Summer on my Windowsill

34. Romans 8. (The Message)
35. A crumpet.
36. Waking before my noisy alarm.
37. Barefoot at Takapuna Beach.
38. Smiles of recognition with Massimo staff.
39. Green smoothie!
40. Good ol' sweat glands.
41. I.E. Produce (a taste of home).

Counting and Savoring

I've made some decisions. There are some things I want to do.

First of all, I want to savor my (potentially-)last month in this internship. And I want to incorporate a gratitude journal into my New Normal. I used to be in the habit of writing down ten things I was thankful for at the end of each day (my mom inspired this by sending me a journal for that specific purpose during my first year of university, when I was struggling to find joy in Texas).

I have been enjoying the blog Holy Experience for several months and been fed and inspired spiritually by the author's thoughts and observations. Especially concerning gratitude.

So, this blog is going to become a little more active. I aim to write up a brief post each night that includes a list of gratitudes I have gathered throughout the day and a photo from the day as well. Perhaps something with the theme of redemptive beauty. Anything, really, that catches my eye.

Let's begin with today:



23*. A better night's sleep.
24. Last day of Bible in Schools (not that I don't like it, but it's a milestone).
25. Time for this.
26. Breakfast provided from another's cupboards/fridge.
27. Getting to connect with kids today (thru Bible in Schools).
28. Holy Experience.
29. Good walking shoes.
30. Email from my brother - highlight of my day.
31. Music that connects.
32. Holding a paintbrush.
33. Such fond memories of San Francisco.

*This list starts at twenty-three because I started it two days ago. Planning to go to a thousand (and beyond).

A Weekend Away

You know those times when you suddenly realize you've stopped breathing? Or, how 'bout, that your breath has been going at a quick, shallow pace for so long that the neglected crevices of your lungs are officially starving for air? Well, knock the drama down a couple notches and you'll find me early last week.

I caught on to my spirit's impatient fluttering on Wednesday afternoon and was able to duck away for the evening to my silent bedroom and a cozy, relaxed "home". It's not that my days are crazy-busy, but they do tend to be long, beginning at 6:30 or 7am with people interaction to some level throughout the day, and a constant pressure (entirely self-inflicted) to be a useful and productive intern (and most of the time feeling like I'm not). These things, mixed with a general lack of energy (I'm still waiting for those ninety minutes of yoga in 104 degrees Fahrenheit to deliver their promised energy boost!), caught me in need of refreshment.

That's why this weekend became so perfect. I had already purchased a bus ticket to Cambridge to visit my sister, Elise, Saturday through Monday. She met me at the bus stop, and we headed straight to Hamilton for the afternoon. We were able to connect with a friend of mine, who was also in town for the day. It was fun to have Elise finally meet her and for us to all be able to talk about her pregnancy (something she wasn't able to broadcast yet when we were in Raglan).

Sunday morning we went to a church in Cambridge with students from Capernwray Bible School, where Elise is living and working as a volunteer through December 18th. That night we had a worship/devotional time on the campus, and I must admit that hearing songs I know well, accompanied by instruments that help drown out my voice a bit, helped me enter into worship more quickly and comfortably than I have in a while. It was soul-feeding.

Oh, and by the way, Capernwray is just plain gorgeous. It includes a beautiful old house with a wrap-around porch and gardens all around, bursting with blooms. My camera was completely enamored.

Between the long walks Elise and I enjoyed together, the fresh countryside air, and silence among birdsong and beebuzz, I was able to slow my subconscious breaths down to an at-peace pace once again.

Now that I'm back in Auckland, life is looking different with a new bedroom in a new household in a new neighborhood. A new normal. That's my goal, to embrace and settle into this particular rhythm as quickly and casually as possible, and establish a new normal.

Unfortunately, my plans were a bit derailed today. I was up most of the night with a tissue box, and my congested head has continued to nag my sleep-deprived body all day, but that's okay. I'm sure I'll be back on my feet and into my (new) regular routine tomorrow.

I would greatly appreciate prayer for my health, as I have been feeling more tired than is reasonable lately, and this congestion stems from a cold that has become an unwelcome companion ever since arriving in NZ.

Also, a month from today I will be in my last weekend as an intern and will be looking to the future. I am prayerfully considering staying on as an intern but in a part-time capacity that also allows for part-time work and, thus, much needed income. Another option includes finding a flat somewhere with Elise after our mum comes to visit for three weeks in January (we've talked mostly about looking in Christchurch, as transportation is good enough there that we could do without cars). A ton of other ideas have been flying around my head, but it's most important that we're each where the Lord wants us and actively trusting His provision, so please pray for wisdom and peace in these areas.



Thank you!
[More pictures from Cambridge/Capernwray are here.]

Let's Pick Back Up

I've learned with relationships that certain perspectives work best in long distance circumstances. One is to not assume that the absence automatically decreases the affection. Two is to do your best in keeping up, even with the simplest hellos, but not to stress when this doesn't happen as often as before; life needs to continue moving on for both people in their separate surroundings.

I'm not talking romantic relationships. I have little authority in such arenas but am picturing the faces of my family and friends spread across the United States, even the world.

The final thing I would encourage is an ease in simply picking up where things left off when a reunion finally happens. Granted, changes will have come, major and/or minor, but as long as an earnest (mutual) care for the relationship and its individuals still exists, a rhythm may be found again.

And so it may be with this blog at times. Periods of separation might continue, but the caring for its purpose and the people who read it never ceases. I care and I'm here, so let's pick up where we left off. Know that I'd like this even more if, instead of this virtual worldwide web, there were a small table between us and warm ceramic mugs for us each to cup.

My life has fallen into a rhythm of sorts in the past couple weeks, and since I can't remember the last time that existed, I'm quite loving it.



I moved into a new household with a family of four and a Jack Russell Terrier. Their welcome has been entirely warm, and through it I've learned a bit more about rugby, found a friend who shares my taste in films, gained access to peaceful beaches for walking and wondering, and been introduced to the hilarity of Top Gear.

Almost every weekday morning I am dropped off in Takapuna and spend an hour(ish) at a cafe, which tends to be Massimo. I can't wait for the weather to clear. When it does, I'll have my regular cappuccino in a take away cup down at the beach. For now the spring chill is still too heavy at 8am.

On Wednesdays I help with Toddler Rock and attend the church's Young Adults Group. Thursdays include Bible in Schools in the mornings and Walking School Bus in the afternoons. My only obligation on Fridays is Youth Group in the evenings. Brief explanations of these activities can be found here.

After a couple weeks of this schedule I recognized that I had too much downtime and restless was stirring with all the reading and lounging around the Marlars' home that was happening...a foreign experience after the last five years of university! So, I decided to sign up for some bikram yoga classes, which take up a hefty ninety minutes of my day (not including the mandatory shower afterward). And I've bought two large canvases and made a list of art projects to do around the church. All of this should keep me busy over the remainder of my internship, especially because I'm trying to be ever mindful of the girls/young women in the church that I want to get to know and schedule time with too. (One such outing is briefly featured on One Hungry Soul.)

It's been more difficult than I anticipated to build relationships with the girls in the church because of my lack of mobility. While I am provided with greatly appreciated chauffering services between church, the Marlars, and home - and necessary destinations in between - spontaneity and independence in my schedule are automatically restricted without my own vehicle and a convenient bus system...a bus system does exist, but I haven't received much encouragement to use it because of its slow pace across the sprawling area of Auckland.



That said, I'm trying to make the most of the times already built into my schedule, like Friday night youth group. Last week we joined with Glenfield Presbyterian for a "bench run." This meant we were dropped off in Centennial Park, approximately 6 km/3.7 miles from their church, and put into groups of four to carry a make-shift bench (four metal-legged/cushioned chairs zip-tied together and destined to break apart). Punishments were to be inflicted for not being seated on the bench when the cars of our leaders drove by and, yet, the incentive of being first to arrive back at the church and bearing the title of "bench run champions" for the coming year kept kids running across dark fields, through empty parking lots, and looking over their shoulders at every approaching car on the main roads, all with a chair slung over their shoulder or riding on top of their head. For the sake of camaraderie, and to encourage enthusiasm among skeptical girls, I joined in. Two and a half hours later our groups began to trickle in with steam on our breaths, aches in our arms, and plenty of good stories.

As this blog post has now been going for two days. It's high time I hit "publish," don't you think? I'll try to keep filling in the blanks of my life for you as it comes. I'd love to have a glimpse into yours from an ocean and a rock away* as well.



*I am far away from where you lay,
awake the day while you fall to sleep
an ocean and a rock away

I keep you in the pockets of my dresses
and the bristles of my brushes
spin you into my curls today

I spoon you into my coffee cup,
spin you through a delicate wash
I wear you all day

Thoughts of you warm my bones...

- An Ocean and a Rock, by Lisa Hannigan

[These photos were taken on the Marlars' back patio one day last week.]

Camp Life

After going through six days of camp life, it's a familiar experience to feel like one lived through an eternity and a whirlwind all at once. Life outside of the camp routine becomes a bit fuzzy while life in the midst starts to spin. The whole experience must be approached with a sense of humor and the right sort of perseverance - the kind that keeps your feet moving lightly and your spirit grounded firmly - as you recognize this is a brief season.



I came out of the week with so much more respect for my friends that were counselors at The Oaks the summer that I was on the leadership staff as the Arts and Crafts Director. They signed on for four solid weeks of campers! Granted, this was one of the most rewarding things I've done, and I feel quite accomplished now, but it is also a lifestyle that demands great selflessness and a high standard of consistency and alertness. In my case, this looked like undisciplined emotional nine to twelve year old girls who could were obstinate toward me and downright nasty to each other.

Of course, this was not the scenario twenty-four hours a day. Peace and joy extended beyond sleeping hours to one-on-one conversations with the girls, much laughter, and many hugs. It was just that witnessing the meanness that human beings can show to one another wrenched my heart and having to interact much more on a disciplinary level than a more straightforwardly loving one left me drained at the end of each day (though the belief that discipline can be a form of love kept me going).

When I thought I had been drained of all patience and wisdom at the end of each day, I would rest my head on my pillow for a precious six and a half hours, wake up to the stars at 5:30 A.M., and gather with my fellow leaders for an hour to pray and encourage each other. With hot potent tea in one hand and my Bible clutched in the other, I would get to drink from the Source that truly revives.

I think that was the greatest gift I received from the past week. Consistently spending time with my Bible hasn't come easily in the past month or so, and the fact is that most months out of the year 'easy' is a foreign concept, but whether or not it is a natural inclination in my downtime or a consistently sectioned off activity in my schedule, it needs to be done. Not for legalistic reasons of need, but for soul-satisfying, relationship-growing reasons...and ones I am not even aware of until I dig in and open up.

So, as contradictory as this might sound, the past week brought me refreshment. It also brought names and faces into my life that will always be dear to me, especially the ones that were hardest to love.



But oh so many were easy to love! I was one of three Americans at the camp, and almost everyone else was from New Zealand, so I got to be more immersed in Kiwi culture and learn/be reminded of a lot about the lingo and food. For example, the use of as at the end of expressions, such as sweet as, isn't actually a different pronunciation of the word ass, and therefore it's okay for eight year olds to say (ask Elise about that!). Also, canned fruit combined with Neapolitan ice cream is not a strange idea for dessert/pudding, and New Zealand's version of an American hot dog is still a far cry from the real thing (which I really don't mind, since I could take or leave both countries' versions).

As I was saying, though, the people were wonderful, and while I probably won't see most of them again, they'll always bring a smile to my face. The leaders of the camp have passionate hearts for seeing the lives of children touched by God and the story of his Son reaching their ears. That was a beautiful, invaluable thing in which to play a small role.

[Thank you so much to my sister, Elise, for sharing her photos with me. I left my camera safely at home, so the girls you see are from her cabin.]

Church Ministries and Tea Drinking

I have taken up residence in a little home on a small cul-de-sac called Felicity Place. Ironically, Felicity was the name of one of my closest friends when my family lived here. This time around, though, it is associated with a Kiwi family, a mother and seven year old son, who have welcomed me into their lives and provided, among other things, a much appreciated electric kettle, able to boil water for belly-warming tea in minutes.

I've spent plenty of my life in this type of weather before, but, perhaps because of the sudden switch from California summer to New Zealand spring, I'm having a hard time shaking the cold from my bones, particularly my toes.

Elise and I said goodbye on Sunday night but will be seeing each other on Saturday morning, as we've agreed to be camp counselors for a week up in Whangarei. I believe the kids are seven to fourteen years old but don't know much else beyond that and our wake up call being at 5 A.M. every morning...you can pray for energy for that!

This was a last-minute opportunity that arose out of this camp still being in search of two girl counselors, so I'm glad to help. Most of the time, however, my energy will be focused in the North Shore area, helping with ministries such as Toddler Rock (a sing-along time for toddlers and their mums on Wednesday mornings at the church), Bible in Schools (a thirty minute Bible lesson taught once a week in public schools), Walking School Bus (walking kids home from primary school), and then getting to know the middle school/intermediate and high school/college age girls within the church.

As I get into these activities more, I will certainly elaborate on them (and bring out my camera at events, since it often ends up being the best storyteller). For now, if you're curious about pictures or emotions upon arrival in this new-but-old place, you can visit my other blog: One Hungry Soul.

I have had my lemon ginger tea and am ready to curl up under some heavy covers for the night, even though it's just after 9 P.M. Sometime soon my body clock will fully adjust, and then I'll miss the energy I've been feeling as I naturally wake up at 7 A.M.

Being Here: In the Old and the New.

I will never get Friday, September 18, 2009 back. I never got it at all, actually. It slipped around one side of the earth as my plane flew the other direction and landed me in Auckland, New Zealand on Saturday the 19th. I left Los Angeles on Thursday the 17th.

So, here I sit in the living room of a family I already know is going to become very dear to me. The Marlars are missionaries from Texas who picked Elise and I up at the airport and have been doing their best to encourage us to stay awake throughout the day. We're doing quite well considering it's already 5:15 pm.

Much of today has simply felt surreal, revisiting One Tree Hill and the house in Glendowie we lived in for three years.


Conversation is continuing to bring about a clearer picture of what my daily life will look like here in Auckland and the ministries I will be working with at North Shore Church of Christ, and I am encouraged by the knowledge that I have three months ahead of me to learn from and build upon.

Please pray that I dive in deeply and confidently, with roots well planted.