Living with gratitude

So I failed in the blogging realm this month. I tried, tried, tried to be good and blog once a day all month long. I failed. But NaBloPoMo has issued a challenge of giving something to someone every day of the month of December. I know I got at least one day covered. Maybe I can get them all covered and tell about it? We shall see!

But the chance to sit down everyday and look at my day and see what really matters, what really makes my day... that has been priceless.

I find I need a lot fewer trips out randomly shopping, spend a lot less time feeling blue, or lonely and don't worry half as much about what i look like when I am focused in the 'Thankful' direction!

Just what I needed. One big, massive perspective check.

An attitude of gratitude - Day 26

I am back in the US. After a very dramatic phone call home Friday morning NZ time to wish the parentals Happy Thanksgiving, I found out Mom had been rushed to the hospital after blacking out. She is back home now, as am I. So today, the longest Friday ever in recorded history (it has to be!) I have much to be thankful for!

Day 26

1) My mom is home alive and is healing. THANK YOU GOD!

2) My planes all flew well.

3) My Dad found me at the airport

4) I have now taken a shower. Sooooo thankful

5) I have rediscovered clothing I left here 7 months ago! It's like a whole new wardrobe!

6) These fragile broken bodies we inhabit are but a temporary shell. Jesus is coming soon and this frail hull with be made incorruptible! Woot! Woot!

An attitude of gratitude - Day 25

I got home late again last night and was so tired after cooking all day, eating, and taking an 11 K walk that bed was the only logical option:) So day 25 it is this morning. Tonight I will do today. Phew it gets all blended together!

Day 25

1) Thanksgiving Dinner made by me (with help on the pie) and eaten with friends
2) Long walks in the dark
3) Cranberry Relish! Love it!
4) Marmalade and whipped cream sunsets. It was stunning.
Made us both stop and look and gape in awe.
5) Naps in the sunshine while the biscuits baked
6) My family - the best parents and siblings I could ever have asked for
7) My friends who keep in touch and remind me of love daily

An attitude of gratitude - Day 24

After a two hour walk, half of it in the dark, I got home late and so this blog is being posted a bit late!

Day 24

1) Walking in the wonders of the dark and beautiful hills behind Oamaru
2) Nicknames that I make up for my friends that they promptly ban me from using
3) Coffee breaks with friends that involve decadent chocolate, date, fig torte. Sigh. Bliss.
4) The promise of adventure from a conversation about hiking
5) Finding more wrinkles on my face
6) Making preparations for Thanksgiving dinner with one of my favorite families here

An attitude of gratitude - Day 23

Day 23

1) Sunshine - I have pink legs! WAHOO!
2) The little box in the top right corner of any screen
that lets me get away from trash with a quick click
3) Soy Milk
4) True and honest talks with friends
5) Being able to right justify this blog
6) Almost done with my paper
7) Digital Pictures. Sheer genius
8) Having time to sit and read in the sunshine
9) Two loads of laundry done
10) Having people I pass on the street smile back at me

An attitude of gratitude - Day 22

Day 22

1) A warm day that merited wearing a skirt and sandals
2) Another page done on my last ever paper for school. One day I may actually finish. Doing research with no library. Phew!
3) Enough change in my ashtray to pay for parking
4) Apples
5) Nutella
6) Peonies, peonies everywhere!
7) 23 days until I go home

An attituude of gratitude - Day 21

Day 21

1) Kaprice's birthday (Happy 16th sweetie!)
2) The Victorian Fete to end Heritage Week, filled with awesome booths selling neato stuff, people all dressed up, amazing food, and fun activities!
3) Coming in second in the world championship stone sawing competition with teammate Louisa.
I am a stone sawing maniac! So is Louisa!
4) A long nap after a day spent with the shakes
5) Birthday party!
6) People who keep their end of the bargain
7) Men who look you in the eye

An attitude of gratitude - Day 20

Somehow I managed to let Saturday night slip right by without adding this this list!

Day 20 (a day late)

1) A picnic in the park
2) People came to church dressed for Heritage Sabbath! VERY cool!
3) Maureen helping me get in and out of my dress again and again. All those hooks and eyes were amazingly impossible to do alone
4) Early to bed

An attitude of gratitude - Day 19

Friday Nights generally find me pretty pumped and ready for Sabbath to hit. Tonight I am just exhausted and very much in NEED of Sabbath arriving.
But what a day it has been!

Day 19

1) Spending time in costume with some of my friends from here for an
Afternoon Tea in the Oamaru Gardens
2) Having some of my friends mistaken for being my children
(funny for me, not so sure if it was for them!)
3) Glorious blue skies
4) People who ask me around for dinner
5) The end of this week
6) Being so loved that my heart feels full

An attitude of gratitude - Day 18

"Another day has almost come and gone. I can't imagine what else could go wrong. Sometimes I'd like to hide away somewhere and lock the door. A simple battle lost, but not the war. 'Cause tomorrow's another day and I'm thirsty anyway, so bring on the rain"
- Bring on the Rain
by Jo Dee Messina & Tim McGraw

Day 18

1) Watching Singing in the Rain on the big screen
2) Getting all dressed up in Victorian clothes to go to the pictures
3) Knowing, at a place deep in my soul, that though I may be lonely, I am NEVER, NEVER alone.

An attitude of gratitude - Day 17

The day is not yet over, but my plate is so full of thanks I gotta unload some of it or something is going to wind up plastered down the front of my shirt!

Day 17

1) The smell of roses wafting on the air as I walked into town
2) Seeing all the folks dressed up in Victorian gear in honor of our Heritage Week
3) My senior pastor helping me out with displays for this Sabbath
4) Candy Corn (arrived in previously mentioned box!)
5) The washing machine
6) The totally amazing savory cheese scone I had this morning
7) My Dad and his awesome skills at getting the forms filled out just right so I can get one little piece of paper to get my NZ license
8) Christmas shopping is finished
9) 28 days til I go home for a visit!!!!!!!!!!

An attitude of gratitude - Day 16

Another day is slowing oozing over the hills behind my 'house' and I am slowly losing the ability to keep my eyes open. So as I prepare to head for bed, here is my joyfilled list of thanks.

Day 16

1) New carpet is installed in the church basement! Phase 2 complete!
2) Baked beans
3) Boxes randomly arriving from the US from much loved and sorely missed friends
4) My work visa came through today!!!!
5) Victorian Heritage Week starts tomorrow here in Oamaru
6) The blessed hope

An attitude of gratitude - Day 15

Day 15

1) Perfectly timed discoveries of gas stations
2) People watching at the airport
3) Friends who let me whine and moan
and yet still love me and give me wise advice. (Think, then speak!)
4) Happy new memories tucked away in the file cabinet of my head

An attitude of gratitude - Day 14

Traveling around with Kate has been awesome. However, on Day 14, we were in a place with NO INTERNET!
I will let you pick your jaw up off the desk...
and proceed with my list of thanks for the day the internet left my life:)

Day 14
1) No internet access. Off the grid is good!
2) The turquoise lakes and rivers surrounded by snow capped mountains
3) Hot springs and saunas
4) Massive amounts of lupines in all shades of amazing
5) Having a friend finally come visit me in a foreign country

An attitude of gratitude - Day 13

This morning has begun with crisp weather outside and rested people inside. We are off today on a trip about the central region of the south island. Wahoo!

Day 13

1) My hairdryer
2) Hot drinks in the cold morning
3) Phones
4) Soy Milk

An attitude of gratitude - Day 12

Today has been a tough day to stay positive. Though there was much to be thankful for, I am struggling to hold onto a grateful viewpoint tonight. Despite being frustrated though, there are piles of things I am thankful for. Some of those things are:

1) Kate being here. So nice to hear a ripe American accent again:)
2) Heaters. Cold nights are still here and heaters rock!
3) Fudge
4) Tired legs
5) Selfless acts of kindness displayed by people I know. I got a gift of soy milk today. Awesome!
6) The blessed hope

An attitude of gratitude - Day 11

So much to be thankful for as I sit here chatting with Kate who made it into town safe and sound!

Day 11

1) A trip in the clouds as we drove through the hills around Akaroa
2) Not dying on our trip through the clouds on the really windy roads near Akaroa.
3) Sunshine! We found at the end of the road.
4) Bible Quiz #2 a success! Fun was had by all ( i think!)
5) Food. Yum soupy food with really heavy bread. I think a duck might sink tomorrow.
6) Hugs from Esther. She's five and she gives the best hugs ever.
7) Sabbath! I am so glad I get a break from the usual hubbub.

An attitude of gratitude -Day 11

Day 11

1) Picking up a friend from the US last night at midnight! She's here!

2) Having a set of adopted parents here to spoil me and let me crash at their place anytime

3) Sunshine the whole ride up to get said friend

4) Nobody was hurt in the wreck i saw yestreday on the drive up. Bus and car crash and no injuries. Amazing.

5) The awesome yellow roses that my Kiwi Mom has here at her house. Makes me think i am really am home in Texas!

6) Friends with vacuums that let me clean out my car.

7) Jesus! He really, really loves you and me. and He reminded me yesterday of that. So thankful for grace and love and forgiveness!

An attitude of gratitude - Day 10

Got home so late last night that I failed to get this up and posted before midnight! So here is what I was thankful for yesterday.

Day 10

1) My car. I can get places so fast.
2) Prayer. It works miracles!
3) Uncertainty. It means I have to have faith and be patient!
4) Tortillas. Love the things. Go perfectly with nutella too!

An attitude of gratitude - Day 9

This day dawned bright and very, very early. But today, another day when my body functions, my mind operates and God is still on His throne of grace, has been a wonderful day!

Day 9

I am thankful for:
1) A church business meeting where so much was decided!
2) Hot drinks on cool nights
3) Happy children and their hugs and laughter
4) The calming effect of prayer
5) A sense of purpose and direction
6) Friends who share a belief in God and His plans
7) The promise of a warm bed to go curl up in after a long day

An attitude of gratitude - Day 8

Day 8

Today I am thankful for:
1) Sunshine and more sunshine!
2) My toothbrush.
3) Having an amazing time with a very sick church member. Hope burns brightly!
4) Five weeks until I get to see my family and friends!

It has been a long day and I am tired as, but joyful.

An attitude of gratitude - Day 7

Day 7

1) It is another sunny day here in Oamaru!

2) I rented an amazing costume for the upcoming Victorian Heritage week coming up. I look all girly. Pictures will come.

3) Coffee and time spent with friends at the lovely Riverstone cafe/

4) Being able to hop in the shower and ignore the phone ringing and beeping.

5) Being able to walk around with Kap while her knees heal from a bad fall.

An attitude of gratitude - Day 6

I had such a busy Saturday that I completely failed to get back home before midnight and get a blog written! But I find that I had so much to be happy about that I can fill this up quickly!

Day 6

1) Homemade pavlova! A yummy kiwi dessert, this time made in honor of Tuhi's birthday.

2) An amazing musical piece played in church by some amazing young women. Made tears come to my eyes!

3) Potluck! I love potluck!

4) A good Bible study on criticism. Always good to have news ways and ideas of dealing with tough times!

An attitude of gratitude - Day 5

As the week winds down, I am happily and exhaustedly sitting here munching on hummus and tortillas. I have so much to be absolutely thrilled about! Though there were serious rough patches in the day, I have no complaints, just joy!

Day 5
1) I am thankful that my family was not hurt by the shootings at Ft. Hood today. I was born there some years ago, my family is military, my dad goes to post to shop and see the doctor and my cousin is in the Army. And none of them were there. THANKFUL!

2) There are people who seem nice and then there are people who actually are nice. Today I am thankful for two of those really, truly genuine nice people - Maureen and Memma.

3) My awesome banker. She makes money happen. Money happening is good!

4) My visa application has been sent off and officially I am ready to stay here another year if they accept me:)

An attitude of gratitude - Day 4

With my life at the moment being filled with a routine of painting rooms, dig up gardens and cramming in everything else around the fringes, I find myself being thankful for the smallest disruptions in the pattern.

DAY 4

1) Eating dinner with a friend (at a restaurant!) last night.
2) A free cup of coffee from my favorite cafe as I hit number 6 on my frequent buyer card.
3) Groups of people who have so generously given their time and energy to help out around this church building, getting it into good working order. Without their hands, the job would never be done!
4) The amazing sale at The Warehouse that let me buy some AWESOME dishes.

An attitude of gratitude - Day 3

Day 3

Today I am thankful for:

1) Organic shampoo and conditioner being on sale! I get paid quasi nothing, so this is a bonus!
2) The rich, warm smell of coffee
3) The library called to tell me the books I requested are in.
4) My fleece PJ's.
5) The warm breeze that hit me when I wandered out in said Pj's to water the new plants outside.
6) Facing decisions that make me run to God asking "OK, now what?"

An attittude of gratitude - Day 2

After a day filled with painting, applauding hard work and study, I have so much to be thankful for! This whole project (one month of a daily record of what I am thankful for, inspiration courtesy of Ang*) just seems to snowball. I find myself checking everything with a "Am I thankful for this?" and a conversation in my head about why or why not.

Day 2

1) Subway in NZ has an amazing veggie patty to go on their subs. Makes for a happy, full belly.
2) Being forgiven for forgetting a birthday. So thankful for forgiveness!
3) Helpers in painting the basement of the church.
4) Waking up early in a good mood!
5) My wise mentor, Mel, who calms me down and talks sense into my head.

*check her awesome, inspiring blog at http://anglouise.blogspot.com

An attitude of gratitude - Day 1

Inspired by Ang, this next 30 days will be a feast of thankfulness. Everyday I will post something(s) I am thankful for. Though November is classically a time when we think of the things we are grateful for, I want to join Ang in the quest for living life with a more positive focus.

Day 1

1) I am thankful for The Murphy Clan and Jeanette, champion weeders and gardeners who have helped transform one flower bed of doom into a potential feast of color and variety! Our church is soooo blessed to have such great people in it!
Before - All doom and gloom
Not that you can tell, but the plants were in terrible repair and blocked the view of the church entrance.

After - It's got possibilities oozing out its ears!
Funny enough the sun disappeared just in time for me to take this shot.

2) My Mom and Dad, who, though far, far away still make me feel loved and listened to every time I call or e-mail. Their reassurance is so inspiring and encouraging. I love my parents!

3) Sore muscles. Playing cricket, painting and digging are all conspiring together to make me a stronger woman. Look out Hulk, there's a new game in town!

Another Day, Another Lie

It seems that we would learn that you get caught when you tell a lie. Even one lie. A small misguidance, a 'clever' cover up, and on you go, racing through your day.
I got a phone call today that made me hopping mad, as I knew the information conveyed was a lie.
Why even bother?

The news as of late is smeared with peoples names, countries names, and stories all involving lies.
The lies that are told about the inequity of humankind, about the supremacy and right to life of any one group, about the claims of ownership on a chunk of land or a person, all lead to the sick and diseased societies we see today.

Magazines insinuate that for women to be beautiful they must be thin with huge breasts and good looking men will all be practically hairless and completely muscled. Movies tell us that love is found in a look, touch and a roll into bed. So much music today insists that hate and revenge are the best way to get back at someone who hurt your feelings.

We walk by each other everyday and don't acknowledge the others existence. Online dating services offer a myriad of options all claiming to want to get to know you personally. We tell ourselves this world will get better all by itself.

Stop the insanity.
Tell the truth.

"And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free." - John 8:32

Humanoids pets

Was at a local cafe to pick up a hot drink, the variety of which shall remain nameless, but those who know me well know what it was...

Anyhow I was chatting to the owner of the cafe and we got to talking about animals. The cafe is named The Roost and all around the place are little roosters and hens, made from all manner of material, my favorite being a metal rooster who looks like he could wear cowboy boots and live next door to my parents.

Being a fan of animals, the owner was commenting about how as a child she had chickens and one day her parents brought home a rooster. She had the habit of taking the chickens for walks but once Mr. Rooster moved into town, he got very jealous and would try to attack her. One day as she was bent down to pick up a chicken he jumped on her head and began to try to pull her brain out through the back of her skull.

That night the family enjoyed a love chicken pot roast.

I asked her if she had any pets now, to which came the quick reply...

"Only two, my husband and my cat."

Mad Hat Hair

After 7 glorious days of hiking, sleeping, eating - living really- in one set off clothes and one hat, coming home to a hot shower and clean clothes was exhilarating. When I unloaded the car and got to a point where I could think of showering, I went to my room and yanked off my now rank hat.

The shock of the embroiled nest of hair piled up like greasy string on my head made me groan. How was I ever going to get that clean? Not only was it oil soaked and knotted, but it smelled awful.I would say that I am pretty fastidious about being clean. If I had the choice I would shower twice daily and spend 45 minutes becoming a living prune each time. There is nothing like a good shower. After a long day of hard work, it helps un-kink the muscles. After a good cry, it helps calm the red, welted eyes and sooth the nerves. Before the day really kicks into gear it gives you time and space to clear your head and put your game face on. Showers are a miracle center.

Needless to say, the clean water supply of Oamaru shrank incredibly once I got home.

But the pile of yuck mess on my head was fixable. A good dousing of shampoo and conditioner, a very thorough combing and my head resembled, well, my head.

My hair isn't the only part of me that needs fixing. I have a heaping inner mass of a soul that becomes greasy and knotted and reeks incredibly. I choose to do things and say things that leave a sticky residue of nasty inside and out. I spend time far away from anything good, and try to hide all the ick under a lovely smile and fake perky attitude - the woolly hat for the soul.

But the pile of yuck mess that is my soul is fixable! A good dousing of Jesus and His cleansing power, a thorough combing through the details of my choices and my soul begins to resemble anything but the yucky mess it so recently was. My soul begins to look more and more like Jesus when I let Him clean it up and put it in order.

Have you taken the time to be showered by Jesus? His shower truly is a miracle center.

Been There!

This is the list of countries I have visited so far in my life.
The criteria I use for this list can include, but is not limited to, following:
a stay of at least one day,
at least one item purchased,
a mingling with locals,
having been confused by the local language.
So far the list stacks up to 24 countries.

Australia
Austria
Brazil
Canada
England
France
Germany
Greece
Israel
Italy
Jordan
Liechtenstein
Luxembourg
Mexico
New Zealand
Peru
Russia
San Marino
Scotland*
Slovenia (when it was still Yugoslavia)
Switzerland
United States of America
Vatican City*
Wales*

* Yes, i know that Wales and Scotland are part of the UK, and that Vatican City is technically only a city, but they all claim independence in some way. I also acknowledge that Greece was seen by me at the age of 9 months with my grandmother. I am sure I did stay more than one day and I bet G-ma bought me something:)

It's permanent.

Jaimee and Travis Newick
September 20, 2009

In and about Canberra

After a short stay in Sydney (with no photos except for the sunset, for some odd reason)

I hit the road to Canberra, eager to see Australia's capital city. It was a bit of a drive, but the road signs look pretty familiar, aside from some of the odd names, so it felt like any good ol' fashioned road trip.

Road Sign
Heading out of Sydney

Even Canberra is said funny down here.
The way it is said seems that it should be spelled CanBURRa. Anyhow... when in Rome, right?

Well WOW!

Those Aussie's did a great job on Canberra. The city is lush, relatively easy to find your way around in,and the locals are really quite friendly.
Not remembering that I was on NZ time,
I was up at about 5:30 every morning
and hit the trail to see what I could see.

Parliament House.


















The sign over the entrance to
Parliament House.












The bird on the sign that created a diversion in my journey.
Who willingly walks underneath birds anyhow?













Hot air balloons over the city.
As seen from the front of the parliament house at 7 AM.















The US Embassy.
Yes, I cried a bit seeing "home" so far away from home.


















The Australian War Memorial
An amazing, very moving tribute.












Maybe a relative?
It is a small world after all...











A view from Mt. Ainslie.
Parliament House is in the distance, one the other side of the lake and behind the long white building

Upside Down

This is my first glimpse of Australia.
Flying into Sydney we saw the Harbour Bridge and the Opera House, but I was so excited that I completely forgot to take any more pictures before landing.

So now I have officially added another country to the list of "Been There!"*.

Though it was a really short trip, Aussie makes it high on my list and I am hoping to get back over there soon!

* I do actually have a Been There list, and will add it here someday soon.

45 South

A quick ride up the two lane highway that runs through town will lead you to this stone.

When you park your car and hop out into the breath snatching air, you are officially standing on the 45th parallel. You are 45 degrees south of the equator. In fact, you are almost exactly half way to the South Pole on a southern bound path from the equator.
There could be a huge globe poised nearby with the tiny area, where you stand hunched against the cold wind, being pointed to by an obnoxiously red arrow and a line that reads
"You are here".

I love that a short trip north of town gets me to this sign. It is so convenient to know where I am in the big picture.
Amazingly, I can never ever be so far south of anywhere that I cannot be found.

Sometimes it is easy to feel lost,
lonely,
forgotten.

But never once in the mind of God is your position forgotten. Anywhere on this massive spinning planet is easily labeled with a "You are here" tag. God never loses you. His eye is watching the lilies, the birds and most certainly YOU!

You are precious to God. You hold a place in His heart that can never be filled by someone else.
And He never loses sight of where you are.
Even when it's 45 south.

Spring creeps onto the scene...

Warmer weather seems to have arrived.

To celebrate this glorious event, some of us went daffodil picking and filled the church with flowers.
It was so awesome to see people walk into the church and smile when they saw all the flowers peeking back at them.

Our team of adventuring girls had a blast picking hundreds of daffodils.

The field of daffodils

Perisi shows off a beauty

Rose with a bundle of happiness

Use your bum

Long, long ago, in a state now far, far away, I once tried snowboarding. I wound up wounding a thumb and never did go very far while standing on a snowboard despite my friends all saying how easy it was to do. I distinctly remember ending the attempt with a snowboard dangling over my head and a young man I had never met saying "Dude, that looked bad...are you OK?"

Being the glutton for punishment that I am, when the church here said there was a snow day coming up and we got to the mountains, I decided to give snowboarding another go.

And I had a blast! My friend Marie was down for the weekend and we geared up together and got an instructor for about an hour and then swoosh,crash, bang - down the hills we went.

The views were amazing.Looking down into the valley from Mt. Oahu

Looking up the mountain


The company was fabulous.Marie enjoying a break


Tuhi and I sitting in the snow

Never before has sitting on my bum been so much fun! It was a great reminder to me that even when something has at one point proven to be insane, trying it again can change the outcome. And now, if anyone ever wants to buy me a snowboard, I would be most grateful:)

The Birds

Alfred Hitchcock has nothing on the Otago Peninsula. This jutting, ruggedly beautiful, motion sickness inducing peninsula is home to a wide variety and number of birds.

The Royal Albatross Center* is on the Otago Peninsula. The Penguin Place resides in a curved nook of shoreline, and shags take up residence in any cliff face that looks like they could accurately aim for a passerby's head with their long range emissions.

A Shag at home



My first penguin sighting in NZ!



A close up (Yellow-eyed Penguin)



A Little Blue Penguin in a nesting box

*The albatross were not flying the day we went out. I was told to come back in February. And they spell center wrong by my standards writing it as "centre".

My life according to George Strait

Using only song names from ONE ARTIST, cleverly answer these questions. You can't use the band I used. Try not to repeat a song title. It's a lot harder than you think! Re-post as "my life according to (band name)"

Artist:George Strait (I'm missing good country down here!)

Are you a male or female:
Just Look At Me

Describe yourself:
Gone as Girl can Get

How do you feel:
Carried Away

Describe where you currently live:
Ocean Front Property

If you could go anywhere, where would you go:
Somewhere Down in Texas

Your favorite form of transportation:
Rhythm of the Road

Your best friend is:
Love without End, Amen

You and your best friends are:
In Too Deep

Your favorite color is:
Neon Row

What's the weather like:
Blue Clear Sky

Favorite time of day:
One Night at a Time

If your life was a TV show, what would it be called:
Famous Last Words of a Fool

What is life to you:
Easy Come, Easy Go

Your relationships:
Go On

Your last relationship:
The Chill of an early Fall

Your fear:
The Chair

What is the best advice you can give:
You Can't Make a Heart Love Somebody

If you could change your name, you would change it to:
Maria

Thought for the Day:
Don't Make Me Come Over There and Love You

How I would like to die:
Overnight Success

My soul's present condition:
One Step at a time

My motto:
Remember the Alamo

There is a flag flying high...

In the old days (the really old ones ... even before I was born) when the king of any given land was at any certain place, the royal flag was flown to let the local peeps know that royalty was present. Everyone in the area knew that the King was in when the flag was raised high.

When I went to visit Larnach Castle in bonny wee Dunedin, this reminded me of yon olde days of mine childhood.

As a kid I grew up singing a song about this idea. You may know the catchy tune. Everybody together now!

There is a flag flying high in the castle of my heart, in the castle of my heart, in the castle of my heart! There is a flag flying high in the castle of my heart for The King is in residence there!
So let it fly in the sky let the whole world know, let the whole world know! So let it fly in the sky let the whole world know that The King is in residence there!

If God is taking up residence in me, in my life, then the 'flag' of His kingdom will be waving around for anyone to see. Sometimes the flag will be respected, sometimes rejected, sometimes questioned and sometimes people will get angry that God's flag is being waved anywhere near them. Sometimes people will be so busy shuffling by with their noses tucked into their iPods that they will completely miss the flag.

The flag of God waving about is evident. Just like a flag held high on a pole for everyone to see, the behavior of a person who has God living in their lives will be evident!

I hope that today, even just today, I can honestly say that there is a flag flying high in my life and that The King is truly in residence here!

The Best Coffee Joint on Two Wheels

Found this little trailer on the Otago Peninsula that has been made into a mobile coffee shop. Has to be the best one in the whole world. This is their logo.The espresso bar is called "Coffee Pirates"

And the owner/coffee maker extraordinaire even posed for me. See? Pirates are good folk!*
* it is noted by the author that pirates really did/do kill, steal,maim and otherwise make a general pain of themselves and the only ones i really enjoy are the ones who make coffee and who make me laugh. so as noted this guy at the two wheeled cart? I'm a big fan!

Soaked and reeking

The story is told of a group of men who, during the Black Plague of the 1700's, would enter the homes of the dead and dying and remove all the valuables. These men became quite rich and none of them died from the plague. Since the devastating effects of the plague were decimating the population of Europe, when the police gained the courage to arrest these men, they were astonished to find them all healthy.

To discover why these men had survived while being surrounded by plague infested bodies, the police struck a bargain. If the men would tell how they had survived, the police would let them go and allow them to keep what they had stolen so long as they stopped thieving from then on.

The men told the police that they had one thing that kept them from dying.


Garlic. Heaps and heaps of garlic. Not only would these men consume large amounts of garlic, but they would boil garlic and make a huge pot of garlic stew and then would soak their clothing in this pot for about two weeks. Not once were any of the men harmed by the plague.

This got me to thinking. These men were completely saturated with garlic. They ate it. They were covered in it. They would have been powerfully stinky.

Today we are surrounded by a plague. People all around us are dropping dead and dying. We are living on a planet filled with sin - a truly deadly disease. And we have one thing that saves us. When we are covered in Jesus, inside and out, we are able to walk in this world without being harmed. Jesus alone saves us in the midst of darkness, turmoil and death. Each of us has the chance to be coated in Jesus.

When someone coated in garlic walks by, you are going to notice. Your nose would not let you miss them! Same is true when someone soaked in Jesus enters your life! You cannot help but notice that something is different! They are there is front of you and they live with a joy the darkness of the world cannot take away. They reek of Jesus!

On this earth we don't escape death but we don't have to die forever! Jesus gives us all the chance to be saturated with Him, to be washed clean of sin and to be saved from its effects for eternity.

Get soaked in Jesus today! Allow Him to live in you and to surround you, to lead you in all that you do. Be soaked and reeking.

Binder of Books

In the wonderful town of Oamaru is a fabulous section of town that is the remains of the historic shipping port that Oamaru used to house. The buildings are built in fantastic local limestone and have carved window ledges and moldings all around.

In these wonderful buildings are wonderful shops.

My favorite shop is a book bindery. I can hardly afford the wonderful handmade journals, but enjoy the high spirited chatter and am fascinated by the artistry that goes into making a book by hand.

And just down the street from the bindery is the best bookstore in Oamaru. Slightly Foxed is full of old and new books, all looking for a new home. Since I have a penchant for owning too many books, I cannot go often.


It is the smell of books, the wonder of being carried around the world (and beyond!) without leaving my chair all combined with the wonder of a well crafted word that will drag me time and again into all of the bookstores I find.

Eggs in the sand

In 2007 I was able to go to Jordan on an archeological dig. While mucking about in the sand, our team came upon an egg buried about a foot under the soil. We were warned very sternly not to crack it open and then told it was of no significance for archeology as it was most likely someones breakfast from 10 or so years ago. The rights for our musical "The Ostricon and the Egg" are still pending.

And then we found a batch of snake eggs buried in the sand near a stone wall we were excavating. We were all quite happy that none of them hatched and were not tempted in any way to crack them open.

Well this week the streak of finding eggs in the sand continued. Whilst on a walk on the beach with a bunch of friends, one of our group found an egg half buried in the dune. Jacob was quite happy with his find and we all oohed and ogled at the right times.

And then we sternly admonished him to NOT crack the egg open.
Somewhere, on beach in Oamaru, there is a half buried egg still resting -uncracked- in the dunes.Jacob with his egg

Baked

Pumpkin soup is a huge staple in the diet of many Kiwi's and our house is no exception!

Delicious bowls of pumpkin soup abound and with a pumpkin sitting on our counter ready to be made into a culinary wonder, we found a huge pile of seeds left over.

What to do with that many seeds?

We baked 'em.

Want to join in the seed eating fun?

Get a pumpkin, scoop out the seeds and rinse off the pumpkin guts.
Heat your oven to 180 degrees (Celcius) and bake the seeds f0r about 20 minutes.
Add a touch of salt.

Enjoy!

Wanted for Murder

Elizabeth and I came home to the scene of a gruesome crime on Sunday afternoon.

As we entered the back door of our house we saw the evidence of a struggle all down the long hall way, in the bathroom and even the kitchen. The carpet was covered in evidence.

We are now on the hunt for a murderer who has been seen in and around the 2nd block of Fernbrook Rd.

We think he looks like this.

If you see this murderous creature, please warn the authorities.
It is noted that he has a penchant for killing small feather covered creatures.

Have stretchy cord, will jump off anything

The Kawarau Bridge near Queenstown NZ is a lovely bridge that used to be the main line for traffic travel up and down the central part of NZ. They still have a number of single lane bridges here, but this one is unique with cable construction and solid wood for pavement.

Now closed to vehicular traffic, it is home to one of most fascinating rituals, in which humans will lash themselves to a huge stretchy cable and launch themselves off of this bridge, into the gaping gully below, all for the low, low price of $160 NZD.

See the tiny dingy at the bottom right? The tiny little yellow blob? Yeah, that's where they get your evicerated body after you hurtle through space, into oblivion, or sometimes the water, at the bottom.

And because kiwi's have a great sense of the strange, these are the toilet signs in the visitor center. Puts a whole new spin on bungy wouldn't you say?

The Remarkables

Mountains. Very remarkable mountains.

Skiing included:) Some payment required.