This is Curtis signing off...

As you can tell i have not been updating this blog for the last few months...

I have sold out and have switched to Bebo, Bebo doesn't have the freedom that Blogger does but Bebo is an easy way to keep in touch with friends.

I will be posting the odd blog post on Bebo but you will need to be added to my friends list to be able to view them.

the link is http://www.bebo.com/Curtoos if you want to view them...

Many blessings

Curtis

Love

I attended a friends wedding last weekend, I had the honour of being the best man. It was an amazing experience to see Jason and Trina commit to each other and declare their love publicly.

The wedding got me thinking about what love is and the kind of love I want. The love that Jason and Trina showed was complete, it was unashamed and it was right, there was no need to hide it.

This is the love that I want, I don't want to settle for a half-pie version of this, I've seen friends settle for sleeping with a person who they think they will be with forever then finding out that person isn't committed to them and was just looking for a good time. Jason and Trina had both waited for each other. I am willing to wait for the kind of love they have.

From left to Right - Ronnie (Groomsman), Jason (Groom), Me (Best Man)

Character

Character is not what a person will be in the future. Character is what a person is at this present time. Pressure reveals the way a person really is.

Character is not how a person acts. Character is also how a person thinks, their motives and attitudes. To change one's character one must go deeper than actions.

Character does not appear without pressure. A person's true character surfaces when the heat is on.

Character is not just what people can see. Character is what other people do not see. Works are not always the sign of a good character. Man looks at the outward appearance but God looks at the heart.

Character is not limited to having wisdom to comment on the behavior of others. Intellectually knowing how to act, think and feel consistently with Bible principles may be a far cry from actually living in harmony with those principles.

Character is not limited to relationships between Christians. How a person interacts with unbelievers also demonstrates their true character.

Character is not limited to a person's relationship with their spiritual family. It also shows in how he treats his natural family.

I read this on James Macphersons blog. I thought this is soo cool, character lasts, character shows through in the toughest of times, Character defines if you will be the hero in a story or a villain.

I've started reading Soul Cravings by Erwin McMannus, it is VERY good. It is a collection of short two-three page "entries" that can be read as daily readings. I'm enjoying it, what I have read soo far is exploring the concept of Love.

Soul Cravings

Windows of Hope result

Found out how much we raised with the Steve Broad thing!

*Drum roll please*

$5200!!!

Amazing huh?

I thought it was pretty awesome :)

Famine update

It has been interesting this last week, I have had world vision on my heart for the last few months moving to invercargill has been a good thing for this :)

An event down here for the 40hr famine that I am involved with is the 'Window of Hope'

https://secure.famine.org.nz/events_info.aspx?id=29

This is Steve Broad (a guy who was on NZ Idol) being in a shop window for 40hrs, there will be people collecting for World Vision. It has been awesome to be involved seeing people get excited about this and the willingness of people to spend an hour to two being a collector, theres even local celebs getting behind it - Tim Shadbolt (local Mayor), Netball Players, Police chiefs etc.

I am personally up to $100 for the famine now so yay, I am pretty stoked about that :) I have been having a competition with a friend (Nicola) to see who can raise the most, I'm a little behind but I don't mind.

It is good to be back involved doing stuff, I want my faith to be something that makes a difference in this world. Things like world vision are such a great way to rally a community together and to express the heart of God for people. I love it!!!

40 hour Famine

Hey all

I just wanted to let you know that I'm doing the World Vision 40 Hour Famine this year. I'll be helping provide the basics of life to children in need around the world by taking part. But I need your help.

Please sponsor me to take part in the Famine. It will make a world of difference, creating hope and a future for many children's lives.

You could sponsor me in person or online at http://www.famine.org.nz/thedeepsouth through my own online Famine Book. It's easy. Just click this link and provide your details. You can make a pledge and get the money to me later or you can pay online - the Famine website is secure and accepts all major credit cards.

Thank you for considering sponsoring me in helping to provide the basics of life.

Thanks heaps

Curtis

If you are interested in completing the 40hr famine yourself goto http://www.famine.org.nz and register!!!

Oreti Beach

I went out to Oreti beach the other day and took this photo :) Im quite stoked with it.

This is my wallpaper.

Thoughts from Invervegas... I mean Invercargill :)

Well I have moved, I made the 5hr 15min exodus to the deep south.

The trip down was easy and uneventful :)

I arrived in Invercargill about 1.30pm. Went around to Kate, Ingrid and Hannahs flat for a while before going and setting up my room in my flat.

My room :D

The flat seems to be good, the flatmates keep to themselves which suits me.

I've been spending my days either relaxing, wandering around or at the girls flat.

Kate and Ingrid

It has been good to have friends down here, it has made the transition a LOT easier.

On sunday I went to the baptist church, there was a newcomers lunch. This was actually quite hard and I came away from the service drained and depressed.

That evening I felt very homesick, I SMS'ed a few people back home saying how I was missing them, one of them challenged me about this. They challenged me to put God first and the rest will follow. I took this to heart and drove out towards Bluff. I found a nice rest area near the sea where I spent some time talking to God and 'refocusing'. After this I went into bluff and had a look around.

Next to this signpost was a plaque that had a scripture that was a challenge for me.

Invercargill is a nicely setout place with some beautiful parks/walkways very close to where I live. Heres some shots from my wanderings

I had my 'last' coffee before I start the student life on monday. I went to starbucks and got a Vende Mocha Frappichino. It was divine :D. from now on im not going to be able to afford to have coffee all the time, I have setup a money jar as a 'Coffee Fund' that I put all my spare change into.

The 'Coffee Fund'

Well thats all for now, it has been good to make the move and I know that God has been working in my life.

Vista

I upgraded my laptop to Windows Vista last night. Currently I am running Vista Business but I will be switching to Home Premium once it arrives :)

Here is a screenshot of my desktop. The wallpaper was taken last sunday out at a friends farm :)

Vista seems very pretty and has some nice features. It does seem to be a bit resource hungary though. I am running it on a Compaq Presario 6126TU laptop.

How much of a Gentelman am i?

You Are 68% Gentleman

You are definitely a gentleman. You're very considerate and you have excellent manners. Occasionally, you slip and do something foolish... but usually no one notices!

Are You A Gentleman?

Haha...

Blogs I read...

Heres a list of the blogs I check daily...

http://www.joystiq.com/ (Gaming News)

http://www.engadget.com/ (Gadget News)

http://themerryrose.blogspot.com/ (A blog from an Aussie)

http://www.penny-arcade.com/ (can be very funny)

Enjoy!!!

How much of a sloth am i?

Your Sloth Quotient: 32%

You're a little lazy, but normally you're a very energetic and motivated person. Don't beat yourself up over a little laziness every now and then. You do need your downtime!

How Much Sloth Do You Have?

Thanks to TheMerryRose posting about this

Transformers & Ipod???

Haha I came across this on Engaget...

An Optimus Prime Transformer with Ipod Dock!!!

http://www.engadget.com/2007/01/23/takara-kicks-out-transformers-optimus-prime-ipod-speaker-dock/

 

Hahaa I want one!!!

Sneakers and Church???

I had an interesting discussion with a workmate today, were were talking about how the church functions, we got onto the topic of appropriate dress for church. I shared how I am quite happy to wear no shoes to church and I don't think anything of it. She strongly felt that how you dress for church is very important and that it shows honor for God. It got me thinking about the different experiences of church we have had. She has grown up in the church and has faithful parents.

My experience of church has been in the last 6 years and things like dress haven't been important. I believe that my heart and my actions are what matter to God not what I wear on a Sunday.

What do you think?

Transformers Trailer!

Have a look at this...

 What do you think? Fantastic or Flop?

Interesting Game

I came across this game, it is showing a family in a third world country and the balance between income and things like education etc.

Ayiti: The Cost of Life is a simple, web-based strategy game built by NYC-based developers gameLab and students from Brooklyn's South Shore High School. The game's purpose is to teach about poverty in developing nations...

(Joystik.com)

Click here to play (note that it may take a while to load)

Happy New Years

Hey all, I hope you had a merry Christmas and that you have had a great new years.

It has been an interesting new years for me this year. I have been down in Wanaka for the last couple of days. We have spent the time jetboating, ski-biscuiting and playing cards.

I have seen a different side of life this weekend, a life I do not want a part of. My sister was also down in Wanaka, I got a phone call from her asking for a ride into the bars. I picked her and some of her mates up and took them into town, they were moderately drunk at the time, I then went back to my friends and the rest of the evening passed without problem. I was woken at about 1.30am by my phone, my sister had been trying to get ahold of me, I checked the voicemail and there was a message from her asking me to give her a ride home. She was slurring her words and sounded desperate for a ride. I rung back but got no reply. I then spent the next 2 hours laying there worrying about her.

While laying there thinking I realized that it was alcohol that was behind all of this. I made a promise to God that I won't drink anymore. Why drink yourself to a point where you cannot stand or even talk properly? I struggle to understand this. Is it because they cannot have fun unless they are drunk? or because by drinking they forget the things that weigh them down?

Looking back at my own experience I can attest that the times when I have drunk the most has been when there has been things that I have wanted to forget.

What are your thoughts on alcohol? Is it something to be completely avoided? something that is good in moderation? or is the essential element to a good time?