#21/365 – Strumming my face with her fingers…

I remember singing that song with my fav aunty in the whole wide world in her lounge in Tawa… she is a fantastic aunty… I highly commend her to you if you are ever in need of one… She has an awesome heart and works as a teacher in the toughest of classroom situations… and she knows how to party…

I have just been at band practice with the fantastic people that I get to work with in our band… we have a kinda fresh sound that we are developing and I really look forward to our gig coming up on the 18th of January at Cession. We will have the run of the night and I really feel that God wants to set a challenge out there for taking 2009 by the “balls” to use a particularly vulgar expression… There are a million and one opportunities out there waiting to be grasped… events, programmes and community services that are mere dreams waiting to pop into our heads at the right moment… I CAN’T wait to see what is in store and know that my goal for the new year is to be actively looking for new ways to make a difference!

I hope you are up for the journey and the challenges that lie ahead… I know I am…

What are your dreams for 2009? What are you going to do to make your world a better place? Let me know by posting a comment… don’t forget – I am still waiting for your comments on what makes you melt on yesterday’s post!!!

#20/365 – It’s raining outside, but the sun is out in the house…

I love those things in life that no matter what your mood, they brighten your day… in this case, it is bright flowers on a soggy day… but there are plenty of things that just warm you from the inside out… Here is my top ten list of things that make me melt!

1. When you are speaking in a church service and from up the back a little voice cries in recognition… “DADDY!!!”
2. When you have been working hard at something, and someone recognises the effort you have made.
3. When you have mowed your lawns and someone offers you a “nice cold one“…
4. When you have worked through a year and then you get to go to the Marlborough Sounds with all the people you love the most in the world…
5. When you have worked really hard at something, and you are allowed to buy the new NIKON D90… (HINT HINT HONEY!!! It’s ok – I don’t think she reads this…)
6. When you go to a meeting and someone knows you like Lolly Cake, so they make it for you, and THEN you get to take the leftovers home and share it with your loved ones… (although a disproportionate amount may have been picked at in the car on the way home).
7. When you haven’t seen a friend for a very long time, and you hang out and you might as well live together with how easy it is to pick up where you left off.
8. When you are developing your gifts and someone compliments your work, and ALSO makes honest critiques that stretch and grow you even further.
9. When you write a nice song and it sounds pretty cool, but then you go and play it with people that are very good at Cello, Guitar, Violin, Drums and singing… AND IT SOUNDS BETTER THAN YOU EVER DREAMED POSSIBLE!
10. When you ask a girl to marry you… and she says YES… after having asked her parents and THEY said yes…

What are the things that make you melt? I would love to hear!!!

#19/365 – “Let’s Sing!” with Jarrod… :)

Jarrod is a LEGEND... Mel in the Background - she is a LEGEND too! SO many legends, so little time!

I love it when people that I have worked with really “get” what you ever hoped that they might get from you… Through my journey I have been a Youth Pastor and as such, I always hoped that one thing that the young people I worked with might have gained from the work I have done with them, is to live life to the fullest… to be a passionate, involved and intentional part of their community. Both Jarrod and Mel come from families that have modelled this to them at a young age, so I am just another cog in the gears that keep them moving. What I DO love about these young people is how much they are giving back to the community. They are both involved in Youth Leadership, Music and are AWESOME role-models to the people around them… They have pushed themselves hard in their music and life, and the amazing thing is… that even that isn’t good enough for them!!! They always want, and expect, more in life… they are not ones to settle into a groove… they want to be out making their own grooves that others can happily follow!

I had the pleasure, privilage and honour of Baptising Mel, and being closely involved in Jarrod’s life and know that the investment I have made in their life, is bearing more fruit than I ever could have hoped that they would… I like that… that God takes what is already pretty good… and makes it pretty darned fantastic! Whatever you do – don’t EVER settle on it – expect more, drive hard to be the best and use whatever it is to make the world a better place!!!

Colossians 3:23 “Work hard and cheerfully at whatever you do, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people.”

#18/365 – Dedication Day

Emily's Dedication was today - what a fantastic spot!

As a family, we are very excited about our little girl… Emily is such a joy to be with, she is gorgeous, quite bright and socially very aware. Today we were very grateful to have our close family join with us at Cockle Bay for a little celebration service and the day turned out to be a stunner. Christine’s Dad lead things for us and gave us an awesome challenge to bring Emily up with strong Christian convictions. We of course, take up that challenge willingly!

WE are so grateful for our family. A thought occurred to me recently about how tough it is to bring up kids! We found that the first few months with Emily were very challenging – with two of us (and our extended family) working pretty well together… on most occasions… In our country there are a host of Mums and Dads that are bringing up their kids on their own… I have the upmost respect for these people! The job I work in helps to provide opportunities for boys to have male role-models in their lives again… something that is in ever-decreasing supply. I certainly hope that opportunities come your way to support people that are toughing it out with little or no support… If we look closely, opportunities are knocking on our door from all over the place!

Bless you today on a day where I feel SUPER-blessed myself. My family are the blessing… a beautiful wife, an uber-adorable daughter and family around us that want the best for us in all circumstances! What more could I want… apart from a new D90.

#17/365 – New Life

Our Ferns are having a fab year for new growth...

I am speaking at Eastgate this week and I really feel that the message will need to be about building a new future. Too often we settle for just getting through each year before the next one comes along to hit us… Through this blog/photo project I am really appreciating tying in my love of photography with my everyday life and my faith… I am intending the next year of my life to be one that I look back on and see the difference I have been able to make in the world and know that I will be a better Photographer, and a more aware person in my community…

I encourage you to do something significant in the new year… don’t just settle for surviving when you might have the option of thriving!!! I have written this somewhere before, so pardon the repetition… Don’t let the best you have done so far, be the standard for the rest of your life!!! This was written on the wall at one of my summer jobs and it has stayed with me for a very long time. I think this entirely echos what is alluded to in 2 Corinthians 4:7… We have this treasure in earthen vessels, to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us… We have a challenge laid out here to live our lives in a place where people see what we do, and think about how cool God is for gifting us in that way… if you are really good at stuff… then be EVEN better…

Go out and make a huge difference… don’t exist… LIVE!

#16/365 – I love my Nana

Emily LOVES being re-united with her Nana...

My Mum lives in Manchester England, England… across the Atlantic Sea… (lyrics courtesy of the musical HAIR)… and as such, doesn’t get to see Emily so often (apart from daily Skyping)… so we are loving having a bit of time to spend with Nana!

Life is filled with little opportunities to make memories with family and friends and we like to make time to spend time with family. We are very lucky to have family that are INCREDIBLY supportive and present in our lives. My in-laws are people that are amazing role-models – they live for each other and we enjoy the occasional tipple with them!!! I really appreciate how much they bring to our lives and how generous they are with their time and food!

My family are also very generous and kind with their resources and affection – we are very lucky!

I hope that in life – you have people that are going to benefit from your appreciation and love at Christmas! It is such an important time of the year and I pray that you have a fantastic time remembering that shopping isn’t the reason we have a celebration – that there is someone that we need to remember above all else at Christmas!

I got really annoyed at K-Mart yesterday when people were walking around with t-shirts that said “K-mart – where Christmas Begins…” I was well annoyed! Christmas begins with a tiny little boy in a manger that just so happened to be the saviour of the universe! Consumerism might begin with our retailers… but Christmas still belongs to Jesus!

#15/365 – Three Years Today

Three Years today... what a ride!

My darling wife and I have reached the 3-year mark today – one world trip, a bit of work here and there, a new house and an Emily later – and here we are!

We would like to thank our immediate family and several very LEGEND friends for all that you contribute to our lives! We would be nothing without the ongoing example of our parents and family! We look forward to the next years ahead and maybe a couple more sprogs along the way!

Noone is meant to go through life alone, and we are soooooo stoked that we have a supportive and caring bunch of people around us to encourage and support us!

#14/365 – Morning Milk

First up in the morning is a trip to Mum's Milk Bar!

1 Peter 2:1-3 says “1 So get rid of all malicious behavior and deceit. Don’t just pretend to be good! Be done with hypocrisy and jealousy and backstabbing. 2 You must crave pure spiritual milk so that you can grow into the fullness of your salvation. Cry out for this nourishment as a baby cries for milk, 3 now that you have had a taste of the Lord’s kindness.” (NLT)

Not much to say today – it is SOOOOOOOO important that we always seek to grow in life – if we just settle for this life being ‘as good as it gets’ we will never really achieve much or make a difference in the world! Emily needs milk, but to be really honest… the thing that really stands out with our wee thing is the absolute CRAVING that she has when she desires a feed… I could only DREAM of having this same desire in my life for the saviour I chase after!!!

#13/365 – Can you follow TOO close?

Travelling from Wellington to Auckland and this was all I saw for a whole day!!!

All day today I followed campervans and trucks… so much so that I started going mildly mad… although that could be a result from spending way too much time alone in the car over the last few days… I was going home and abso-bloomin-lutely super excited about seeing Christine and Emily… that could have been it – a bit over-excited… well anyways…

I had lots to think about in the car today and that makes a nice change… I was listening to Life FM this morning and they were talking about the debate in the media about a Tui Billboard which said basically… “Let’s take a moment this Christmas to think about Christ… YEAH RIGHT!” They were describing a multitude of reactions to the message, some for, some against and I was a bit concerned really… I think we are in danger of modelling a REALLY INSECURE saviour to the world… one that will jump down your throat if you don’t think the same things as him… Now… my reading of the Gospels NEVER shows me an insecure Jesus…

Many years ago I was a Youth Pastor at Greenlane Christian Centre in Auckland. For a time, they were very well known for putting banners up for the traffic along the motorway to see and many of them were funny… there was the “FRESH START, it’s got to be GOD for you” banner… and a couple that I came up with made it on there as well – “NO BULL, HE GIVES YOU WINGS” with associated crossed-out bull and then I actually came up with a TUI Ad parody which said “THERE IS NO GOD – YEAH RIGHT”… this was very well received and Tui even got in on the act and came up with another one for Greenlane to use… my point is pretty simple – when we as a church made a statement similar to what Tui has made this Christmas… it wasn’t destroyed or attacked, as it was seen in it’s proper context… I heard that the Tui spokesperson was stating that they were hoping to make the statement that the meaning of Christmas has been lost – which IF TRUE is very noble of them – but I think a good ole bunch of controversy probably gives a fair whack of additional publicity which I am sure they weren’t entirely unaware of… They won’t be upset if a few more cases of Tui get into people’s chiller at Christmas time!!!

It is very hard to navigate a road if you follow the car in front of you too closely… you can’t allow for unseen hazards, or for changes in direction – you need to be following close enough so you can keep them in your sights, but far enough away so they can lead you around any obstacles or changes in the road… only a fool breaks the two second rule! Maybe we need some kind of ‘two-second-rule’ in our faith life… something that means that we follow at a ‘correct’ distance… not SO close that we are entirely consumed by big issues and agendas, but not so distant that we lose sight of the one that is guiding us!!!

#12/365 – Mt Victoria @ Dusk

Looking out from Mount Victoria - a beautiful way to spend an evening

Looking out from Mt Victoria in Wellington provides 360 stunning degrees of simply outstanding scenery. On a night like tonight, you simply can’t find a better place to nibble on your KFC!!! The white streak in this picture is the Interislander Ferry from Wellington to Picton – a trip I made many times as a child and one that at times, can be excessively stormy and I have had my fair share of lost lunches on the way over. There was a few times when it was REALLY bad and people were throwing up all over the place, and you would find me up the front of the boat absolutely enthralled with the massive waves coming across the bow! I never minded the tossing of the boat… (I won’t go into more detail lest this post turn into a re-enactment of that fantastic scene in Stand By Me when everyone spews at the pie-eating competition!).

There are times in our life when things are like being on the boat… when we are tossed about and the journey seems more backwards than forwards! I find great comfort that whatever I face in life, I face it with the support of a community that cares for me and knowing that the person at the helm of my life has weathered many a storm before.