And Back to the States I Go...

Tomorrow, I leave New Zealand and make my way back to the States... and like I have said on numerous occasions and frequently in blog posts, leaving is extremely bittersweet. 

I'll of course miss the remarkable scenery and the beauty of the country.  I'll miss some of the incredible food they have here (Steak pies, custard twists, DELICIOUS coffee, and Indian takeaways).  I'll miss going into the Rechurch office every week. But really, the things I will miss most about this place are the people... isn't that the case most of the time, though?


I have made some incredible relationships with the most beautiful people here.  I am truly convinced that Kiwis are some of the most friendly and hospitable people on earth.  I look back to January when I first arrived and I am just blown away by all the people I have had the opportunity to share life with - people who welcomed me from day one and were eager to expose me to Kiwi culture.  They loved me from the start without really knowing me... and after six months of living life together, we love each other even more.  The Rechurch community is something that I will always remember - the devoted individuals that attended every week, the younger singles and skeptics that were testing the water, the mums and their kids that came to Sunday school, and of course, the Rechurch staff.  I knew I was going to meet people and make friends, I mean HELLO, I was the community outreach and family ministries intern, but I had no idea how strong those bonds would become.  It's even more of a shame, because I feel like over the past couple of months I have bonded even more with people that it's so sad that we are already parting ways... so so short.  I have loved being able to go out in the community and get involved - whether that included earthquake relief, attending pub quiz every Tuesday, walking around and doing cultural observations (that sometime forced me to talk to people), traveling around most of the South Island, or even working out/going to Zumba.  I have met people in the most unusual and spectacular ways.

I have been continuously blown away by the ways God has been working in the hearts of the people here.  I have been witness to hard hearts softened, gang members turning their lives around, broken families restored, broken people healed, and people really starting to open up to the gospel.  I have seen growth and honesty and love.  I have been able to be a part of a real community that loves and cares for one another for exactly who they are, no strings attached.  It's just unbelievable to look back at the past six months and remember all that God has done for people here.  It's easy to look at all the negative things and think back to the times of suffering, but honestly, I can't help but praise and offer worship up to the LORD for all the amazing things he's done in CHCH.  How lucky and blessed I have been to be a part of his plan for this incredible city.

Don't get me wrong, I am REALLY looking forward to going back to the States... I mean, I get to see my family, friends, and start a new job!  There are SO many good things waiting in Chicago and Omaha and I can't wait to experience them.  Not to mention, one of my best friends is getting married the week after I return.  I think having such incredible things to go back to right away makes leaving a little more bearable.  Just like New Zealand, the reason I love the States so much is the people. 

(But really, if all my family and best friends could come to New Zealand and live with me, I think that would be perfect... I mean, have you LOOKED at any of my pictures? Stunning.)

I just need to keep remembering that God will be using me wherever I go and that it doesn't matter where I am, as long as I am loving the people in that community, building relationships, and giving him the glory and praise in whatever I do and on my journey to be more like His Son. 

I can say with assurance that I will never ever EVER forget my time here in New Zealand, the beauty of the land, the people who changed me for the better, and the incredible ways that God moved and revealed Himself.

Here is a list of some of my favorite things in New Zealand and some of my favorite memories from my six months living in Christchurch:

- Traveling around the South Island and being able to see and do so many beautiful things (Hurray for Bungy jumping!)-  The Rechurch staff - incredible people
-  Ethan being my own personal alarm clock in the morning
-  Reading heaps of books and discussing them with Amy
-  Resound (kid's music class) and all it's hilarity... not to mention frequently making a fool out of myself because I was the only one there without a baby...
-  Having afternoon tea with Yo while Ethan took a nap - awesome girl talk
-  Being a part of two vastly different, but both amazing, Bible Studies-  Sunday night dinners and team time with the Rechurch staff which always ended in either an extremely competitive game or an awkward comment by Nate
-  Making meals for the Student Army after the 22/2 EQ and delivering meals around the Aranui community
- Going whale watching in Kaikoura with my host family
- Seeing 'Harry Potter' before the rest of the world (I love the international date line)
- Watching my friend Ange play ice hockey on Monday nights
- Zumba every week with my neighbor, Carrie
- Running my first 10k
- Being taught the rules of rugby by Samoan Maori guys and in return, explaining them weird things about American culture, like Judge Judy and Twinkies
-  Learning how to drive on the opposite side of the road
- Having the opportunity to ride the bus every day to work
-  Surviving an earthquake
- Teaching kiwis how to play ultimate frisbee
- Going to ridiculous themed parties
- Weekly pub quiz on Tuesdays at the Fox & Ferret... which we NEVER won... shoot
-  Learning the 'Hoedown Throwdown' with the rest of the Rechurch team
- Weird movie nights with Neil and Yo
- Learning the metric system and Kiwi slang... I love Kiwi culture
- Teaching my Thursday night Bible study how to play Telephone pictionary and Mafia.  Hilarious
- Meeting some of my favorite women for fortnightly coffee
- The Naked Baker... probably one of the BEST bakeries in CHCH
- Seeing a Haka performed
- Cricket... kidding, I hate cricket. Wicked boring.

There are just so many memories that I am going to take away from my experience here in New Zealand.  I am so incredibly thankful that I had this opportunity...

I'll be back, that's for sure.

Last Full Day in the Office.

SAD.

Things I will miss about the Rechurch office:

1. Drinking really good coffee with Amy.

2. Nate's ridiculous comments about bowel movements and his impeccable timing with creating and recognizing awkward moments.

3. Having to wear more layers to keep warm INSIDE than outside.

4. Taking naps on the couches during my lunch break.

5. The beautiful Mac desktop computer.

6. Making kids lessons and props for music class.

7. Being yelled at by Joe if I leave his office door open too long and let all the heat out.

8. My super comfortable bright red chair.  I love red.

9. The monster, hormonal printer that only prints, scans, and copies when it feels like it.

10. The endless supply of post-its.

11. All the little tasks that all the staff members ask me to do... like putting stamps on things, stapling, cutting up paper, calling people I have never met... the list goes on... They always feel bad, but I love doing it all.

So many memories...

Kiwi. Sheep.

It's cold here.  Real cold.

I decided to take a walk... and as I did this, I passed by an artisan market.  I love art and I love markets.  Double whammy, helllloooooo.

As I was wandering through the market, I found myself stumbling across the homemade wool hats and scarves.  I probably have enough scarves and hats to last me a lifetime, but I could not resist the merino wool these were made out of.  As I was searching through the boxes of handmade goods, I stumbled across a beauty... a merino wool reversible headband.  One side, kiwis.  The other side, sheep.  SO NEW ZEALAND.  I had to buy it.  Not to mention, it was one of the cheapest things I have purchased here and it is worth every penny.

Long live the reversible kiwi/sheep headband.

Luggage

Last night was my last casual Bible Study.

Joe and I have basically been team-leading this particular group since the end of March/beginning of April.  It's been a great way for me to meet individuals new to faith, just exploring Rechurch, and those who want to gain a better understanding of what Christianity is all about.  I have met some incredible people with some really beneficial things to say and relevant questions to ask.  It's been encouraging to see people grow and flourish... not because of the Bible Study in and of itself, but because of the Holy Spirit working in their hearts.  We are just there to provide an environment open to questions and discussions without passing judgment and He does the rest of the work.  I must say that I am glad and relieved I am not responsible for changing hearts.


For our last small group, we watched the nooma video "Luggage" and talked about forgiveness and how the wounds of our past influence and impact our future.  So good for me to continue reflecting on this topic... And SO thankful for Rob Bell's wisdom when he made the statement that we should always forgive and never say "Yeah, I don't forgive them", because what if God said that about us?  Yeah, we'd pretty much all be screwed.  Just one more reason I am so thankful for Jesus.

Our group was smaller in numbers than it usually is, but our conversations were really good.  I feel like people shared more openly the wounds of their past than they have before - including myself.  I am so excited to hear about future meetings from Joe and my friends in the group.  I am really hoping that people continue finding a strong community in the group and become eager to know more.

EVERYBODY HAS TO LEAVE, EVERYBODY HAS TO LEAVE THEIR HOME AND COME BACK SO THEY CAN LOVE IT AGAIN FOR ALL NEW REASONS.

-- Donald Miller, "Through Painted Deserts" --

Arithmetic

     Today, I've spent the morning contemplating God's love - How simple of a concept it is, yet so complex that I'll never comprehend it.  How undeserving I am of His love and affection.  How I fail to give Him glory and simultaneously work way too hard on giving myself and my accomplishments glory.  How everyday, God is singing us a love song and yet we neglect and ignore it.  How He is the only one that knows the deepest realms of our hearts and loves us still.  He's madly in love with me and is the only one that can love me completely... yet some days, for some reason, it's not enough.  

Everyday, I want to wake up and listen to the love song God is singing to me in hopes that I can get some notes right and sing them right back to him.  Thank goodness for Jesus.

"Arithmetic" 

Brooke Fraser

I've been staring at the sky tonight
Marvelling and passing time
Wondering what to do with daylight
Until I can make you mine
You are the one I want, you are the one I want

I've been thinking of changing my mind
It never stays the same for long
But of all the things I know for sure
You're the only certain one
You are the one I want, you are the one I want

I've been counting up all my wrongs
One sorry for each star
See I'd apologise my way to you
If the heavens stretched that far
You are the one I want, you are the one I want

[Chorus]
I won't find what I am looking for
If I only "see" by keeping score
'Cos I know now you are so much more than arithmetic

'Cos if I add, if I subtract
If I give it all, try to take some back
I've forgotten the freedom that comes from the fact
That you are the sum
So you are the one I want

When the years are showing on my face
And my strongest days are gone
When my heart and flesh depart this place
From a life that sung your song

You'll still be the one I want
You'll still be the one I want
You'll still be the one I want
You'll still be the one I want 

And the Relief Continues: Family Fun Packs

To help continue with earthquake relief, Rechurch has been organizing and putting together (thanks to some incredible volunteers this morning) family fun packs!

Earthquakes, because of the consistent presence of the shakes (as well as fear for more/bigger shakes to come), has had more of an emotional and mental impact on the Christchurch community.  Also, as earthquake-related stress is invading every single household around CHCH, there is more violence, sickness, depression, and even fear of leaving home than ever before.  Therefore, Rechurch had to assess the current situation of Cantabrians and came to the conclusion that relief should come in the form of something emotionally uplifting and relationally stimulating for families.

Amy, Joe, and I were searching for ways to reach out most effectively for families in our area and eventually came up with the idea of creating 220 family fun packs - bags filled with prizes, food, and other goods that could help a family host their own "family fun night". 

Inside each Rechurch bag includes: A bag of lollies (candy), a packet of biscuits (cookies), a pack of popcorn, a board game, a family-friendly movie, an UNO game deck, a set of family table talker cards, and a $30 voucher to Pizza Hut.  In 20 of the bags, we are going to include a "special prize", like a weekend getaway to Hanmer Springs or a voucher for ten-pin bowling with the family.  These 20 bags will be given away based on family nominations!  We contacted local radio stations and have advertised for people to nominate a deserving family and the 20 who receive the most nominations will get one of the special packs.

I honestly am really excited about these family fun packs.  As we were putting them together, I was a little jealous because I really wanted one - Ha!  As we explained what we are doing to the church and to strangers and friends around town, everyone has reacted positively to this plan.  Families just really need to be given the opportunity to relax and grow with each other and we are really hoping that these family fun packs provide a positive experience for them.

 

(Side note: Just imagine Amy and I going around the supermarket and getting 220 bags of lollies, 220 bags of popcorn, and 220 packs of biscuits... we had three trollies... it was an epic purchase to say the least.)

The Taylor Family

Hamish Taylor and his wife Molly (along with their two boys, Liam and Dillon) flew to the States today for their 2 and a half month furlough. 

Furlough is basically a period of time where missionaries and church plant leaders go to their "sending" country, visit all their supporters (individuals and churches), and give updates on their church plant in hope that their current supporters will continue to support them in the future.  This is extremely important since early church plants, including Rechurch, don't provide staff members with salaries.  Most finances are given from outside supporters and that's the money that Rechurch uses for all of their funding. Pretty big deal.

I know I only have a few more weeks left here, but it is going to be super weird not to have the Taylor's around.  I mean, Hamish is our head teaching pastor and Molly, although not an "official" staff member, is a huge contribution to the church from morning tea set-up to helping out in Sunday School.  Hamish was also one of my supervisors... I met with him fortnightly to discuss topics in the books he assigned me to read for my internship, he led one of the Bible Studies I attended, and we spent lots of time together debriefing and just talking about my internship experience as a whole.  He's been a really encouraging mentor to me and guide as I have just started to get a taste of what church planting is all about.  Not to mention, Molly and him have been extremely good to me as friends and fellow believers.  They let me live with them for two weeks (fee of charge by the way) after the February 22 earthquake.  They also let me use their showers when Neil and Yo's water was cut out for a week.  I also can't even begin to count the number of times they made me meals and drove me around when I needed a ride. 

They are two of the most generous and selfless people I have met and I have been so grateful to get to know this wonderful couple of the five months I was able to spend with them.  I am so thankful for their kind hearts and hospitality.  They will be dearly missed by Rechurch over the time they are gone... I just hope I get to meet up with them in the near future!

Poop. Literally... POOP.

Here's a fun little story to share with you all.

Since all of these ridiculous earthquake shenanigans started, things that were normal previous to the shakes are now goin' crazy.


Example:  Power.  You'd think this would be pretty consistent, but no.  I sleep with a torch (flashlight) next to me just in case, because t's been cutting out frequently. Pain in my butt.  And CHCH in the winter is COLD, so no heat? Also not fun.

The real focus of this post, however, is about the plumbing. 

Water mains break and the plumbing underneath the city in places has literally been exploding.  After the February 22 quake, we went to the bathroom outside (not kidding) for a few days until portaloos (portapotties) were delivered around the suburbs.  After a couple weeks, houses around CHCH were being administered chemical toilets.  Ours lasted for a good while... and then it broke and leaked all over the floor - YEAH, SICK.  Because of the plumbing and sewage that was leaking into water mains, we had to boil water for about two months. We were finally at the point where it was safe to drink the water and use the toilets regularly and then the June 13 quakes hit.  There was more water main damage and we were on boiled water alert once again. However, the council told us it was alright to use our toilets in the area I live... so naturally, we did.

Fast forward a week and a half...

It was in the middle of the night and I could hear Neil and Yo up and about and talking loud/making lots of noise.  I woke myself up a little bit more and could hear water and I noticed their voices were pretty frantic.  I walked out of my room to see what was up and all I smelled was sewage.  They were in the toilet and it was EXPLODING.  Not kidding.  Geyser of sewage out of the toilet.  I rushed to their aid and when we tried to close the lid, it just sprayed out the sides.  Poop... EVERYWHERE. All of the walls and all over us.  The same thing was happening in their toilet as well.  After a couple of minutes it stopped, but the nasty sewage water was everywhere.  It was one of the grossest things I have ever experienced.  And I think I scrubbed my skin raw in the shower to try and get rid of the stench.

It still smells so bad that when I have to pee, I literally do it in record time so I don't have to stay in there too long and smell it. 

Man... out. of. control.

Parachute

I absolutely love music.  It is one of the few things in my life I truly believe I could not live without.  I have a really diverse taste in music, too - I like most genres and give most music a good listen before I decide if I like it or not.

Right now, I am a pretty big fan of the band Parachute.  I enjoy the mellowness of most of their songs and I really appreciate their overall musicianship.  Not to mention, I think the lead singer is a babe.

Here is one of my favorite songs of theirs right now:

On Working Out

I really enjoy working out... I am just honestly not that great about doing it.

I would describe myself as the "Workout Flake".  I am the person that goes on a big workout kick for a couple months and then will stop going for a few weeks... and then start again... and then stop again... And then sign up for a class... but then I won't do anything else... I'm just not that consistent.  This is one of the things about myself that annoys me the MOST.  The worst thing about it? I have COMPLETE control over it... I'm just not consistently disciplined. And I also look for excuses on why I shouldn't go work out... It's really rainy, I'll slip or I don't have anyone to run with or I just don't have time to go to th gym today or I am so tired! Bad excuses... HORRIBLE.

Living in NZ doesn't help either. After three weeks here, I went to the gym that's right across from the office and signed up for a membership.  I was super excited to have a place to go work out in - especially convenient being right next to work... I didn't have an excuse NOT to go!  But then... wah wah wahhhh... the earthquake.  The whole mall (gym included) was munted (destroyed) and won't be open until September.  SUCKS FOR ME.

I figured I could still run outside... but until I signed up for my 10k, I wasn't THAT consistent with that... at MOST once or twice a week.  Once I signed up for my 10k, I was pretty golden for 6-7 weeks... but once the race was done? Oops.  Maybe I should just continuously sign up for 5k and 10k races so that I keep running...

Anyways, I was just thinking about how I need to go run this afternoon when I stumbled across this video (typical...). I think it's hilarious... hope you enjoy it too and get motivated to go have a good workout ;)

Getting A Wee Bit Old

These earthquakes... not gonna lie... I'm pretty over them.  The whole boiling water, having an emergency pack by your bed at night, getting woken up way too often, feeling dusty and dirty every time I go outside, and not being able to just take a bus with a normal schedule thing is getting a wee bit old.

As some of you probably know, last Monday, there were two more big shakes here in Christchurch.  The first one, a 5.5 magnitude, was at 1 pm and the second, a 6.3 magnitude (same as the February quake) was at 2:20 pm.  I was actually gone on holiday for both, which is such a bittersweet thing.  I know, silly, right?

SWEET because I didn't have to feel the big shakes... which are SO frightening.  This eliminated my personal anxiety and all the flashbacks I have to the February 22nd quake. 

BITTER because I still am impacted and influenced by the effects.  Beyond the physical implications of earthquake damage, it's just SO emotionally draining.  I hate having to watch people NOT handle the shakes well.  All I can do is listen and be present... and that's good and all... but I can only do so much.  I really have to leave it completely up to the Lord and trust that he is going to take care of His beloved's in every case/situation - emotionally and physically.  I hate being witness to a city so devastated by things completely out of their control.  I am trying to remain positive and light-hearted as the most positive people in my immediate environment struggle with what to do next...

Should we move?  

What about my family? 

I just can't handle it anymore. 

I am fearing for my life. 

The biggest thing I fear though is the liklihood of another big earthquake hitting Christchurch when I am not here.  At least if I were in CHCH I could be of assistance and help with relief work (which we are doing right now after these other quakes).  Once I am back in the States though, the opportunities to come back will be limited.  My heart will be broken because I can't be next to my loved ones here... knowing how much they are struggling and I can't be with them to share in both pain and hope for a restored city.  I will have to offer as much of myself as possible from a distance... which I hate thinking about.

I know... being of assistance from afar is better than not helping at all... but CHCH is my second home.  These are my family members.  Just.... struggling I guess.

Pray for the continued restoration of the city. Yes, it is in pretty horrendous physical condition, but I ask you to focus your prayers on the people of this city.  That hope is not abandoned.  That believers, guided completely by the power of the Holy Spirit, can be a light.  That ReChurch can continue to offer the support that people in the city need.  Pray that HEARTS are enriched by scriptures and trusting in how faithful the Lord is.  Pray that people find positive ways to relate to every situation.  Pray that families are united and not emotionally broken.  Pray that people would leave selfishness behind and aid their neighbors in any ways possible.

Thank you to everyone being such an encouragement and prayer partner to me as I have embarked on this adventure through "Quake City."

South Island Holiday

Last Wednesday, J.D., a guy I went to Creighton with, and I began our adventure around the South Island for holiday.  J.D. has been living and working on a golf course on the North Island since January.  Since he doesn't have much work during the winter months, he decided to do a bit of traveling.  As for myself, I wanted to travel before leaving this beautiful country, I just didn't want to go by myself and have to maneuver my way around alone... perfect opportunity for the two of us to connect and have an adventure together!  AND since neither one of us knew each other that well in Uni, it would be a good opportunity to formally meet and get to know the other better.

Here is a brief outline of our trip and what we did!

Day 1: Drove from Christchurch to Queenstown!  We basically took the scenic route through Linnis Pass and stopped in a couple small towns to get petrol and grab some food at cute little cafes.  Driving through the Canterbury plains doesn't look like much, but as soon as you start driving through the middle of the country, you start seeing more dryer mountain terrain.  Really pretty and nice colors around this time of year.   Once we arrived in Queenstown, we basically just parked the car and walked around the town square.  It's a really touristy town, so we just explored shops and sat down to relax and have a coffee before finding a hostel to stay in.  That night, we stayed in a hostel right outside the town square called Bungi Backpackers - I highly recommend this place to anyone staying in Queenstown.  Super affordable, private, and clean. J.D. and I both slept really well this night after a long day of driving.

Day 2: We got up nice and early, got breakfast and coffee, and headed to the A.J. Hackett Bungy office in Queenstown.  Yep... we were both headed to our first bungy jumps!  There are heaps of places around Queenstown people can bungy and do adventure sports, but both of us decided that if we were going to do a bungy jump at all (and pay for it), we might as well go big or go home.  Compared to the 35-43 meter jumps one could do around town, J.D. and I booked the Nevis Bungy Jump - a 134 meter jump out of a cable car in the middle of mountains and a valley.  8 second free fall.  Second biggest bungy jump in the whole world.  Was I nervous before jumping?  Nervous would be a huge understatement.  I was never planning to do a bungy jump EVER... but I did... and it wasone of the greatest experiences of my life.  I don't even know how to fully describe the feeling of free falling toward the ground, but it is beyond exhilarating.  I was seriously speechless for a good 20 minutes after the jump.  INCREDIBLE.  I would recommend this to EVERYONE.  That afternoon, we walked around Queenstown some more and then took the Skyline Gondola up the mountain and did the luge track.  Really chilly and cold up on that mountain, but the luge was so much fun - plus, the view was worth every penny!  This night, J.D. and I left Queenstown and drove to our next destination Te Anau.

Day 3:  Left our hostel early in the morning to meet up in downtown Te Anau with our tour group/bus that was going to take us to Milford Sound!  Turns out, not very many people want to travel to Milford Sound in the off season... there were only four of us (plus the bus driver) on the bus.  J.D., a cute Irish couple, and myself.  It was kind of awesome though... had some good chats and got to stop heaps along the way, seeing lots of beautiful landscapes and sites through Fiordland National Park.  We even got to drink glacier water from a stream... probably some of the best water I have ever tasted.  Once we got to Milford Sound, we got on the boat, had lunch, and just enjoyed the rest of the afternoon exploring the beautiful fiord.  This is definitely one of the most beautiful places I have ever been.  Massive mountains just coming right out of the clear water with cascading waterfalls everywhere.  Better in person than I ever could have pictured in my head.  We headed back to Te Anau this evening and just walked around town a little bit.  This night, J.D. and I went on a tour of the Glowworm caves - super interesting even though we had the WEIRDEST tour guide ever who yelled at the two of us for talking too loud and too much and disturbing the glowworms.  Big surprise there... not.


Day 4: Left Te Anau and drove south to Invercargill.  This part of our trip was spontaneous and not planned at all... we just figured if we are traveling, we should see it all.  The south is a lot of farmland and rolling hills... really really beautiful even though there wasn't much to do!  Stopped for lunch in Invercargill and then we drove to Bluff, the southernmost city of mainland NZ.  We continued east and drove along the Catlins Coast to see some spectacular ocean views, including Nugget Point.  We ended our day in Dunedin on the east coast where we stayed with some incredibly gracious and hospitable friends of mine - Thanks David and Phillipa!

Day 5: Went to Tunnel Beach off coast in Dunedin, explored downtown Dunedin a bit, and climbed Baldwin Street, the steepest street in the world!  J.S. was a jerk though and made me walk all the way up the hill while he drove it.  Loser... kidding... but not really.  That afternoon, we decided to make a big move and drive all the way to Wanaka, which is not far from Queenstown.  Once we arrived in Wanaka, we drove straight to Puzzle World... WHICH IS AWESOME.  I love puzzles and mazes, so I thought this places was great.  They had illusion rooms filled with puzzles and other crazy mind blowing things... kind of cheesy, but good fun.  Htowever, the coolest thing about this place was the giant maze/labyrinth in the courtyard.  Once you entered the maze, you were challenged to find the four corner towers and they estimated it would take between 30 minutes and an hour.  Apparently it is only about 1.5k to get through, but most people walk anywhere between 3 and 5k.  It took J.D. and I over an hour to complete the task/maze and I am guessing I ran (yes, RAN) about 7k.  We thought it was going to be some simple, light-hearted maze, but oh no, this was the maze of death.  What started as a little competition and race between him and I turned out to be a race for our freedom since there was no way to leave except to get back to the start of the race... which proved to be much more difficult than we both anticipated.  As tiring and confusing as it was, it was still heaps of fun.  This night, we bought our dinner at the grocery store, watched the sunset at Lake Wanaka, and headed to our next hostel.

Day 6:  We hiked up Roy's Peak in Wanaka near the Diamond Lakes.  Afterward, we continued our journey west toward Haast.  We had heaps of time on our hands, so we stopped a lot at different points a long the way, like the Blue Pools and various waterfalls.  It was fun going on a lot of little hikes and walks throughout the day and exploring the vast, mossy, green temperate rainforests of the West Coast.  We were going to stop in Haast for the night, but when we SAW Haast, we laughed and decided to move on.  we were expecting a bigger village with heaps of interesting things to do... Nope... not at all.  We drove through it and it took less than 30 seconds.  No joke.  We ended up further up the west coast in Franz Josef for the night.

Day 7:  Hiked to the Franz Josef glacier this morning!  We had the option of hiking ON the glacier itself... for $125... so we skipped and just decided to hike to it.  When I come back to NZ, I would love to hike on it, but it was still gorgeous and super cool from what we got to see.  This afternoon, we decided to make our way back to Christchurch... which meant another long day of driving.  We got to see some incredible things along the way back.  The west coast beaches, mountainous landscapes, Knight's Point, Aurthur's Pass (where we met some very eager Kea birds), and Castle Hill.  Castle Hill is probably my second favorite spot in New Zealand now.  Later this evening, we finally made it back to CHCH exhausted but thankful for a busy and event-filled holiday week!

It was so great being able to travel around and see so much of the country.  I have basically seen 85% of the South Island and I am just blown away by how beautiful it all is.  You really can see every type of terrain here... Mountains, rain forests, beaches, snow-capped mountains, rural farmland, dry deserts, etc... it's just unbelievable.  I can't wait to come back, see everything else, spend significant time on the North Island, and get to do a lot of the adventurous, outdoors stuff I didn't get to this time around (Ski in the mountains, paraglide, skydive, hike Franz Josef) and probably bungy again, ha ha!

An Exciting Week Full of Firsts!

This past week was very very exciting!  For the first time in ages, HEAPS has happened and kept me on my toes!  Here is what I have been up to:

1.  I got a job!  This for REAL - unlike my April Fool's joke.  Two Fridays ago, I had my first EVER screening teaching interview with an elementary school principal in Papillion, Nebraska.  This phone call was basically answering questions about my teaching philosophies.  45-minutes after that interview, she emailed me and told me she would like to have a "personal" interview (over Skype) with me.  So last Wednesday, I got all dressed up, and had an interview with her, another principal, and the current art teacher from one of the schools I would be working at.  I had never had a personal interview before, so I was pretty nervous... I felt a little bit better after I made them all laugh a couple times though ;)  45-minutes after THAT interview, they emailed me and told me that although they couldn't give me the official offer, they were recommending me to HR for that position.  The next day, I got the official job offer... which I GLADLY accepted.  Starting in early August, I will be the elementary (K-6) art teacher at three different elementary schools in Papillion-La Vista Schools.  I am SO excited... nervous as, but excited nonetheless.  I am so thankful for this job and having something lined up for when I return from New Zealand.  Praise the LORD! My FIRST big girl job... WHOOO!

2.  I ran a 10K!  This was my first race ever - how AWESOME to be able to run it in New Zealand, too!  It was a really fun run... good distance, great crowd, heaps of runners.  ReChurch even had a water tent at the 3K marker, so it was fun being encouraged and cheered for by my church family!  I didn't have a goal time in mind, I just really wanted to finish it without stopping/walking.  I ended up finishing in 1:01:08... Not too shabby if I do say so myself.  It was the fastest time I had ever run this distance, so I am pretty pleased.  Except, since I was so close to one-hour flat, I am definitely going to run and train so I can beat one hour.  I will. I will.

3.  I saw my first sunrise and sunset in one day... not any old sunrise and sunset though... I watched the sun rise in Christchurch (east coast) and then a caravan of us drove through the southern alps and watched the sun set in Punakaiki (west coast).  Such an incredible opportunity.  Even though it was quite rainy and dreary, it was still beautiful and I got to see some great sites along the way!  I was able to see the famous "pancake rocks" and blowholes on the western shores.  Man, God created such a beautiful country.

The next week will be filled with all sorts of 'firsts' as well, so make sure you check back next Wednesday.  I am going on a Southern Island adventure with a guy I went to Creighton with.  We have all sorts of crazy as things planned... just you wait for THOSE updates :)

Love you all.

Laundry Day.

Kiwis don't own laundry dryers... Well, a couple do, but about 90% of people don't.  I didn't realize this until after I arrived here when Yo and Neil were showing me around their house and how to do different things.  They have washing machines (thankfully...), but yeah, no dryers.  I've been without dryers before... pretty much go anywhere outside the U.S. and dryers are just not a way of life.  But for 6 months?  This has been a new experience.


When I first got here and did my washing, I absolutely LOVED drying my clothes on the line.  First of all, laundry is my favorite chore anyways, so hanging laundry on the outside clothesline was super therapeutic for me.  And it was blazing hot for the first month, so my clothes would always dry super fast.  The only downside to line drying is the fact that my American clothing was definitely not made for it... a lot of my stuff is pretty stretched out now and I will probably have to get rid of things before I leave.  Besides that though, it was super easy just to hang clothes out and let them dry when I had a free afternoon.

Four months in and I am kind of over it. It's a normal part of life now, but since it is flippin' cold out, everything takes FOREVER to dry.  Why? Well, it basically rains everyday so I have had to leave my clothes out to dry on clothing horses throughout the house.  Laundry isn't just an afternoon thing every week or two anymore... It's a necessity to do your washing at LEAST once a week since it takes about two days for your clothes to fully dry.  If I don't keep up, I'll run out of things to wear (who knew THAT was possible)... Not to mention, Ethan goes around and takes my laundry off the clothing horses... and NOT the items I would like him to personally be carrying around the house.

Must admit that I am excited to go back to the states and have dryers.

Redefining 'Normal'.

I have been living and working in New Zealand for over four months now.  I am well past the point of feeling uncomfortable or uneasy.  And I am way past the honeymoon stage.  Honestly, as flexible and adaptable of a person I am, I am surprised about how fast I have truly settled in here.

Currently, I am at the point in my 'Kiwi Adventure' where things are... normal.  The language. The food. The earthquakes.  The wildlife.  The people.  It's all been so ingrained in my daily life since day one, that now I honestly don't remember what certain things are like back at home.  Actually, maybe 'normal' isn't the right word.  How I feel about my time in NZ and what stage I am in is so much more emotional than the vibe that the word 'normal' gives off... maybe I should say: My heart is in New Zealand.

 

I have heard people say this on numerous occasions about the different places they've been to.  When someone comes back from a mission/service trip, an incredible vacation, or a really great experience abroad, I often hear, "My heart's in __________."  To be honest, I have said this before... but I really didn't know what it meant.  I am still trying to figure it out.

I've spent the past four months DIGGING into realms of my own heart I didn't even know existed.  Confronting past sins that I've purposefully tried forgetting.  I have come to face, overcome, and even fall to challenges against me.  Never before in my life have I experienced so much joy, loneliness, happiness, confusion, doubt, confidence, fear, sadness, humility, humor, acceptance, love, passion, and most of all grace.  Just listing all of those things makes me exhausted.  My experience here so far has been more than good.  More than positive.  More than an opportunity to work and live abroad... It has sucked.  It's brought me to tears more times than I would like to admit.  It's been stressful and difficult... and I wouldn't have it any other way.  I've fallen in love.

 

I am not just talking about enjoying my time and wanting to come back one day.  I am talking about LOVE.  I am not saying that I hope I will be back... I will be back.   I will be absolutely heart-broken when I leave.  Not just because I experienced so many unexplainable emotional highs here, but because I've hit bottom here.  Through the brokenness of the city, the brokenness of the people, the brokenness of my own soul, God has open my eyes to see how beautiful He is.  

 

My experience in New Zealand has been a death to myself like I have never imagined.  That's what I see as love.  Death to oneself.   It's not just enjoying the times that make you feel comfortable and at ease.  It's not even enjoying those trials you experienced because you learned so much about yourself and grew because of them.  It's actually not about you at all.  It's about the other.  

 

I can't wait to go home and see my family and friends.  My heart is not bound to one place... I feel more free to love now no matter where I am.  Love the country because God loves the country.  Love the people because God loves them.  And even though I have fallen madly in love with New Zealand and will be so so sad to leave, I need to remember that God loves NZ more than I ever could and ever will and He is with these people.  He is healing the broken. He is the source of all the joy. He is the creator and sustainer of the abundant beauty.  No one is more joyful and brokenhearted over the world than God... no one is more in love with any nation, people group, or person than God.

 

This new 'normal' for me... this love... it's not going to fade.  The death to myself must continue.  Even when things seem monotonous and stereotypically "normal", I must remember that my new normal is a changed heart full of love and trusting of how loving our God is.  My new normal is longing to have a heart like God's... a heart that both weeps and rejoices with creation.

|| This song has nothing really to do with this blog post... Whenever I am in a uber emotional state, I just need a really good healing song with some great lyrics.  This is the one I chose for tonight.  I hope you enjoy. ||

Amurrrrrrca.

Ethan Says the Darndest Things.

When I was doing my student teaching, I was so good about recording all the hilarious things that my students did.  Now that I am away from the classroom, I may not have heaps of stories about my students (even though I have a couple funny ones from Sunday school)... BUT I DO live with a three year old, so that makes up for it...

Introducing, 'Ethan Says (And Does) the Darndest Things':

• At breakfast one morning, Ethan just looks and me and says with a straight face, "Muggle."
• "Beth, you're so silly!" He pretty much says this to me when I am acting 100% normal... for example: when I am just sitting, when I am reading, when I am doing the dishes, when I am making a cup of tea, etc.  He never actually tells this to me when I am actually being silly or goofy.
• "I am going to see my mum, because she's a lovely girl..." "Oh, you think your mum's a lovely girl?" "Yes, because she has breasts and wears lots of skirts..."
• "Do you know what I do before I go to bed? I jump on my bed.  I jump up and see God."
• Even though Ethan is toilet trained, you still definitely have to watch him when he goes to the bathroom, because he'll unroll an entire roll of toilet paper and put it in the toilet.  I think he's gone through about 15 rolls because of this issue alone.
• "I want to pray for Jesus and for tele (television)..."
• My mom sent Ethan a package of play-doh in the mail... when I gave it to him and after he opened it, he screamed his head off yelling, "I love Beth's Mum! AHHHHH!"
• When I walked out of my room wearing a dress, "Wow, you look really pretty!" So cute... he better keep this up when he's older!
• "What are you doing?" His go-to question for EVERYTHING.  And he won't just ask once, he asks it at least 3 times in a row.  I guess he just wants to make sure he's included in everything.
• I was trying to teach him how to play soccer, but he would just chase after the ball, pick it up, and run around holding it above his head.
• Ethan and I play with play-doh a lot when I get home from work early in the afternoons.  He'll often look at my little sculptures and ask what they are.  After I tell him, most of the time he scrunches up his face and says, "Uh... it looks weird."
• "Beth? Hold my hand please. God wants you to."
• He loves seeing pictures of himself, so whenever I take a picture of him with my camera, he quickly says, "Can I see Ethan?"
• One time, he farted super loud at the dinner table, turned and looked at me and said, "Beth!"  How is he already learning how to blame farts on other people?!
• "Are you going to eat your vegetables all up, Beth? You will grow up big and strong."  Sometimes I don't think he realizes that I am a full-grown adult who hasn't grown an inch since I was 15.
• He's walked in on me three times changing and/or showering.  I have tried explaining to him that when the door is closed, he should knock and wait till I say, "come in"... hasn't worked yet.
• "DUDE.  My tummy wants some pancakes... PANCAKES!"
• I was wearing a V-neck t-shirt the other day and I was helping Ethan change into his jim jams (pajamas).  I was leaning over trying to help him get his feet in and he literally stuck his hand down my shirt and said, "You have breasts like mummy!"
• One day, I walked out of my room and he was just standing outside my door... but then I looked down and saw that he was wearing my shoes.  I laughed and asked him what he was doing with my shoes on.  He said, "I'm being Beth!" and proceeded to strut out into the lounge.  
• When we were at a park, he would only eat his lunch if we pretended he was an animal... so naturally, we fed him out of the palms of our hands.  Cool kid.

I am sure there have been a lot more moments of Ethan silliness, but that's all I can remember right now.  I love living with little kids... it makes me feel a lot better knowing that there are people out there who have worse mouth-brain filters than me... even if they are twenty years younger...

Poetic Slam Dunk

I have been trying to be more intentional about reading more articles and blogs by pastors and theologians. I have been trying to push myself to learn more and always be seeking.  I have come to realize that the minute I run out of questions and start doing all the answering is the minute I need to reevaluate what I am actually believing.

Anyways, today, when I was having a nosy around the 'Art' section of MArs Hill pastor Mark Driscoll's blog, I came across this piece of Slam poetry about 'Singleness'.  I know I have posted on this topic before, so I won't go into it again.  But, if you are interested, you should have a listen.  This poem is mad awesome and she has a serious heart for God.

'Singleness' Slam Poem

Agape.

My friend Kristin Fitzgerald sent this to me today in a message... what a great reminder (and great friend)!  And it's one of my favorite words... BONUS.

Let the agape fill your soul.

|| Agape is disinterested love... Agape does not begin by discriminating between worthy and unworthy people, or any qualities people possess. It begins by loving others for their sakes... Therefore, agape makes no distinction between friend and enemy; it is directed toward both. ||

Martin Luther King, Jr

Justin McRoberts: Judgement Day

Lucky for me and the rest of New Zealand, we were apparently supposed to be the first to experience the beginning of the end... a rapture that would take all believers to Heaven along with a giant earthquake that would set the stage the world's last five months of torture and torment for non-Christians around the globe.  Well Harold Camping, sorry to say that there were no major earthquakes for New Zealand today... or any other country around the world... oh shoot, except for Iceland... poor Iceland.  And on further note, there was a full house at church this morning.  So, either none of us here made the cut, or it was NOT Judgment day. I am going for the latter.

Since I first heard about Camping's theories soon after I first arrived in New Zealand, I just thought to myself... "What? Nutter."  I mean, for thousands of years, people have been trying to predict the end of the world.  And guess what people?... NO ONE HAS BEEN RIGHT YET.  And I don't think anyone will ever be right.  Honestly, I don't get the fascination with it why people want to know when "the end" is so badly.  In my opinion, it shouldn't make a difference when it is.  Shouldn't we essentially be living like every day is kind of our last?  Shouldn't we be putting our heart and soul into everything we do?  Shouldn't we be joyous with how we are living our lives and where we are investing our time and our efforts?  I would really like to think that at the end of the day, I'd be alright with the end.

I feel like I have been talking about this whole rapture nonsense for the past week straight here.  I have had more theological discussion about the end times within three days than I think I've had in my entire life.  Without being overly scriptural or theological at the moment, let me just say that I don't think humans will ever get the date of the end times correct.  God's not that predictable.

Justin McRoberts, one of my favorite musicians, wrote a really good blog post about 'Judgment Day' and I think you should take a nosy.  Let me know what you think. 

Justin McRoberts: 'Judgment Day'

Cheers for now!

The Realm of the Real

I have been reading "My Utmost for His Highest" for the past two and a half years, approximately.  This daily devotional by theologian Oswald Chambers had often provided me with more than just food for thought.  This man just had a way of effectively connecting Biblical truths and scripture to the human perspective.  His daily writings are more than tools to simply get people to 'think more', but really try to push believers to actively engage with the Word of God and live the truth of the scriptures to the fullest.  It is a push for us to give all glory to Him.


Here is today's passage that I really really enjoyed:

The Realm of the Real

"In your patience posses ye your souls."
Luke 21:19

When a man is born again, there is not the same robustness in his thinking or reasoning for a time as formerly.  We have to make an expression of the new life, to form the mind of Christ.  "Acquire your soul with patience." Many of us prefer to stay at the threshold of the Christian life instead of going on to construct a soul in accordance to the new life God has put within.  We fail because we are ignorant of the way we are made, we put things down to the devil instead of our own disciplined natures.  Think what we can be when we are roused!

 There are certain things we must not pray about - moods, for instance.  Moods never go by praying, moods go by kicking.  A mood nearly always has its seat in the physical condition, not in the moral.  It is a continual effort not to listen to the moods which arise from a physical condition; never submit to them for a second.  We have to take ourselves by the scruff of the next and shake ourselves, and we will find that we can do what we said we could not.  The curse with most of us is that we WON'T.  The Christian life is one of incarnate spiritual pluck.

 

I'm not too concerned with what I am going to do... I am more interested in who I am becoming.  I want to be a lover of God and people.    || Shane Claiborne ||

I Waste Paper... :(

I have been wanting to print off all my blog posts for awhile now... I mean, I started back in 2007 and haven't saved anything.  My blog has been a record of my thoughts on heaps of different topics and I have kind of poured my heart out in a lot of different ways.  It's kind of my baby (I know, weird). But, Thanks to time constraints, my laziness, and unwillingness to pay that much money for tons of paper, I just haven't built up the energy to print anything off or record any of it.

However, when I woke up this morning, I had a change of heart... I had a dream last night, a dream that the internet completely crashed and EVERYTHING was lost.  I am talking no more email, no google, no facebook, NOTHING.  All the sites would have to be rebuilt from scratch.  Nothing was saved or kept in external files.  That meant that all my blog posts were kaput.  That would totally suck... especially since I am kind of a journal freak and this is one of my means of journalling/internal and emotional output..

Waking up and thinking about how horrible this scenario would be if it actually came true made me realize how much I really did feel the need to turn my blog into paper form.  So this morning at work - while the day was a bit slow - I printed... and printed some more... and printed some more...

Result?  My whole blog thus far.  I know, I realize that this is a waste of paper and I probably could have done something in a more environmentally friendly way... or realized that my dream was just a dream and the likelihood of anything like that happening in the future is slim, but now, I feel better... and I get to be creative and figure out a fun way to preserve it all into a 'blog journal'...

(Too bad I look like an old lady/librarian in this photo...)

Teaching Jobs.

This post is NOT an April Fool's joke... that would just be redundant.

I finally finished up a few teaching job applications and sent them into the districts!  I still have heaps more I need to fill out - I feel like most of my summer (eh, Winter here in NZ) is going to be job hunting and filling out applications... kinda sucky, but necessary.  It's also probably a really good thing tat I am looking all over the US, not just in one state/city/area.

It's all pretty surreal to think about, really.  I mean, I graduated almost 6 months ago... I finished my student teaching over one year ago... I don't know where the time is going, all I know is that it is going fast.

Please pray for me as I continue to fill out teaching applications.  Don't pray that I just get a job... pray for opportunities and that I embrace them.  Pray that I ultimately go where God is leading me.  Pray for effective communication while I am still living abroad.  Pray that if I do get offered a position, it will be the right one for me.

Thanks for continuing on this journey toward adulthood with me!

Cheers!

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY!

HEAPS of Love going out to all 

you mums out there...

ESPECIALLY MINE!

Kaikoura and Hanmer

This past weekend, my host family took me up to Kaikoura (about 2 hours N of CHCH) and Hanmer Springs (about 90 minutes NW of CHCH).  Even though I went away on holiday not too long ago, this was a really nice, short getaway with my family... especially since last time we were in Kaikoura, we were escaping the earthquake chaos.  Also, since we canceled our family trip to Queenstown/Arrowtown, I finally had the chance to have a good time away with them.  Honestly, I think it was really great for all of us.

Yolande's dad and step mom work in Kaikoura with the whale watch company - so not only were we able to get free accommodation and food while we were there, we got free tickets to go on the whale watch boat!  AWESOME.  I had never seen a whale before, so to say the least, I was stoked.  Yo, Ethan, Sally (Yo's step mom), and I set out on the whale watch Saturday morning, despite the rainy and foggy autumnal New Zealand weather. 

Apparently, Kaikoura is one of the prime locations for whales... why?  Well let me tell you... (I learned SO much on the boat and LOVED every second of it)  Not far off the coast is a huge underwater canyon.  It is 1,600 meters deep and 5,000 meters wide.  Pretty far out.  It is a prime location for deep sea creatures like sharks and giant squid (yes, they DO exist) and... WHALES.  Whales need lots of room to dive down and come back up... and need a bountiful source of food, of which the waters of NZ provide.  Kaikoura has seen orcas, sperm whales, humpback whales, blue whales, heaps of dolphins, seals, and albatross (GIANT BIRD).  I seriously fell in love with whales on this trip... so cool.

Within the first 30 minutes of our boat ride out to sea, we saw our first sperm whale - found by the water and air they blow into the air.  Our captain told us this was already a good start to our day, because normally on a two-hour tour, they may only see one or two whales.  You couldn't see much of the whale, just his back, but you could tell how large it was (around 18 meters).  The neatest thing was seeing him dive under and bring his tail out.  Apparently, a whale's tail is to a whale was a fingerprint is to a human.  Seriously, seeing this whale was better than I imagined.

Unfortunately, after the first sighting, Yo and Ethan were feeling a bit crook (sick)... Ethan even had a couple of nice vomit sessions... of which I had to step away from.  The sight of vomit doesn't bother me, but the smell does.  I decided to move to the other side of the boat for the remainder of the trip... just in case.  The rest of the day, we saw two more sperm whales, a seal, and a large herd of dusky dolphins that kept doing tricks and jumps out of the water.  We also saw heaps of large albatross... which honestly made me want to watch 'The Rescuers Down Under' every time I saw one.  I felt great the entire time and loved every minute of that tour.  I am so thankful for Vern and Sally being so generous and getting us onto the boats!  I would love to go out again on a nicer day!

The next day, we drove west to Hanmer Springs, a small alpine village in the mountains.  Although the weather was still super rainy, foggy, and cold, that made going into all the natural hot pools and springs that much more enjoyable.  It's such a cute little town... I imagine it being SPECTACULAR during the winter when the village is surrounded by snowy mountains.  We enjoyed tea (dinner) at a local Scottish pub and then made our way back to CHCH after that.

I loved getting away with Yo, Neil, and Ethan.  We all get along fairly well, but we are quite different from one another.  I feel like this trip was a good bonding time for us.  We joked around a lot, Ethan was much more affectionate to me than ever before, and we just shared continuous stories with each other about our pasts and lives.  Neil, a very reserved individual who I haven't spent that much time with and haven't been very close to, even called me Ethan's big sister.  I've had really incredible conversations with them over the past few months, but I think this trip was a milestone. I finally feel like a real part of the family...

And typical me, I brought my camera along for the trip, but realized I had left the camera battery at home.  A camera without the battery is no good.  Good thing I burned most of that experience deep in my brain.

Struggling

If you are a conscious human being living on earth, you know by now that Osama Bin Laden was killed the other night.  For the past day and a half, I have been reading articles, watching videos, and seeing countless facebook posts about this news... This is a lot of what I saw/read:

"GO USA!"

"YEAH! Osama's dead!"

"Thank goodness Osama got killed"

[[etc... take your pick... I am sure you've read them too.]]

Right away, I didn't know what to think.  Actually, that's a lie... I was pretty mad.  Then I had to stop and think... why was I mad?  Then I got sad.  Then I was mad again.  Then I was a little happy.  Then I was mad at myself for being happy.  Then I was mad AND sad.  Then I didn't know what to feel.

Then I started reading a plethora of posts about how God never rejoices in a man being condemned to Hell, and that we should never welcome a man's death with open arms, etc...  Again, I didn't know how I felt about it all. 

Being an American in New Zealand has automatically made me a target for questions about how I feel about Osama's death.  Unfortunately, a lot of Kiwis think that all Americans are like those they saw in the news singing "God Bless America" and chanting "USA! USA! USA!" at ground zero.  In most cases, I have tried to avoid it/not really talk about it.  But, here's what I will say and have said...

Not all Americans think that way.

I am upset by the extreme patriotism on the American end.

I think what happened on September 11, 2001 was absolutely horrendous.

I am all for social justice and peace.  

I think there is reason to rejoice and give glory to GOD when peace is restored after injustice.

I do NOT under any circumstance believe that Osama Bin Laden's actions can be or should be categorized as "Muslim actions" or that they were reflective of the Islamic faith.

I am not excusing any of Bin Laden's doings.

Bin Laden was NOT the source of evil.

I can never and will never rejoice in the death of a human being.

I believe in a JUST, LOVING, and GOOD God.

I am incredibly thankful that no one but God judges the dead.

I am not going to lie and say that there wasn't one small part of me that thought, "Well, the world will be a little better off without him here."  But then I disgusted myself... "I don't think that way and never want to think that way!!!"  I love when there is justice, but I do not see the death of ordinary men as justice or  justification for sin.  Jesus already did that.  If I believe in what the Bible says, which I do, then judging my sins alone, I am in just as bad as a position as Bin Laden was.  However, Jesus is the key here.  Do I believe Bin Laden is in heaven? No, I don't think so.  And I honestly think God is weeping for Osama... sad that he doesn't get to spend eternity with him.

I am not meaning to sound holier than thou.  I am not meaning to preach or counter attack all those who have posted their opinions on facebook.  But I do think that we need to be careful about how quickly we allow our immediate heart responses to be fleshed out on social media sites.  I think people, especially believers, should think more about the human condition and the heart of the LORD.

I think too many people rejoiced for the wrong reasons.

A couple things I saw/read today that I really enjoyed:  

"...Say to them, ‘As surely as I live, declares the Sovereign LORD, I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather that they turn from their ways and live'..." Ezekiel 33:11

"Returning hate for hate multiplies hate, adding deeper darkness to a night already devoid of stars. Darkness cannot drive out darkness: only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate: only love can do that." - Martin Luther King, Jr.

Prayer

A normal Tuesday night would include me going to Pub Quiz with my friends and just hanging out.  I love Tuesdays... I always look forward to them.  But due to a number of circumstances, no one could go to quiz tonight.  I was a little bummed and thought in my head, "Well, I guess I will just stay in an read or watch a movie."

After tea (dinner) with my host family - [I normally have tea at the pub during quiz] - Yolande asked me if I was keen on going to pray with her and Tina, another woman from the church who I have gotten to know fairly well.  For the past few years, Tina and Yolande (and a few others depending on the time of the year) have been meeting up every Tuesday night to pray at the beach.  When I first arrived here a few months ago, I asked Yo what they prayed for.  Her response: everything. 

I had never gone with Tina and Yo before, mainly because I placed more importance (and desire) on hanging out with my friends.  I wanted to go to quiz and hang out and have a beer.  I wanted to sit with them and chat about life.  I like sharing life with other young singles who dig similar things that I do... and despise Kings of Leon.  Tuesday nights are really important to me, relationally and ministry wise.  However, since no one was going to quiz, I figured that I would go pray with the ladies.  It beat staying in and doing absolutely nothing.

Tina picked Yo and I up at home and we drove to the beach.  We parked and sat in the car for awhile just chatting.  An then Tina initiated the time and began praying.  For 45 minutes, we sat in the car and just prayed.  When Yo said they prayed for everything, they weren't kidding.  Tina, then me, then Yo.  Everything on our hearts, how we were feeling, for ReChurch and the staff, for our families, for each other (including Yo praying that I will soon meet and fall in love with a godly man and get married... hilarious), for the United States right now, for the people still suffering from the earthquake, for the Tsunami victims, for God to move drastically in our hearts, for ministry opportunities, giving him thanks and praise for His blessings, etc... literally everything that was weighing on our hearts, we offered up to the Lord at that beach.  By no means was I expecting a "lame" prayer time with these ladies, but I was so refreshed when we ended.  It was so nice to just gather and pray about... well... LIFE. 

It's a good reminder that nothing is too small or too big to offer up to the Lord.  I don't have to keep anything bound in my mind or heart, because God wants to hear our cares and concerns... and even when we don't tell him outwardly, he still hears us and knows our hearts... So I figure, why NOT tell him, right?  But seriously, it was just such a genuinely good time sitting in that car just praying with those women.  I pray on my own and I pray with the staff, but I haven't prayed in that kind of setting in a long time.  I haven't just emptied my heart of everything in a long time.  Sometimes I get self-conscious of my prayers (I know that's silly, but it's part of my dumb approval idol) and I feel like somethings I am concerned about in life or thankful for are just small and not that significant to bring up in outward prayer.  I'll record them in my pryaer journal and leave them at that sometimes.  But not tonight... everything big and small was let out and it reminded me of how God cares about everything we are feeling and experiencing and thinking.  He desires for us to share life with him just as we desire to share life with other people. 

As much as I love quiz with my friends, I am so thankful I went to the beach tonight.

DUST

I help lead a casual Bible study on Wednesday nights with Joe, the the community outreach pastor. It's been a really neat opportunity for us, because we really do try to open it up to people who don't go to church at all.  Our basic goal is to have a good, genuine discussion about faith and God without people passing judgment on anyone else.  We try to make it an inviting and comfortable enough environment where people feel open to share exactly where they are at and how they feel about Christianity.  We don't quickly comment back if someone disagrees with us, but we try to continue inviting people back to continue discussing these important topics... really, Joe and I just want to love these people and do life with them.

Before the earthquake, we met at the local pub and opened it up to the average passerby, but since then, we've shifted to meeting in Joe's house.  It might not seem as open to "the public" as it was before, but this time around we've been having more people attend as the weeks progress, which is exciting... even if it is just to get a free dinner.  This time around, instead of necessarily gearing toward the average bar goer, we have been trying to reach out to the singles who have visited ReChurch once or twice before and also the members of Joe's rugby team - most of whom do not or never have been to church. It's really fun just being able to sit, eat, and yack with the guys from the rugby team and some of the younger women who have been showing up sporadically to ReChurch on Sunday mornings.

Every week, we watch a Nooma video (Rob Bell) and then go into the discussion packets along with each DVD.  These are especially good to use because they are mostly food for thought - they encourage discussion and thoughts about the Bible and about God.  They have become an effective and non-threatening ministry method for us.  Not to mention, the Samoan Kiwis think Rob Bell is hilariously geeky... which he is.  Hey, if you see something working, you keep going with it, right?

Tonight was a really good night for us.  We had 11 people there (contrasting the 5 we had on our first night two weeks ago) and had a really good discussion after watching the video 'Dust'.  I don't know if you have ever seen a nooma video, but I have watched all of them since I am the ones picking out the weekly video for our group, and I am appreciating them more every time I watch them.  I really like Rob Bell.  I think he makes the Bible so accessible to those who have never read it before.  I feel like he makes it very appealing and straight-forward.  I don't think he tries to complicate a lot of things like some pastors do.  But anyways, 'Dust' - great discussion tonight. 

This particular nooma video starts out asking why the small things we do for others in life make a bigger difference than we even realize... it expands to talk about the history of rabbis and disciples in the synagogues and how rabbis would only pick people to be their disciples if they had full confidence that they could take over their position one day.  These disciples had to be the 'best of the best.'  Bell then starts talking about how Jesus was walking along the beach and chose two fishermen to follow him and be his disciples.  Pretty far out since fishermen back then were NOT the best of the best... they would never have been chosen by the traditional Rabbis of the day because they wouldn't have studied the Torah as long.  Then Bell continues to expand on the disciple Peter, telling the story of when Peter walked on water to reach Jesus but then lost faith and began falling and sinking into the water.  Jesus grabs him and asks him why he had little faith.  Peter did not necessarily lose faith in Jesus, but lost faith in the fact that he could be a faithful follower and disciple of Christ.  He didn't believe he was good enough to follow Christ... but Christ doesn't care about that.  Despite our brokenness and our insecurities, Jesus ALWAYS chooses us.  We don't have to measure up to a certain standard, we don't have to be the best of the best for God to use us.  We don't have to act like we have it all together.  We just need to love God and follow His Son.

I enjoyed sharing an American perspective of this with the Samoans and Kiwis.  Explaining how the American culture thrives on competitiveness and being the best - being average is "just not good enough."  For Kiwis, it's much different.  It was almost refreshing for me to hear that because of this cultural difference, Jesus seems so much more appealing to the them. 

Please continue to pray for the small group.  That it would grow in numbers and that Joe and I would be effective leaders, speaking wisdom and giving all the glory to God.  Pray that we are humble and listen more than we talk.  I pray that Kiwis would continue to open up and share during this time.  I pray that our relationships with each other grow closer and closer over the next few months.  I pray that we each walk away feeling challenged and that no one feels afraid to ask a question or share their opinions.  Pray for respect and trust.  TA!

My New Favorite Song

All this pain
I wonder if I'll ever find my way
I wonder if my life could really change at all
All this earth
Could all that is lost ever be found
Could a garden come up from this ground at all

You make beautiful things
You make beautiful things out of the dust
You make beautiful things
You make beautiful things out of us

All around
Hope is springing up from this old ground
Out of chaos life is being found in You

You make beautiful things
You make beautiful things out of the dust

You make beautiful things
You make beautiful things out of us

You make beautiful things
You make beautiful things out of the dust
You make beautiful things
You make beautiful things out of us

You make me new, You are making me new
You make me new, You are making me new

You make beautiful things
You make beautiful things out of the dust
You make beautiful things
You make beautiful things out of us

Friday was SO Two Days Ago...

Happy Easter, all! 

I hope you are all having a great day celebrating such an important event with family and friends! 

The ReChurch staff and I were working on a little project for the past two or three weeks in preparation for the Easter Sunday service.  Now that we've officially aired it to the church members, it seems only appropriate to share it with the rest of the world... hope you enjoy :)

The Tastes of the Kiwi

As I mentioned in one of my first 'Kiwi' blog posts, food has been one of the biggest elements of culture shock I have experienced.  In all honesty, most days, it still is.  I never considered myself a picky eater before... There are really only four foods/condiments that I really do not like and find hard to eat:  Cheese, mayonnaise, butter, and any kind of pig product... minus bacon. I love bacon.  Anything else that is put in front of me, I pretty much eat without complaint or hesitation (yeah, I love eating).

Some of the food I have had here in NZ has been... interesting...  It has been surprisingly different than food in the states, which I was not quite expecting.  I figured everything would either be closely similar or possibly even healthier than food in the States.  Never assume, people, never assume ANYTHING.  Nonetheless, I have been trying to eat everything (or MOST everything) that my host family eats and what they would consider popular Kiwi meals.

So now that I am about halfway done with my internship, I decided it was time to share in my taste bud experiences with you from across the world...

Baked Beans on Toast
(Ingredients: Whole grain toast, butter, baked beans... TONS poured over the entire top...)
**This meal is a major breakfast staple here in NZ.  It's actually pretty decent once you take away at least SOME of the butter so it's not a thick layer like how I had it the first time.  I haven't been able to eat it for brekkie yet though... not something I am craving first thing in the morning.  But, I do have it about once a week for lunch though.  Simple and easy. 

I must also note that Kiwis pretty much love ANYTHING on toast... cheese on toast, marmite/vegemite on toast, nutella on toast, peanut butter on toast, tomato sauce on toast... my favorite? Avocado on toast with lemon pepper... sounds weird, I know, but so good.

Deviled Sausages
(Ingredients: Sliced Sausages, courgettes (zucchini), broccoli, carrot, some special kind of sauce sweet/savory sauce... it's all baked in a casserole dish and poured over rice)
**My host family eats this meal once a week for dinner.  It is one of Yo's favorites to make... AND Ethan loves it, which is important because he is becoming a pickier eater by the day.  Like I said earlier... NOT a pig product fan.  The first time I had it, I really could only eat a few of the sausages without feeling a little sick.  Now, although it's not my favorite meal, I can actually eat most of it now.

Roast Lamb with Savory Pumpkin and Parsnip
(Ingredients:  Lamb, pumpkin cuts, parsnip, carrots, broccoli, blue kumara (sweet potatoes) all roasted together)
** This is a meal prepared for me when I had my traditional Kiwi weekend... and it is DELICIOUS.  Apart from Kiwi's love for eating the fat off the lamb meat and bones.  Can't quite do that.  Not to mention, the autumnal vegetables that are roasted with the lamb are spectacular.


Ham Steak
(Ingredients:  some weird processed slices of ham... baked or fired in a pan and served with basically whatever else you want for dinner)
** Nope.  Don't like this at all.  Neil and Yo have it for dinner when they want something easy... I make sure I go out for dinner or get takeaways on these nights.


Fujoa 
(Ingredients:  FUJOA!)
** A Fujoa is simply a kind of fruit native to NZ.  They kind of look like skinnier kiwi fruit without the furry skin.  A lot of people think they taste weird, but I LOVE them.  I basically just slice one in half and eat the fruit out with a spoon.  A really great snack for afternoon tea.

Meat Pies
(Ingredients: Steak or mince (ground meat) and gravy inside a pastry pie shell.)
** THESE ARE SO GOOD.  This was my first kiwi meal I had with Hamish and Molly the day I landed in CHCH and I still love them so much.  Pretty much any bakery around town will have pies for sale... they are quick and easy.  Pies are the Kiwi equivalent to hotdogs or donuts in American gas stations.  Not only to they have pies in the gas stations here, but they sit in the little heated compartments in the food section.  They don't look that great, but they taste delicious.  I kind of 'pied' myself out the two weeks of EQ relief because I had around one a day because there was nothing else to eat... but nonetheless, they're delicious.


Pavlova
(Ingredients:  Butter, caster sugar, egg, egg whites, vanilla extract, strawberries, and kiwi fruit)
** Pavlova is a traditional dessert here in New Zealand.  It is basically just a big meringue with fruit put on top.  The meringue in the middle is still soft and fluffy... fluffed sugar essentially, but the meringue on the outside forms a hard shell when baked.  This is super super good... but I can only have about three spoonfuls before I get a stomach ache.  I love sweets, but this can be a little too much.


Milo
(Ingredients: Milo...?)
** This is Kiwi hot chocolate... except my understanding of hot chocolate was not prepared for this stuff.  The first time I made it for myself, I didn't realize that you needed to add milk and sugar... so basically, all I got was a hot cup of pure cocoa dissolved in hot water.  Not so delicious.  Now that I know how to properly make milo, I am still not a fan.  I miss swiss miss.


Marmite/Vegemite
(Ingredients:  Yeast and salt...?)
** Just like Men at Work say in the song 'Down Under'... "Gave me a vegemite sandwich..." Marmite and vegemite are salty yeast spreads put on sandwiches and on toast.  Kiwis LOVE them.  It has the consistency of super thick peanut butter but looks like molasses... or grease.  To me, it tastes like poop.  It's awful.  I heard a huge hype about this stuff before I arrived, and after trying it I will not eat it again.


Peas with Mint Sauce
**  I love peas and I love mint... not sure if I am the biggest fan of the combo, but it's pretty decent.

Fish and Chips
(Ingredients:  Battered and Fried white fish with potato wedges)
**  This is standard English takeaway food, something you would order on a Friday night when you just want to stay at home and vege out.  So so so good.  I don't like fast food too much, but this is spectacular.


Ham and Cole Slaw Sandwiches
(Ingredients:  Bread, butter, deli ham, cole slaw, mayonnaise)
** Did you even look at the ingredients?  What in your right mind makes you think I enjoy this food?  After the earthquake, my host family just made a bunch of these sandwiches so we would have some food with us... except both sides of the bread were buttered, both sides had mayo, and then the ham, and then the cole slaw... cabbage in mayonnaise sauce... Let's just say I took one bite and kind of lost my appetite.  I bought myself some peanut butter that afternoon.


TimTams
(Ingredients:  Chocolate Biscuits... TimTams...)
** Tim Tams are a brand of packaged biscuit (cookie) here in NZ.  They are so delicious.  TimTams are the NZ version of the Keebler cookies. Yummmmm.  So good dipped in coffee too.

I have been trying a lot of other things as well, but these are the main foods that stick out to me.  I love that people here are very into free range foods and buying organic.  I love going to the fruit and veggie store to get fresh produce.  Produce, although HEAPS more expensive than in the states, tastes so much better.  So does coffee.  And so is takeaways Indian food.

I have three more months to be training and experimenting with my tastebuds.  Anyone have any challenges for me?