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What a Day!

Just thought i'd share a marathon of events with you.

1. Early Flight from Auckland to ChCh missed, oh well, grab another.. found the cheapest one possible.. but still wasn't cheap :s

Got to be in business class though, yeyah, so much room! love getting in there

2. Got out of taxi and first thing I saw when back in the chch CBD was a lady walking toward me yelling "HALLELUJAH" with her arms lifted high, encouraging.. yet.. worrying.

3. Got my keys off Soph, skated to my car with luggage and laptop in tow. Talking on phone as I entered my car made it all a handful and a half, so it wasn't till I got home that I realised I had left my laptop on my boot. Raced back to church and searched desperately and prayed like crazy that I would find it. Nothing.

Retraced the drive home, all 2 mins of it.. nothing.

So gutted, I sat back and hoped someone would call.

Then I thought I'd better report it in case a good samaritan handed it in.

"ChCh Police Lost and Found"

"I've done something really stupid, I've lost my brand new laptop.."

"Is your name Graeme?"

"ARE YOU SERIOUS?!?"

"What's your last name?"

"Laughton-Mutu"

"Just got handed in 2 minutes ago"

Praise God! so stoked! super lucky and so thankful. Not a sign of damage.

Add work, housesitting, lots of driving, getting a free printer into all that and you have my day!.... so far. Bring on the evening.

Happy reading all. Will post more blogs these days I promise.

Wedding

So I'm getting married tomorrow, it's less than 24 hours away.

I'm sitting in the lounge of our new home, on my laptop, house to myself, music keeping me company.

My thoughts over the last while

6 Months ago - "Cool, getting married soon"

2 Months ago - "Ooh getting closer"

2 Weeks ago - "Wow that crept up fast"

2 Days ago - "Whoa, this is Big"

2 Mins ago - "My life is about to change forever."

I'm excited, not so much nervous.. but I'm sure I will be say.. 4pm tomorrow.
What an exciting time.

Thank you to all who have helped Sophie and I in the process leading up to this day.
Looking forward to seeing how it goes.

check out our site

http://www.graemeandsophie.com

and by all means, come along!

Love to see you there!

peace

Work

"Work is either fun or drudgery. It depends on your attitude. I like fun."
Colleen C. Barrett

Primal Getaway 08/09

I have just spent 4 days in the beautiful Cooks Beach, Coromandel.
The reason I'm here is for our annual youth camp over the new year period.
After a very busy and chaotic year I am so grateful to be a part of a movement like Primal Youth.
God has done so many wonderful things through the duration of this camp.
Salvation, Redemption, Healing, Revelation and Freedom.
God you are awesome. Thank you for all you are, all you've done and all that is to come.
I'm looking forward to a great year 2009
Make the most of it.

ENGAGED!

If you haven't already heard, Sophie and I are engaged, looking to get married sometime in the near future!
Great news huh! I'm stoked and she sure is too.

So for all of you who keep asking for the story.. here it is...

Our One Year Anniversary of being together was coming up fast and I'd been secretly paying off a great wee present, small, round, shiny and expensive...

I threw in small comments about making it a special night, the 7th of July, talked about how cool it was how we got together on that day, being 07/07/07
Those who know me well will be certain I set that one up, but its pure chance and I'm stoked on it.
So throwing these comments around got Sophie started on suggestions for how to celebrate, making all the plans her idea and I would agree.

She suggested we go up the hills to one of our favourite spots, one I'd already thought was a great proposal spot... haha

So a couple days before hand, Roy and I went for a drive to see where to setup the equipment, haha read on to find out..

That was fun because it involved dodging a road closed sign and getting stuck in snow! then building a snow ramp to jump out of a ditch with my trusty Max (my car)

All set and it was time to do this!

Monday came and I had a flash of a day at work, thought it would take ages considering what lay ahead that night..

4pm came around, I met up with my team of setup ninjas and gave them a brief on their all too important mission.

We parted ways and I headed off to pickup Sophie.

Trip to the supermarket for some food, hot chicken, nice rolls, marshmallows, candles, sparkling wine. We were set..

Phone call from ninjas... Snow is worse! Roads closed again, won't make it through this time.

Move to plan B! different location, same setup. Go Go Go!

We drive up the hills, looking at the lights as we ascend, its beautiful. Perfect view.

I drove to the road closed sign as if I don't know, I acted really gutted that it spoiled our plan for our special anniversary night. She bought it.

Out of nowhere I had an idea. Headed down the other side of the hill.

"Where are we going?" She kept asking
"I have a backup plan" was my response

Up a few crazy roads we end up at a house on top of the hill overlooking governors bay. A beautiful wooden deck sticks out over the hill with a stream running below it, blankets and pillows laid out in the middle with dim lights shining on our setting.

We sit down and I light the candles, they form a circle around us and light up the
picnic beautifully.

We eat, and cuddle, and smile, and talk.
Reminiscing and laughing about the great past year we have had.
Talking about the past, the present and parts of the future.

After some of the food and wine is finished, we stand up and walk over to the rail and look out at the harbour, then up at the stars.

Cuddling close I ask "Are you happy?"
"Yes"
"How happy?"
She makes motions with her arms stetched as far as they reach.
"Could anything make you happier?"
She pauses...
"No"

Time to prove her wrong.

I lead her back to the centre of the candle circle. Standing in the middle embracing one another I tell her how much I love her and how important she is to me.
That I wanted this night to be special.
That I have wanted to have a night like this for a long time.

Cue part one.

From the bushes and under the deck comes music, our song, Stolen by Dashboard Confessional plays loudly. The distinctive electric guitar riff in the intro pierces the silence and brings a shocked and very emotive look upon her face.

A moment later, a spot light from above lights up our center stage.

Now completely frozen in a jaw dropped position her eyes slowly fill with tears as I stare straight into them.

"Sophie Anne Hawes" (thats where she blacked out when recalling it later)

I told her further more about her importance and my appreciation for her in my life, removing a hand from her tight grip.
Now holding a small box I open it up, get down on one knee and ask "Will you marry me?"

"Yes" came through a teary, surprised and overwhelmed smile.

Ring on the finger and standing there hugging and crying, she wouldn't let go of me.
I was happier than ever before.

We stood there for a long time and took in the moment.

It was amazing.

We got in the car and headed back down the hill.
We reached the bottom and pulled into a bar/cafe across the road, Families and friends were all there waiting and full of hugs and congratulations.

What an awesome night. Bring on the rest. I am so stoked.
Thank you God for such an amazing blessing. My fiance Sophie.


Ps. As everyone always does, you're probably going to ask me when the dates are..
Send me your address and you'll find out.
graememoo2@gmail.com or 027 696 5636

Sickness....

I'm currently sick. It's so lame, I'm sure you've all been sick before and I can definitly say I don't enjoy it one bit.
I'm pretty active, so anything that forces me to 'take it easy' as such, you can guess I'm not to keen on. I got hit with 3 things too! What the doctor at first thought was Bronchitis.. now maybe Laryngitis, , virus that gave me headaches, cold sweats and aches all over, and a stomach bug that made me all sick and messy like.
Had a great time in Auckland for C3/Primal leaders conferences, and am so super stoked on our future here in Christchurch, but had a feeling that on my arrival back, the man downstairs would try get me outta that head space.
I can safely say to you, HE HAS FAILED!
Of course I expect to have attack come against me when I'm feeling big and bold and certain of the things of God in my life and my ministry.
So physically I am weak, drained and unwell, but spiritually, I am more healthy than ever before because I know that my spiritual health is my priority and I have complete trust and faith that God is good, and has control of me and my future.
If you're reading this satan, you suck, and you're wasting you're time on me because I refuse to be shaken from who I am in God almighty.
And you shouldn't even be allowed a computer, or at least internet, okay maybe dialup at the most.
God, you are amazing, thankyou for the revelations you have brought to me over the past couple of weeks. Love you so much.
Friends, thanks also for your support and help with the physical things I am unable to do. You guys rule.
Everyone else, make your spiritual health your priority, you might just find that the other things will fall in line with it, and theres no better feeling than health through the true giver of life. Amen

Quick Note

Just a quick note to let you know..
I'm in Auckland at the moment. Have 2 conferences this week which I'm very very excited about.. but I was reminded of living here in the past and I don't miss this stupid traffic one bit.
It's ridiculous how it can take half an hour to travel somewhere that would take 5 minutes if it were a different time of day, let a lone trying to travel somewhere that would 'calmly' take half an hour...
Gah, stupid traffic. I miss you Christchurch.
Looking forward to coming back to clear'ish roads.

ps. I hope they are clear as we arrive in at 10.20am and church is at 10.30am haha.
peace

Summer?

Crap.. where did summer go?
Feels like yesterday I was ready to make the most of the dry, sunny days with skating, picnics and fun at the beach.
The worst thing is I know it'll be quite the opposite with winter... it'll drag on painfully and stay cold and dark.
well I guess that proves the whole 'time flies..' theory, and I did have a lot of fun this summer.
Well i guess all I can do is look for some good things about winter.. maybe it'll snow! that would be mint!
and get ready for the good things of the next summer to come!
Primal Getaway! BBQ's! Swimming! Skate Road Trips!

I cant wait!

Steven Rwebuga

I thought I'd introduce you all to a friend of mine,
Steven.

Although I've never met him, much like a lot of peoples myspace friends. He is very special to me.
I was given the opportunity to sponsor him through World Vision.
He lives in the Buyamba Community in Uganda. Which is rad, I've never been there but I hope to someday.
He is 7 years old, has 4 sisters and 4 brothers.


Two of the coolest things about him I know from the profile I got are:
a) Favourite past time - Hide and Seek (yeyah, love that game)
and
b) Steven helps his family by gathering firewood (probably the best job I could think of)

I'd recommend you consider sponsoring a child, its a great feeling to help someone else, whether you get to see the benefits or not.

Camp Mum

After looking over some random things stuck to my wall I noticed a certificate I got called a camp mum award, essentially the female chosen to play camp mum on one of our camps (duh) had given out these awards to acknowledge peoples efforts and outstanding behaviour in relation to her position.
Her position generally being the head of all things involving cooking, cleaning and other 'motherly' related jobs/tasks. As I think back to all the people who have filled the role of 'Camp Mum' or similar roles, be it at a camp, conference or even just around the house/flat etc.

These people are awesome, humble enough to take on such a role and seem to have the same characteristics, friendly, servant hearted and efficient. Because of this I would like to further recognize and thank the efforts of all the 'Camp Mum' types out there, you make life so much better and as someone who is running an organisation, you are a treasure which is very highly valued.
Thanks again
Graeme