Alberta Bound

I drove from KiaKoura, to Nelson to Hanmer and Home in under 48 hrs. Well, actually I'm still in ChristChurch, working away on I don't know what, to be truthful, networking for home, hopefully see everyone in 10 days before the Vaca time with the fam. I'm so so so excited to see everyone, I feel better about coming back now, I have just had an unbelievable passport miracle, and some awesome words from people and God, and have more peace to come back, also I'm moving out of a room that I've had for a little while with Courtney, it's best for us both. Almost finished phase one of the plan, super stoked to show the before and after pics. Loves,
Laura

A week of firsts

Hello out there! it was a full week of randoms. I skied for the first time in 12 years up at Porters Pass. I had canada day in the winter with pumpkin pie. I'm organizing worship solo this Monday, and I have a car at my disposal for 2 weeks! I also helped at a youth group from ages 10- 13yrs on friday, super super stoked! I'm counting 10 days before I come home. loves and blessings.
Laura

First ride of the year!

I got to ride Hutt this last monday and it was really awesome! The snow was pretty decent and for missing 2 seasons I wasn't too bad at all! It's been sunny all week this week and it will be next week as well! I think the worst of the rain is now past.

I've been really moving along with the gardens- I've had some help too- a Dutch staff from the backpackers school is staffing the boarding school and there parents are staying for a few weeks. Its a lot of fun with them and it was his father who gave me a hand. :)

I spent the night with the blakely family and another earthcare student, we watched fiddler on the Roof! Such an amazing film, I was blown away. It's so vital to get there sometimes.  I've also booked the rest of my tickets, It should be pretty sorted, I've made plans for Nov and Dec which I'm fairly stoked on too! I'll be home for Christmas unless God directs otherwise. A good thing about plans is they can always be changed!

I'll be home in July!
loves
Laura

Oh life

I've booked a ticket home in July, and am really looking forward to seeing everyone! It's been a productive week of sunshine, but the monday didn't start off so wonderful. The rain can really get to you and the lack of sunshine, but as the week progressed the sun shone and the mountains are covered in snow. All the boarders are here now, it's going to be a great team! Another couple is coming on base and will be doing outreach co-ordination. It's going to be great. As far as plans and decisions, things aren't clear, but I must trust.

Dick Rasanen:
    
"Dear God, I find it so easy to try to be the one in charge, I find it so painful to realize that I am not the one in control. Help me to know when saying  "I just work here." It's a confession, and not just a way of evading responsibility."

(matt. 6 25-26)

"For this reason I say to you, [fn] do not be worriedabout your [fn] life, as to what you will eat or whatyou will drink; nor for your body, as to what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body morethan clothing,
		"Look at the birds of the [fn] air, that they do not sow,nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenlyFather feeds them. Are you not worth much morethan they? Loves Laura

Lead climbing and Poi dancing!

It's been another rainy week in Oxford, with 2 days of sun to break it up. I finished a bed in 2 days, I was really happy about that. I also got to help teach 2 sessions of BLS. Other then that, time flies here, but I don't know where it's going :). It's hard to get up earlier than 7:30 am because the days are short.

 We've got one more week until the whole of the snow boarder staff come along. Things are running into routine now, it's neither here nor there. The word that I'm getting from God is WAIT. For what I'm not sure, but I've got some social patterns to change- rather wrong beliefs that effect my actions, It's gotta go. God's so into character development. I also found I place almost ALL my worth in what I can do, so when we've had 2 weeks of rain and I've done nothing, I'm feeling so low because I'm not able to get my self worth from work. Scary. My faith is actions right now, not heart. It's taking a long time to adjust, 2 months actually. I was thinking though, I really did want to have some time to fly, because on outreach it feels like I live 2 days in one. I'm up at 5:30 am and to bed at 10pm, and the days are so full on and stress filled that it's really nice to just have a bit of stress free- if only counterfeit, and only once in my adult life.
Loves
laura

Rain, rain, it's time to go, come back if in the form of snow...

It's been absolutely pouring in most of New Zealand this last week, apparently the worst in years, good for the hills though, I guess about 4 feet or something wonderful like that! This week was very very slow for the grounds keeping- it was a week of Saturdays, which may sound appealing at first but really, not at all. I ended up skim boarding in the back of one of our properties, we had about 3 inches of flooding all over the grass- it was perfect!!!

The BLS started up this Sunday night and I'm on the BLS leadership team with another base staff guy and  headed up by Mary Huffman. She's a long time YWAMer and she has asked me to apprentice under her, I'm stoked to be apart of the team. Also, the SFC (snowboarders for Christ) met this weekend in Christchurch, and myself and another kid (Scott Blythen) went to check it out! I think it's really going to be amazing! I was with friends this Friday and Sat in Christchurch, and we went all the way to littleton, Taylor's mistake and back around to ChristChurch, it was so beautiful! The rain just let up as we went to look at some WWll Guns on the coast and the sun came out. :)

Things are getting better around the base, like my good friend who left said, the clouds do lift. The snowboarder staff are getting going and it's one month to the day the school starts. I've started P90X with some base staff, which has quickly become HUGE and almost everyone is doing it! It's kicking my butt that's for sure, I could barely get my arms above my head. I'm more at peace here now than I have been for the last 2 months. I'm supported now from leadership and from (most) of my peers. My main goal is to setting the tone as best I can. It's pretty good so far- humbling, but good. Love you all!

Hello Good-bye

It's a revolving door here at YWAM, I had to say good-bye to a dear friend that I met last year and now she is gone back to England via thailand/ Israel today. Last night was a huge dinner for all of base staff, it felt like a thanksgiving dinner- so fun and so much food! It's a new season for this base, snow boarders DTS is already under way! It's very exciting and new energies are coming through- many new personalities as well! The landscaping project is coming along well, I got to go to heaps of different green houses to shop for plants and weedmat and other soils and seeds. I hope to put in a winter garden as well- anything is possible here in NZ. I get to learn so much as well.

I have just finish a 5 day fast to pray for this new season on base and to also get direction on what the next step may be. I haven't received anything much in the way of direction but I have been given peace for this time in NZ. I have found it challenging in many ways, some I was anticipating, others came out of left field. God fights for us, and He sees us when it may seem that no one else does.

Loves
laura