New Zealand Adventures

Happy Birthday Norbert- his ice cream cake! Steph taugh me how to put pictures on my blog, woohoo! Also, I forgot to say why my title was "Welcome Home." Kath made me listen to a song with that title on the way home tonight and it was awesome. It's this NZ singer talking about all the immigrants that come here and welcoming them to New Zealand, saying you can call this home and we accept you here for who you are. Brilliant song really, wish it were true, but great song.


One more pic for the road... imagine yourself here, oh wait I am here... yeah, it's this beautiful.

A rather exciting thing happened to me yesterday. I've felt recently like I have life block, you know, like writer's block but applied to all of life. I have so much to say with all the thoughts and realizations that enter my head all the time, but recently I've felt unable to really communicate what I actually mean, whether written or verbal. It's been frusterating to a degree, until yesterday when I read a friend's blog. You see I had this conversation with her last week about singlehood. I was so desperately trying to offer her the advice that God has graciously given to me, but the words were coming out broken and seemed indiscernible. We went on in the discussion and it irritated me for a few days that the point I was trying to get across didn't seem to come out, in my mind. Crazy thing that happened was reading her blog and realizing she got my exact point and although I was acredited, it was wonderful to realize I, being me Katie, didn't give her any words of wisdom or speak eloquently, but God allowed her to hear what she needed. We worry so much about setting a good example and making people know we're Christians, but if we are, they'll know; if we're true and faithful, they'll know. If we care, they'll know. It's not the act of trying and doing, it's being. If we try to speak wisdom, care, love, give, or whatever, we'll fail. BUT if we focus our lives on God and learn who He is, we begin to give Him everything- our lives, friends, family, our moments, our joys and failures. When we learn that God is love, THEN we are able to speak wisdom, care, give etc as byproducts of the love of God. I've had this "do the fruits of the spirit" and love everyone because that's what you're supposed to do as a Christian mindset most of my life- it's wrong. You can't. To be called a Christian and not read scripture, pray, or follow God's laws, is in my opinion, at this point in my life, ignorantly thinking we can widen the narrow road to heaven. There it is, controversy out in the open. Take your best shot. :)

"I will call upon you, for you will answer me, O God; incline your ear to me; hear my words." psalm 17:6. "I was blameless before Him... the God who equipped me with strength and made my way blameless." psalm 18:23a,32. Maybe the key to loving one another lies not in our effort but in our faith in a God who is able to make our ways blameless....discuss amongst yourselves.

We played games tonight as a flat after we all ate dinner together. Steph cooked lasagne, it was awesome. Yesterday was Norbert's birthday, so we made an ice cream cake and sang to him. I really enjoy spending time with my flatmates and God continues to grace me with wonderful conversations with them and time spent. Charlotte had to move out a few days ago very suddenly because a friend needed her to move in. It makes me sad, but I've praised God for Charlotte's great ability to love other people and be one of the most giving and gracious people I've ever met.

I need to clarify one thing about my "spying on Rob" posting. When I say spying I mean walking by his window in order to get home from Kath's flat and seeing him through it, not actually sneaking up and straining my eyes to see through. If he would have looked out, he would have seen us as much as we could see him playing solitare. I don't think all the time, but I'm not unintelligent :). I've gotten enough comments from people that I knew it needed to be addressed. At least I know people read the blog, maybe I'll put more controversial things on here so people will comment.

I finished reading Exodus today, great book, lots of laws and specifics. Exodus contains a few of my life passages, one of which is found in chapter 23 starting in verse 29, "I will not drive them out from before you in one year, lest the land become desolate and the wild beasts multiply against you. Little by little I will drive them out from before you, until you have increased and possess the land....I will give the inhabinants of the land into your hand, and you shall drive them out before you...they shall not dwell in your land, lest they make you sin against me." For space's sake, that's all I'll use because the lessons are found in these words. It's amazing really, the actual intelligence and plan of God. I'm sure you know the story, the Israelites have come out of Egypt and beheld the plagues, seen the sea part, collected manna from the ground, gotten water from a rock, and all kinds of other "everyday things". Yeah, there's the stage set for you. So here in chapter 23, after God has seen their backsliding, he continues to be gracious and makes it so easy for them to take the promised land. "not...in one year, lest the land become desolate"- Life is a slow process. I will go slowly so you are able to withstand the strain. See here God giving them just enough for the day, never too much to handle. God uses evil for good- He uses the Canaanites and other dwellers of the land to take care of it until the Israelites can conquere them. God had his "hook in their nose" and is able to use ALL things for His purpose. 2nd thing- God gives the inhabitants to the Israelites, but the Israelites have to drive them out. That's life- God does the miracles but we have to have the faith to do what He commands. He's prepared the way, we just have to walk in His steps and stay in the canopy. 3rd- "they shall not dwell in your land, lest they make you sin against me"- Have you ever noticed yourself pick up a habit or saying that one of your friends does or says? Inevitably, if you spend enough time with someone, you will. Bad company corrupts good character. This doesn't mean don't hang around "bad influences," like my parents call them, it means beware who you're letting influence you and how you're spending your time. "In your land" is too close to stay holy for the Israelites, which for our modern world means too much time spent. Remember, even Jesus had believers as His closest friends and as much as we want to be different and love everyone, the base believers to share life struggles with is vital.

I'm very preoccupied right now, so I'll go.. not really sure if all that made sense.. ??

After much searching, I finally found a place to cut my hair. For some reason, no one that I know gets their hair cut in Christchurch, they all wait until they go home, so I was forced to the yellow pages. I went to a place called shapers, retro store with no other customers and only one lady cutting hair... yeah... As she's snipping at my hair she made the comment, "good news for you, curls are coming back in style.." I apparently have been unaware that for the past 20 years of my life, my hair has not been in style, according to that comment. Glad to hear there's a chance that I can be cool someday. Anyway, it was successful and my hair once again is manageable. I know you all really care. :)

The weather is finally increasingly getting colder. We've had a lot of rain, some sunshine, clouds and any other weather imaginable- hail, sleet, snow on the hills. No wonder everyone is sick. Pray for Steph though, not only is she sick, but she's had problems with her eyes since February and they can't find medication. Her mom called yesterday telling us there's a fungal infection in Asia and spreading a little in Europe and the US. Apparently it's hard to detect and if you don't catch it in time you have to have your corneas replaced. She's spent 7 weeks in Asia and has all the symptoms that the internet and papers are saying, but the doctor here won't test for fungal infection because you can't get it in New Zealand, not the proper breeding environment, and won't listen on account that Steph lives in Asia. Anyway, pray that she'll get help and figure out what's wrong soon.

My last labs are this week- crazy how things are already starting to wrap up. Kath and I baked at Shannelle's last night, the house we're "taking care of". We baked banana bread and took some to the neighbors, they love us now. We used these bananas that I had bought weeks ago, already old. Yeah, they were disgusting, could have thought they fermented from the smell.. haha, but the older the better my mom says (I hope.. it tasted good). Alright, on to reading my lab manual for tonight. bye!

# posted by Katie @ 2:40 PM 1 comments

I realized something just now and it was so important that I needed to share it with you. Life is not about the experiences, the adventures, the cool stories, the fun times, it's about the people. The people you meet, you spend time with, you share parts of life with. Life is about the individual people that comprise each moment of your existence. You see, I'm in this beautiful country doing all kinds of amazing things. I've been to unbelievable places and done so much I can hardly write it all down. But ya know, it's not the places I'll remember most or the bad things that happened. It's the people that I'll carry home in my heart. Last night I fixed dinner for my girl flatmates and it was so wonderful all of us hanging out and getting to sit and talk. I enjoy them so much. Just before dinner I was talking to Gloria and she brought up the point that she had prayed before she came to New Zealand (she's from Malaysia) that God would give her Christian roommates. The will of God is so very gracious to me, because He provided me with the most wonderful flatmates I could have asked for. Each carries their own personality, and I love just being with the girls. I truly love sharing in their lives and a piece of me will stay here when I leave in just a short time. Maybe you figured life out far before I did, maybe you realized it's not about what people know about us, maybe you knew that the greatest joy on earth is sharing in another's life, but you see, I've just realized it. I'm sure subconsiouscly I've known it, to some degree at least, but ya'll, it's just amazing being with people. The things that I hold most dear from being here are the conversations that I've had with people, the moments I've seen them light up because something they're talking about energizes them, when a broken smile turns whole, and when I get to sit at a dinner table and just share life with girls that I will treasure forever.

Thought to ponder for the night: (This is when Abraham went to Gerar when Abimelech was king. Abraham has once again told men Sarah is his sister, only) "But God came to Abimelech in a dream by night and said to him, "Behold, you are a dead man because of the woman whom you have taken, for she is a man's wife." Now Abimelech had not approached her. So he said, "Lord, will you kill an innocent people? Did he not himself say to me, 'She is my sister'? And she herself said, 'He is my brother.' In the integrity of my heart and the innocence of my hands I have done this." Then God said to him in the dream, "Yes, I know that you have done this in the integrity of your heart, and it was I who kept you from sinning against me. Therefore I did not let you touch her" (Genesis 20:3-6).

I had my Rock Solid group tonight. Rock Solid is the kids program that I work with on Friday nights. I have these three year 8 girls that I work with in my group and today was the scavenger hunt night (or car ralley as they call it here). I like my girls amongst their silliness and drama, their great ability to blow anything up and make everything a very big deal. They're typical 13 year olds and they think every guy thinks they're gorgeous and flaunt it tremendously. Don't see me complaining here, I find it hilarious to be around them and truly enjoy the company. We were constantly on the look-out for "hott guys", while trying to beat the year 8 (same age) guys team doing the scavenger hunt as well. Anyway, we stopped at our 5th out of 6 stops and after our activity we were given our puzzle piece and a candy bar with instructions to give it to someone we saw. Guess what- GREAT excuse to now talk to a "hott guy". We had to drive through Homestead Lane, the road I live on, to get to our final stop so we were on the look-out for University boys. That's when the funniest thing happened. I mean "funny" by God's great ability to confirm promises with a great sense of humor. You see, Tyler was walking down the road and the girls instantly said "HOTT GUY!" and jumped out. I told them to call him Tyler and they walked over and said, "Hey Tyler" and gave him the candy.

Tyler- this guy I've prayed for since the day I met him, probably more consistently than anyone I've prayed for before. This guy that I truly believe will know Jesus someday. He's this great guy that has so much going for him, the guy that if fixed on Jesus would be the kind of Christian guy that actually is supposed to be, not softened and tamed, but admired and confident. I don't know if he hurts, don't know what he loves or makes him laugh, don't know much of anything actually, but I hope he will someday know the same God I know. I have this flower that's in my Bible for Tyler in Revelation 3:20, "Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with Me." I use dried flowers to remind me of prayers or promises that God gives. As I drove back to Ilam Village tonight I found myself praying that God would knock harder. This may seem silly to you or humorous, but I'm quite serious about it. To knock so loudly that he would have to hear and be willing to open his life to Jesus. I wish I could be apart of his life when his conversion happens. I don't think this will be the case, but I'll forever stand knowing that he will know my Savior someday.

I read this yesterday and it very much brought me to a standstill. "Woe to those..who say: Let Him be quick, let Him speed His work that we may see it" (Isaiah 5:18-19). A great struggle we have as Christians is needing immediate results from our work. Yet, woe to those. Who are we to ask God to work in our timing; To give us numbers of people "we saved"; to break through quickly into a life that is built on lies; to ask for miracles to believe; to ask for signs when we are uncertain? Who are we to judge whether God is "working" in this world today? We are not asked to question, we're asked to believe. Jesus could not do miracles in His hometown because of their lack of faith. (Matt 13:58) What if this same principal holds true today? What if, we are indeed the ones holding back the light of the Glory of God?

It occurred to me today that I haven't written a posting in almost a week. I apologize for this, although not much as really happened to update you about. Life is generating its usual school pattern, class on the weekdays and find stuff to do for the weekends. Kath and I went shopping this weekend, didn't buy anything except some earrings, but it was still fun to continue to explore this spread out city I'm apart of. I continue to enjoy Riccarton Community Church and the days seem to fly by so that church comes more and more quickly, week to week. I'm going to Hamner Springs this weekend with some friends for a night, which I hope will be fun. It's the hot springs place that you can try all the different temperature pools. It's a neat little town about an hour and a half from here. School is going well, not really any work to do.

So overall, not much to report. I always have things to say, although I try to spare you my drowning on about spiritual matters and new Bible findings. I think I'm learning a great deal right now on who God is and really find meaning in studying scripture and actually knowing that it happened. That God is alive today, which I think is one of the christian's biggest questions, and He still can do everything He did and He still will, we are just the ones that have pushed Him out and made Him appear lesser than He is. I went to a small group yesterday for the church and the leaders were less than qualified to instruct. It really saddened me, and each time I would speak up most of the people in the group looked at me with eyes of confusion and bewilderment. It's a lonely state to not be understood in life as I find often, but what a great knowledge to know that God created me, knit me together in my mother's womb, and who can fathom His understanding? He knows what I'm trying to say, He knows what I so desperately want out of life. He knows one of my greatest fears is that I won't be used to fully glorify Him, that His purpose for me is not great, He knows! I've come on this journey to New Zealand to fulfill another part of my life experience and in many ways I'm better for it. I dare not act like I've gained a great deal of knowledge, because that is not the point of life, but I say that I've learned how much I have yet to learn and how long a journey I have yet to travel to gain the victory that is found in Christ Jesus alone.

I'm sure most of you don't know this, but an earthquake occurred in Tonga this morning at 4:28 that was an 8.1 on the scales. Because of its shallow depth, it could have caused a tsunami the size of the one last year. The Tonga Islands are 1000 miles north of New Zealand, so obviously, we were put on alert along with most of the Pacific, including Hawaii. I received a phone call from my dad shortly after he heard the news on the radio about contacting those you know in NZ to tell them about this breaking news. Crazy, isn't it? How your world can be so at rest and peace one moment and then the very next completely in aparent chaos? Even with our high-tech gadgets and weather system controls (which they're even more wrong about weather here than they are in Knoxville, if you can picture that..), even with these things, a tsunami can happen within moments and no one can do anything about it. The earthquake hit at 4:28, as I said, and the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center had predictions as to when the tsunami, if generated, would hit other countries. New Zealand was set to be hit somewhere around 6:20.

As I got off the phone with my dad, I realized the almost panic that was whelling up inside me. But you know what happened? I was instantly brought under God's "canopy". Let me explain. For the past week I've been going over and over 2 verses of the Bible and knew somehow that they held eternal meaning to me, I was just unaware as to that meaning. "Over all the glory will be a canopy. It will be a shelter and shade from the heat of the day, and a refuge and hiding place from the storm and rain" (Isaiah 4:5b-6). The Glory of God- aka the true will and desire of God. It's the secret to knowing the direction God desires for our lives, it's the answer to our burdens and uneasiness, it's the joy that surrounds living in Christ amidst the chaos of the world. To truly live in Jesus to the fullest is to live in the canopy of grace- the place of calm although the storm rages, a place of shade amidst the dying heat that takes the breath out of you. You are my hiding place, you will protect me from times of trouble. Mr. Klimas once told my dad that you know you're within the will of God when you have a sense of peace about what you're doing. The words of Isaiah make this statement factual. No matter the circumstances, no matter the request, no matter the duty, if you have peace you are within the "canopy" and you can live confidently and securely knowing that you walk the straight and narrow path to gain the eternal victory that is in Christ Jesus. So how does this relate to my feelings of panic? I realized in that moment that God has put me here in NZ at this very moment and whatever was to happen was within His will so although chaos seemed on its way, peace indwelled me. Plus, I kept saying to myself, "KT, your God is bigger than you doing no good getting worked up about this. Don't you know He's got it under control?"

Another lesson I was taught this morning was how to love someone. When I was woken up at 5, my mind raced as to who to call and tell here and how to actually get to safety. I didn't call anyone because, you see, I wanted to make sure it was legitimate before "disturbing" someone. People that love you WILL interrupt your life. They take no regard for waking you up, because their concern for your life and for others is far greater. Getting that phone call at 5 am meant more to me than any present or words that could have been spoken. It was action, it was a deliberate decision to be concerned more about the other person than what they might think of you after that. That's so crucial for a real relationship with another person. It made me ask, "Do I love my friends and family enough that I would call them out when they do something that doesn't portray the person they want to be in Jesus, or am I willing to be honest with a friend about poor actions or decisions?" We let things slide all the time that people do because we tell ourselves we don't want to upset the person, and we fear them getting angry with us or worse, not wanting to be friends with us anymore. But you know, to be a true friend is the only way to help someone be who they're capable of being. If you're upset about something, tell them, howelse will you grow closer to one another? If you see an action someone shouldn't have done, tell them, how else will they know how others perceive what they do? If I look back on my life, the only people that I have remained near to are those that see who I can be, and aren't afraid to tell me when I'm not being that person. And somehow, amidst seeing this, I still have a hard time being that friend, and honestly, it's because I care more about myself than I do other people. Until that stops, until we step out and boldly, yet lovingly, express honesty toward those closest to us, how can we show people what our God is really like?