March 25th, 2006
Dad and I have a great relationship. We’ve been close since I was a kid and we probably share a lot of the same funny little quirks (if he were in my position he’d line up the bottles in the fridge too).

When I was a teenager he used to sit up late on a Friday night waiting for me to come home from youth group. We’d then sit and discuss everything from the week. Usually the finance report was on the teli at that time given by a guy we referred to as Gotlipsen (because we couldn’t pronounce his name) and we used to turn the sound down and watch him tell the report as if it was the most exciting story in the world (lots of facial expression). We’d make up what we thought he was saying and sit there and laugh and laugh. As I’ve gotten older I’ve often come to a different point of view on things but it hasn’t changed our relationship, we’re still close and I still go to him when I need some encouragement.

I’ve got this silly rhyme running through my head which originated with my dad. It goes:

Inky pinky ponky
Daddy had a donkey
Donkey died
Daddy cried
Inky pinky ponky

I have no idea where he got it from but every now and then I find myself saying it and I think of him. Weird huh.

Pic: myself, Dad and my brother Johnathan, quite a few years old this one but still a favourite.

March 25th, 2006

Read this today, it’s significant to me because I used to think that being an artist would be as useful (in the overseas missionary context) as being a florist (no offence to florists, I’m sure they’re useful too on the overseas mission field). Since then I’ve learn’t a lot about the way that God gives each of us differerent skills and abilities and that we are to use them for his glory. :

Exodus 31
“Then the LORD said to Moses, “See, I have chosen Bezalel son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah, and I have filled him with the Spirit of God, with skill, ability and knowledge in all kinds of crafts- to make artistic designs for work in gold, silver and bronze, to cut and set stones, to work in wood, and to engage in all kinds of craftsmanship. Moreover, I have appointed Oholiab son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan, to help him. Also I have given skill to all the craftsmen to make everything I have commanded you:”

Pic: Pastel on paper by me. African man.

March 24th, 2006

Another difficult one for me but here’s my entry for Illustration Friday on the theme of ‘Monster’. Acrylic on watercolour paper. As much as this guy isn’t a monster there are elements in it I feel that indicate that he may be hiding something, could be Frankensteinish or something. What do you think?
March 24th, 2006

Hard theme for me this week. This was my dashund Shana who died last June. She didn’t only have a smooth coat but a smooth personality. I miss her.

March 22nd, 2006
I while ago I wrote about one of my strange habits, storing the bottles in the fridge exactly lined up (here) . Well, I have another strange quirk which is related. I don’t know why but I only allow drinks, Kezi’s milk, Kezi’s food or normal milk to be stored on the top shelf of the fridge. Of course this doesn’t bother Michael so usually he puts whatever on the top shelf but I find that I JUST HAVE TO move whatever isn’t in the above categories on the top shelf! Weird hey. Not sure if it’s from a fear early on that food or food smells might contaminate Kezi’s milk but oh well, I’m sure we all have our quirks and this is ONE OF mine.
March 21st, 2006
This is part 10 of my booklet Curried Missionary, how to spice up your missionaries’ life. In this section we continue to see quotes that are Straight From The Horse’s Mouth (quotes from missionaries about how we can best encourage them).
Pic: Michael and I with a Wodabe Fulani man in Niger
Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4 Part 5 Part 6 Part 7 Part 8 Part 9

“…having someone I don’t know send me a “just to say hello” card. Then maybe we could start writing or something…yes, having something sent out like good food and stuff would be really cool..”
~ 13 yr old Missionary Kid from the USA, in Niger.

“…A letter from a friend telling me about all the little details of life in the village she lived in in Dorset – it was great as so far removed from life in Budapest!…A box containing my favourite teddy bear…and a few of my favourite apples…I NEVER IMAGINED ANYONE WOULD POST APPLES TO ME!!!”
~ Allie Schwaar, English/Swiss former missionary in Hungary.

“..Another church sends us a small package about 2 or 3 times a year with small thing sin it and note to say they are praying for us. Neither of these churches support us financially.”
~ T & E Burns, Aussie missionaries in PNG.

“…just to hear from people. I love getting e-mails and I like letters even better. No matter how short, it’s really nice just to hear something from a friend often. TO NOT GET ANY E-MAILS FOR LIKE TWO OR THREE WEEKS IS KIND OF DISCOURAGING, BUT TO GET ONE RO SEVERAL AT ONCE CAN MAKE MY DAY.”
~ Hannah, Missionary kid from the USA in Niger

“Letters with “current affairs” and cricket/rugby news etc.. is wonder-ful!!!”..”
~ D & J Brown, English former missionaries in Ethiopia.

“…to receive a letter or especially a package from someone, because when I feel like I just can’t stand being here another moment, a letter from someone or a package with something from back home helps cheer me up and give me a little strength to go on.”
~ Sarah, American/French Missionary Kid in Niger.

March 20th, 2006


Today my little one is 6 months old, time goes so fast. Happy 6 month birthday Kezi.

March 19th, 2006

I decided it’s about time I added some piccies to my flicker account so this is just to let you know that there are new ones there now (above is an example, Acrylic - Venice).

March 17th, 2006
Today is my nephew’s first birthday! Happy Birthday Malachi! We phoned Papua New Guinea today to speak to my brother and sister-in-law (the little fella was asleep). I looked in my archives and I wrote a short post about my nephew here a year ago.
What only takes a moment (as per the title of this post)? Well, in chatting with my brother it seems that since they arrived they haven’t really recieved any mail. We send them stuff but he means from friends and supporters. Not one letter, card and hardly an email. He sounded disappointed of course but unfortunately this is the reality when you’re living on the overseas mission field. That’s why I wrote my booklet Curried Missionary, to encourage people to encourage missionaries. This was from our own experiences overseas of checking our mailbox once a week and it often being empty, such a let down when you’re so isolated from the world. If you know a missionary let me encourage you to drop them a little note, card, email or parcel as often as you can. It doesn’t cost that much and the benefits are so great!

In other news….. my felt book arrived on time for the little guy’s birthday and here’s a photo of him with it. He apparently likes to lick the cricket/sports page the best!

March 17th, 2006

This weeks Illustration Friday theme is ‘Feet’. This is another illustration I did in Niger, West Africa for literacy booklets used by SIL. I always liked the feet in this illustration.