From the Heart by B.Demaere

  Just imagine being in a valley called "Life"... On one side is 'gold' and on the other is 'truth'. It seems that our society is in a critical position and ready to decide about challenging issues like values and authenticity . A decision has to be made between idols that we have and God who is ready to accept us the way we are. What is an idol?  Anything that stands in front of us and replaces God. In Psalm 115:1-8 , we see clearly that God and idols are contrasted... "Not to us, O Lord, not to us, But to Your name give glory Because of Your lovingkindness, because of Your truth and faithfulness. Why should the nations say, Where, now, is their God? But our God is in heaven; He does whatever pleases. The idols [of the nations] are silver and gold, The work of man's hands They have mouths, but they cannot speak; They have eyes, but they cannot see; They have ears, but cannot hear; They have noses, but cannot smell; They have hands, but cannot feel;...

  And a man lame from birth was being carried, whom they laid daily at the gate of the temple that is called the Beautiful Gate to ask alms of those entering the temple. Seeing Peter and John about to go into the temple, he asked to receive alms. And Peter directed his gaze at him as did John, and said, “Look at us.”  And he fixed his attention on them, expecting to receive something from them. But Peter said, “I have no silver and gold , but what I do have I give to you.   In the name of Jesus of Nazareth, rise up and walk!” And he took him by the right hand and raised him up, and immediately his feet and ankles were made strong. And leaping up, he stood and began to walk, and entered the temple with them, walking and leaping and praising God…. (Acts 3:2-8) Obviously, the lame man was happy to see the apostles coming at him because he saw them as humans able to give him money.   But God had other plans for that man, and he made sure to let his servants k...

  Heart Mining It has been about 2 weeks now since we moved into my parents’ old home.   The primary purpose was obvious.   To move there to reorganize the place.   But the secondary or subsequent purposes are not as obvious.   We have been through almost everything in the kitchen, not without a struggle, and almost everything has a memory.   Everything has a discovery of characters attached to it. For example, my Mom’s old deep fryer was left with memories of fresh homemade fries cooked twice and crispy just as only a Belgian Mom could cook them.   I just want to let you know that we, Belgians at heart, are very proud of our French fries.   No one will take this away from us.   So, with a memory is always linked to a relationship.   I related to my mother most through cooking and even I became a baker/cook.   Now I can make fries the way my mother used to.   With memories come possibilities.   You can see that followi...