30.10.10

This afternoon contained a few of the most hilarious hours in my life.

JD and Ben found this old scooter at church and started doing stunts on it, just bunny hops and jumps inside to begin with.

It escalated and things got a bit crazy. There was break dancing, spray paint, ripped clothing, the macarena, parkour and shirtlessness.

Michelle, Amy and I looked on in awe. They were being such boys and showing off. We caught many minutes of footage, most un-useable because I was shaking from laughter the whole time.

29.10.10

Gin is an absolutely fantastic card game.

I think I'm getting the hang of it.

Amy is a good teacher and herself, Logan and I played it many a time today.

I even nearly won!

Ginning is the best feeling in the world.

28.10.10

Tonight I went to Primal with Janet. It made me really appreciate my own church.

I used to go to Bays Primal and I loved it. I think it was really good for me to experience other churches which focus on the Holy Spirit more, especially in my mid-teens. I used to get annoyed with my own church for not being more like that, but tonight I realised again that Northcross is great.

We may be a bit scared of supernatural things sometimes but I think that's better than the other way around. There's too much risk of getting into murky doctrine and people pleasing.

I hope we never give into hype.

27.10.10

Human relationships are strange things. Today I have learnt again that even if you think you know someone fairly well or you think you know how they are feeling, they can surprise you.

A friend threw me a bit of a curveball today and it has me a tad concerned. She's almost a completely different person than I thought she was and I don't really know how to react or what to say to her.

Also today one of my closest friends had some stuff go down which left her pretty confused about a whole lot of deep things.

I apologise for being so vague but I'm trying to be discreet. Feelings and secrets and that jazz.

26.10.10

The glorious weather has continued into the week. What better to do when the sun is shining than go to the Donell's house and chill by the pool?
NOTHING
That is what happened.
So much lounging.

25.10.10

Have you ever picked the exact perfect flavour of icecream to how you're feeling at the time?

I find it is a huge decision and often I make a foolish choice. Often I end up disappointed.

Not today.

I can highly recommend the passionfruit sorbet from Blue in Matakana.

It will make you swoon like Ryan Reynolds holding red roses whilst reading you poetry ever could.

24.10.10

We had a real life campfire tonight around the next bay. We toasted marshmallows and sang Sk8erboi because everyone knows the words.
Studying the fire is so interesting. I feel as if I could watch it for hours on end. If there was no smoke in my eyes that is.

On the way back to the campsite we had to jump down a ledge of sand. I decided it might be fun to jump right at the edge so the part I land on collapses under my feet.
It was just myself and the Amys. We had a blast and we absolutely tore up the bank. There was no way we could quieten our laughter. We were hysterical. That is how much fun it was.

Not that it would have taken much to make us hysterical at that point. We were very tired.

(We had slept on the beach the night before. I recommend it. Just beware of the dew. You will wake up with the outer layers being soaked.)

23.10.10

Worshiping to an acoustic guitar on the beach is one of my favourite things to do ever.

That is what happened this evening. We were there for over an hour just belting it out to God, the creator of the incredible view we were soaking in.

The moon was rising, casting its orange reflection across the ocean.

In the reflection, under the moon, two dolphins jumped out of the water a little bit as if God had instrumented it himself to bless us.

Writing this I am overwhelmed with His love for us. It really was unreal.

22.10.10

Amy and I found ourselves sitting on a huge rock overlooking Tawharanui beach and the ocean. We just sat and contemplated.
At first we chatted a bit and made noises to show we were taking in the scenery but then we fell silent.
The silence went for ages. Maybe half an hour.
Words were too much and not enough.
I was imagining that we were in a scene from a film which starts with a shot of us on our rock and then zooms out and out and out all the way until the Earth is just a speck on the screen. I was thinking just how small and insignificant we really are.
Looking at the vast ocean can give you that impression.
After a while we got chilly.
She said we should pray and we did.

I love that we can just pray together whenever. I have got so much appreciation for her.

21.10.10

Two days ago I posted about people who drift out of your life after a certain period of time.
Today I encountered a friend who drifts in and out. Each time I see her I remember just how awesome she is. Usually we are passing and only get to chat for a short while. Today it was outside my lecture theatre. I really don't know her very well. I know her ok, but I wouldn't say we're super close.
Despite this, we manage to laugh and carry on like we are the best of friends.

I really appreciate this about her. She's a very cool person. And I feel alright about our limited interaction. Quality is better than quantity. Mostly.

20.10.10

Today JD was in a good mood. There were jokes even. It is nice to share an office with someone who is cheery. He even did a notice! He never does them willingly.

19.10.10

It was my last ever class with this girl I have come to sort of know today. I don't think she thought it was as big of a deal as I did.
We're Facebook friends and we have each other's numbers but other than that we only know one another through sitting together at uni. I don't even remember how I came to befriend her. Maybe she befriended me.
All I know is that our relationship probably ends here. There may be the odd comment on a page or a status now and again, but we're pretty much over.
It's strange how people drift in and out of our lives. Some do it over time so that you don't recognize that it's happening, and with others it is sudden.
Fickle fickle.

18.10.10

Tonight at band I feel like it was rather productive because we played around a bit with settings on the keyboard.
We have a really cheesy backing track behind one of the songs now. It's so hilariously awesome. Very appropriate for a song which goes:

"Jesus, you're my superhero
You're my star,
My best friend."

Funfunfunfunmusicmakingfun

17.10.10

This evening I approached the pile of mail on the bench with little interest. Usually the only mail I recieve is in the form of a charity newsletter or a bank statement.
However, to my utmost glee I discovered a postcard from none other than Clarissa Tan! She sent it while she was in Malaysia.
Oh she's so lovely.
Mail makes one so happy.

16.10.10

I had a yippity-dooh-dah time this evening at the barn dance.
Docee-do-ing and loop-de-loop-ing all night long was incredibly fun.
Who would have thought it could be so awesome.
Friends are fun. Plus there was this one where Rob and I were partners and there was so much glee on his face we laughed a lot. Oh joy.

15.10.10

Today it was actually like Summer had arrived. On the way to work I had my window rolled all the way down and I was uncomfortably hot. That's how good the sun worked.
It had me feeling the burn on my arm.
Ooooohhh I can't wait.

14.10.10

The time was 8:45pm and it was a pleasant evening, albeit slightly cloudy. The air was clear and the streetlights were on, illuminating the dark path and causing the trees to cast shadows over the ground.
I found myself resisting the strong urge to skip along the footpath as I made my way down to Britomart.
Having just completed my final assignment, I felt as if there were no pressures left in the world.
In the semi-darkness it somehow became easier to pick up a host of different scents wafting from plants and flowers freshly sprung.
The world, with all its little charms, was waiting for me to appreciate it.

13.10.10

Today I suited up. It was a pretty great feeling. And a pretty great day.

Debbie and I had a good bonding time today over broken hearts, emotions and ideas. We chatted, prayed and had a good mentor session.

She is so good at her job. Honestly. If she wasn't there I would fail a lot.

I really appreciate her intuitiveness and concern for us on the team.

One day maybe I can be as cool.

12.10.10

It is the small gestures which make a day remarkable.

This morning Amy Lloyd came to my house with a bunch of roses for me. I was expecting her but not the flowers. It certainly brightened my day. She is a very thoughtful person and I love how she goes out of her way to show people she cares.
I really appreciated those roses and they make me smile whenever I look at them.

11.10.10

Music has an incredible power to move people. I love that about it. It can be thought provoking and emotion evoking.

Mumford and Sons are these things to me. I absolutely love their lyrics. I love that they can be simple at times but impacting nonetheless. And the music has so much going on but never too much. It's always so tight and diverse and magical. They are geniuses.

This is my favourite I think.

10.10.10

So this week has been pretty lame. It has just sucked bigtime.
But through it all God has been like, "things are going to be ok cos I'm here" and I'm trying to trust him.
Then tonight at church I was just happy. During the worship I was grinning like a mad thing and I danced a bit because of that weird thing called 'joy'.
Joy is more than just being happy. It's like even when things are lame, you can still praise God because of who he is.
I can't really explain it. I just feel it.

09.10.10

You know how with some people it doesn't matter that you hardly know them at all, you just feel like hanging out and interacting with them is the most natural thing ever?

That's kind of how I feel about my friend Janet. I met her last semester in one of my papers and we both wagged a lot so I hardly saw her. Anyhow, tonight was her birthday bash and I went (along with Amy for support).

It was just fantastic to see her again. I love her to bits. She's so fun.

Amy and I had a fantastic time even though we knew no one.

A wee Korean ball of joy. That's how I'd describe her.

08.10.10

Today my brother was born. Not actually today. The today 19 years ago. I'm grateful for that.

Also today something cool happened. Actual today. The today of 2010.

I saw Relient K live. It was flippin awesome. I have loved them since I was early teens and I have all of their albums. I didn't even study and I knew all the words to the songs, barring a couple from the new album. I was so proud. It all came flooding back. And the actions. Far out. I had been waiting for tonight to come since I missed them at Parachute '04. What would have been the best is if they'd played Sadie Hawkin's Dance and played more older stuff and played for longer.

Actually, the show should have been the other way around with Paramore supporting so Relient K could play for hours.

Oh and Paramore was pretty cool. Hayley Williams is so cool. Like off the charts cool.

07.10.10

Amy Ritchie is good quality.
We had a date and we both shared things that we have never before.
It is so freeing when that happens and you unburden kinda.
Soooo freeing.
She's a pretty legit friend.
And when I say pretty legit, I mean amazingly awesome.
She just listens and then is wise and says what is needed to be said.

Then she got crunk and we laughed.

06.10.10

Today at work we watched funny YouTube clips for far too long. It was a definite while.
But oh man they were good. Here's one of the first ones we watched:



Hilarious. He's awesome.

Anyhow laughter is so good. I was on the floor shaking because of one of them.

Ohh such fun.

05.10.10

Renee is so amazing at taking photos. They make you feel things inside. And sometimes they even spill out into verbalness. For example, "awww" or "ooh".

Here are a few which I love.













For more beauty check out her website: www.pedrottiphotography.com

04.10.10

Today has been pretty sucky. I've just felt meh.
But then something cool happened.
As I was getting some paper at work a flicker of red light got in my eye and when I looked towards the source I saw that it was outside. The view was so beautiful that I went and stood on the deck.
The sun was setting in a clear sky, making it all different shades of pink and red. I watched as it disappeared into the silhouettes of the trees.
It was like a glimmer of hope.

03.10.10

For lunch I went to the Neville's house. It was cool to go out to another household as a family for lunch. It has been years since that happened. It used to be a weekly Sunday occurrence. Plus it was nice to see our pastor in his natural habitat. They are a family like us.

02.10.10

I have a very clean room. I went through EVERYTHING today and sorted it all out. There were 8 bags full of unwanted junk, clothing, shoes, and rubbish. It feels very good. Like my life had a clean-out too. Took hours though.

01.10.10

Today I realised my own insecurity.
It's pretty scary.
You think you're pretty strong, but in reality most people are fragile.

30.09.10

On the bus home from uni, Amy Lloyd and I were thinking some pretty profound thoughts about how creative God is. He made our noses have holes, our ears have weird creases, and he made the wind. The latter we noticed because of some leaves rustling on a tree. It was really beautiful. They were big leaves and they looked like petals. The way the wind was making them move was truly graceful.
We were super fortunate to have seen the seemingly small miracle of the wind causing some leaves on a tree to dance.