Pulled Pork - Barbeque Anyone??

The title of this blog refers to thinking on positive things. That being said, I need to be honest about life's ups and downs. In the previous post I mentioned God pulling us apart for His glory. Tonight I have to be honest and tell you that I feel like a plate of Authentic North Carolina BBQ, pulled apart into strands and glopped on the plate in a heap.

What does God think when I raise my fist to Him in defiant anger? Or two minutes later hears me call for Him with arms raised just wanting to be held in His loving arms? What does He think as my attitude slides southward, my brain realizes it and for the moment my heart doesn't care?

How blessed I am, that forgiveness from Him comes quick and true when I confess the sin. I am trusting that joy will come in the morning and that this too shall pass.

LORD, I confess my stubbornness in holding on to the hurt, and the anger in my heart. Please wash away any seed of bitterness before it can grow bigger. Please cover me with Your peace.
Amen.

Blessed Beyond Measure

I'm not quite sure where to start on this one, there have been so many changes in our lives in the past few years that have all led up to this point.  I am amazed at how God uses events in our lives to pull us apart and bring us back together, all for His glory.

Family, marriage and life in general for me are all a major miracle...still in progress, but a miracle of grand proportions.

I once heard it said that for something to be a huge miracle, there must be insurmountable, impossible circumstances.  We seem to fit that category, and I am no longer of the belief that anything is impossible.

Mark 10:27 "Jesus looked at them and said, "With man this is impossible, but not with God; all things are possible with God."


YES and AMEN!

'Tis a Gift to Live Simply

The Shaker song is heavy on my brain at the moment as 3/4 of my family prepares to relocate to the other side of the globe again.  Trying to fit everything into 6 bags for 3 people has become something of a chore.  There seems to be much sentiment to consider, and of course the books must come.  TAPM will ask about something and my reply is "It is somewhere in the bags." The look on my face must have been horror or dread as the last time he asked, he quickly said, "That's ok, leave it in the bag."

I am happy to report though, that many of the books that made their way to NZ on the first flight will not be going back on this next one.  However, we seem to have picked up many miscellaneous bits and bobs that now "need" to come with us and weigh just about as much.

What a great part of our adventure this has been!  I am amazed how God brought it all together in the end, and I am so very thankful.  It is a gift to live simply, but I am not living as simply as I would like.  This move is proof of that!  :)

A Day of Many Gifts

This day has been a full one, and ran the gamut of emotions.  Didn't quite go as planned, but the piano lesson that got postponed will hopefully happen tomorrow.  The kids and I were out the door in time to hear three college groups perform Kapa Haka at the Te Papa Museum to celebrate the Maori language.  It was quite exciting, and I especially enjoyed the loud hakas.  They seemed to be good stress relievers.  :)  The gift of music.

After the performance, we went upstairs to one of the galleries to see the exhibit on Pounamu (Greenstone/NZ Jade) which is found on the South Island.  It is one of my most favorite stones and I love the idea of being able to find one in a mountain stream even though that is probably not going to be my experience.  Having been a rock hound from my earliest days, it evokes strong feelings for me, especially when I get to touch it, bringing back many memories of picking other rocks at the lakes in Minnesota, in the creeks of Virginia, in a parking lot in India, in a stream on the North Island...I wonder where it will be next??  The gift of sight and touch.

Whoops!  Time to head for the bus so we can get to the pool in time for swimming lessons!  While waiting, the North Island had an earthquake of 6.5 up near Taupo.  It was 150 km deep but people here said they felt the ground sway.  I think I noticed it in the swinging of a sign in the shop I was standing near, but didn't pay it any mind.  The gift of safety.

At the pool, I had the pleasure of talking with a new friend from Thailand who is married to a Kiwi.  Her son and my children are in the same swim class this time.  She and I struck up an inevitable  friendship - she was knitting and I was crocheting!  I will be sad when this set of lessons is finished as the kids and I are switching back to the pool that is closer to our home.  Hopefully we can keep in touch with our new friends.  That would be nice.  The gift of relationship.

Home again, home again...Miss A made delicious soup and I tried to make bread.  I think the bread lump heard me say that I really hoped this time would be different, as it looked so beautiful on the outside, but inside was still gooey.  My solution??  Eat the crusts, scoop out the innards and make bread sticks from the goop!  Not too pretty, but it was edible and the kids didn't complain.  The gift of taste.

On to the time in my day when I did not check my thoughts and they came flying from my mouth, to my surprise and someone else's frustration and hurt.  Oh, if I could have just sucked them right back in.  It was as if they were slippery jelly and mad such a mess before I even realized they were out.  Not a good gift.  Hopefully forgiven?  That would be a good gift, for sure!

Time for bed and I would like to know when did my little son grow into such an encouraging young man?  Could it happen overnight?  It seems that just yesterday I was the one giving out encouragement for something that was hard to do - a math problem, to be precise.  And now tonight he sends me from his room at bedtime with two words and a hug.  "Be strong." he says.  I thank him and quietly close the door, whispering thanks to God for encouragement in unexpected places.

Wow.  What a gift!

Monday, Monday

La la, la la la.  I don't know the rest of the song, but that part is in my head at the moment.

It has been a bit of an odd day here today. I had a good start but let the kids sleep in because of a late night the night before.  It was nice to have peace and quiet to myself for a bit.  We seemed to be at a snail's pace for the rest of the day, but oddly enough, it wasn't the usual harried snail's pace, which was a very good thing. Usually when we get a slow start, the day is full of "HURRY UP!" and frustration.  Somehow we avoided all of that stress and actually had a really good day.

 I recently read somewhere out there in blogger land about people putting on a mask and only writing about the good days.  Hmm, perhaps I have been guilty of that at times.  Guess I need to be honest and tell you that I have had many days in the past 2 years of real struggle, wanting to hang it up and run away.  That being said, I am so glad I am right where I am.  I'm still unsure of how things will turn out - there are so many unspoken variables - but I am certain that I am in the place that God wants me to be in right now.  Uncertain certainties or certain uncertainties...not sure which one makes better sense.

Negative Positives

I have heard it said that every choice to do something is also a choice to not do something else.  That being so, I would like to list some things that I do not do.

• I do not get enough exercise or rest.
• I do not take enough moments in my day to say "Thank You" to the people who make a difference in my life.
• I do not hit the computer "off" button often enough.
• I do not call my mom as much as I think I should.  (I'm sorry Mom.)
• I often do not plan ahead.
• I do not practice my music as much as I would like to. 
• All of these and a hundred more!

These being listed, I now look to see where I can refocus.  Mainly, it boils down to proper/better usage of time.  Ah...that four-letter word that we all seem to not have enough of in various seasons of our lives!  What are some practical ways I can improve my days?  Are there little things to be tweaked that might make a huge difference?  Hmmm, let's see...

• Have a scheduled time for movement and rest.  Go to bed at a decent hour.
• Practice an "Attitude of Gratitude" every day.  Share it with others.
• Re-evaluate why I have a computer. Set time limits for usage.
• Call Mom.
• A quick planning session twice a day will eliminate a majority of hassle and make life smoother for all of us.
• These things will help to free up the time in my day to be used for other things. Things like music, reading with my children, playing with my children, adding serenity to my life so that I can be a blessing to others.

Ecclesiastes 5:4-5 "If you make a promise to God, don't be slow to keep it...It is better not to promise anything than to promise something and not do it."

Sing and Not Be Silent

What a morning!!  I have come back from the weekly woman's Bible study with my heart full of thanksgiving - It is appropriate that today is a Thursday.  Many prayers have been answered this past week in the lives of the ladies around me.

Please understand, we have had our share of stress and sorrows recently, but God is turning our mourning into dancing and I must stop to give Him praise.  He is our Provider, our Comfort, our Way in the Wilderness and Path through the Desert. He is our Wisdom, He is our Peace.  In some cases answers have come over time, yet in others we give praise for sudden and surprising answers!

For those prayers that have yet to be answered, I claim His promises to "never leave or forsake" us.  He is working in places we cannot even see, and loves those who are dear to us with a love that is fiercer than our own.  His plan is good, and waiting is hard.  Let's keep our eyes on Him and see what He will do.

Psalm 30:12 "That my soul may sing praise to You and not be silent. O Lord my God, I will give thanks to You forever."    Philippians 1:3 "I thank my God in all my remembrance of you..."

...thanking God for many answered prayers and eager to see what He has for us in coming days and months.

Aotearoa

It has come to my mind many times over the past 18 months that some friends and family have no idea where in the world I really did go to.  In light of the earthquakes in Christchurch today, I would like to give my thoughts on this beautiful "land of the long white cloud" my family now calls "home".

• Wellington is the capital city, and is home to approx 390,000 people
• As the crow flies, it is approx. 300km (186.411 miles) from Wellington to Christchurch
• Summer is Dec - Feb; Winter is approx. May - Aug (garden planting usually starts in September)
• School year runs Feb - Dec in 4 terms
• English, Maori and NZ Sign Language are the official languages, but on any given day while out and about in town, we may hear: Hindi, Japanese, Mandarin, Korean, Malay, Arabic, German, French, Italian, Greek, Russian, Finnish, Swedish, Dutch, English with the following accents - NZ, Australian, British, Scotch, Irish, North American (includes Canadian) and on the rare occasion Swahili or another African language that I cannot place.  Southern Hick (which got a huge reaction on the odd day that I slipped and let out a "ya'll") is not heard too often but garners an instant bond, as does finding those visitors who are from mid-west America.
• Mr E makes good cheese crackers
• There are many creatures and plants that only live in NZ.  Miss A is especially fond of the kiwi bird and fantail, Mr E and myself like the Tui Bird, the Artistic Pixel Man likes the Weta (workplace, not creature)  :D There are no snakes, the spiders are said to not be poisonous (but they sure can look menacing!)
• We drive on the left side of the road.  It is not too difficult, although I have yet to try a stick shift.
• Total Land Area of New Zealand = 103,483 sq. mi. = just a tad smaller than Colorado's 104,094 sq. mi.
• Many of you all have a twin here in Wellington.  When I see your twin I think of you fondly and pray for you, hoping you are well.

Although America is my home country, I am glad to call NZ home for now. Like the rain coming down, my heart is heavy for the people of Christchurch. Please pray for them as they pick up the pieces, bind up the wounded, bury their dead and try to move forward, even as the ground continues to shake.

"Just One More Row!"

The adventure at our house is slowly expanding.  Along with music study of a more serious nature, we are also adding the "monster of crochet" - so named by Mr. E.  (He doesn't know it, but he's the next one to take up the ball and hook.  heheh)

Having been up late with something on my mind, I picked up my first project and found myself looking at the clock after 3 am and saying "just one more row, just one more row".  Four am came round and the thought hit me - "what good is a project that turns out wonky due to lack of sleep?" so I put down the yarn and headed to bed, my mind not spinning quite so fast and the first half of my project almost finished.

Many thanks to my Dear Artistic Pixel Man - his girls now have a different kind of stash to build.  :)

Blessings Abundant

Music washes away from the soul the dust of everyday life.
~ Berthold Auerbach

If today is any indication, 2011 just might be a year so full of blessing it pours over the edges.  Today, the Artistic Pixel Man and I have been married for 22 years.  Many of them long and arduous, but here we are, Praise God!  The day comes after a particularly hard week for me partly because my sleep was interrupted many times by not so small anymore bodies climbing into my bed because of their interrupted sleep.  But I digress...

After spending a beautiful afternoon at the beach with my family, having a picnic and playing in the sun and surf, I was given back a gift that I once thought would never be mine.  When I was young I learned how to play the piano. Reading music came to me without too much struggle and although my right hand has always been the more dominant one, I enjoyed playing...that is, until it was time for recitals and more practice.  The time came when I had had enough and my mom no longer had the strength to fight against my desire to quit the lessons.

One thing that I always struggled with was chords.  My dad had a wonderful ear and could make the piano really sing perhaps due to his 6 years of piano plus 6 years of organ lessons?  But I on the other hand, had to read the music and thought I had no ear for chord progression.

Enter Miss A.  She is getting into the habit to play the piano during dinner preparation when she is not cooking that night.  Tonight she helped with some of the prep and then proceeded to play.  Her first piece was not the usual.  Not quite catching it, I listened closer and to my utter delight heard the notes of a familiar song greeting my ears.  "Once in Royal David's City" was played by her Grampa during dinner clean up when I was a child.  It was also listened to year round as he would play the recording from the Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols - one of his (and my) favorites. Miss A and Mr.E have also heard that song sung and played live for the past 2 Christmases, so I know it is contained in the music book she keeps in her head (like her Grampa).

After my prep work was finished, I suggested we play it as a duet, she doing the melody and I doing the bottom notes.  I sit down and realize that this means chords.  I have to play chords.  Stumbling around the notes for a while, she is very patient with me.  Finally it starts coming to me.  "Quick, run get a piece of paper!" I tell her.  "But I don't know what to write!" is her reply.

More stumbling, but it comes out, all of a sudden, smoothly, like a break in the clouds.  The fog that has hung over my head for the past 25-30 years clears from my head as my fingers work the notes out.  No, it wasn't perfect, or exactly like the recording, or Grampa for that matter.  But it works.  She smiles.  I smile and finally feel accomplished.

I tell her the story of Grampa, of my eagerness to quit because I thought I would never learn chords or play very well.  I tell her with tears of gladness filling my eyes, what a blessing she is because she inspires me with her music.  So much so, that chords are no longer the big scary monster holding back my left hand.

Oh, the joy that filled my heart tonight.  Given by a loving God who gives good gifts.  The simple act of working it out, closed by giving thanks to Him.