Friday’s Fave Five – Five Things I Am Thankful For

Today I am joining Friday’s Fave Five again, though it has not been an easy week. My mother-in-law passed away on Monday, and today was her funeral. 

Below is the beautiful condolence bouquet. My husband received it from his colleagues

When I look back, there are a few blessings that stand out.

1. Good conversations with my husband
This week my husband and I talked a lot. About everything that was happening, about how to find our way through it, and about the fact that grief can be complicated. Those conversations were precious. They helped us stay close to each other in a difficult week.

2. My sister’s faithful care
All through these weeks, my sister kept sending messages, voice notes and little signs of care. I felt so thankful for that steady attention.

3. Coffee with a dear friend
I had coffee with a friend who has known me for many years and knows something of our family history. It was good to sit with her in her garden, among the flowers, and speak freely for a while.

In this collage: my diamondpainting (wildflowers), morning coffeer, the stone/rock we received from te hospice, fries on the table, and the farewell at the open grave.

4. Sunshine on the day of the funeral
The evening before, and during the night, there had been thunder and heavy rain. But today, on the day of the funeral, the weather was bright and sunny. It was very hot, but I was so thankful there was no thunderstorm.

5. Diamond painting
I am thankful for my diamond painting. It helps me relax and gives my hands something to do when my mind is tired. Instead of staring ahead and getting stuck in difficult memories, I can let the good memories come too. The dark and the light, side by side.

A little extra blessing: ordering fries from the cafeteria. No cooking, no meal planning, just something simple and easy. On a week like this, that felt like a gift too.

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And a little clip of last night’s thunderstorm to end with. KNMI recorded more than 188,000 lightning discharges, so it really was an exceptional storm. I don’t think I’ve ever seen so many flashes behind the clouds... heavy, but spectacular.

Now I’m curious: what were the bright spots in your week?
I’d love to hear a few happy things. 😊

Join Friday’s Fave Five

Friday’s Fave Five – Five Things I Am Thankful For

Today I am joining Friday’s Fave Five again: a little pause to look back and gather five blessings from the week.

It wasn’t exactly a calm and cozy week... life clearly had other plans. But even in between the hard things, there were still small gifts to notice. So here I am 😊

1. A thunderstorm in the woods

On June 8, I went for a walk in the woods and was suddenly overwhelmed by a thunderstorm. It was frightening. 

Thankfully, I knew what to do and tried to sit as safely as possible until it passed. And while I was sitting there, rather wet and not exactly relaxed, I prayed, “Into Your hands I commit my spirit... and also my body.”

I also thought of someone we love, who is staying in a hospice, and quietly placed that too in God’s hands.

It was scary, but also strangely good. And then, as if the woods wanted to apologize, the sun came out again... and I could still enjoy the rest of my walk.

2. Herbs growing well

My herbs are growing beautifully. It is such a small thing, but I love seeing green life on my windowsill or in the garden. They remind me that life keeps unfolding, even on difficult days when life feels like it has been put on hold.

3. A short walk with flowers

June 11, I went for a very short walk. Even that little walk brought beauty. I saw many flowers, including this beautiful one. I always enjoy noticing wildflowers along the path. They make an ordinary walk feel like a small treasure hunt.

4. Coffee in pretty mugs

I also enjoyed drinking coffee from pretty mugs this week. Not a big blessing, maybe, but a real one. FOr me, a quiet moment, a mug that makes me smile... it is exactly what helps a day feel a little softer.

So here one of my mugs

5. A beautiful book to begin the day

I am reading a beautiful book by Stacey Pardoe. Every day there is something in it that gives me a good thought to begin the day with. That has meant a lot this week, as someone close to us is staying in a hospice. The days were not always easy, and I am thankful for words that help me begin the morning with a little more steadiness.

These were my five blessings of the week.
What was something that made you thankful this week?

Join Friday’s Fave Five

When Morning Is Coming

Everything becomes relative when someone you know well is in hospice.

Your view becomes smaller. It is no longer about the coming month, but about this week. Sometimes even about this day.

She is in hospice.

Not my mother. My husband’s mother. That makes a difference, I think. Sometimes I feel like a bystander. And that is okay.

Between her and me, it is good now. For a long time, it was not. And exactly now, things are happening that I did not expect, but that I did pray for. For thirty years. It does not need to be explained in my blog.

I only want to say: this is where we are.

Waiting while someone slowly grows quieter. Eating less. Drinking less. Sleeping more. Becoming more fragile.

And in that waiting, my word for this year keeps coming back to me: patience. Not as a nice idea, but as something very concrete. Waiting with what I cannot hurry. Watching what I cannot change. 

Waiting for the last goodbye here

Tomas Sjödin writes that life does not end when we turn out the light and say good night. After sleep, we wake to a new day. He connects this to the rhythm of Sabbath: evening first, then rest, then morning light. Dying is not the destruction of the light, he says. It is turning out the light because morning is coming.

That thought stays with me now.

I never expected that, at the end of someone’s life, there could still be so many glimmers of grace.

— ✦ —

 I write this as an encouragement for someone who has waited for many years, like me. We cannot change people. But God can. What is impossible with man is possible with God.

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Photo credits: Olenchic

Linked to: Paula's Sweet Tea June Link

Friday’s Fave Five – Five Things I Am Thankful For

Today I am joining Friday’s Fave Five: a moment to look back and count five blessings.

It was quite a week... no voice, coughing fits, my mother-in-law’s surgery, an inflamed insect bite, and far too much heat. 

But today I’m choosing the nicer list: the blessings. 😊

1. Beautiful skies outside my writing room

This week the skies outside my writing room were so beautiful. Sometimes I only had to look out of the window to be reminded that there is still beauty around me. My writing room has its own little window of wonder.

The photo was taken with my phone, so the stars are a bit blurry. But hopefully it gives you an idea of how beautiful the sky was.

2. An early walk in the woods

It was very warm this week, but I still went to the woods for a little while. I went very early, before the day became too hot. The quiet, the trees, the morning light on the grasses... it all did me good.

Below is my favorite tree-lined path. If you're there early enough, and the light cooperates, you'll see a bright light at the end of the tunnel. No, not that kind of light! It's simply the rising sun. Isn't it beautiful? ☀️🌳

3. Continuing my study of Acts

I continued my study of the book of Acts. I read slowly, but maybe that is not a bad thing. Slow reading can also become deep reading. 

My Insta 👉 𝙱𝚒𝚋𝚕𝚎 𝚜𝚙𝚊𝚛𝚔𝚜 & 𝚛𝚎𝚏𝚕𝚎𝚌𝚝𝚒𝚘𝚗𝚜

4. Writing, blogging, and a small Vinted find

I wrote a few blog posts this week, and I hope to add the links here. Writing helps me to think, to notice things. I also bought something lovely on Vinted for my writing room. Just a small thing, but it made me very happy.

• Zonnebloemen en de sandwichgeneratie (about sunflowers)
• My author blog
  
• My Photo Journal
  

5. My daughter’s wedding dress

A very special moment this week was going to the bridal shop. My daughter’s wedding dress had arrived, and we went to see what still needed to be altered. The dress was pinned and checked, and suddenly the wedding felt a little closer again.

It was also a tense day, because my mother-in-law had surgery. So joy and worry were very close together that day. Maybe that made the beautiful moment even more precious.

These were my five blessings of the week.
What was something that made you thankful this week?

Join Friday's Fave 5

If you are in a hurry, patience is the fastest way

 My One Word is Patience.

This week my husband told me (again!) that I was being impatient with myself. He often reads little quotes from his calendar to me. They are usually the kind of sayings that make you stop and think.

This week's quote was:

"If you are in a hurry, patience is the fastest way."

I took a photo of it because it fits my One Word perfectly. The funny thing is: I'm not sure I fully understand it yet.

I've been coughing and dealing with a sore throat for two weeks now. I would really like to be better already. So how can patience possibly be the fastest way?

Maybe the answer is that impatience doesn't actually make healing happen faster. It only adds frustration to the process. If I keep checking whether I'm better yet, counting the days, and getting annoyed with myself for not recovering quickly enough, I still won't heal any faster.

Patience doesn't speed up recovery. It just removes the extra burden of fighting reality. Or, as ChatGPT would probably tell me:

"When you're in a hurry, impatience makes you run circles around yourself. Patience simply lets you walk straight ahead."

 

I'm still thinking about that one. 

Do you understand the quote?
I'd love to hear your thoughts.

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PS Read other blog posts about One Word: One Word 2026 May Linkup

Five Minute Friday-Sustain

This week’s FMF writing prompt is: SUSTAIN

SUSTAIN

Oké, oké. But that word sustain… it was actually a totally unknown word for me. I know quite a lot of English words, but sustain? No idea.

So I looked it up. First I found the Dutch word onderhouden, but immediately I pictured a man with a gereedschapskist (toolbox) coming to check the cv-ketel... oh that's a boiler, you know.  Not exactly inspiring for a Five Minute blog. Then I found the Dutch word in stand houden. But that sounds more like keeping an old tradition alive or protecting an old building.

Ondersteunen maybe? I didn’t know.

Funny how one little word can have so many layers. What does it mean exactly? This English word simply refuses to cooperate. And now I already wrote for five minutes, so I guess this little blog is finished.

-ˋˏ ༻✿༺ ˎˊ-

Ten minutes later...

I found it in my English Bible: “Cast thy burden upon the Lord and He shall sustain thee.” And in Dutch? It says onderhouden. Apparently sustain has about seventeen meanings and my brain understood exactly none of them. So I needed Psalm 55 to explain it to me personally.

Ssssst… this does not count for the five minute prompt.

Friday's Fave Five

This week flew by so quickly, so I thought it would be nice to pause for a moment and notice some of the little blessings tucked into ordinary days. 🌿

Joining: Living to Tell the Story - Friday's Fave Five

1. I started turning our son’s old room into a writing room. Years ago I wrote three books there, so it feels special to sit at a little desk by the attic window again. Somehow being up there feels a little closer to heaven. I’m sharing a photo taken from the window of my writing room while trying out the night camera on my iPhone. 😊

2. On Tuesday I went for a walk, even though I almost stayed home. I’m so glad I went, because the yellow broom was glowing along the path and I spotted the first rowan blossom of the season. I even used one of the photos for a little meditation on my Instagram.

Do you love rowan blossom too? 🌿 I always think it looks so delicate and almost a little wild at the same time.

3. The next day brought steady rain... the kind our dry gardens and fields desperately need. While the rain tapped against the windows, I cleaned kitchen cupboards and listened to a podcast. One little blessing this week was that, for once, I actually enjoyed cleaning. There was something peaceful about quietly working with my hands while the rain fell outside. 

4. I put an old rattan cabinet online for free, and my phone practically exploded with responses. In the end a mother and daughter came to pick it up, and their excitement made the whole thing unexpectedly cheerful and cozy.

Before the girl came to pick up the rattan cabinet, I had already written down a whole list of handy tips... how to clean it, repair it, and keep the rattan looking nice. Apparently I take giving away furniture very seriously. If you look closely at the photo, you can even spot the little note lying inside the cabinet.

5. And one of the biggest blessings this week was finally managing, after trying twice, to write down what I want to say in church tomorrow. In this church it’s customary to give a short introduction speech when you join the congregation, and after two years I’m finally connecting myself to a church family again. It feels a little scary, but also very good. 

P.S. There were also all the tiny in-between moments that don’t really fit into a list... starting a new book, swapping coffee photos with a friend over WhatsApp, laughing because her cappuccino always has the most perfect foam layer while mine looks slightly less impressive every single time.  ☕😂 

How was your week? 

What little blessings made you smile? 🌿

Five Minute Friday – DECISION

Happy to join the Five Minute Friday community this week... 

The prompt is Decision.

Five minutes on the clock… let’s see where this goes.

This week it happened again.

I had to make a decision.

An invitation popped up on my phone.
A birthday.

And then… on the same day, in the same group…
another one.

Two in one week.

And I felt it immediately.
In my body.

A little knot in my stomach.
Okay, not that little.

Because my first thought was:
“I should just say yes.”

Of course.

That’s what I’ve always done.

But then came the second thought:
“Wait… I already know how this goes.”

If I say yes to both,
I will feel it. Not just that day,
but the next one… and probably the one after.

Apparently my body keeps better records than I do.

So there I was.
Phone in my hand.
Trying to be a good person.

And also trying to be a wise one.

Because those are not always the same thing.

I’ve learned something this past year.

I don’t do well with too much in one week.
One is good. Two is… ambitious.

Let’s call it that.

So I made a decision.

Not a big dramatic one.
Just a simple one.

One yes.
One no.

And the surprising part is this:

The one yes actually feels good.

Relaxed. Present. Real.

And the no?

Still a bit uncomfortable.
But also… honest.

And I’m starting to think
that’s not such a bad combination.

STOP.

WORDLESS WEDNESDAY

 

Still, a few words: the stained-glass window reads in Dutch:

"My peace I give to you: for you too".

Friday's Fave Five

It’s not Friday anymore, but Saturday… and still I wanted to do this. Just to look back over the week and notice what was there.

~ two walks in the woods ~
This week I was able to go to the woods twice, and I’m really grateful for that. It actually took a while before I could go again. The pollen I’m allergic to had to clear first, and my word for this year is patience — so yes, my patience was truly tested. But now there was space again. The fresh spring green…  So beautiful. I even wrote a blog about it (you can read it here).

~ building something together ~
A friend from my new church and I had coffee together, and I helped her set up a blog. I really enjoyed that... something simple, but meaningful too. I didn’t take a picture of it, but it’s a good memory.

~ seeing the day off ~
My husband and I went out to watch the sunset. We kept walking… until it grew dark and the moon appeared. We saw the lapwing and the redshank again; both back. It was such a peaceful moment, stepping away from the busyness of life.

~ seeds coming up ~
Some time ago, I received a large box with flower and herb seeds as an Advent gift from my son. Each day I opened a little window with a new packet. Now they are starting to grow. That also asked for patience… but it’s so lovely to see them come up.

~ mother-daughter time ~
Today I had a little outing with my daughter. We walked through the yellow rapeseed fields — endless yellow, so bright and beautiful. Just being together like that was a gift.

Grateful for this week.
For what was simply there.
Wishing you a lovely weekend 🌿

When Patience Isn’t Patience

I woke up at 3 a.m. shaking.

Nausea. A pounding head. My chest tight, as if something heavy was pressing down on it. No bad dream. Just my body in full alarm.

And I knew exactly why.

I’m writing a memoir about church pain. I’ve lived through it once. But every time I write it chronologically, my body reacts as if it’s happening again. Church hurt doesn’t stay politely in the past.

Patience Is Not Slow Pushing

My word has been patience. I tell myself I’m not rushing. I know books take time. Healing takes time.

But patience is not pushing more slowly.
It’s knowing when pushing is still pushing.

I wasn’t rushing the timeline.
I was gripping the weight.

Opening My Hands

This morning I listened to a short devotion about praying with clenched fists — naming what you’re holding — and then opening your hands to release it.

When I closed my fists, I knew what I was holding.

Not just the book.
The need to carry it thoroughly. Chronologically. Completely.

As if telling the truth requires reliving everything.

It doesn’t.

I can write sideways. In fragments. With space. Even with humor. I can let the process be held, instead of holding it myself.

Patience, Again

And now I’m sitting here on a day when my head still feels tired. I know I shouldn’t make big decisions when I’m this worn out.

But I do know this:

Patience.

Even if I choose a completely different entry point for this book — that’s okay.

I’m not failing if I change the structure.
I’m not failing if I don’t tell it chronologically.
I’m not failing if I protect my nervous system.

The story isn’t going anywhere.

So today, I’ll let it rest.

Patience in Real Life

(January... also known as the month my word started following me around)

My word for this year is Patience.

I know this because it keeps finding me.

If I don’t think about it myself, my husband reminds me.
If he doesn’t, I read about it.
And if that doesn’t happen, my desk calendar will show me a cartoon about... yes: patience!

At this point, I’m pretty sure I chose the right word. Or maybe it chose me.

What makes it funny is the small moment when I suddenly notice it.
Ploink.
Oh yes. That again.

I’m not very impatient with other people. I can wait. I can listen.
But with myself?
Not so much.

I want things to move forward.
I want answers to come quickly.
I want my body, my ideas, and my writing to cooperate.

And when they don’t, my first thought is often: I’ll just stop.
That’s usually when my word shows up again.

Patience.

I write about it in a light way here, but inside it doesn’t always feel light. This word also stays with me during long medical searches, in ongoing conversations with doctors, and in waiting for answers that take much longer than I expected.

So yes, my word is doing its work.
It keeps appearing.
It keeps interrupting me.
And often, it makes me smile when I realize what’s happening.

Ploink.
Oh yes. Patience.

P.S. I made the image with ChatGPT by literally telling it what I wanted — out loud, in quotes, with many small instructions. This is the result. What do you think?

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👉 Curious what other One Words look like? Take a look here: 3 Simple Ways to Begin the Year Gently

How My One Word Took Three Tries

At first, my 2026 word was write. I want to write my book, so that felt logical. But very quickly, write started to feel heavy. It came with pressure, expectations, and the quiet question: why aren’t you further yet? 

That wasn’t helpful. It made me tense instead of creative.

So I moved on to focus. That felt better. Focus is practical. It doesn’t demand results, it just asks for attention. One thing at a time. Less noise. Less scrolling. Focus helped me see what I struggle with: staying with something long enough, especially when it’s not clear yet.

And that’s where the real issue showed up. I don’t lack discipline. I lack patience with myself. I’m patient with other people. I’m patient with situations. But when my own process slows down, I get restless. I start pushing. Focus helped me notice that, but it wasn’t the final word.

The word I actually need is patience. Not passive waiting, and not giving up. Patience with my own pace. Patience when things take longer than planned. Patience when January doesn’t come with a clear starting point.

So that’s how I got here. Write was too demanding. Focus was helpful, but not enough. Patience gives me room to stay, even when the road turns out to be longer than expected.

And that’s why it’s my word.

The Hidden Grace in My One Word

Lisa asked for one insight from our One Word, and as I tried to put mine into a comment, it grew into a full blog of its own.

My One Word abide has been slipping through my fingers lately. Not because I don’t love the word, but because real life has been heavy. Pain, quiet rooms (midlife you know), long days. And strangely enough, these weren’t the days where I sank deeply into Scripture, the way I always imagined I should.

On the good days, I enjoy rich Bible study.
On the hard days… I don’t.
I read a small paragraph. A simple quote. Maybe a page from Max Lucado. And it all feels so thin, so far from what “abiding” is supposed to look like.

Add to that the small heartbreaks. Little things that press unexpectedly on the soul. And I feel myself drift. I worry I’m drifting from Him. I feel like I can’t hold on to the word at all.

But somewhere in that quiet struggle, something has shifted.

I’m starting to see that maybe abide isn’t asking me to hold on harder.
Maybe it’s showing me that Christ is the One who holds on to me.

Even when I’m tired.
Even when I read only a few simple lines.
Even when my prayers feel small and my heart feels flat.

On those days, I come to Him with my mind instead of my emotions, and I whisper, “You will finish Your work in me. You will lead me safely.” And for that day; that really is enough.

If you’ve ever felt guilty for not being “deep” enough on the harder days… please hear this:
You’re not the only one. You’re not failing. And you’re not falling out of His hands.

Sometimes abiding looks quiet, simple, almost fragile.
And yet, it still counts. Because He holds you.

--

I’m so grateful for abide in Me. It shaped me in ways I never expected, and it carried me through this year. But it won’t be my word for the new year. The truth of it stays, just not the word itself.

I sense something new coming… maybe trust, maybe go, maybe speak or write. I’m not sure yet. And that’s okay.

Do you already have your One Word for next year?

Abide: A Lamp in the Dusk

The lamps flicker on while the sky is still holding its breath between day and night. Across the street, windows glow like quiet beacons. Further away, the windmill stands clothed in its faithful light, steady against the dusk. 

The season tilts, and with it the world itself seems to lean into shadows — wars and rumors of wars, even the skies above us feel unsettled, airspace violated, restlessness echoing everywhere.

Yet here, in this gathering dusk, another voice rises — softer, steadier than the night: Abide in Me. Remain. Do not drift with the tide of fear. Keep your eyes on Me.

And that is enough. This one lesson keeps deepening: to remain in Him. He is the only light that truly endures.

“When we remain in Him, we do more than survive the shadows — we sparkle with His light, as stars scattered across a midnight sky.”

Keep abiding. In the shifting seasons and the deepening shadows, this is the safest place you can be.

When Slowing Down Becomes a Way to Abide

 Abide 🌿

It’s September. The last time I showed up here was June—and honestly, back then I wasn’t doing too well. A lot has happened since then. I finished the research for my book (yay!), but I also had to learn something new: pacing.

With a body that speeds up when it shouldn’t and crashes when it’s pushed, pacing becomes essential. Step back. Slow down. Stop before you hit the wall. Easier said than done, of course.

And strangely, that’s exactly what abide has been teaching me.

Abiding isn’t only about staying close to the Lord (though that’s the heart of it). It’s also about not running ahead. Not rushing. Not getting swept into the social media frenzy. These days, I’m inching my way through Psalm 27—one word study at a time. Not to share online, not to impress anyone, but just for myself. It feels like re-learning how to chew slowly and savor what God is teaching me.

It’s also about being present—with my husband, with my daughter, and with my boys who are about to hop on a plane to Croatia. Today yes.

Everyone seems busy—sometimes it feels like busyness is its own kind of virus. And honestly… could my symptoms just be side effects of that same virus? Someone should do a study on it. 😉

Although I wasn’t very active here on this blog, I was quite busy on my other three blogs: my faith blog, my photo blog, and my author blog. They’re written in Dutch, but no worries—there’s a translation button on all of them. 

Here are the links if you’d like to visit:

Kostbaar
Frozen Moments
Aritha's Schrijfblog

“Abide in Me… and learn the sacred rhythm of slowing down.”

💖 The Blessings Are in the Small Things

It’s Satarday, and I feel the need to slow down. I’m joining Susanne at Living to Tell the Story to pause and give thanks for the good things—this week. Maybe these things seem small, but they matter. 

Here’s my list:

1. I started walking in the woods again. It’s hard, so I’m taking it slow—no big goals, just enjoying what I see. And if I can’t enjoy it right then, I take photos so I can look at them later. I saw so many beautiful things—especially the color of the forest in the soft sunlight. The spring green of the leaves has already turned into a mature green. It’s going so fast.

Thank God we’ve had rain these last few days. In the photo below, you can see a huge puddle in the forest.

2. I had an important talk on Wednesday with the doctor, and my husband came with me. That meant a lot to me. ❤️

We are now exploring whether my symptoms could be related to dysautonomia. I have two weeks to see if this possible explanation makes sense, and then we’ll talk with our GP about how to move forward.

Here’s a photo from a test I had on Thursday at our GP’s office. First, I had to lie down for 15 minutes, and then stand up while they checked my blood pressure. I had plenty of time during those 15 minutes... so I took a few photos from my lying-down position.

3. I finished reading a book, and for some reason, it touched me. 

The Recipe of Dreams is the first book in a captivating family saga about the women in a soap factory.

It’s 1865. Hanna grows up in her father’s soap factory, learning the craft from a young age. She’s talented and full of ideas, but her father doesn’t take her seriously just because she’s a woman. Still, she secretly creates new recipes for lovely, fragrant soaps.

She’s also hiding her love for Louis, the doctor’s son. When their relationship is threatened by family problems and her brother’s serious illness, Hanna’s whole world starts to fall apart. But she decides to fight – for her love and for her dream of one day running her own soap factory.

The Recipe of Dreams is the first part of the exciting new series The Women of the Soap Factory.

4. I feel so blessed that the spark to write has returned. I’m continuing with my memoir. 

5. My daughter came over, and we went thrifting. I get dizzy walking around in shops, so it was also a little test for me. But it went well!  I paid for what she picked out for herself.

These are the 3 pieces of clothing I bought. Lucky me, they fit—I was too tired to try them on at the store! 😄

Gratitude is often found in the small things. 

💛 Do you like thrifting or reading or walking?

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Over the course of the week, I’ll be visiting everyone else who joined this challenge or who left a comment here. See you soon! 😊

Friday’s Fave Five – I Got the Flu

It’s the last Friday of the month, and I’m feeling the need to slow down.  I’m joining Susanne now, at Living to Tell the Story, to cultivate gratitude by pausing to remember the good things of the week—and this month too. 

💖 Maybe these things seem small, but they matter. 

Here’s my list for this week:

1️⃣ Last Saturday I came down with a fever and spent most days in bed or garden chair. Thankfully, by Wednesday I began to feel better. My cough is still lingering a bit, but I’m so grateful the fever is gone.

2️⃣ My son gave me a lovely candle after an outing. It smells amazing, and it has little minerals inside that I plan to put on my windowsill later.

3️⃣ I joined a free workshop called Van Scrollen Naar Lezen (From Scrolling to Reading) and was so enthusiastic about it.

4️⃣ I wrote an Instagram post about a special “mistake” in my flower.

5️⃣ I’m absolutely fond of books with an animal as the main character! I did a lot of reading this week. Even though I felt sick, I finally had time to enjoy my books!

These were my little blessings of the week. 💕

I wrote this about a flower with a flaw:

🌸 This flower doesn’t grow the way it’s supposed to.
It twists into a spiral, growing crooked along the way.
They say it’s a mistake at the growth point.
They call it fasciation—a kind of growth disorder.
The stem widens, as if several parts have merged together.
It can happen because of cold, stress, damage, or disease.

Just like me.
At one point, I thought:
Too much has gone wrong.
Too much has grown crooked.

But now, years later, as I look back,
I see that something has grown after all.
In the depths, where everything seemed broken.

God can really bring something beautiful to life
even in places where it seems impossible.
I still don’t understand how He does that.
But I admire Him.
For who He is.
For what He does.

What you can’t see now
may become a source of wonder later.

“Even the crooked growth can carry fruit.”

🌀 “He makes everything beautiful in its time.” (Ecclesiastes 3:11)

Five Blessings on a Friday Evening

It’s Friday evening, and I’ve taken a quiet moment to look back.
Not to analyse or to fix—just to notice.
To trace the little things that brought light into the ordinary days.

I am sitting on my red bench. It’s evening now. The sun has set, but I still heard the blackbirds singing—one last line of music before the day truly ends. And I look back. 

1. Coffee time at 10:30.
Every morning around 10:30—it’s our routine. My husband and I share a latte in the office that’s attached to our house. He pauses his work, I pause mine. We talk, sometimes laugh about nothing in particular, and I feel so deeply blessed to share that moment each day.

👇Dutch: And this is coffee ☺

2. Swallows overhead.
I was sitting in a garden chair with a bowl of oats when I heard them. Swifts, I think. Back from Africa. An Instagram friend from Israel once showed me photos of swallows resting there on their journey. I remember saying, “Just a little longer, and they’ll be in the Netherlands.”
And yes, here they are again.

The photo of the swallow is a bit blurry—but it gives you the idea.

3. My amaryllis bloomed.
A birthday gift from November—now finally in bloom. And what a bloom it is. It felt like a small miracle. Sometimes things take time, but they still come.

I took this photo today.
Can you see the raindrops on the window?
Finally—rain.

4. Photos from the windmill.
On his way home from the village, my husband always takes a little detour down the windmill path just to see how things are progressing. They’re fitting new sails on the mill, and he often sends me a photo of the latest changes. 

Two photos—
The one with the blue sky is from earlier.
You can see the year of construction engraved in the brickwork: 1911

5. A walk, and young birds.
Going for a walk was a small victory. Because of my symptoms (like a racing heart when I stop or bend down), walking can feel uncertain. But I did it. And it went well. A victory. And a blessing.

And there they were: young godwits! And baby redshanks—like little puffballs on stilts.

I’m attaching a little video… Click to enlarge
Mom and dad godwit with their chick.
Look closely—you’ll spot the little one!

😐 Oh, now I see it—what a pity, the quality is quite poor.

What were your blessings this week?

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👉Linked to Susanne's Friday's Fave Five