Handmade Features

Dear Reader

2024 was a year of dread for many of us. A year of distress, loss and sadness. The year of the Westair plane crash in Windhoek where three young people lost their lives. The very year we also had to bury my father-in-law.

The year when a friend’s child committed suicide, a year when people’s finances took a hit, a year during which prices continued to rise. Yes, another year of wars, storms and droughts.
Remaining positive is a mindful decision that you and I need to make daily. Despite everything, there are good (and also new) things happening around us. Check them out:

First, the Gig Economy - where people take control of their schedules and work from their homes. That way you can live where you want and still earn an income.
Also Artificial Intelligence. Here at HouseFinder we use it, among other things, to improve the coding of our web page.

Reuse and Refresh: We no longer need to toss out something old and worn. Using it for a different purpose can enhance our surroundings. Feel free to read this month’s articles for more ideas - perfectly fitting in line with our theme for this issue: Handmade Features.

Remember too, we always have the happy assurance of a new day. We don’t have to tackle the new year all at once. We CAN take it day by day. And who knows, just one day you’ll wake up and realize: The dread you may have experienced in 2024 is over for good.

May next year truly be your Year of Jubilee, as Pope Francis describes the year 2025, and may you experience deep inner peace.

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Liewe Leser

2024 was vir baie mense ’n jaar van verskrikking. ’n Jaar van ontsteltenis, verlies en hartseer. Die jaar van die Westair vliegongeluk in Windhoek waar drie jongmense hul lewens verloor het. Die einste jaar wat ons ook my skoonpa moes begrawe.

Die jaar waar ’n vriend se kind selfdood gepleeg het, ’n jaar waar mense se finansies ’n knou gekry het, ’n jaar waar pryse aanhou klim het. Ja, nog ’n jaar van oorloë, storms en droogtes.
Om positief te bly is ’n doelbewuste besluit wat u en ek daagliks moet neem. Kyk na die goeie (en ook nuwe) dinge wat om ons gebeur:

Eerstens die Gig Beweging - waar mense beheer neem oor hul skedules en van hul huise af werk. Op so ’n manier kan jy woon waar jy wil en steeds ’n inkomste verdien.
Ook Kunsmatige Intelligensie. Hier by HouseFinder gebruik ons dit onder andere om die kodering van ons webblad te verbeter.

Hergebruik en Nuutmaak: Dis nie meer nodig om jou ou goed summier weg te maak nie. Om iets vir ’n ander doel te gebruik, maak van jou omgewing ’n mooier plek. Lees gerus die maand se artikels vir nog idees - perfek in ons tema vir die uitgawe - Handmade Features.

Onthou ook, ons het altyd die blye versekering van ’n nuwe dag. Ons hoef nie die nuwe jaar op een slag aan te pak nie. Ons KAN dit dag vir dag vat. En wie weet, net eendag word jy wakker en besef: Die verskrikking wat jy moontlik in 2024 ervaar het, is vir goed verby.

Mag volgende jaar waarlik jou Year of Jubilee wees, soos wat Pous Francis die jaar 2025 beskryf – en mag jy diep innerlike vrede ervaar.

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OUR THEME – HANDMADE FEATURES
Our theme connects in my mind to the various Christmas markets being held across the country. Those markets that are irresistible thanks to the variety of handmade goods. Creativity abounds. Candles and candle sticks of all types, baked fruit cakes and sugared scenes on cookies, wooden toys for little ones. Items such as these beg for place in my home where they proudly proclaim: I was made by flesh and blood. I am because my maker is. Amen.

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KEEP IN MIND:
1 Thessalonians 4:11-12
"…and to make it your ambition to lead a quiet life: You should mind your own business and work with your hands, just as we told you, so that your daily life may win the respect of outsiders and so that you will not be dependent on anybody."
(The Bible – NIV.)



Gerty