MIA

I'm back from the dead. It has been quite a month in which I've been burning the candle at both ends, so I'll start off with the bullet points for an update.

• March 26-28 the House of Prayer hosted a conference with Bob Sorge. The few weeks leading up to the event were pretty hectic, organizing registrations as well as sorting out the details for the actual event. (Hence my silence from late Feb to late March). The weekend was awesome! We had lots of positive feedback, and Bob enjoyed his time here with us.
  
• As soon as the conference ended, I had a week to prepare for our trip back home. (Hence my silence from late March 'til now). It was a full week of packing, laundry, shopping for last-minute items as well as presents to bring home, making final preparations for the trip, etc.
  

But now we're here!! We arrived on the 7th of April into KC, had a wonderfully perfect day there, and then flew out to CT to see my family on the 9th of April. Taylor did amazing on all the flights, and neither of us have had any jet lag ~ miracle. We weren't on American soil for more than a couple hours before I felt at home again. It is so, so, so good to be home ~ so good that it's almost painful, as I am reminded again how much I love and miss the country and everyone and everything here. Coming home feels like putting on that old pair of jeans that fits just right, doesn't pinch, and is comfortable and familiar. I mean, I like the 'new pair'
of jeans, too, but they're not quite the same as that old, comfy, 'broken-in" pair.

Our time in CT has been great so far ~ wonderful to be with family and to be in my hometown that contains so many memories: the parks I played in as a kid, the schools I went to, the stores I've shopped at hundreds of times, the streets I learned to drive on. There's just something special about coming back to your roots and birthplace. The weather has been horrible, but I'm LOVING the central heat and the luxury of living in a nice warm, dry house!! Oh, how I love America!

It has been such a special time so far, and I feel like the most spoiled and loved young woman in the world. The extravagance of my Heavenly Father and my family to bring us here is so overwhelming; every day I am overjoyed that I actually get to be here.

Tonight we had pizza at one of my favorite pizza parlors ~ the pizza in CT is unlike anywhere else I've tasted (including other cities in America). Also been loving the other food ~ OJ, mint choc. chip ice cream, tortilla chips, english muffins, rye bread, lemonade, ranch dressing/dip.....shoot, even the toothpaste tastes better here! (No joke, it really does!).

Anyways, I could go on and on, but I won't. Following are a few photos from our time here so far:


Our little world traveler, on the bus at Auckland Airport


Taylor at the park with Aunt Stephanie



Grandpa's Little Helper


Grandma and I

Love my midwife

I am so grateful to the Lord for His amazing leadership and how kind He was to lead me to my midwife. I don't remember if I've ever told that story, but the basic gist of it is that I went into an office one day looking for a midwife, following up on a recommendation. There was no receptionist on duty, but this young lady walks up from the back, and after talking for a few minutes, offers to take me (and my friend, who was with me) as her patients. I didn't know anything about this lady except for the 5 minute conversation we'd just had, but I felt to go for it....and I'm so glad I did. Turns out she's a really strong believer! It is such a joy to me that we are able to talk about the Lord in our appointments, and that I'm able to really share about what God is doing in my heart and life....and she completely understands. Just today she sends me a text that she was praying for our baby last night, and felt the Lord speak some things to her about him.....stuff that I recognize as being very similar to other "whispers" from Heaven that we've recieved about this little boy. I mean, come on....how many midwives pray over the babies in the womb they are caring for, and hear God speak about them?

I remember being a bit nervous about the NZ midwifery system before I found this midwife, and I asked the Lord that I would end up with someone that I liked even better than the midwives I had back in the States. And He has abundantly answered!

Weekend happenings

Well, the fiascoes of Thursday have gone as quickly as they came. Strange how one day can be so hard (physically speaking) and the very next can be so normal. One thing I did discover, though, (while not being able to keep down water) is how much I am enjoying lemon-lime Powerade right now (Just like Gatorade, for my American readers). I mean, I've never really minded drinking the stuff, but I don't think it's ever tasted so good in my life. If it wasn't almost NZ$3 for a small bottle, I'd probably be drinking it all day, every day.

Aaron is home today after a weekend of meetings in Auckland. As always, it's good to have him home after he's been traveling; though fortunately this was just a short trip ~ way better than those long international 2-week-plus trips!

If you haven't yet heard...

Most of my readers have probably already heard the news....but in case there's anyone out there who hasn't yet (and cares to....), we're having a boy!

We actually found this out at my 12-week ultrasound (on a brand-new machine with the very latest technology), but we waited until my 20-week ultrasound before we made a big announcement ~ just to be sure.

And from all accounts of the ultrasound, we're as sure as can be. It's time to start buying blue (in addition, of course, to the existing all-things-pink). My, things sure will change around here, once this little guy is old enough to be racing his cars and trucks around and doing all the sorts of things that boys love to do! I sure have a lot to learn.

One Thing I Do Not Understand

There are many things in life that I don't understand, but today, this tops my list.

How can it be that toast and water make me nauseous and throw up (4 times in one day), while salad drenched in dressing and waffles swimming in maple syrup settle just fine?

That is strange, my friends. Very strange.

Listening to the Rain

After many days of hot temperatures and humid conditions, we are finally getting a bit of reprieve. I'm sitting here on my couch with the windows and door open, listening to and smelling the rain outside. There's something so refreshing about the fragrance of rain. It really is beautiful in it's own unique way. Anyways, there's heavy rain forecast for tonight; between the cooler temps and the pleasant sound of the rain falling outside our window, it appears that we have great sleeping weather in store. The rain is certainly a welcome change, not to mention the fact that since it's been ages since we've had a good rain, we really need a good one to keep everything outside nice and green.

You Know You're in NZ When...

You've got 1/4 beast of local farm kill that has filled the deep freeze.....all for NZ $250. Which, with the current dollar, is approx. US $125. Now that's a deal. We're going to be eating some yummy beef for months to come!

It's hot.

And I thank God every day that I'm not 9 months pregnant. Today, I am glad I will be having a baby in June, when it's much cooler than it is now. Of course, by then, I'll be irritated that it's so cold and damp in the house, and frustrated that our little one has to endure such less-than-ideal conditions inside, but I'll deal with that later. For now, I'm very grateful that I don't have to endure the summer feeling like I'm ready to pop.

19 Weeks Down, 19 More to Go

That is, if the scheduled C-section at 38 weeks is a go. Not that anyone is counting, of course. I am so ready for this pregnancy to be over.

Unrelenting

Next month, THOP will be hosting our first national conference, called Unrelenting. To give a bit of background on the conference, I'll quote one of the emails we've sent out:

"...We are coming into a very significant year and season, both in our nation and also in the nations of the earth. As many of you are aware, we in the Tauranga House of Prayer community have been laboring on a daily basis for the last three years in the place of prayer for a move of God to grip our nation....We felt that at the three year mark that the Lord was asking us to be more deliberate in calling young "Kiwis" to the place of prayer. We understood that this would only be possible if the generation that had gone before them would actively stand together with them as they take their place and destiny in the story of God concerning New Zealand. In light of this, we have decided to host a gathering March 26th-28th 2009 here in Tauranga. We are calling the event "Unrelenting", and in doing so we wanted to communicate to a generation of Kiwis and to the God of heaven and earth that nothing short of deliberate perpetual crying out will see our nation return. I am burdened by this; I awoke early on New Year's day and went out to the Mount to observe the "carnage" that a generation of our kids had left behind. I was devastated and grieved by what I saw. Littered on the streets and in cars were young people who had drunken fully and unapologetically, and to do so was normal and expected. This can no longer be the story of young Kiwis; something has to change. We don't propose to have all the answers, but we know God does; and the genesis for change has always begun in the place of prayer.

We have invited Bob Sorge to come and help us in this call. Bob is one of the clearest voices alive today on the earth. That voice has emerged from the place of deep wrestling with God. For those of you who are unfamiliar with Bob's story, he had his vocal chords severely damaged in a medical procedure 15 years ago that left him only to be able to speak for a hour or so a day in a faint whisper. During these last 15 years, a clear message has emerged from the crucible of wrestling. He has authored 13 books and is sought after internationally. Some of you would have read these writings and have been impacted by them. I had the privilege of traveling with Bob and we are so fortunate to have him come. He has impacted my life personally in a very deep way and I believe what he brings to our nation at this time will carry tremendous weight and prophetic relevance. To find out more about Bob you can visit his website at www.oasishouse.net."

John Dawson, the President of YWAM, will also be there and contributing in some capacity. It promises to be a significant weekend, and we're anticipating what God is going to do.

Registrations have been rolling in the last few days, so if you're interested in coming, log onto www.thop.co.nz and register soon; space is limited.

Back to Pre-School

For all you Northern Hemisphere-ites, the school year is just beginning here in the South Pacific. Monday was Taylor's first day back at pre-school after summer break, and she's done so well getting back into the routine! On Monday she told us it was the best day she's ever had at pre-school, because she's now one of the oldest kids there and she knows how the routine goes and everything that's supposed to happen! :-) I can tell she'll need to adjust again to having a full afternoon with no nap (she was in bed by 7 tonight!), but in a couple weeks I think she'll be fine. I'm just glad she's enjoying being back, and it's not a fight every day to bring her to pre-school!

Speaking of sovereignty...

Seeing as how it seems to be the time for recalling and telling the stories of the prophetic journey that has brought us thus far, I really should do the other story justice and tell the complete version of it. This one has sovereignty written all over it in such mind-blowing ways, some days I wonder how it's even possible that it happened. I always tell people, though, that the reason God gave us such a clear, obvious sign was not because we're "so special", but rather because He knows how weak my frame is, how prone I am to discouragement, and how big of a sign I would need to keep me going on the tough days.

The background info is that for a few weeks previous to this story, Aaron and I had been discussing the idea of moving to New Zealand. To be honest, I had greeted the prospect with little positivity, and being the *Godly*, *submissive* wife that I am, I was being a bit stubborn, and the topic had become cause for a bit of tension between us. On a Wednesday night, we talked and agreed that we wouldn't speak of the possibility of moving again, until God clearly spoke. Thursday morning dawned, and I went to my weekly mom's group, while Aaron took a friend (who was visiting from New Zealand at the time) to the mall so he could buy some jeans and various things for his family. Important point #1: Aaron hates the mall. Goes once a year if we're lucky. Doesn't go near the mall for anything, except the goodwill of his heart to help his Kiwi friend. So he and his friend are standing in the jeans department of Dillard's, and Aaron hears a voice call out to him, a voice with a Kiwi accent. The conversation goes something like this:

Man: "Aaron Walsh?"
Aaron: Yes?
Man: My name is so-and-so. I heard you speak at a conference one time, and it changed my life. I'm a pharmaceutical salesmen from Bethlehem, Tauranga. I'm on my way to Paris, France. I'm in Kansas City for 12 hours and needed some stuff from the mall, so I took a bus and a taxi to get here......young man, isn't it time you returned to the land (of NZ) to build the house of the Lord?
Aaron: speechless.

Important point #2: No one flies through Kansas City on their way from New Zealand to Paris. It's not a "hub city" of any airline. Absolutely ridiculous.

Important point #3: This mall is at least 45 minutes from the airport....and there is a mall just up the road from the airport. Why this man went all the way to Overland Park is beyond me.

And of course there's the obvious "impossibility" that this man would have "just happened" to be in the same department of the same store as Aaron and his friend at the exact same time. I mean, can we say, "Impossible"?! I think it's a profound statement of the obvious when I say that only God could have ordained that one; He was obviously speaking.

So Aaron came home that day an told me the story, and at that time in my heart, I said yes. Although I've admittedly kicked and screamed my share between then and now, something in my heart surrendered at that moment. I knew that God had spoken. And who can argue with that?!

And so on the days when I'm prone to argue, the Lord in His kindness reminds me of this story, and as Job I "put my hand to my mouth, put my mouth to the dust, and I bow down". And I say yes, all over again.

Link

Per the request of one of my readers, I found the post in which I told the "sheep and snakes" story. If you have a minute, click on the link and have a read. It's a great story.

Remembering

Yesterday marked 3 years since we moved to New Zealand. As I think back to those first few days, weeks, and months here in our new home, I realize just how far I/we have come and how kind God has been to me/us. It sure hasn't been an easy road; it's had its ups and its downs, but we've made it this far, and it was worth it.

Certain circumstances in the last few days have caused me to recall my own personal journey and prophetic history that has brought me to the place where I am now. And whenever the Lord reminds me of my call to New Zealand, I find that it gives me fresh courage every single time. It doesn't matter how many times I've remembered or told the story of the sheep and the snakes and that "perfect" place that I "want to go to someday"; every single time I feel the sovereignty and perfect leadership of God over my life, and it makes my heart rest. (Long-time readers of this blog may remember that story. I'll gladly tell it again for those who have no idea what I'm talking about). Likewise, it doesn't matter how many times I've remembered or told the story of the pharmaceutical salesman from Bethlehem, Tauranga on his way to Paris, France who ran into Aaron in the middle of Oak Park Mall in Overland Park, KS and asked (yea, prophesied) if it was time for us to return to NZ to build the house of the Lord.....the day after Aaron and I talked about it and laid it before the Lord and asked Him to speak. Every single time I feel the sovereignty and perfect leadership of God over my life, and it makes my heart rest.

In fact, the real reason I love telling those stories isn't for the sake of communicating my history in God to whoever happens to be listening. It's because as I hear myself tell the story, I gain courage all over again to say yes to God and to say yes to our season here in New Zealand. It makes me fall in love with Him all over again, because I encounter yet again His kindness and goodness and His amazing care for us that He knows every detail and chooses to speak in the most profound ways. I realize yet again that He knows me, He knows my name and my future and He knows the best ways to speak to my heart that will not only get my attention, but also capture my affection. I realize yet again how good He is and how worthy He is of my trust.

And so here we are, on the brink of our 4th year in this land, and I carry with me every ounce of courage He has graciously given in every season leading up to this one. The road ahead may not be easy; it will have its ups and its downs, but I know we will make it, and it will be worth it.

To the beach

On a whim, the whole family decided to head to the beach for a couple hours yesterday. It was fun to go down and enjoy the sun and the sand and watch the 'surf life saving' competition. It's not very often that we go to the beach as a family, but we all enjoyed it. I suppose when you live this close to such a beautiful beach, it's a crime not to go, at least once a season.

Today Aaron and I were in a meeting literally all day; then I had an appointment with my midwife, and now Taylor is in bed and I get a bit of time to relax and prepare for our day tomorrow. Might be an early night, though ~ we're both feeling pretty tired at the end of a long day.

Enjoying the music

This weekend is the annual Mill's Reef Winery's "Stars Under the Stars" outdoor concert. Seeing as how the winery is just next door to our house, we get all the benefits of the musical festivities without the $35 price tag. So we ate dinner outside tonight, and have been enjoying the tunes ever since. It's one of the funnest weekends of summer, in my opinion. Nothin' like a little live music to create the festive, relaxed holiday mood that's indicative of New Zealand summer.

Lazy Sunday Afternoon

After coming home from church and eating lunch, it was rest time for Taylor ~ and nap time for Mommy! For some reason I was exhausted this afternoon, as was confirmed by my almost-two-hour-nap. Can't remember the last time I had a nap that long, but I suppose I must have needed it. Nevermind the fact that it's just past 10pm and I'm not too terribly tired yet. Hopefully the tiredness will strike soon and a good night of sleep will follow!

Breakfast by the beach

Last night Taylor spent the night with Aunt Nicky and Nana and Grandad, so this morning my hubby took me out to breakfast at a yummy cafe right on the main beach at the Mount. It was a beautiful morning ~ not a cloud in the sky and deep blue sea water. Two huge cruise ships had just arrived earlier in the morning, so there were lots of people out and about. It's been ages since I've been to the Mount/near the beach, and I was reminded again what a beautiful place we live in. It was nice to get out and actually enjoy it, seeing as how we live only 15 minutes from one of the most beautiful beaches in NZ!

Thinking....

Although I've felt pretty good today, I've had enough bad days this pregnancy that have got me thinking a lot recently about moms who are chronically ill. On the days that I feel pretty lousy, I can't help but to think of moms who have it way, way worse than a bit of passing fatigue or nausea.

Like, take for example, my friend Karli. I don't know Karli extremely well, but I know her well enough to know that she lives every single day in extreme chronic pain, yet at the same time she continually lays her life down as a wife and a mom of an almost 2-yr old boy. All with a remarkable attitude. Amazing.

Closer to home are thoughts of my own mom. Readers of this blog may or may not know that my mom fought breast cancer for 4 1/2 years when I was a child, and went to be with Jesus when she was 41. I was 9. Because I lived with her every day of my life until then, I saw and experienced firsthand the dedication and selflessness that characterized her short life. She homeschooled my brother and I (often from her bedside), cooked our family a homemade dinner every night, taught us to know and love Jesus, taught me how to cook and how to sew, went all-out for birthdays and holidays to create memories and traditions that would never be forgotten, and I could go on and on. Of course, as a child I never understood the amount of pain she lived in every day as she did all these things, but I began to understand more and more as I grew older. Now that I'm a mom myself, I begin to understand on a whole new level and appreciate all the more who she was and all she did for our family. She was truly a remarkable woman.

These women and the many like them are my heroes. Though they may not realize it, they have painted a picture with their lives of true meekness, humility, and servanthood for many to emulate. I have much to learn from these ones: how to serve even when it hurts. How to honor others' needs above my own. How to give in secret when no one is watching ~ or when no one realizes the extent of sacrifice required to give. I'm grateful for incredible comerades who provoke me to continue on in this journey called 'laying down your life'. Good thing there's lots of grace from Heaven to help along the way.

Oh, happy day!!

I'm coming home!!

It's probably no secret that I've been missing home lately ~ a bit more than usual. Aaron and I have had a few conversations recently in which we both agreed it would be wonderful for me to have the opportunity to visit home for a short time before this baby is born. I didn't have a clue how it would be possible, but I carried the prayer and desire in my heart before the Lord. Just this week, on a pure whim, I checked out the Air New Zealand website, only to discover that they're having an amazing sale on now. To make a very long story short, the Lord intervened on many different fronts, each situation combining together, enabling both Taylor and I to currently be holding tickets home in April! It was totally the Lord how it all worked out. We'll do both Kansas City and Connecticut ~ and I am so very excited to be in both places. My heart longs to be at home in Connecticut as well as to connect with dear family and friends in KC. I am so grateful first of all to the Lord for hearing the cry of my heart and answering, secondly to my husband for his encouragement and willingness to send us off, and also to the precious ones who have made this whole trip possible. Oh, thank you!

Right now, I feel like the most loved young woman on the earth; it really is an amazing thing to know that Heaven has heard and delighted to answer the weak prayer of a weak heart. Oh, He loves me!

And for all you Kansas-Citians and Connecticut-ites, Taylor and I can't wait to see you in April!!

My latest revelation

Pregnancy is an expression of the fasted lifestyle. Like unto a 9 month fast. I had a deeply encouraging conversation today with one of my dearest friends from home. We were discussing the weakness that pregnancy produces: both the weakness of body as well as the weakness of emotions. She made an interesting comment ~ that hormones have the tendency to bring to the surface what is lying dormant within. Hmmm. Sounds alot to me like fasting. Quite a scary thought, seeing as how often that which comes to the surface is sin: grumpiness and attitudes and laziness and such. I thought that the hormones were an explanation for all that, but maybe in reality that's what's been inside all along, but hiding. Ouch.

But the (encouraging) flip side of the same concept is that sometimes that which comes to the surface are emotions which need to be realized; tears which need to be cried; prayers which need to be prayed, movements of the heart which need to be lifted to God. And were it not for a bit of pressure (i.e. hormones), those emotions and prayers and tears and movements of the heart would remain hidden, quiet, and un-spoken. And herein presents the opportunity for the genuine crying out to God for help out of the place of true weakness and brokenness. The Jeremiah 33:3, "Call to Me, and I will answer you, and show you great and mighty things, which you do not know" sort of crying out to God, which very well may not happen if it weren't for a place of weakness to draw that cry out.

I had always thought that hormones had a way of distorting reality. Which sometimes I do think definitely happens. But perhaps this happens much less of the time than I originally thought. It takes wisdom and discernment to know when to ask the Lord to silence lies and reveal truth, and when to ask the Lord for grace to deal with the truth that has been revealed.

Gone Swimming

Taylor has had her first swimming lessons this week ~ and she's done great! Her biggest accomplishment has probably been learning how to go under, but she's also practiced her kicking, jumping in (from sitting on the side ~ into her teacher's arms), and blowing lots of bubbles in the water. And thanks to our incredibly generous neighbors who have offered us the use of their pool, Taylor and I went swimming after her lesson. It was incredibly refreshing, and Taylor also got to practice a lot of what she's been learning this week. It was lots of fun for us both; nothin' like a good swim on a hot day.

The pleasure of dill pickles

Whether its the sheer enjoyment of the fact that I can now buy them here, or those pregnancy hormones again, I'm not entirely sure. But can I just say that dill pickles have nver tasted so good in my whole life?!

Sea Breezes

It's a lovely night. The air is cool, the windows are open, and the most delicious sea breeze is blowing through. The smell of the sea air is so satisfying; it smells like we literally live across the street from the ocean.

That scent, combined with the fresh smell of my furniture polish (reminding me that my living room is sparkling clean), makes relaxing on the couch and reading Revelation the perfect end to the day.

For the first time in a long time, I am content. Granted, the only reason I have felt discontent recently (as in, the last 3 months) is due solely to the surge of hormones in my body which have wreaked havoc on my emotions and my perceptions and caused me to feel quite moody/unstable/overwhelmed/emotional/fill in the blank. So tonight I am enjoying for the first time in a long time what seems to be the re-appearing of myself again. And I sure hope that the "me" that I know chooses to hang around for a good while now. Pregnancy sure is a strange thing. Although I haven't been as sick this time as I was with Taylor, this has definitely been a harder pregnancy so far. I'm hoping that days like these will become more the norm as I get farther into the supposedly-glorious 2nd trimester.

I could go on and on. But I'll spare you from reading and spare myself from writing more, and I'll now get back to Revelation. It's much more profitable reading than my own writing is.

New Zealand is now a better place...

Thanks to a Christmas present from Taylor, I have discovered that it is now possible to buy dill pickles here! They aren't as crunchy as Calussen pickles (but to be fair, I was never expecting them to be...), though they did taste as perfect as any American dill pickle. Three years of wishing for dill pickles has now been satisfied.

Berry Picking

A couple weeks back, we found a local "Pick your own" berry farm. So Aaron, Sabrina, Taylor, and I headed out to pick a truckload of berries. The strawberries here are 2nd to none in the world, and we sure were't shy when it came to filling up our containers! Here are some pics of the fun:

Long Overdue

Seeing as how we're only a mere 5 days away from Christmas, I figured I'd better get my act together and post some of my Thanksgiving photos. Nevermind the fact that we're well past Thanksgiving and well into the Christmas season. But that's beside the point. Better late than never, I suppose.

My little helper, making pumpkin pie

Our turkey, not over-cooked this year!

Our whole spread.

(Sorry, Esther. Didn't realize 'til now that I never did get a photo of the cranberry relish. But it sure was yummy, thanks to you!)

Gotta love the pies ~ apple, pecan, and pumpkin!

(And a big thanks to one of my dearest friends from home who sent the Thanksiving decor items!)

Christmasy

I still have Thanksgiving photos I want to post, but until then, a short word about Christmas.

We finished putting up the Christmas decorations today. It was tons of fun; Taylor thoroughly enjoyed herself, and we had a good time working on it. It's fun to see how much they grow and change within a year, and how much more they remember, understand, and are able to hep with each Christmas that goes by. Being a parent at Christmastime really is fun.

Aaron very aptly pointed out this evening that it feels very Christmasy now, and it's even 20 degrees outside. The only problem is that it's 20 degrees Celsius, not 20 degrees Fahrenheit.

Big difference.

Awake

It's 2:30 in the morning, and I am most definitely awake. I've had some pretty bad nights of sleep the last few nights, all manifesting in different ways. Tonight appears to be a bit of insomnia....how annoying!

So lying in my bed, trying to fall back asleep, my mind has wandered in all sorts of directions.....from the book of Revelation and eschatological events and the Man leading it all, to (a slightly less spiritual topic).....food. It all started as I randomly remembered this time when I was a kid and we went to New Hampshire for vacation. My parents had lived there at one time, and wanted to bring the family to their favorite sub-sandwich joint, called Moe's. I was only a kid, but I can still taste that sandwich to this day. It was hands-down the best sub I've ever eaten in my life. What's one to do when such a craving crosses the mind in the middle of the night? Nothing much that can be done but remember. So then I started thinking of a more realistic craving....which brought me to Subway and their veggie delight subs. Yum. A bit more realistic, but not at 2am. *sigh*. Of course, going back to sleep would be the best option by far, if only it were that easy.

Missing Home

Maybe it's the hormones; maybe it's the holidays approaching. Maybe it's both. Probably is. But whatever the reason, I've found my thoughts wandering towards home a lot recently: the cool, crisp fall air; Thanksgiving preparations in full swing; family and friends gathering together; and of course the other myriad of memories and thoughts that follow such a mental trail. The food and the shopping....favorite restaurants and holiday treats.....; I'll quit now while I'm ahead.

I do genuinely enjoy living here; I am settled and an peace with being here and I am content. I couldn't be more convinced that we are in the right place. There are things about New Zealand that I really am starting to love, and my heart is at rest here. But at the end of the day, it still isn't home; I am still a foreigner, and I still deeply love and miss my homeland. I am at peace with missing home, but sometimes I still do. On the bright side, I'm looking forward to celebrating Thanksgiving (though we're celebrating on Saturday).....I think it will be good for my heart.

Finally...

...feeling better! The flu is long gone, and I've had 3 good days in a row with no morning sickness, either. Yippie! This is what we like. Although I'm not nauseous, I still don't feel myself yet ~ physically or emotionally. These hormones sure do have a funny way of changing everything. I'm counting the weeks until that (supposedly) glorious 2nd trimester when (everyone tells me that) I will (supposedly) feel more like myself again. I sure hope "everyone" is right.

In other pregnancy news, I had my first ultrasound on Friday. We got to see the baby's heartbeat and even got to see his/her spine ~ which at only 8 weeks, I wasn't expecting to see, but was pretty fun nonetheless. Everything checks out fine so far, with a estimated due date of July 1st. I am already counting the weeks. Some women just love being pregnant; I am not one of them.

I did take Taylor to a friend's birthday party on Saturday ~ the first party invitation from one of her pre-school friends. She was so excited to be invited to the party, and with several other moms there who I've gotten to know over the last several months, we both had a really good time.

Not too much in the line of other news, as it's been pretty quiet around here as I've been focused on recovering from the tummy bug, and then attending to all the details of life that went unattended while I was sick, such as grocery shopping and cleaning the house, laundry, and all that. Tomorrow is back into the normal routine ~ off to the prayer room in the morning.

I was throwing up yesterday...

...but this time it's because I'm sick.

Somehow managed to pick up a 24-hour bug, although 24 hours later, I still don't feel like myself again. Might take a bit longer to recover from this one, being pregnant and all.

Pregnant + sick = not fun combination.

I've been throwing up today...

...and it's not because I'm sick.

Let the reader understand.

Election Night in NZ

Today I cast my ballot for a second time this year. It was strange, though fun, to vote in another country. It's been interesting watching how different it is from America. The whole process from the actual voting experience to watching on TV the events at each party headquarters and everything in between is much more 'toned down', laid back, relaxed, and casual compared to America. Though there's much I still don't understand about NZ politics, it's still interesting to sit and watch on the news where each party is at as the polls come in; it's definitely part of my cultural initiation into NZ. With that said, back to the other room to watch the latest results coming in....

Busy Week

All too soon, another week has come and gone, and here it is, Friday again. It's been a full week at the House of Prayer. YWAM was having their national leader's gathering in Tauranga this week, so on Wednesday the THOP gang joined a mere 75 other YWAMers from around the nation for a BBQ. Though I'm not fully part of the YWAM community and culture, I have done enough with the organization throught the years to recognize faces and re-connect with people whose paths we have crossed in times past.

Then on Thursday our staff and interns sat in on a presentation by a man who is a Kiwi church historian. He spoke for a good couple hours about NZ church history and the relationship between the Maori and the European missionaries. It was quite fascinating to learn the history and the stories of this nation, even this city in which we live.

And then this weekend there is a large conference at the church in which thop meets, so there was no prayer room today, and there will be no prayer room tomorrow, either. Some of our staff and interns are helping out at the conference; I love their attitude and willingness to jump in and serve when needed.

And then on Sunday, one of Aaron's good friends is coming up to Tauranga for the week and will be staying with us. He's stayed with us many times before and is just about like family, so it will definitely be fun rather than stressful having him here.

Never a dull moment around here, I can promise you that!

Just like Christmas

Aaron returned home today after two weeks away ~ in the States. Having him home is a wonderful present in and of itself (Taylor and I both missed him a lot this trip). But to make today even more fun, he came with tons of presents for us both ~ clothes and toys for Taylor, Thanksgiving decor, Yankee Candles, and lotion/skincare things, and the list goes on. It was a day full of excitement and fun, and it's oh so good to have Aaron home again.

It's been a bit day, and we're both pretty tired; off to bed now.

Turkey

As the weather warms up and the days get longer, it's time to start thinking about.....Thanksgiving. That sentence still seems strange to me, but such is life in the southern hemisphere. So I went to our local butcher today and bought our thanksgiving turkey. This is the 3rd year we've bought a turkey in New Zealand, and I still haven't gotten used to the price tag that goes along with them, but let's just say they ain't cheap! (Now it is a free range turkey, but still.....don't know how they can justify charging that much for killing a bird that just wandered around the farmyard 'til he got nice and plump. Hmm. Maybe we should go into the turkey-raising business). Anyways, hopefully I can cook it to perfection this year (last year was a wee bit dry). No pressure or anything, Kristi, when cooking the bird-that-might-as-well-be-made-of-gold.

To Enjoy Running

I can't believe I'm actually admitting this; writing this; putting this into print. But both today and Tuesday I have (just about, almost) truly enjoyed my jog through the neighborhood. I have always had a love-hate relationship with excercise. Actually, that's not entirely true. I've mostly hated exercise. Until I discovered the mount. Then the love-hate relationship developed. When my mount days ended, I settled for jogging through the neighborhood, which was fine for a while, but the past several months I have have found it quite difficult, boring, and a necessary evil. But for some reason, my last two jogs this week have been acutally borderline enjoyable, and have finished feeling energized, loving life, and on top of the world. Now, I know much better than to declare boldly that this will be the case from now on, but for as long as this fortunate turn of events continues, I'm not complainin'.

A Tragedy of Monumental Proportions

Okay, I admit. I'm a bit of a drama queen. It's not quite that bad. But nearly. Countdown no longer sells frozen cranberries. So unless New World comes to the rescue (which honestly I don't have much hope for that happening), our Thanksgiving this year will for the first time ever, be without homemade cranberry-orange relish. And cranberry muffins, cranberry bread, and cranberry up-side down coffee cake will forever be things of the past as long as we reside in New Zealand. *Sigh* I suppose on the positive side, we can still get the jarred Ocean Spray whole berry cranberry sauce, so at least there will be a cranberry contribution to the Thanksgiving table. But it's not quite the same.

Just Like Macaroni Grill

I found a recipe the other day that was so good I just had to share! It's a recipe for Rosemary Bread, and it tastes exactly like the bread at Macaroni Grill. I made some for dinner tonight, and served it with olive oil mixed with fresh cracked pepper for dipping; it's incredible! Perhaps the best bread machine recipe I have ever come across. (Although you could definitely make it by hand if you don't have a bread machine).

The other good thing about our dinner tonight is that our little Taylor ate two whole spears of asparagus ~ she still isn't decided for sure if she likes it, but seeing as how she ate two spears, I'd say she's doing pretty good! Along with sauted chicken breast with a mushroom-white wine-cream reduction and mashed potatoes, I think I may have found my new favorite dinner.

AWOL

According to dictionary.com, AWOL is defined as, "Away from military duties without permission, but without the intention of deserting." Though I would say that my blogging career isn't exactly on par with military duties, I can promise you that although I have been temporairly away, I have absolutely no intention of deserting.

Now that we have established that fact, we can move on. A couple weeks ago, Taylor started going to pre-school in the afternoon instead of the morning since she is now 4 1/2 and has only two more terms before starting school. (Wow, where did 4 1/2 years go??). Anyways, she moved up to afternoons with a lot of her really good friends, so she's been enjoying the opportunity to maintain the friendships she developed in her first two terms of morning pre-school. The afternoon program also includes quite a few more extracurricular activities to get them used to some of the things that happen at Primary School, as well as get them used to the Primary School campus. For example, they will soon start swimming once a week, they'll join the primary students in some athletic events for a few weeks, and they also go to the school library every Friday. Although afternoons have been fun, the one downfall is that Taylor now no longer gets an afternoon nap ~ which means that at 3:20, I pick up a very tired little girl from pre-school! I think it will take a few more weeks for her to get used to the new schedule and adjust physically. So in the meantime, it's been early to bed for the little one!

Since this is "Labor Weekend" here in New Zealand (NZ equivilant of Labor Day), there is no pre-school tomorrow. And apparently the weather is supposed to be good; so between the prayer room in the morning and hopefully a nap in the afternoon, hopefully we can get out into the world to enjoy the day!

Looks like she's going to be a golfer, folks...

...Just like her daddy!

I voted today.

And I even have the sticker with the American flag to prove it. One of the funny things about voting on an absentee ballot is that it must arrive to the election board office by 7pm on Nov. 4th. Which means that I vote before the rest of the country does. Kinda fun, if I do say so myself. I love that I still get to vote and exercise one of the great freedoms of our country, even though I live miles and miles away.

And the strange thing about this election year is that I actually get to vote in two countries. New Zealand allows permanent residents to vote. (Actually, registering to vote is required by law here, though actually voting itself is not). So, on November 8th, I get to vote again here. It's kinda strange voting in a country not my own, but it's also kinda fun all at the same time, to have a voice in not only one, but two countries.

Rest and Urgency

So far break week has met every expectation ~ time with family, time with friends, sleep-ins (thanks to my wonderful hubby), and also a bit of study time and music time (though admittedly not enough. Yet. Hopefully that's what the next several days are for).

I even got to watch the presidential debate today, which was most boring in the most interesting sort of way. I'm not usually one to publish my political opinions, so I'm not going to elaborate much on that now. Except to say that at this very moment, the state of the church (specifically in regards to this election) is as concerning to me as the state of my nation, if not more so. I am grately disturbed in my spirit.

If there has ever beeen a time to pray and fast, surely it is now.

Break Week

This week is our mid-internship break, so we've closed the prayer room for the week to give our staff and interns a much-deserved break. With the marathon pace and longevity in mind, we've learned it is wise to occasionally take a break for a week so we can continue on for months (yea, years).

In light of that, I'm looking forward to the opportunity to do some things that I don't normally get to do during our normal schedule. For example, tomorrow I'm going into town with a friend to do a bit of shopping and catch up over a cup of coffee (or, in my case, a chai latte). I'm also hoping for some good sleep-ins during this next week, lots of time with the family, and also some good time studying/singing/playing keys. If I can accomplish that, I'd say it will be a great week!

Parenting in the 21st Century

To be the mother of a 4-yr. old is to at times bear the expectation of being a walking encyclopedia. Fortunately, for the mothers of the 21st century, Wikipedia comes to the rescue, faithfully every time. Today's question? The surface temperature of Pluto. Not kidding. So to Wikipedia we go, in search of pictures and the answer to the thousand dollar question. After locating the Kelvin-Celsius converter (courtesy of Google), I finally discovered that the average temperature on Pluto is approx. -229*C. Nevermind the fact that this means nothing to Taylor except that it's too cold to wear short sleeves and a skirt without tights outside. By only a few degrees, I'm sure. But our mini-science lesson was only beginning at that point; after that we discovered pictures of the other planets, the structure of our solar system, the phases of the moon, and finally I gave a brief explanation of the seasons and an illustration for why the northern and southern hemispheres have opposite seasons (using her ball as the earth, and my Pumpkin Pie Yankee Candle as the sun).

How in the world did our parents survive before the internet??

Significant Week

It's so funny how many of the significant things in life occur without any pomp or fanfare or stately announcement of their occurance. Last week was one of those sorts of weeks in our thop history. It was one of those weeks in which the Lord spoke, when certain events and meetings took place, when notable conversations were held, and when yet another one of the mile markers was crossed on this journey of establishing a house of prayer here in Tauranga. In the natural, nothing much looks different now than did a week ago, just as much as when one has a birthday, he or she doesn't necessairly feel older in the immediate days following. But the lack of apparent change doesn't negate the reality of the significant events which have taken place. God is on the move; the winds of change are blowing, and by His grace, the plans and purposes of His heart for a city and a nation and a region of the world will surely come to pass.

This thing sure is hard work ~ one of the hardest things we've ever done in our life. But it sure is exciting to be part of.

Bullet Points

• Tonight is daylight savings. Though I love the thought of one more hour of sunlight in the evenings, the immediate price of losing an hour of sleep tonight is quite disheartening. Especially since I am quite tired.
• This weekend is full for us. After a late night last night, a pre-7am rising (thanks to my precious daughter), grocery shopping this morning, and a meeting this afternoon, I am tired. Tomorrow Aaron preaches all 3 services at church, and I will lead ministry time with some of the THOP guys for the evening service.
• Friday marked the last day of the school term for Taylor. For the sake of my American readers, the school year here begins in February, and is then divided into 4 ten-week terms, with 2 weeks of "school holidays" between each term (and 6 weeks summer vacation over Christmas). So, Monday starts 2 weeks of school holidays. I look forward to the opportunity to have Taylor home with us all day every day, especially since our THOP mid-internship break falls in the second week of school holidays, so we'll all have a week off together. I can't wait!
• Taylor's social life is thriving. We have a play date scheduled for Monday with one of our ywam/thop friends, and we also had a lunch play date after pre-school yesterday with one of her favorite friends from pre-school, whose mom I also really like. I've really enjoyed forming friendships with the other moms, many of whom will be part of our life for years to come as our children will progress through school together.

Nothing much else terribly exciting for now. Time to get ready for bed, especially since it really is an hour later than the clock says it is.....

Strange, very strange.

In this country grow lemons that are orange and limes that are yellow.

This is enough to make a certain American girl very confused.

New Bible

After 13 years, multiple layers of duct tape on the cover and binding, and scotch tape holding together many riped pages, I've decided that it was time to purchase a new Bible. I seriously thought about getting my old one re-bound (an idea which, I must confess, I still haven't entirely thrown out), but after scoring a deal at the local Christian bookstore (NZ$80 for a genuine leather Bible that's exactly the same as the one I've already got ~ even the chapters and verses are in the same place on each page), well, I've got myself a new Bible. As familiar as it seems, it still is quite new and strange, but seeing as how I can actually now read the book of Revelation, I'm thinking its good that I have a new one. I guess it will take a bit of time to 'break it in', but its worth it. And my old Bible will forever have the place of honor on our bookshelf. It feels like that Book contains within it the last 13 years of my history and journey in God.

Perpetual Night and Day Prayer

Today is IHOP-KC's 9 year anniversary. Or birthday. Whichever you choose to call it. Actually, they really have two birthdays. May 7, 1999 marked the beginning of the House of Prayer, 13 hours a day, 5 days a week. Then on September 19, 1999, night and day prayer began, and a prayer meeting started on that day that has not stopped since. I moved to Kansas City in August of 1999, so I missed out on being part of the May 7th beginning. (Though my husband tells me that the first nation ever prayed for in the House of Prayer was New Zealand. How does he know? Because he led the prayer meeting with Mike, and prayed for this nation himself. How cool is that?!) But anyways, I remember Sept. 19th quite vividly, a day which will, perhaps, be impossible to forget. There were lots of people crammed into the small prayer room, but it didn't matter. There was excitement and celebration in the atmosphere, yet also a holy awe and sobriety as we understood that none of us really knew the magnitude, significance, and also difficulty of what had just begun. It was an honor and privilege to be there on that day, and for 7 years that followed.

But the real point of that whole story (besides giving a bit of history and re-living those great memories) is that as I write this, I have a holy jealousy and a holy zeal/longing/anticipation for the day when it will be our turn. When a prayer meeting will begin in New Zealand that will, by the grace of God, continue until He returns. Not because this defines the success of our ministry, or because it's the pinnacle that all houses of prayer aspire to reach, but because first of all, He is worthy of it. He deserves great praise and adoration and worship and honor. Second of all, because as we consider the hour of history we are living in, this city and this nation will need it. Because I long for justice (the making of wrong things right) in our city (Luke 18:7). Because we need an open heaven. Because business as usual isn't working anymore. Because we need another Great Awakening.

Girl's day out, girl's night in

Aaron was in Wellington for the weekend, speaking at a youth camp, so Taylor and I had lots of special time together the last couple days. Yesterday I decided to forgo our usual Saturday grocery shopping routine, favoring a picnic at the park instead. It was a beautiful day, perfect for enjoying a good play (and lunch!) outside. Then last night, I decided to invite the girls from our community over to our place for "girl's night". We had a great time! It was a full house ~ between the THOP interns and staff and also the YWAM DTS students and staff, I think we ended up with about 20 or 25 girls here. But it was oh so much fun! The DTS just started last week, so it was really fun to meet those girls and get to know them a bit more. They're a great bunch; it's such a privilege having them here and having the opportunity to do the house of prayer alongside a DTS. It's a great combination! And Taylor had a blast last night, too. Many of those girls are her friends, too, in a "young adult befriends a pre-schooler" sort-of-way. I think she enjoyed the night just as much as (more than?) the rest of us!

One thing that I learned very early on in our marriage is that when Aaron goes away, it's important for me to make it a "positive" time for myself (and now Taylor) rather than a "negative" time. If he can go away knowing that I (we) are having fun and enjoying ourselves (rather than being miserable because he's gone), then it frees him to go and do what he is called to do without worrying about us. So, especially now with Taylor, I like to try to plan some special things to do while he's gone that we don't usually do when he's home. Like having a girl's night.

And now Aaron is home, which is the best part of the whole weekend!

Like a kid again

Wow. How is it possible that it's been over a week since I've posted? The days are just disappearing, and ending as quickly as they begin. Never mind the fact that it's already September. What is that about?!

So yesterday I decided that it was a great day to take advantage of the spring air and warm(er) sun. I decided to forgo my usual Monday run, opting instead to put Taylor in the stroller and go for a lengthy walk with her ~ with a stop at the duck pond and the park on our way home. It was great fun. Good to get out and enjoy the fresh air of spring. And enjoy some good time with Taylor. The ducks were pitifully not hungry, though they managed to humor us and dutifully eat our old crusty bread, much to Taylor's amusement and delight. My personal highlight of the walk, though, was definitely the park. The swings, to be exact. It's been a long, long time since I've done this, but I decided to hop on the swing while Taylor was playing, and really swing for real, not just sit there. Now, there's just something about soaring high into the sky on a swing that's good for the soul. It brings with it a sense of freedom, childlike-ness, carefree-ness, innocence, pure fun, and satisfaction. Like all the troubles of the world melt away with each propulsion into the air. I think I could have stayed on that swing for a whole lot longer than I did, if it weren't for Taylor's requests for help on the climbing ropes. To be honest, I'm not sure who had more fun on that day: Taylor or I. But I think the bigger girl would be a safe bet.

Our week in pictures

We've returned to the tropical north after a wonderful week in Oxford. The faintest whispers of spring are in the air as the temperatures are slightly rising, the magnolia trees and a few other early flowers are blooming, and the sun is shining later in the day. Before we know it, summer will be upon us.

But before I get too ahead of myself, I still have the opportunity to relish the joys of winter, especially in regards to our week down south. Unfortunately, we narrowly missed a band of snow that was moving up the east coast of the island, although there were two short snow showers that I managed to see on the day before my birthday ~ they only lasted a few minutes each, but it was enough that I did get to witness snow falling from the sky. I must say, it's strange to associate snow with my birthday, seeing as how I spent 25 years of my life enjoying summer birthdays. No weather even close to resembling summer in Oxford, though! It was cold, cold, cold there! As much as I wasn't impressed walking through freezing hallways to take Taylor potty in the middle of the night (we slept with the heaters on, so at least our bedrooms were warm!), during the day I loved the fact that it was cold outside and we were warm and cozy by the fire inside. Although it wasn't near as cold as winters that I'm used to back in the States, it was way colder than Tauranga winter, and it reminded me so much of home. I loved it!

So anyways, here are some pictures from Oxford:

There was a park that Taylor loved playing at. She especially enjoyed going down the big slide!

There were huge trees at the park, and Taylor wanted to pose next to one. Sure is a big tree compared to the little girl!

The snow on the mountains was beautiful!

Keeping the home fires burning

Quite literally. We've been enjoying the wood burning stove all day today, thanks to Aaron. There's nothing like a fire that says "Warm and cozy". Did I mention that it's cold here? Probably the coldest I've ever felt in New Zealand. I love being warm and cozy inside while it's freezing outside; it's just like home! There's even some snow in the forecast for the region for this week, but who knows if it will actually snow here in Oxford. I'm holding my breath, though trying not to get too excited. But I would be perhaps the happiest girl in New Zealand if I woke up one morning to world blanketed in white. Or if it was snowing after nightfall and I got to go for a walk in a winter wonderland. It would be even better if that happened on my birthday, which happens to be on Tuesday. Oh, how it would remind me of home! But I'm not getting my hopes up. Really, I'm not.

Taylor and I drove to the airport in Christchurch to pick up Aaron this morning. It's great to have him here with us! We've enjoyed a quiet, low-key day as a family watching the olympics, playing with Taylor, and basically just relaxing. Off to go start making dinner!

Here Safe and Sound

Taylor and I have arrived here at YWAM Oxford after two uneventful flights. Fortunately we missed out on this drama at Auckland Airport; it must have happened just after we left. We've settled into the guest house we are staying in here; it's comfortable and just what we need for the week. Though I can't believe how cold it is here! Fortunately we have plenty of heaters, and Aaron arrives tomorrow and will get the wood burning stove fired up. (No, I never was a girl scout and wouldn't have a clue how to light a fire in a stove). I won't be complaining about the cold, though, if it snows in Oxford this week. What an amazing treat that would be!

In other important news, I have just watched New Zealand win a gold medal at the Olympics in the woman's rowing. Twin sisters that Aaron went to school with when he was a kid have captured the gold by mere millimeters ~ it was an amazing race to watch. As much as I've loved watching the olympics here, it has been very different watching them in a foreign country. Mostly because we don't see any of the medal ceremonies for American gold winners and miss out on hearing the Star Spangled Banner. Fortunately we still get to see many of the Americans compete, but of course the programming is planned around the competitions that New Zealand athletes are in, and all the commentaries are favoring New Zealand. Which isn't a bad thing at all ~ it's just different than watching and listening from an American perspective.

Time for me to start thinking about heading off to bed; we drive back into Christchurch in the morning to pick Aaron up from the airport. 'Night!

Off to Oxford

In a few minutes, Taylor and I leave to fly down to Christchurch to meet up with Aaron and spend a few days together as he ministers at the YWAM Oxford base. I love Oxford ~ it's a quiet small town where the pace of life is slow and offers the chance to unwind and relax. Looking forward to some good family time in between Aaron's teaching.

Good news from a far country...

...Sure is life to the spirit. Or however the Proverb goes. 'Tis true, though. We've had a good friend of the family from Kansas City visiting the Walsh clan this week, and has it sure been wonderful to have her here! She is a true encourager; she has spoken life to us and to our team here when we have really needed it. It's been great to re-connect with her and also to re-connect with Kansas City through her; what a precious gift for us in this season. It sure will be sad to see her go at the end of the week.

Waffles, real maple syrup, and a big welcome home

Aaron returned home on Saturday after 10 days in South Korea. Taylor and I are both so glad to have him home ~ he's been traveling lots recently and it feels like he's been gone for ages. So, in true Walsh tradition, I made waffles yesterday for Sunday brunch. They were especially yummy, because I received a jar of real Canadian maple syrup by a very thoughtful person who has been visiting Tauranga this week. Although we can get the real stuff here, the price tag on it is costly; it could easily be equated to eating liquid gold. Waffles, kiwifruit, whipped cream, real maple syrup.....doesn't get much better than that!

Rainbows on a rainy day

It has been an unusually cold and wet winter. Today was the first day in (what felt like) weeks in which it hasn't rained at all. As much as the continual rain can get a bit wearisome, and as much as the squally showers on partly-sunny, partly-cloudy days can get quite annoying, one of the benefits of the unpredictable weather is the number of stunning rainbows we get to witness here. I have never seen so many rainbows ever before in my life. Often we will see three, four, or even five different rainbows in one day. And no matter how often I see a rainbow, my heart always skips a beat when I see one, and I can't help but to wonder and consider how glorious and merciful is the Creator who painted it in the sky. These pictures don't do justice to the glory of rainbows here in Tauranga, but I figured they were worth posting regardless.

A Day at Lollipops

Today Taylor and I met a friend from pre-school and her mom at Lollipops playland, an indoor play place for kids. Although I have known about it for a while, Taylor and I have never been before, so today was particularly exciting for her. She loved it! She was quite a bit hesitant at first to climb and explore without Mommy, but once I did it with her a few times, she gained a bit more confidence to go off with her friend and enjoy the tunnles and slides together. We spent five hours there (yes, you read that right). But we had nothing else going on today, and Taylor was having so much fun, so I figured we might as well just stay as long as we could and enjoy the opportunity while we had it. Here are some pictures of our fun:

Striking a pose.

Playing in the ball area

Having fun on the merry-go-round-type ride

The super-size air slide

They also had a huge bouncy castle which Taylor enjoyed, but no doubt her favorite activity of the day was going down the plastic tunnel slides. They were really fast (this I know by experience!), and at first it was a bit scary for her, but once she figured out that she wouldn't get hurt (and that Mommy would catch her at the bottom), she couldn't stop going down! Since I was catching her every time she went down, I never got any photos of it, but I wish I could have, because the look on her face of pure enjoyment was priceless!

Needless to say, somebody went to be super-early tonight!

Bearing the Stigma

I've been thinking today about the words of Jesus in Matthew 10, "You will be hated by all for My name's sake." What a sobering wake-up call to the reality that the church in the last days will be living in. I don't think any of us really have a grid for just how un-politically-correct the church will be in that hour of history, and how un-popular we will be with not only the world, but also with those professing to be followers of Jesus, but who really aren't. Ouch. I mean, in some circles, it's a bit "extreme" now to take a stand for the basic 101 Christianity of the Bible. (You know, the Matthew 5, 6, and 7 stuff). And the consequences for such an unpopular stance today are barely more than a wee bit of social sigma or rejection. (Although take heart. The religious leaders of the day called John the Baptist demonized and Jesus a glutton and a drunkard. At least we are in good company). But what's going to happen when the issues we take a stand for are way more controversial than anything we've seen yet? Like the judgments of God breaking into planet earth? (Or the mere reality that there is a God, and we love His Son, Jesus). And the consequences for doing so are way more intense than they are now? (Like along the lines of death or imprisonment.) I mean, this takes any controversy, any misunderstanding, any false accusation that we may have experienced, and puts a "times 1,000" next to it, and then multiplied about another thousand times after that. And this is what we've signed up for.

Is it just me, or is that a bit sobering?

Remembering Sovereignty

After listening to and telling some of the stories this evening of how THOP was established and how the Lord led many of us here, I am reminded yet again of the goodness of the Lord's leadership ~ over regions, nations, ministries, families, and individuals. I have been pondering in my heart yet again the bizarre stories of how I ended up here in New Zealand ~ starting with my "accidental prophecy" when I was a child, to all the events between 2004 and 2006 leading up to our re-location to New Zealand. I have been considering how the Lord so wisely and carefully began knitting together in relationship the prayer movement and the missions movement in a new expression that we are watching emerge before our eyes. I have a fresh sense this evening of His sovereignty, and our destiny that He is so kindly and attentively orchestrating, and it makes my heart rest. This whole thing is His idea, not ours; He is building His house, not us. That's really good news.

For all the American pecan-pie lovers in Tauranga...

...We can now make it, because Bethlehem Countdown now sells corn syrup! Miracle of all miracles! I'm actually not a huge fan of corn syrup, simply because it's so bad for you, but every now and then I come across a recipe that calls for it that I would love to make regardless. Unfortunately, though, corn syrup was no where to be found anywhere in New Zealand. Not anymore! I found it yesterday by accident when I was looking for something else. It's called "Glucose syrup, derived from corn"; it's in the baking aisle, on the same shelf with all the extracts, to be exact.

There's a certain amount of comfort found in the fact that the corn syrup is there on the shelf in the grocery store up the road, available to buy, just in case someday I decide that I want it. Never mind the fact that I rarely use it. (There's a commentary on the consumerism-driven American psyche for you.)

Happy baking!

I love what we do

Tonight was another great night at the house of prayer. It was one of those prayer meetings in which I was reminded again of the kindness of the Lord that He touches us with His presence and sends the Helper to enable us to worship in Spirit and in truth. I was reminded again why I love so much what we get to do; the superior pleasure of lifting weak words and weak hearts before a strong God with a company of people is just awesome. I'm so grateful to the Lord for all that He is doing, for this community that He has gathered here, and for the grace that He gives to pray.

It's late and I'm tired. Off to bed.

Good News

My step-sister has been found; thank you so much for praying for her. Please do continue to pray, though, if you think of her. She is still in desperate need of an encounter with Jesus. Please also pray that her heart softens toward her family and she initates contact, especially with her mom.

Contending for life

This time, it's a bit closer to home. Some of you may know that one of my step-sisters is in a rough place, and has been for several years now. The bottom line right now is that she has been missing for over 48 hours, and my parents have sufficient reason to think that she could be suicidal. Please pray for her, as the Lord brings my family to mind. Specific prayer needs:

• For her safety, protection, and well-being
• For grace for my parents, and especially Joanie (her mom)
• That she would be found quickly, safe and well.
• Her salvation, healing, and deliverance.
• That Psalm 118:17 would be her testimony: "I shall not die, but live, and declare the works of the Lord."

Thank you for praying. The Lord God, Jehovah, whom we serve is mighty to save!

New Look

Thanks to Jaime and her great instructions, my creativity has been sparked and I decided it's high time for an updated look and a bit of originality. The beach ~ an iconic element of the New Zealand life and culture ~ was the inspiration for my latest design. I think it's kinda fun to have something new and different. Thank you, Jaime!

As far as the storm goes, Tauranga lived up to it's meaning of a "safe harbor". We missed the brunt of the storm and only suffered a few tree limbs down on our driveway. It was kind of a let down after the buildup of "the biggest storm in 10 years". It honestly didn't seem much different than an ordinary windy and rainy day, but I suppose there's nothing wrong with that.

We're enjoying a nice family day today; it's still cold and a bit rainy outside. Good day for being warm and cozy inside with no where to go.

The storm is coming

They say it will be no ordinary storm, potentially one of the worst in 10 years; one that "mimics...modest Atlantic hurricanes that hit America." Not sure if it will actually be that bad; but we've got the batteries and flashlights ready, just in case.

Somebody is learning how to read!

Taylor has had a steady interest in letters and phonics since, well, about the time she was 2 (Thanks to Leap Frog's "Letter Factory" DVD and fridge phonics ~ the absolute best toy ever). But the learning curve has risen sharply in the last couple of weeks, mostly in terms of learning how to write the letters of the alphabet. Every time I turn around, it seems that she has a pen or pencil or marker or crayon in hand, asking me how to spell a certain word, so that she can practice writing the letters. She can now write her name (very well, too, I might add).

The learning curve has also risen sharply when it comes to reading. I've read a bedtime story to Taylor every night before bed, since, well, long before she could even talk. Recently she's been into Curious George (like mother, like daughter. He was my favorite when I was a kid!). For Christmas this past year, Nana bought her a large hardcover Curious George collection, with all the original Curious George stories in it. So what have we been reading every night before bed for months? Curious George, of course! The last couple weeks, she has started pointing to words on the pages as I've been reading, trying to guess/sound out what word it was. So, what I started doing recently was being a bit more deliberate to focus her curiousity in words, and at the end of every page, I'll point to a word, have her sound it out, and see if she can figure out what it is. Tonight, she was doing amazing ~ sounding out and reading all sorts of 3-letter words, such as "hat", "man", "him", "his", "and", "bag", "big", "zoo", etc. She was so proud of herself ~ absolutely beaming with every new word that she was able to read. And of course, Mommy was proud, too!

Yankee Candles

It's been quite rainy recently. I think I can remember two entire days in probably the last two weeks when it hasn't rained at all. And on cold, rainy winter days, I find nothing makes home feel homey and cozy like burning my Yankee Candles. There's something about the sight of an open flame that deceives my mind into believing that I'm warm; when in all reality, it could be anything but warm inside. I was talking with one of my American friends the other day, and she agreed with me that good candles are really hard to find here in New Zealand. Either there are no good candles, so Kiwis aren't really into them, or Kiwis aren't really into candles, so there are no good ones to be found. I'm not quite sure which it is; but I have a strong hunch that if it's the former, someone would make a killing by starting an "importing and selling Yankee Candles" business. At least all the Americans in the country would buy 'em.

To love prayer

I love when you leave an intercession prayer meeting more alive on the inside and less weary than you were when you got there. In my experience of prayer, these meetings are normally the exception rather than the rule. I normally find intercession to be more "work" than "refreshing". Whether that is true of all people, or simply a statement of my own depravity, I'm not sure. But the point remains: I love prayer meetings in which a genuine encounter with the living God occurs; in which Holy Spirit impartation happens at the heart level; in which true grace to pray is given. I love when His presence is manifest and when He pulls back the veil ~ even just for a moment ~ to allow us to catch but a glimpse of Heaven's perspective. Even one in a hundred like that is enough to keep me coming back for more.

Time to brag on our team

I was thinking today about the team of people that the Lord has gathered around us here in Tauranga, the ones He has chosen to help birth this House of Prayer and missions base here in the ends of the earth. When we left Kansas City 2 1/2 years ago to venture into the vast unknown, we had absolutely no idea what (or who) would await us. We knew a handful of amazing people already here, but also wondered who the names and faces would be that the Lord would add to our number in the years to come. (Actually, to be completely honest, when we left KC, we really had no idea if this thing would actually work and if we would even still be here "in the years to come". By His grace, we are still here; and for as long as He chooses to impart the same grace, we will continue to be here, laboring to see His house built). Anyways, for those out there reading this who have ever started a house of prayer, you will understand what I mean when I say it is hard work. For those reading this who have never started a house of prayer, I hate to ruin the romatic ideas of what that may be like, but, it's really hard work. And if this is something that the Lord ever calls you into, I pray that you will be blessed with a team as incredible as He has blessed us with.

I was looking around the prayer room this morning, silently thanking the Lord for the ones He has gathered here. Many of the ones in the room today have been with us since the very beginning, others for a year, some for just a couple weeks. But let me tell you, the faithfulness of these people is remarkable. I have seen them show up day after day, week after week, year after year to gather together for no reason other than to worship Jesus and lift their voices and cry out for His mercy on behalf of this city and this nation. Many winter mornings the temperature in the prayer room has been colder than the temperature outside; a few times our worship leaders have joyfully worshipped the Lord truly before the Audience of One ~ with no one (or only one or two) people in the room. All of them have gone without legitimate pleasures in order to pursue the superior Pleasure. But still they keep coming back day after day, to set themselves before the Lord, to pursue Him until He comes, to seek until they find. They have really bought into the fact that their reward is Him, and nothing else. And they are growing in leaps and bounds. These guys are the real deal.

So first of all, I'm grateful to the Lord for surrounding us with such amazing people. And I'm grateful to them for their faithfulness and devotion to Christ Jesus, and also for standing alongside us through the thick and the thin. You guys are the best.

Re-visiting a long-lost friend

It's been three months, but today the separation has ended. I went up the mount. Nic was the one who inspired the outing; it was her idea to begin with, and her offer to walk around the beach with Taylor while I was going up. Though admittedly hesitant at first, I eventually agreed to the suggestion, and I'm so glad I did! I had prepared myself for the worst ~ barely being able to get up even at a slow walking pace. But as I put my foot on the first step, I decided to see just how hard-out I could go and just how close I could come to my personal best fitness of 9 months ago. Though I am definitely no longer in my prime, I was pleasantly surprised to discover that my little 30-minute jogs around the neighborhood have, in fact, been paying off, and I was still able to scale the mount in good time ~ even running all the steps, and the last bit of the trail near the top! I'm definitely encouraged to continue my running routine, even though it isn't as good of a workout as the mount. But seeing as how it felt so good to give my legs and lungs an intense workout, I think I should make the mount a once-a-month tradition!