My favourite time of the year

A beautiful song. Enjoy!

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The beauty inside the window

I couldn’t resist in going to take pictures in our town of all the beautiful Christmas lights this year. Some shops, like our local art shop, has really put themselves out to have a wonderful Christmas display in their display windows. I love this! It’s like a picture for a puzzle! You feel like standing by the window for hours and enjoy what is on display. It’s amazing, the detail – and so much effort has gone into this display to make it enjoyable to the visitor. I hope you enjoy it too.

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Hierdie Kind

Image:Click HERE to view the beautiful image on Redbubble.

This is the very first Afrikaans Christmas song – composed in the Southern Hemisphere! ‘SomersKersfees’ – [Summer Christmas] as sung by the Vienna Boys’ Choir

2012- To all blog readers: GESEëNDE KERSFEES!! – Merry Christmas and have a happy New Year! 

2012 update: I have a couple of people who searched the past few days for the ‘Afrikaans for Merry Christmas’ and found my blog via their search engine terms. So, I’ve thought to add more Afrikaans to this entry.

Kersgroete aan almal! Gelukkige Kersfees! Geseënde Kersfees en Voorspoedige Nuwe Jaar! Seasons Greetings to all! Merry Christmas! 

Enjoy this video of my 2008 entry and the song by John Lennon.

Thank you to Dan, my old chess friend from the USA, for this beautiful e-card he’s sent me via greetingcards [2011]

Thank you to Dan, once again, for his 2012 e-card sent via Greetings123 

Thank you to my blog-friend: Norrbu for this beautiful card he’s sent me with a very special message! We’ve been blog-friends for about 4 years now. -2011

I had the priviledge to see Bob Fitts live in South Africa. I loved this song of him.

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Do they know?

This photo was taken yesterday about 4pm

The first Afrikaans Christmas song written in South Africa – about a Summer Christmas – and I’ve found a youtube video about it. It’s beautiful, the boys singing in this choir reminded me of the Drakensberg Boys Choir of years ago – beautiful singing. The translation of the song was found on the site of: openlanguages.net

Somerkersfees

[1]

Welkom o stille nag van vrede,
Onder die suiderkruis,
Wyl stemme uit die verlede
Oor sterrevelde ruis.

[2]

Hoor jy hoe sag die klokke beier
in eeue-oue taal.
Kyk, selfs die nagtelike swye
vertel die ou verhaal.

[3]

Voel jy ook nou Sy warm liefde
As ons die dag gedenk,
Toe Hy sy Seun aan ons gegee het –
Ons grootste Kersgeskenk.

KOOR

Kersfees kom, Kersfees kom –
Gee aan God die eer.
Skenk ons ‘n helder Somerkersfees
In hierdie land, o Heer.

English-version

[1]

Enter in quiet peace filled night
beneath the Southern Cross
Lend now your ear this starlit night,
to whispers from the past.

[2]

Do you hear how softly the bells
are chiming, in ancient dialect
Even the evening’s starry silence,
on prescious history reflects.

[3]

Can you also feel the warmth of His love,
as we celebrate the day
God loved us so much He sent his son,
no other gift as great.

CHORUS

Christmas nears, Christmas nears
Bow before the King
Grant by Your grace in this great land
A bright summer’s Christmas Lord.

This next video is for everyone reading here and I do hope your Christmas will be a wonderful Christmas.
I want you also to think about South Africans and pray for my country and its people, you can see photos of how black kids are being trained how to kill/execute whites- and best of all, the WORLD is turning a BLIND eye. If it was whites killing blacks, it would be DIFFERENT story, but who cares, it’s blacks killing whites, even a three year old girl! I won’t go into the detail how she was killed as you won’t believe it. Read the link to know what is REALLY going on in South Africa. The British screwed up big time – with Zimbabwe and they screwed up ONCE again – not just the British, but America too – this time. And …oh please, don’t come to me with your Apartheid excuses, as Apartheid was nothing like this and has nothing to do with this – 1994 is …er…how many years ago? Using Apartheid as an excuse also shows how uninformed you actually are about South Africa and its past – as that’s the only thing most people know about – well, actually those who know something about South Africa – apart from lions and rhinos roaming the streets/cities of our country – like some people think. So, I would suggest to read the link if that was going to be your excuse too.  These people are demon possessed and they do not know about God and the love of God and Jesus. They need your prayers too and they need people to spread the love of God, so they can stop with their killings. If you are interested in more reading, follow the link on my sidebar – with the photo of Anthony LoBaido – to read more.

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Fill a shoe box for Christmas

It is today, 25th August, 4 months before Christmas. These pictures about soft toys were taken in London with my old Olympus and it was taken in a haste, so I do apologise for the poor quality. I had permission from the shop owner to take photos in this cute little shop, but you don’t want to bother other people by taking too long. I wonder if you can see the red giraffes and cows. The cows are on the left. I think the blue spotted animals are also giraffes. Do you think children get confused when looking at a blue giraffe and then suddenly, when spotting the giraffe in its natural environment wonder why it’s not red or blue? Then there’s lots of explaining to do…why not getting the child the animal in its natural colours straight from the start in order for them to learn straight away what the animals really look like. It’s like using baby-language and all sorts of jargon when talking to your todler and later on, you have to teach them the proper words again…double work, if you ask me and your todler get confused all the way. That’s my opinion. The same way your child’s general knowledge expands faster than other children’s. Think of a deprived child, sitting between 4 walls all day and never see those animals in their natural environment. I can use other examples too.

On the next image you can see some of my soft toys in the right corner. I love soft toys, but mostly bears.

November is the month for people to fill and deliver their shoe boxes for Operation Christmas box”. Maybe, if you have too many soft toys, you can think of filling your shoe box and add some of them in those boxes.

Ek het op die link van die Samaritan’s Purse gaan loer, hulle werk ook in SA, maar nie op hierdie manier van die skoenbokse nie. Is daar nie iemand in SA wat vir ons kindertjies daar so iets wil begin nie? Kerke kan die voortou neem en jy kan selfs by skole aanklop en hulle kan ‘n versamelpunt vir die kerke wees om dit af te haal soos by baie Laerskole hier in Engeland. Daar is spesifikasies vir seuns-bokse en meisie-bokse en hulle is baie streng daarop om geen speelgoed in te pak wat gevaarlik is of lyk soos wapens nie. Dis nogal pret om so iets te doen en dit voel dat jy darem vir kinders wat minder gegoed is iets beteken. Ek kan net dink aan die kindertjies in Danville en ander soortgelyke plekke in SA wat te bly sal wees om so ‘n skoenboks te ontvang!

 
Please click HERE for the site of the Samaritan’s Purse and for specifications on how to pack a shoe box.

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Away in a manger

Away in a manger?

Is that where Jesus is for you?

 I came across this website and really like what Tim says here. I think that’s how many people see “Christmas”… it’s a time where some might just think about the “baby” and nothing more.
On this Christmas-link you can download a PDF document with lovely images sent to me as a Power Point slideshow. Do enjoy! The link will open in a new window. It takes a few secs to load/open as it is a big file with about 10 images.

 

 

Away in a manger

For many of us, that’s where Jesus is. A cute little baby lying in a manger. He’s smiling and cooing and generally looking harmless. He fills us with good feelings, as healthy, beautiful babies do. We never hear a whimper, never a cry. He’s the perfect baby.

It’s convenient to leave Jesus there. A harmless baby, making no demands on us. We don’t even have to change His diaper. We can go about our lives without thinking of Him, then return to the stable to find that happy, smiling baby.

Part of a nativity scene to be pulled out once a year. Almost lost among the sheep and cattle and shepherds and wise men and angels. A tiny piece in a larger set, all wrapped up in tissue paper and stored away at season’s end. Placed in a box next to Santa and his elves, right under the Christmas lights and tree decorations.

 

Away from me. Away from the real world. Tucked away, stored away. That tiny baby is part of another time, another reality. A figure from history, maybe, or maybe just a part of a legend that men have passed on for hundreds of years. Either way, that tiny baby just doesn’t seem to fit in the harsh realities of the twenty-first century.

 

If that’s your view of Jesus, I want to encourage you to take a look at what the Bible says about Him. His birth is a tiny part of the story of Jesus, so small in fact that it goes unmentioned in two of the four gospels. That manger is overshadowed in the Bible by a cross, dwarfed by the reality of an empty tomb. Jesus didn’t come to earth to be a cute baby. He came to give His life on a cross. His whole life centered around that. Having given His life, He was placed in a tomb, laid on a stone slab not unlike the stone manger where He was first placed. But, just as He left that manger years before, He left the tomb behind as well, coming forth as the conquering Lord of Lords, defeating death in one mighty act of triumph.

Away in a manger? Hardly. The risen Lord sits at the right hand of God, offering life and victory to all who would follow Him. Now that December 25 has passed, go ahead and pack away that little baby boy. But don’t think that you’ve left the Lord Jesus lying in a manger. He’s left it far behind.

Source: Tim Archer ‘s blog!

Interesting reading about the birth of Jesus on this link. The link will open in a new window.

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Merry Christmas!

 

 

HAVE A WONDERFUL DAY!!
 

 

Click on this Christmas-link to download a big pdf document with about 10 Christmas images. It will open in a new window and it does take a few secs to downlaod as it’s a big file.

Read about people being stranded at Heathrow due to bad weather! Hope you all are soon where you want to be! The link will open in a new window.

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Merry Christmas

Hope you play lots of Chess over Christmas!

Merry Christmas to you all! May the Love of Jesus surround you during this special time of year and I hope you all will be having a fantastic time wherever you will be and whatever the weather!

If you have to travel, travel safely!!

Click on this Christmas-link to download a PDF-document with about 10 beautiful images about Christmas. It was sent to me by one of my Chess friends as a PPT and I’m sure you would like it too. It takes a few secs to download as it’s a big file. And here are two more links about Christmas on my blog. All links will open in a new window. https://chessaleeinlondon.wordpress.com/2007/12/25/merry-christmas-and-have-a-wonderful-day/ https://chessaleeinlondon.wordpress.com/2007/12/26/away-in-a-manger/    

Click HERE to visit Daily Bible to read one verse per day!  

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Have a lovely Christmas!

 

2009! I Hope you have a wonderful Christmas, wherever you are!  May you have a glorious time! God bless you! [the first Christmas entry in this post was done in 2007]

2008-update

This Christmas e-card is really a must to enjoy. A blogger-friend has sent it to me and it is a wonderful link! Thanks Eilandkind!This first image comes from this link.
And enjoy this Christmas-video with the music of Sweet People

Now you can listen to John Lennon with…”So this is Christmas”! Enjoy!

Merry Christmas to you all! No exception! Everyone reading here and anyone visiting this blog, wherever you are, if you celebrate Christmas, I want you to have a wonderful day! Be safe, wherever you travel, enjoy whatever you do!

HAPPY Christmas!

Hope you play lots of Chess games over Christmas!

 

2007-entry ..you will find this entry on the 17/12/2007..too…but only some of what’s in this post!

Harvey, one of the friendly chess players on the chess site, has sent me the link of this beautiful song, sang by the Celtic Woman, to wish me a Merry Christmas and I want to share it with everyone visiting my blog with the message: Merry Christmas to you all! May the Love of Jesus surround you during this special time of year and I hope you all will be having a fantastic time wherever you will be and whatever the weather! If you have to travel, travel safely!! Click on this Christmas-link to download a PDF-document with about 10 beautiful images about Christmas. It was sent to me by one of my Chess friends as a PPT and I’m sure you would like it too. It takes a few secs to download as it’s a big file. And here are two more links about Christmas on my blog. All links will open in a new window. If you leave me a message with your email, I can send you this wonderful Powerpoint Slideshow with animation and music, so beautifully done and you can enjoy it too! Unfortunately, I can’t upload it here on the blog.

https://chessaleeinlondon.wordpress.com/2007/12/25/merry-christmas-and-have-a-wonderful-day/ https://chessaleeinlondon.wordpress.com/2007/12/26/away-in-a-manger/

  Please click HERE to visit Daily Bible to read one verse per day!

 

Happy Christmas in a few languages…

Afrikaans Gesëende Kersfees 
Albanian Gezur Krislinjden
Arabic:  Idah Saidan Wa Sanah Jadidah
Argentine:  Feliz Navidad
Armenian:  Shenoraavor Nor Dari yev Pari Gaghand
Basque:  Zorionak eta Urte Berri On!
Bengali:  Shuvo Naba Barsha
Bohemian:  Vesele Vanoce
Brazilian:  Boas Festas e Feliz Ano Novo
Bulgarian:  Tchestita Koleda; Tchestito Rojdestvo Hristovo
Catalan:  Bon Nadal i un Bon Any Nou!
Chile:  Feliz Navidad
Chinese: (Cantonese)  Gun Tso Sun Tan’Gung Haw Sun
Chinese: (Mandarin)  Kung His Hsin Nien bing Chu Shen Tan
Choctaw:  Yukpa, Nitak Hollo Chito
Columbia:  Feliz Navidad y Próspero Año Nuevo
Cornish:  Nadelik looan na looan blethen noweth
Corsian:  Pace e salute
Crazanian:  Rot Yikji Dol La Roo
Croatian:  Sretan Bozic
Czech:  Prejeme Vam Vesele Vanoce a stastny Novy Rok
Danish:  Glædelig Jul
Duri:  Christmas-e- Shoma Mobarak
Dutch:  Vrolijk Kerstfeest en een Gelukkig Nieuwjaar! or Zalig Kerstfeast
English:  Merry Christmas
Eskimo: (inupik)  Jutdlime pivdluarit ukiortame pivdluaritlo!
Esperanto:  Gajan Kristnaskon
Estonian:  Ruumsaid juulup|hi
Faeroese:  Gledhilig jol og eydnurikt nyggjar!
Farsi:  Cristmas-e-shoma mobarak bashad
Finnish:  Hyvaa joulua
Flemish:  Zalig Kerstfeest en Gelukkig nieuw jaar
French:  Joyeux Noel
Frisian:  Noflike Krystdagen en in protte Lok en Seine yn it Nije Jier!
Gaelic:  Nollaig chridheil agus Bliadhna mhath ùr! 
German:  Froehliche Weihnachten
Greek:  Kala Christouyenna!
Hawaiian:  Mele Kalikimaka
Hebrew:  Mo’adim Lesimkha. Chena tova
Hindi:  Shub Naya Baras
Hawaian:  Mele Kalikimaka ame Hauoli Makahiki Hou!
Hungarian:  Kellemes Karacsonyi unnepeket
Icelandic:  Gledileg Jol
Indonesian:  Selamat Hari Natal
Iraqi:  Idah Saidan Wa Sanah Jadidah
Irish:  Nollaig Shona Dhuit or Nodlaig mhaith chugnat
Italian:  Buone Feste Natalizie
Japanese:  Shinnen omedeto. Kurisumasu Omedeto
Jiberish:  Mithag Crithagsigathmithags
Korean:  Sung Tan Chuk Ha
Latin:  Natale hilare et Annum Faustum!
Latvian:  Prieci’gus Ziemsve’tkus un Laimi’gu Jauno Gadu!
Lausitzian:  Wjesole hody a strowe nowe leto
Lettish:  Priecigus Ziemassvetkus
Lithuanian:  Linksmu Kaledu
Low Saxon:  Heughliche Winachten un ‘n moi Nijaar
Macedonian:  Sreken Bozhik
Maltese:  IL-Milied It-tajjeb
Manx:  Nollick ghennal as blein vie noa
Maori:  Meri Kirihimete
Marathi:  Shub Naya Varsh
Navajo:  Merry Keshmish
Norwegian:  God Jul or Gledelig Jul
Occitan:  Pulit nadal e bona annado
Papiamento:  Bon Pasco 
Papua New Guinea:  Bikpela hamamas blong dispela Krismas na Nupela yia i go long yu
Pennsylvania German:  En frehlicher Grischtdaag un en hallich Nei Yaahr!
Peru:  Feliz Navidad y un Venturoso Año Nuevo
Philipines:  Maligayan Pasko!
Polish:  Wesolych Swiat Bozego Narodzenia or Boze Narodzenie
Portuguese:  Feliz Natal 
Rumanian:  Sarbatori vesele
Russian:  Pozdrevlyayu s prazdnikom Rozhdestva is Novim Godom
Sami:  Buorrit Juovllat
Samoan:  La Maunia Le Kilisimasi Ma Le Tausaga Fou
Sardinian:  Bonu nadale e prosperu annu nou
Serbian:  Hristos se rodi
Slovakian:  Sretan Bozic or Vesele vianoce
Sami:  Buorrit Juovllat
Samoan:  La Maunia Le Kilisimasi Ma Le Tausaga Fou
Scots Gaelic:  Nollaig chridheil huibh
Serb-Croatian:  Sretam Bozic. Vesela Nova Godina
Serbian:  Hristos se rodi. 
Slovak:  Vesele Vianoce. A stastlivy Novy Rok
Slovene:  Vesele Bozicne. Screcno Novo Leto
Spanish:  Feliz Navidad
Swedish:  God Jul and (Och) Ett Gott Nytt År
Tagalog:  Maligayamg Pasko. Masaganang Bagong Taon
Tami:  Nathar Puthu Varuda Valthukkal
Trukeese:  (Micronesian) Neekiriisimas annim oo iyer seefe feyiyeech!
Thai:  Sawadee Pee Mai
Turkish:  Noeliniz Ve Yeni Yiliniz Kutlu Olsun
Ukrainian:  Srozhdestvom Kristovym
Urdu:  Naya Saal Mubarak Ho
Vietnamese:  Chung Mung Giang Sinh
Welsh:  Nadolig Llawen
Yugoslavian:  Cestitamo Bozic
Yoruba:  E ku odun, e ku iye’dun!

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