WHEW - what a busy month!!
we had a great kids camp & now i am having a week off to breathe
part of my breathing often includes music - & i love it when its free :-) here's some links to sites i've enjoyed:
http://www.sphereofhiphop.com/mp3/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=13&Itemid=30 - heaps of hip-hop freebies :-)
http://www.rappersiknow.com/?p=93 - a cat's hip hop / beat album with a conscience :-)
http://joshgarrels.com/mp3s.htm - sweeeeet sounds - check the merch pages too :-)
http://www.last.fm/music/surreal+%2526+the+sound+providers?setlang=en - nice jazz infused hip hop
http://www.last.fm/music/Lifesavas - more nice hip hop
http://www.pastestore.com/radio/mp3/ - a whole bunch of alt sounds - some real goodies in here :)
http://www.last.fm/music/Pigeon+John - quirky hip hop :-P
http://www.emusic.com/ - nice starting offer & lotsa nice music & a bunch of great Christian sounds!! - but beware it's addictive after the freebies :-\
http://payplay.fm/ - a nice sample / freebie arrangement, with primarily indie music (Josh Garrels is in here, & enjoyed "Halalujah" & lots of instrumental down tempo / trip hop/ etc + the procussions :-)
so there's enough to get you started - enjoy
We're now also on the homestraight to our trip - excited & trying to plan well - trying...
Time is a good gift - i love time to read, time to spend with loved ones, time to think, time to talk,
i love time to draw near to God - to read & think of Him, to talk with him
i need time, like i need water
May you use time to grow well - bless ya
Tuesday, 9 October 2007
Monday, 27 August 2007
"What Say U Mr Gull?"
I just enjoyed a few days of personal retreat. My loving wife encouraged me to do what i'd never considered since being a hubby & dad - take some time out by myself - so off i went to Sandspit on Tuesday night, Wednesday, Thursday, & then Friday avo i returned home.
It was great - i'd been flat-stick since my last post & hanging out for a chance to breathe!! & this was it!!
Time to read
Time to think
Time to start again to pray
Time to walk
i went for a walk down to "the spit" & sat on the wharf - enjoying time & space to sit in the quiet - to consider God in the universe - to thank Him for the space... When a seagull came & perched itself 3metres from me on this large post. I sat there looking at it, & it sat there looking at me, so i asked it a question:
"What say u Mr Gull - are you aware of your creator? Do you sing His praise? In your existence driven by instinct & innate drives - do you know God?"
not sure what i expected - always hope for something miraculous i guess ...
He didn't say anything, but did do this funky pose - balanced on one leg & fully extended one wing out, while he held the other right in - he held the pose for like5 minutes - i was waiting for him to speak, but then he flew off - so i was left laughing at my own mentality!!
then another one came & hung on the same post - so i asked the same question:
"What say u Mr Gull - are you aware of your creator? Do you sing His praise? In your existence driven by instinct & innate drives - do you know God?"
no response - then i realised i'd offended - for it was not a mr, but a mrs!!! it was obvious for her lips & toes were far more red than the other!!
i apologised, but she flew off soon after!!
again i was left to laugh at my own mentality!!
i picjked myself up & walked back to the bach - thanking God for time & space to think stupid things - to think & talk & pray anything, because there was nothing that needed to be done!!
Oh how that time was good!! Now i need to find & make such time in my normal weeks
Time to read,
Time to think,
Time to start again to pray,
Time to walk,
Time to talk to seagulls!!!
May our smiling God bless you with such time also :-)
It was great - i'd been flat-stick since my last post & hanging out for a chance to breathe!! & this was it!!
Time to read
Time to think
Time to start again to pray
Time to walk
i went for a walk down to "the spit" & sat on the wharf - enjoying time & space to sit in the quiet - to consider God in the universe - to thank Him for the space... When a seagull came & perched itself 3metres from me on this large post. I sat there looking at it, & it sat there looking at me, so i asked it a question:
"What say u Mr Gull - are you aware of your creator? Do you sing His praise? In your existence driven by instinct & innate drives - do you know God?"
not sure what i expected - always hope for something miraculous i guess ...
He didn't say anything, but did do this funky pose - balanced on one leg & fully extended one wing out, while he held the other right in - he held the pose for like5 minutes - i was waiting for him to speak, but then he flew off - so i was left laughing at my own mentality!!
then another one came & hung on the same post - so i asked the same question:
"What say u Mr Gull - are you aware of your creator? Do you sing His praise? In your existence driven by instinct & innate drives - do you know God?"
no response - then i realised i'd offended - for it was not a mr, but a mrs!!! it was obvious for her lips & toes were far more red than the other!!
i apologised, but she flew off soon after!!
again i was left to laugh at my own mentality!!
i picjked myself up & walked back to the bach - thanking God for time & space to think stupid things - to think & talk & pray anything, because there was nothing that needed to be done!!
Oh how that time was good!! Now i need to find & make such time in my normal weeks
Time to read,
Time to think,
Time to start again to pray,
Time to walk,
Time to talk to seagulls!!!
May our smiling God bless you with such time also :-)
Saturday, 30 June 2007
Mid year update - 4 those who know me :-)
Well, not too many thoughts this morning to be honest, but there's so much going on - i gotta do an update (& please note: there's many opportunities 4 prayer scattered through here :-) )
- Teen Camp starts today - small, but hopefully relational, rewarding, & fruitful in many ways
- Kids camp starts next week - huge & without my normal support staff - it is fair to say i feel underprepared & nervous
- My whanau's off to Whanga today for 4 days with friends & family - the roads are very wet - "please watch over them LORD"
- The small group we've got involved in "leading" has been going great!! created time to be refreshed in the LORD, & relationships are growing. We have a good problem - we're getting too big!! May God continute to lead & teach us on how his people best do the "one another's" of scripture!!
- Our USA trip is coming together - praise God for releasing available funds. Kerri has been making bracelets for us to sell & Breahn has started a baking business - "Breahn's Baking To Order - 'let Breahn do the baking!!' " still someway to go, but we're gonna make it!!
Throughout it is evident - God is good!!
I on the other hand - am stressed & tired & too prone to do things in my own strength!!! May God continue to be gracious toward me as i stumble to learn to live in the wonderful relationship He calls me to!!!
Bless you my friends
Tuesday, 12 June 2007
time to surrender
It's amazing sometimes the things we hold onto
I've realised that i've been holding onto trying to take my family to the states - not necessarily the hope - but the how.
"I'm the provider, i'll do it somehow!!"
God is bigger than me - than all of us, please join me in praying - that God will provide for such an opportunity as this
cheers
I've realised that i've been holding onto trying to take my family to the states - not necessarily the hope - but the how.
"I'm the provider, i'll do it somehow!!"
God is bigger than me - than all of us, please join me in praying - that God will provide for such an opportunity as this
cheers
Friday, 25 May 2007
God is GOOD!!! & enjoyed in genuine community
Well, a few weeks ago i blogged about starting a small group - 3 weeks into it & there's some encouraging things:
This week a brother brought an Alistair Brown song along. We listened, thought, turned our hearts towards God then opened the Psalms. People dug around then just read one out that reflected a similar cry - for help, for nearness, of God's goodness... Then another brother opened 1 Peter 5 - 7 we recognised who OUR enemy is, that God is still caring & active, & THEN God led me to get us to pull out the verbs - & BOOM we'd had a great study with practical applications!! It's great to see God lead us through His word!!
We also have a variety of needs & gifts - as always
My prayer is that i will continue to address the needs in prayer - keep learning to let God be the healer & not try to be the healer myself - that has burnt me in the past!!! God has given me a compassionate heart & i love helping people in trouble - but the greatest help i can give is to lift their burdens to God & help practically - no to try & carry their burdens myself!
Early days, but i am being reminded of my gifts & blessed with God's leading - may He continue to grow us as His people, his whanau, where community is real & God is known
Bless you people
This week a brother brought an Alistair Brown song along. We listened, thought, turned our hearts towards God then opened the Psalms. People dug around then just read one out that reflected a similar cry - for help, for nearness, of God's goodness... Then another brother opened 1 Peter 5 - 7 we recognised who OUR enemy is, that God is still caring & active, & THEN God led me to get us to pull out the verbs - & BOOM we'd had a great study with practical applications!! It's great to see God lead us through His word!!
We also have a variety of needs & gifts - as always
My prayer is that i will continue to address the needs in prayer - keep learning to let God be the healer & not try to be the healer myself - that has burnt me in the past!!! God has given me a compassionate heart & i love helping people in trouble - but the greatest help i can give is to lift their burdens to God & help practically - no to try & carry their burdens myself!
Early days, but i am being reminded of my gifts & blessed with God's leading - may He continue to grow us as His people, his whanau, where community is real & God is known
Bless you people
Saturday, 12 May 2007
woohoo
Exciting times!! Our Camp's board has agreed to send my boss & i over to San Diego for the American Christian Camping conference!! I am blessed by the people who oversee our simple efforts to serve God & share the gospel - this is icing!!
My first task - is to see if we can fund my family to join me! Obviously this would be our mega family trip of a lifetime!! My fairs are paid, so it's the most affordable it could ever be!
A couple of years ago i went to Sri lanka to help clean up after the Tsunami - my daughter Kerri asked if she could come. I thought it was a silly idea - until i got there - then i regretted saying no. To have been able to share that time of serving with her, to have been able tto let her free to play with the kids & reach them in a way i couldn't - constantly i saw the opportunities while there, & thought of the time we could have shared... It is one of my biggest regrets.
Obviously this trip will be very different, but i don't want to do it without my family - so we'll pray, & see how we go.
The conference will probably be the end of our trip. Before then we'll look to visit a whole bunch of camps, check out how they do things, get ideas & contacts, etc - should be awesome!!
Should also have a few days between to do family days @ theme parks, etc
If we can, we'll look to go a week or so early & visit friends in Chicago & Nashville
Let's see what God has in store...
My first task - is to see if we can fund my family to join me! Obviously this would be our mega family trip of a lifetime!! My fairs are paid, so it's the most affordable it could ever be!
A couple of years ago i went to Sri lanka to help clean up after the Tsunami - my daughter Kerri asked if she could come. I thought it was a silly idea - until i got there - then i regretted saying no. To have been able to share that time of serving with her, to have been able tto let her free to play with the kids & reach them in a way i couldn't - constantly i saw the opportunities while there, & thought of the time we could have shared... It is one of my biggest regrets.
Obviously this trip will be very different, but i don't want to do it without my family - so we'll pray, & see how we go.
The conference will probably be the end of our trip. Before then we'll look to visit a whole bunch of camps, check out how they do things, get ideas & contacts, etc - should be awesome!!
Should also have a few days between to do family days @ theme parks, etc
If we can, we'll look to go a week or so early & visit friends in Chicago & Nashville
Let's see what God has in store...
Tuesday, 1 May 2007
A blog about a seeking "leader"
Time for a blog ...
Currently we are looking forward to joining a small group of other Christians to be their "leaders". They've been meeting for a couple of years with another older couple who've followed God's call to other things for 2007 - it's taken us till now to take this step with some degree of confidence that this is where God wants us ...
... if you sense some degree of pessimism - then you're not alone, I sense it to!! I find it hard to be certain in so many things - and when i'm functioning at less than 100% I'm cautious to take on too much!
Anyway, enough frail honesty - i wonder - how should a small group be run when it is full of 20 somethings who're fairly well grounded in their faith? They all attend our bible preaching church - do we need more studies?
I'm drawn to wonder how the early church operated when they met in homes. I understand from Acts that there was reading of the scriptures, lots of prayer, food, sharing & serving, ...
I desire to be involved with a group who's key passion is to love God, to long for God, to hunger after Him!!
I'm thinking we can read the scriptures together, and discuss things as they come up - what they mean/ how we apply them/ challenges we face ...
I want us to learn to pray - to really pray!! i remember doing that when i was younger - i'm hungry for more (and know i find it easier with others - I'm ashamed that i'm not driven to seek God's face earnestly in my own time - i do hope to grow in that as i learn again to pray with others)
I want us to rediscover honesty & accountability & brotherly/sisterly love in mini groups
I want to abandon formula's & to rediscover community - being His body
I want to lead this group to God (including my wife & I - we know we need to embrace more of Him) ... that is all i want, is that too much to ask?
I remember discovering a lot of this as a 15 year old with a good friend, too much has passed, lead us on God, lead us on ...
I would really value any thoughts / input / experiences / comments that you may wish to share ...
Currently we are looking forward to joining a small group of other Christians to be their "leaders". They've been meeting for a couple of years with another older couple who've followed God's call to other things for 2007 - it's taken us till now to take this step with some degree of confidence that this is where God wants us ...
... if you sense some degree of pessimism - then you're not alone, I sense it to!! I find it hard to be certain in so many things - and when i'm functioning at less than 100% I'm cautious to take on too much!
Anyway, enough frail honesty - i wonder - how should a small group be run when it is full of 20 somethings who're fairly well grounded in their faith? They all attend our bible preaching church - do we need more studies?
I'm drawn to wonder how the early church operated when they met in homes. I understand from Acts that there was reading of the scriptures, lots of prayer, food, sharing & serving, ...
I desire to be involved with a group who's key passion is to love God, to long for God, to hunger after Him!!
I'm thinking we can read the scriptures together, and discuss things as they come up - what they mean/ how we apply them/ challenges we face ...
I want us to learn to pray - to really pray!! i remember doing that when i was younger - i'm hungry for more (and know i find it easier with others - I'm ashamed that i'm not driven to seek God's face earnestly in my own time - i do hope to grow in that as i learn again to pray with others)
I want us to rediscover honesty & accountability & brotherly/sisterly love in mini groups
I want to abandon formula's & to rediscover community - being His body
I want to lead this group to God (including my wife & I - we know we need to embrace more of Him) ... that is all i want, is that too much to ask?
I remember discovering a lot of this as a 15 year old with a good friend, too much has passed, lead us on God, lead us on ...
I would really value any thoughts / input / experiences / comments that you may wish to share ...
Friday, 23 March 2007
Why is the obvious so evasive?
It's hitting me (again) that the answer to my frustration & tiredness & uncertainties in life is: "Delight yourself in the LORD and he will give you the desires of your heart.
Commit your way to the LORD; trust in him ... Be still before the LORD and wait patiently for him" Psalm 37
I was going to write "simply" before the quote - but it would be too ironic & shameful - is it hard? Or is it simple & i'm just a slow learner?!!
One thing i love about God that the church hasn't always presented well in it's moments of Judging others - God is gracious & patient & loving - my not meeting his instructions is hurting me - and that hurts him!! My love drives me, to learn this, to not allow his grace to be abused
Thank you Father, i'm stumbling in your direction, please do not retract your loving Hand from me ...
Commit your way to the LORD; trust in him ... Be still before the LORD and wait patiently for him" Psalm 37
I was going to write "simply" before the quote - but it would be too ironic & shameful - is it hard? Or is it simple & i'm just a slow learner?!!
One thing i love about God that the church hasn't always presented well in it's moments of Judging others - God is gracious & patient & loving - my not meeting his instructions is hurting me - and that hurts him!! My love drives me, to learn this, to not allow his grace to be abused
Thank you Father, i'm stumbling in your direction, please do not retract your loving Hand from me ...
Sunday, 4 March 2007
Busyness - a curse in a Godly disguise
well well, we are now into March & i feel much more like roadkill than i did in january!! Been looking at my blog to see if there were any new comments - thinking to myself, must stop soon & write something - but not now, too busy, too tired!! Seems to be common - i've been watching my mates blogs for the last couple of months - no blogs...
Helped a mate move last weekend - into a small beach town, he wondered how much of our busyness is due to the city lifestyle!? Must admit, the beach was nice...
Had a chance to help another mate move this weekend, but realised we'd kill ourselves getting away from the busyness to help others!! ironic aye!!
Gotta confess, my good goals for bible in a year have already fallen over!!
cry of my heart at the moment is to learn to pray & to listen (& to read God's Word) at a personal level. Gotta get real with Jesus, know him as my nearest love/buddy/confidante - because the truth is - HE IS!!!
Gotta learn to slow down, be still & know him, relesase my burdens to his broad shoulders
Lead me on LORD - i can only stumble as a blind man with one hand still holding the vices that keep me from you - as 'good' & "christian' as some of them may seem!!
Helped a mate move last weekend - into a small beach town, he wondered how much of our busyness is due to the city lifestyle!? Must admit, the beach was nice...
Had a chance to help another mate move this weekend, but realised we'd kill ourselves getting away from the busyness to help others!! ironic aye!!
Gotta confess, my good goals for bible in a year have already fallen over!!
cry of my heart at the moment is to learn to pray & to listen (& to read God's Word) at a personal level. Gotta get real with Jesus, know him as my nearest love/buddy/confidante - because the truth is - HE IS!!!
Gotta learn to slow down, be still & know him, relesase my burdens to his broad shoulders
Lead me on LORD - i can only stumble as a blind man with one hand still holding the vices that keep me from you - as 'good' & "christian' as some of them may seem!!
Saturday, 27 January 2007
Madness
Woah!!! & hello
just finished a kids camp & a teen camp back to back - they were great, but i'm knacked!! Rushing off on holiday today - looking forward to some to think & read & chill - & hopefully have the energy to have fun with my family too.
May God bless you who read this
be in touch when i'm back,
Woz
just finished a kids camp & a teen camp back to back - they were great, but i'm knacked!! Rushing off on holiday today - looking forward to some to think & read & chill - & hopefully have the energy to have fun with my family too.
May God bless you who read this
be in touch when i'm back,
Woz
Tuesday, 2 January 2007
New Year
hey hey, just realised today that it's the 2nd of Jan & so it's time to start my bible in a year plan again. Followed the deliberate people one last year & it was great till things got too manic about June!! :-(
Looking at one that follows the chronological order of the bible now - hope its all good!!
Picked up some good pointers from www.desiringgod.org today & gonna highlight the names / character of God in each reading - hunt for Him - haharghh!!
Gonna hunt you down God, gonna hunt you down :-)
Looking at one that follows the chronological order of the bible now - hope its all good!!
Picked up some good pointers from www.desiringgod.org today & gonna highlight the names / character of God in each reading - hunt for Him - haharghh!!
Gonna hunt you down God, gonna hunt you down :-)
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