Let it be!

After this I looked and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands, and crying out with a loud voice, "Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!" And all the angels were standing around the throne and around the elders and the four living creatures, and they fell on their faces before the throne and worshiped God, saying "Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and might be to our God forever and ever! Amen."

Then one of the elders addressed me saying, "Who are these, clothed in white robes, and from were have they come?" I said to him, "Sir, you know." And he said to me, "These are the ones coming out of the great tribulation. They have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. 

Therefore they are before the throne of 

God, 

and serve him day and night in his 

temple;

and he who sits on the throne will 

shelter them with his presence.

They shall hunger no more, neither thirst

anymore;

the sun shall not strike them,

nor the scorching heat.

For the Lamb in the midst of the throne 

will be their shepherd,

and he will guide them to springs of 

living water,

and God will wipe away every tear from 

their eyes."

Homesick

Abba, The promises you give to Abraham and to the Prophets in the Old Testament are glorious! But when the Israelites enter the promise land it doesn't seem to measure up - there's still oppression and sickness and pain and disease. They wait for Christ whom they thought would be a conquering King. He came and went. In many ways His coming far exceeded there greatest hopes and imaginations and yet here we are - we still wait.
When are you coming back? When are You making all things new? When will the groaning stop? You declared it finished at the cross but please tell me there's more to come. Don't leave us struggling in sin and sickness. You say you are with us always and I know You are with me and sustaining me but I live in a world that is not run as Your kingdom should be run. I live in a graveyard; a dump of our own making. We can't do anything about it - only You can. Only in Your strength. Only by Your grace. Go all out. Let Your mercies overflow. I don't just want a miracle. I don't just want an answered prayer. I want You in all Your love and glory. And because of Christ I won't be destroyed.
Would you light a revival in Manurewa to bring sinners into your fold. Work in the police department...Work powerfully on earth to save sinners by your blood so that You might come back and take us home to Yourself. I'm homesick Yahweh. I don't know what home is like. I don't know when You will come but I know my home is in You. I will be restless until I'm in Your house. While I'm on earth let my heart abide in You.

"What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, 

nor the heart of man imagined, 

what God has prepared for those who love him"-

these things God has revealed to us through the Spirit. For the Spirit searches everything even the depths of God. 1 Corinthians 2:9-10

Sunday Afternoon...Reflection time:

I think this is the most troubling time of year for me. Summers escaping but there's no Thanksgiving or Christmas within sight to get excited about. The days are short but the afternoons alone seem exceedingly long. My heart goes through a sort of jet lag each year as I try and make sense of the climate and month and country I'm living in.

Andrew and Tazara came down with colds this weekend I think because of the rather drastic hot to cold the rain brought on. I took Tazara out yesterday for an hour bike ride just before tea/dinner. It was delightful. I love singing and praying and fellowshipping with the King in the open air. There's so much to pray about. So much to learn about how to parent and be married and live life and glorify our creator. It's both exciting and daunting. Study and parenting and life can very quickly get me overwhelmed...when I'm talking to God about it I'm overcome by a peaceful and delightful feeling of His favor and nearness. I love it!

This week I got to see a beautiful full rainbow! It stretched brightly over our house, the college, the church and Andrew's office. I had to stay out in the rain just to enjoy it and glory in the wonder of God's promises to us. I happened to be studying Noah this week and both the judgement and grace of God shown through this magnificent story. This morning at Church preaching in Samuel 5 Peter said "When God raises his sword it is both for judgement and salvation!" He then showed how this is ultimately seen in the cross.

Here's a Psalm I've been feeding off lately:

PSALM 84
How lovely is your dwelling place,
O Lord of hosts!
My soul longs, yes, faints
for the courts of the Lord;
my heart and flesh sing for joy
to the living God.
Even the sparrow finds a home,
and the swallow a nest for herself,
where she may lay her young,
at your altars, O Lord of hosts,
my King and my God.
Blessed are those whose strength is in you,
in whose heart are the highways to Zion.
As they go through the Valley of Baca
they make it a place of springs;
the early rain also covers it with pools.
They go from strength to strength;
each one appears before God in Zion.
O Lord of hosts, hear my prayer;
give ear, O God of Jacob!
Behold our shield, O God;
look on the face of your anointed!
For a day in your courts is better
than a thousand elsewhere.
I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God
than dwell in the tents of wickedness.
For the Lord God is a sun and shield;
the Lord bestows favour and honour.
No good thing does he withhold
from those who walk uprightly.
O Lord of hosts,
blessed is the one who trust in you!

14-Two-14

For my one and only lovEdenjoyfullnessoul!

It's Valentine's Day

Come what may

May passed along

Her silent song

Spoke by Super Powers

Deep pressing showers

Drowned out weeds

Sprouted flower seeds

Up from the hush

Swinging Fall dance rush

Pass Steelers play

Sure made my day

Thrill chills of yore

Love landing more.

Emmanuel-broken fetter

So 14two14's better

Every dawn reveals

Always you I feels

Thinging along

Thing so right.

;-pikipikipoet

A Quiet Heart

This morning Heidi and I were talking over Voxer. She shared an insight about how we tend to seek out the highs of life even from one cup of coffee(or tea) to the next. We got talking about ambitions and how we can seek to do great things but perhaps the hardest is when we're just plodding along doing daily "insignificant" life as unto the Lord. I've really grown to respect the woman/men in my life who don't have ambitious dreams to change the world, they fly(walk) under the radar as they faithfully and joyfully live in quietness and contentment from day to day. It reminds me of Mama's favorite hymn which she wrote as a prayer in the prayer books she made for each one of us.

Father, I know that all my life
Is portioned out for me,
The changes that are sure to come,
I do not fear to see;
I ask Thee for a present mind
Intent on pleasing Thee.

I would not have a restless will
That hurries to and fro,
Seeking for some great thing to do,
Or secret thing to know;
I would be treated as a child,
And guided where I go.

I ask Thee for the daily strength,
To none that ask denied,
A mind to blend with outward life
While keeping at Thy side;
Content to fill a little space,
If Thou be glorified.

In service which Thy will appoints,
There are no bonds for me;
My secret heart is taught the truth
That makes Thy children free;
A life of self-renouncing love,
Is one of liberty.
(hymn by Anna Laetitia Waring)

Miss American Pie

(With special thanks to Don Mclean)

A long long time ago

I can still remember How

'ard it was to make her smile

But I knew if I took the chance

That I could make my wife to dance

Sister come visit, Eden'd be happy for a while.

But still October made me quiver

With every paper I'd deliver

On the Grace College doorstep

I couldn't take any more prep

I remember that I cried

Hearing about my stranded Bride

But my going lightly got them all inside

The day Kirstie's visit flied

So...

Fly Fly Miss American Pie

Drove my Hondo to the pond oh but the pond was dry

Them good young gals drinking tap water oh my

Singing “wonder who'll be the lucky Kiwi guy?”

Did sisters write the book of love

And do you have faith in God above

Because Eden told you so?

Now that she believes her Kiwi-Roll

Can your visit save your sisterhood soul?..

Since 'twas me taught her how to dance real slow...

Well, you know that my love is all vain

Cause you saw Eden joyful in her pain

Yeah we'd both kicked off our shoes

To stream our Stony Glen kissed news

I now a happily married Kiwi buck

With two kids but no pickup truck

But I knew I was in for luck

The day Kirstie's visit flied

I started singing...

Hi Hi Miss American Pie

Drive my Hondo to the pond oh how our pond ain't dry

Them good young gals drinking my lattes on the sly

Singing “if he don't ask we won't need to lie...”

Now for ten days we've been on our own

Andrew grows fat gnawing a chicken bone

But that's not how it used to be

When Kirstie sang for the King and Queen

In a coat you borrowed from the Howard team

And a voice that came from you not me

Oh yeah while this King was looking down

You, sister, tried to steal my crown

My courtroom was adjourned

My verdicts were spurned

And while you sang like a lark

Your American quartet playing in the park

I hung nappies without a bark

The days of your visit multiplied!

And I was singing...

Why Why Miss American Pie

Drove my Honda to Waihi beach but the tide it was high

This good ole boy drinking coke on the sly

Singing “give me a break or I'll die...”

Oh, there we weren't at our Christmas place

Generations found in farming space

With no time left to start again

So come on John be nimble, John be slick

John be humble - oh I feel sick

Cause sisters are the 'hood's only friend

And as I write upon this page

My hands are clenched in fists of rage

No angel born in heaven

Can break your sisterhood leaven!

But as your plane climbed high in the Eve's night

My world it soon came back aright

I saw myself laughing with delight

The day your visit died

I was singing...

Bye Bye Miss American Pie

Drive your Hondo to sisters pond oh too bad it's now dry

This good ole boy has bigger fish to fry

Singing “give 'em space yeah let 'em cry...”

But now my gal sings the blues

And I asked her what was the bad news

But she just shied and turned away

I went down to my prayer room

Where I'd first hummed up your visit tune

But the God-man said another visit wouldn't play

And in our street our children screamed

My Lovely cried, this Poet dreamed

But not a word was spoken

Christineden's belle was broken

And the three men I admire most

Me, Myself and I won't toast

Your catching a plane for the East Coast

The day Kirsties visit died

And now we're singing...

What she wrote...

Why Why Miss American Pie?

Drive our Hondo to our tear-pond oh our tear-pond ain't dry

Us good ole dears still sipping port on the sly

Singing "c'mon sister; a return flight here buy!"

;-pikipikipoet

Toddled Christmas Time

Rhyming honour for some Great Gift Givers:

Grandipop & Grandmary (Zeke's magnet train arrived on Christmas Eve!),

Aunty Lorraine whose VW/Ka like toy 'Go Car' is so funkily functional,

Dad & Mum, the Tipper Truck works like fun.

Trained from a far
American bazaar
By magnetic Mary & Grandipapa.

Carred. Go Aunty great
Your aqua blue bait
Is so white-tyred quaint.

Trucked down the road
A love-bearing load
From G’dad & Nana’s abode.

 By ;~pikipikipoet

NEWAGEDEN!

23

The year we met

Gods best tempt yet

In the land of Kony

I won trick pony.

Man from the south

Shooting his mouth

Alonging that thing

Got you in my ring.

Flying high wonder

Got your new number

Jumping all my hoops

Without a single "oops!"

ChristinEden her name

She grows Gods fame

Abba her Care Warden

Dunking every Jordan.

;~pikipikipoet

Mama Zeke's 1st Mothers Day

Occasioned in May

The ball's in play

So I can say

You take the cake

But I eat it

Every day.

Graduated in May

To always stay

Come what may

Real not fake

In Abba's Spirit

Every day.

Coloured in May

Autumn trees sway

The season to say,

As you awake

To son's cry flit

Every day,

Loved in May

Mama Zeke prettay!

What can I say?

Confession make?

But I'm by beauty bit

Every day.

;-pikipikipoet

MY VALENTINE

Valent in Eden.

Delight of my eyes

Be well, be wise.

Belle to my ears

Know joy! No tears.

Beauty I touch

Feel love, feel much.

Garden deep, growing smart

Christ in Eden you valenced my heart

Growing deep, garden smart.

Feel love, feel much

Beauty I touch.

Know joy! No tears

Belle to my ears.

Be well, be wise

Delight of my eyes.

;~pikipikipoet (2009)

Last year - I awoke to a scrummy 5am bacon, eggs & bagels brekky! Then I revved us up back-roads to chew chocolate, sip sparkly and salute the sun rising over a misty Waikato.
This year - Fried eggs and spuds, rhubarb muffins w/jam & cream cheese and masala tea and, after work, we're headed to Papamoa beach for 2 nights  :)

 Valence ~ (noun) the capacity of one person or thing to react with or affect another in some special way, as by attraction or the facilitation of a function or activity.
Valent ~ (adjective) having valence.

Cookin..

Cast on the heat
Tenderly spitting meat
Cracking up, egging on
Sunny side up shone
Oiling our appetite
Feeds a healthy fight
Over pan-fried fishes
And wiping the dishes.

So who caught the catch
In this best match?

Mine to spread a toast
Butter her up boast
Sheden sizzles hot
I sure lucked the pot.

Woman's Plight

Every other day...
The sun shouts hosanna and the flowers dance to the melody of the wind.
Praises slide from my tongue like rain from a roof.
My husband is clad in steel armor covering a heart of gold.
The bible opens with life pouring out of it- i cup my hands and drink it in.
My heart is full with ambition, vision and purpose.
I see my life in full color and beauty, perfectly cropped and framed.
I feel loved and adored and I'm the happiest girl in the world.
But that day is tomorrow.

Today...
I dig for flower bulbs and find worms.
The sun hides from the earth and the trees cower in the rain.
I hang the laundry out and it pours.
I say "I'm sorry" in place of "I love you."
A smile hurts and "thank you" sounds empty.
The bible opens and tears blur the words.
My heart is still full but needs a decluttering.

So Lord, fill up the "thank you's" and heal the smiles. Erase the reasons for the sorry and multiply the "I love you's!" Its alright if the laundry gets showered but let the sun smile afterwards. Give sight to my blind eyes to see and believe. Touch my deaf ears so they might hear and understand. Purify and soften my heart that it may be touched by the things you are touched by. Let me feel the things that you feel and see the fullness that you see. The lessons and the cares of today are different then yesterday and tomorrow but let me thrive and learn from both. Thanks. Lala Salama.
 your Eden

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.

Sunset Beach Tales.

Over Sunset beach

High kite sails

Surfers waving

Past.

Over windwashed sand

Tyre whine wails

Land yachts slaving

Blast.

Over sweepy dunes

Our fitness fails

We water craving,

Aghast.

Over tidal scape

Our Honda flails

Keep her revving

Fast!

;~pikipikipoet

Mokau Boat Sojourn.

Mokau

On bow,

She says "wow,

Glad saw this now".

Sped by an Angus cow

But no wild boar or sow

Had put green grassland to snouty plow,

Only Billy on the gorge heard fatal ka-pow!

;~Pikipikipoet

Checking tides, dodging rain forecasts, and scrambling food together Andrew and I set out for a last risky venture before bubbas due date climbs any closer. We were off Good Friday morning heading for the Mokau River, with just one essential stop on the way to stock up on chocolate. ;) After struggling to find a shop open on a public holiday, chocolate covered almonds, Kit Kat's and a chocolate bar found there way safely into our travel bags. 

Two and a half hours of driving through beautiful NZ countryside led us to a muddy river bank where we assembled and let down our boat. I cringed at the messy sight thinking selflessly of the nine fresh stitches on my husbands leg and not so selflessly moping at getting wet and dirty just at the start of a trip. Andrew disappeared with the car, hiding it behind some tall brush under the bridge. 

Soon after Andrew pull-started the outboard and zoomed us up river. Farm land quickly turned to bush and then thicker bush, Andrew pointed out wild goats. Friday turned out to be pretty though a little overcast. The breeze off the water kept me pulling Andrew's Swazi tight around me, along with Mum's rain coat and a hat. We had a late lunch on a sandy bank after dropping off some of our stuff at the cabin. The water was too low to boat all the way to the cabin so we walked through the bush a little ways. 

The hunters cabin was charming though I'd probably rather admire it in pictures than live in it. A blue barrel caught the raingutters supply and a hose deposited the water in the kitchen sink. A small wood-stove occupied a corner with an ax ready for splitting wood. We didn't bring along any food for cooking to make use of the two burner kerosene stove on the counter. One cupboard for rat poison and two bunk beds finished out the cabin. A guy in his twenties, Josh, had pulled up in his boat with three dogs just as we did. He was there to stay a couple nights and hunt wild pigs. 


We went out on the river again before dinner and surveyed the river up stream. I drove the boat for a while then we floated down stream enjoying the wild. It got dark quick, Andrew guessed his way around logs and rocks as he guided us back to the cabin. 

Thankfully New Zealand has no snakes or bears to worry about when staying out in the bush. We were surprised Josh wasn't back at the cabin when we got in. Andrew had laid a sleeping bag on top for himself and one on the bottom bunk for me but I begged him to sleep with me. He sacrificed the extra space and joined me in the single bed to fight off the skanky looking wall. Thick cobwebs cloaked much of the cabin and a couple huge spiders eyed us from their quiet thrones above.
We sat on the floor on my cozy contentment blanket that Emily made me and munched down our cold dinner. A deck of cards entertained us for a while, then we read a couple chapters from our book 'God's Spy' by Chris Panos. We had light from a huge torch/ flashlight Andrew brought and I'd brought some candles as well. As the hours ticked by were worried about Josh being out alone in the bush after dark. Andrew went outside, walked around the cabin shining the torch and called his name a few times. Baby jumped inside me at Andrew's loud shouts. We prayed and bedded down for an early night around 8:30pm. I've never heard opposum's grawl, snarl, and hiss like they did out there in the trees around the cabin. Josh got in after 9:30pm with only two of his dogs. He said he'd go back out in the morning to look for his lost and wounded dog as well as bring back the pig he'd shot. Andrew and I both tossed and turned quite a bit throughout the night. 


We had a leisurely Saturday morning, ate what was left of our muffins and home made snack bars, read together and slept some more. Around 11am we gathered our gear and headed back to the boat. We took the trip downriver slower, munching on veggies, apples and chocolate. Saturday had warmed up and the river was serene. Drifting through the slower bits without the rumble of the motor we could listen to the bubbling water, birds singing, waterfalls, and goats playing. We even managed to get in another chapter of Chris Panos' exciting faith-filled life. 

                    

               




Every so often Andrew used the motor to navigate the boat through tricky bits of rapids and shallow waters. The goats were lucky that AD can't both drive and shoot. With the rifle along I thought Andrew would want to put it to use at least once. An old billy goat took the shot, making it as dramatic as possible by wailing, moaning and then pathetically stumbling into the river. I think Andrew feared I might not speak to him after his heartless kill but somehow we were chatting again way before our muddy dock appeared around 4.30pm. We managed to haul the boat up through the mud, dissemble it, and get everything back into and on top of the car. Andrew's left leg suffered a dunking once on the trip, and infection was beginning to show :( 


A dry, clean change of clothes waited for us in the car for the ride home. It was a pretty time of day for a drive as the sun was beginning to set. A stop for a hot roast dinner in Te Awamutu made the ride particularly wonderful. We even made it back to Hamilton in time to rest before Easter Sunday! :)