Sunday, August 28, 2011

"I do!"

My anniversary gift for Andrew came with much collaboration and devoted artistic talent from a beautiful Maryland Elf; Kirstie Delight. After an anniversary toast I presented Andrew with a smoked wood marble plague holding our wedding vows overlaying two wedding photos. 


It's special to remember praying through, writing, then looking over our wedding vows together in the days preceding our wedding. I've thought about these vows so many times in the last year. The words I spoke in faith out on the dock the day of our wedding have taken on so much depth and new meaning in the last twelve months as my heart has become one with Andrew's. God's design is amazing. He's created us in his very image! The image of a relational triune God! What a mighty and faithful Lord we serve!

Andrew John Dickson, I am taking up a life beside you to be your wife and companion. To walk by faith in Christ as we seek to store up eternal treasure. Together creating a home with fertile ground for faith, hope and love to grow and nurture an environment of healing peace and true joy. I vow to work with you and pray with you, to comfort and care for you. God has entrusted me to you. I belong to you. I will never leave you but rather will learn to turn to you and be vulnerable before you. I will trust you with my whole heart and follow your leading. I will seek to encourage and support you as a helpmate and number one fan. I will battle on your behalf in prayer. I will respect and honor you with my words and with my actions, looking to your needs and desires as my own. I will trust you and rest in your love.


Eden Christine, today I take you to be my wife. As your head I vow from this moment forward that whatever I think, whatever emotions I feel, whatever spiritual, financial or physical situation we face, I will love, cherish, lead, provide for and protect you until our Lord returns or we are parted by death. Before Almighty God our Creator and Savior I declare myself responsible to lead you spiritually, always seeking to encourage and strengthen your faith hope and love in, and for, Jesus Christ our King. I will pursue your heart, treasure your friendship over any other, invite and give due consideration to your counsel, honour and esteem you above all people and watch over you in prayer. With God's help I will defend you against all odds and be emotionally and sexually faithful to you as I endeavour to love you beyond measure even as Christ loves us His church. 

It may seem cliche that faith, hope and love appear in both our vows. I smile as I think of the thread (or three fold strand:) weaved through our relationship. During our five month communication fast Andrew wrote a poem about the showers of May watering seeds of hope that would one day flower. Around that same time I find an entry in my own journal mirroring that concept. In October, the morning Andrew left me in Ohio to return back to New Zealand he placed in my hand three acorns, symbolizing seeds of faith, hope and love. Those seeds began to grow and bud in our relationship as our dating began, with God's light shining on us and his living water flowing through us.


Saturday, August 27, 2011

First things first.



Tuesday morning I opened my eyes to a fully blooming bouquet of deep velvet roses and a bottle of sparkling red grape juice. After Andrew left for work I found an anniversary poem...

1st Things 1st.



Dangerous hook
Your first look
Emotions I throw ‘em
With the first poem.
On down the slide
First fatal piki ride.
Never could it fail
First tooting email.
Growing so vexed
Awaiting my first text.
In Perfects lands
First trip to Tanz.
You to enchant
Seeing first elephant.
Carib-breaking laughs
After first giraffes.
Mountainside farm surprise
First Kili sunrise.
Sliding rain from sky
First time at Namuai.
The kiss it went ‘poof’
First over the roof.
Head’s all a whirl
First hug of Elizagirl.
Saying nada about
Our first blowout.
Wrist swelling pallid
First told invalid.
Not too well planned
First phonecall to Maryland.
Rhyming quite swell
44-word first farewell.
Passionate to outlast
First five month fast.
Wordsmith hope power
First place to Superflower.
Dodged a ram down
First casing Libertytown.
Chewed over like toffee
Before Papas first coffee.
North to West Loveland
As Abba first planned.
GPS giving us fits
First time out of Pitts.
Winning, not lame
First live Steelers game.
Worth all the hype
First time we skype.
Family freeze the price
First time I skate ice.
A freezing van ride
Fighting first woody slide.
By my side you walked
First time you New Yorked.
Providentially paned lekker
Blue Jay, Cardinal & Woodpecker.
A dull as miss
For our first kiss.
Graduate with insight
Seeking first the Light!
Stoppie scarred hide
On first Howard bike-ride.
Me prophetically lucky
Miss milking Kentucky.
Holding onto my hand
First flight to New Zealand.
KTMing Kawhia tidal
First time viewing Bridal.
Ringing in the rest
First canoe glo-fest.
Believing was seeing
You first time skiing.
Bathe in the Morning Glory
Of our first night story.
All that’s come after
More firsts and laughter,
Yet that’s only the start
Our first year as one heart.
Another time I may tell
Us first-yearing the well,
Quenching our souls thirst
Abba He owns first!
;~pikipikipoet
23rd August, 2011.

Saturday, August 6, 2011

Awakened from a dream

Sunsetting last Sept - Arcadia Nat. Park, Maine.

couple 

random

ponderings 

regarding 

dreams....



Compared to Andrew's dreams - dining with Lions in Africa, riding motorbikes over ocean waves, and such, my dreams are relatively boring.



If dreams reveal something of the heart mine might reveal a fearful heart but perhaps also an expectant heart. I love witnessing miracles while I sleep. I don't mind some traumatic happenings behind closed eyelids if I get to watch bold prayers answered, victorious healings and God coming through once again.

The night before last...Heidi and I were journeying through India. The dream had Papa and Mama in it. Seth, Joseph and Trina played roles as well. Tweety only 2 or 3yrs. My pleasantly uneventful dream was interrupted by small cries. I awoke to find myself in another dream. Manly beside me and the Zekester crying for me from the next room. I'm a Mum now and a wife. Married nearly a year and living in a pleasant land called New Zealand. Heidi's journeying through Tennessee with a heart overflowing with tender love and passion for Abba. Seth and Joseph have tripled from the size they were in the that sneak peek of them I got in my dream. Katrina's off finding house jobs so she can one day visit Andrew and I. I never thought being awakened by crying could be peaceful or pleasant but somehow lying there next to Andrew with fresh memories of ones I love on my mind and a renewed sense of awe at the place I'm in now I couldn't have been happier to answer the beaconing calls from that cute little bundle in the cradle.
Honeymooning - St. Thomas, US Virgin Islands.


People talk of  their 'dream home,' 'dream job,' or a 'dream life.' What back drop would I choose? What characters would fit into my dream story? What smells, sounds and sights would set the scene? I have only what I know to draw on and I wouldn't want to leave anything out. Each person must fit, I'd like each color to be there and even each taste. God, I'm rather happy with what you've done down here so I can't wait to see what you've come up with for up there!

Friday, August 5, 2011

FYI

Just wanted to say...

I've had quite a few people tell me they've tried leaving a comment and weren't able to. I'm sorry about that. Andrew helped me find out the problem and fix it. So comment away! :)

Also, I so appreciate your interest in my life, the encouragement I've received in blogging, and your prayers for Andrew, me and Zeke. I thought if I started a blog it wouldn't last long...no one would read it and I'd soon loose interest in writing...but, so far, I'm really enjoying it. It has helped prime my faith pump, given me more appreciation for my life, and keeps me in touch with many that I love. It's always a buzz to get a comment so don't hesitate. Much love in Christ! ~Eden

O how I miss you...Let me count the ways.

awaiting Papa's homecoming...


Andrew headed off Monday for his first official day at Prison Care Ministries (PCM). The day has come...I have to start sharing my Man loved by God. After a blessed year of being wed God's answered many prayers and not only provided work for Andrew but work that inspires his heart, will challenge his own spiritual walk, and use the gifts God's given him. He'll be working 3 full days/wk with PCM and carry on with 2 days/wk studying pastoral care & counseling at Grace Theological College (in Auckland) which he started earlier this year. The work and study is a perfect fit. It's such a treat to be able to watch God fit things together like a puzzle when even a month ago it just looked like a bunch of disconnected pretty little pieces. 
PCM has four houses in Hamilton to help ex-prisoners to reintegrate into society. Geoff and Jill have run the PCM halfway house ministry since 2003 and been working in prison ministry for over 25 years. They have become 'Mum' and 'Dad' to many ex-prisoners over the years. They help with any number of things including budgeting, resumes, hooking up with churches, etc. Please pray that God's name would be glorified through this ministry and for wisdom in how it is to be continued and grown. Geoff and Jill receive letters of inquiry from men in prison wanting/needing a place to start off in upon their release. The parties correspond and the men are interviewed in person for suitability when next PCM are able to visit that particular prison. Currently PCM receives many times more requests from inmates than they have beds for. Life behind bars is such a drastically different culture from life outside. Prisoners struggle immensely with this harsh transition, many don't cope and end up back inside. This re-offending percentage is greatly reduced, however, if they make it past the first year. They need the help of Abba, and the prayers and support of His people, to fight and win the daily battles dealing with loneliness, depression, hopelessness, despair, failure, rejection by many, and numerous other obstacles on the path to learning to walk in freedom. Please cry out to God for these prodigal sons in desperate need of God's saving grace and deep healing love.



Tuesday, August 2, 2011

Highlights of Mama's July visit

                                  
  • reading Whispers in the Wind  aloud

  • cooking together

  • hot mineral pools

  • playing tennis and tying

  • cozy talks on rainy days 

  • a thrilling ocean morning swim

  • watching Zeke and Mama talk ;)

  • walking the farm, beaches and 
  • around Hamilton Lake

  • dropping Zeke off for Grandma time on some early mornings

  • watching movies together and hearing the lesson Mama extracted 
  •