the downsize

We are moving into another moving vehicle. Our bus is still broken and instead of taking the time to fix it and missing the rainbow gathering we are borrowing a truck and camper from our beautiful Birmingham friends.
So we are downsizing.
I like the idea of living simply but it is quite the process deciding what to take.
4 forks, 4 spoons, 4 knifes. The small pots and pans, for room sake and also maybe to help me not cook so much. I always cook for 10 even with just me and Nigel!
I am bringing about half the clothes I have and it still feels like too much!
Only 5 tea towels are coming with me. I look forward to seeing the rest when we come back to Alabama, I have a minor tea towel addiction.
Nigel can stand up without hitting his head in a couple spots which is good. It is actually the same in our New Zealand bus, so he should be used to holding his head sideways.
And now I am procrastinating, time to finish moving, I feel like a squirrel.

the mini blinds

What follows is a random train of thought.
It has been a train of thought that has taken me a few months to follow, and I have a feeling it is not quite finished.
I was staring at the mini blinds a few months ago. And a thought popped into my head.
"We are not created for sameness."
Mini blinds are all the same. We as humans have a tendency to create the same thing again and again.
But the Creator he creates one of a kind things. One of a kind trees, and flowers, and sunsets, and days, and people. We pay millions for a one of a kind piece of art and yet we are surrounded everyday by one of a kind masterpieces.
So that was my vibe for a while, we are not created for sameness. We are created for adventure.
Then a few weeks ago I had another thought. "The Creator, He is the same yesterday, today and always! We are created for adventure with security!"
 I find the times I most enjoy this adventure He has me on are the times when I find my security in Him.

the kaimais

pikowai beach

Nigel and I took a lovely lil holiday in New Zealand. We spent some time around Te Puke checking out the beach there. On our way to see his brother we had to go over the Kaimais. A rather high mountain range....
Well we went up and up and up. And then we went down and down and......oh wait we lost our brakes! Thats right no brakes!
Nigel did a bit of race car driving. Third gear the rest of the way down using the parking brake to slow down around the tight turns.
I did a lot of praying. Praying and thinking actually. Thoughts like, "What would happen to the bus if we slammed into that cliff?, Would it be better to hit it head on or ease up on the side?, Will our propane tank explode?, Maybe I should tie Nigel into his seat so he doesn't go through the window!"
As you can see, we lived to tell about the experience. One I hope to never have again.
My heart still beats faster when I think about our roller coaster ride down the Kaimais.

ps....after the whole incident nigel tells me that he had so much adrenaline running through his body that at one point down the hill he felt himself almost blacking out! I may have to learn how to drive the bus.....