put the trash container out. But we have to know which one to put out. And in our street we have trash containers, but not everywhere does trash the same way. We have two of what the Dutch would call “kliko’s” - large rolling containers to put trash sacks or trash in. These kliko’s can be rolled out to the street where the trash wagon comes and picks them up, emptying them before putting back on the street. 

In our village we have several different kinds of trash and different pick-up days. There is compostable trash which goes in the green kliko. Any food stuffs, grass clippings, old dead flowers, or weeds that I have picked out of the driveway can go in here. They pick this up once every two weeks, but we probably only put it on the street 2-3 times a year. 

The interesting thing to us is what is NOT allowed in the green container. One used to be able to put the coffee pads we use every day for our coffee. We use simple pads here, bot cups made of some sort of metal. But in more recent years they have made the pads from a sort of plastic, so we are no longer allowed to put them in the green kliko. Then there is the meat. Previously we were not allowed to put this in the green kliko, but now all food remains are allowed. 

The plastic, if it has been separated, goes in a blue sack. This blue sack can contain plastic wrapping and plastic containers, but also ‘bricks’ than contained juice or milk or other drink, as well as any metal containers or lids of glass jars. This blue sack (PMD for paper, metal and drink cartons) is collected once every two weeks with the green kliko. At least in our village. 

But in the Netherlands things could be completely different. Most recently the whole system has changed in Maastricht, where we meet on Sundays. There we have no kliko (because we are in a group of apartments). The other trash - the ‘rest’ - which cannot be recycled, used put into a red-white sack which everyone could purchase. This was placed on the street on a certain day where it was picked up. For many in the neighborhood this meant almost daily walks to the ‘milieu street’ to separate out recyclables and a pile of red-white sacks outside the building on trash day. 

But recently the pattern was changed. Now the milieu street is only for paper and glass. All PMD has to go into a sack (of another color) and placed on the street for pickup on a different day than the general trash (which is still in a red-white sack). This has happened because people were not separating their trash correctly and the costs of keeping the mile station clean was getting pretty high. 

The word “kliko” is, as far as I can figure, a Dutch word. It gained its name simply because these trash containers were made by a company called Kliko. In the same way a tissue might be called a “Kleenex”. For most Dutch families living in a house (not an apartment) it is also important to have a place to put the kliko. So the local hardware stores have special containers to contain the container - made of wood, or plastic or recycled plastic. And the good Dutchman can build it and keep his driveway or yard looking clean, hiding the kliko’s until it is time for them to be put out on the street. You can see good house fathers outside regularly cleaning the kliko, perhaps on different days of cleaning the car.

Reaching out through the years

This past weekend was a reunion. In the US schools are used to having reunions. Every 5 years there is another reunion of the graduating class of specific year. This year is my high school reunion. But in Belgium, this type of reunion is not common at all. So it was exciting to be part of a special reunion. 

Since at least 2007 I have helped with the kids from the neighboring village where our colleagues live. The group that helps the kids in their confirmation (a Catholic ceremony) came first to our colleagues (Ruud and Karla) because they are known in the village as the people of the Bible. They asked Karla if she would be interested in helping with the group. Karla was more than happy to help IF she could teach them something about the Bible. I was added to help with the “2-Day” - a time of two full days when the group goes off to learn more intensely and get to know one another. 

The people I worked with then (and up until last year) had been working even longer with this group of young people in the village. So this year a reunion was organized for the 20 years this has been organized with this team. Although a reunion is not that common here, and people have busy lives, we were still thankful to welcome several of the young people who are now adults and share stories from when they were young. 

It is always interesting to see how much people remember from the times they spent together. Many of the young people stay in the village, growing up together through high school and even working with one another. I was intrigued to hear if any of the things we talked about during the year of activities we shared still remained in their heads. 

I of course could barely recognize most of them. They are 12-13 years old when they come through the group. Now many of them were 25-35 year-olds, with kids of their own. Some could remember some of the activities or the things they had built together (John, the other male member of the team is very creative and always comes up with something to make). Some could remember the songs we sang together (which was usually my task for the group - along with teaching about the Bible). 

We continue to hope that a decision when they were young to choose for God in their life will resonant into their adult lives. We pray that they will remember some of the Bible texts we shared and how we learned to read the Bible together. We continue to thank God for opportunities to touch people’s lives with the truth, grace and love of Jesus. 

(Picture of the part of the reunion group - including the retired priest from their time - that walked from the village to the "party" venue)

Whodunit Wednesday: Philippe Verbelen and the new birds

It sounds like a band from the 1960’s. Philippe Verbelen is an ornithologist from Belgium, although he is most often in far away places. He has already discovered 7 new species of birds. Verbelen, an ornithologist from from Ghent, has made his most recent discovery in Indonesia where he says there are many more species to be found. 

The “dwarf honey-eater” is a small bird with a red head and black body which is found on the island of Babar. Verbelen first found the bird in 2009, but it has only recently (March 2025) been officially recognized in the scientific world. While there seem to be various types of dwarf honey-eaters in Indonesia, this one can only be found on the island of Babar. 

Verbelen is one of the scientists who realized that the differences in species lay mainly in their song. The dwarf honey-eaters were on many of the Indonesian islands and scientists simply assumed they were all the same bird. But Verbelen has paid more attention to their song and has access now to DNA. 

The birds use their songs to call mates and scare away competition. If the birds react to the song, then they are members of the same group. But they can also simply ignore the song, indicating that it is a different species. So the Tanimbar dwarf honey-eater will pay no attention to the Babe dwarf honey-eater, and vice-versa. 

Verbelen had actually not been looking for this bird. He was only on the island for a week looking into unknown types of owls. He was taking recordings of those birds in the evenings and filled his days by recording the dwarf honey-eaters during the day when he realized his discovery. 

Verbelen also discovered the Rinjani dwarf ear owl and the Peleng forest singer. He has been visiting Indonesia since 1992 and continues to enjoy the many things he can see, hear and experience there. Besides his discovering of species, he uses his knowledge to support the protection of (rain)forests.