Remember

This is what a pile of 524 photos looks like.


Just a small selection of photos from the last four years - the time I've spent in New Zealand.
My plan is to put them into a scrapbook along with some stuff I've gathered over the years - newspaper articles, rugby tickets, wedding invitations (ok, ok, I'm a bit of a hoarder).


Part of the reason for this is that I just like doing creative things. I'm just going to enjoy it! The other part of it is that I think it's important to remember - a valuable lesson I learned from my South African mum...


When I was leaving South Africa (the first time), we had a braai so I could say thank you and goodbye to the people who had made a big impact on me while I was there. South Africans love to give speeches. Any occasion, birthdays, baptisms, whatever, you can guarantee someone has something to say!


I clearly remember the speeches that night. I remember where I was sitting - on the floor by the TV with Shelly on one side of me and Tuppence the Jack Russell on the other side. Erica stood to my right as she told me how important it was to remember. She read Philippians 4:8 


Summing it all up, friends, I'd say you'll do best by filling your minds and meditating on things true, noble, reputable, authentic, compelling, gracious—the best, not the worst; the beautiful, not the ugly; things to praise, not things to curse. (From The Message). 


So when I look at these photos, I remember...

I remember autumnal banter! And how I got the best break when I got Lee and Sarah as flatmates.







Sometimes I forget what a beautifully, stunning, amazing country I live in!








These two make me remember the amazing opportunities I've had with rugby, opportunities that have sometimes been out of my league, so much so that I'm sure someone had to have planned them...


(the bottom one also reminds me why I dislike Tech :)

This one reminds me how far a bit of Kiwi ingenuity goes when your bag gets stuck on a rock when you try to throw it down a ladder on an isolated Pacific Island






Here, I'm reminded that I have incredible friends and family who come all the way to the other side of the world to visit me

And this one - the best road trips are those when 'the plan is, there is no plan!'

Ok, so this one makes me a bit sad because KJ's gone. Call me a crazy cat lady if you want, but I had to put him in here because he reminds me of several things, the most important being that if you leave a cat indoors and you don't have a cat door, the cat will poo anywhere, usually on a handy bed. 

 








This one reminds me of good friends, good flatmates, the privilege of being a bridesmaid for someone I love.

Remember that time Ireland beat Australia in the World Cup??? Yeah, me too :)

And this one reminds me that some things are worth travelling for 46 hours to get to.

I'm not saying we should get stuck in the past. Not at all. I'm all about the moving forwards, but sometimes, to move forwards, you have to look back too, to remember the things that are true and honourable and right and lovely and pure and admirable and excellent and worthy of praise. 

Sometimes, the world sucks. Sometimes it is dark and cold and ugly and painful and frustrating and sad and cruel. So, sometimes, when you can’t see anything but black ahead, you have to look back to see the light.