Ketchen Up...

Got a lot to do today. But first (way back months) on this blog.

A late January balmy summer night in Hamilton found us dining street side at the 'The Furnace' with Kyle & Lisa Smith; nowadays of Spokane, Washington State via years in Los Angeles, Hawaii, Anchorage, LA, Seattle, Rwanda, London, and for Kyle; once upon a time my next-door neighbour, schoolmate and best buddy here in Gordonton. Smithy's gone been stateside Salvation Army some time now so we seldom catch up. This was the first time for him and Lisa to meet my Eden. None of us were to be disappointed.

Kyle was a man well before he past the boyhood years. Since we first met his faith in Jesus Christ has been a constant inspiration and encouragement to my own. He embodies Christ in a way precious few people do; for whatever the weather, the situation, or the mood around him he stands a rock impervious and content wherever God has placed him. Our fathers were also best mates at school but the later busyness of farming and attending different church circles meant Kyle and I never really crossed paths until 5yrs of age at Gordonton Primary School despite living on neighbouring farms.

From then on it was never a question of would we be hanging out together anytime we were in the same locality. We had plenty of other friends and were both well-liked but, for me anyway, a school day absent his presence was never quite as bright. I found school challenging ideologically and emotionally rather than intellectually; to me the system was such an impersonal machine that ran roughshod over anyone different than the seemingly desired sameness. Kyle cared too but he had the ability to rise above it all while still relating easily with anyone. He lifted others up where I'd get bogged down. It's like he knew where, when and how he should help and did so trusting God to take care of everything else still undone rather than be overburdened by it all. Boundaries I guess, and figured out way before most feelers get theirs even half sorted.

That said, he's since told me I was his anchor in some early situations at school where our Christian faith was challenged by the majority. He had better political skills with others but when talking failed he'd listen to my counsel knowing I'd not move an inch when sure of my convictions. My bassline for his lead breaks.

Us circa 2005.

Kyle's confidence was placed in something other than peoples opinion of him or what he had or did, or didn't have or didn't do. He moved easily with an unusual grace where I often felt so awkward. I understand now that his defining character is the felt presence of the divine. People feel at ease with him even when they are vastly different. The peace of knowing his God knows him and yet still loves him means he can focus on others without self distracting. People feel loved.

Kyle walks with Jesus and so Jesus walks with him. This sets him apart like nothing else can. I believe that stability was the main reason that, in all our childhood and youthful exploits over many years, we never once exchanged a bad word or look. A friendship based on trust rather than expectations so it exceeded every expectation. A friendship where neither needs to lead or follow because, depending on the situation, those roles are mutually assigned without a word needing to be spoken is something never forgotten. And yet it can and will be attained as a more common thing for when Christ returns and ushers in perfection as the new normal this will be a real part of our inheritance. Hallelujah!

That Kyle would be an exceptional leader was never in doubt yet he never sought it or it's rewards - exactly what defines and legitimalizes the most pure forms of leadership I guess.

So it was interesting, albeit terribly predictable to me, that our favourite question for any married couple “tell us how did you meet and why did you fall in love?” soon led to a tad bashful Lisa admitting (with a healthy shot of fierce pride) that her first look at God's man lost her the war nevermind what battles they still had to fight over the terms of the eventual peace. A treaty I had the honour of seeing declared at their wedding in Seattle en route to my first stint in Africa. Another instance of God's perfectly timing another blessing into my schedule without me having to alter anything. Then on to the same Africa where, like Kyle (albeit years later), I would meet my own godly American beauty. Both our gals were first-timers in Africa when God called us guys back to Africa to turn their worlds upside down ;)

An evening of four hearts testifying to God's faithfulness to each of us as individuals and couples across every good, or hard, hour and mile of Africa, America and New Zealand. Time galloped past. Oh for more! Roll on heaven and eternity together.

Forty years of friendship. So many details changed. So many unlikely happenings. So many differences. So many similarities. God with us the one unchanging constant.

Sun appearing in the east south of Mt Kakepuku an hour south of home. 

Among other things this last March brought us three Dicksons a timely weekend roadmarch south and then east to Wanganui to collect a recently purchased (by online auction) 1982 Honda XR500R. For various reasons I sold my 2004 KTM 640 LC4 dream trailbike last December. Now I find myself owning the dream trailbike of my once 16yr old self! Thirty years catching up alright. In motorcycling terms power, speed and control have advanced very noticeably; no matter - with Andrew bikes once loved = always loved :)

Old sneakers hung along 400m of the Raetihi-Wanganui road.

From that farm 30min south of Wanganui we traipsed another hour further south until the non-metropolis  farming slash student town of Palmerston North whence we parked the trailer (loaned  me by another bike nut; my Prison Care Ministries boss Geoff McMillan) and precious cargo at Nathan & Melissa Ketchen's very Christian home (their street address is 2 Christian Place!) before finding a motel and zooming off for a quick showing Eden my old alma mater Massey University.

Not having the post 9/11 smart card ID now required for access into Rotary Court student hostel meant Eden missed experiencing the cramped confines of my old room E1.1, perhaps a blessing eh? An ambling stroll around Massey's now-larger campus and well-landscaped gardens replete with tales of old feats and defeats was next in order. That accomplished we were accelerated squareward to the centre of Palmerston North and an Indian takeaway picnic in the park where we were amused by the antics of more than a few St. Patricks Day partakers a passin' by. And through it all Zeke never missed a self-focused beat. The kid sure has staying power. He determines where and how early you stay in :)

Took Dad's old V6 Mitsi to better pull the bike trailer.

Lunch break overlooking Whanganui River.

Next morning Zeke denied himself with the result that we slept in long enough to ensure a scramble to make church in time. This was not helped by my having left the street address of the Reformed Church online. Hence Eden found herself plugging laptop into inverter to access the internet while I drove in the approximate SE direction. It was slow booting and loading up, well it seemed so to me who by now had made so many turns into streets I wasn't recognising after my 20yr absence that I was despairing ever arriving at the church nevermind avoiding mere tardiness. So I had the bright idea of asking God for help. How quaint you say. And I'll add O how wise for as the closing words left my lips we came to the end of the current street and glancing right or left I felt 'go right' and only 50m or so along there was our destination. Sorry Googlemaps, too late you load! Superseded by download from the Ancient of Days.

Nathan preached powerfully from Exodus 7 on idols and how we become like whatever we worship. Excellent topic for a blogpost someday. After good post-preaching fellowship there with the churchfolk we joined Nathan and Melissa and their children at their aforementioned home premises for a decent lunch and more fun and lively discussion. It was a blessing to see the Ketchens happily settled in NZ (Melissa's home) given I first met them at the Franklin Square OPC on Long Island, New York in Sept 2009 on my first trip o the Eastern U.S.A. when Nathan was pastoring a Spanish-speaking church plant in Queens. Never imagined then that next time we'd be catching up in heartland country New Zealand, but with God directing all our steps anything is possible - even all these happy, fruitful, marital unions twixt Kiwi's and Americans!

Before the last KTM Waingaro-Raglan ride Dec '11

Speaking of which...I've less than a couple hours to run before I do some, no A LOT of, catching up with my Eden and Zeke after their 9 days loooooong absence. They joined Dad and my nephews Jack (Lynda's youngest) and Jesse (Janet's oldest) for a 1000km road trip south to visit my other sister Helen and her family at their farm near Mayfield, Canterbury. Good extended family bonding time (the only reason I allowed it!) Throw in the ferry crossing between the North and South Islands of NZ such entails and it's a 2-day drive each way that hopefully doesn't break said bonds. I know Zeke will have unselfishley supplied his calming cooing and similar soothing sound effects. Normally he's a real trooper and travels very well to a point. After which he doesn't. No doubt he'll be catching up on sleep when he makes home tonight.

Sounds like a very good plan :)