By: Willa Potgieter-Huang – 22 October 2008
Dogmatix chasing the neighboring cat back into it’s own yard! Yip he loves climbing!
Dogmatix is very playful – a ball of energy that never ends. As you know, his got ‘n number of toys, Ballmatix jnr (the small one) and Ballmatix snr (the big one), Cousin Ballmatix I (big tennis ball), Cousin Ballmatix II (big tennis ball, but still sort of alive, Ballmatix I has a teeth puncher already), Bearmatix who is now just a piece of cloth, but still around with the name of fluff. There is the lamb chop that squeak, the soccer ball like bone that squeak, Shoematix, his favorite squeaky toy and so much more. Dogmatix has his own toy box and in the evenings his toys get pack into the box (that is if we are not to lazy to get it going), and he helps with it. And in the morning and during the day he pick toys and spread them all over the show. Fridays is cleaning day .. and he knows this day he may not unpack his box and keep himself busy in the garden.
Dogmatix is like a four year old child. He loves the attention and he simply always have energy to play. At night time Dad Andre and Mom Willa sit on the couch to eat supper and perhaps watch a program of about an hour long. After Dad and Mom finish their supper, Dogmatix gobbles his and then it is his time. Sometimes he will just grab a squeaky toy and squeak it till Dad Andre put it away. Then he grab the next one, till there is no more toys to make a noise with. But sometimes after dinner, he will simply climb onto Dad Andre’s lap, and curl up, like a little lap dog or sleep with his head on Mom Willa’s Lap.
After dinner Dogmatix will keep himself busy because Dad Andre is a Linux Software developer and is forever in front of his pc’s and so is Mom Willa because she thinks she can write ha ha ha. And then it is worship time! Dogmatix will sit next to us and be very quiet. When it is time to go to bed, it because a whole new play time, but we will tell you about it next time.
Today I want to share how we can go against our own sinful natures, something Dogmatix taught me.
Andre and I loves all sorts of life and want Dogmatix to respect life too. So we do not allow him to catch birds and other forms of life .. okay .. the mosquito and files we let him! But that is it!
For some reason the birds love to fly into our living room and then struggle to get out. Flying against the window in desperation to get out. I normally catch them with my bear hands and take them outside where I just open my hands and they fly away.
This morning I heard a bird flattering and scattering in the living room. I was as usual in front of my pc typing or something. I thought it was Dogmatix caching the bird and I yelled at him from where I was, like a real farm lady. In the same time I started running towards the living room. However because of my yelling without having my facts straight (Dogmatix was fast asleep on Andre’s bed in the sun), Dogmatix became aware of the situation in the living room. He came charging straight for the bird. We fought over the bird. Dogmatix and I. Thankfully I had victory! Standing outside with my hands open, the bird, a dove, just sit there staring at me. There is no sign of injury, so I thought the dove want me to apologize for the trauma I caused it. So I did. I looked it in the eye and said sorry for the commotion but surely you are okay now and you are free to go. It then flew away and came back again, circling around my head a few times and then flew off to where ever it went too. Not sure if it was trying to traumatize me back or if it was giving me a thank you dance of some sort. But that was the last time I saw it. At least I think so, there is plenty of doves around our home everyday.
When I return to the living room, Dogmatix was trying to have the feathers for a snack. I shouted bad boy get out! Poor Dogmatix had such a fright and left right away.
A few weeks later there was three little Sparrows sitting on the outside tap. Dogmatix and I was in Andre’s office door when we both notice them. Dogmatix was ready to charge around the swimming pool and I said bad boy be good, sit! Dogmatix just walked to the edge of the swimming pool where he took a sit position and check the little sparrows out from this side. They watch him and I, but mind there one game around and on the tap. I talked to them and the twittered back. Dogmatix just watch in silence. The little sparrows ended their game and flew away and only then did Dogmatix run do the tap to sniff who they where and what they did there.
I just said, good boy, good! And with my own words I thought about my sinful nature. How difficult I find it to go against my own wants and needs, even if I know it is sin. And then realized if only I can let the Holy Spirit train me, like Dogmatix allowed me to train him, I will sin no more.
© Willa Potgieter-Huang
Life can be hectic at times and so I did not share something for a while on Shepherd’s Hope Ministries Blog. And what I am about to share with you right now, is not new either. I wrote it some time ago … in fact it was the 14th of July 2007, originally as an e-mail to share this event with friends. As letters are far more fun than articles I will leave it in the e-mail letter format.
I wanted to share an experience I had while walking with Dogmatix bringing me too a fresh understanding of Faith, Hope and Love.
Dogmatix and I have an eventful life .. so there will be more to come . Therefor this was/is then volume 1: of Dogmatix and I
Dogmatix and I : FAITH HOPE LOVE
Good Day to you All!
I just came back from a walk with Dogmatix. Whats more I came back with a new understanding of two things I just have to share it with you!
However, want to share Dogmatix in sleeping mode first:
This picture was taken on the 21 May 2007 (the camera’s date is wrong .. Dogmatix was born in the last quarter of 2006) and trust me that since then, he has grown a lot! He is a bunch of energy and muscles. With him is Shoematix, Bearmatix, ballmatix jnr and fishmatix, the rest of the toys in the toy box ….
As I said, we went for a walk, had fun and of course trying to see who is the strongest: him or me!
We where about 500 meters away from home when Dogmatix decided he wants to go left and I thought we should go right. So we pulled ~ both refused to give up …. we pulled … we pulled and pulled some more. People passing by hooted, specially the silly guys, youngsters in the yellow truck-like-pickup-van! They hooted and shouted, but they should have waited to see the end result instead of laughing and leaving – they’ve miss the real action! Some walking by even laughed… and shake their heads. One lady even shouted “go boy go!” I think she was referring to Dogmatix, cause my hair, as you know, is long and I most certainly have a woman’s shape! I thought by myself: “yeah go boy go, but this girl has the upper hand! - while smiling at the this lady jogging by!
And then the unthinkable happened!
We both were stubborn and both would not give in, so a third party decided to rather give in.
THE CHAIN!!!!!
Weak chain? Perhaps. Just maybe Dogmatix was too strong or perhaps I am stronger than I think! The fact was IT WAS BROKEN and DOGMATIX WAS LOOSE! A bundle of energy and muscles! And believe you me, he realized it immediately.
We stare each other in the eyes and I said, “Dogmatix don’t you dare!” Dogmatix in turn give one bark as if saying “try and stop me!” and I saw in his body language his about to go running in all wild directions. He is still in a learning process and I was not sure if he would sit or even listen. So out of desperation I said: “there’s Andre, sit!” and amazingly he sat!
(Andre being the alpha male sort of have control over Dogmatix, and most of the time, being the female Dogmatix refuse to take me seriously. Coz his male and me female, but Andre is male! It is a male thing, they always pretend not to give into females, but they always really do! Right girls 
We just smile)
So I grab the halter around his body and said: “good bokka, let’s go home!”
The way back was not easy, as we kept on falling over each other’s feet and we still wanted to go into two different directions….but I kept the upper hand! GO WOMAN GO!
But as we where walking back I realize this is how life is, or should I rather say how hope work …
We need Hope (the chain) Trust (Dogmatix) Faith (me) and it is the Hope that link Trust to Faith and the other way around. Without Hope, Trust will not stay with Faith and without Hope, Faith will not stay with Trust! Without Trust, HOPE and Faith what are we??? When struggles and problems tug on our chain of HOPE, are we going to let it break or will we keep TRUST HOPE AND FAITH together by the grace of God and the strength He has placed in each one of us?
I also thought that it is also a good example of how we work with the problems we have…. we often go to God and say please free us… God breaks the chain and we are free, but then we grab the problem by the halter around it and even holds it closer to us! We keep on stumbling over it; over and over again and the weight pulls us in all direction. Then we come to God and say ” Why don’t you help me!” but He did, we just did not let it go!
have a wonderful week with TRUST HOPE FAITH and Christ as the center of your life!
Till next time
Willa
© Willa Potgieter-Huang
Guess you are sleeping long by now as it is 12:40 AM already and I should be going to dreamland too…
If you see the pink elephant with blue ballet shoes and a girl with a frog on her head riding on it, that would be me! The girl!
Yeah, I like praying mantis, fascinating little creatures! And I love frogs and spiders, from a distance though. The water spider holds a special inspiration for me, It always lives underwater, but have to come up for air. Only a few seconds are allowed to breath, then it is force to go under water again.
Yes, there are some spiders that live under the water. Known as water spiders of course! The water spider has the most unique lifestyle among all animals living in the water.
They don’t have gills, they do have a really neat way of breathing. These spiders will spin their webs on the water surface and collect air bubbles to fill it from underneath. The spider can then pop up under its web and breathe when it needs to. These spiders also mate and lay their eggs in the ‘air bubble web’.
You will find these spiders around, and often in, lakes, ponds and streams, floating on sticks and leaves, if only you take the time to look and really see LIFE! Or you could take the quick way around it, and Google for some information and photos on water spiders. However, it is not as amazing as staring reality in the eye!
The water spider is the only spider that spends its entire life underwater.
Water spiders survive below the surface thanks to a “scuba tank” they spin from their own silk. It carries a water bubble at the end of its abdomen. Most spiders build their homes by spinning web with silk, but the water spider uses a more unusual material. The water spider first builds a basic frame in the water plants with its web. Then it hurries to the surface of the water to get air bubbles needed to fill in the framework. Using short hairs on their abdomens and legs, water spiders trap air bubbles from the water’s surface, which they then carry back to specially designed underwater reservoirs spun from silk. As the spider fills the web structure with air, it forms a bell shape and a silvery sheen. The silk membrane (like an external lung of sorts) allows oxygen to diffuse in from the water and carbon dioxide to diffuse out, so the spiders do not have to replenish the air supply often. After 20 to 30 trips to the surface and back, a nice air-bubble house is built.
The water spider can spend six to seven hours inside the air-bubble. It can engage in all the necessary activities including eating, laying eggs, and rearing your spiders, inside this cozy home.
The air bell of the water spiders serves multiple purposes:
it is a place to live away from terrestrial predators.
it is a safe nest in which to keep its eggs and to tend to young spiderlings.
it is also used as a safe harbor for consuming prey and breeding.
To me life on earth is like the life of the water spider under water.
We are surrounded by sin and sin related stress factors. (the water)
but we have a spin thread (prayer) that keeps us connected to God
and we can spin a web in a bell form (by God’s Grace, in His strength) that keeps us separated from the sin around us.
and capture enough breath ( His breath of Life) to be alive in Christ in spite of life!
each time we pop up for air (visit God and spend time with Him) we become stronger in Him and closer to Him.
so that we can continue and face another day filled with His blessings and therefor be
ALIVE IN CHRIST IN SPITE OF LIFE
and in life there are many things to keep as back or discourage ~ that makes it difficult to pop up for air…
However, these things are no reason to give up, their is always away to crab some air. (To be in His will and live under His wings of Grace and Love)
You may now go and check your metroweb e-mails and I hope my spider blog as brought you some inspiration as did the water spider inspired me to hold on to hope!
© Willa Potgieter-Huang
I have had this experience a few years ago. Then I shared it via e-mail with friends. The lesson is still as real to me and valid today. Therefor I decided to share it with you too. I hope you find a blessing while you bake the bread with me.
I have baked bread and smelled victory!
By Willa, 11 October 2004
Dear Friends,
It has been a while since I last wrote you and let you know where and how I am in life! I have forwarded a million and one poems and cute e-mails by now, just so that you may know I am alive and thinking of you!
But this time round there is more about the real me, THIS IS NOT A FORWARD, THIS IS ABOUT WILLA POTGIETER-HUANG, remember me? Sit back and buckle up!
I did not have the kind of mom who showed me the ropes in places like the kitchen. So those kind of skills somehow stayed behind. With time I figured out how to cook the basic stuff. But being creative and having typical creative “moods”, I have to be in the “mood” to cook or for sure stay out of the kitchen!!! Disaster waits upon him/her who dares to taste my cookings during a time of not being in the “mood”! Poor taste buds! Even my own taste buds rebel against those out-of-mood tastes!
My oldest brother is a far better cook than I ~ he could become a professional chef, but chosen a different route of course.
But to come back to the kitchen and me. Sometimes I taste a moment of sweat success.
It’s been a while now that the “mood” to bake a bread lingered over me. I have never baked one before. Heard that it is hard work and the time and energy you have to put into it makes it easier to grap a ready-made one at the 7-11!
Over a period of time my “mood” became more a “want to” and I bought the ingredients I thought a bread needs. Don’t have a recipe, just went with the “my heart told me”. Never really got round to actually baking the bread for weeks.
But on Thursday, 8 October 2004, I finally made up my mind that this is it: now or never!
I took some butter (don’t ask me how much because I don’t know) and some flour and had a childhood-day-memory experience! It felt like I was on the floor of my kindergarden class making dough out of flour, water and some other stuff. It was fun and I had a huge smile on my face. Not that I had any clue of what I was doing, just knew what end result I want!
I added a bit of salt and sugar too. The dough looked sadly dehydrated!
What will it be - milk or water? Water is see-through and bread has a milky color ~ so, yes I grab the milk and poured!
Okay, they say you have to knee the bread, so I did. It was kinda like boxing., I just imagine all the stuff that made me mad into the dough. Had a very good work out.
Of course! I had already added the yeast with the salt and sugar, just didn’t tell you about it…I am not THAT blond!
Finally there was a smooth round chuck of dough and a bread pan…
Soon it will have to bake, but I have no glue how long and how high the temperature should be!
I had to go to the “house-shop” around the corner, which is really three blocks away. A lovely walk. The lady behind the window is always friendly. We’ve chatted a few times before… so I just ask her: ” how long do you bake bread?” She did not know either, see I am not the only clueless girl in the kitchen! She did guess that it would be twice the time of a cake.
That I know! 35 minutes more or less at 180 degrees celcius.
By the time I got home, the dough was beautiful. Chuck it in the oven and told it: “you either be a great bread or a dead bread - the choice is yours because I have done my part! “
My favorite item in the house called me over. You don’t know what my favorite item is? What kind of a friend are you? Okay, we did not chat for a while, but it always have been my computer silly billy!
Yeah, so I did what I did on my computer. This and that and the other thing. Being blessed with scattered brains like I am, I forgot about the poor bread in the making! And suffering from sinus since I live in Summer Greens where it is green - the grass and the air, I did not smell a thing!
Have you ever had that feeling of “I am forgetting something real important!” Sure you did. That feeling all of sudden overtook me by surprise. What on earth could I not be remembering, I thought. Still not knowing, I went to the kitchen to pour myself a glass of Coke-Cola (yeah okay I still drink the stuff, as if you don’t have little sins) and notice that the oven was on.
Then I remembered what I was not remembering! THE POOR BREAD must be BAKED BEANS BY NOW! It’s been in there for an hour and about 20 minutes.
But behold, beauty lies in the eye of the beholder and it was staring me straight in the face! Awesome! Just like a bread from 7-11 that was made at home. Beginners luck I guess! I could not smell the bread (sinus and all), but I smelled the victory!
They say the truth shall set you free, so let me be free! It did not taste 100% like 7-11 bread, I guess I could add a little bit more salt next time when the “mood” comes to visit again. Our taste buds did not complain while munching the bread, and there was not must crumbs left for the birds!
But my real victory from this baking experience was this:
Life is made out of all sorts of ingredients. Some people’s life’s are put together by Masters of the art and others by “not know what they doing at all, like me”. There is a perfect measurement of each bit of sad, mad, bad and glad that ensure a perfect life. When clowns but it together without a recipe, it becomes quite messy and often painful. However the end result stays the same - all becomes bread (or life) though it taste different. Some taste really good and others less good! Sure, here and there you’ll find a rotten one, but there are mainly only good bread. And all kinds of bread have something in it that is good and bad for you!
In my life I had more sadness and badness happening, but the Master of my life have given me a number of glad things that is so amazing that the sad and bad stuff does not matter that much at all, even when I am mad (crazy and angry).
And the greatness of it all is that even though I don’t taste like Princess Diana or Nelson Mandela - I have a great aroma and taste. God of Heaven had turned the not bad and ugly into beauty!
He can do the same for you. He wants to, just let Him!
I wanted to tell you about the other stuff I’ve been up too - but after this bread-baking, I better let you be what you need to be until next time.
Keep Jesus smile on your face and His love in your heart and know this: “though in the eyes of humans and self we are everything but perfect, in the eyes of God we are perfect because all He sees when He looks at us is Jesus Perfect Blood!”
take care
love ya — no wait! Go check my websites, they have been updated! Had a face lift and new stuff added - sugar and salt!
See ya
love ya
Willa
That was back then in 2004, and now four years later in 2008 I still know that God turns pain into gain. Not perfect into perfect.
© Willa Potgieter-Huang
I had a very hectic week, been a bit tired and wanted to complain about it .. laying on a comfortable bed when my friend called me with urgency to come help outside!
A man was walking from work homeward and fell to the ground. He fitted. Our neighbors already called the ambulance, but they had to go to an appointment they where running late for.
It is a busy street we live in .. people walking by making comments about the man drinking to much .. laughing …asking silly questions like “did he bite his tongue?” .. each comment a judgment on the man lying on the ground.
My first thought too was his drunk and now my peaceful rest was disturb. His black and he look like your typical hobo type .. can you blame me for thinking this? Or judge me for that matter. But yes, guilty I am!
However, I got over myself righteousness and went on my knees next to him. My nursing experience told me his having a stroke or a fit due to high blood pressure. I smelt no alcohol and knew this was a pure medical reason for the fit.
While we waited about 30 min for the ambulance to arrive, I made him comfortable. Wiped his face, it was full of foam and a neighbor brought a pillow we placed under his head. He was not really able to talk to us .. so I just explain to him that he fell, his okay and the ambulance are on its way. I repeated myself in English and Afrikaans and a bit of Sotho (a South African native language), hoping he understands my words.
The metro emergency car arrived with two medics. They took his blood pressure and it was 210 over 170 … very, very high .. test his blood sugar and that was way to low .. he had no meal for the day as yet.
At that moment a group of black men came by, they recognized him. They know him. His a poor man living in Langa .. a poor area of Cape Town. He was at least 60 km per foot away from home to look for a “peace job” for the day. His friends say his struggling with the high blood pressure for years now and often get these fits. His a very sick man and yet he still find his way to walk to go find a little job.
A little job for a little pay for a little food.
Now I live in my friends house, about 10 min away from the hospital where I work as a temp pre-admission clerk. It is hard work and long hours. I don’t get a lunch break, as there is no time. If I am lucky I will have time for a cup of coffee. However, when I am tried my friend come fetch me from work and I always have a decent plate of food to eat when I get home.
I was about to complain how tired I was after a hectic week of long and hard hours laying on a comfortable bed to rest, having had a great lunch.
Oh, sure I lost my car, most of my so called earthly belongings.
Yes, I stayed on the streets for almost two weeks, then in the comforts of my car, which is now the banks.
Yes my life had a hectic turn around and filled with traumatic events.
But here I am, earning money, having a roof over my head, warm meals and the luxury of internet too mind you!
I had to let my head down in shame!
How dare I complain about my good fortune?
Father, forgive me! Please be with this brave gentlemen who are now in hospital. May I never complain about my fortune ever again, please help me not too. I am sorry this man had to be sick, so I may learn I have absolute nothing to complain about. Thank you for opening my eyes.
© Willa Potgieter-Huang
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