the man on the hill.

After an incredible, and an incredibly difficult hike up the mountains of Colorado, I sat at the top with a packed lunch, my Bible in hand, and an hour and a half just to be with God; and hear what He had to tell me. 

There was a large part of me which didn't want to. Didn't want to sit and wait and be, because often - what God has to say isn't easy. Often, it's that kind of wonderful - difficult tension which means I have to die to self, and do something. It's that kind of wonderful-difficult tension which draws me out of my comfort zone, and calls me to be bold. 

But as He always does, despite my stubborn heart, He met me in my place, and He gently spoke to me a story; which simultaneously revealed my greatest fear, and peeled back the layers of my intense vulnerability. 

THE MAN ON THE HILL

A man gave his life to the Lord, and said "anything that you want God, anywhere you lead Lord, and I will go". 

God took the man to the top of the tallest mountain, and together they built a house with windows on every side. From his windows the man could see many villages down below.

"What would you have me do God?" he asked, and the Lord answered, "as you see need, meet it simply in my name". 

The man woke up and as he was pouring his cereal for breakfast, he looked out the window and saw many people down in a village below, who were starving and without any food. He looked at the boxes of cereal scattered around his kitchen table and he said "okay God!" 

He gathered the boxes into his arms and was on his way out the door when out another window he saw a second village; in the opposite direction, and they were living on dry land, parched and without any water to drink. The man looked at the bottles of water he had, and the clean water running from his tap, and the hose that was resting in his garden, and he said "okay God". 

But as he tried to carry the cereal, and the water, it was all too much, and he knew; he simply had to pick one, or the other. So he sat at the table in his kitchen, surrounded by water bottles and cereal - which lay scattered on his floor, and he thought about which need he should meet.

 And when it was dark he went to bed, and the next morning he woke up and saw a third village out of his window and he knew that they had never heard the word of God..And so he said, "surely I must take them the Bible," and with great enthusiasm, he stepped over the cereal and water on his floor, grabbed his Bible, and headed out the door. 

He only got a few steps before he realised that the people probably didn't speak his language, and if he were to reach them, he would need to stay a very, very long time. He would have to learn their language and possibly, he would never see his beautiful house again. 

"That's a big decision" he said, "I shouldn't rush"; and so he sat at his table, with his Bible, and he waited for God to tell him which need to meet. 

He woke up the third day and as he was pouring his breakfast he saw the first village again, "they survived two days without me," he said, "perhaps they will be fine"; and he looked behind and saw the cereal scattered on his floor, now growing stale and attracting rats, and he grumbled in his heart, 'well look what you made me do'.

And he spent the day cleaning his house so he would be ready for the work of the Lord.


And one day, the man woke up old and worn, and he looked out his window, and decided he was simply too frail to do anything of purpose, so he poured his cereal and swept the cob-webs from the corners of his windows. 

Friday, forest-turkey licking good.

Today, I was tempted to spray one of my customers in the face with my bottle of table disinfectant. I didn't do it, but oh; I was tempted.

I was also reading Hebrews yesterday, where it says;

"For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathise with our weakness, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin." (Hebrews 4:15)

Now I don't know when exactly Jesus was tempted to spray somebody in the face, but I'm going to choose to take the Bible literally in this instance because my temptation was real, and the mental image is amazing.

Point being, Luke is away in El Salvador, and I'm trying my best not to be El Sadador.

Want to hear a funny story?

SO. 

I've been babysitting Luke's brothers dog the past few days, while they're both away. I've been living in his house.

{Side note: the dogs name is Hobbes, and he's awesome. At least two hundred thousand pounds of American bulldog, he has became my favourite buddy. I've never slept very well with somebody else in my bed, but with Hobbes it's a different story. Probably because he's not a somebody (technically), but still; it was good practice, with the squirming and the farting and all. I'd hope that a future man wouldn't sleep with his head resting on my butt, or breathing stink directly and open mouthed into my sleeping face.. but then again, you never know...}

Point point being, I haven't been at my apartment, and instead I've been travelling from one work to the other, and back down town to Luke's; to let Hobbes out to pee, take him to the dog park, and give him some food.

Yesterday I went back on my lunch break, and there was something on the door. 

Bakers Flowers, it said; you've missed a delivery! And it had my name right on it. 

I called them up and sure enough, they said they had a big basket of flowers for me, and that they would turn around. I cried and waited for the truck to come back, and come back it did; with an incredible array, and a little note attached.

'I love you to the moon and back', it said, 'no matter where we are in the world'.

Wow! I thought, what an incredible boyfriend I have! He must have pre-arranged this. On a day that certainly wasn't the best; it was the greatest blessing.

He's away on mission and he's still thinking about me, my heart sobbed through happy tears. Wow. Wow. Wow.

So, I took a quick picture, posted it on facebook, and shared my gushing love for this man, with the world. 

Did I think about the fact that it was strange, that they were sent to his house, and not my apartment? Did I think about the fact that they were delivered, at a time when he knew I was at work? Did I think about the fact that never before has he called me "bestie" - as the note was signed off? Well no.. I was IN LOVE!

Then, early this morning (after seeing the post on facebook, with 50 something ridiculous likes and a bunch of beautiful comments) he messages me.. "this is going to be funny" he says, "but I never sent you those flowers."

Oh my. What an embarrassing mess.. for me, for him.. for the person who actually sent them...

And then with that in mind, I thought a little bit clearer. I dusted off the rose coloured love goggles and saw through the haze. 

My bestie doesn't live in Australia. My bestie only has my man's address; and wouldn't know my apartment. My bestie is amazing. 

Luke gets all the credit for being boyfriend-of-the-century (which I think he is anyway!) while my longest, dearest friend; who lives in Germany, isn't properly thanked for her ridiculous kindness and overwhelming globe- defying generosity.

So here's to you Katie Mac, I'm a little bit crazy about you!

Thank you for the flowers. Once again, like you have so, so, so many times before - you made my day!

I think I'm better looking in Australia...

On a different and hilarious note, there was this old couple in the restaurant (they were in their 80's) who were obsessed with me today. Some of my favourite quotes:

Him (being a hilarious 84 year old deep American drawl speaking man)

"I've been married 58 years, and you know what? I could leave her tomorrow... In fact you look good.. what are you? 12? Everyone looks 12.."

"Them Australians.. finest people in the world.. friendliest... what are you doing here? You tell your man to stop waisting time, you're a long way from home and the people there are much better anyways.. you should leave tomorrow! You tell him you're leaving tomorrow.."

Then his wife puts her hand on my arm,

"Don't listen to him honey," she says, as she tunes him out and pulls food from her teeth. 

Another customer took the time to tell me I have pretty eyes today, and it absolutely and positively made me beam a million.

What a great deal of good a little encouragement can do! 

Things I miss greatly about Australia this week:

- People who just know me well, and get my humour
- Spontaneous barn-dance inspired dance parties before Youth Group
- Spontaneous shakira inspired dance parties in my brothers bedroom
- Dance parties; all kinds
- Weet-bix
- Beach days
- Playing Dominion
- On that note ^ playing all and every board game

On my running route back home, I see bush turkeys every day. I'm actually convinced that God made those creatures as a personal blessing to me; they're amazing and ridiculous-looking. This morning, I saw a bush turkey on my running route here! I was blessed. I laughed, they don't even have "the bush" in America; not like at home. I think the nearest comparison would be the forest. A forest turkey? That's awesome. That's what I'm calling them from now on. My forest turkey friends.

I love the fact that I have conversations about why I’m an Australian living in Omaha, whilst my boyfriend blesses kids and ministries in El Salvador, and my best friend – who lives in Germany, sends me flowers with love notes. Life is good.

Friday, forest-turkey licking good.

a touch of ordinary

I realize I haven't written an "ordinary" post in a while, and blog-side; my life looks like one giant adventure. Rafting in Alaska, swimming in Minesota and hiking in Colorado. Basically just reading, and falling in love. I assure you, these - although wonderful, are certainly not my standard.

I too, spend a great deal of my week gagging; as I eventually succumb to the inevitable and scrape the stinking, festering, rotting and sometimes even moulding food from the long-left pile of dishes, and put them in the dish washer. 

I too, spend a great deal of time at work; which for me involves making a lot of phone calls, entering hundreds of cheques into a data base, fetching endless glasses of water and soft drink, balancing five plates of food at a time, and on one particularly notable occasion; cutting up an old ladies steak.

I wash my clothes, clean my bathroom, reply to emails, procrastinate on pintest, search for a new apartment and pay my phone bill online. 

I too make a to-do list and get a great deal of satisfaction crossing things off. I shower late, get up early, work out, sleep terribly and put off doing a quiet time. I get upset about my weight, disheartened by my pimples, confronted by my loneliness, panicked about my future, unsettled by my laziness and frustrated with my words.

My life, I assure you, has a whole lot of ordinary.

So here are some phone photos of ordinary life, some room progression, a few trip travels, and a whole lot of moustache madness.

when the living room, and my bedroom were one in the same.

when I had no bed and slept on a blow up.

when I got my gifted handle-less dresser treasure

empty closet full of left over hangers

my own bathroom. oh the luxury.

I came with one bag. Two weeks later.

A great day. Bed delivered!

home making madness.

success.

packing for Alaska.

selfies while he fills up with petrol.
MUST DOCUMENT EVERYTHING stage.

driving to Kansas city.

& 14 hours no sleep later..

strange Alaskan man bear wolf man face.

Alaska! first glimpses.

Alaska airport.

Good morning sleepy.

morning view from the camper

I have a great room mate who brings home surprise
book cases!

don't ask.

Youth Group.

Thomas.

girls day at youth group!

Colorado!

tandem. It's a once off must do.

Happy 4th of July!!

Merica'

You may have noticed in that batch of photos, a small bird named Thomas, and what looks to be a large concrete plant. That is, in fact - a small bird named Thomas, and a large concrete plant. 

 Me having a day off is like John Howard (the ex PM, not the actor) having a good hair day, it just doesn't happen. So, for the last day off I had a couple of weeks ago, I had a grand plan. That included catching up on washing, going to a friends garage sale, surprising my boyfriend with a lasagne, doing my own food shopping and heaven forbid; having time to sit down and read.

But no, on my run I found him. Thomas the little bird, with broken legs, sitting in the middle of the road next to his dead, squished brother or sister. I simply couldn't leave him, and so I didn't. I went home, made a box, scooped him up and he lived in my bathroom, as I called the vet and then the Nebraska Wildlife Rehabilitation Center. 

"Bring him in!" they said, "but by the way, we reside on a concret plant in Louieville". 

And so my day off turned into a spontaneously road trip across Nebraska, with a small bird in tow, to a concrete plant; to the rehabilitation center where he joined dozens of other abandoned racoon babies, bunnies, and a box full of hungry little birds. 

In other news on Tuesday I drove a 12 passenger van full of youth across two states to Kansas City (which.. silly... isn't actually in Kansas, but Missouri) where we spent many hours at a theme park. It was fun, except for the fact that I drove a 12 passenger van full of youth across two states to Kansas City; and three threw up. That's a 1:4 ratio. And the final throw-up, which was 8 miles from home, went all over the floor, and the girls sitting next to her, as they all freaked out, put their fingers to their nose and began whimpering to my, "WE'RE EIGHT MILES AWAY GIRLS, WE ARE NOT STOPPING!" which came panicked from the front, as I myself - tried not to gag.

11pm saw me using my own towel to scrape the chunks of pizza and carnival food off the bottom of the van, as we tried to air it out with the only things the gas station had available; pine tree smelling air fresheners, and scented dryer sheets.

That, by the way, was a $250 vomit fee to the rental place. 

What else. Last week at the restaurant I had a sudden burst of inspiration for the ending of my book. So at the end of shift, I sat down, scrawled it out; and it now exists on a dozen Outback Steakhouse order forms. 

My mum sent me a packet of 12 caramello Koalas four days ago, and they are already gone. I miss the taste of Cadbury, the smell of the ocean, the sound of kookaburra's and spontaneous shakira-inspired dance parties with my little brother. 

The 365, my car, got fixed and now a tank of petrol lasts up to four times longer. Praise the Lord for mechanically gifted brothers of boyfriends.

My and my house mate very almost got scammed into renting a house from somebody on Craigs list who didn't even own it. Two lessons, people are deceiving, and I am too trusting. Never fear mum, no money was exchanged. Stop worrying.

I also had my busiest night at the restaurant ever on Friday. I had probably served, oh - ten tables before somebody bothered to tell me, "honey, you have butter on your face". A fellow waitress, my manger? No - a customer. Somebody who I was serving, was the only one to tell me. "Thank you" I said, as I wiped it off and with it, my dignity and quality of service. 

What did I tell you? Ridiculously ordinary.