Sometimes My Own Cheesiness Amazes Me

Lately I've been thinking a lot about the cattle on a thousand hills.

I wonder why?

Anyway, it's a good reminder for me of how great God is. I walk these hills most days during the summertime, and at the moment, with a lot of things feeling very up-in-the-air, it's good to really remember that there is someone with a bit more perspective than me involved in the process!

News on base: we have started both our Young Couples DTS and Adventure DTS, just a week apart from each other. I am running the kitchen and office this next few months, having a little break from such relentless involvement with DTS! Although I'm not sure if my plan is working; last week was really busy. I'm thinking in a couple of weeks things will get caught up in routine and I will have less to make happen on my own. On the bright side, right now the Adventure DTS is together playing ice-breaker games (excruciating!), and I am in my house relaxing. So maybe my plan IS working.

It's been great to meet the new students as they arrive. So many of them have such a heart for the world and seeing change happen-- they are just looking for a little direction for that passion. I'm looking forward to seeing what happens as they spend time seeking God and making connections through teaching and experiences here at Oak Ridge.

My director here has always referred to the six-month cycle of DTS after DTS here as "groundhog day." It often feels like that... we explain the same things over and over, have the same "do you say soda or pop?" kind of conversations, and watch people make awkward (in the beginning) friendships that turn into life-long connections. But even in the middle of the groundhog-day-ness of it all, there is always the feeling that something new is about to happen. Here is a group of people who have never been together before. And maybe one or two or all of them are going to change the world entirely.

Who knows? It's possible. After all, we are working with the God who owns the cattle on a thousand hills.

Still Beautiful, Even After All These Years

Well. After some very long-feeling months in NZ since my last blog post, and a couple of short-feeling months in America, I am back. In New Zealand. And on Blogger.

Here's some good news: it is summer in NZ right now. And for the most part, really warm and beautiful. There was the small matter of a huge rain storm involving major flooding last weekend, but why hold a grudge? The last few days have been sunny and hot and I have gotten a little bit tanner than I was a week ago. I'm still the palest pakeha around, but that's okay. (Pakeha basically means "white person" in Maori.)

Here are some photos I took the other day:

These are taken from the deck of the Blythens' house the other day (they are the family that are pretty much my Weasleys here in NZ.). I was sitting there drinking cold drinks and breathing warm, clear air, and remembering why I love NZ so much, so I thought I'd share the moment with you. :)

It's good to be back, mostly. It's also overwhelming to be back. The prospect of what is happening here at Oak Ridge in the next few months seems like a lot to make work. I have excused myself from the next DTS, and will instead be running the office and kitchen, which will hopefully be a really good break from the intense schedule of the DTS, and will give me some time to evaluate some things. I have been wondering lately how much longer this place is really going to be healthy for me... it's so isolated here at times. So that, among other things, will be pondered.

Other things on my mind: a generation of young people completely saturated by media; moving across the base next week to a new (to me) house; helpful and non-helpful communication methods; peanut butter m&m's.

So there you go. Until next time!