You mean... a FREE gift? Yep.

Hey... you lucky blog visitor - this is your opportunity to get something for free. Yeay!
I've just read about this idea at David's Here I Stand blog. Okay, here goes!

Be one of the first five to leave a comment on this post and I will send you a gift by year’s end. In order to respect privacy as much as possible, we can work out shipping matters via email. It won’t be an expensive gift mind you, but it will be one that I hope will remind you that God loves you and is active in your life each and every day.

Like all other memes, this one comes with guidelines: 1) Be one of the first five to leave a comment on this post and you will receive a gift. 2) The gift must be a tangible item. A donation to charity, for example, does not qualify. 3) Make the same offer to five other people on your blog.

That’s it. Leave a comment and I’ll send you a gift.

No time for the Maestro

"If we can't take the time out of our lives to stay a moment and listen to one of the best musicians on Earth play some of the best music ever written; if the surge of modern life so overpowers us that we are deaf and blind to something like that -- then what else are we missing?"

Good question. Violin virtuoso Joshua Bell makes $1,000 a minute when he plays in concert halls. But on January 12, 2007 he took his $3.5 million Stradivari violin and performed in a metro station as a street musician. In 43 minutes, as the violinist performed six classical pieces, 1,097 people passed by.

"In the three-quarters of an hour that Joshua Bell played, seven people stopped what they were doing to hang around and take in the performance, at least for a minute. Twenty-seven gave money, most of them on the run -- for a total of $32 and change. That leaves the 1,070 people who hurried by, oblivious, many only three feet away, few even turning to look."

"It was a strange feeling, that people were actually, ah..." - the word doesn't come easily - "...ignoring me", Joshua Bell told the Washington Post.

Have a look at this video clip that I first saw in our church. Our pastor used this clip to make a good point about another Maestro with a Joshua-like name who is trying to get our attention. Do we stop and listen to him? Or are we just too busy to take any notice?

Check MySpace

If you also have a page on MySpace - check this and drop me a line!
Hé, Hollanders! Je kunt ook op m'n Hyves page kijken, hoor...

But a poor reflection or no reflection at all?

Airco outside

Funny comment from Jedidah, 6 year old daughter of my friend Gedion and his wife Yadira from the Netherlands Antilles, during her first time visit to the Netherlands: “This is a nice country with airco outside.”

Note: The Netherlands Antilles have a tropical climate, with warm weather all year round. Pic: Gedion and Jedidah

And the winner is...

Me (of course). Check Vicki's blog for the official announcement. Wow, what a competition this was. I'm glad it's over, because I could barely stand the tension and excitement. And I didn't really try to get in touch with the people on Easter Island. I think they are too busy carving new sculptures anyway. But hey, it was fun.

Keeping track

This is my fast-paced world of
Laptops and cell phones
Where people in a hurry
Try to attend meetings
Where they can make
Their next appointments
Or sign new contracts
To do more work

Every now and then
I stop, sigh, smile
Shake my weary head
And ask myself:
Where on earth are we going
And for heaven’s sake
Why are we going there?

Back from Frankfurt Book Fair

Hi - I'm back from the Frankfurt Book Fair. And guess what? I used my new cell phone to make some pics. Not bad hey? More pics here.

My Very Own Easter Island Moai

So, here it is: my very own Easter Island Moai - made out of a gigantic Dutch potato and photographed twice against the background of a real Easter Island scenery on my laptop screen. You all have just a couple of days to beat me (until October 15, 2007 to be precise.) You still have a chance to claim this fantastic price: eternal fame in blogosphere! Vicki will be the Judge and Jury - so you better make sure that you come up with something really impressive and artistic! Click on the labels below to find out all about this. Come on, blog friends - don't let me down! Make a Moai statue and upload a pic on your blog. Leave a comment here to let us know about your contribution to this global fun project.
I will be in Frankfurt for the next couple of days to attend the Book Fair. I hope to be back on Saturday and of course I do expect to see some new entries for this exciting competition. What are you waiting for? And maybe Mike can try to get in touch with some islanders?

Live in the Light

Jesus says: "I have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness." John 12:46

If we are pursuing our own plans, when we are trying to manipulate Jesus into doing our will, we will lose sight of Him and of the One He represents. We need Christ’s light to shine upon us, to show us God’s way and to liberate us from this world’s darkness. Read more here.

Two options

In theory our Lord did have two options. His prayer to the Father could have been: ‘Father, save me from this hour’, but he rejected this attractive option and chose to pray the other prayer instead: ‘Father, glorify your name!’

Read more here