This Year

I don't believe we should live in the past, we shouldn't continually hanker for those past years or events that left an indelible mark on our psyche. We need to live in the present for the future while acknowledging our debt to the past. The past is important because it is what shapes us; we come out of the past into the now. The past gives us a future that the now can either change or build upon or deny. It causes me some pain to see people a prisoner to their past, trapped in memories, bitterness, or patterns of life that do not belong in the now and cannot not take them into the future.

What this preamble is about is that I want to reflect on my year; but I'm not trapped in the past just acknowledging what has gone before!

2009 started with Bronwyn's parents down here for Christmas and New Year and also her brother and sister-in-law. It was great spending time with them, especially a trip we did down to Geraldine spending one night then going home via Lake Tekapo and Timaru. Part of the enjoyment was the journey itself; seeing the beauty of the countryside, stopping for a picnic by the Raiaka River. It reminds me that sometimes we are in such a rush to get places in life - to turn 21 or 30; to get married; to see our kids become adults; to have a flash house; to earn top salary - that we miss the enjoyment of the getting there, the pleasure of the moment. When you get into your fifties you start to realise that didn't want to get there so fast after all.

My brother got married in Indonesia and brought Eva back to NZ to live in Nelson, it was lovely welcoming her into the family and Kiwi culture.

April was a goodbye to Naomi as she left for Hawaii and the start of her YWAM course. It was difficult saying goodbye as Naomi was our last child at home and she seemed so young to be heading off to other side of the world but at least we thought she would be back in 6 months time! It's now Dec and she is still away, the first Christmas without her. Although we would like her home we also believe that God is doing a work in her life and she is being a blessing to those she meets.

We celebrated two 80th birthdays in May. First my Dad; we gave him a surprise visit in Nelson to help celebrate his 80th. Sarah, Jono and Mark all came up with us. Dad's health has been a bit up and down this last year so it was timely to spend time with him. Then at the end of the month we all flew up to Rotorua and joined in a big party to celebrate Bronwyn's Dads 80th, good to spend time with family and friends. Bronwyn would fly back up later in the year to help with her mothers health which had slipped a little after a couple of small strokes. We see family time as important especially as our parents are at the stage when bad health can change everything very quickly. We want to value their lives while we have them with us.

During the year Bronwyn and I flew to Auckland as part of our Navigator roll; we visited many folks involved with other cultures. It was a wonderful time and an encouragement just talking to these different people with interesting stories, a mosaic of cultures encountering Jesus - Fijian, Tongan, Malaysian, Iranian and Kiwi. We felt privileged to be part of this. One moment that was special for me was meeting the son of a Tongan man who discipled me in Christchurch back in the early to mid 70's. He became the head of the Tongan Navigator work until he retired in Wellington. I have never meet him since that original time. It was wonderful seeing his son, a high school teacher, so involved with people living his faith and sharing the love of Jesus into their lives.

Time was spent walking with a number of people who were struggling in their lives through this year. We didn't resolve anything but we hope our prayers and support helped carry their load. It's been a heartache seeing a number of marriages fall apart without reconciliation. People trapped in depression, unable to function properly, but also others keen to look into the scriptures and welcome God into their messy lives.

Other moments for us; my parents came down to Christchurch to visit, started the "Living Collective" mission meets, some great cycling especially our trip into Lake Sumner, Bronwyn's book club nights, my cafe nights with the men, time with a Bhutanese refugee family and our Indonesian friends.

We rounded out this year with a great party across the road to celebrate two of our neighbours reaching fifty and again, just the other day, at their place to celebrate Christmas. Not in a Christian sense but it was a great night; singing all those great corals and because a number of people there were 'Barbershop' singers, the singing was in tune and harmonised!

All these events have been part of the journey, they make up the year. Each individual item didn't make the year but provided the colour, beauty, pain, paradoxes and complexities that was the year. Many times we would say to ourselves that this person or event is an interruption to our agenda of getting to the end of the year. Then God would remind us of how he viewed people that crossed his path not as interruptions but opportunities to express his love and grace.

To anyone reading out there in the great bloggersphere I would like to wish you a wonderful Christmas and a new yaer filled with opportunities.