Crayfishing

Grandad, Cat & Josh enjoyed the fishing and we will enjoy tea tonight.

Both young men and maidens,
old men and children
Let them praise the name of the Lord,
for HIs name alone is exalted (Pss 148:12-13)

Photo taken at a school celebration today.

Royal New Zealand Show

I took family (and two extras) to the show recently.
We had a fantastic day, enjoyed learning about the animals and bees,and farm
machinery. A reminder how vital horticulture and agriculture are to New Zealanders and our economy.
The children enjoyed show rides, pony rides, and I enjoyed just being able to smell the country smells !

Gone Fishing

Dad sent me this foto today,
Thinks its time i visited the folks !

Songbirds are silent

the end of an era with my workplace waiata(Maori hymns) group finishing last week, have learnt so many new songs and enjoyed the lunchtime companions. Picture of nephew leading haka at family function and words to my favourite waiata
Aue te Ariki aue

Ko koe te Ariki, te Kaiwhakaora
O Lord, creator God
o nga mea katoa
of everything
Anei ra to iwi, te inoi atu nei
We come befor you and pray that you will be
arohatia matou
merciful to us
Manaakitia mai matou, i roto i tenei ao
Bless us in all we do in this changing world
Aue te Ariki Aue
O Lord, O Christ O Lord

finally a smith-**** that looks happy to be going to school !

the cross

The shadow of the cross has fallen over my childrens school community this week and so at home there is talk of the cross, suffering and the reusrrection of Jesus Christ and the Christian hope.

The other gods were strong
but you were weak
they rode...but you stumbled to your throne
But to my wounds, only Gods wounds can speak
and not a god has wounds, but you alone. verse by Edward Shillito

Mt Fyffe

Sun set over Mt Fyffe with an early Spring snow.
Photo taken . Sept 07

HrH

Wants to say HI to the international auntys (have posted more whanau fotos on bebo).

Little Lights Poem by Joy Cowley

Jesus spoke of little lights, candles, lamps, not great bonfires, just small steady flames to brighten some dark corner of the house.
Come to think of it Jesus allways preached little - children, flowers, sparrows, the widows mite, mustard seeds, loaves and fishes. He didnt expect people to make great gestures. I guess he knew that little is the currency of every day living. So lets thank God for little lights, the warm smile, the phone call, a wave from a passing car, a cup of tea, an open door, a talent freely shared.
How often, when my own candle has gone out, has someone relit it from their lamp of kindness. That cant happen with a big light.
I mean, how close can you get to a supernova?

Foto of Kaikoura lighthouse taken by Hannah Sept 07

Eschawotagy ?

Have been reading about eschatology for an assignment, fascinating subject - but not to be confused with escatterlollygy, which is the Christian pastoral practise of hiffing moro's & crunchys to the members of congregation who during the previous week have had birthdays, anniversarys etc. :0 (o.k. not my best joke)

Meal in common

Last week in class we were learning about some history of communion, with several dimensions including a memorial of what has been with the death and resurection of Christ, the current feeding of the people of God and the promise of the eschatological banquet to come.
The early church celebrated by a meal together, with a unity of the bonds of Christ amongst a diverse people, friendship, and food.
I enjoyed a similar meal last weekend.

Im back

So much for the 'photo a day'. This week have had problems with
uploading the photos. Not sure why. Will perserve

white stone

Spent the day on a hermeneutics assignment.
Dont want to type any more today.

Have really got to stop thinking about hermeneutics.
Having technical difficulties with computer connection
its not doing what its suppose to
Will have to post the photo tomorow, when I have

strengths & weakness.perfection & imperfection

Listening to guest speaker - Catholic priest and Chaplain extraordinaire Rev Fr John OcConner again this week who spoke on prayer - what do we think we are doing.
At the end of the session he asked if those who took notes would put them away for 48 hours and just sit with what the Spirit is doing in our hearts. I obediently tucked my notes away Wednesday afternoon and have been looking for them ever since ! Some things I am still mulling over, in particular John spoke about Jesus Incarnate in the manger. That God meets us in the reality of our lives and dwells with us there - wherever that is for us, and that sometimes we feel worse when we have met with God, but I want to add that meeting with Jesus will allways bring an invitation to life and hope. I dont quite know how to bring in these wrestling figures ( I found these guys lined up on my bench) to the story, maybe comparing their supposed strength, to the reality of my own humaness.

SPRING DAFFIDOLS

I was spring cleaning the other day and sorting through my clothes and drawers when I came across a love letter written to me by Tama when he was dying in hospital. I was sitting reading and remembering when I heard a knock on the door and standing there was Lara (a friend) holding a big bunch of daffidols !

When I told her what happened she shoved the flowers in my hands, burst into tears and ran down the driveway (much to my amusement).

I felt so blessed and brave enough to share my story and flowers with you.

ANY EXCUSE FOR A PARTY

Happy Eighth Birthday!
Today marks Blogger’s eighth birthday! A time for reflection, a time to catch our breath from yesterday morning, and a time to break out the baby picture.

At my place this year (so far) birthdays have been celebrated with partys, balloons, gifts, movies, banana splits, and a hat party ! Weve got 1 more party for 2007 - (nearly) 10 year old wants to make it a big one !

Mission

In class today we compared two experiences of mission in the book of Acts . firstly Peter in Acts 2 preaching from the Old Testament to people who (mostly) had a knowledge of Jewish theology, thousands accepted Jesus as the promised Messiah that day - Then later in Acts 17 Paul preached to the Gentiles (who) mostly had no knowledge of the scriptures - so he used what they knew (Greek philosophy and poetry), and just a few were saved. So what does this mean for mission in post modern N.Z. where (mostly) people have zilch awareness of the Bible.

Insects

My 9 year old son has been learning all about insects @ school and for home-work this week he had to write a 4 paragraph story entitled

WHY INSECTS DONT MAKE GOOD PETS

Because you can easily lose them. And they will eat your vegetable garden. And They are pests because they might set up camp in your sisters bedroom. And your mum might have a heart attack if she finds one in her bed. They might drown in your mums coffee or get decapitated in your air-conditioning unit.

They might sting you if you don't have any shoes on. They might go up your nose at night and tickle you so you wake up. Dust mights can give you asthma. Your nits might get jealous because there are other insects in the house. They might squish between your toes.

They might have a fight with your vacuum cleaner. Or you could find one thinking your butter's a swimming pool. This could be quite an expense to register your insect pets. How would you make your decision which insect to bring for pet day at school?

When you get your photo taken with your pet, people will think it's just a self portrait. They might go down the plug hole. The land lords may charge extra rent. Max my dog might get jealous. M.A.F. may visit and give you a heavy fine.

These are just some of the reasons why insects arn't good pets!

TXT MSG (To Dad thismorning) Watching 2 X rugby matches in cold rain, am frozen...

TXT MSG (Dad replys) GOD is good

I wont blog my immediate response !!

Yes I agree God is good - as I think of the effort both the boys put into their games and the friendship and the hot chockolate to warm us all up, I admire my children - they know God is good, even in the cold difficult patches

GIVING THANKS FOR THE BEAUTY IN MY LIFE JUNE 2007

Trying to decide which photograph to publish on blog and remembered Joy Cowelys poem found in "Psalms for the road". This is the first verse.

Let us give thanks for the beauty we know, Autumn colour and wet spring blossom nature pinging against our hearts, causing them to slow in awe, thanks for sunlight green in a wave, for diamond bright beaches and starry nights, thanks for the beauty in childrens eyes.

Swimming with the dolphins

www.dolphin.co.nz
Easter Saturday I really enjoyed a trip out to the deep - just off Goose Bay, Kaikoura where a friend Deanne and I swam with dolphins in the wild, they are the most graceful, gentle sea creatures, there was 200 in the pod and around 30 stayed back to swim with us.
We where in waters 500 metres deep and snorkelling, floating and diving, a southerly stirred the waters up and it was a rock & rolling trip back.
A great way to spend an afternoon.

South Island of New Zealand

Enjoying the warm weather on Easter weekend 2007

Irish Visitors

Lovely to see my sister her hubby and their brand new arrival a couple of weeks ago - I've never met such a contented wee baby and no concerns after travelling across the globe to meet his Kiwi relations. (Picture of Grandad Ken & his mokopuna).

Last weekend walked through the foothills of Mt Fyffe, on the Hinau Track one day and then ventured further up the hill the following day, returned home exhausted but focused for this term

I am participating in an Introduction to Preaching class, and am involved in the Pastoral care work and training - all this while preparing my house for sale and raising my lovely young family, so have sworn off the T.V. for now (something had to give) as I need a few extra hours in the day.

Its a small world after all...

Went to a party last weekend and found out that my son's best friends father's sisters husband is actually my cousins husbands' brother...

It does seem true that the local mall can be compared to an image of a temple - where people meet, talk and worship together. In the weeks preceding Christmas I guess I also spent some time and money there. I was pleased to pack up and head out of town for a long awaited holliday - my dog Max came with us and enjoyed lots of play time in the reserve and along the beach, when we headed south to a holliday park we left Max in the capable and loving care of neighbours. I was surprised then last Sunday morning at the camp to recieve a cell. phone call from a shop assistant to say that they had Max, who had trotted in to the mall - several k.m.'s from home. I made a quick ph. call and he was back in friends custody again!

CHEERS

Merry Christmas & a Happy New Year to all the Whanau

From H & J

Christmas day

What a super Christmas with the folks this year. Some of the moments I especially enjoyed on Christmas day .... heading down to Jimmy Armers first thing in the morning to test run the new surfboard ... Mum's roast dinner ...watching (J), my 9 year old son diving for paua's with his Grandad, floating around the bullkelp whilst keeping a watery eye on the seals sunbathing on the nearby rocks! ... watching the children finally find baby Jesus in the Nativity scene (no early arrivals at Grandad's house) ... contact with my brothers and sisters - this year I have Gerard & Janine in Sth England, Matt offshore on the rig, Rachel & Yousif in Las Vegas and Cat & Stevie in Ireland.