What is in a Name?

Last Christmas we gave our children the TV series Heidi!

As I eagerly watched the first few episodes with my little ones, I couldn’t help to think how the name Heidi is part of my life from as early as when I was only 6-7 years old!

I grew up on a farm in Bloemfontein in the Free State during the middle/late seventies. There wasn’t electricity available on our farm and TV was only just introduced to South Africa, thus we didn’t have TV, either. It was during this time that the Heidi series (translated into my mother tongue - Afrikaans) was released and we came to know about it through family.  It was broadcasted on Tuesday evenings and my Dad would drive my sister and myself to my Grandparents several kilometers away to watch the 30min episode of Heidi.  It was the highlight of the week for us. We could not imagine missing one episode and Daddy diligently took us every week! 

Then one Tuesday afternoon, as we were ready to jump in the car, friends of my parents arrived, unaware of our plans to go watch Heidi at my grandparents.  That Tuesday evening two little girls cried for an hour in disappointment for missing Heidi!  That week my dad bought us a TV.  We already had a generator on the farm to provide electricity for lights, hair dryers, etc. and it was able to provide enough electricity to run the TV.   What a joy to watch Heidi in the comfort of our own home!

The years went by, we grew up and Heidi was a very pleasant childhood memory.  In 1991 Christo and I got married and early 1993 I was overjoy to discover I was pregnant!  But my joy was only for a short while, as it ended in a miscarriage at 8 weeks, the end of April!  I was devastated.  Since we got married I longed to have a baby of my own and I was so afraid I would not be able to have babies, although the miscarriage was due to tick fever, diagnosed a week later.  It took me weeks to recover from the tick fever and miscarriage and to worsen my emotional state, Christo was due to leave for Europe in August. The year before he was also in Europe for ten days and I missed him so much! I was dreading the time he would be away, especially since I was still not pregnant and trying to recover from the tick fever.  

At the beginning of July, Christo came home, announcing he is going to take me with him to Europe!   He cared too much to leave me alone under the circumstances.  It was just what I needed to pull me back to reality - going to Europe for 10 days!  The Lord provided through my dear husband, something else to focused on! Christo only needed to be in the city Neuchatel in Switzerland for two days, for medical equipment research, the rest of the time we would enjoy the beauty of Switzerland and even planed to visit Paris and Euro Disney!  

It was an amazing, blessed time! 

Long summer days in the breath taking mountains of Switzerland. 

We walked along rumbling glacier milk rivers.  

In Switzerland we stayed in Lauterbrunnen, Gstaad and Neuchatel. 

We peeped into every available watch shop , choosing a coo-coo watch to hang against my wall at home.

After being in Neuchatel we headed for France and stayed in Euro Disney for three days.  

We reserved one day for Paris and I walked until I could not walk anymore and wished I could crawl (that was after I’ve already taken off my shoes and walked barefoot!)  

We looked down on Paris from the Eiffel tower and Arc the Triumph, did shopping in the Galleries Lafayette and visited the Opera house.

We ate French fries at the side walk of the Av Des Shamps-Elysees (costing us a small fortune!) visited the Notre Dame, bought me two original hand paintings on our way back from the Eiffel tower and Christo and I posed for a sketch (not very real) but a nice, very expensive souvenir to take home!  

We laughed like children in Euro Disney and Christo bought me a huge Mickey and Minny Mouse to take home!

The last day we drove through Titisee-Neustadt in Southern Germany and ate apple strudel and black forest cake! 

It was unavoidable to visit Switzerland and not think back to my childhood story Heidi!  

One  particular day I was staring into the breath taking mountains and praying to the Lord to please give me a little girl, who I can name Heidi!  

On the exact same day, a year after we returned from our blessed time in Europe, our first son was born. 

I was totally overjoyed, holding my tiny little baby in my arms!  After CJ I had another two miscarriages, before a little girl was born in July 1997! 

The girl I prayed for, almost 4 years ago in the beautiful mountains of Switzerland.  I knew we would call her Heidi, but since both Christo and my mother’s names were Marie, we decided to call her Heidi-Mari - I just loved the name!

But this is were my dream stopped!  Heidi-Mari was a colic baby who cried constantly the first year of her life!  At six months we took her to a homeopath and she was diagnosed with an extreme sensitivity to diary and MSG.  She definitely cried less, after I took diary and MSG out of my diet, but she was still a high need baby!  I just couldn’t bond with this little girl and I saw   my dream of having a little girl who will be my best friend, my own little Heidi would scatter into pieces! 

I was ready to do anything to change the situation.  I was pondering the possibility that the name ‘Heidi’ was a curse on my little girl.  Taking in account the sad story of the Heidi-character, a little girl who lost her parents at one year of age, her grandpa who didn’t want her at first, her aunt who took her away while she was so happy with her grandpa and her longing for her grandpa and friends, while in Frankfurt! Then there was my own sad circumstances of longing for a little girl, after my first miscarriage.  December 2000 we decided to stop calling her Heidi-Mari, but only Mari!  This wasn’t without a lot of misunderstanding from family and explaining to friends and our own struggle to get use to the new name, me secretly longing to still call her by the beautiful name Heidi-Mari!  

Then in 2003 while pregnant with our 4th child, I bought a book on the meaning of names!  Josua was born in 2000 and we were surprised how this little boy was walking in the meaning of his name!  We wanted to pray about the name of our 4th child and make sure it had a meaning that will enhance the calling on her live!  It was only then that we discovered the meaning of Heidi-Mari’s name!  Heidi meaning honored and blessed! 

Heidi-Mari was now 6years old, called Mari for just over 2years, but still we just couldn’t bond and I was still mourning the loss of the beautiful name Heidi-Mari!  Just there and then we decided to change her name back to Heidi-Mari!  Oh what a joy it was.  We explained to her what made us change her name and asked her what she would like to be called!  She immediately asked to be called Heidi-Mari!

Knowing the meaning of Heidi - honored and blessed, something changed in my heart too!   The Bible verse going with her name is Ps 29:11

“The Lord will give strength unto his people;

the Lord will bless his people with peace.”

Every time I called her name, I pictured the blessing she is for me and every one else in her life and the honour she’s destined to bring the Lord through her life!  The power of God’s Word came to life!  

Today Heidi-Mari almost 14 years old and such a blessing to this family!  

I cannot imagine running our household and raising my babies without Heidi-Mari!  She is my best friend, we enjoy hours of crafting, baking and cooking together and she now and then helped out in the health shop.

Today I know my little girl was destined to be Heidi-Mari. The Lord called her  Heidi-Mari, even before I knew her name and I rejoice in Him for guiding us back to her original name - An honored young woman, a blessing to the Lord! 

Since this incident we prayerfully choose the names of our children!  As my children grow and mature, they amazingly walk in the calling of their names!  

CJ is Christo Johannes, a Follower of Christ, gracious, with a very special anointing and inward strength that makes him a leader;

Josua is our General and a bringer of Truth, since a very young age he showed insight in spiritual issues, above his age;

Danika our little morning star princess and since birth so attentive;

Andrew is a living testimony of Ps 27:1

“The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear?  The Lord is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?” He is courageous and enduring and I’m waiting in anticipation to see what the calling on his life is; 

David is the king, strong but with a sweet, loving spirit, obedient and always ready to repent. Even his physical qualities, distinguishes  him as a king.

For Daniel we speak discerning and righteousness into his life;

and for Prince Michael high estimation and praises for His God!

We’re consciously aware of the meaning of our children’s names and deliberately call them on their names so the purpose of their lives can come in action!

Never underestimate the Power of Words and even more the power of a name!

"... I will not forget you.

See, I have inscribed you on the palms of My Hands;

Your walls are continually before me."

Is 49:16

With Love

Linnie

Lights... Camera... Action!

On Saturday CJ’s shoot as the Stunt jump rider for the Irish production, Camelot, took place!  All the practice, anticipation and excitement finally came together! 

Josua, Heidi-Mari and Christo left by 6h00 on Saturday morning to make sure they didn’t miss out on any of the action!  But as they waited at the base camp, while CJ got dressed, some manager approached Christo and informed him that nobody approved their presence on set, so unfortunately they were not allowed on set.  Christo tried to talk to him and persuade him to ask the director if they couldn’t just be at the perimeter of the scenes, but he was adamant that the director don’t want to give permission!  

You can imagine the disappointment and heart ache of my two children and Christo too!  They called to tell me as they left the set, after dropping CJ off. All I could do was fervently call out to the Lord to intervene!  As I got into prayer I submitted our circumstances to the Lord, knowing it could be from the Lord for a reason, but I begged the Lord, if it was not from Him to prevent them from experiencing an amazing day with our son on the movie set, that He will please make a way!  An hour later I got a text message from Christo.  CJ went to the Props Manager and asked him permission to allow his Dad, brother and sister and without hesitation, he said YES!  

As I read the message I burst out in praises to the Almighty God we serve. I thank the Lord for my son’s courage who went and asked permission for his family to be on set and I thank the Lord for the kindness of the Props Manager to allow them on the set.

The enemy clearly wanted to prevent a very special day, but our God is the King of the Universe and He has power over all!!  The person that tried and prevent them to go on set, was the only unkind person the whole day.  The people were all so friendly and accommodating, also during Josua, Michael and my own presence on the set Wednesday and Thursday!

Half an hour later Christo, Heidi-Mari and Josua were on set!  CJ was scheduled right after lunch at 13h00, for the stunt horse jumping scene for the character “Kay”. 

The base camp was 1.5 km from the set.  There were wardrobe, make-up and hair trailers as well as caravans for some of the cast to stay in.  

CJ in the make-up and hair trailer, for his wig. CJ’s scene is mainly a special effect of the character “Kay” and his horse jumping over the very dooming fence.  Because they didn’t film his face, they didn’t need to put on a mustache and beard to match him with the main character “Kay”. 

For the scene, CJ and the other stunt jump rider for the character “Gawain”, along with foot soldiers, invaded the ‘village’ where “Arthur” has being held captive, to rescue him.  CJ’s jump is all about the special effect of the hose jumping over the fence.  A camera has been placed right underneath the jump where CJ’s horse landed.  

They dug a hole underneath the fence and put half of the camera in the ground, then the cameramen laid on the ground to do the filming! This automatically complicated the jump even more.  Jumping the fence was scary enough for the horse, then having all these people just behind the fence, and the jump is a total different jump than the one practiced on!  Thus the horse refused the jump for the rehearsal!

Twice the horse refused, the third time again, then slipped on the long grass and fell.  CJ didn’t fall, he only glided off the horse, but his leg got caught in the stirrup. 

After a few practices they got the horse over the jump!  CJ only needed to do the scene twice.

The special effect created was amazing.  Since the movie is originally by Irish, they needed to create the misty conditions of Ireland.  

They had smoke machines and then they waved the smoke so it created the effect of gusts of mist.

Isn’t it amazing!  We will now look at movies from a total new perspective, try to look out for the special effects created.

After CJ jumped over the fence and landed inside the village, his scene stopped.

Now the real “Kay” got on the horse.

In the mean time the other Stunt jump rider did the scene of “Gawain” jumping the fence. 

His scene asked for a some fighting with the village people too.

And there were more scenes of warriors who invaded the village with Kay and Gawain.

The real “Kay” also got involved in some fighting with the village people on the horse, after CJ jumped over the fence.  Then the real “Kay’s” scene stopped and another stunt rider got on the horse.  

Here they did some last finishing touches to the second stunt rider’s make-up.  For this scene the stunt rider had to fall from a rearing horse and his profile was filmed too, so he needed to look very much to the real “Kay”.

He got on the horse, fought with some of the village people and then fell from the horse when the horse reared!  

Michelle has a special horse just for rearing scenes!

The real actor of “Gawain” wanted no stunt for the scene of fighting on the horse and then getting pulled from his horse.

This was so exiting to see, since we saw them practicing this scene numerous times on Thursday!  

Pulling off the horse and landing on a mattress. 

He also landed on the mattress while filming.

I had no idea in how much detail they practiced every single movement.  When I say every single movement I mean every movement!  

This whole day’s filming will eventually be about 2minutes of the total movie/episode! Makes you appreciate a 50 minute MacGyver episode or 2 hour Nanny McFee movie, much, much more!   This evening we watched a MacGyver episode involving MacGyver  rescuing a horse.  We literally analyzed every frame of the episode.  So much fun!!

Michelle Mazurkiewics with her four very well trained horses, Saturday afternoon after filming stopped!  She is a true inspiration with her horses and we rejoice in her asking CJ to worked with them over these four days!  Thank you Michelle!

But most of all we rejoice in the Lord for his grace and blessings on us!  Thank you Lord for protecting my son and giving all of us such a great time!

"I will bless the Lord at all times;

His praise shall continually be in my mouth."

Ps. 34:1

With Love

Linnie

PS. June 29th 2011 - Tonight Christo and I watched the episode of Camelot, in which CJ was the Stunt Rider!  A friend taped it from BBC. It is amazing to see the scenes, shot here in South Africa and the 2 seconds CJ jumped over the fence. BUT I will not recommend anyone to try and watch the movie. It is NOT for children under 18. It is VLS and full of sorcery.

Day Two on Set!

This morning while Josua, Michael and myself, were on our way to the movie set, my sister from Bloemfontein called to ask how I was doing.  How great is our God!  He just blessed me and kept me close to His heart the past few days!  He knows me inside out and knew exactly what I needed to keep me going while working through the emotional pain and physical loss. He even sent entertainment across my path, more than I had in months, which moved my focus to nice things.  I still have to blog about my Andre Rieu weekend experience!

Today was the second day on the Camelot movie set at Cape point, where CJ perform as a Stunt Jump Rider for one of the main characters.  We enjoyed it even more than yesterday!  

The main focus of the day was to get the horses over the very dooming fence.

From the start the horses refused to get over the fence.

They tried several times, with no success. 

In the mean time I was quietly praying and asking Christo to pray too, to make a way and keep the riders safe!  The woman in charge of the horses, Michelle Mazurkiewics, is clearly in the supply of stunt horses for years! She sure knows her horses and how to handle them.  

They decided to strip the total fence and while building it up, piece by piece, made the horses get used to the fence. 

Within 30minutes the horses were jumping the fence, without knowing they initially refused the exact same fence!

They also need to adjust the horse costumes, to make it safer for the horses to jump the fence.  

That took about 2hours!  

CJ have to jump with a Western saddle, and it also needed some adjustments.

During the early afternoon multiple trucks arrived with filming equipment, to Josua’s excitement.  

We walked on the set while they put everything up and got to see how they assembled the tracks on which the camera man and his camera are pushed during filming.

In the meantime the crew were practicing fencing everywhere you looked!

Josua couldn’t stop admiring all the swords, bows and arrows!

Little Michael was angel. 

He enjoyed all the fresh air, attention, horses, entertainment and a nap, while in the Ergo on my back.

Tomorrow is shooting day 1!  They are not sure on if their stunt jump scenes will be filmed on day one of two, but Christo will be there to try and take video clips.

Heidi-Mari is going with tomorrow, while Danika and I will stay at home with the four little boys.  Heidi-Mari looked so well after her brothers and sister over the past two days.  Tonight she prepared us pasta and even surprised us with sago pudding!  

“The Lord bless you and keep you;

The Lord make His face shine upon you,

And be gracious to you;

The Lord lift up His countenance upon you,

And give you peace.”

Numbers 6:24-26

With love

Linnie