Heralds of the Good News

When you bang on the jungle drums in The Salvation Army, you'll be suprised who'll come out of the woods and into the clearing!

Last night was our official welcome into the Training College at Wellington City and as well as officers from my home division and my beloved pastors, there were people who remembered me from my childhood hiding around the hall as well.

We did the usual cadet thing - marched in as our photos appeared on the big screen and saluted our Territorial Commander, turned and saluted the congregation and then took our place up on the platform at the front of the church. The salute I kind of like as it's actual meaning is to give all the glory back to God. When you see it, it might seem a little odd (just your pointer finger in the air in salute) but when you know what it signifies it takes on a whole new meaning.

The night went pretty quickly - our session was called everything from prunes (by our Training Principal who tried his best to relate us to the 'best ever tasted' from the Sunkist add on tv!!), to the best looking session ever... no argument there!... and finally our official name Heralds of the Good News.

To lighten the seriousness of the moment, I was dying to announce at the beginning of the Bible reading (my little contribution for the evening) that: "This Herald would like you to turn in the Good News to Mark chapter 1!"... but I chickened out at the last second - my nerves won out over my sometimes ill-timed sense of humour!!

Other than feeling like I was sitting in a fish bowl for the evening (kinda goes with the territory really!) it was a great time to come together and if anything, to reaffirm our calling - firstly, we're called by God to serve Him, secondly we feel called to ministry within the Salvation Army. One of the things that struck me was that we had an amazing amount of support and that continues beyond Sunday night - it's not just the 'little old ladies' praying in different parts of the country!! - mind you, if there is a little old lady praying for you, you haven't got a show! It was so good to have people come from near and far just to encourage us.

To my friends and family who couldn't make it, thank you so much for your prayers, cards, letters and overall support. I still miss you all hugely - some days more than others. Thank you Lord for opening Wellington airport long enough for my pastors to be there - just to hear their voices amongst the crowd and to see their faces made my night! To those that wanted to be there and couldn't - the fact that you tried means the world to me!

Let me leave you with what I've been reading of late:

From Psalm 121 (thanks Vicks!):

I look up to the mountains; does my strength come from mountains?
No, my strength comes from God, who made heaven, and earth, and mountains.
He won't let you stumble, your Guardian God won't fall asleep.
God's your Guardian, right at your side to protect you ...
God guards you from every evil, he guards your very life.
He guards you when you leave and when you return, he guards you now, he guards you always.

Timetabled STUDY Time

Around 3.30 this afternoon I heard a light knock on my door and there was Jen - out of uniform (rebel without a library cause!) - with Hudson and the stroller in tow. I knew exactly what was on offer, grabbed my hat and wallet and out the college gates we snuck... after waving politely to the Training Principal as he drove in that is!

We had a quick laugh and went on our merry way in search of chocolate, diet coke and a coffee on the way home. Chocolate we found, diet coke I consumed (the latest Woman's Day somehow slid it's way into my purchases - are Jen and Brad really back together??!) and coffee we stopped for briefly at the Lighthouse cinema just around the corner from home.

Feeling a slight pang of guilt but refreshed and a little more in the mood to hit the books we decided to set out for home.... only to feel the full force of Wellington's weather. A slight shower made us walk a little faster. Mix that with Wellington's wind however and 5 minutes later, 2 drowned rats and a rather subdued 2 year old slunk back in the gates - coffee now luke warm, the back page of my cultural reading matter in tatters but laughing almost uncontrollably!

After this afternoon it is probably quite fair to say that those that slink off during Timetabled Study Time for coffee and sight-seeing, WILL BE JUDGED!!!

"Let's all go for a walk eh?"

If Noakes-y (as he is affectionately called around College) says, "Let's all go for a walk eh?" my advice to you is...

RUN!
Run!... as fast as your stocking clad feet, heels and skirt will take you!!
Run!... if a walk to you means a trot to the dairy for milk and bread!
Run!... if you only walk as far as the smell of a good coffee takes you....
Run I say! (I can hear you all harping now.... "Run Forrest! Run!")

Yesterday, Noakes-y took us on a 'walk' to a small waterfall. Granted we were encouraged to wear walking shoes but nobody said anything about having to pick-a-path through the bush/stream, that we would require bursts of energy to leap (and leap I did just like a gazelle!) from rock to rock or anything about getting my feet wet!

I have to concede though:

Yes... the waterfall was lovely
Yes... it was good to get a bit of fresh air into the lungs
Yes... I know, water won't kill me!
And yes... I had a good time!


On the return journey, the good major waded past me through the waters as I was (not so delicately at one point!) leaping around, and quipped: "Come on! It's inevitable Karen - you're gonna get your feet wet!"

Although I did agree at the time, can I just say that I came, I lept and I conquered!... and I left with dry feet and even Noakes-y's lovely wife Vyvyenne can vouch for that!

What do we live for...!

You may well remember a quote from an earlier blog along the lines of: 'What do we live for but to make sport for our neighbours...' Well? I think my first morning of attempting what is to become a regular event could well be called 'sport' for you all! Even though I have learnt a few lessons since - enjoy!


For those of you unfamiliar with Salvation Army ways, we wear a uniform to identify ourselves to the public. Generally, we wear a smart casual version around campus but there are times when we have to be a little more formal - that means stockings, a skirt and heeled shoes. That in itself will have a few of you smiling already as those of you who know me well will be able to count the number of times you have seen me in a skirt on fingers and possibly toes. Stockings and heels however? Even I can count those times on one hand!

Well, day one came around and I was up bright and early to 'look smart' for the day. The stockings became the comedic event of the year!...

Firstly, I'm sure manufacturers purposely shrink stockings by at least 2 sizes purely to make us feel as though we have to get into those puppies otherwise we'll cry our way through the rest of the morning over how much weight we've put on since the last pair!

Secondly, no-one warned me about the nylon burns I would receive on my thumbs if I tried too hard and too fast to just make the suckers fit!

Thirdly, no-one mentioned that you would be extremely uncomfortable for the entire duration of wearing them and that if you attempted to consume food, you would be limited to a small number of delicate mouthfuls or your circulation would cease from the snug waist-band down!

Fourthly, my apologies to all males reading this saga as it is probably more than you've ever wanted to know about stockings. However, I do think you should have just that little bit more sympathy for your other half if they have to live through this nasty experience themselves!

Note to you: Kindly turn the other way as we contort to get them on - Cirque du Soleil would be proud to have any woman that survives the ordeal on a regular basis!

Fifthly, if I'm doing something grossly wrong and this need not be so painful, someone please comment and give me advice!!!

Sixthly... someone find the man who created stockings and bring him to me!

Well, with a wiggle in my walk, I finally made it out the door with slightly red thumbs, a rash on my neck from not realising that I could put the badge on before I buttoned my shirt (blond moment that!) and feeling very womanly a good 2 inches taller - even though a mite unsteady! - than my usual 5 foot 4!

Did I provide 'sport' for my neighbours? You decide!

Just to clarify...

I thought it a fitting time to clear a few things up...!

Firstly, Wellingtonians are interesting people - they just can't seem to make their minds up:

"Wellington is just a series of separate little towns - once you get your head around that you'll be fine!!"

"Wellington is just one big city that all joins together - once you work that out you'll be fine!"

... the jury is still out but I'm leaning towards separate towns at the present time!

Secondly, to a couple of my dear friends who tend to be having 'Senior Moments' a little more regularly than the rest of us and just in case any of you were wondering what my parents (of Maori and European descent I might add!) may have been thinking when flicking through the book of baby names:

MY MIDDLE NAME IS NOT JAZMINDA!!!

... and that's all I have to say on that matter! :-)

I'm Alive!!

I'm alive! ... although after 4 hours of library orientation yesterday, you could have fooled my classmates but I am!!

I survived the last of the packing (SO didn't want to see another box anytime soon!), the drive, the unloading (truth be known I just directed traffic!) and my first day on Monday (more on that score later!).

I love my new home with its mint green kitchen and bathroom, its red light fixtures, orangey-brown carpet and pink-grey-white-black speckled curtains. Why? (you may well ask!!) – because it's all here just for me!

As we pulled up early in the evening last Thursday, the call went out (just like we were in the wild!) and then from nowhere everyone just appeared and the trailer was unloaded in about 5 minutes flat! - It was so fast all I could do was stand in the doorway and direct traffic!

My fellow cadets are just lovely. Home-baked biscuits have appeared just in time for a cup of coffee, a fruit basket arrived just after putting the empty fruit bowl on the table and my flattened pile of boxes found their way to the skip secretly one night. We’ve been in and out of each others places having lunch, dinner and cups of coffee.

As of today, we’ve all been warned that our time management plans need to be set and ready to go as our ‘free time’ is going to disappear before our very eyes and boot camp (as we like to call it down here!) has begun – duties are 7am every morning. Serving is all part of it!

Overall, I’m actually really enjoying it. There is going to be so much to learn I'm kinda keen to get underway! I've gone from working at 50million miles an hour to about 5! The verse that’s on my mind 24/7 comes from Zandea – a great friend from the Faith Factory (bless you heaps girl!):

Colossians 3: 23-24

Work hard and cheerfully at whatever you do, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people. Remember that the Lord will give you an inheritance as your reward, and the Master you are serving is Christ.

Be assured, I miss you all heaps especially my Faith Factory family.

Roll on 7am!! … Brasso here I come!