Friday, May 27, 2011
Saturday, May 14, 2011
Cooking is love made visible
Well that's it all the teams are gone... I actually feel pretty good to be completely honest. I know it will hit me in a few days. Anyways, reflecting on these past few months and all that has happened and all that I have picked up. I was thinking that people show love in all sorts of ways. It could be getting someone a cup of coffee, giving someone a hug, spending quality time, cooking, a pat on the back. There are endless amounts of ways to show love. I love how God made us all different and we all have our ways of showing how we love him and how we love each other. For me this season has been through cooking and being faithful in my role in the kitchen. I will be posting my recipes on a website for you all to try. (link coming soon). I guess some words of inspiration that I want to get across in this post is that when you get the opportunity to do something.... DO IT! We regret the things we don't do, in some cases this isn't always true. I'll speak for myself though that when I know I should do something but don't, I regret it. Like for instance coming to New Zealand the first time, I almost didn't... I'm glad I did though because look at all God has used me for and taught me. When I let my fear get in the way, most of the time I miss out. That's just me though. Cooking is love made visible, it makes people happy and keeps people happy....
Friday, May 13, 2011
Quicky
How do I describe these past few months? I cannot even put into words right now how I feel... The bulk of everyone left today and there is one team to leave tomorrow. Let me try to express how I am feeling right now, I will do the best I can. This past week:
Monday - Friday I cooked for 90 people Lunch & Dinner
Friday was base clean up day which means we deep clean the base for the next school to come in. - I made lunch then we were back at it at 2pm and I was scrubbing the stoves and directing people. -- fun times
Friday night I stayed up with everyone because really it was the last night I get to hang with all these people.
I went to bed at 2am and got up at 5:30am to see people off...
So running on fumes all day and from a week of fullness I am happy to say I feel we finished strong. Today when I did get up I had a flash back of when I used to work long days at Subway. My body was aching and it felt like the good ol' days. Anyways I am sad to see these guys go because I don't see them again. I was close with some of the girls and they will be life long friends. Most people that come through here are guaranteed life long friends. I know the water works will come soon but for now I'm exhausted. Some of you are probably thinking what is she doing updating her blog? Well it's almost dinner time and I don't want to go to bed hungry.
A new season a new leaf turning. God is doing a lot here in the south pacific. I can feel it and I am blessed to be apart of it. All of you are too! This season has gone fast, which not gonna lie I was praying for that! I was hoping that the snowboarders would come soon because that means smaller groups and a smaller number to cook for. :) So I was thinking about the people that have poured into my life and the hero's in my life. I am grateful for the people that are in my life, young and old-er. Everyone of you is a blessing.
We are starting a video blog here in Oxford, a friend of mine and I are going to do updates so I will wire you the link once we get started. I hope it makes you laugh because it's gonna be good! Alright, it's dinner time. God bless you all!
Monday - Friday I cooked for 90 people Lunch & Dinner
Friday was base clean up day which means we deep clean the base for the next school to come in. - I made lunch then we were back at it at 2pm and I was scrubbing the stoves and directing people. -- fun times
Friday night I stayed up with everyone because really it was the last night I get to hang with all these people.
I went to bed at 2am and got up at 5:30am to see people off...
So running on fumes all day and from a week of fullness I am happy to say I feel we finished strong. Today when I did get up I had a flash back of when I used to work long days at Subway. My body was aching and it felt like the good ol' days. Anyways I am sad to see these guys go because I don't see them again. I was close with some of the girls and they will be life long friends. Most people that come through here are guaranteed life long friends. I know the water works will come soon but for now I'm exhausted. Some of you are probably thinking what is she doing updating her blog? Well it's almost dinner time and I don't want to go to bed hungry.
A new season a new leaf turning. God is doing a lot here in the south pacific. I can feel it and I am blessed to be apart of it. All of you are too! This season has gone fast, which not gonna lie I was praying for that! I was hoping that the snowboarders would come soon because that means smaller groups and a smaller number to cook for. :) So I was thinking about the people that have poured into my life and the hero's in my life. I am grateful for the people that are in my life, young and old-er. Everyone of you is a blessing.
We are starting a video blog here in Oxford, a friend of mine and I are going to do updates so I will wire you the link once we get started. I hope it makes you laugh because it's gonna be good! Alright, it's dinner time. God bless you all!
Tuesday, May 10, 2011
photos from the month...
My Sanctuary...
Melissa and Carla...
One normal night of hanging out...
Easter Sunday
Jane and I late night airport run...
Lake Daniells
Lake Daniells
Lake Daniells speaks for it's self
Tauranga with a great family!
Road trip to Tauranga
The car we somehow fit in
My little Brother Josiah.
How it's going...
Well where do I begin, first I tried to upload a video for you all to see but it didn't work and time and time again of the internet cutting in and out I gave up. So here goes the writing....
This past weekend a few of us from this Oxford Base went up to Matamata on the north island for the whanau hui (family gathering). It was all the YWAM bases from around the nation that gathered to hear from one another what God is doing in each place! I loved it, connecting with different people and hearing about what's happening. I felt again honored to be there from the south island, we here in Oxford are the only base that is on the south island. We are also the biggest base in New Zealand. We talked a lot about pioneering things and how to do it and what is being pioneered in New Zealand. Which was awesome because what I or "we" at this base are trying to pioneer is a healthier way to live. By eating properly, because when you feel good physically you will feel good spiritually and emotionally. So if we set the standard high for when people get here and give the healthy choices people won't have to worry about eating healthy because they will already be doing that. So setting the guidelines and standards in place is my project over these next few months. I'm stoked to be doing it. While we were up there it's not that we were eating bad, but you can tell which bases put food as a priority.
This past weekend a few of us from this Oxford Base went up to Matamata on the north island for the whanau hui (family gathering). It was all the YWAM bases from around the nation that gathered to hear from one another what God is doing in each place! I loved it, connecting with different people and hearing about what's happening. I felt again honored to be there from the south island, we here in Oxford are the only base that is on the south island. We are also the biggest base in New Zealand. We talked a lot about pioneering things and how to do it and what is being pioneered in New Zealand. Which was awesome because what I or "we" at this base are trying to pioneer is a healthier way to live. By eating properly, because when you feel good physically you will feel good spiritually and emotionally. So if we set the standard high for when people get here and give the healthy choices people won't have to worry about eating healthy because they will already be doing that. So setting the guidelines and standards in place is my project over these next few months. I'm stoked to be doing it. While we were up there it's not that we were eating bad, but you can tell which bases put food as a priority.
Another thing I discovered while I was in Matamata was my "calling" I felt very strongly that I am called to the South Pacific. However that looks whether NZ, Samoa, Tonga, Norfolk. I just know this is where I feel most at home and where I feel most connected. When I realized that it was like it all made so much sense....
A few weekends ago we as "backpackers" took the AW80 (around the world in 80 days) students on an overnight camping trip. There was 3 of us staff that have done this hike before, my favorite in NZ. We started with an hour hike "day hike" that was such a steep as hike. Then with our packs on we hiked in 6 miles about 2 hours to Lake Daniells where we pitched tents and stayed the night. My tent that I was in slept 3 but we slept 5 girls in it because we figured we only live once so lets make the most of it. Lets just say that we didn't sleep and when someone would turn all of us could turn. A night I will not forget. I was very proud of all the students because AW80 school is generally people that travel the world they are not known for hiking or tramping so for them to do a backpackers hike, I was very proud of them!
Everyone is leaving this weekend on outreach, so that means that they all leave and I get to stay.... I am a bit sad with this crew because not only are they leaving but there are some or most base staff leaving as well. This is my 5th time through people leaving and let me tell you, it doesn't get any easier. I am going to miss these guys I have gotten close to a bunch of them, more specifically the girls. I have just been able to pour myself into them to where they have become a small group or in other words really good friends. They will be dearly missed. Living in this community is really intense but it is unique as well. I love the aspects of community living especially since it has become a family. If you guys ever make it to New Zealand, come to this base, you will know what I'm talking about then....
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