2009 – So yesterday…

2010 is upon us. The arrival of a New Year and a New Decade is bound to provoke some reflection on and consideration of the past, but also some looking forward to, dreaming about and preparing for the future. I am no different. And so, over the next few days, I anticipate blogging some reflections on the past, along with some looking forward to the future. I’m not sure how many posts there’ll be, or what nature they’ll take, but do check back & hopefully, there’ll be something of interest for you.

Today, I thought a simple photographic journey through 2009 would work, so, I bring you 2009 through the lens of the Carswells. I’ve limited myself to 3 pictures for each month & I’ve tried to include some pictures you may not have seen before. There have been other highlights, but 3 photos makes it a bit more difficult to include everything!

Enjoy!

January

Carswell whanau (family) altogether, TSCF whanau at Staff & Families Conference ‘09, Us at Hicks Bay on the Eastern Cape of the North Island.

February

Flight over Mt Ruapehu, the new Wellington TSCF team, Sarah Taylor’s visit

March

Meeting ‘The Little General’ & his sidekick Yuvraj in an Auckland Starbucks, the CU/ICF crew, Mel & Peng – 2 gems of student leaders

April

Vic CU camp, Easter outreach at AUT - ‘Who is Jesus?’, Vic ICF & Massey OCF Marae weekend

May

Up Mt Taranaki, a different view of the mountain, home – Wellington

June

“Yes, the gracious hand of our God was on TSCF”, the Mid-Year conference crowd, John Criswell – IFES mate & helping us with our USA links

July

Sam the man

August

Serene, not so serene & his favourite pose!

September

Meeting his grandmother for the first time, open air speaking at MIT’s Spirituality week, a memorable journey to the Marsden Cross with Paul Windsor – a blessing to NZ, me and no doubt, many around the world.

October

Graduating students of 2009, ‘Meet my parents’, do the work of an evangelist…IFES evangelists’ conference

November

Making the most of travel with work – time with friends, old and new!

December

In Australia for the AFES Conference, our first Christmas together, Sam’s first Christmas – he dribbled with excitement.

So, that was 2009 – a good year, a memorable one and one in which the gracious, good hand of God has been on us in so many ways. The work in TSCF has been enjoyable and fruitful, our family has grown, friendships have continued and developed. To God alone be the thanks, praise & glory for all that has gone!

Seasonally Affected Disorder

I have a confession to make…It’s 21st December, Christmas is just four days away and I don’t feel particularly Christmassy.

Yes, I’ve bought most of my Christmas presents, sung some carols and listened to Christmas tunes on my iPod.  We’ve even had the work Christmas party and our Christmas tree is up, but still, I don’t feel Christmassy.

The feeling came strongest whilst sat in church singing ‘Joy to the World’, in my shorts and T-shirt knowing that a Gingerbread Latte from Starbucks just wouldn’t feel quite the same.  You see, outside it’s sunny and mostly quite warm.  Summer is upon us here in NZ.  And therein lies the problem.

As a Christian, I know that Christmas is all about Jesus’ birth.  I know that materialism has got the better of our society and that Christmas for many is more about presents, food and family, rather than the real reason being to celebrate Emmanuel, God with us.  But what I hadn’t realised was how much I am affected by the season and how much I had succumbed to all its trappings. 

Sure, I don’t think I have ever experienced a ‘White Christmas’ (even when I was assured of one in my time living in Lancaster, PA, neither of the 2 Christmasses was white!), but this Christmas doesn’t feel right without the cold of outside and the warmth inside the home. 

It’s a sad state of affairs to realise of yourself that your Christmastime has been hijacked by the world’s ideas of what it’s all about, to have been sucked in to the seasonal experience and be robbed of the true of joy of simply celebrating a Saviour’s birth, which truly is ‘Good  News of Great Joy for all people.’  This Christmas is our first Southern Hemisphere Christmas and yes, I want to enjoy time with family and friends here in NZ.  Yes, I’m looking forward to good food and hopefully, good presents.  But more importantly, this Christmas, I need to go back to what Christmas really is all about.

Now…I wonder how many other areas of my life have drifted in their focus away from the way God originally intended?