Amazing Grace - the Movie

Last night we attended the preview screening of Amazing Grace the movie. Wow, it was wonderful! I was brought to tears and am still feeling affected today. The film is about William Wilberforce's successful campaign to abolish the slave trade in 18th century Britian. The title is a reference to the hymn Amazing Grace and the film also portrays the circumstances around which John Newton wrote the hymn. Everyone who sees this movie will be stirred to and encouraged that they are able to make a difference! There are, I'm certain, more Wilberforce's to rise up in our century!!!
(Click here to watch a preview)

Home Sweet Home

We have a dear wee unit (1LK) in Ponsonby. It's cozy and just perfect for us! We've started entertaining. Fleur and James were our first visitors, but unfortunately for James, we didn't have a table yet! We're eating mostly Japanese food: rice, fish, sesame seed dishes, nabe, miso soup, all very healthy and delicious! We also like to take our cups of tea up the road and sit in the public seat to people watch :)

Tiritiri Matangi Island

On the last day of our honeymoon we visited Tiritiri Matangi Island - a bird sanctuary about an hour from downtown Auckland. It was fantastic! Minako, a friend and volunteer DOC guide, showed us around the island pointing out all sorts of native birds which we normally have no opportunity to see... takahe (above), saddleback, tui, stitchbird, kokako.

Maki's Baptism

It was wonderful to be invited to Maki's baptism! Maki came to live in NZ with her two sons last year. Her English teacher in Japan had asked me to look after her on her arrival, so I'd invited her along to a Japanese-Kiwi Connections event during Easter. She's been attending the Auckland Baptist Tabernacle ever since :) What a joy to hear that she'd become a Christian and wanted to testify to the love and grace God had shown her!

Blessed by those Blessed

We dressed in white to attend the local congregational church (formerly L.M.S.). We received a warm welcome... the pastor gave us a summary of his message in English before preaching in Samoan. He spoke of remembering God's blessing in times of hardship and suffering. Wayne and I believe God was preparing us for times to come. It was very touching to be ministered to by a Samoan man previously ministered to by missionaries and our family!

Tanu Beach Fales

For the second half of our honeymoon we crossed on the ferry to Savaii Island. It was even more remote and laid back than Upolu :) We stayed in an open beach 'fale' where only our mattress, pillows and mosquito net were provided. It was absolutely stunning! We felt safe enough to sleep with the woven blinds up and we could hear the water lapping up to our fale at night. It was dreamlike! We shared meals and bathroom facilities with others, and so it reminded me of staying at Minshuku in Japan.

(Click here for the Tanu Beach Fales website)

Tracing Family Roots

Wayne and I set out to find the church where my great-great-grandmother would have lived while her parents were missionaries in Samoa between 1892-1901. We visited the seminary set up by the London Missionary Society (L.M.S.) and quizzed the librarian only to find that the church that they oversaw and the school that they began were actually in American Samoa not Independant Samoa where we were! However we were able to visit the largest L.M.S. church in Samoa, which my family would have been there for the opening of in 1896. We also visited Apia Protestant Church where they would have stayed in transit before crossing to their home in Fagalele. The pastor there welcomed us and let us search through church records for their names. Unfortunately we couldn't find anything as all records before 1900 have been transferred to Wellington! It was amazing to visit these churches where they had worshipped and stayed!

Aggie Greys Resort

We flew into Samoa for five nights of luxury at the new Aggie Greys Resort. Wow, I'd recommend it to anyone wanting time out and a bit of pampering. We slept, swam, dined out, read, walked, had a massage each... it was a special time for us to recuperate and relax together.

The Day After

We invited family and friends visiting from out of town to Mum and Dad's for lunch the day after our wedding. It was a lovely opportunity to catch up as they passed through and to enthuse about our incredible day before!

Go With God

The Crypt of St Pauls was transformed for our celebration. It looked excuisite. The night unfolded with gourmet cuisine, heart-warming speeches, laughter and dancing. Wayne's Dad wrote and played this song for us...

You stood today, before your God, rings of gold, and vows you gave.
Paths to be walked, a new journey. New lives just waiting to be made.
If I could offer, some words to remember, to take with you from this day.
I'd brush these tears from my eyes, I'd smile and simply say.

Go with God my children. Hand in hand you walk into your life.
Go with God my children, now husband and wife.
God with God. Go with God.

Look at you, two of God's children. Two people, together meant to be.
A match as they say made in heaven. Pure love so clear to see.
Ahead a life, a life unimagined. God's blessing a lifetime to share.
And through the years if you listen, on the wind you'll hear.

Go with God my children. Hand in hand you walk into your life.
Go with God my children, now husband and wife.
God with God. Go with God.

Absent Loved Ones

It was an incredible blessing to have family and friends travel to be with us from around New Zealand, across the Tasman, and all the way from Japan! Your presence spoke unspeakable words of love. Thank you xx We realise you couldn't all be there, and oh did we miss you!!! Thank you for your calls, emails, letters, presies... I cried as your messages were read at our wedding reception. We toasted to you, our absent loved ones.

Your Love and Support

Wonderful family and friends who have supported Wayne and I since the day we met... Thank you for believing in us. We knew we were made for each other! Your love and acceptance means so much to us. Thank you for your role in our wedding celebration. Each one of you added to our special day. It was more than we could ever have dreamed of xx

A Match Made in Heaven

It was like a dream. Walking down the aisle to the love of my life. I've never felt that way before. Wayne's eyes never left me. We were so calm, so joyous, so in love. God's presence was very real as we worshipped with family and friends. We gathered to celebrate our commitment to love and serve each other all of our days. It was beautiful.

I waited patiently for the LORD;

he turned to me and heard my cry.
He lifted me out of the slimy pit,

out of the mud and mire;

he set my feet on a rock

and gave me a firm place to stand.
He put a new song in my mouth,

a hymn of praise to our God.
Many, O LORD my God,

are the wonders you have done.

The things you planned for us

no one can recount to you;

were I to speak and tell of them,

they would be too many to declare. (Psalm 40:1-3a,5)

The LORD is my light and my salvation—

whom shall I fear?

The LORD is the stronghold of my life—

of whom shall I be afraid?
One thing I ask of the LORD,

this is what I seek:

that I may dwell in the house of the LORD

all the days of my life,

to gaze upon the beauty of the LORD

and to seek him in his temple.
For in the day of trouble

he will keep me safe in his dwelling;

he will hide me in the shelter of his tabernacle

and set me high upon a rock. (Psalm 27:1, 4-5)

Praise the LORD, you his angels,

you mighty ones who do his bidding,

who obey his word.
Praise the LORD, all his heavenly hosts,

you his servants who do his will.
Praise the LORD, all his works

everywhere in his dominion.

Praise the LORD, O my soul. (Psalm 103:20-22)