On the way…

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Work Ethics

Sue’s Views
Work is a necessary part of life ….. and we can teach our children good work ethics from a very young age! By giving them age suitable tasks we can prepare them for something they will spend a lifetime doing. Things like making their bed before school ….. tidying up before using technology ….. helping with daily tasks ….. can help them become self disciplined. It’s often easier to do it yourself ….. but the long term results are worth the time and effort!

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Shalom

Sue’s Views
It’s not easy to find peace and quiet these days ….. but it’s something we all crave deep down. It’s not just about the absence of noise and activity ….. but the presence of the Prince of Peace. He is present in the middle of a storm ….. in a busy shopping mall ….. in heavy traffic ….. and in the turmoil of everyday life. We can’t always escape these ….. but we can always find Hiim and receive His peace. When life gets a bit frantic ….. and emotions become a roller coaster ….. remember He is right there! May you know His shalom today!

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Brain Power

Sue’s Views
Did you know that the human brain is the one organ that keeps developing throughout your life? You have the potential to keep learning ….. and to change the way you think no matter how old you are. We say things like ‘You can’t teach an old dog new tricks’ ….. but that’s more about us becoming set in our ways and not wanting to change. The truth is ….. there are new ideas waiting to be discovered inside of you. You just have to be willing to explore them. I wonder how many God given plans go undiscovered because we think we are too old ….. or we can’t be bothered. Food for thought! Happy Monday everyone ❤️

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A New Zealand God Can Bless

Sue’s Views
Tomorrow our new government will be decided. In case you haven’t already voted ….. I want to remind us all of the laws God gave His people as a foundation to a blessed nation. Whether or not you are a practicing Christian ….. most would agree these are reasonable laws based on respect. Before you make your decision compare them to the laws being considered and passed today. God’s laws are known as the Ten Commandments ….. not the ten suggestions! That’s because He knows the consequences of not keeping them. He said if we obey them we will be blessed. If we disobey them we will be under a curse. Do you see any connection between what’s happening in the world today ….. and the laws being passed? The only way forward is to return to the original plan. Let’s pray for a New Zealand that God can bless!

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Cry Me a River

Sue’s Views
This tree is known as a ‘weeping willow’. They usually grow alongside a river bank and ….. according to Wikipedia ….. they are all females! That accounts for much! But male or female ….. we all feel sad at times. Tears are the overflow of pent up emotion and they are precious to God. In fact He collects our tears in a bottle. That tells me that we shouldn’t waste our sorrows. They help us to grow stronger and make us more understanding of others. The shortest verse in the Bible says ‘Jesus wept’. His tears were for his friends who were grieving ….. but mostly for the unbelief of mankind. He can identify with our sadness. He can also turn our mourning into dancing ….. and our sorrows into joy!

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Paradox Paradise

“You mean… you’re just going to give it away? But we need that money!”

My husband had decided to give away our remaining piano before we moved back to New Zealand. We could’ve sold it for about 4000RMB, around $800NZ. I was pregnant with our third child, money was tight, and I was anxious about all our up-coming expenses. How could my husband think this was a good time to be overly generous?

He had a student who needed a piano, a Christian family, and he felt very strongly that God was telling him to just give it to them for nothing. What could I say? I know what I wanted to say… but I’d learnt to trust my husband’s lead, so all I could say was… “alright, if that’s what you think we should do…”  

A week (or maybe several) later, the family came back to us and said, “we feel that God has asked us to give you some money for this piano. I chose the numbers 3 and 7, because they seemed like good biblical numbers, and I’ve multiplied them together and added a few zeros… here’s an envelope with 21,000RMB in it!”  

How could it be that when I let go… when we give away, when we don’t try to gain for ourselves, even when it hurts… we could end up with more than we could’ve imagined?  

Jesus seems to have taught a lot of things that don’t make sense to our natural minds… a lot of paradoxes. Look at all these paradoxes in the bible…

  • Finding through losing (Matt. 10:39)
  • Living through dying (John 12:24)
  • Freedom through servitude (Rom. 6:18)
  • Gaining through losing (Phil. 3:7-8)
  • Receiving through giving (Acts 20:35)
  • Strength through weakness (2 Cor. 12:10)
  • Exaltation through humility (James 4:10, Phil. 2:8-9)  

The thing is, these paradoxes all seem so foolish to our human minds! What do you mean if I want to be first I must be last (Matt. 20:16)? If I want to be a leader, I must be the servant (Matt. 20:26)? How are we supposed to understand all these paradoxes? 

I think Jesus was alluding to a secret… there was another place where things were different. A place where we can store up treasure that never rusts, where the merciful and meek win out, where the sufferers and mourners are blessed, a place that He knew so well but was so unlike what we know now. But like I learned with giving away the piano, I’m not sure it can be intellectualised… our minds just can’t comprehend it. But it comes alive when we just believe and obey… have those paradoxes come alive for you?  

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Lessons from a forest

Sue’s Views
I love how these trees grow so tall and straight ….. and respect each other’s space. Friendship is like that! It’s allowing someone to be who they are while standing alongside in support. It’s about letting them know you are there without invading their territory. And it’s about setting an example ….. being a person of integrity ….. even when they may go astray. So many lessons from a forest!

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Perspective

Sue’s Views
Whenever I feel a bit down I try to go for a walk in our local Botanical Gardens. It always does the trick. Whatever problem I’m facing I am able to see in perspective. The vastness ….. and often minuteness ….. of God’s creation; the diversity and variety of colour and shape; the care with which everything is designed ….. reminds me that God is in control and is never fazed by anything. He is the same ….. yesterday ….. today ….. and forevermore!

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Grandchildren

Sue’s Views
Our grandchildren are precious for many reasons ….. not the least being that they continue our legacy. We all have our weaknesses ….. our failings ….. our regrets even ….. but through our grandies we have hope! It’s a bit like a relay race. We run our leg the best we can and then hand the baton over to our children to run theirs. They then hand it on to their children. We see each generation run further and do better that we did. Time spent with our grandchildren is one of the best investments we could ever make!
Sent from my iPad

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Time to Choose Wisely

Sue’s Views
Only one week to go till our elections. If you are anything like me you may be still deliberating! And that’s ok because your vote is very important. Here are a few points to ponder: take time to think about the kind of world you want your children to grow up in? ….. which party best reflects your values? ….. who shows the most respect for life? ….. who will most empower you as a parent to raise your children as you choose to? Choose wisely and prayerfully. God is still in control!