Moving on into Christchurch
This morning I went back to our favorite cafe to get Aaron a latte this morning, and ended up meeting someone from Federick, Maryland - the town my grandparents and cousins live in. What a small world! Who would have known?!
Taylor had a very special treat this morning - her first ride on a horse! There's a lady who comes to ride her horse in the field behind the flat we were staying at, and today we saw her outside. She offered to let Taylor sit on the horse and go for a little ride, with Aaron on one side of her and me on the other. She absolutely loved it!
This afternoon we packed up and said our goodbyes and headed out of Oxford into the big city of Christchurch. We are staying with a family who I have just met, but who Aaron has known for quite a few years now. They're a great family! They have 4 kids, and Taylor has bonded with them immediately. I've never seen her have as much fun with other kids as she's having now! They're running around, playing with toys, painting, and having all sorts of fun that kids like to have together. It's fun watching her get on so well with kids who are older than her (the youngest is a 5 yr. old girl). I can see how grown-up she's become, being able to relate so well to the 'big kids'. It's going to be a fun weekend!
Friday, August 31, 2007
Thursday, August 30, 2007
Out and About
It's been another fun day in the Oxford area. After another visit to Ashley Gorge this morning with Taylor while Aaron was teaching class, we all headed out for lunch together at Seagars Cafe, a local cafe opened about a year ago by a well-known TV celebrity chef, Jo Segar. I've never heard of her, either, before going to the cafe, but rumor has it that her TV show airs on the New Zealand cooking channel on Saturday nights. After a terrific lunch, I was pleasantly surprised to find something that I'd been looking for for a long time in the little shop ajoining the cafe. Actually, to be honest, the helpful clerk found it for me in a box out back - it had just arrived and hadn't even made it out into the store yet. Anyways, it's a 2-teir plate stand; been looking for one for a while now and haven't been able to find it anywhere. I'm very excited about my latest addition to my entertaining collection!
If that wasn't enough excitement for the day, a friend of mine from Christchurch came over this afternoon, and took Taylor and I for a little drive into Rangiora - a quite large town compared to Oxford (but then again, I suppose any town is large compared to Oxford!) - located just about 20 minutes or so up the road. We walked around town for a bit and browsed in a few shops, and then stopped for dinner at a great cafe. It was nice to see a bit more of the area and get a feel for what it's like in the Canterbury region. When driving back to Oxford, I made quite the profound statement of the obvious for the night. "It kinda feels like we're in the middle of no-where out here." To which Kate kindly replied, "That's because we are in the middle of no-where out here!". It's pretty desolate and remote out here, to say the least.
It's been another fun day in the Oxford area. After another visit to Ashley Gorge this morning with Taylor while Aaron was teaching class, we all headed out for lunch together at Seagars Cafe, a local cafe opened about a year ago by a well-known TV celebrity chef, Jo Segar. I've never heard of her, either, before going to the cafe, but rumor has it that her TV show airs on the New Zealand cooking channel on Saturday nights. After a terrific lunch, I was pleasantly surprised to find something that I'd been looking for for a long time in the little shop ajoining the cafe. Actually, to be honest, the helpful clerk found it for me in a box out back - it had just arrived and hadn't even made it out into the store yet. Anyways, it's a 2-teir plate stand; been looking for one for a while now and haven't been able to find it anywhere. I'm very excited about my latest addition to my entertaining collection!
If that wasn't enough excitement for the day, a friend of mine from Christchurch came over this afternoon, and took Taylor and I for a little drive into Rangiora - a quite large town compared to Oxford (but then again, I suppose any town is large compared to Oxford!) - located just about 20 minutes or so up the road. We walked around town for a bit and browsed in a few shops, and then stopped for dinner at a great cafe. It was nice to see a bit more of the area and get a feel for what it's like in the Canterbury region. When driving back to Oxford, I made quite the profound statement of the obvious for the night. "It kinda feels like we're in the middle of no-where out here." To which Kate kindly replied, "That's because we are in the middle of no-where out here!". It's pretty desolate and remote out here, to say the least.
Wednesday, August 29, 2007
Family Adventures
What do lambs, a dry riverbed, a gorge, skipping rocks, and a playground all have in common? It was what comprised our spontaneous family outing this afternoon. Aaron went mountain biking while Taylor was napping, and saw some newborn lambs on his way home. So when she woke up, we went for a drive and saw lots of them in the field, staying quite close to their mothers. We carried on driving and found a beautiful gorge with a mostly-dried-up river at the base of the gorge. On the opposite side of the river was a steep cliff, but the side we were on was fairly flat, so we walked out onto the dried up riverbed and had lots of fun skipping rocks in what remained of the river. It was pretty awesome to stand in what would have been the middle of the river and look back at the towering cliffs lining the side of the river. It really made me feel like I was in a scene from "Lord of the Rings". Before we climbed into the car to head back home, we enjoyed playing on a nearby playground. There's something about going to the park as a whole family that brings out the kid deep inside. It was great fun. It turned cold pretty quick, so we didn't stay for long, but we thought it would be fun to go back again tomorrow.
Hey, what can I say? It's how the small-town folk have fun.
What do lambs, a dry riverbed, a gorge, skipping rocks, and a playground all have in common? It was what comprised our spontaneous family outing this afternoon. Aaron went mountain biking while Taylor was napping, and saw some newborn lambs on his way home. So when she woke up, we went for a drive and saw lots of them in the field, staying quite close to their mothers. We carried on driving and found a beautiful gorge with a mostly-dried-up river at the base of the gorge. On the opposite side of the river was a steep cliff, but the side we were on was fairly flat, so we walked out onto the dried up riverbed and had lots of fun skipping rocks in what remained of the river. It was pretty awesome to stand in what would have been the middle of the river and look back at the towering cliffs lining the side of the river. It really made me feel like I was in a scene from "Lord of the Rings". Before we climbed into the car to head back home, we enjoyed playing on a nearby playground. There's something about going to the park as a whole family that brings out the kid deep inside. It was great fun. It turned cold pretty quick, so we didn't stay for long, but we thought it would be fun to go back again tomorrow.
Hey, what can I say? It's how the small-town folk have fun.
Tuesday, August 28, 2007
Slow-paced, small-town life
Oxford is small-town New Zealand at it's best. It actually reminds me quite a lot of small-town America. If it weren't for all the cars driving along on the other side of the road, we could easily be in the middle of Oklahoma somewhere. Many times a day I have to remind myself that we're not.
Small towns are always an eginma to me. Every time I'm in one, I wonder what it would be like to live in a place like this. Part of me thinks that after a week or a month I'd go crazy, board from the lack of shopping and restaurants and activity and variety. Another part of me thinks that the simplicity of life and slower pace would be good for the soul.
Taylor and I have been keeping ourselves busy during Aaron's class time. Today we went over to the YWAM base to jump on their trampoline, then we went to the park and for a little wander around the grocery store (which is, by the way, not much bigger than a large 7-eleven. Okay, I'm exaggerating a bit, but you get the point. It's small.). Afternoons and evenings have generally been quiet; catching up on some projects I brought with me from home, and even getting in some reading time. Good times.
By the way, if you have a few minutes, check out the YWAM website by clicking on the above link to see some pictures of where we are. It really is beautiful!
Oxford is small-town New Zealand at it's best. It actually reminds me quite a lot of small-town America. If it weren't for all the cars driving along on the other side of the road, we could easily be in the middle of Oklahoma somewhere. Many times a day I have to remind myself that we're not.
Small towns are always an eginma to me. Every time I'm in one, I wonder what it would be like to live in a place like this. Part of me thinks that after a week or a month I'd go crazy, board from the lack of shopping and restaurants and activity and variety. Another part of me thinks that the simplicity of life and slower pace would be good for the soul.
Taylor and I have been keeping ourselves busy during Aaron's class time. Today we went over to the YWAM base to jump on their trampoline, then we went to the park and for a little wander around the grocery store (which is, by the way, not much bigger than a large 7-eleven. Okay, I'm exaggerating a bit, but you get the point. It's small.). Afternoons and evenings have generally been quiet; catching up on some projects I brought with me from home, and even getting in some reading time. Good times.
By the way, if you have a few minutes, check out the YWAM website by clicking on the above link to see some pictures of where we are. It really is beautiful!
Monday, August 27, 2007
Live from Oxford
Taylor is lying on the floor, happily coloring her Curious George coloring book. Although she woke up early this morning, she's in a fantastic mood and seems to be already enjoying our time away, too. I forgot to mention in my post yesterday that Taylor was an absolute angel traveling yesterday. I guess it helps that she's been consistently flying since she was 3 months old, and has already gone back and forth between New Zealand and America a number of times. I guess she's just familiar with the routine - but fortunately, the novelty of it hasn't worn off yet, so getting on a plane is still exciting! Anyways, she was such a great little girl; makes it so easy to bring her places with us.
Don't have a clue what we're going to end up doing today. Aaron teaches for a few hours, and I haven't decided yet what Taylor and I will do during that time. It will be nice to just let the day unfold without any pre-determined plans!
Gotta run......I've just been requested to join the coloring activities on the floor......
Taylor is lying on the floor, happily coloring her Curious George coloring book. Although she woke up early this morning, she's in a fantastic mood and seems to be already enjoying our time away, too. I forgot to mention in my post yesterday that Taylor was an absolute angel traveling yesterday. I guess it helps that she's been consistently flying since she was 3 months old, and has already gone back and forth between New Zealand and America a number of times. I guess she's just familiar with the routine - but fortunately, the novelty of it hasn't worn off yet, so getting on a plane is still exciting! Anyways, she was such a great little girl; makes it so easy to bring her places with us.
Don't have a clue what we're going to end up doing today. Aaron teaches for a few hours, and I haven't decided yet what Taylor and I will do during that time. It will be nice to just let the day unfold without any pre-determined plans!
Gotta run......I've just been requested to join the coloring activities on the floor......
Sunday, August 26, 2007
Made it safe and sound
Well, I'm back in the blogging world sooner than expected! Two flights and several hours later, we have arrived at a YWAM base in Oxford, New Zealand - a booming metropolis of approx. 2,000 people, 45 minutes from Christchurch. The set-up here is just perfect. We have a small, self-contained 2 bedroom apartment; most importantly, complete with wireless internet access. Yeah! We've settled in, Taylor is in bed, and we're expectantly looking forward to the coming week. It's going to be fun to see a new part of the country, have time together as a family, meet new people, get a good taste of the YWAM Oxford culture, and enjoy a different pace outside of the normal routine.
I was thinking during our drive from the airport out to the base that this is really the closest encounter that I've ever had with a DTS (Discipleship Training School). My only other YWAM experience was when we went to Townsville, Australia when Aaron spoke at the NLM (National Leaders Meeting). It's going to be fun to get a glimpse into the world of a "DTS" that so many (yea, most) of the interns/staff at THOP know well - but one of which I know nothing about.
I think it's time to get ready for bed, and maybe have a bit of reading time before it's lights out. I can feel myself unwinding already!
Well, I'm back in the blogging world sooner than expected! Two flights and several hours later, we have arrived at a YWAM base in Oxford, New Zealand - a booming metropolis of approx. 2,000 people, 45 minutes from Christchurch. The set-up here is just perfect. We have a small, self-contained 2 bedroom apartment; most importantly, complete with wireless internet access. Yeah! We've settled in, Taylor is in bed, and we're expectantly looking forward to the coming week. It's going to be fun to see a new part of the country, have time together as a family, meet new people, get a good taste of the YWAM Oxford culture, and enjoy a different pace outside of the normal routine.
I was thinking during our drive from the airport out to the base that this is really the closest encounter that I've ever had with a DTS (Discipleship Training School). My only other YWAM experience was when we went to Townsville, Australia when Aaron spoke at the NLM (National Leaders Meeting). It's going to be fun to get a glimpse into the world of a "DTS" that so many (yea, most) of the interns/staff at THOP know well - but one of which I know nothing about.
I think it's time to get ready for bed, and maybe have a bit of reading time before it's lights out. I can feel myself unwinding already!
Off and Away
Bags are packed, and we're (almost) ready to take off for the week on a ministry trip as a family. Aaron will be teaching a few hours a day, and we're looking forward to some good family time and rest time during his hours off.
We've had a fun weekend with out-of-town guests, and also the couples who are planning on moving here after the new year. It's amazing how quickly a friendship has already been formed; we are already looking forward to their return.
Time to finish the last-minute trip preparations! Will post again once I find internet access....
Bags are packed, and we're (almost) ready to take off for the week on a ministry trip as a family. Aaron will be teaching a few hours a day, and we're looking forward to some good family time and rest time during his hours off.
We've had a fun weekend with out-of-town guests, and also the couples who are planning on moving here after the new year. It's amazing how quickly a friendship has already been formed; we are already looking forward to their return.
Time to finish the last-minute trip preparations! Will post again once I find internet access....
Thursday, August 23, 2007
Happenings
It was another amazing day in Tauranga today. Spring sure is tempting us here; but before long, hopefully it will be here to stay. I thoroughly enjoyed my trek up the mount this afternoon - for no other reason than the cloudless blue sky and the beauty of the beach and ocean. And that great feeling you have after the workout is done!
So far, it's been a good week. I've been teaching class for the interns this week, which has been rewarding and challenging. Rewarding in the sense that there was much help from heaven, and the little feedback I received indicated that people's hearts were touched. Challenging in the sense that from my own perspective, I've realized how much I still have yet to grow in both revelation and in my ability to communicate clearly and effectively what is within my heart. Challenging also in the sense that teaching always brings me face to face with my own barrenness. Where is the power and the unction that was released in the days of old when Finney and Whitfield and Spurgeon preached? Oh, for us to see that again in an even greater measure in this generation.
This weekend, we have some friends from out of town coming to stay with us Friday and Saturday night, and then on Sunday, Aaron and Taylor and I head down to the South Island for a ministry trip. This will be my first time ever in the South Island; I'm so excited to see part of this country that I've never before seen; and everyone says the South Island is absolutely beautiful. It will also be fun to be on a ministry trip with Aaron. I can't remember when the last time was we got to do that as a family - probably when we came down to New Zealand for a few months in '05. The best part is that I don't have any responsibilities, so this will be somewhat of a 'vacation' - at least, for Taylor and I. Not sure what sort of internet access we'll have down there, so you may or may not hear from me while we're gone - but hopefully you will again before we leave!
It was another amazing day in Tauranga today. Spring sure is tempting us here; but before long, hopefully it will be here to stay. I thoroughly enjoyed my trek up the mount this afternoon - for no other reason than the cloudless blue sky and the beauty of the beach and ocean. And that great feeling you have after the workout is done!
So far, it's been a good week. I've been teaching class for the interns this week, which has been rewarding and challenging. Rewarding in the sense that there was much help from heaven, and the little feedback I received indicated that people's hearts were touched. Challenging in the sense that from my own perspective, I've realized how much I still have yet to grow in both revelation and in my ability to communicate clearly and effectively what is within my heart. Challenging also in the sense that teaching always brings me face to face with my own barrenness. Where is the power and the unction that was released in the days of old when Finney and Whitfield and Spurgeon preached? Oh, for us to see that again in an even greater measure in this generation.
This weekend, we have some friends from out of town coming to stay with us Friday and Saturday night, and then on Sunday, Aaron and Taylor and I head down to the South Island for a ministry trip. This will be my first time ever in the South Island; I'm so excited to see part of this country that I've never before seen; and everyone says the South Island is absolutely beautiful. It will also be fun to be on a ministry trip with Aaron. I can't remember when the last time was we got to do that as a family - probably when we came down to New Zealand for a few months in '05. The best part is that I don't have any responsibilities, so this will be somewhat of a 'vacation' - at least, for Taylor and I. Not sure what sort of internet access we'll have down there, so you may or may not hear from me while we're gone - but hopefully you will again before we leave!
Monday, August 20, 2007
27 Years young
Yesterday I celebrated #27. It was a great birthday; one of the better ones I've had in the last few years. Started the day with presents, and then enjoyed a marvelous breakfast of waffles with strawberries and whipped cream, breakfast sausages (not as good as the American ones, but I'll forgive NZ for that.....), and fresh squeezed OJ made with oranges picked off our trees just moments before juicing. The most bet part about breakfast was no doubt the strawberries, as we haven't had fresh strawberries in the stores all winter, but this week they made their appearance, and were on sale, for that matter. Yummy! In the afternoon the girls and I went for a short stroll in town (can't remember the last time I went into town for the purpose of window shopping!), and after a quiet afternoon, we enjoyed the most delicious lasagna (Dad, some things never change!), garlic bread, and salad. The best food of the day, though, was no doubt the white chocolate raspberry cheesecake that made its appearance after dinner. Wow. I thoroughly enjoyed that one! And then after dinner, I went out with some girls to watch "Amazing Grace" - a new movie that just came out here in NZ. I'm sure it's probably already been out for months in America, but for those of you who haven't yet seen it, I'd highly recommend it! It's one of the few movies I've watched in the theatre that didn't have even one "off color" part in it. Fantastic movie. I then came home to the most tidy and clean house imaginable, courtesy of my amazing husband. All in all, it was a fantastic day. Thanks to all my family and friends who made it so special!
What's a party with0ut confetti? Taylor made sure we had plenty of it!
Whipped cream, anyone?
Scrumptious breakfast!
White chocolate raspberry cheesecake. Can we say, "Yum?!"
Friday, August 17, 2007
Random thoughts
Today was one of those days that felt like it would be one we'd look back on in the years to come and realize it was significant in the journey. This afternoon, we hosted two couples for lunch who are planning on moving here to be part of THOP and the prayer/missions expression of what God is doing here in Tauranga. It causes me to stand in awe of the Lord's leadership and to wonder what are the secrets in His heart for this place as He continues to draw men and women of such excellence from across the globe to this little city at the ends of the earth. It really is a curious thing.
Tonight Aaron and Taylor and I were the only ones home, so we made two bowls of popcorn, and enjoyed some good family time watching the first bit of the rugby game. Great family time, great popcorn. Don't have a clue if it was great rugby, but that's beside the point! :-)
In other news, in exactly 15 1/2 hours I get to redeem a gift certificate I was given for a massage at a great spa in the city (not that anyone is counting or anything!). I couldn't be more excited, as the last month my back and neck and shoulders have been bearing witness to the intense schedule we've been living and are in need of a good professional massage.
Also on the agenda for tomorrow, Aaron plays his final round of golf in the 54-hole club championships - in which he is currently tied for 6th out of about 180 guys. I'm so proud of him, and I hope he playes incredible tomorrow to give himself a good, solid finish.
Today was one of those days that felt like it would be one we'd look back on in the years to come and realize it was significant in the journey. This afternoon, we hosted two couples for lunch who are planning on moving here to be part of THOP and the prayer/missions expression of what God is doing here in Tauranga. It causes me to stand in awe of the Lord's leadership and to wonder what are the secrets in His heart for this place as He continues to draw men and women of such excellence from across the globe to this little city at the ends of the earth. It really is a curious thing.
Tonight Aaron and Taylor and I were the only ones home, so we made two bowls of popcorn, and enjoyed some good family time watching the first bit of the rugby game. Great family time, great popcorn. Don't have a clue if it was great rugby, but that's beside the point! :-)
In other news, in exactly 15 1/2 hours I get to redeem a gift certificate I was given for a massage at a great spa in the city (not that anyone is counting or anything!). I couldn't be more excited, as the last month my back and neck and shoulders have been bearing witness to the intense schedule we've been living and are in need of a good professional massage.
Also on the agenda for tomorrow, Aaron plays his final round of golf in the 54-hole club championships - in which he is currently tied for 6th out of about 180 guys. I'm so proud of him, and I hope he playes incredible tomorrow to give himself a good, solid finish.
Thursday, August 16, 2007
Repose
Ahh. The house is quiet. The kitchen is clean. And this moment of my time hasn't been spoken for by anyone or anything. If only this moment could last for hours.
Thursday is always my long day at the prayer room - morning at the prayer room and teaching class in the afternoon. Today I taught through the Harp and Bowl prayer model and the reasons for it. One of the interns commented that the most helpful part of the class was listening to one of the tracks off the Apostolic Prayers CD. Thanks, D. Roberts! All in all, it was a good class, though sometimes as a teacher it can be difficult to gague how much was understood - especially when its a "practical" topic rather than a "heart" topic that's being taught. The good news is that we have the rest of the internship to keep reviewing and re-teaching in a myriad of different ways all the stuff I talked about today, so by the end of the course, hopefully they'll have it down! Next week I get to teach all week - Monday through Wednesday on Fellowshipping with the Holy Spirit, and then on Thursday, more on the harp and bowl model.
Well, Aaron has just got home from a meeting. Time to go get ready for bed. 'Night
Ahh. The house is quiet. The kitchen is clean. And this moment of my time hasn't been spoken for by anyone or anything. If only this moment could last for hours.
Thursday is always my long day at the prayer room - morning at the prayer room and teaching class in the afternoon. Today I taught through the Harp and Bowl prayer model and the reasons for it. One of the interns commented that the most helpful part of the class was listening to one of the tracks off the Apostolic Prayers CD. Thanks, D. Roberts! All in all, it was a good class, though sometimes as a teacher it can be difficult to gague how much was understood - especially when its a "practical" topic rather than a "heart" topic that's being taught. The good news is that we have the rest of the internship to keep reviewing and re-teaching in a myriad of different ways all the stuff I talked about today, so by the end of the course, hopefully they'll have it down! Next week I get to teach all week - Monday through Wednesday on Fellowshipping with the Holy Spirit, and then on Thursday, more on the harp and bowl model.
Well, Aaron has just got home from a meeting. Time to go get ready for bed. 'Night
Wednesday, August 15, 2007
Fascinated
I love my "home" days as much as I love my "prayer room" days. Today was a home day - which translated means cleaning and laundry and play time with Taylor and a small window of down time during her nap. I also ran around the mount this afternoon with Dayna - it was lots of fun doing it together; nice to have a running partner. I do have to admit that I like going up the mount better than running around. But alas, the main track is closed while they are working on it, so around we went. Dayna and I were mentioning after our run that there seriously couln't be a better place on the earth to exercise. The track around the mount is gorgeous - waves crashing in against the rocks, small areas of sandy beach, large tree branches hanging over the path, nothing but ocean and sky as far as the eye can see. Some days I have to pinch myself to remind me that yes, I really do live in such a beautiful place. I am amazed at how quickly I get used to it. I often like to think back to the first days that I came here and how awestruck I was with the beauty of it all. I find that I need to be deliberate to live in childlike wonder and appreciation of the amazing things that can all too quickly become normal. But isn't that true of most (yea, all) incredible things in life? From nature to relationships with loved ones to the profound spiritual truths. Many of us have grown up all our lives knowing the Bible stories and the facts that all too quickly become commonplace in our Christian experience, to the point where we lose the wonder of it all. He died on the cross. He lives on the inside of us. We will live forever with Him. I want to live like I heard it for the first time. I want to live like I have just been saved from the worst possible fate imaginable. I want to live like I have inherited a kingdom. I want to live fascinated.
I love my "home" days as much as I love my "prayer room" days. Today was a home day - which translated means cleaning and laundry and play time with Taylor and a small window of down time during her nap. I also ran around the mount this afternoon with Dayna - it was lots of fun doing it together; nice to have a running partner. I do have to admit that I like going up the mount better than running around. But alas, the main track is closed while they are working on it, so around we went. Dayna and I were mentioning after our run that there seriously couln't be a better place on the earth to exercise. The track around the mount is gorgeous - waves crashing in against the rocks, small areas of sandy beach, large tree branches hanging over the path, nothing but ocean and sky as far as the eye can see. Some days I have to pinch myself to remind me that yes, I really do live in such a beautiful place. I am amazed at how quickly I get used to it. I often like to think back to the first days that I came here and how awestruck I was with the beauty of it all. I find that I need to be deliberate to live in childlike wonder and appreciation of the amazing things that can all too quickly become normal. But isn't that true of most (yea, all) incredible things in life? From nature to relationships with loved ones to the profound spiritual truths. Many of us have grown up all our lives knowing the Bible stories and the facts that all too quickly become commonplace in our Christian experience, to the point where we lose the wonder of it all. He died on the cross. He lives on the inside of us. We will live forever with Him. I want to live like I heard it for the first time. I want to live like I have just been saved from the worst possible fate imaginable. I want to live like I have inherited a kingdom. I want to live fascinated.
Monday, August 13, 2007
What to write about?
I hate those days when there is the desire to blog, the time to blog, but nothing apparent to blog about. Some call it writers block. Others call it a lack of creativity or the inability to take small, seemingly insignificant events or thoughts and turn them into something profound or interesting. Whatever you choose to call it, I seem to be suffering from it tonight. I could tell you all that I did today, but somehow I imagine that others may find that rather dull and uninteresting. I could tell you about what is happening in the house of prayer, but not much has changed since the last things I have shared. I could tell you about the latest revelations I've received in the place of prayer, but those don't seem to be too profound, either. So on a day like today, you get the raw, real me and the raw, real thoughts traveling through my mind as I sit here and stare at my computer screen and try to come up with something profound to write about. Good thing I'm not trying to make a living off of this thing called writing.
Time to get ready for bed. Hopefully tomorrow's post will be a bit more interesting than today's.
I hate those days when there is the desire to blog, the time to blog, but nothing apparent to blog about. Some call it writers block. Others call it a lack of creativity or the inability to take small, seemingly insignificant events or thoughts and turn them into something profound or interesting. Whatever you choose to call it, I seem to be suffering from it tonight. I could tell you all that I did today, but somehow I imagine that others may find that rather dull and uninteresting. I could tell you about what is happening in the house of prayer, but not much has changed since the last things I have shared. I could tell you about the latest revelations I've received in the place of prayer, but those don't seem to be too profound, either. So on a day like today, you get the raw, real me and the raw, real thoughts traveling through my mind as I sit here and stare at my computer screen and try to come up with something profound to write about. Good thing I'm not trying to make a living off of this thing called writing.
Time to get ready for bed. Hopefully tomorrow's post will be a bit more interesting than today's.
Thursday, August 09, 2007
Thursday.
'Twas a long one today. Left the house at 7:30am and didn't return home again 'til after 3:30. Prayer room from 8am-Noon, out to lunch with a friend, and then teaching class in the afternoon......it all makes for a full day. It was a fun day, but it sure did feel long - and I have to say that I'm quite looking forward to having the day at home with Taylor tomorrow. I must say, I am really quite spoiled, getting the best of both the "mom" world and the "THOP" world. I'm so grateful for Aaron and his willingness to stay home with Taylor several times a week in order to free me up to be in the prayer room, teaching, etc. - and I equally love the fact that I get to stay home and be a mom several days a week, too. I love that we both get to be parents and we both get to be in the House of Prayer; it really is a win-win situation for all of us. No complaining here!
'Twas a long one today. Left the house at 7:30am and didn't return home again 'til after 3:30. Prayer room from 8am-Noon, out to lunch with a friend, and then teaching class in the afternoon......it all makes for a full day. It was a fun day, but it sure did feel long - and I have to say that I'm quite looking forward to having the day at home with Taylor tomorrow. I must say, I am really quite spoiled, getting the best of both the "mom" world and the "THOP" world. I'm so grateful for Aaron and his willingness to stay home with Taylor several times a week in order to free me up to be in the prayer room, teaching, etc. - and I equally love the fact that I get to stay home and be a mom several days a week, too. I love that we both get to be parents and we both get to be in the House of Prayer; it really is a win-win situation for all of us. No complaining here!
Wednesday, August 08, 2007
Tuesday, August 07, 2007
Telletale signs that the pace of life is slowing down:
1. I have posted a blog two days in a row.
2. I am no longer going to sleep in the "single digits".
3. The chocolate bar in the pantry I started two weeks ago is only half-eaten.
4. I had two hours today during Taylor's nap in which I didn't write an email, answer a text, prepare notes, or think about schedules.
5. I have nothing pressing that must be done before I go to sleep tonight.
I must say, it does feel good to get settled into a more normal pace of life. Not that our life has become boring, or anything; I wouldn't want to give anyone the impression that I am now sitting around all day with nothing to do! Life is still full, but starting to feel a bit more managable.
One new thing that I will be doing this internship that we haven't done in any of the others is that every Thursday's class will be devoted to subjects concerning the prayer room - teachings on the model and practical clinics in which to practice, teaching on the apostolic prayers and hymns of Revelation, and all that good stuff. I will be doing some of the teaching, along with the couple who are leading the prayer room. I'm really excited about the opportunity to devote so much time to the teaching, practicing, and developing of what we do in the prayer room every day; in fact, I often wonder why we never before devoted one day a week of class to prayer room topics! It seems necessary to continue to bring excellence to this part of what we do. This means that Thursday will be a pretty full-on day for me, as Thursday mornings are my normal prayer room day and now Thursday afternoons will be class. I'm really looking forward to it, though. I feel as though there is grace for this in this season of life, and I'm jumping in with both feet. Not to mention the fact that it will continue to stretch me in the area of teaching and leadership. Story of my life these days. It's good, but sometimes such a sharp learning curve can hurt.
1. I have posted a blog two days in a row.
2. I am no longer going to sleep in the "single digits".
3. The chocolate bar in the pantry I started two weeks ago is only half-eaten.
4. I had two hours today during Taylor's nap in which I didn't write an email, answer a text, prepare notes, or think about schedules.
5. I have nothing pressing that must be done before I go to sleep tonight.
I must say, it does feel good to get settled into a more normal pace of life. Not that our life has become boring, or anything; I wouldn't want to give anyone the impression that I am now sitting around all day with nothing to do! Life is still full, but starting to feel a bit more managable.
One new thing that I will be doing this internship that we haven't done in any of the others is that every Thursday's class will be devoted to subjects concerning the prayer room - teachings on the model and practical clinics in which to practice, teaching on the apostolic prayers and hymns of Revelation, and all that good stuff. I will be doing some of the teaching, along with the couple who are leading the prayer room. I'm really excited about the opportunity to devote so much time to the teaching, practicing, and developing of what we do in the prayer room every day; in fact, I often wonder why we never before devoted one day a week of class to prayer room topics! It seems necessary to continue to bring excellence to this part of what we do. This means that Thursday will be a pretty full-on day for me, as Thursday mornings are my normal prayer room day and now Thursday afternoons will be class. I'm really looking forward to it, though. I feel as though there is grace for this in this season of life, and I'm jumping in with both feet. Not to mention the fact that it will continue to stretch me in the area of teaching and leadership. Story of my life these days. It's good, but sometimes such a sharp learning curve can hurt.
Monday, August 06, 2007
Where in the world have I been?
It would be a profound statement of the obvious for me to say that I have been most definitely absent from the blogging world recently. Not only absent from the world of writing blogs, but also absent from the world of reading blogs. I'm not quite sure what happened, other than the fact that life has most definitely run away from me, and has forgottn to bring me along.
I could write paragraphs about all that has transpired in the last week - from Aaron's return home after his trip to Asia, to the start of the internship to the move into the new THOP building which still isn't ready yet. More accurately, I would also have to tell of the laundry and grocery shopping and preparation for class and worship sets and emails and meetings and the list goes on and on. I am reminded of a line from a song from the movie "Mr. Holland's Opus" that goes something like this, "Life is what happens while you're busy making other plans....".
But seeing as how time doesn't allow all the stories of the last 7 days, I'll give you the two highlights of the last 36 hours. The first would definitely be a spontaneous date with my husband at the local 'mall' on Sunday afternoon. It was perhaps one of the funnest dates we've had in a while; for no profound reason other than we simply enjoyed being with each other. Another highlight woud be my 3.4k run around the mount this morning, because the track to the top was closed. Though not quite as intense of a workout as the walk/run straight up, it was a nice change of pace from the norm. And still left me feeling pretty exhausted in a good sort of way. My final moment worth mentioning was making meatballs with Taylor this afternoon. I had never done this before, but for some reason today I was inspired to wash Taylor's hands real well and let her crack the eggs, help me add the breadcrumbs and parmesean and spices....and then get her hands in there to help me mix it all up. I then showed her how to shape the meat into balls......she loved it and we had great fun doing it together. I have a feeling I'm never again going to be able to make meatballs on my own.
Hopefully you'll hear more from me tomorrow.
It would be a profound statement of the obvious for me to say that I have been most definitely absent from the blogging world recently. Not only absent from the world of writing blogs, but also absent from the world of reading blogs. I'm not quite sure what happened, other than the fact that life has most definitely run away from me, and has forgottn to bring me along.
I could write paragraphs about all that has transpired in the last week - from Aaron's return home after his trip to Asia, to the start of the internship to the move into the new THOP building which still isn't ready yet. More accurately, I would also have to tell of the laundry and grocery shopping and preparation for class and worship sets and emails and meetings and the list goes on and on. I am reminded of a line from a song from the movie "Mr. Holland's Opus" that goes something like this, "Life is what happens while you're busy making other plans....".
But seeing as how time doesn't allow all the stories of the last 7 days, I'll give you the two highlights of the last 36 hours. The first would definitely be a spontaneous date with my husband at the local 'mall' on Sunday afternoon. It was perhaps one of the funnest dates we've had in a while; for no profound reason other than we simply enjoyed being with each other. Another highlight woud be my 3.4k run around the mount this morning, because the track to the top was closed. Though not quite as intense of a workout as the walk/run straight up, it was a nice change of pace from the norm. And still left me feeling pretty exhausted in a good sort of way. My final moment worth mentioning was making meatballs with Taylor this afternoon. I had never done this before, but for some reason today I was inspired to wash Taylor's hands real well and let her crack the eggs, help me add the breadcrumbs and parmesean and spices....and then get her hands in there to help me mix it all up. I then showed her how to shape the meat into balls......she loved it and we had great fun doing it together. I have a feeling I'm never again going to be able to make meatballs on my own.
Hopefully you'll hear more from me tomorrow.
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