Soul Surfer Movie: the true story of Championship Surfer Bethany Hamilton

While I was in New Zealand I saw a program on television capturing a day in the life of Championship Surfer Bethany Hamilton. If you remember...she's the girl who experienced a traumatic shark attack and lost an arm. But she didn't let the accident keep her from doing what she was born to do...surf!

Having grown up in Hawaii (as Bethany has) I have always loved the ocean. I can remember boogie boarding and body surfing as a child and enjoying hanging out at the beaches continually. Recently when I was in New Zealand I was able to go surfing at Raglan Beach and I loved every moment! As the waves came roaring towards me and I scrambled to get on the board to ride them in I imagined what my life might have been like if I had stayed in Hawaii instead of moving to the mainland...and eventually inland...I might have aspired surf.

Tonight I had the crazy opportunity to go to a special screening preview of the new movie "Soul Surfer" that will open in theatres worldwide on April 8. It's based on the true story of Bethany's love for surfing and her struggle to continue after the shark attack. The movie is very well done! I highly recommend it. It speaks of Bethany's deep faith in God and overwhelming determination to be who she is meant to be in this life. Top actors like Helen Hunt and Dennis Quaid are in the movie, along with singer/songwriter Carrie Underwood. The action is intense, the story is inspiring, and I gotta say...it tugged on my heart strings!

April 8th...go see "Soul Surfer"!

Auckland to America

I got to spend some time in Auckland on my last day in New Zealand. My friend took me to the city center where we enjoyed some coffee at Starbucks and a walk by the waterfront. Auckland reminded me a little bit of Seattle where I used to live and I enjoyed the sights, sounds, and diversity of a big city set by the water.

I'm now back in the States and working my way through jetlag. I will need time to process my holiday in New Zealand and all the adventures I experienced. I may try to blog a little bit more as memories and thoughts come to mind.

But for now...I will say: "Thank you New Zealand! I had a great time!"

last day in Raglan

today is my last day in Raglan. i'm really going to miss it here! i head back home to the States tomorrow...so i'll be going to Auckland to catch my flight out. i decided that today would be a relaxing one around Raglan. i walked down to the village...

had a coffee at the bohemian Bobo's coffeehouse and wrote a little in my journal...

then i took a walk on the beach to enjoy the sand and the water...

i'm going to miss the beach and the ocean...A LOT!!!!

on my way i discovered a jelly fish that had washed up on the beach amidst shells and other things...the tide was coming in...so i made my way back with a tearful farewell.

then in the afternoon i took a trip to Bridle Veil Falls. it was so beautiful to see this on my last day here. i will miss the amazing beauty that New Zealand so naturally displays. i've had a wonderful time in this gorgeous country...and it has now made it's way into my heart...i know i will return for more adventures!

going to church

while here in New Zealand i made sure to experience going to church a couple of times. it's an amazing feeling to worship God with the Body of Christ in different congregations in other countries. Gateway church in Hamilton.

i went to a Sunday night service at Gateway church in Hamilton...rockin worship, great teaching from a missionary to South Africa, freeing ministry & prayer time, and some really cool friends made! this church (about a thousand members) made me think of my home church Boise Vineyard...and then i found out that it was actually modeled after Vineyard USA. i also had the opportunity to talk with the worship/arts pastor about art ministry. www.gatewaychurch.org.nz

St. Peters Anglican church in Raglan.

today i went to a midweek Holy Communion service at St. Peter's Anglican church in Raglan...beautiful stained glass windows, familiar liturgy, friendly people. i enjoyed celebrating the Eucharist with this little band of Anglicans (Episcopal). they were very welcoming to me. this church service (because of it being so small...only 5 older ladies were there) made me feel like i was at a midweek service at St. Michael's Episcopal Cathedral in Boise where i like to attend. the church here is small (at most 30 people) but they have huge caring hearts! we prayed for the people in Christchurch who were devastated by the earthquake yesterday.

i'm so glad that i was able to worship with both churches while here in New Zealand...it was really good.

walking the labyrinth in New Zealand

while here in New Zealand i've connected with the Maori symbol...the KORU...which is depicted as a circular swirl. i've purchased one to wear around my neck. it means "new beginnings".

it reminds me of the ancient contemplative tool of prayer called a Labyrinth. i have taken a seminar about utilizing the labyrinth for contemplative prayer when i lived in Seattle and had the opportunity to walk one there. years later i walked one at the ancient monastic site in Glendalough, Ireland. and recently found a labyrinth in Boise, Idaho where i live.

today while in Hamilton...i had the amazing opportunity to walk a prayer labryinth at an Anglican Retreat Center...

it was on the grounds of the center...created by cutting out the design in the grass...

it's quite a relaxing experience to walk and pray into the center and back out again...i love how it calms my mind and my spirit and helps me to focus on listening to the voice of God in my heart.

i feel very blessed to have been able to experience this ancient practice while here in New Zealand...it was like a little romantic journey for me.

art on holiday...

One thing I've had fun with while here in New Zealand is being able to experience a great amount of the local art scene...through art galleries, art exhibitions, colorful murals, and conversations with artists.

I've learned about new ways to hang art in galleries...like this round hole & peg hanging system in a gallery in Raglan...

gotten to see a pottery workshop at the Raglan wharf...

enjoyed this wall mural outside of a backpackers hostel near the beach...

went to an art opening at a local shoe shop...

experienced the local scenery through a resident artist's eyes...

marveled at the colorfully painted vans for tourism...

enjoyed a new take on some older art...

gazed at some modern views of New Zealand patterns...

hung out at an artsy-bohemian cafe...

chatted with an artist painting for his living on the east coast...

and viewed a beach I was unable to stand on...through a painters eyes.

I've really had a great time enjoying the art of New Zealand...whether it be tribal Maori art or modern Kiwi art...it's all been inspiring and inviting to my artistic heart.

Kiwi

the fruit...

the bird...

the man...