Labour Day Adventure

Have you ever woken up in the morning and decided that it was a good day for an adventure? I do this all the time! Well, sometimes I figure it out the night before, that's what I did this time. Last night after church, I decided that today was going to be an adventure day (It's a holiday, so I didn't just opt out of work:) I have always wanted to see the giant Kauri trees that are up north, so today I went.

Sometimes my adventures have a plan, sometimes they don't. Sometimes my adventure go as planned and sometimes they really don't! Well, today I didn't really have a plan at all, just a few goals.
1. Hug a giant Kauri tree.
2. Go to the Kauri museum.
3. Scout out places to camp, trek, and take other people on an adventure:)
4. Spend some time with God driving around this beautiful country He created.

Like I said before, I didn't really have a plan, so I could stop whenever and wherever I wanted as long as I reached my goals:) My first stop was this Dutch deli. I couldn't believe it, it was awesome. I may be in New Zealand and I may talk funny sometimes, but I still remember the quaint "Dutch" town I grew up in and I cherish it every chance I get.

You will notice I found my faviourite dutch peppermints a this shop:) If anybody ever gives me these or sends them to me, you are my best friend:)

My next stop was the Kauri Museum. It was pretty cool. I saw some big saws and some beautiful furniture. I learnt a bit about these huge trees...like the fact that they produce gum, not the chewing kind, it's more like sap but can be refined and sculpted. Very cool. I would say this museum reminded me of our pioneer or first settlers museums in the States.

With one goal accomplished, I headed on up North to the Waipoua Forrest, home of the giant Kauri trees. Unfortunately, I was not able to hug a giant Kauri, as there were signs all around saying not to leave the path and that you would damage the roots of the trees by walking on them. So I missed out on that goal, but I did see some pretty huge trees (see photo above). In fact, at the base of the trees, I couldn't see the tops through the canopy of the forest(hence no tree top in the photo). Yes, I do realize the photos around this paragraph are tree tops and that is the canopy of the forest:)

I definitely found some great places to take a group on an adventure and have some great ideas for my next trip up there. It is such a beautiful place and drive the whole way up. I only saw the tip of the hilltop:) God blessed my day away with Him abundantly. Yes, I did do a ton of driving, but the creation I was allowed to see was stunning. God definitely reminded me that this is His world, He is the Creator, and I am one very small part of it. Honestly, I cannot grasp the beauty in photos and I can't imagine how much more there is to see up there. I can't wait to go back and bring others to enjoy God's creation as well.

I will leave you with a few more photos of what I experienced today and the challenge to wake up some morning and go on an adventure. Don't worry if you don't see everything right away, enjoy each day as a gift and live it to the fullest:)

Seriously?

Alright, if I don't blog this right now, I likely wont and it's too ridiculous of a story not to blog it soo....for your amusement and at my expense....

Today, at noon my voice started cracking a bit, I thought, "well, no big deal, I'll have a glass of water." By the end of school, the voice was gone completely, nothing, nada, zilch. I guess I must laryngitis because I don't have a sore throat at all, just no voice. This hasn't happened to me since the first week and a half after moving to IWU (6yrs ago?).

Tonight, I didn't go to choir practice because of the no voice situation, but I was going to go to Devonport to take a picture of the skyline at night, which I have been wanting to do for ages! It was a random decision to go around 9:30pm. As I was driving, I was thinking of a million things(as I do) and I missed my exit. No problem, I knew how to get where I was going from the next exit...or so I thought. I got of the motorway, started out in the right direction, turned onto the right road heading south toward my destination. Now, I don't know what happened or how but that turn did not take me where I wanted to go. In fact, I drove for about 15 minutes and then realized I was lost, it took another 30 for me to get unlost (without a map) and somehow I was North of where I turned South!!! Don't ask me how this can be...all I can say is, "only in New Zealand!"

Well, eventually I did make it to my destination and I took the beautiful picture posted above and I stayed there for a bit and journaled etc before heading home.

On my way home, I was reminded of why I don't typically go over to the North Shore after 9:30pm. ROAD WORKS!!! The entrance ramp I needed to use to the motorway was closed. Again, not a big deal I thought, I know how to get up the road to the next one where I should be able to get on...and I did after sitting at Auckland's longest red light twice. Now I'm on the motorway and heading home, so I think. However, the whole southbound motorway was closed now and I had to get off right where I was stuck 15 minutes earlier. Back to the century-long red light and now just following a bunch of cars and the detour having no clue how far out of the way I was going to have to go before getting back on the motorway.

I made it home obviously, but it's been one of those days that just leaves me saying, "seriously, you've got to be kidding me!?"

Dangerous Discovery!

Oh my goodness! I've just discovered the most dangerously delicious dessert ever! This chocolate cake seriously only takes 5 minutes. I'm not sure who to attribute this delicious recipe to, however, I cannot claim it as my own. It has really moist, spongy texture to it and it's nice and chocolaty:)

4 tbs flour
4 tbs sugar
3 tbs milk
3 tbs oil
2 tbs cocoa
1 egg

Mix all ingredients well in a large mug. "Bake" in the microwave for 3 minutes. Add a bit of chocolate frosting and some sprinkles to the top and there ya go. Perfect dessert!

Note: make sure you mix the egg in really well..otherwise you will have bits of egg in your cake, yuck!

Off to a good start

Term four is now is cession, I just finished day two actually. I am very pleased to tell you that I have had two very good days at school this week. I've enjoyed having a fresh start with new kids and continuing with classes that are going to the end of the year. I can see potential challenges in a number of my classes, but I also know that God has gifted me a with a bit of creativity every now and then to help kids accomplish what they need to. I have two classes on a Tuesday morning that have students with either physical or mental obstacles to overcome in order to participate in class. In one of those classes an aid comes with the students to help when needed. I still think, it's going to be challenge, albeit a good one. One of the boys in my first period class has difficulty hearing, speaking, and processing, but today I watched his face light up as he strummed the guitar and could feel the vibrations in the instrument. He was also excited that he could participate in our rhythm game by clapping the one beat for his name. I know he is not going to be playing guitar like a pro at the end of my class, but I love having him there just to give him the opportunity to be involved in making music.

Also off to a good start is a new car(well new to me anyway). During the school holidays, Janky, my "trusted" Subaru died with style. I drove it to pick up some students for the camp I was working with and the next morning it would not move. The transmission totally locked up. In fact, the car would not even go into neutral for the tow-truck to pull it up, the guy had to drag it(leaving behind some impressive tire marks) up onto the truck bed. This happened on the second day of the holidays, so I still had about two weeks to find a car. Thankfully, some friends of mine have an extra vehicle that I was able to borrow for the week and a half while I was on a car hunt. I did find a great car and I am very thankful for the Lord helping me to find a solid, safe, and nice car in such a timely manner. I am driving a Mazda familia that rides very smooth, is tidy, and has good fuel mileage, plus I like the color(dark red). I'll post pics of the car tomorrow along with a funny story about it as well...I like funny stories.

I'm Still here...and not going to leave you.

Well, I've been away from the States for a while now, at least a while considering my short life on this earth so far, and I began to go through a stage of wondering if what I'm doing here is really what God has for me. I can say without a doubt that it is. Today, I had a "time out." Every now and then I take myself out of my normal everyday surroundings and head off with the Lord to just be in His creation, in His presence, and listen. Today was that day. I went to the beach, as I do, because that is where I identify with the Majesty, Power, and Still presence of God. I spent some time reading a book that is challenging the way I think and making me challenge the ideas of the author with the truth of Scripture. I enjoyed this process not because I enjoy reading controversial books but because of the way it brought the Scripture in my heart into my mind and required me to recognize God's full truth verses the ideas in this book which point the way to truth, but are not true in and of themselves. It was good.

After I indulged myself with reading for a while, I had a conversation with God. Sometimes I fear putting these conversations on my blog because people probably think I'm crazy, but that's ok. I'd rather be honest about what God is teaching me and speaking to my heart and be thought to a bit crazy than deny the work that He is doing around me and truth He is speaking into my life.
So here it is:

God: Remember when I told Abraham that he was going to have as many children as the sand on seashore?

Me: Ummm..yeah(as I am scooping sand with a shell realizing I can't even count the grains in the shell let alone the whole beach)

God: Remember when I asked Moses to go deliver my people?

Me: Yep. (wondering yet some how knowing where God was leading me in this conversation)

God: Remember when I told Isaiah to speak my truth, even when they wouldn't listen?

Me: Yeah, I remember.

God: Did I ever ask these people to go or believe or do anything by themselves?

Me: No, Abraham had Sarah and even though she doubted, You used that to reveal Yourself and Your role in their lives then and in ours now. You sent Moses with Aaron and Miriam and when they failed, You revealed Your sovereignty again and still redeemed Your people. Isaiah, You spoke to through visions and drew him so close to You that he could not help but proclaim Your truth.

God: When I asked you to go to NZ, what did I tell you?

Me: Not to be afraid because you would be with me wherever I go.

God: I was faithful in each life I reminded you of today and I'm faithful in yours. You are where I have led you. Do not be discouraged or doubtful. I am bigger than your circumstances and I am still here...and not going to leave you.

Me: Thanks, I needed that. How foolish I've been, forgive me and stay with me.


At the end of this conversation, I was astounded by the gentleness of God and His willingness to meet me right where I am. I don't know what God has in store for me here in NZ and that's ok. I don't know all that He is at work doing, but I pray that as He reveals those things to me, that He gives me the courage to join Him in His work. I pray that my feet are always willing to walk in obedience and go where and when He sends me. I will remember His faithfulness and recognize the work of my Father as He walks with me wherever I go and I will not be afraid.

Inside Out

I am in the middle of two weeks of holidays, Praise the Lord! For the first week I had the privilege of assisting with a film camp for teens. It was an incredible experience. Many of the kids have life stories that would break your heart and wonder how someone so young could experience such life circumstances. During the camp the kids were challenged to bring their stories from the inside out in order to find value in who they are. They all had the opportunity to take a strengths finder test and find out what elements of their personality are strengths for them to build on. By the end of the week two teams of students had created separate film to tell a life story of one of the team members. The students were assisted by professional film makers and mentors throughout the entire week and were taught how to capture footage, edit, add music, write scripts, gather props, and choose locations. The kids did it all and it was awesome!

The camp was run by Christians who desire to impact the lives of today's youth for Christ. Throughout the week the student had the opportunity to see all the leaders live out their love for Christ as we poured into them. I know that God did some absolutely amazing things this week. I know because the devil was fighting us on many sides. During the week, three of us had vehicles die or break down. Family members of mentors were getting sick...then we all started getting sick. By the end, I have no idea how many of us had insane colds but I know at least 5 or 6 of us. I also know God was working because of the transformations I began to see in students. One student in particular arrived from Australia on Sunday last week, he was quiet, stayed to himself and was hesitant to interact with people. At the end of the week, I think he was a totally different kid. He was joking around with us, smiling, and getting along with others.

One thing that touched my heart the most were the kid's smiles. On Saturday night we had a film gala to celebrate them and the work they had accomplished. It was also the debut of the films they spent the week making. Seeing the smiles on their faces makes losing a car and being sick all worth it. I know God is at work in them and I know they were touched by the love of Christ and it is evident on their face for all to see.