Happy 2006!

And what a brilliant year its going to be! As the year drew to a close, it was so encouraging and exciting to look back over the 12 months and see how God has changed my life, moved me on, directed my path and hurled me 12,000 miles out of my comfort zone. Saying that, tonight we were talking about how you normally experience such weird cultural differences when you got to far flung places, but my new kiwi delight is Jellytip ice-cream!! (choc-chip ice-cream with the most fluorescent pink jelly streaks - all natural ingredients I am sure). I'm hardcore, I am.

I started the year still in Peckham, unsure what I wanted to do... offering God my life and dreams, wanting to see what God would do with my "blank canvas"... and here I am in Wellington... It has been the hardest thing I think I've had to do, and everyday whilst still having the amazing blessings of being here, there are family and friends that I miss and have to mentally pretend they're around the corner. This week I got the most stunning painting and amazing bag from very special friends in England.... thank you! (see photo above for my knitted bag - painting to come soon!)

This weekend I move over to my new place in Miramar - a space under the lovely Elkin family's home. In a strange way, I will miss living with Melva and Ann, and the gigantic cat, as they have been my first home in New Zealand... but the bags are packed, boxes are bulging and I certainly have amassed more than what I came with!

So I'm really excited about the year ahead - God gives and He takes away: He's given me the most amazing experience to live here, but far away from those I love. I'm looking forward to getting the year started properly though, shake off those sleepy holiday feelings and run into the things that are planned... more later xxx