Sunday 31 January 2010

Something Different...

I've been studying a passage in Romans (thats in the Bible for my Heathen friends... :-) ... yes I love you too!) Anyway, I like making stories to help me understand the concepts, here is the latest. Enjoy

Sons and Heirs

Imagine a slave market, the block is occupied by a family, Father, Mother, two children - a boy and a girl. A noisy throng swirl around the base of the block, poking, prodding, examining. The children crowd in closer to their parents. The Auctioneer hits his gavel on the podium and the noise subsides, “What am I bid for this fine specimen?” he asks and the dividing of a family begins.

The Father is sold to be a galley slave, chained to the oar of a trader’s ship, the mother to be a cleaning woman in a fine house. The children are taken away together, their owner locking iron collars around their necks and attaching chains by which he leads them to his house.

How you may ask did a family come to be in this situation? They were not born slaves, once they were free, what went wrong? It is a common story, the couple, young, naive, wanting to have a good time, overly trusting, fell in with bad company, a fast crowd, who encouraged them to live beyond their means. They were deceived, betrayed and beguiled until they had built a vast debt that they could not repay. Then as their friends melted away the creditors moved in, seized the family and their belongings and sold it all to satisfy a small portion of the debt.

And now we will hear of the parents no longer, but let us follow the children as they are tugged behind their new owner. He leads them to his home, where they quickly learn he is a hard task master, difficult to please, severe in his punishments. They learn to serve well to avoid punishment and to anticipate as much as is possible his moods and to please him in every way. And occasionally late at night when no one can hear them they cry and remember the old days, but mostly they keep those memories locked up where they can’t hurt.

One day the master has a guest, and the boy, we’ll call him Charlie, trips and falls while serving him, spilling wine over the guests clothing. The master drags Charlie from the room and begins to beat him, to flog him mercilessly. Anna, for that is the girl’s name, walking through the snowy courtyard and sees her brother unconscious, bleeding in the snow, the master beating and kicking him. “No” she cries out and throws herself across her brother’s body. This enrages the master even more and he transfers his undivided attention to her. She thinks they are about to die, and she is glad of it.

And then the beating stops, she peers out from under her lashes, carefully not moving a muscle of her aching abused body. The guest is there, his hand covering the masters on the whip, stilling him, “let me have them” she hears him say, and offers a price she cannot believe, who would pay that much for two half dead slaves? The master takes the price and walks away, leaving the guest with his purchases and the falling snow.

The guest, the new master takes the children home, their wounds are tended, they are feed, clothed and given new collars, collars made of fine gold, decorated with small tablets of mother of pearl, each tablet etched with a pleasing design. And then they are allowed to sleep, to heal, while the new master watches over them. When they awake the new master asks them if they wish to stay, “if you do not” he says “I will make other arrangements for you.” They shrug, this seems a nice place, they have been better treated here than they have been in a very long time. “We will stay” they give assent. Now they are led to a spacious set of rooms and told that these are theirs, their private quarters and they are introduced to the rest of the new masters staff and shown their duties.

And so Charlie and Anna settle into a new life, they quickly learn that their new Master is kind man, a fair and gentle taskmaster. He expects the best they can do but He never asks for more than they are capable of. He provides for all their needs; clothes, food, blankets, there are no more hungry days, or nights spent shivering in the cold. They learn that if they have a problem they can take it to the Good Master, as they call him, to solve. In fact he wants, expects, them to do so, and always he will provide a solution, not always the one they expected but always a solution. Most importantly he never punishes, never condemns, yes consequences are meted out but they are the natural results of actions. When Anna burns the bread due to inattention she is expected to stay up as late as is required to make a new batch so that the household will have bread on the morrow, but she is not beaten. When Charlie breaks a vase in anger the Good Master talks to him, Charlie is left in no doubt that he has disappointed and saddened his saviour, but then the Good Master gives Charlie coins and sends him to scour the marketplace to find another vase to replace the one he destroyed.

Anna and Charlie grow to love the Good Master, and as their love grows so does their fear. They never talk about it but they see it in each other’s eyes, “What if we do something that causes the Good Master to sell us again?” So they work doubly hard, trying to anticipate the Good Master’s desires, to curb the things in themselves that could anger or disappoint him. Time passes and without realising it fear takes over their lives, they are no longer happy and carefree, rather they are worn, tired. Dark circles develop under Anna’s eyes, an expression of worry clouds her countenance, more and more often her attention wanders as she worries that her mistakes will displease the Good Master enough so that finally he will sell her to some other master. Charlie tries to control his temper but his insecurity makes him sensitive to the smallest slight on his work and he explodes in self defence. After a bout of anger he feels sick to his stomach, fear eating away at him, telling him he’ll never be good enough, that he deserves to go back to his first master, what is the point of staying with the Good Master? He, Charlie, can never be like him, the place he belongs is back with the master he resembles.

One day it arrives, they are called to the Good Master; they meet outside his study door, the fear in one set of eyes mirrored in the other. Each wants to blame their sibling, but in their heart of hearts each knows the fault is their own. Tentatively Charlie knocks on the door; it is opened immediately by the Good Master, his expression solemn, his demeanour sombre. He sits in his chair and indicates chairs for each of them but they can’t bring themselves to sit in his presence and stand heads bowed, silent, before him. Gravely he peruses them, he sees Anna’s tiredness, the despair in Charlie.

“My children, where have I gone wrong? I only wanted to make you happy and I can see I am failing.” Both children look up, directly at him at this amazing question.
“You have done nothing wrong” says Anna,
“It is us” says Charlie, “We’re not good enough, we try and try and try but we just can’t stop making mistakes.”
Anna is weeping “but we’re going to try harder,” she rushes to add. “Please don’t sell us back to the old master, please keep us, we promise to try harder.”
Now the Good Master is weeping too, he stands up and walking over to the children he embraces them. “Don’t you understand?” He asks, “I didn’t just buy you, I freed and adopted you, I will never sell you, never send you away. I love you.”

Charlie and Anna are speechless, not sure how to respond. The Good Master traces the pattern on the collar around Charlie’s neck with his finger. “This is not a collar of slavery; this is a legal collar that tells the world you are my heir.”
“Adopted?” Anna’s voice quivers, “We’re your children forever?”
He nods, “Unless you choose to leave me, I won’t stop you if you wish to go away.”
Charlie’s expression suggests this is the most ludicrous thing he has ever heard, “Where would we go?” he asks. “No one has ever loved us the way you do.”
“That means you’re our Father now...” Anna’s words trail off, eyes full of wonder she throws herself into the man’s arms. “I was your father from the moment I purchased you” he smiles, joyful.
“And you’ll never ever sell us.” The relief can be seen in the way each child holds their body, straighter, taller, relaxing.
“Never, no matter how many mistakes you make, you may always stay with me.”
“Papa! Father!” Charlie joins the glad embrace


Romans 8:15-17
For you have not received a spirit of slavery leading to fear again, but you have received a spirit of adoption as sons by which we cry out, "Abba! Father!" The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, heirs also, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him so that we may also be glorified with Him.



Friday 29 January 2010

The Wonder Full World of Exercise

Today I went and got my training programme, it is not enough that I am huffing and puffing 'up hill and down dale' to get anywhere - including breakfast. Now i am going to be lifting vast quantities of iron as well. 
So I huff my way from my room down the hill to the crossroads, then I puff my way back up another hill to the place where the work out room is, and then I proceed to abuse my body by pushing, pulling, tugging, and pressing various piles of cold metal repetitively. All in the name of strength, health and beauty! Actually it was kind of fun in a weirdly repetitive way, now my body feels used, some parts for the first time in a loooooong time. And this whole process is to be repeated again every Sunday, Tuesday and Thursday. 

Thursday 28 January 2010

I learned something new already today and it's only 7am...

This morning I woke up to the sound of metal scrapping on stone, this is a new experience. Figured out with some thought that that must be the sound of a snow plow - the engine noises were a clue!
So when I finally went outside it was to a world covered in soft powdery snow! While walking down to the cafeteria for breakfast (7am) I discovered that .... wait for it ...... drum roll, LOL .... new snow squeaks when you walk on it! The snow we had the other day was too light to make this discovery, and conversely the hill I am eying for sliding down is not covered thickly enough yet - but if it snows again tonight.....

Wednesday 27 January 2010

Banks

Yesterday I went to the bank to get my cash converted to US dollars, first they had to look it up in a book because they had never seen Central Pacific Franc's. Not surprising, Neither had I. But they hadn't seen NZ money before either.
Then the bank man says, "Do you have an account with us?"
I said, "No."
He said, "If you get one you won't have to pay the currency conversion fee."
I said "Ok" after checking that it was a no fee's account!
Anyway we got the account all opened and signed up and then he gives me a 'Snuggie.'????? How weird is that? What kind of bank gives away snuggie's?????

A snuggie for those who don't know is a blanket with arms, they sell on infomercials I believe. Here is a picture...



They don't have backs, are literally blankets that someone cut holes in and sewed sleeves onto.

Monday 25 January 2010

More things about electricity...

I brought my hair dryer with me from New Zealand and I knew when I did that America had a different power system than NZ. But, I figured that if I had the appropriate plug converter thingee then the hair dryer should work fine, maybe just a little slower since NZ is on 250volts and the US is 110volts. However, it goes so slow I might as well blow on my hair. Conversely my hair straightener works fine, just a bit slower to heat up. Go figure.

Friday 22 January 2010

Something Weird


The switches are upside down.
I keep turning things on when I want the thing next to it off, or off when I want it on...... very confusing!!!

Plus I saw a real live squirrel in the wild today, it was sitting really still and I'm looking at it thinking "is that a real live squirrel or a squirrel shaped rock?" so I whistled and it ran away. Definitely not at a rock!

(Squirrels are not weird, they are cute, only the switches are weird.)

Thursday 21 January 2010

First Impressions

Today I am giving random impressions, tomorrow - when I am actually awake I will describe the Health Retreat I am staying at.


Random Impression Number 1
Note to self; Look the other way when crossing the road!! Nearly got run over at LA airport. Fortunately my Mum taught me to look 'left, right and left again' before crossing the road. Got to the 'right' bit just as I was about to step in front of a car! Pulled back and was saved. So my new mantra is 'look right, then left, then right again!!!' Now if I can just remember which way is right it will be all good.


Random Impression Number 2
Denver, after you finally figure out how to get out of the airport - involves catching a train to another terminal to find your baggage, which they would not give me because the were 'holding' it for the flight in the morning. So even though the clothes I was wearing had been occupied by me for so long they could stand up on their own and had developed a fairly terrifying homeless person smell I was sent with a teeny tiny plastic wrapped 'overnight kit' that had all sorts of toiletry stuff in it - actually kinda cool - out into the cold dark world to find my shuttle to the hotel. I EMBARKED the hotel shuttle and on leaving the airport environs was confronted by this rather 'freaky' piece of artwork;





Only because it was night it looked like this;





Because to quote the blog I stole these pictures from (still no camera cords - and I tried to take photo through the moving bus window) "...really, nothing says "Welcome to Denver International Airport...enjoy your flight!" quite like a gigantic satanic horse with evil red eyes." (Some other persons blog.)


And here it is again from a different angle, apparently it has received a number of nicknames from the good citerzins of Denver (most of whom hate it!) They call it things like; "Bluecifer", "Satan's Stead" and "Blue Devil Horse".





Random Impression Number Three
America has really really cool bathroom fittings! Well apart from the toilets which are quite alarming, If I saw my toilet at home doing what these do I would be running from the room and returning very very carefully armed with a bucket, a mop, a full environmental protection suit - hazard level 4 - and about 100 L of disinfectant, and in dread of what my incipient plumbing bill was going to cost! 


However these fittings are really neat, see the small nob on the top of the hand basin spout? between the two taps? It controls the handbasin plug! No more trying to find the plug the your last guest accidentally stole or your two year old kid ate for a snack. These are also in the bath which to me is even more impressive - no more swearing cause you accidentally kicked the plug out in the middle of a relaxing bubble bath.





Impressive bathroom feature number 2; see the nob at the end of the bath spout? That diverts the water from the bath faucet up to the shower rose, so only one set of taps required. Very stream lined and elegant I think.





There endeth todays random impressions. Sleep well.

Wednesday 20 January 2010

Catriona's Adventures in Bizarro-land

The last couple of days read like a fortunately unfortunately story.

Everything started so well, Revalani picked me up from my hotel, we had dinner and I got to meet her beautiful children, then she dropped me to the airport. (I know teachers aren't supposed to have favourites, but... I am especially fond of her... and a few others too.)

I cleared check in, customs and security with minimal problems and then we were allowed to embark the plane. (Am assuming embark is a word - should be because we definitely disembark from planes.)

Fortunately when I checked in the check in person had assured me that I had the row to myself.
Unfortunately when I embarked the plane I discovered that this was no longer true. A lady who could not speak English was sitting next to me.

Fortunately there were lots of empty seats so I moved to a place where there were two seats by the window to stretch out in.

Unfortunately you can not stretch very far in two seats.

Fortunately I discovered that I am surprisingly flexible and by bending like a pretzel I was able to actually lie down on those two teeny tiny seats and get a tolerable sleep.

Unfortunately the sleep only lasted 20 mins at a time, 'cause I had to un-pretzel and re-pretzel so that different parts of my body did not develop gangren from lack of blood flow and drop off.

Fortunately this only lasted for 8 hours then we landed at LAX the big amazing airport in LA.

Unfortunately I arrived on the only day all year when it rained, apparenlty if I believe the LA people.
Fortunately I loved it, been missing a good rain, none in Sydney.

Unfortunately I had to wait 5 hour for my next flight.

Fortunately Americans are (so far) very nice, chatty, helpful people.

Unfortunately the next flight was delayed 'operational difficulties' - the flight attendant later told us they had to fly another plane in from somewhere else.

Fortunately after only 45 mins of delay we were loaded onto our flight and were ready to go.

Unfortunately the flight attendant then announced that we had no pilot!! They were flying in from somewhere else too!!!

Fortunately they arrived after about 15 mins, and the time went quickly 'cause I was chatting to another friendly American who managers satalite stuff for the airforce.

Unfortunately when we finally landed in Denver Colorado (the Mile High city so called because it is a mile above sea level and not for any other reason you naughty people) my next flight was taking off as we landed.....

Fortunately the airline gave me a free night in a very fancy hotel with the most comfortable bed ever.

Unfortunately I was only there for about 6 hours and was asleep for five of them.

Fortunately the next day - today - went much more smoothly and I arrived in Rapid City without any more adventures and am now safely installed in South Dakota.

Monday 18 January 2010

Tahiti

I'm sitting in the hotel's (Le Meridian) transit lounge, the air conditioner sounds like a Tahitian drum, but it is still an air conditioner and it works!!!!! (God bless the inventer of the air conditioner.) Theoretically I am working on an assignment but I decided to distract myself first by jotting down my thoughts about Tahiti.

So, I landed in Tahiti yesterday afternoon, flying in was odd, big green mountains, the shape of the bare shale knife edge mountains in the South Island, but covered with rain forest. Through the plane windows small decrepit sheds are visible, sheds I would pull down rather than use as a garden shed at home, but these have obviously got people living in them. The curtains in the windows are a clue - as is the washing draped over the fences.

Disembarking the plane there are other clues that "we're not in Kansas now, Toto." (Dorothy from the Wizard of Oz) Clues like the live ukulele band playing next to the runway and the girls handing out Tipani flowers. (Smell nice) The air is hot and humid - cooler than Sydney but more humid, very sticky.

Once you leave the airport thats when you realize this really is a foreign country. (Sorry all you Ozzies but Australia is really just NZ with funny accents, weird trees, horrible insects and less rain.) People talk French, or Tahitian, the signs are not in English, the money is different, 1000cfp is how much NZ?? (turns out to be about $15) And i discovered my research was inadequate - actually nonexistent. I've done heaps about the States but none on Tahiti, have been rectifying that since.

2500cfp got me a taxi to the hotel and I got another shock, taxi turned into oncoming traffic! Then I realised we were the on coming traffic and everybody drives on the right here. Like America. I think I will not be driving in America.

I will upload photos of the hotel to my facebook when I get the cords for my camera back. It was a deal, 4 star hotel for very cheap price - one night. I thought "why not?" And it is comfortable, all the staff have been exceedingly lovely.

Now I had better get back to the assignment, because tonight I am going out to tea with one of my ex-students, Revalani Sylvain. Then it is back on the plane and up, up, up and away.