insert foot through toilet seat here

so last night while using the cast iron grill pan to make lamb chops on the stove the house was getting quite smokey so we opened the windows and doors to air it out. this is a daring thing to do during the evening because the mosquitoes here are 3x the size of the ones at home and LOVE to be inside. as i was going around closing the windows after dinner i went into the toilet room (many houses in NZ have the toilet in a separate room from the shower and sink) and found 4 HUGE mosquitoes! these were even bigger than the ones i've been finding around the garden. i quickly closed the door ON Torre not realizing that he was following behind me so close and began the attack on the blood thirsty vipers! (we get tired of waking up with bites in case it wasn't obvious!) one...two...three down... the fourth was too high for me to reach so i took a quick second to consider whether or not i should stand on the toilet seat since it did seem a bit weak...i should've taking a few more quick seconds...because as i placed my right foot on the seat and boosted myself up i didn't even make it half way before my foot went right through the seat breaking it into several pieces. :< this isn't funny! i could've done some serious damage to my foot and i think i almost broke my big toe but thanks be to God i did not! torre ended up killing the fourth mosquito for me since i couldn't stop laughing. the only injury i did acquire was on my left calf. it seems a piece of the toilet seat hit it, scratched it and bruised it since it started swelling shortly after the incident. i put ice on it so the swelling didn't get bad but it is pretty sore.

Adventures Away! hehe.. (although not what i was expecting!)

and they're off!

February marks the last official month of summer here in NZ and the kids have already gone back to school. During January we went to one Sunday service and no Tuesday nights gathering but as of yesterday we are officially back to two Sunday services and our new Tuesday night bible studies starting tomorrow!

Yesterday we had an awesome 2012 Launch Party at the church! There was a free BBQ, bouncy castle, face painting and nail painting open to the community as well as a "massve" (as P. Mike would say) time of Praise & worship and a "full on" message from Pastor Mike about getting God's perspective! We had a full band including youth from Levin, team members from Lower Hutt Equippers and of course our team at OGNC. It was so much fun and God's spirit was there and actively moving in peoples hearts. Thanks so EVERYONE who helped make it all possible!

Friday and Saturday we had the Regional Leaders Retreat in Paraparaumu at a local Christian Camp. It was a really great time of getting to know the other leaders from our regions churches and to receive words of encouragement, building up and insight given by P. Sam, P. Jordan, P. Mike, P. Boon and P. Willie.

Sunday also marked the beginning of our Month of Prayer & Fasting. Over the next three weeks we will be fasting and praying for Nations, our Region and our City. Join us and get updates on our facebook page! We are expecting BIG things from God for 2012 and for future generations! We believe it's a year of inheritance for God's people and our prayer is that we would all be bold in our faith and not shy away from the land God has called us to poses!

Courageous

hello weekend! we had a few friends over tonight from church and watched Courageous. it was very good...definitely worth seeing. it's focus is steered towards fathers but mostly what it means to be a man of faith and courage in the role God created men for and their families. take some time to watch it with the men and boys in your life!

our friend, Preeti, brought over a yummy snack that her mom only makes once a year! it's called, Papbi, and it is light, crispy and absolutely yummy! it takes something like 5 hours spread out over a day or two to make so we feel VERY privileged to have been able to try it! THANKS PREETI'S MOM!!! :)

*main ingredients include: rice flour, cumin seed, salt, caraway seed

Dancing to the beat of our own tune

The new year is in full swing! I am always surprised how quickly a calendar can fill up. :/ All good things, of course, just busier some times than the likes to stay in bed side of me would like. :) I do like to sleep...I confess...but I must remind myself that there is plenty to be done and much that God is calling me to be apart of!

I am still busy helping in the church office, leading and cultivating the Music Team and in February we are starting a new Ladies Bible Study that I am overseeing. We are doing "So Long Insecurity, you've been a bad friend to me." by Beth Moore! I am VERY excited for this study because I believe that we all struggle with insecurity and that it's a major way the enemy convinces us that we are not ENOUGH for the plans and calling of God on our lives. Well, I disagree! We are enough because of Jesus Christ in our lives and we can do and be anything God has in mind! Get it! Read it! Don't allow a lie to hold you back from the truth of God's call, gifting and authority on your life.

Everything at the clinic is going really well with Torre. He will also be co-leading a new men's bible study in February! A few weeks ago he started meeting with one of the young adults at church for a weekly bible study.  A couple of weeks ago we decided to change the day so more people could come and the past two weeks we've had 5-7 people come! We are having it just for the month of January because we don't have a mid-week service during the Summer holiday season here, and then we will kick off the new bible studies in February.

We are excited for what 2012 holds. We are guaranteed lots of changes and unexpected you name it, but above all much love, joy, peace, patience and kindness from God and to and from others.

Natures Bounty

It has been such a blessing to have our first garden and to have neighbors who generously share their bounty with us! Here are some pics of what God's glorious design of the seasons has brought us!

This little one just came out of the nest  in the Fig tree!
I must have scared him pretty good because he pooped an entire worm while I was taking this picture! hahaha...

The garden as a whole has grown quite big. I've already had to remove a few things but the tomatoes are giving me a run for my money! I've had to re-stake them two times because they are growing out of control.
We still have four varieties of tomato, zucchini, herbs, bell pepper and lettuce.

The apple trees are still pretty small so they are bearing fruit but it's not very tasty.

Rhubarb!

The Fig tree exploded with figs in December...
Hopefully they will ripen and I'll get to them before the birds do!

It ran away and hid from me under the bench.

This is the only tomato that is not green. hehehe... And I wouldn't call it red. :/

Plenty to come though!

Surfs Up!

Mike has been teaching Torre more about surfing!
It's our Pastor's favorite pass time. :)

Ooo baby! He looks like Batman ;)

Here are some pics from their last surfing adventure:

and he's up!

Lucy and I were playing fetch :) 

 

He had a blast!

Giving Thanks for 2011!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!! 

It's New Year's Eve here in NZ and the clock just struck midnight!!!! NZ is the second country to enter 2012! Torre and I had a great two course New Year's Eve dinner at Byron's Restaurant here in Otaki Beach, picked up a few snacks from the local Dairy and spent a cozy rainy night at home bringing in the new year together. :) On our way home we were laughing about something I had said when we first saw the rental house we are in now and it made me think that I'd like to re-minis a bit about 2011 and give God thanks for all he's done this year!

We are so thankful for...

• Our Boston Community Group *miss you guys!*
• Babies! *Gideon Casey Gill,  Jordan Robert Wedge, Benjamin Cole, Katelyn Joy Nauman*
• Mom's Miraculous Healing! *PRAISE GOD!*
• Weddings! *Vanessa & Alex Price, Annie & Joel Torres, Mel & Gerald Jimenez, Sarah & Seth Robins*
• Engagements! *Joylyn & Josh*
• Moving to New Zealand!
• Our new church family here in Otaki, NZ!
• DR Mission, Pastor Luis Vargus & Family, G.O, Ministries!
• Our Life! Church Family in NH!
• Salvation in our family! *Thank you Jesus*
• Continued restoration in friends lives through the love and power of Jesus Christ!
• God's continued provisions in our lives, friends and family members!
• Great Summer Fun with all of our family members before we moved to NZ!
• Our Boston neighbors, Nikki & Mavi! *They were so much fun to share life with*
• Continued love and support of our family while we are abroad!
• Big thanks to Gerald, Mel, Josh and Joylyn for taking off work, renting a car and seeing us off at the airport the day we left Boston! *We so appreciated that!!!*
• Thankful that things are not always as they seem...more often than not!
  ex: Torre and I first came to look at the rental we are in one night after dark. The front gate was closed, no lights were on and there are trees and bushes all around the front of the property. The first thing out of my mouth was, "This looks scary...I would never live here." Hahaha... Little did I know that we WOULD end up living here and that we would LOVE it so much! It's a great little house and we are so blessed with great neighbors. :) I'm so glad that God knows best!
• The opportunity to meet awesome men and woman of God here in NZ and be able to learn from them!
• Movie nights at the Pru with fellow Bostonians!
• Friends generosity in letting us borrow their cars when we didn't have one! *Thanks Nikki, Les & Neelia, Mike & Helen!*
• The new understanding that we really can do whatever it is that God puts on our hearts...nothing is impossible in Him!

This is definitely not all the wonderful things that we are so blessed for from 2011 but it's definitely some of the highlights! :D

God bless your New Year and take time to Give God Thanks!!!

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. In all of your ways acknowledge Him and He will direct your steps." Proverbs 3:5-6