ABC Wednesday, T for Taizé

Iedere nacht verlang ik naar u, O God,
ik hunker naar u met heel mijn ziel.

Every night I long for you, oh God
I long for you with all my soul.


From 28th December tens of thousands of young people, members of the Taizé Community in France, will come together to Rotterdam from all countries of Europe. They are looking for ways of mutual trust, and having confidence in other religions, and various Christian traditions.All these young people have to find a place to stay for five days in Rotterdam and in villages and towns in the neighbourhood of Rotterdam. So I volunteered to have four people as guests. They will celebrate New Year's Eve with us and on New Year's Day they will have a service together with us. It's going to be a great happening!


The Taizé Community is an ecumenical Christian monastic order in Taizé, Saône-et-Loire, Burgundy, France. It is composed of about 100 brothers who come from Protestant and Catholic traditions. The brothers come from about 30 countries across the world. The monastic order has a strong devotion to peace and justice through prayer and meditation. It was founded in 1940 by Brother Roger Schutz.The community was known for helping Jewish refugees during the war.

The community has become one of the world's most important sites of Christian pilgrimage. Over 100,000 young people from around the world make pilgrimages to Taizé each year for prayer, Bible study, sharing, and communal work. Through the community's ecumenical outlook, they are encouraged to live in the spirit of kindness, simplicity and reconciliation

With thanks to Denise Nesbitt, who created ABC.For more interesting ABC posts click on the logo in the sidebar or Here. This week we are looking for words beginning with T.

that's My World, Australia, Art, Queensland, Roy McIver

 
 

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Why do I post this entry about Australia in "that's My World"?
Well actually Queensland's Cooktown has become part of my world, because of my younger daughter, who has lived in Australia for more than 16 years now. She was first married to an Aboriginal man of Hopevale, and got two children by him. His family regard my daughter as a relative, as one of them.Because of her, I am also one of them now! My daughter has always been very interested in the lives and culture of the people of Hopevale in Queensland. So for more than three years she had been writing down the stories of Roy McIver, her uncle by her first marriage. Roy is a gifted artist and has had an interesting but not always easy life. What my daughter did was listening to his stories and record them on audio tapes, then write them down. She printed the stories and her friend Margie corrected them and together they helped Roy to write down his stories. Now the book is about to being launched. I am so sorry that I can't be there, for I know most of the people who will be in the Nature's Power House next week.
BTW the title "Cockatoo" refers to the two tribes of Aboriginal people living in Cape York. The white and the black Cockatoos are their tribal animals. It also refers to the black and white Australians

That's my World is hosted by Klaus, Sandy, Wren, Fishing Guy and Sylvia - a Team of experienced bloggers, whom we thank for this wonderful meme. You can see more of the world of other bloggers by clicking on the logo in the side bar or on that's My World


 

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Weekend Reflections

 

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Almost 60 years ago I worked at a school here in this city. This is a very well-known gate of the city of Amersfoort and very beautiful too! Amersfoort is situated in Utrecht in the middle of our country.
The artist who drew this drawing is Anton Pieck. He also drew my header of this week.

 

Amersfoort lies in the province of Utrecht, where I drew the X.


This meme was started on 27 September 2009, by James. You can join this meme at some time during the weekend. Just post your photo and go to James to tell him that you are on, or click on the logo in the sidebar.This meme is created for any type of reflection.

Thanksgiving

 

To all American bloggers: Happy Thanksgiving! I understand that our Canadian blogging friends celebrate Thanksgiving on another day!

that's My World, ABC Wednesday, S for St.Nicholas

On the fifth of December we celebrate Saint Nicholas'Eve. That means we give and receive presents, accompanied with funny poems telling why you get this particular present. Traditionally one of the presents is a chocolate letter. Oxfam has campaigned against child labour. In the past these chocolate letters were made with the help of children, who worked on the cocoa plantations. This meant hard labour and making long days.Oxfam co-ordinates its work in developing countries with the Dutch government. Businesses support Oxfam via various projects in developing countries. And they've helped Verkade( a Dutch chocolate factory) to produce fair chocolate in the Netherlands. That means fair chocolate letters, child labour free.
Traditionally the Dutch St.Nicholas is dressed in a red bishop's habit and mitre, but the Oxfam St.Nicholas is wearing a green habit and mitre.

Oxfam Novib began as Novib in 1956, the first politically independent and non-religious development organisation in the Netherlands.

Foundation
After the 1953 floods the Netherlands received a lot of aid from abroad. Father Simon Jelsma and others wanted to return the favour. On March 1956 they founded the Netherlands Organisation for International Assistance (Novib) to help people in Third World countries.

Saint Nicholas is not Father Christmas and he has nothing to do with Christmas either. He is much older than Father Christmas. Father Xmas is derived from Saint Nicholas

That's my World is hosted by Klaus, Sandy, Wren, Fishing Guy and Sylvia - a Team of experienced bloggers, whom we thank for this wonderful meme. You can see more of the world of other bloggers by clicking on the logo in the side bar or on that's My World

With thanks to Denise Nesbitt, who created ABC.For more interesting ABC posts click on the logo in the sidebar or Here. This week we are looking for words beginning with S.

Sky Watch

 
 
 

November is the month to remember in more than one way for me: my father died on November 2nd, 1959, and my husband on November 9th, 1999, and the past few weeks we were remembering the casualties of all the wars of the twentieth century. Every time I see a sunset in November, I will think of the following poem:

"They shall grow not old, as we that are left, grow old:
Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.
At the going down of the sun and in the morning
We will remember them."

By Laurence Binyon

Sky Watch is hosted by Klaus, Sandy, Wren, and Sylvia
Thank you so much for this great meme, it's always a pleasure to participate, and see all the other skies around the world. If you want to see some beautiful skies please click on the logo in the side bar.

that's My World, ABC Wednesday, R for Remembrance Day

Lest we forget..

On the eleventh of the eleventh at 11 o'clock a.m, 1918 the peace treaty with Germany was signed. This day will be observed on the Sunday closest to the eleventh of November to commemorate the end of WW I.

In Flanders Fields( Flanders is in Belgium)
by John McCrae, May 1915


In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.

That's my World is hosted by Klaus, Sandy, Wren, Fishing Guy and Sylvia - a Team of experienced bloggers, whom we thank for this wonderful meme. You can see more of the world of other bloggers by clicking on the logo in the side bar or on that's My World

With thanks to Denise Nesbitt, who created ABC.For more interesting ABC posts click on the logo in the sidebar or Here. This week we are looking for words beginning with R.

Sky Watch

 

Please enlarge to read the text.

Sky Watch is hosted by Klaus, Sandy, Wren, Fishing Guy and Sylvia
Thank you so much for this great meme, it's always a pleasure to participate, and see all the other skies around the world. If you want to see some real skies please click on the logo in the side bar.

ABC Wednesday Q for Don Quixote

A couple of decenniums ago my husband and I went to the musical of "the Man of la Mancha" about the story of Don Quixote, who left his home because he was fed up with his niece who was his housekeeper. He calls his old horse:" Rossinante", an old inn:" a castle". The barmaid is "his lady Dulcinea".

One of my favourite songs is: "To Dream the impossible Dream..."

The story is both touching and in a way also amusing.
Well the whole story is to be found in Wikipedia so please read
more about it yourself. In the meantime enjoy the video of the Dutch National Ballet.

With thanks to Denise Nesbitt, who created ABC.For more interesting ABC posts click on the logo in the sidebar or Here. This week we are looking for words beginning with Q.

Sky Watch, The Netherlands

 

Sky Watch is hosted by Klaus, Sandy, Wren, Fishing Guy and Sylvia
Thank you so much for this great meme, it's always a pleasure to participate, and see all the other skies around the world. If you want to see some real skies please click on the logo in the side bar. To enlarge please click on photo.