Bust-a-Move...

Just some random fotos of the kids bustin' a move. Or striking a pose. I don't know if they are pretending to be wild animals (don't have to try too hard) or pretending to be Jedi masters. Or both. You pick.

PS - if the video or music stutters/skips, try playing it twice. The second time around it should have been buffered (loaded) to your web browser and should be smoother.

Bust-a-Move...

Just some random fotos of the kids bustin' a move. Or striking a pose. I don't know if they are pretending to be wild animals (don't have to try too hard) or pretending to be Jedi masters. Or both. You pick.

PS - if the video or music stutters/skips, try playing it twice. The second time around it should have been buffered (loaded) to your web browser and should be smoother.

Wood, Wood, Wood...

For those who wanted to see what 3 cords of wood looks like, here are a few fotos. It was a family affair getting all the wood sorted and stacked. At least we didn't have to split the wood ourselves, although some of the pieces might be too big for the wood stove. Becks got me a brand new hatchet for that - ooooh, new toy! Boys and their toys! ;-)

Kids wanted to help, so I put them to work.
Hey, if you wanna eat, you gotta work...

Don't know what that look was for.... she was the one who wanted to help!

Hmmm, which one is the lightest??

Stacking is hard work - time for afternoon tea!!

3 cords...

....of pine and nz macrocarpa (hardwood)....

....finally....

....stacked....

....and we're now ready for a Wellington winter!

Wood, Wood, Wood...

For those who wanted to see what 3 cords of wood looks like, here are a few fotos. It was a family affair getting all the wood sorted and stacked. At least we didn't have to split the wood ourselves, although some of the pieces might be too big for the wood stove. Becks got me a brand new hatchet for that - ooooh, new toy! Boys and their toys! ;-)

Kids wanted to help, so I put them to work.
Hey, if you wanna eat, you gotta work...

Don't know what that look was for.... she was the one who wanted to help!

Hmmm, which one is the lightest??

Stacking is hard work - time for afternoon tea!!

3 cords...

....of pine and nz macrocarpa (hardwood)....

....finally....

....stacked....

....and we're now ready for a Wellington winter!

Eye of the Storm

Last night, we experienced what 'normal' storms can be like here in Wellington/Lower Hutt. I was at my desk, preparing for a meeting with the Children's Ministry team. I happened to glance out the window and thought 'hmm, it's getting pretty gray and windy. Must be a storm coming in'. A moment later I looked up again and the wind was literally howling and I thought to myself - 'uh, oh!!' I jumped up and started to run to the kitchen, yelling 'batten down the hatches!!!'

By the time I got to the kitchen (literally not more than 10 seconds later), it had turned into gale-strength winds and pouring rain (coming down almost sideways!). The doors and windows were slammin' and rattlin', there was stuff in our yard blowing around, trash cans toppled over, trees bent over almost in half, cows flying by mooing (ok, maybe trees and cow things are a bit much, but you get the idea). And then the power went out. Bummer.

And we still had 1 kid out in that storm. Zachy was at a friend's house a couple streets over. Just about then, the mom of his friend called and said they were just about to bring Zachy home when the power went out. And they couldn't get their car out of the garage because the garage door opener was dead without electricity. And it didn't seem to have a manual option to open it. Bummer. But another friend's mom was on her way home and brought Zachy home for us, so we wouldn't have to go out in the rain. Cool (we found out later that big branches had fallen on cars on the street where Zachy was!).

Anyways, the power stayed out for almost 4 hours, we had the Children's Ministry meeting by candlelight, flashlight and wood fire. Probably like the apostles did back in the day! Well, probably without the flashlights or the homemade scones (thanks Becks) or the tea. It was an awesome meeting - just getting to know the workers and sharing our heart with them and hearing them share their hearts. Cool.

Oh, and by the way, after the storm, this came out. Ahhh, what a great reminder of God's promises and faithfulness. It was right over our house. Double and triple cool....

Eye of the Storm

Last night, we experienced what 'normal' storms can be like here in Wellington/Lower Hutt. I was at my desk, preparing for a meeting with the Children's Ministry team. I happened to glance out the window and thought 'hmm, it's getting pretty gray and windy. Must be a storm coming in'. A moment later I looked up again and the wind was literally howling and I thought to myself - 'uh, oh!!' I jumped up and started to run to the kitchen, yelling 'batten down the hatches!!!'

By the time I got to the kitchen (literally not more than 10 seconds later), it had turned into gale-strength winds and pouring rain (coming down almost sideways!). The doors and windows were slammin' and rattlin', there was stuff in our yard blowing around, trash cans toppled over, trees bent over almost in half, cows flying by mooing (ok, maybe trees and cow things are a bit much, but you get the idea). And then the power went out. Bummer.

And we still had 1 kid out in that storm. Zachy was at a friend's house a couple streets over. Just about then, the mom of his friend called and said they were just about to bring Zachy home when the power went out. And they couldn't get their car out of the garage because the garage door opener was dead without electricity. And it didn't seem to have a manual option to open it. Bummer. But another friend's mom was on her way home and brought Zachy home for us, so we wouldn't have to go out in the rain. Cool (we found out later that big branches had fallen on cars on the street where Zachy was!).

Anyways, the power stayed out for almost 4 hours, we had the Children's Ministry meeting by candlelight, flashlight and wood fire. Probably like the apostles did back in the day! Well, probably without the flashlights or the homemade scones (thanks Becks) or the tea. It was an awesome meeting - just getting to know the workers and sharing our heart with them and hearing them share their hearts. Cool.

Oh, and by the way, after the storm, this came out. Ahhh, what a great reminder of God's promises and faithfulness. It was right over our house. Double and triple cool....

Disobedience

The word 'disobedience' means a 'failure or refusal to obey'. There seems to be two aspects - unintentional and intentional disobedience (just like all sin).

I was reading this morning in Deut. 1 (especially v2) about how long it took the children of Israel to travel from Horeb (another name for Mt. Sinai) to Kadesh Barnea (which is on the southern border to the Promised Land) - 11 days!

Now if you know your Biblical geography and history, you will know that this is basically the journey out of Egypt to the Promised Land. Amazing that it only took them 11 days (at least for this leg of the journey)! So theoretically, the people of Israel could have been in the Promised Land in less than 2 weeks from Mt. Sinai, or let's be generous and say less than a month (maybe they wanted to stop along the way to see the sights!!).

But what do we read in God's Word? It took them about 40 years to make that journey! What a contrast - a couple weeks compared to 40 years! And why did this happen? Disobedience. Remember from Num 13, 14 ad 15 that they sent the 12 spies into the Land. They came back and gave a report - wow, the land is awesome! But there are giants in the Land, we'll be crushed like grasshoppers! By doing this, they discouraged the people and nobody wanted to enter the Land, as God had commanded. Well, except for Joshua and Caleb.

Thus by their disobedience of God's command to enter and their hard-heartedness, they had to wander in the desert for 40 years, until that generation had all died away. Only their children were allowed to enter the Promised Land. This was intentional disobedience. They refused to obey. It was a heart attitude. That was what God was dealing with - not just their failure to obey, but their refusal to obey.

And I wonder how often we wander in the desert because of our disobedience? Whether intentional or unintentional. We make it hard on ourselves, we put ourselves out in the desert spiritually, just on the OTHER side of the Promised Land. So close, and yet so far. We break fellowship with God (not relationship, but fellowship). And we wonder - 'why God, is all this happening to me?' Now, of course I am not saying that ALL bad things in our lives happen because of disobedience. But some do.

So let's ask ourselves this. Are we wandering in a desert now? How long has it been? Is it because of disobedience? Other sins? Won't we come out of the desert and back to God and ask Him for forgiveness? And enter into the land of mercy, grace and joy. What a simple (and powerful) reminder this one verse in Deut. 1 is to us all.

Disobedience

The word 'disobedience' means a 'failure or refusal to obey'. There seems to be two aspects - unintentional and intentional disobedience (just like all sin).

I was reading this morning in Deut. 1 (especially v2) about how long it took the children of Israel to travel from Horeb (another name for Mt. Sinai) to Kadesh Barnea (which is on the southern border to the Promised Land) - 11 days!

Now if you know your Biblical geography and history, you will know that this is basically the journey out of Egypt to the Promised Land. Amazing that it only took them 11 days (at least for this leg of the journey)! So theoretically, the people of Israel could have been in the Promised Land in less than 2 weeks from Mt. Sinai, or let's be generous and say less than a month (maybe they wanted to stop along the way to see the sights!!).

But what do we read in God's Word? It took them about 40 years to make that journey! What a contrast - a couple weeks compared to 40 years! And why did this happen? Disobedience. Remember from Num 13, 14 ad 15 that they sent the 12 spies into the Land. They came back and gave a report - wow, the land is awesome! But there are giants in the Land, we'll be crushed like grasshoppers! By doing this, they discouraged the people and nobody wanted to enter the Land, as God had commanded. Well, except for Joshua and Caleb.

Thus by their disobedience of God's command to enter and their hard-heartedness, they had to wander in the desert for 40 years, until that generation had all died away. Only their children were allowed to enter the Promised Land. This was intentional disobedience. They refused to obey. It was a heart attitude. That was what God was dealing with - not just their failure to obey, but their refusal to obey.

And I wonder how often we wander in the desert because of our disobedience? Whether intentional or unintentional. We make it hard on ourselves, we put ourselves out in the desert spiritually, just on the OTHER side of the Promised Land. So close, and yet so far. We break fellowship with God (not relationship, but fellowship). And we wonder - 'why God, is all this happening to me?' Now, of course I am not saying that ALL bad things in our lives happen because of disobedience. But some do.

So let's ask ourselves this. Are we wandering in a desert now? How long has it been? Is it because of disobedience? Other sins? Won't we come out of the desert and back to God and ask Him for forgiveness? And enter into the land of mercy, grace and joy. What a simple (and powerful) reminder this one verse in Deut. 1 is to us all.

Happy St. Paddy's Day!

Hi all me Irish mates. In honor of St. Paddy's day, I did a little dance fer yer. Here it tis.

I found me pot o' gold!

Happy St. Paddy's Day!

Hi all me Irish mates. In honor of St. Paddy's day, I did a little dance fer yer. Here it tis.

I found me pot o' gold!