School's Out For Summer

We had a great time sailing for my birthday and will try to post some more pics up once our camera battery has recharged. As you can see the Bay Of Islands is beautiful. This is our skipper, Brendon, and the boat is anchored in the background.

Recent sunset from the porch.

The red pahutakawa tree rarely comes in a yellow variety.

Paul(below with Phillip at Halloween) was looking and feeling better when he and Michelle had us over for dinner at their lifestyle plot (Gentlemen's farm with orchard, sheep, chickens, etc). Above photo is their porch as we sat outside before dinner. We played Sardines with the kids when it got dark.
Paul is an artist from England and Michelle is a savvy, smart kiwi with a Maori heritage. In this culture any Maori blood gives you full Maori rights. Some people look and identify themselves as Maori while others like Michelle don't particularly look Maori but are trying to connect with their Maori heritage. Michelle takes language and culture classes offered at the school once a week. I wish I had time to check it out. I enjoyed talking with them about Maori faith and our different Christian backgrounds admixed with our politics and social views. I enjoy listening to them as they have a depth to their thoughts and beliefs. The kids enjoyed the lifestyle plot where they held chickens, chased sheep, and climbed fruit trees like this plum tree Phillip is hiding in. Below is one of the many views of farmland around their paddock/plot. A bit of a digression before some more pics: It is interesting that some people here think that being Christian is a part of your heritage like being Maori or American. One of Claire's friends commented she was a Christian but didn't want to be. It begs the question what does she think being a Christian means. What is really fascinating about Jesus is that he challenged the Jewish way of birthright to a religion and said each person has to believe in their heart and their faith in Christ even if it is small makes them a Christian. Another point is the confusion we are finding about what it means to be a Christian may be because of the lumping of anything western being considered "Christian". Overseas folks sometimes can't seperate western actions (like colonialism, the war against terrorism, and sexual openess) from Christian faith. For example the Muslims we have talked to think the war on terrorism is "Christian aggression" and all Christians are like Sex in The City. It is hard to give a message of love and forgiveness of Christ to someone who has mingled Western politics, a moral decline in Western culture, and Christian religion. For many Muslims it is very hard to conceive there is a difference because there is no difference in politics, daily culture and religion in their own life view in Muslim world. They also have a hard time realizing the freedom we Americans have to look critically and believe this and disagree with that and at the end of the day not behead eachother for disagreeing and still call the whole lot with warts and all "American". I struggled a bit after my Maori 2 day course where the ills of colonialism and Western ways were displayed pretty effectively by a Non-Maori white teacher. After a few days of inner turmoil I came to the conclusion that each of us have 3 "rings of influence" that make up how we think and act: our culture, our religious convictions, and our own self interest. They overlap some but sometimes we act strictly out of one. Through time some things were done here strictly out of self interest (Like the men who ran the New Zealand Company who sold the same land deeds to multiple different English people ripping them off. ) Some things were cultural influence like the British colonialism keeping slaves. Somethings were done out of religious beliefs like the early missionaries planting churches and schools and trying to appeal to the British throne for their Maori friends. Sometimes the lines were blurred- by Christian missionaries, settlers, and Maori alike. The second day of the course the Maori teacher did a more balanced job portraying the struggles the Maori have and the beautiful side of their faith. I especially appreciate the humility they have before God, the importance of family/community (Whanau), and the respect/treasure the earth is to them. Just as he said that drugs and family violence aren't part of Maoridom ideology I feel that military aggression and open sexuality are not a part of Christian ideology. It's good to seperate these things in my mind.

The shallow waters in front of our house have made for great wading as the water here is COLD.

Some of you may have Guitar Hero for the Wii or remember the 70's song called "School's Out For Summer" with a guitar solo afterwards. It has been a bit of a theme song around our house this week. The kids finished the long run of school since August 2007...yes that is 17 months of school with a break here or there for a week or two. They were especially excited for this summer here with Christmas and Nana/Papa visiting in early 2009. I included some pics of the last day of school.

(Above) Lil Ogle is the Whagarei Heads principal.

(Above) Joy is the school nurse, secretary, administrative coordinator and general love on the kids/help out in any way person.

Mrs.Prince and Mrs. Neubold did a teaching job share for Claire's class which meant having input and balance from two wonderful teachers.

Phillip's teacher Ms.McGregor was a new teacher this year and provided a kind and peaceful learning environment for Phillip.

Cheryl gets here in a few hours and we are excited that the Nichols' Bed and Breakfast is now open.