kate cremisino

A Glimpse

2012-01-26T11:00:00.000+13:00

A big part of moving to a new country is the culture shock and all that this entails. There is so much to adjust to, get used to, etc. I thought it would be fun (even though we have now been here nearly 2 yrs!) to post some photos for my USA readers, of brands we use over here on a daily basis, that we have come to know as the new normal! Gives you a little glimpse...

Gorgeous Meal

2012-01-25T19:10:00.002+13:00

What a *delish* meal! Especially if you can get some of the ingredients fresh from your own garden! I got this recipe over at the food blog: Iowa Girl Eats. Here is the link for the Basil + Sun-dried Tomato Pesto Chicken Pasta dish she features.

I used regular pasta since we don't have the quinoa type of pasta that she features. Though this recipe is a bit involved, you can make it quite quick if you're good at multitasking. Specific need: food processor or good blender for the pesto. I am not a fan of balsamic vinegar, though I did include it to see how it tasted~ I think it's fine without if you aren't a fan either!

For a side, we have white bread with olive oil and herbs for dipping.

Bounty Blog

2012-01-20T14:20:00.002+13:00

I may have mentioned a few months ago that I was hired as a contract freelance writer for bounty.co.nz, a New Zealand pregnancy website. The blog is now up and running. Though some more technical glitches need to be worked out by the web people, it's up and accessible so I thought I'd share it with you.

If you go to the main link for the website, scroll down, blogs link is on middle right.
If you go straight to the blogs, this is the web address :http://bounty.co.nz/blog
At the moment it doesn't make it clear that there are two bloggers. Me, a "Mum-To-Be Blogger" and the other guy, a "Dad Blogger"... but this will be changed soon by the techies.

For now it might be easier to just click on my personal Author Page where it lists my posts!
Kate's Page

Editing Website

2012-01-17T22:57:00.002+13:00

GET READY!
I'll soon have a website advertising my editing + writing services. I know this news must be SOOOO exciting for you. YOU MUST BE JUMPING UP AND DOWN! Well, I am. So I will need people like YOU to send others my way for editing/writing... or Noah's way for art/graphic design/web design/building. WOO! WOO!

PS. This blog is NOT a good example of my editing as I do NOT spend time making everything accurate. I am laid back on social media.

2012-01-16T20:27:00.001+13:00

I've been thinking a lot about my blog. About what would make this blog more interesting; about what would draw in more readers. Which leads me to consider what my purpose is, in sharing, in writing on here. Do I just want to share for whomever reads? Do I want a focused blog? Do I care about readership? Do I want a more active, interactive blog?

The blogs I have been interested in the last year are very focused.
A food/cooking blog.
A missionary's blog.
A blog about "No-Spend 2011"/photo every day of recycled/remade clothing, etc.
A mommy blog. Etc.

I enjoy those blogs because they are easy. They have a theme that I am interested in. They stay on topic. There are good photos that capture my attention. I learn something new. Posts are short. It brings a little happiness to my day, etc.

I created this blog in 2006 and it's always contained a random assortment of things happening in my life, things that interest or inspire me, recommendations, photos, etc. It's not focused on a theme. And I've always been fine with that. But more and more I realize that this is what Facebook is enabling, so I wonder if my style of blog is redundant? To be successful, must a blog be focused? As social media changes the way people interact, I find myself wanting to re-approach the outlets I have... and re-understand how/why I use them.

I know I have family that reads my blog and enjoy it because they are NOT on Facebook and want a way to stay connected to what we are doing, but part of me is wondering if I should re-approach my blog anyhow in an effort to streamline my life, de-clutter, etc.

Ultimately, more and more I am bored with my own blog as I read other blogs that are more focused. And I wonder if I were to have a focused/themed blog, what would the focus be? What do I enjoy doing? What would others enjoy reading? I don't want to force anything... just starting to think about what that might look like.

Working Out

2012-01-12T13:14:00.005+13:00

If anyone is looking for motivation for getting fit or staying fit, here are some recommends.

1. Watch The Biggest Loser.

Who isn't inspired by this show??

2. Check Out This Blog.

Kristen, from Iowa Girl Eats, blogs about food, exercise and travel. This link contains different workout routines, mainly focused on running. Check them out if you are bored with your same 'ole jogging routine.

3. Follow the Weight Loss Journey of MckMama & Before and After One Month / Blog Post

This blogger + mother extraordinaire shares her everyday life with the blogosphere

and is now sharing about her weight loss journey too (she was also inspired by The Biggest Loser.)

4. Find a Friend to Journey With You

I've been running regularly since I was 11. Sometimes I find someone to run with me, but most of the time I'm alone. I find I run more consistently when I'm running with someone else. Getting into a regular routine with someone else who is motivated keeps you out there!

5. Just Get Physical.

Our bodies were created for physicality. My husband hates "working out", but he loves being active. He's a "one-off worker-outer"... he likes doing various activities like hiking, playing racquetball, walking the beach, biking a trail, throwing a baseball. But ask him to jog with you regularly and you'll get a NO. If you are like this, and are turned off to routine, structured workouts, just find something to do daily. The night before each new day, decide what activity you will do the next day. Gardening. Shooting hoops. Walking the dog on a long walk. Biking to an errand instead of driving. Inviting a friend for a game of tennis. Take the stairs instead of the elevator. Plan a weekend trail hike or find a bike trail. Rent a kayak! Suggest an evening family walk. EVERY physical movement counts! Go for it!

6. Make Small Goals

I've told people over the years that what helps me stay in shape is entering races. I've only done running races but hope to do some triathlons in the coming years. Training for something makes working out much more interesting and keeps you motivated. Instead of watching the scale, watch your mile time! (If you're older or just starting out, try entering some walk-races. Google "walking events" in your area and grab a friend!)

7. If You Buy it, You Eat it

Choose wisely at the grocery store. If you buy it, you eat it. If it's not in the pantry, you won't be putting it in you. It's OK to indulge here and there, but the majority of your food intake should be nutritious and lean! We all know it, but do we all do it? It's not just about avoiding fats and sugars. Your body THRIVES on nutrients. You don't just need to avoid JUNK because it's fattening, but because it's depriving your CELLS of what they need!

Good Communication

2012-01-12T11:32:00.001+13:00

Friend, Rose Starr, just posted this article which I find illuminating on how to effectively understand and respond to your children and teenagers.

NPR//Why a Teen Who Talks Back May Have a Bright Future

Religion Vs Jesus

2012-01-12T11:25:00.000+13:00

I have many friends and family whom I love dearly who despise religion (and rightly so), so they reject the message of Jesus too. I hope this inspires some to reconsider who Jesus was and perhaps give Him a chance... and know that there is a huge difference between religion and the person of Jesus.

Etsy Fun!

2012-01-08T15:39:00.003+13:00

If you love all things hand-made,
here are some of my latest favorite finds
@ etsy.com!

The Swedish Ivy
Fabulously adorable baby gear.
Blankets, bibs, clothing, burp clothes, bags, etc.

Free Bird
Stylish, feather earrings made by Noah's friend in Colorado.
He got me a pair for my birthday!

uNatural Inspiration
Affordable + delightful animal prints for wall art.
We bought a giraffe print for baby's room.
Made in France.

By Belinda
Darling hand-stitched cards.
I purchased a hand-stitched moleskin journal from her,
but I don't think those are available any longer.

My earrings from Free Bird! Thanks Noah!
I love how they blend in with my hair.

Tragic Loss

2012-01-08T12:56:00.002+13:00

New Zealand is a small country, so when tragedy strikes, the nation feels it.
Yesterday there was a tragic air balloon accident on the north island, where 11 died.
We know people who used to attend the church, Arise, in Wellington, where one of
the couple's who died went. Very horrific way to die... very, very sad.

NZ Stuff Article
MSN Article
MSN World News Article
Video Clip

Kiwi Spanish

2012-01-06T18:33:00.001+13:00

I can't blame Kiwi's for not knowing how to pronounce Spanish. Americans are surrounded by Spanish words, Spanish speakers and most of us learned basic Spanish in school. (Hey, I can't speak Maori or pronounce it, so we're in the same boat!!) But it is still super funny to us to hear they way some people here pronounce words.

We heard a guy say "cojones" the other day, and pronounced the "j". So I thought it would be nice of me to put up a little lesson for any Kiwi readers out there! =)

Spanish Lesson:
J's are usually an "H" sound.
LL are always a "Y" sound.

tortillas = tore-tee-yahs
jalapenos = ha-la-pain-yo's.
cojonoes = cah-ho-nays
quesadilla- kay-sah-dee-yah

And let's learn some French while we're at it:
filet = fih-ley (not fill-it)... just like the French word ballet is bah-lay, not bah-let

I've been thinking about taking an intro to Maori course... maybe someday I'll be able to pronounce all the Maori words and be able to read some of the signs around town!

Green Smoothie

2012-01-06T15:39:00.002+13:00

I love a good smoothie, specially when it's packed with nutrients, not just sugar or fat. Just ran across this recipe that I am going to try out ASAP. Baby needs some good stuff !! And so does it's mom!! This recipe is from Kristen, over at "Iowa Girl Eats". I adore her blog! It's a green drink, packed with antioxidants! Photo by Kristen. So a few hours after posting this, I made the drink and I admit it's good! While making it, I started to get skeptical! But all I can taste is the banana and peanut butter! Mmmm good!

Kaihoka Beach

2012-01-05T11:31:00.001+13:00

I apologize for the windy audio.

Psalm 34

2012-01-05T10:10:00.000+13:00

I was reading through Psalm 34 today, which is chock full of good stuff, but I wanted to post this verse if someone out there needs to hear it. May God open your heart to His depth of unconditional LOVE for YOU!

¹⁸ The LORD is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.

Maya Wrap: Home-Made

2011-12-30T19:18:00.001+13:00

Shannon sent me a link to making your own Maya Wrap (aka baby sling), instead of buying one. I had purchased this sheet at a second-hand store for $2, ordered the sling ring online. All I had to do was cut the sheet to measurements, sew two lines, and viola! Done! Saved me $75 plus shipping! Super easy. Just hope it works well. I'll just have to figure it out when baby arrives!

Newest Family Member

2011-12-30T18:37:00.000+13:00

For anyone who hasnt't seen this yet, meet the newest Cremisino... 20 weeks made, 20 weeks left to cook!

Some Earthquake Footage

2011-12-28T11:43:00.004+13:00

From June 13, 2011 (5.5)

From Dec 23, 2011 (6.0)
(Not sure where this was shot. It felt stronger and longer at our house.)

The Most Wonderful Time of the Year

2011-12-25T21:56:00.004+13:00

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

This was our second Christmas away from home, and our first Christmas with no family! Just us two and the cat, and the baby on the way! We tried to make it fun and it was pretty nice for being away from home. Here are a few snapshots from the last few days!

Merry Christmas Hangout With Friends

Christmas Eve Breakfast—Gingerbread Pancakes!

(Noah tried to make a fancy star but it didn't quite work!

But his tree is quite stunning!)

Evening snack + a movie

From my old housemate, Virgina and her hubby Bret!

(Three bear books and a hand-crocheted bear hat with detachable flower if it's a boy!

The hat is soo adorable- though you can't really see it well in the photo. And we are

so excited to get more books as we both LOVE books! Yay, growing children's library!)

Dashing through the snow...
Mom always sends my sister and I the annual White House ornament!

Little family of three, almost four!

Christmas Eve candlelight service

Christmas Day!!

Christmas Lunch with Friends!

Christmas Eve/Christmas Day Skyping with the Crem's

and it was Sarah's birthday (my sister-in-law). Cute family photo

but just FYI, Tonnie was not trying to make that face~ she is just

being caught mid expression! =)

December 26 Skype With My Side of the Family

Baby Wishlist

2011-12-20T21:34:00.008+13:00

OUR BABY CREMISINO WISHLIST

A few people were interested in what we might want/need for baby and suggested I make a wishlist/registry. Here is our current *wishlist*. We will not be finding out the gender until he/she is born so sending clothes won't work unless you find something gender-neutral. (We plan to purchase most clothing after birth). What would be more helpful would be to purchase items on this list! Please be aware that any "Etsy" items are only available for limited time because they are one of a kind, not mass produced. (Big items are not listed as we will try to purchase them in NZ second-hand when possible.

We wish this list would remove items once purchased but it doesn't work that way, so please email me (or Noah if you want to surprise me) if you purchase something on the list so that we can remove it! We will be updating as time goes on. Thanks so, so, so much! LOVE!
(List is permanently available on babycrem tab above!)

Birthday

2011-12-18T15:01:00.007+13:00

Friday was my birthday. I love my birthday date. Does everyone or is it just me? December 16.
Such a magical time right in the middle of the holidays and Christmas cheer!

I'm a dreamer. I've always wanted some amazing birthday full of surprise after surprise! Like where I am swept off to a resort on a tropical island, or given the pampering treatment at a five start hotel and a shopping spree at a nice mall. But now that I am 28 I think reality has hit me and my grand expectations of royal treatment have waned finally. Last year it rained on my birthday while we were at a beach house. This year I woke up to rain again and cold temperatures (which wouldn't bother me if we were in the northern hemisphere where it is SUPPOSED to be cold in December.) I didn't have huge expectations for the day though, seeing as we don't have many options around or grand finances to do anything extravagant. So the rain didn't bother me.

We woke up late and discovered the cat had yet again vomited on the carpet in several places. Noah cleaned that up while I started making gingerbread pancakes which I had been looking forward to making all week. It was a disaster. The batter smelled delicious, but cooking them proved a challenge. Seriously? I was so disappointed but kept myself from crying. I was cooking them on a thin, flat pan... and the center of the pancakes just wouldn't cook, even though I had it on very low heat and wasn't rushing it. Meanwhile, Noah had to then clean another mess. The foster kitty made a "mess" and used a corner of the office for a toilet, on wrapping paper. =(

After Noah was done cleaning up, he helped me and suggested using a thicker pan, which definitely helped. But that was after I ruined half the batter. He (thankfully!) took over so I didn't have a breakdown, and saved the day. By this time it was 1pm. (I had already wanted to be out the door by then!) He made all the pancakes really small, like silver dollars, and made a few special ones for me. It was delicious! We got the recipe from Eve Black when I got married and ladies gave me recipes at my bridal shower. So good!

During devouring this delicious meal, I opened presents and we skyped with Noah's parents who wanted me to open their gifts live! Noah gave me a semi-serious, semi-gag gift... a Justin Bieber puzzle! One—I love puzzles. Two—a few weeks ago I had a crazy long dream about Justin Bieber so it's kind of a joke between us now.

I got to chat on the phone with my mom, sister and dad. They went out that night to celebrate my sister's good grades from her first semester of grad school. They had "birthday" dessert in my honor. I didn't have any here, so I am glad I had some through them!! (Actually come to think of it, this was my first birthday with NO family present and NO birthday cake or candles!)

After presents we left for Jellie Park—an aquatic and gym center. We'd never been but I thought it would fun to go swimming outside if it was warm, or inside if it was cold... so we got there and jumped in the hot tub first (I was careful, being pregnant! Don't worry! I just had my legs in for most of the time, and only sat in for about 5 minutes submerged. It wasn't too hot anyway. Basically you can go in as long as you don't stay too long or get overheated.) We saw some friends there who have three boys, chatted awhile before they left, then went outside to see if the heated outdoor pool really was heated. It supposedly was, but it was pretty cold to us, so we opted for the indoor pool, where we did laps for awhile until leaving around 6pm. We enjoyed "Arthur Christmas" at the mall, then ate at an Indian restaurant where we had a discounted voucher. Yum yum! The restaurant was located near the city center so it was hard to find because of all the closed streets and construction. But we made it after a few attempts! Then we ended the evening at home, laying by the fire, snuggling with the kitty, watching some cheesy, made-for-TV movie I found on Hulu.

It's hard to believe I am in my late 20's! At least my husband is older—he makes me feel young! ;)

In other news, I love December and all the merriness it brings. Here is my NZ version of my mom's chex mix, which she usually makes in December. I have to make it with slightly different ingredients because of what's available.

And here is the kitty being festive.

And here is what I read annually and am reading to Noah aloud this year!

Christmas Album Recommendation: She & Him— "A Very She & Him Christmas"

Naming: A Difficult Task.

2011-12-12T22:49:00.003+13:00

Noah and I have had several baby names swirling in our heads since we began dating. Some we have stuck with, some we have let go. Now that we are pregnant with our first child we are facing the decision for real and having a difficult time agreeing on something we both love 100%.

For a girl we had a first and middle name chosen, BUT then we decided we love the middle name so much we want it as a first name if we have another daughter... so we need a new middle name! As for a boy, we have not agreed on a name. Noah is dead set on one boy's name in particular but I am quite uncertain about it. Every once in awhile I browse through name websites... and get overwhelmed by all the options and that I just can't find a boy's name that settles right in my heart. And that's just the first name. We are still undecided about middle names. Wish I could share our ideas but it's a secret.

UPDATE: We have picked a new middle name to go with the first name. Woo! Noah thought of it and I liked it. Yay!

What was your naming journey like?

You Know You're Missing Home When...

2011-12-12T13:19:00.000+13:00

You Know You're Missing Home When... you open a a package from home and are delighted by the shopping bags that were used as padding. Walgreens! The Gap! Oh, the simple pleasures of life!

Baby Boom

2011-12-10T16:50:00.000+13:00

So what's the relation between my cousin's child and myself? Cousins once removed? Second cousin? Here is my perfect little cousin's second son, Henry, born a couple days ago!! Noah's cousin also had a baby the same day~ and our friends in Colorado had their first daughter today! Yay for more December babies!!

Amigo says Hello

2011-12-08T14:40:00.000+13:00

Happy December 8th from Amigo!

December

2011-12-05T21:03:00.000+13:00

Somehow December is busy for us here. We thought we'd get by with a laid back month seeing as we don't have tons of Christmas parties and events to attend like back in Colorado. But other things have made our days rather busy.

Besides scrambling to get Christmas and birthday gifts out for this month (since we are over here, shipping/ordering takes longer with some items), we have had a lot going on.

—Weekly house church training meetings.
—Noah is swamped with work (which is a blessing but also hard because he doesn't have heaps of time for other things).
—I am starting to freelance blog for a pregnancy website here and am required at least one post a week (but will be doing more).
—I was also asked to whip up an article for another website due in two weeks.
—We are currently fostering a kitty we found on the side of the road. Our cat, India, is NOT happy with this arrangement at all. Lots of sulking and hissing.
—We were asked to distribute a box of gifts to people in need (from someone on the north island).
—We are in the midst of doing our next round of visa applications (lonnnnng process) to renew our time here for another two years.
—We are having a summer holiday BBQ here at the house this next weekend, hosted jointly by a group of friends, so we have been doing lots of yard work and gardening to get the yard looking acceptable =)
—We are still selling things online for the Venezuelan family who lived with us temporarily. They left all their belongings in our garage when they got kicked out of NZ.

These just seem to be a few things going on amid being pregnant, trying to keep the house tidy, remembering to take all my vitamins, get enough protein, veggies, calcium, water, etc. daily, trying to get in time for exercise, reading the Bible, keeping up with correspondence, etc.

It doesn't help that I caught another cold and haven't been sleeping well due to a sore throat and congestion.

So that's kinda my update for the last bit.... Hope you are all staying warm. Colorado is getting some crazy cold temps and snow this week!

This is our foster kitty, Amigo!

16 weeks pregnant

Missing Colorado

2011-12-02T10:04:00.001+13:00

You know you are from Colorado when......
People move onto the highway at 15 miles an hour.
You have absolutely no recognizable accent.
If the humidity gets above 25%, you consider it "muggy".
You only go to Central City when friends are in from out of town.
You have been skiing less than 10 times in your life
You think 5-points is a ghetto.
You are the third car to run a red light after it has changed.
You say things like "I don't care how big Golden is, it's still a one-horse town".
When giving directions, you never say "Turn left, turn right", it's always go West, then South.
During a thunderstorm you wonder "which I-25 underpass is flooding".
You never plan a picnic between 3:30 and 6:00 in Spring or Summer months.
If it rains more than 2 days straight you compare the weather to being in Seattle.
You voted for higher taxes to fund Coors field, but voted down taxes for public transportation.
You have a broken windshield.
You see no reason to travel to Aurora.
The only RTD bus you've been on is the 16th Street shuttle.
You carry your $3,000 mountain bike on top of your $500 car.
You thought "Californication" would be banned by Amendment 2.
You think "South Park" is a place to stop for gas on your way to Buena Vista.
You have a business degree and are frying burgers at a McDonald's in Vail.
You have a flat tire in your refrigerator and your garage.
You own a big dog named Aspen, Buck, Cheyenne or Dakota that wears a bandanna.
You cast out your fishing line while white-water rafting.
You've never seen the tourist attractions in your own city.
You think a pass does not involve a football or a woman.
You are 82 years old and take up snowboarding.
Your real Y2K fear was running out of Celestial Seasonings tea and trail mix.
The entire top of your head is bald, but you still have a pony tail.
You personally wouldn't pay $10 per head to drive up Pikes Peak unless it was the only mountain on earth, but you tell all our house-guests to do it.
You get depressed after one day of foggy weather.
You think that formal wear is ironed denim.
North means "mountains to the left;" south is "mountains to the right;" and east and west are where all those damned liberals keep moving in from.
You go anywhere else on the planet and the air feels "sticky" and you notice the sky is no longer blue.
You consider a three-piece suit to be a pair of shorts, a sweatshirt and Birkenstocks.
You see your East Coast relatives now more than when you lived there.
You think gun control is a steady hand.
You can run up 10 flights of stairs without huffing and puffing.
You've stood on solid ground and looked down on an airplane in flight.
You know what the "Peoples Republic of Boulder" means.
You're a meat eating vegetarian.
You think the major food groups are Boulder Bars, tofu and Fat Tire Beer.

Just Gotta Brag

2011-11-30T10:22:00.000+13:00

I just gotta brag about my husband for a minute.
He is always working on websites but this one is very near and dear to my heart.
He was asked to recreate the YWAM Marine Reach website, which is where I
did my YWAM DTS in 2007. Check out how gorgeous it is!! So talented he is!
And he spent many nights working until 5am!

http://mrmdts.org/

2011-11-29T14:31:00.003+13:00

I found this encouraging on many levels. Thought to pass it on.

DAVID’s DESTINY
By David Servant.

David, the son of Jesse, was divinely destined to be king of Israel, 
and God revealed His plan to him when he was just a young, shepherd boy.

If David was divinely destined to be a king, is it possible that he also was destined to first be a shepherd? Or did God leave the first 
thirty years of David’s life up to chance? Was the Lord just waiting 
until the shepherd boy reached the age when he would fulfill his divine destiny to be king?

When we look at his story, we soon realize that all of David’s life was a preparation for kingship. Beginning as a shepherd was certainly appropriate training for one who would one day shepherd 
the flock of God.

Let’s apply this to ourselves.

Often, what we perceive as wasted periods are actually part of God’s training process---periods that 
prepare us for His ultimate purpose for our lives. They, too, are 
divinely-destined. They are not wasted. God can use even our 
mistakes to better equip us for the “good works which [He] 
prepared beforehand” (Eph. 2:10).

So how did God prepare David for the big challenges he would face one day as king? Just as you may have guessed. He used the 
same method He used to prepare Israel to take Canaan and by the same method He used to train Jesus’ twelve disciples. God permitted small difficulties to challenge David as a shepherd. He was tested.

We know that as a boy David had an opportunity to exercise his 
faith at least twice when he fought with a lion and a bear to protect his flock (see 1 Sam. 17:34-36). Could God have stopped that lion and bear before they got near enough to stalk David’s sheep? Of 
course He could have, but He didn’t because He was preparing David for the greater challenges that He would ultimately face.

David’s next trial recorded for us in Scripture was a giant one---
literally! It wasn’t so much his skill with a sling and stone that brought down Goliath. Rather, it was his faith.

Every challenge we face can serve as a stepping stone or a stumbling block. It all 
depends on if we will trust God or not.

Learning From the Mistakes of a King

David was providentially placed in service at King Saul’s palace so he could learn firsthand the evil effects of unrestrained jealousy and 
the corrupting influence that power can have on those who are not 
submitted to God. No textbook or university education could 
compare with what David learned by watching King Saul in action.

On several occasions, David barely escaped with his life as jealous Saul tried to pin him to the wall with his spear. Only those who know danger can learn to trust God for protection in danger. Later, David spent years in the wilderness running for his life from Saul. He learned more valuable lessons about trusting God and the 
corrupting influence that power can possess. All these things “worked together for good” to prepare David to fulfill his divine destiny.

In God’s sovereign plan, David suffered significantly during those years, and the majority of his sufferings were entirely unjust. David didn’t deserve the relentless, unkind treatment he received from 
Saul, whom he had served so well. But did God have a purpose in permitting it? It must be that David was being prepared. Once we’ve suffered under corrupt leaders, we’re more apt to be 
incorruptible when God promotes us to a place of leadership.

I have many friends who are ministers, and most of them it seems have a story to tell about suffering under the power of some semi-corrupt church board or senior pastor during the early years of their ministries. Only God knows of the many men and women 
who are not in the ministry today because they grew bitter over 
being mistreated early in their ministries. They disqualified themselves from being promoted because they quit when the going got rough. If God has permitted a corrupt person in authority to 
mistreat you, it may be because He is preparing you for leadership. Perhaps God is teaching you not to be corrupt when your time of 
promotion arrives.

Character Tests and Blunders

David was given the opportunity to take his own revenge against Saul on two occasions when he was fleeing in the wilderness. Both times, however, he mercifully spared Saul’s life, returning good for evil. What a test of his character those incidents were! We, too, are commanded to be merciful, just as God is merciful (see 
Luke 6:36). How can we expect God to promote us if we are not?

David wasn’t perfect, of course, and he once doubted God as he 
grew weary of running from Saul. Even though David fully knew that God had promised to exalt him one day to be king, we read of him 
once saying, “Now I will perish one day by the hand of Saul” (1 Sam. 27:1). That doesn’t sound like faith, does it? David then made the mistake of going to live in the territory of the Philistines for a year and four months. The resulting troubles he faced taught 
him important lessons about compromising his faith in God. He also learned about God’s abundant mercy (see 1 Sam. 27:1 - 30:20 
for all the details).

Again, let’s apply this to ourselves. When we error, we sometimes 
feel as if we’ve ruined all of God’s plans for our lives. As a result, we carry regrets with us for years. David’s blunder, however, did 
not thwart God’s plan to make him king. God knew David would make his mistake before he was even born, and God could have 
easily prevented it, but He didn’t. God would use David’s error to better prepare him to fulfill his divine destiny. David would learn 
and grow and ultimately be a better king for it.

Our mistakes are no different. God knew we would make them, and He could have prevented them. Even before you were born, however, He prepared a plan to redeem your mistakes and use 
them to ultimately help you fulfill your divine destiny. Bury your regrets and thank God that He is causing “all things to work 
together for good” (Rom. 8:28)!

Pass the Test, and be Blessed

Finally, after the death of Saul, David was exalted to be king of Israel. God’s promise was fulfilled. He, like Joseph, was exalted at 
age 30 after approximately 15 years of preparation, 15 years of 
M.I.T.s (Maturing/Testing Intended Trials) and S.I.T.s (Self-Inflicted 
Trials), as we defined those different kinds of trials in an earlier 
chapter. David testified that the Lord had tested him:

Thou hast tried my heart; Thou hast visited me by night; Thou 
hast tested me and dost find nothing (Ps. 17:3, emphasis added).

David also wrote in another psalm that God tests all of us:

The Lord is in His holy temple, the Lord’s throne is in heaven; His eyes behold, His eyelids test the sons of men. The Lord tests 
the righteous and the wicked (Ps. 11:4-5a, emphasis added).

How does this apply to your life? You may not be called to be a 
king, but you are called to do something that is uniquely yours to fulfill. Paul wrote in his letter to the Ephesians:

For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good 
works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in 
them (Eph. 2:10).

Wouldn’t it be tragic to stand before the judgment seat of Christ 
and hear Him say, “You never fulfilled My plan for your life. Certain 
specific good works that I called you to walk in were left undone. Had you obeyed, it could have resulted in blessings for yourself 
and others.”

Ideally when we stand before Jesus, if we have obeyed His calling 
upon our lives, we will hear Him say, “Well done, good and faithful 
slave; you were faithful with a few things, I will put you in charge of 
many things, enter into the joy of your master” (Matt. 25:21).

God will indeed reward us according to our faithfulness. What does 
it mean to be faithful? It means to keep going even when you feel like quitting. No one ever said, “I’ve been faithful to enjoy ice cream 
for my dessert every night for a week!” No, being faithful implies a temptation to be unfaithful. It means hanging in there when you feel 
like abandoning ship.

David’s D.I.T.

David later experienced a D.I.T. (Disciplinary Intended Trial) when 
he sinned so grievously, committing adultery with Bathsheba and 
arranging for the murder of her husband. It cost him dearly as God 
brought him to repentance and disciplined him. Hopefully many 
other people have avoided D.I.T.s from reading about the 
consequences of David’s sin. That is, no doubt, the reason so 
many D.I.T.s are recorded in Scripture. They are “written for our 
instruction” (1 Cor. 10:11).

How can we avoid D.I.T.s? By simply being obedient. How can we 
always avoid S.I.T.s (Self-Inflicted Trials)? By always using godly 
wisdom. But is there any way we can avoid facing M.I.T.s? No, as 
long as God loves us and we are on the earth, Maturing/Testing 
Intended Trials will be part of our experience.



The Pruning of the Father

Before I close this chapter, let’s take a look at a very applicable 
passage of Scripture, right from the lips of Jesus:

I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit, He takes away; and every branch that does bear fruit; He prunes it, that it may bear more 
fruit (John 15:1-2).

If we are going to mature spiritually, we are going to be pruned by the Father, because as we just read, He prunes every branch that 
bears fruit.

What does it mean to be “pruned by the Father”? Obviously there is some symbolic meaning that Jesus is trying to convey. We want to be careful that we don’t take the symbolism too far by saying 
that our pruning always happens once every spring, and so on. At the same time, we don’t want to ignore the Lord’s obvious reason 
for choosing the analogy of the vine and vinedresser.

At bare minimum, Jesus wants us to understand that to prune a vine, branches must be cut off if the vine is to reach its greatest potential to bear fruit. The untrained observer who watches the 
vinedresser and who has no understanding of the pruning process 
might think the vinedresser is making a big mistake. It may seem 
that, by cutting off branches, the vine will bear much less fruit. 
The vinedresser, however, knows better. An unpruned vine will produce fruit, but a pruned vine will produce more fruit and fruit of 
higher quality.

And for that very reason, we must be pruned. When we are, it may look at first as if we are going to bear less fruit than in the past. If,
however, we will patiently trust God, we will eventually understand 
what God is doing. The process will result in greater fruit in our lives.

There are probably a thousand different ways through which God 
accomplishes His pruning process in the lives of His children. If you’ve read all of the previous chapters in this book, you have at least some idea as to how He might do it. He is dedicated to our spiritual growth, and He prunes all of us who are bearing any fruit. The Bible promises, “It is God who is at work in you, both to will 
and to work for His good pleasure” (Phil. 2:13), and “He who began 
a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus”

(Phil. 1:6). Pruning is part of that process.




© Heaven's Family 2011 "Loving God and One Another - Matt. 22:36-40"
You are welcome to distribute printed copies of this document, or  copy and paste this document to distribute via email, as long as 
the document is unaltered and kept in its entirety (including  copyright notices), and is not sold for profit. However, if you wish to 
post this material on your website or anywhere else online, you must first contact us to get permission. Should you have received 
this document from someone else, you may want to get your own  original copy at www.shepherdserve.org just to be certain you have 
an unaltered copy. The actual book itself may be ordered by  clicking the link in the sidebar to the right. ©2011 by David Servant.
Source - http://www.heavensfamily.org/ss/gt/gt_15

Thanksgiving

2011-11-24T10:28:00.006+13:00

It's Thanksgiving Day here on this side of the globe! HAPPY TURKEY DAY! So much to be thankful for. We will be celebrating Saturday with an American family we know through mutual Denver friends! They have three little boys. We are meeting at 4pm and watching some American football (somehow they get it!) and then heading off to the local "Christmas in the Park" show in Christchurch.

We are making everything from scratch. Not even canned pumpkin and no pre-made pie crust! Noah is making bread rolls—his mom's yummy recipe. I will be making green bean casserole, stuffing and pumpkin pie (link to making pumpkin puree when you don't have canned or prefer from scratch). The casserole requires french-fried onions which are not sold here so I will be making them too!

heartbeats

2011-11-22T12:44:00.000+13:00

today was our second midwife appointment. jacqui came over (i love that she does home visits!) and all looks good. the only thing she mentioned was that my uterus feels soft... and i have been having slight cramping every other day, so she said i may need to up my magnesium intake. she said because my uterus is soft, i can more easily feel the uterus stretching, hence the slight cramping pain.

and then we listened to the heartbeat!

purely magical!! both noah and i got teary-eyed and couldn't believe our ears. so precious and surreal.
and the baby kept moving, from either the sonic frequency of the doppler or from the pressure of pushing on the uterus. jacqui said he or she is a feisty one!

Blenheim

2011-11-10T10:27:00.003+13:00

Right now I'm sitting at a weathered picnic table overlooking the rolling green acres of vineyards and sheep paddocks. The bleeting of this year's ewes echo below me, the scattered trees rustle not from wind but from the chittery flocks of sparrows and native New Zealand birds. The only other sounds filling this moment are voices from inside the house, Noah talking with our hosts, and the distant hum of a farmer on his tractor. We are in wine country today. http://yfrog.com/h269ahjj

Golden Bay

2011-11-09T10:35:00.000+13:00

Marlborough Sounds and Golden Bay, here we come!

Please be sunny!? Thanks!

Following the Bambino

2011-11-08T16:54:00.000+13:00

I created a little tab above where

I will have pregnancy updates.

If you are interested, have a look

at our journey so far!

Buying American

2011-11-08T10:03:00.002+13:00

My Uncle Bob sent this email to me, and instead of forwarding,
I wanted to post it here. Great ideas.

Christmas 2011—Birth of a New Tradition

As the holidays approach, the giant Asian factories are kicking into high gear to provide Americans with monstrous piles of cheaply produced goods --merchandise that has been produced at the expense of American labor. This year will be different. This year Americans will give the gift of genuine concern for other Americans. There is no longer an excuse that, at gift giving time, nothing can be found that is produced by American hands. Yes there is!

It's time to think outside the box, people. Who says a gift needs to fit in a shirt box, wrapped in Chinese produced wrapping paper?

Everyone -- yes EVERYONE gets their hair cut. How about gift certificates from your local American hair salon or barber? Gym membership? It's appropriate for all ages who are thinking about some health improvement.

Who wouldn't appreciate getting their car detailed? Small, American owned detail shops and car washes would love to sell you a gift certificate or a book of gift certificates.

Are you one of those extravagant givers who think nothing of plonking down the Benjamins on a Chinese made flat-screen? Perhaps that grateful gift receiver would like his driveway sealed, or lawn mowed for the summer, or driveway plowed all winter, or games at the local golf course.

There are a bazillion owner-run restaurants -- all offering gift certificates. And, if your intended isn't the fancy eatery sort, what about a half dozen breakfasts at the local breakfast joint. Remember, folks this isn't about big National chains -- this is about supporting your home town-Americans with their financial lives on the line to keep their doors open. FYI: The Miss Worcester Diner on Southbridge St. came in first place this year in a national comparison of American diners!

How many people couldn't use an oil change for their car, truck or motorcycle, done at a shop run by the American working guy? Thinking about a heartfelt gift for mom? Mom would LOVE the services of a local cleaning lady for a day. My computer could use a tune-up, and I KNOW I can find some young guy who is struggling to get his repair business up and running.

OK, you were looking for something more personal. Local crafts people spin their own wool and knit them into scarves. They make jewelry, and pottery and beautiful wooden boxes.

Plan your holiday outings at local, owner operated restaurants and leave your server a nice tip. And, how about going out to see a play or ballet at your hometown theatre.

Musicians need love too, so find a venue showcasing local bands.

Honestly, people, do you REALLY need to buy another ten thousand Chinese lights for the house? When you buy a five dollar string of light, about fifty cents stays in the community. If you have those kinds of bucks to burn, leave the mailman, trash guy or babysitter a nice BIG tip.

You see, Christmas is no longer about draining American pockets so that China can build another glittering city. Christmas is now about caring about US, encouraging American small businesses to keep plugging away to follow their dreams. And, when we care about other Americans, we care about our communities, and the benefits come back to us in ways we couldn't imagine.

THIS is the new American Christmas tradition.

Here is a link to my AMERICAN online store on Zazzle.com

Thanks for your consideration, use some imagination and support American businesses!!!

Bob

Something in the Works...

2011-11-07T11:56:00.000+13:00

Birthday Boy

2011-11-05T11:19:00.000+13:00

For Noah's birthday we celebrated over two days, enjoying meals with friends and kayaking through the Botanic Gardens. What a lovely day it turned out to be!

Fundraiser

2011-11-04T20:47:00.001+13:00

Our friends, the Church family, have launched their last fundraising initiative to bring in the last chunk of finances they need for the adoption process of their future baby from Ethiopia! Please go to their site! Every $5 donated enters you into a drawing to win a handful of prizes, including things from Pampered Chef, Target.... and the grand prize: and iPad2. Friends of theirs donated the prizes! Seriously.... who wouldn't help out? Help save a life! Donate through Paypal! Please leave a comment if you donated!

>> http://www.findingchurch.net/giveaway

V8? Could it be?

2011-11-03T16:52:00.001+13:00

I always grew up with Mom drinking V8, and at that time I was not a fan of tomatoes... so quite naturally I thought V8 was d.i.s.g.u.s.t.i.n.g! But this year I started drinking it. Not for pleasure of course, just to get my veggie serving! Look Mom, I drink it now! Can you believe your eyes!?

Ps. And as an adult, I like tomatoes now. Next food, tuna? Hmmmmm no thanks!

A Day Celebrating the French

2011-11-01T11:38:00.002+13:00

This past weekend was the Akaroa French Fest!
Akaroa is a small town located in the epicenter of two extinct volcanoes, and was founded by the French. We went spontaneously on Saturday and spent most of the day there, eating from vendors, laying in the grass, sitting by the harbour, walking along the charming streets, and watching a movie in the park at dusk.

Dreams

2011-10-29T10:04:00.001+13:00

The last two weeks I have been waking up regularly around 4am, half-dreaming of something ridiculous
and then spend the next hour trying to go back to sleep while convincing myself the dream is just a dream
and nothing I need to think about. I lay there trying to convince myself to think of nothing. But you know how it goes.. it's hard to break out of that hazy fiction/reality blur of sleep and wakefulness, so you keep laying there, struggling to get shut-eye. Yep, it happened again last night. I had a mix of two dreams. One was inspired by the show Project Runway that I watched before hitting the hay, the other was about our vegetable garden!!

In the PR dream I was basically one of the fashion designers and was struggling to do my project in time. I lay there half-awake trying to tell myself it wasn't real. The next dream was just me worrying about why some of my seedlings always die. I was dreaming of trying to cover them at night with jackets. Really? Haha. Too much Project Runway!

But on a serious note, I did want to throw this question out there... has anyone had success growing peppers (capsicum in NZ) or cucumbers? Last season and this season I continue to plant seeds for these plants, watch them turn into seedlings, I transplant them at the appropriate time, then they wither within a few days. While all my other plants are hearty and doing just fine! Drives me nuts. Any tips??

Legend

2011-10-27T11:41:00.001+13:00

I love the anti-drunk driving campaign around NZ,
and the Maori accent.

Etsy

2011-10-26T11:54:00.000+13:00

THANK YOU to Shannon for purchasing some of my hand-crafted cards on my etsy shop! Your purchase is on it's way!

This could be you too! Just head on over to: http://www.etsy.com/shop/katawanga

Fake It til You Make It

2011-10-25T21:50:00.000+13:00

Great post by MckMama on marriage... on making it work, not giving up, pushing through the tough days. Faking it til you make it, her therapist said... read on.

Great insight, because we all know marriage is tough. It's not the fairy tale that we grow up hoping for. Two people learning how to dwell and be a team together. Hard stuff, but it's what we are meant to do! =)

Winners!

2011-10-24T11:32:00.002+13:00

Last night was an intense game! Whew, I am glad it's over! I have never been so distraught over a game, except for maybe when I played back in high school. This was stressful. Hair-pulling. Nail-biting. Heart-palpitating! I had to remind myself to breathe. Why? Because it was the Rugby World Championship between NZ and France... and the All Black's were not playing their best (probably all the pressure!) and France had a lot of confidence and were playing stronger. Our kicker missed some vital kicks and we were neck-and-neck for 80 minutes.

BUT we won!!!! Hard to believe because most of us were uncertain in those last 20 minutes. Tweets and texts were flying. Nerves were raging! A country on it's toes!

Though NZ didn't have their best game, they deserved to win. They were the only team to win EVERY single game of the whole tournament. Our boys did awesome, despite key players getting injured throughout the season.

I can hardly believe I am posting about a sport (even though I enjoy sports, I never have gotten into teams much) but NZ is a special country. It's not like in America where there are so many teams, states, etc. This is a situation where the only country gets behind ONE team!

GO ALL BLACKS!! YOU DID IT!! YOU worked hard to win this title of WORLD CHAMPION! And Piri Weepu, we still love you despite the missed kicks in the last few games! You're awesome!

Sunday. Game Day!

2011-10-23T12:00:00.004+13:00

Today is the final game of the Rugby World Cup here in New Zealand! I know America is sports crazy and there are several sports that dominate the TV channels. Not only are there heaps of sports that people care about, but you've also got high school, league, college, professional, in all 50 states, airing all the time! So many games! So many teams!

But here in NZ, the main sport is RUGBY. And the main team is the national team that plays internationally. So it's a totally different experience here than in the States, especially since it's a small country... you sorta feel more connected to the team. Small town feel.

Tonight:
NEW ZEALAND ALL BLACKS vs. FRANCE LES BLEUS

NZ hasn't won the rugby title in 24 years...

And France is their arch nemesis.

Exciting game tonight!!!

the invisible children update

2011-10-20T13:58:00.003+13:00

YWAM Conference

2011-10-17T20:02:00.003+13:00

We enjoyed four days away at the YWAM Oxford base. It was a conference for all the YWAM staff of New Zealand from all the bases on the north and south islands. It was also known as a hui (social gathering in Maori)... our national leader is Maori and brought his cultural flavour to the gathering, teaching us Maori songs, folk tales and speaking in both Maori and English. Below is a link to us all singing a song he taught us. It is just a song version of Psalm 121:

¹ I lift up my eyes to the mountains—
where does my help come from?
² My help comes from the LORD,
the Maker of heaven and earth.

Maori Song by KateCrem

Click on the picture featuring the words and sing along!

Collecting rubbish at New Brighton Beach

Some of my staff from my YWAM school with Marine Reach

Passing on the spear

Besides being inspired and encouraged by being surrounded by loving people who dedicate their lives to loving and serving people, it was a blast watching the semi-final rugby match with 100 other people. For my USA readers... NEW ZEALAND won!!! So they will be going to the final match against France next weekend. So amped!!!

Rugby

2011-10-10T18:03:00.001+13:00

For my American friends, let me tell you that rugby is NZ's favorite sport. It's HUGE.

I am excited to say I am slowly understanding the game of rugby and coming to appreciate it!

I remember when moving here and seeing my first game, it was all greek to me... a blur of men
in short shorts.. no idea what they were doing. But it makes sense now, though I am still learning
the rules.

If you didn't know... the Rugby World Cup is on right now. New Zealand is hosting it
across the country in various cities. Christchurch was set to host it as well until February's earthquake
ruined the town.. roads, hotels, restaurants, stadium... We don't have a TV so we have only watched
two games.. sad I know.. but it was the opening ceremony and first game, and then last night's game.

Growing up in the USA I never heard of rugby. So I wouldn't be surprised if most of my readers
were not aware the cup was taking place right now over here. The NZ team is the All Blacks.

The final playoffs are between
WALES vs FRANCE
AUSTRALIA vs NEW ZEALAND

Then those two winners play each other.

Wins so far in the tournament—
Wales: 4
France: 3
Australia: 4
New Zealand: 5

So NZ is the top team overall at the moment.. hopefully they continue with their same energy
and focus for the last two games!! Go All Blacks!! Make us proud!!

2011-10-10T10:11:00.000+13:00

spring time in christchurch

2011-10-02T16:28:00.001+13:00

Stoked we will be sharing at YWAM next Friday for a morning teaching session. We will be talking about who we are, what God is doing in the city and about humility in missions.

Project Leg Warmers

2011-09-25T10:44:00.002+13:00

A few months ago I noticed Karen wearing the cutest leg warmers.

I immediately wanted some! So she gave me a pattern for them + helped

get me going... and rescued me several times when I had trouble relearning

to pearl! (My sister taught me in 2003 but I never practiced that stitch so

I forgot...) Here is the finished product! The discerning eye will notice a
few hiccups!

Luke Warm...

2011-09-22T12:39:00.001+12:00

Kitty's Just Too Cute

2011-09-19T21:29:00.000+12:00

You Know You're From CHCH When...

2011-09-18T20:03:00.001+12:00

This book was published recently...

"You Know You're From Christchurch When..."

Perhaps some of this will make sense to those who aren't from here, perhaps some won't, but I thought it was interesting enough to post so you can get a feel for the new "culture" that's developed out of post-earthquake life here. (CHCH has had 8,608 earthquakes or aftershocks in the last 12 months.)

New Brighton

2011-09-15T12:12:00.000+12:00

This is my sweet friend, Karen.

Her family lives a block from the beach.

Lucky ducks, they are!

I posted photos awhile back of a day at her home, crafting and having tea.

I love her gentle spirit.

the haka

2011-09-14T21:08:00.000+12:00

flashmob haka recently...

one city... ya, boi!

2011-09-14T20:57:00.000+12:00

god's way not our way!

2011-09-13T23:22:00.005+12:00

a year ago we met for coffee with new friends jed + kayla.
(fellow missionaries working with ywam. they are moving to
cambodia next year to work with different initiatives there.)

within minutes of meeting for coffee near the city square,
i had a brief vision of them with a child (they had no children).
i immediately spoke it out, telling them i felt god wanting me to
tell them that they would have their own child. like their first
child will be born of them, not adopted (they are interested in adoption).

i didn't think it was anything significant, but
come to find out, they were astonished that i said that at that time
because they had spent the whole day talking about whether or not
to start to try to start conceiving, and were struggling with the idea that kayla
was told by doctors that she would never have children and wondering
what their journey would be like to try to conceive...
they were always torn about the idea because of being missionaries overseas,
away from family and they were wrestling with "should we still try?
will god provide a miracle? if we try, when? should we just adopt?"
they prayed god would show them the timing and if they should just adopt.

so god really encouraged them with that vision that they would be able to have children!

so since then, they have held on to that image.. while also waiting
and not wanting to try yet because of the season of life they are in here.
kayla went on different forms of birth control due to some of her
reproductive issues and to take extra precautions not to get pregnant
at this time.

just a few weeks ago they found out they are pregnant!
without trying... really, while trying NOT to get pregnant,
on birth control, and through a body that was supposed
to never get pregnant according to doctors.

god is soooooo good.
this child is wanted by him!
they are so stoked!
this child is a miracle!
the creator is so fab!
love him!

Love & Respect

2011-09-10T14:47:00.004+12:00

When we got married several people suggested we read the book, Love and Respect, because it helped their marriages. (I think someone gave us a copy... and admittedly we both only read parts of it since we felt like we understood the main concept by skimming it.) Most of you have probably heard of this book, but if not, below is a testimony that a friend forwarded from one of his blog readers. It's about how the woman's marriage changed after understanding that beyond "loving" her husband she needs to understand that he flourishes when she "respects" him. In respecting him, she will receive love back from him. It's a cyclical scenario.

I just wanted to post it in case it would help encourage anyone out there in their marriage. I can vouch that we have a similar experience. When Noah treats me kindly, I feel loved. When I treat Noah kindly, he feels respected. When he consciously loves and I consciously respect, our relationship is amazing!

"RESPECT" TRANSFORMS a MARRIAGE
-by 'Val'.

 In regard to marriage, I had been married for over thirty years to a 
man who loved the Lord, but our marriage was not going well. I 
would never leave him since I made a vow, and I knew that the 
dissolution of my marriage would hurt scores of people, while it 
would only temporarily assuage my personal pain. I had been 
praying for a long time about it, and was trying to be the best wife I could.

At one of my really low points I came across some material on 
marriage by a man called Emerson Eggerich. He has a website 
called 'Love and Respect'. His counsel is absolutely biblical, and 
simply brings to light the ways in which we have lost the biblical
understanding. He unfolds the male psyche (which our grandmothers 
understood, and feminism has clouded) in a way that challenged 
me to the very core of my being. Even though I thought I was being 
the very best wife I could, according to my own instincts, I had 
completely missed it.

 Modern women do not understand men or their core values, the 
biggest of them being "respect". I began to reshape my thinking, 
my actions and my words according to my new understanding, 
and my hardened, somewhat angry husband, who had withdrawn
himself from me in many ways, softened before my eyes. Over a 
period of months as I continued to pour into him the respect he 
so desperately needed, he became a funny, sweet, and adoring 
husband, which continues to this day. We recently celebrated 
our 40th anniversary.

Women in general have lost their way and followed the world. Our 
husbands are often miserable because of it. Men are pretty simple 
creatures. Generally, If we give them what they need, they will do
just about anything for us... I cannot recommend this material 
more highly to anyone who has struggles in marriage.

preservatives

2011-09-09T14:17:00.000+12:00

something i reallllly appreciate

about new zealand is that much

of the food & drinks sold in stores

are preservative free. and they

don't make a big deal about it.

just simple.

this makes me happy.

moose & indie

2011-09-08T23:21:00.000+12:00

our darling indie

found a new place

to lounge and watch

us work in the office.

with mr. moose.

thankful

2011-09-06T21:08:00.000+12:00

thankful for people.

the lord spoke to us through someone a few months ago
that he would encourage us and bring refreshment when
we needed it... all throughout the journey we've been
undertaking.

and he has been faithful to do so.

just in the last month there have many so many
people who have shown love, encouragement,
given words from the lord, given scripture
that god laid on their hearts for us, etc. that has
totally uplifted us at just the right time.

he is so faithful.
he doesn't abandon us.

i am thankful for people.

when we dont live for ourselves
for our own selfish ambitions or
self-promotion, we are made
available to LOVE. to give to
others ourselves, our joy,
our peace, our encouragement,
our love.

i am aboundingly happy that god is
a god of love. that his desire is to love
his people, through people, and through
his son, and through his spirit.
it's such a beautiful setup.
living our lives to LOVE.

thank you friends who have encouraged us,
prayed and loved. my heart is forever grateful.

sept 4 2010-sept 4, 2011

2011-09-04T00:13:00.004+12:00

tonight marks the one year anniversary of when our earthquakes here began with a 7.1 quake. i am reminded that two days before that, a small group of friends and i were amazed to discover that god had spoken to each of us, separately, about reading Isaiah 58:11-12. God is good. He has a plan for this city and has been calling His people to shine love and help rebuild this city, emotionally, spiritually, physically.
here is the passage from isaiah 58:
‎11 The LORD will guide you always;
he will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land
and will strengthen your frame.
You will be like a well-watered garden,
like a spring whose waters never fail.
12 Your people will rebuild the ancient ruins
and will raise up the age-old foundations;
you will be called Repairer of Broken Walls,
Restorer of Streets with Dwellings."

Anonymous

2011-09-02T02:07:00.009+12:00

I don't understand anonymous, rude comments.
(I just noticed one from awhile back)

Each flat-out-rude, semi-rude, or passive-aggressive comment I've gotten
over the years is always left by someone who remains anonymous.

1. I can't fight the rudeness because when you put yourself out there,
and allow open commenting, you're going to get a variety of replies.

2. Unfortunately rude behavior isn't going to disappear. It's human nature for people
to assume they know everything, feel the right to comment on everything even when
they don't know the person whose post they are commenting on.

The internet is a wonderful and awful place all at once, for many, many reasons.

Usually people don't treat people online like real people.
If these people knew others in real life, I guarantee they'd
have a civilized, kind conversation.

Why do rude commenters
never own up to who they are?

Curious.

What We Say

2011-09-01T23:43:00.000+12:00

Check out this powerful yet simple message from Alison Lam.. read her post about Testing Our Words

Billy

2011-09-01T23:19:00.004+12:00

Recent words from Billy Graham:

'Heavenly Father, we come before you today to ask your forgiveness and to seek your direction and guidance. We know Your Word says, 'Woe to those who call evil good,' but that is exactly what we have done. We have lost our spiritual equilibrium and reversed our values.. We have exploited the poor and called it the lottery. We have rewarded laziness and called it welfare. We have killed our unborn and called it choice. We have shot abortionists and called it justifiable. We have neglected to discipline our children and called it building self esteem. We have abused power and called it politics. We have coveted our neighbor's possessions and called it ambition. We have polluted the air with profanity and pornography and called it freedom of expression. We have ridiculed the time-honored values of our forefathers and called it enlightenment. Search us, Oh God, and know our hearts today; cleanse us from every sin and Set us free. Amen!'

Commentator Paul Harvey aired this prayer on his radio program, 'The Rest of the Story,' and received a larger response to this program than any other he has ever aired. With the Lord's help, may this prayer sweep over our nation and wholeheartedly become our desire so that we again can be called 'One nation under God!'

if...

2011-09-01T00:30:00.010+12:00

the horrific japan tsunami last march spread up to 6 miles (10km) inland...

we checked out our location in terms of that.

as you see on the map, 6 miles (10km) from the coast is at the heart of the city center. we are located just a block north of the dip in the "v" of that route.

the second map shows the distance from the closest water source to us... at mccormacks bay... we are just 4.7kms inland from that (2.9miles)...

Don't worry.

We have an escape plan.

And we have an emergency kit.

We livin in crazy times.

A Goal for September

2011-08-31T17:22:00.005+12:00

HI FRIENDS + FAM!

Thanks for checking in! I wanted to take this opportunity to ask you to consider supporting our friend's adoption of a child from Ethiopia (Shannon + Cory Church). I mentioned this months ago but wanted to show you again because they are trying to reach a goal of hitting the $20,000 mark in September. They are currently at $16,984.95 The final goal is $30,000 (all fees, flights, paperwork, interviews, monitoring, etc.)

There are two ways to contribute... maybe you'd be interested in helping bring this child home?

A: Regular donation: through their PAYPAL

B. Buy a $10 scarf (or a few!)—proceeds go to adoption fund:
email: fagerlandfamily@hotmail.com,
subject: I'd like to buy a Scarf for Baby Church

If 20 of my readers donate $20 each, that would be $400!
If 20 of my readers donate $50, that would be $1,000!

If you can spare some change, please consider this! =)

Good Words

2011-08-26T21:27:00.002+12:00

Great words from Kiwi author + acquaintance, Andrew Strom:

"As many of you know, I am a strongly conservative evangelical Christian. And yet, I have questioned for a long time whether conservative Christians (particularly in the USA) are trying to solve 'SPIRITUAL' problems with Politics—which will never work. The sheer amount of money and energy and passion that Christians in the US are devoting to 'electing the right guy' seems to even dwarf what they are willing to do SPIRITUALLY. There is something wrong. We are trying to use Politics to solve problems that only God Himself can solve! We need an actual Awakening - not just a 'new guy' for President! A lot of this massive devotion and activism is a 'distraction' and  is also leading to enraged and 'hateful' behaviour from Christians. Slander, gossip, anger, malicious talk, circulating hateful rumors, etc, etc. Real ugly behaviour that is not Christ-like at all. In fact, it is the very opposite of the way Jesus told us to be." —Andrew Strom

Unity!!!

2011-08-25T17:24:00.001+12:00

Such breakthrough!
So amazing!

cards cards cards

2011-08-23T19:21:00.001+12:00

you know... time to promote my little shop again! i created an etsy.com shop page so if you are keen, please head over there to check it out. i was discouraged to discover there are HEAPS of card shops on there + am afraid mine will be lost amid the many. so don't mind me if i promote it from time to time on the off chance that some new reader will head over that way and be interested!

Woo, God, You're Awesome!

2011-08-22T13:28:00.004+12:00

A heavy week ended with a huge refreshment. And I learned a few things in the process.

I forgot that sometimes before a move of God, the enemy tries to really discourage, distract and thwart. This weekend we received several solid prophetic words over both of us personally. A group of people from Australia and NZ had a vision of themselves playing worship in the streets of Christchurch and they came here for a few days to do just that. God called them to help usher in His presence here. Many different groups have been doing this over the last 18 months. Feeling called to come intercede for the city and worship God's name here. Before He revives a place, often prayer and worship precedes that season.

This particular group had contacted us for venues and asked us to tell friends. It all worked out that we lined up a few places for them but with short notice we weren't able to promote much. Each night different people from around the city came to worship and receive prayer. From everyone we heard back from, they were really encouraged and God refreshed them. We are so thankful to this group who live a life of service and obedience.

Noah and I both received words of knowledge that were identical to other words of knowledge we've received in times past by others. It's so amazing to keep getting encouraged by God at just the right time.

In this whole situation God showed me last night that the hopelessness or heaviness I feel for the world right now is just a LIE and that the enemy is pushing with all his might to mess things up before a big wave of God comes and revives the nations. I no longer look at the world through my own eyes to make sense of it all. I feel so foolish for giving in to the lie of despair.

That's what happened with us on a small scale this week and that's what I see happening in the world. It's like the enemy tries to stop a move of God, but the fact is he just can't. God wins. Love wins. Healing wins.

Last night, one of the ladies who came out (Kathy) reminded me that throughout history, a revival of God hasn't happen in prosperous, safe times. It happens when people are broken and scared. They are at a place of vulnerability and open to finally see God.

When we moved here we sensed God was showing us that revival is going to come out of this city. The first month here I heard him tell me, "I am going to rain down on this land and make it fertile again." We have heard many others get similar words from the Lord. A month or so before the earthquakes here began I heard him ask me, "What if some tough stuff has to happen here first?" and I timidly replied, "Ok, God, you know what needs to happen." A few months ago I heard him remind me, "I will send forth rain." ... this weekend Kathy spoke about the past season of shaking... the symbolic meaning of the snow since it rarely snows here and never this much (purity, cleansing) and that God is going to send forth rain... that revival is coming. A time where the miraculous will flow, people will follow Christ, be set free from their junk in their lives, broken families will be restored, and all that goooooood stuff. Exciting times ahead.

Last night, a few hours before the team flew back to Oz, I pulled aside Kathy, the super prophetic lady, and ended up talking to her for an hour about several different things. I was so encouraged. She prayed for me and God spoke some amazing things into my life and Noah's life. Everything lines up with what we've been sensing or feeling already. Some things were confirmations, other things were new revelations. She knew I've been struggling with some health issues and explained to me the spiritual reasons for that happening... and how God wants me to specifically break free from my two different health issues. And she knew about some past hurts I have and talked about how God wants me to break free from those as well. She knew about my gifting and Noah's gifting and how God wants to use them here in CHCH. We are thankful for God's love at the perfect time to shine upon us and encourage us as we walk with him.

This weekend, watching Kathy minister to others, I finally witnessed a solid prophetic person. We have grown leery of many in the past who were "off".. inaccurate.. eccentric.. confusing. It was refreshing to meet someone who was grounded in wisdom. Through that encounter, I was reminded that the role of prophecy has not been used in the church as it should and it is so important for prophetic people to be embraced and trained up... they need wisdom, mentors, and a place to build up others in encouragement. So many untrained prophetic types are on the fringes. She was pointing out that so many prophetic times get off the rails and don't have wisdom. Something I've totally noticed but wasn't sure how to address.. cause there is such a lack of good mentors in that. Sitting with her, she was the most clearly spoken and kind prophetic type I've met. She took time to explain everything she said and mentor me in it. (Sometimes we've met prophetic types who are are more into the gift and themselves than God. They love being mysterious and have a lot of pride. They end up just confusing people and showing off more than speaking truth or encouraging others with real words from the Lord. And when they DO say something accurate, it's hard to discern because of all the other fuddled things they say too.)

She ended up teaching me a lot about her experiences and how God works through her. I have a prophetic gift but have only been operating in it half-heartedly. She gave me so much wisdom about how God uses the gift... and I have come to see how important it is the prophetic types be nurtured with wisdom and welcomed to speak and encouraged.

There is such a suppression (I think because of unwise ones all over the place making a bad name for solid ones)... but I feel like after last night my eyes were opened that just like we need pastoral people, teachers, evangelists and apostles... the prophetic needs to be seen in a new light and embraced. I am not saying this because I fit into that category, but because I feel God showed me in the last few hours so many areas where things in churches/ministries/people have gone down the wrong path because people aren't seeking God truly but doing things out of their own wisdom and their own strength. It would be so easy to "course-correct" if prophetics were actually walking in their gift and being used in a healthy, pure way.

God wants to guide His people... what a different world it would be if we let him.

Blog Update

2011-08-19T16:23:00.000+12:00

Last night we went out to this cheap pizza/pasta place to get out of the cold house on a misty night. We thought it would cheer up our spirits, but it just made it worse. It was very loud and overstimulating for my already tired brain, so I left feeling worse than when I went in. We popped through McDonald's for dessert. We haven't done that in ages. I got my chocolate fudge sunday, which made me smile for a few minutes. But the dark cloud didn't leave... we've been feeling blue for most of the week now. Here is my update on it. Prayers appreciated.

The Last Week in Pictures

2011-08-16T20:56:00.000+12:00

snuggle bug

cleaning out a hoarder's home

she likes wearing daddy's shoes

volunteering at the primary school

mummy megan and baby christian

youth house church group

Economy in the US

2011-08-15T21:17:00.005+12:00

I was going to email this to friends + family but I might as well blog it
to reach a wider audience. I was talking on skype today with my dear friend
in the States. We were talking about the US dollar and how it's drop in
value is affecting both of us...

Then she mentioned something that I want to share with you.
I don't remember exactly how she found out (a friend of a friend thing).

Basically a friend of a friend's husband works at the Pentagon and recently
called his extended family to tell them, "I can't tell you any details, but please start
stocking up on water and food." (paraphrase.. we don't obviously know his exact words).
This information wasn't supposed to get out.. my friend wasn't supposed to tell me,
her friend wasn't supposed to tell her, etc etc. but due to the nature, of course
it's going to spread and of course I am going to tell you too.

We have no idea if this has to do with the country's debt or what cuz no specifics
were given... or if they are considering the incoming dwarf star/comet "Elenin" that is
set to pass by earth sept-nov...

I know many of you, older than I, have lived through plenty of scares
or threats of impending financial crashes or global disaster... and nothing happened.
But I just want to put the word out there to stay alert,
seek the Lord on this and maybe get some things together. We are
all aware of what's been happening in the US recently, but it's apparent
by this piece of information that some know more than others about the
future crisis that may descend upon us soon... I feel it's something to take
notice of when it's coming from the Pentagon and not just a conspiracy theorist...

What an insane year it has been.
With disasters, famines, political upheaval, war...
And all the terrorist drama... economy.
All of history has drama, but this year has undeniably had more than in recent times.

The Snow Week Progress

2011-08-15T19:42:00.001+12:00

We were warned of an impending storm storm!
The forecast keeps changing every hour.
Sunday through Tuesday.
Monday through Wednesday.
Sunday and Monday only.
So we'll see what pans out!

Yesterday we woke up to a sunny but very cold day.
At 1pm we had ten minutes of hail. And the wind began.
Then it cleared and was sunny again. By dinner time
more light hail... and a light layer of snow when we went to bed.

By this morning, a good 7 inches!
It says on one forecast that we should only get snow today...
So far we've had rain, some snow and hail in short bursts,
but nothing heavy.

Everyone bought up necessities at the stores!
It's quite funny because snow is so common back home
in Colorado and life doesn't stop. But it's nice to have
it stop here instead of having to carry on, business as usual.
Just to enjoy it, sip hot drinks and read a book...
But it is freezing! The heater is on but the heat barely
does any good cuz of poor insulation in this house.
Just escapes... drafts along every door and window. =(

This morning

Celebs

2011-08-14T14:36:00.001+12:00

I'd find it fascinating if I could stand up against celebs in person, comparing height. You never quite are aware of their true height because they are often photographed alone~ and in movies it is quite hard to tell as well by the way they shoot scenes.

I stumbled across this photo of Snooki + Jimmy Fallon.
I knew Snooki was short but I never realized how short.
She makes Jimmy look huge, but I looked up his height.
And he only one inch taller than I. He's 5'10. It's hilarious to imagine me towering over Snooki like this.

A few tidbits

2011-08-10T13:20:00.002+12:00

—Last night some friends and I were ministering to "S" and we drove out to the beach to burn and bury a list of her past issues. That was a beautiful moment. It was cold + windy yet beautiful out on the empty beach. The pier was lit up, the stars were out. We came home and she was baptized in our tub! Please pray for her as she continues to walk out her new life and turn from past hurts and involvements.

—We've had a coupe of beautiful days here. Not really warm, but sunny! So that's been awesome! Sun cheers me up!

—Baby season continues as 13 friends of mine are pregnant at the moment!

—My sister just returned from a missions trip to Kenya/Tanzania—She reported that it was amazing and she learned and experienced a lot and wants to go back some day.

—And today's recipe recommend is this Quinoa Mexican Salad... that I saw at Iowa Girl Eats blog. I know she and I'd be good friends if we met in person. She got it from another blog here which lists the ingredients/instructions. I quartered the recipe to make it for just me.. It's pretty good! I just need to perfect the ingredients. I followed it and quartered it properly but it seems off. Too much quinoa, needs more corn and beans. I love my Mexican!!

—Noah just finished designing this website for our friends Chris + Susanne Donaldson. Check out his handiwork and/or check out the tours of Turkey and Israel.. maybe you wanna go!?

Liberty Market

2011-08-07T16:09:00.003+12:00

All year we have driven past this
corner warehouse-looking building
not knowing what kind of business
was inside. The sign read,
"Liberty Market" and it looks very
"insurancy" or something.
(Fonts really do matter for logos!)

There are no windows or signs giving
any indication to what kind of business it is.
Never thought twice about it. But the other day
we just found out from our American
friends, Jen + Kayla, that its an organic
food market that has some USA brands!
ALL THIS TIME WE NEVER KNEW!

So today we went in and explored.
It's pretty big and has a good variety.
My eyes were peeled for USA brands.
(None are sold in the regular stores.
Everything is from NZ and Australia mostly
except for some Asian/Indian imports).

There was juice, pastas, cookies, cereals,
from the USA and almost all the organic
brands for soaps, shampoos, lotions.
IT WAS AMAZING. I almost cried,
and wondering, how did I not know
all this time!

They even have some celestial seasoning tea!

The huge fat bummer though is that
it's ridunkulously pricey.

Noah's favorite soap is sold there too!
I squealed in the aisle. He loves this brand
and has to have his mom send it!!
But it's around $8.50 here! (USA equivalent is $7.04)
(In the USA it's $4.49 *NZ equivalent is $5.42)
Annie's brand chocolate graham bears
were there, but like $15 a box!
And my favorite Late July cookies
were being sold, but for $14 a box.
Sick! So we didn't get those things
due to the price but maybe I'll stop in
sometimes and splurge...

Then to top off the blissful browsing,
I spotted something that DOESN'T
even EXIST in the country....

canned pumpkin.
yes folks. if u read my blog last fall (spring here)
you'll recall that i was so sad to learn
that not only is it not sold here
but u get treated like an alien for
asking about it!

yes, there will be some pumpkin pie
filling our bellies soon. =)

Rob

2011-08-06T17:38:00.004+12:00

In the right place at the right time.
That's how I feel about our meeting Rob M.

Yesterday I had that lovely craft morning with Karen.
Afterward, before leaving that neighborhood,
I thought I'd stop by the relief center to see Mary and "S".

While there I found out about Rob M. who had called the center,
asking if he could get some food delivered to his house. Mary
had spoken to him, telling him some numbers for some ministries
and churches that deliver food parcels. But it was too late on a
Friday afternoon and he was unable to request anything until
Monday.

Mary relayed all this to me and said that he mentioned he had
an injury, he was taking care of his disabled son, and that he
was unable to afford groceries at this time.

I felt awful and remembered that we have some extra money
from donations people sent to us in February. We plan to do
some food delivery for other families next Wednesday with
that same money.

So I got Rob's number from Mary and called him, asking
what kinds of things he likes or needs. He was the nicest guy!
He said, "I don't know what to say!! Thank you!" and then
when I asked what kinds of sweets he wants (after getting the list
of the more nutritious staples he needed) he said, "Ohhh wow,
I don't know! We haven't had those in awhile!"

Today we went to PakNSave and bought a bunch of groceries.
It is so amazing to be able to do that for someone. Thank you
to all our donors!!!

So we drove into his neighborhood which is just north of ours.
It was a really messed up area (from earthquake damages). We
showed up and he walked out smiling. I immediately noticed
his right arm was pulled up to his side and I asked about it. He
mentioned having several surgeries (free healthcare here) from
injuries and some benign cancer. The nerves in his arms no
longer work and he hurts it often because of that.

Once inside we noticed what a disaster the home is in.
We found out later that due to flooding (from rencent snow melt
in his broken roof from earthquake) that the house has tons of
water damage. Everything was in disorder.

Then after talking awhile he mentioned that he couldn't afford
groceries in the last few weeks because money went to the
cleaning up of the house issues.

As we helped him put away groceries I noticed the empty fridge,
bare shelves... I handed him a hunk of cheese and he "ooh'ed and ahh'ed",
saying, "Cheese!" clearly expressing he hadn't had any in awhile!

At one point I said, "I don't know if you're a believing man,
but we'd love to pray for you if that's OK," and he was happy
for us to, so that was great. I prayed and he seemed really touched.
He kept his head bent down after and murmured,
"That was really touching. No one's done that for me before."

Wow. It was one of those beautiful moments.

Before we left he shared with us some more
bad news of things that have happened in the past.
Both of his children (now 18, 23) were raped at young ages.
Gut wrenching. The kids' mum left when they were young.
He's raised them and cared for them through all this time
and has been there for them emotionally as well.

He has suffered a lot. He has worked different jobs
but cannot do a lot at the moment due to his arm. And
he mentioned they have no family around, and not a lot
of friends. My heart broke.

We all need community.
We need love and hugs and support.
And prayer.

It was a pleasure to meet him. He has such a great attitude.
He is so caring of his kids and his 3 dogs who he rescued.
We hope to be in his life more.

As we left his house he said, "Thanks again for praying for me!"
And I said laughingly, "Anytime you want it, we can pray! Just ask!"

I literally just wanted to go back and pray, pray, pray
that very second. But I didn't want to overwhelm him!

We hope to invite them all over for dinner soon.
We'll keep you updated!

If I hadn't of swung by the center
we never would have had this
interaction. I love being at the right
place at the right time. So many
opportunities are around us to
love people and take care of each
other...

Friday Morning Crafts

2011-08-05T16:20:00.002+12:00

Karen and I are meeting up once a month
to do crafty things together.
Today we met at her place in South New Brighton.
I started a pair of leg warmers since she was
sporting some last time we met that were so darling.
She helped me learn the pattern and get me going.
She worked on knitting a baby blanket.
Then we switched to different projects.
I worked on a rope bracelet while she
worked on a coat! Mark, her hubby,
worked in his office that is located
in the back garden!

On the way home I got groceries,

stopped by the Earthquake Relief Center

that's turned into a community relief center.

Our housemate Mary and "S" volunteer there.

It was good to chat with "S" and visit with Mary.

Found out about a guy who needs food

who lives in our neighborhood.

His disabled son lives with him and he takes care of him.

With the help of your donations from February,

we will be donating some groceries to him this weekend!

Here is Mary working at the center.

Driving back to the house,

I ran into another friend, Leo,

who was strolling down the street.

I love that this city is getting "smaller"

as I know more and more people!

Laundry Room

2011-08-04T17:50:00.000+12:00

This month I've stopped by a few "op shops"
aka goodwills and second hand shops and found
some cheap fabric from huge, old skirts,
bed sheets, large dresses, etc.

I recently found this colorful
90s print and knew I'd find something to do with it.
It's not the hippest, but it's bright and cheery,
so I dig!

We have this beautiful, big window in the laundry room.
But there have never been curtains on it! I finally decided
to whip some up (though it look longer than I'd hoped.)

Our sewing machine is old and cranky
so it gave me some hassle
but I showed it who's boss.

needing a push

2011-08-04T02:29:00.002+12:00

please, somebody
give me permission
to write.
i rarely put time into articles
or working on a novel
because i feel guilty
for spending time on it
when i could be doing
practical ministry.
but my heart longs to write
and i know its my outlet.
i know it's MY form
of ministry.
my main form god
has given me.
i have so much to say
for articles
for books
but i dont give myself
permission to do it.
someone, please,
tell me it's ok!

fresh mountain air

2011-08-02T00:32:00.001+12:00

sunday night noah totally surprised me suggesting that we drive up to hanmer.

it's a tiny town north of here,
known for it's hot pools
and surrounding white-capped mountains. he's been wanting to jot up there for awhile now. last time we went was six months ago.

so we threw together some clothes, food and
jumped in the car.

we found a little cabin available
on a camping property. rolled up
when it was pitch black.
the stars were brilliant and bright.
the night was silent.
we crept into our cabin,
which was eery at first,
but we settled in and made it cozy.
our favorite little movie, ONCE,
was on tv.

this morning we woke late and
enjoyed the breakfast we brought.
and took a little drive up a mountain,
enjoyed laying in a field, catching some
winter sun rays, and read at a cafe,
before sharing a cranberry chicken
pizza at a little stone fire grill restaurant.
then, the hot pools! our housemate,
mary, lent us her discount pass and
we enjoyed two hours of relaxing.

it was a refreshing weekend!

unselfish

2011-07-30T14:27:00.006+12:00

so there's this young woman staying with us, who accidentally left her electric blanket on all day on monday (where she was staying before here). it started a fire, burning the mattresses and some of the carpet before the fire was put out... when they went in to recover what was left, they found her bible in-between the mattresses, totally unscathed.

i love that.

so who is this girl?

well, we have a new housemate: mary from the uk.
mary works with YWAM and Grace Vineyard at the support center.
she brought along this young woman to stay here as well
because she had no other place to go.
to protect her privacy, i'll call her "S".

previously "S" had been living in her boyfriend's car.
she ended up coming to the church last month, where she met mary.
mary helped her find a place to live—in a room at a house of someone else at the church.
the house where she accidentally burned down the room.

now she lives with us temporarily.
mary, has taken her under her wing, re-teaching her the things...
like taking care of oneself, making good decisions, doing laundry,
cooking, re-starting her life, learning about god, etc., etc.

mary is amazing! what a champion!

this woman, who's had a horrrrrrible life thus far, (sexual abuse as a child, sex-trafficking, etc)
and because she has a learning disability, she cannot write well or read well.
she cannot get a decent job.
and in new zealand, prostitution is legal.
and this is where she has ended up.

recently she gave her life to christ and is working through so much
emotional baggage as she transitions out of her old lifestyle (on the streets) and into a life
of surrounding herself with people who DONT use her or abuse her.
she is learning to trust god and heal from her wounds.
so that she doesnt run to men when she feels the pain of her past.

if you meet her, please take time to love on her and encourage her.
she attended our "christmas in july" dinner last night and was overwhelmed
at how normal everyone was. she is not used to that.
she needs good friends, people who love her genuinely.
she needs good role models in her life.
male and female.

so, last night at the party,
i watched "S" all night and noticed how uncomfortable she was.
this wasn't her world. but at the same time, she loved it,
being around people who laughed and loved.

i was so touched by how much she helped me and served
(serving, taking drink orders, cleaning)...

near the end we had a white-elephant gift exchange,
where we each brought something silly to exchange.
she ended up exchanging for a wind-chime.
something that most of us didn't want, but she liked it.
later that night, after everyone had gone, she humbly
gave it us to, saying she felt to give it up,
and give it to us as a thank-you for taking her in.
i was so touched by her selfLESS action
and tender heart.

this morning i read luke 12 and read the part where it says,
those who are given much, much is expected of them.
it reminded me also of the parable jesus taught
about the old woman who was poor and only had a few coins
to her name. she gave a coin away. the story was about her generosity.
and that we should be like her. giving what we have to others,
not being selfish and clinging too tightly to things.

the actions of "S" last night really touched my heart.
i thought about her, who has been given little, who gave to us,
not only help during the party, but something that she liked
and would rather keep for herself.
it was so unselfish.

Mouth Watering

2011-07-29T01:46:00.000+12:00

My friend Kaley recently posted this link on Facebook
and I had to share it with you. It's 1:45am on a Thursday night
and I realllllly need to get to bed, but instead I am looking
through recipes and crafty blogs. Take a look through these
yummy recipes. I am going to try out the stuffed zucchini
tomorrow!

http://foodgawker.com/popular/favorites/

Snow Day

2011-07-26T13:10:00.005+12:00

It rarely snows here, that's why this is such a big deal!

Sunday night some American friends of ours, who work out at the YWAM base an hour away, came into town to stay the night. Jed, Kayla, and Kayla's cousin who was visiting from the States. That evening, Noah announced, "it's snowing!" I jumped out of my seat and looked outside.. then lots of jumping around ensued as we all were pumped! Our friends see more snow than we do here, since the YWAM base is at the base of the foothills of the mountains, so it wasn't as novel for them. We didn't see any last winter here in Christchurch... maybe only two days of morning frost! We were all excited. Who doesn't love snow??

Kayla's cousin, Sarah, and I went for a walk around the block, taking in the fresh powder! The next day we girls went for a long walk around the Avon River in the snow, taking photos and enjoying the rarity of snow in the city. It was a super day of baking, eating, drinking cocoa, coffee, games, reading and lounging. (They brought this Australian game, Quelf, which I hope you can get ahold of where you are because it's pretty fun.)

They are a quiet and peaceful bunch so it was super relaxing! It was nice to have a full house yet be nice and peaceful here. And it was so comforting to be around fellow Americans. I noticed feeling more comfortable with them than everyone else we know here, simply because we all get each other because we are all from the same country and general life experience... we share that unspoken understanding of where we come from, and how we think. It was this subconscious thing I noticed... so yeah, I just appreciated the last few days with them! It's nothing against everyone else we know and cherish here. I think everyone can relate to the fact that it's usually easy/refreshing to hang out with people who are from your same culture. Especially if you have been away from it for awhile!!

They ended up staying another night because they were snowed in (since there are no snow plows here, the snow was a little dangerous for cars not equipped with snow tires)—and some major roads around the region were closed, so they couldn't even try if they wanted. We didn't mind! So they stayed the night again.

Meanwhile, another friend, Jeremy (the YWAM base director) was at the Chch airport... his flight was cancelled due to the weather and stayed the night here. Two other staff dropped him off, but hung out with us awhile before driving back to the base. So it was awesome to all hang out last night, play a game, and relax together.

This morning everyone left (after getting stuck on the icy driveway) and headed to the airport, sightseeing and malls. Our friends were going to drive south to Dunedin but now that plan is cancelled due to dangerous driving conditions. So they are just staying in this area.

playing quelf.

random, silly game.

our house

another storm rolling in

flooded river banks

photos by kate + kayla

Awwwwww

2011-07-22T12:59:00.001+12:00

This made me tear up.
Our friend Boyd and the rest of the
Ten Tenors...

http://www.973fm.com.au/shows/robin-terry-bob-in-the-morning/videos/Ten-Tenors-Surprise-Serenade

So meaningful to see a strong, Aussie bloke cry!
Crying isn't very cool over in this part of the world...
It's always business + "keep a stiff upper lip"!

Indie

2011-07-21T17:40:00.002+12:00

Here is our baby!

Disciplines

2011-07-20T13:29:00.004+12:00

Since moving here I have struggled with mastering time.

With no strict timeline to my day, creating and maintaining structure has proven to be quiet difficult and annoying. It's the one issue that continues to resurface... and it drives me nuts to keep hearing myself complain about how I long to create a schedule that works for me.

I think most can relate to these next points:

—When I was in high school my days were strictly laid out from 5:45am to bedtime. School, athletics, clubs and homework. For four years. I had virtually no free time and often envied my cat for her lifestyle. Sleep. Play. Eat. Repeat.

—In college, I had more free time but the school routine, studies, church activities and a part-time job still kept my days structured.

—In Colorado, I had various jobs, all which put structure in my life.

This was all structure that I took for granted at the time. You know how it goes.. when you are "tied down" you long for freedom, for days off work, for no schedule! Free time tastes so rich and sweet! Well, when you HAVE a lighter schedule and lots more freetime... let me tell you, it's usually not as sweet as you suspect (until you comes to terms with it and figure out how to enjoy it, guilt-free! which i am currently working on, as you will see if you read on...)

In January 2009, when all our friends were getting locked into serious, nice-paying jobs, we were moving in the opposite direction. When we learned that we were moving to New Zealand, and the only thing I could really do was nanny until we left, my transition into the "no real job" lifestyle began.

It was hard to fully enjoy that looser schedule—you feel guilty for not being busier. That summer I nannied from 8:30-2 (I think those were the hours). I'd be home long before before Noah and our housemates.

That wasn't so bad to deal with. It was still a M-F schedule. In that time we were also selling everything we owned, working out visa applications, hanging out with friends and family when we had the chance and mentally preparing to move overseas.

Then when that particular nanny job was over when the kids went back to school, my schedule decreased even more... giving me lots more free time. I nannied only two days a week for a baby, and one afternoon/evening a week for a 5 year old. I enjoyed those jobs but definitely struggled with thinking that others were judging me as being lazy... and still felt guilty for not having more to do.

Three months before we moved to NZ, we moved in with Noah's parents. Part of that time all I did was work a few hours a week at a church daycare and do a little babysitting. It was hard on me. Our life there was coming to a close. Noah was busy transitioning out of his business and working on freelance jobs, while I was almost totally free to do as I pleased, but instead of embrace it, I felt guilty.

Looking back, I wish I would have been more understanding of that unique time. I wish I would have grasped it as a gift—the gift of time to relax in the days leading up to the move. I DID relax, but not fully. Because it was hard to be 100% OK with my free time without feeling badly for it. Now I wish I would have made more of an effort to make the most of that time... seeing friends and family during all those hours off—and spending more time reading the Bible and praying in preparation for the move and ministry tasks here. I know it's hard to play the "should have, would have" game, because we don't know things at the time and only see it clearly later on. But that experience is something I have learned from...

So here I am, sitting at my dining room table on a Wednesday morning, blogging to you about where I am at now in my "time" struggles.

Currently I am still battling it out with:
Time management
Structure
Guilt vs freedom

We have been here now for
one year
four months
three days
and something like two hours.

In January 2009, when we first learned that God was leading us here,
I heard him telling me that "settling" was very important and that he wanted
us to focus on getting used to our new country, home, culture... to give ourselves
grace, to embrace the new season and not put pressure on ourselves to produce
anything specific for anyone.. to not get busy, filling up our time
"doing for the sake of doing". We felt he was directing us into a season of freedom
and listening because... well... we'd be here for a long time. He wanted us to
make friends, learn the culture, emotionally adjust, spend time with Him...
This isn't a quick little missions trip and He wanted to lay a good foundation
for us to settle and get comfortable before plunging in.

But boy it is hard, after a decade of busyness, to allow yourself to
fully embrace something different like that. I had a taste of it before
we moved to NZ, but since living here, it's been a full-force,
no-limitations lifestyle for me. (Noah's tale is a little different since
he has been bringing home the bacon with art/design). But to a degree
he has struggled to with the issue of embracing new freedoms as well.

So let me tell you the main reason for this post...

To vent about my inability to now put some consistent structure into my day specifically regarding:
A. What time I go to bed
B. What time I wake up
C. Creating a regular time for bible reading
D. Creating a regular work out routine
E. Creating a regular writing time

That sounds so easy right? I can just hear you saying,
"Kate, just do it. It's not that hard."

Heh, well, it is. I found that I could manage most of that when I was busier,
but now that I am freer, it's just hard to stick to a schedule when I don't have to.

The two things I have been complaining most about since moving here is
structuring time for bible reading and writing.

They press on me, yet I resist.

In the second week that we were here, I distinctly recall that God told me to
"Eat my word"—which if you are unfamiliar with this language, it's a biblical phrase
meaning to study and know the scriptures.. know God and what he has said, done, doing..etc. When you eat food, it nourishes and sustains you. When you read the word, it becomes a part of you and does the same..

And a year later, I have to be honest with you and tell you I have utterly failed.
Every few weeks he prompts me, and I don't do it.

(Sure I read here and there, and listen to the bible on audio at times.. but I really have NOT
made much effort to pour over the scriptures. Which really, I don't get... because I LOVE
the scriptures. God leaps out at me through reading. His truth refreshes me, sustains me,
encourages me, strengthens me, excites me. He is SO good.)

Though I disobey what he is asking of me, he continues to gently remind me.
I know he wants me to be strong in his truth and be ready with the word in my heart.
I know the purpose of his beckoning.
And I'm here blogging about it, I guess, as sort of an accountability gesture...
in hopes that you'd pray for me and encourage me in my reading.
I am in such a unique time of availability.
And I want to honor God's request and be all that he wants me to be.

In regards to writing, I keep telling myself, "Hello!? When else have you had this much time
to devote to articles and working on a novel? Take advantage of this time!!!"

Yet I don't do anything about it. I mean to.
I've definitely talked out structures and strategies with Noah
time and time again.
And it lasts for a day.
Because I HATE routine
as much as I need it and want it.

(at this point some of you may suggest that writing can't be forced and you have to just write when you are inspired, however i side with the view offered by my favorite author, madeline l'engle, who wrote that you must push through and write, not just when inspired. you must practice, practice, practice. give yourself challenges, assignments.)

i love writing, it's the one thing in my life i know i am called to, though i am not good yet.
i want to make time for it. make it important.

I've tried to narrow down the reasons
why I struggle to create and stick to a routine
of reading/writing.

I think that environment plays a big part.
It's hard for me to focus on studying/writing in my own home.
I see other things that need to get done, so I tend to feel anxious
and guilty while reading/writing. They don't feel as vital or important.

There's the guilt word again.

I make time for volunteering, meeting with people,
chores, errands, ministry stuff, social activities, etc.
but nailing me down for reading/writing is proving impossible.

But I just need to do it.
I need to let go of guilt
and be free to use this time well.

This might sound silly,
but the new dining table we bought
might help me.
Like I mentioned before,
I am really into environment.
This table can also feel like a proper desk...
a work space. Let's hope.

The last thing I want is this season to pass
and to find myself looking back, wishing
I'd have taken advantage of this time.

So here I am, nearing the end of my post,
appreciating if you read this far...
wondering if I should just nail down a schedule.
Bed by midnight.
Up by 8.
Read bible until 9. etc etc
But I know I just haven't figured something out yet
that I like, that I think I'll stick to. Perhaps it depends on the day
I don't know. Rah rah rah. Pray for me...

jesus in the middle east

2011-07-18T21:05:00.002+12:00

lovin the stories coming out of the middle east. i've heard several stories like this in the last few years. heard another one today.

today we had coffee with a pastor who shared with us that a young Saudi woman showed up at his church recently, who shared with the church community the following:

back home in saudi she started to feel that islam wasn't the truth faith. something burned inside of her and she just knew it wasn't true. she burned her quran and felt there was something else out there, beckoning her toward real truth. then she had a dream/vision of jesus, where he told her that he is the truth and that the ways of the quran and mohammed are false. she said that she felt that her "thirst" had been quenched and it all began to make sense. but when her family found out of what she claimed to be experiencing, she was beaten by family and jailed.. BUT she somehow escaped to another country nearby (praise god!) and went on google for the first time (it was banned/blocked where she was living) and saught help from a prominate arab christian.. who pulled some strings to get her safely to new zealand. around this time she googled christianity, where she read about jesus and finally put it all together and realized that JESUS was WHO she talked to in her vision/dream. she knew the true god was speaking to her in the dream but wasn't familar with the Jesus all her life.

now she's here living in christchurch, hasn't had any contact with family or people back home.

isn't on facebook, etc. because she doesnt want anyone to know where she is.

the pastor friend of ours is going to connect us so we can meet her.

i can't wait to hear more, first hand.

i LOVE stories like that. i know others who know people who this has also happened to. dreams where god reveals himself as the true One.. in places where spreading the message of Christ is not allowed. god is good.

JESUS said:

“I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty." (as recorded in the book of John, Chapter 5. He was talking to some unbelieving Jews at the time of this statement.)

At the Wilson's

2011-07-15T15:24:00.006+12:00

Today I popped by Karen + Marc's house, one block from the beach.
They have a darling house, with a darling garden to match.
When you walk through the gate, you immediately notice large,
stone statues that Marc is working on carving.
I don't know the proper term for it or what kind of stone it is,
but they are beautiful.
I wasn't sure if Karen was home but I went through the gate,
knocked on the door and was pleasantly surprised to discover
that she was there, baking gluten-free, peanut brownie cookies.
Here are some photos from my afternoon chat.
The thing I love most about their home is that it feels lived in.
It's got character, creativity and a hippyness to it.
It feels like you can relax and not have to worry about making a mess.

notice the creative candle holders

for when the power goes out from earthquakes

Karen has several craft projects going.

She's making a winter coat, and blanket for her mother

and working on a bunch of these which are for newborn AIDS babies in Africa

who go home in newspaper instead of a blanket or outfit...

She mentioned an initiative someone started

where they gave a pattern to knit and then you send them in.

Here is an article about it (including where to ship).

Boyd

2011-07-15T12:10:00.003+12:00

Our friend Boyd recently came through Christchurch on tour with his group

The Ten Tenors. It was so great to see him and catch up.

After the show we drove him around a bit to see

some of the destruction in the city.

Here, we are looking straight into the city center

which is completely pitch black and still.

So eery and sad.

He mentioned he recently had a side project singing for a commerial

for an Australian beer ad. I just looked it up and found it.

He's so good! As you might already know,

the song is a parody from the song,

"Nessun Dorma" from Puccini's opera "Turandot."

You can check out some of his music here...

and if you go to iTunes you can download.

My favorite is "Sing Sweet Song".

Denver Beer and Bible

2011-07-13T13:08:00.002+12:00

These are some of our organic church friends in Denver.
I just ran across this video today, though I think it was made a few months ago.
Watching this makes me miss them and their input into our lives so much.
I am encouraged by this video and hope it encourages someone else out there
to hear God and trust that He can lead you to encourage others and start gatherings!

Planking

2011-07-10T21:30:00.007+12:00

About a month ago I became aware of planking.
Because someone died after falling off a hotel room balcony. Tragic.
If you haven't heard of it~ it's originally called "the lying down game"
but it's now become also known as "planking" aka "being straight like a plank of wood".
The main idea is to be creative, and find unusual places to plank...
and then post your photos of it online to compete with friends.
I believe the trend originates in the UK but became popular
in Australia recently and moved over to New Zealand.
Now people in the US are starting to do it as well.
Last night I told Noah about wanting to do it
and he just laughed at me. But I made him
take my first planking photo and I laughed so hard
upon seeing it.

It's dumb. It's silly.
That's why it's so great.
Someday the fun of it will fade
but for now, I'm going to enjoy a few laughs.
Here are some from today!

First Attempts at this one...

Split Second Success!

For the Folks: Don't worry! I am quite the scaredy-cat and don't like heights. I won't do anything dangerous! (My boulder picture is cropped so it looks like I'm over a precipice but there was a grassing knoll just below me!)

I found this bit quite interesting, from Wikeipedia: "On 29 May 2011, Max Key, son of New Zealand Prime Minister John Key, uploaded a photograph to Facebook of himself planking on a lounge suite, his father standing behind him. After the photograph was reproduced on the front page of the New Zealand Herald two days later, the Prime Minister's office initially declined comment,^[25] but later that day, confirming that the photograph was indeed genuine, Mr. Key remarked that he doesn't see anything wrong with planking when done safely, and that it was he who had actually introduced Max to planking in the first place, having seen a video of the phenomenon on YouTube.^[26]"

Independence Day

2011-07-05T16:24:00.003+12:00

Happy Independence Day.

Freedom is not free

and I am thankful for the

sacrifices of the brave + vigilant people

who helped establish this country

and all the men + women who have

helped sustain and protect it

over the last several generations.

God bless America

and America bless God.

Thanks to Eli + Vim for helping us celebrate when

our plans with some Americans fell through yesterday.

We heart you!

Cards Available...

2011-07-03T19:01:00.000+12:00

I took some new photos of some of the card sets

which are available at my little store tab above.

Let me know if you are interested!

Portrait of our little bird squirrel kitty

2011-07-02T13:21:00.000+12:00

She coos like a bird.

Plays like a squirrel.

Christian J. Willems

2011-07-01T21:38:00.000+12:00

8 lbs 15 oz!