Being Home, Baby Steps, and People

Hi All !

So I am finally home !

The truth is I have been home for three weeks, and have started to write many blogs, but I always get a writers block moment, or something else comes up and I never get to finish. I am determined this will not be another one !

So as I might have mentioned in my last post, university is on the cards for next year. But what everybody wants to know is: What am I doing until then?

I have many underlying plans, many plans that I will achieve, but people are always interested in what I actually do during the day. The common question is: Do you work? The answer is yes, I do work, having said that my shifts are very few and far between, I am looking for another job so I can get more shifts, but yes, searching is the word.

Somehow however my days are completely consumed by other things, I can count how many days I have had at home completely resting on less than one hand, and that is painfully sinking in as my body is slowly coming down with sickness, having also said that, I have had the flu/a cold for about two months now that I really should deal with. But somehow magically, I don't  have the time to go to the doctors.... I don't even fully know how that works..

Being home I have been settling back into my youth group and am fully enjoying what we are doing. Our youth camp is coming up soon which is extremely exciting! So plans are going under way to prepare for that. :)

As for other plans that I made for when I come home, they are slowly moving into action, which is great :) I am learning a lot about when "The right timing" is.

As for other things, I have started a video blog on YouTube, however I have hit a huge road bump from the editing side of things as my computer has run out of disc space (Yay for convenience). So I currently have tapped a new laptop on my list of things I need to buy.

I think everyone has those lists. The ones that somehow grow quicker than they shrink. Along with my "need to buy" list, I have a "Need to do" list, which is considerably longer. Issues do occur though when the lists overlap, and then you get the middle list of "I need to do this, but first I need to buy that". I also think the "I need to buy" list has a tiny subcategory line that says "But first I need finance", which is a little annoying and the biggest issue of it all. Somehow all things on both lists will disappear, only to be replaced by newer things, it's the other circle of life. *Lifts Simba high in the air*

So life goes on and plans are being made for various things, growing up happens, and that's life.

I am glad however, that I am determined not to have an average boring life, I don't want issues of the world to hold me down, I would rather stand up and change them.

Maybe that is why I want to learn a language at uni, two languages means easier travel, travel means the world opens up, when the world opens up, opportunities grow, and when opportunities grow you are usually put in a place of influence, and people with influence can make change. Having said that, the only reason you travel (in the way I am talking about) is because you have started changing your community, or something else that effects people. I know that one of the things I have started working on would change things, however getting to the point I am at has taken many hours for such little results.

Perseverance is another thing I have spent all year learning about. We all have these great idea's but I bet the statistic for how many people actually achieve what they dream of is low. Privileged is a little bit of an understatement when I say that some of my dreams have already been achieved. It was definitely all Gods hand that changed things. :3

But yes, step by step, day by day, things are building, and it is truly exciting and wonderful to see. I guess I got to the point where I stopped listening to people say things like: "You can't" or more subtly "That will cost a lot of money" or even better those comments that if I typed them would sound positive, but as soon as it is in someone's mouth they are the complete opposite. Because the answer is, if I truly wanted too, I can do it, money is that funny thing that God provides, support provides, and people help provide when they too can see the same vision that you do. And all those comments that are said in a discouraging way get over ruled as soon as you do something about what you are trying to achieve, because then you know you can do it.

Don't know, that's my experience and thought rolled into one. We all think differently :D

That's all for now I guess,

Have a great rest of week ! :)

Refs

http://www.lionking.org/imgarchive/Act_1/Presentation5.jpg

Short Update !

"It is time"
   -God, Mozambique, Africa, 2013

So, it has been a little over three months since my last blog post!

In that time I have been on outreach with my team to Mozambique (Africa) and Albany (Australia).

And it's a question on where to begin!

Now, that I am home it will be easier to blog again, and just so I don't ramble on to you I will divide this blog post into sections :) (I know it sounds a little like an essay, but before I could barely fit three days to a week in a post, now just imagine three months !)

~Something I Learnt to Value in a Team Environment...~      

                                                                                        Below: Some of my team and me walking home from a hospital, 

Inhassuage, Mozambique

The family factor. When you are literally seeing the same people everyday for three months, with no breaks, you get to know each other pretty quickly(somehow, you still learn now things too :D ). But not only that, you grow into a family. It doesn't really matter that we have no blood connections or anything because I think it's more about love. I think if we didn't love each other we could have had some serious issues. Being in teams where we love each other gives us a serious advantage in the way we connect and project. Other people easily see within a team the level of respect and love the team members have for each other, and that often sets the level of response and respect people then give you.  Being in a team that loves each other also means that in the hard times your team has got your back, whether it's that five second prayer or that one hour talk, they got ya :D

~Something God Taught Me...~

One thing God taught me about is extending Grace to people.
So the word Grace has a lot of meanings, but in this case it would kind of be described as:

[An action someone extends to another person or situation when understanding of 

circumstance is lacking or unexplained, or knowing about a situation and 

extending the amount of patience or mercy towards it in understanding 

the effect it has on an individual]

But that is only for person to person. The dictionary says:

4.

a manifestation of favor, especially by a superior: It was only through the dean's grace that I wasn'texpelled from school. Synonyms: forgiveness, charity, mercifulness. Antonyms: animosity, enmity,disfavor.

5.

mercy; clemency; pardon: He was saved by an act of grace from the governor. Synonyms: lenity,leniency, reprieve. Antonyms: harshness.

But I guess a specific example would explain better. A friend and you strike up a conversation and they suddenly snap at you. An extension of grace could be you not snapping back and forgiving them (because they might have hurt you) and understanding that they may be going through something, especially if it is not in their character to snap. Grace is hard for me to explain because I too, am still learning about it. That's a person to person prospective, and my current understanding. But anyhow, moving on...

~A Funny Moment...~

Ah ! So many ! So in Mozambique we were on an island when we were told that back at the base we left half of our bags were staying at was robbed. <-- That was not funny, but yes, my friend Alee and I were sharing a pack at the time. After our time on the island we went back and discovered Alee's pack was taken. Alee and I continued to share a pack in Africa after that. One thing you should also know is that Alee was on a different flight to us due to her finance being late. So one morning Alee, my friend Charlene and me were just chilling around and I am guessing Charlie wanted to know if Alee would have her (now not with us) pack come with us as we got to have more weight as a group or if she would check it in with her at the airport. So she turns to Alee and goes "Hey Alee, are you going to check your bags in at the airport?" fully dead serious, Alee looked confused for a moment and we started to laugh as she replied "Oh yes, if I had them" :D We all then sort of lost it laughing. It is probably one of those you had to be there moments, but I know my team will get a few giggles at reading that :3 

It's okay, I have lots of other stories that will appear in my future blogs :P

~So What I actually Did:~                                                  Below: Fishing on Idoogoo Island, Mozambique

     In Africa...

In Africa we did kid's ministry, youth ministry, old peoples ministry, healthcare, went to churches and youth groups, interceded in prayer, house visits, fishing ministry (man, fishing African style is intense, no wonder everybody is ripped!), mudd-ed houses, gleaned in a rice field (harvested rice), worked with a hospital, saw miracles/healings, and lots more! But that's a jist :)

                                                                                                     
    In Australia...

Worked alongside youth groups and churches, did old peoples, youth and children's ministries, did seminars in schools on things like bullying, eating disorders ect, and just lots of awesome random things like having free tea and coffee stools :D

What Shall I Do Now...

Right now I am at home with some plans, but in the next two weeks I fly to Malaysia for my next missions trip with my awesome church! So yes, quiet the exciting time for me ! Can't wait to get back into regular blogging again, it shall be good :) Until next time!

Ciao !

The Blow hole - Albany, Australia


All Photos Are Copyrighted, taken by Myself and a Friend
References:
http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/grace?s=t

Early morning blogs??

*Note* This blog is last weeks blog. Due to not being able to access this blog it is now being posted today :)

Hello !

Been awhile hasn’t it !? ;)

So what has been happening?

Welllllllllllllllllll

Over the last two weeks I have spent 5 days in silence, 6 days with a migraine and the rest of it being super intense with lectures, work duties and shenanigans!

Yesterday I spent a lovely work duty in the kitchen cooking dinner with some close friends before coming home jumping into prayer chain, and then going for a run with Charlene for an hour! (you proud daddy? One whole hour I literally ran!) and this was about 11pm at night...

So as the weeks draw nearer to going on outreach (three exactly) I am reflecting on all our classes and learning new things from them and getting new revelation. I think God has been stretching me and poking and prodding at me but it honestly is great! And I challenge you to ask God to do the same :)

So I am fully blessed to have my $5,100 outreach fees reach the $4,800 mark on Friday night. I am so blessed to have such great friends and family who invest in me. So I have the privilege to go to Mozambique and Southwest Australia. The vision is to support and work alongside Churches and other ministries in these nations. It even involves teaching in High Schools about identity, self worth and relationships. Youth work is something I feel very passionate about and I hope to help our generation out through this.

So by Wednesday I need $ 5,100.- to pay for the  flights, food, accommodation, and malaria tablets (So I don’t die ;D ). My team and I are also helping to raise finances for a healthcare centre in Mozambique that has not been built yet. For that project we have a special way to raise finances: it’s called Blessed To Be A Blessing. This is a great fundraiser as for every $25 dollars that is donated towards me $5 goes to the healthcare centre. If you would like to bless me with a donation please click on the link below :)  (and you also would bless a whole community in Africa through your support)

So I guess this is quick and short blog, it is 2am and I still have homework to do in order to have and almost perfectly free day when I wake up tomorrow :) Haha, an almost perfectly free day? That’s a laugh because I still have a lot to do, but it’s all no brainer stuff and that my friends, means a almost perfectly free day ;)

I hope the next one is more exciting ;D

Tash

The link :)

https://www.ywamperth.org.au/007/payonline.asp

Tash Morton>YP DTS>Outreach fees

A quick newsletter ! :3

Hey All,

I have entered into week five of the YP DTS and this weeks’ focus in on Relationships. During this week our classes have been focusing on the foundations of friendships and the other forms of relationships with the people surrounding us. This topic sounds very basic, I mean, who has never ever had a relationship before? Nobody! We all at most points of our lives have had a relationship with the people around us. This week is really impacting me as I learn the values and foundations that give relationships meaning, there has been so much teaching. I have found it touching discovering how my friendships are, and how lucky I am to have formed special bonds with those close to me.

Over the whole DTS I have been discovering my value in God and trying to set strong foundations in Him. For me it was the back to basics factor. Before I came I knew a lot about God but I don’t believe that I really knew him. I have learnt to approach all teachings with an open heart and to put myself into a position to learn and hear from Him. Asking God to open my heart and teach me how to love has also helped me a lot through this time, God answers prayers and I find myself changing for the better inch by inch. I am thankful for the wonderful leadership here who are a constant encouragement, everybody needs encouragement.

The upcoming weeks are filled with exciting lectures, amazing work duties (Woo !) and fundraising for outreach. Yesterday I spent the day with my team doing a carwash and I can tell you never have I ever had such an arm work out as that! And it isn’t from washing the car, its from waving ! I don’t think I have ever smiled so brightly for so long, using my super fantastic smile that is :D ;D I also used my dancing wave (the one you use so people at the back can see you) and my air hostess arms :D Yes all I can say is, I am way overly cheesy, but people seem to enjoy that kinda stuff :D I got many waves from randoms in cars, bus drivers, and old people, as well as the occasional thumbs up, which made it easier :D Before DTS I don’t think I would have don’t that, I don’t know whether it’s because I’m in a city where the only people I know totally understand what I’m doing or the fact I am incredibly passionate about going to Mozambique and Australia, I think maybe it’s a bit of both :3

Today I have a packed day as I finish homework and do other bits and pieces that take lots of time but don’t really consist of doing much, so that’s all for now, I should have my first vlog up by today or tomorrow, I finally got around to editing it (Woo!)

Prayer Requests:

·       -  Improved health (my body is being speech again in the CFS/anaemic area)

·        - Finances for outreach ! (still need quite a bit)

      Tash :3

What Happens When You Go Camping

Ahh where to start ;)


I guess lets start at the 3 hour journey that is meant to take half that time. Sitting on a bus can be very interesting ! Eating junk food, singing and sleeping made our whole trip very fun ! We new our singing abilities had hit a new level when people in the other vehicles start also singing with you :D Did I mention we re-enacted Titanic and sung Celine Dion :D Oh yes this is what happens when YP DTS 2013' Hit the roads !!!!!!!!!!

WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO !!

So when we arrived we set up camp and its one of those, how many girls does it take to set up a tent jokes, it didnt take long, it just took a lot of different variations to try set it up. No instructions, no pictures, no problems.... said nobody ever when setting up our tents :P


After that we went swimming in a very beautiful river, lake, bila-bong thing :) Slippery rock and deep water make very interesting entrances to the water, and even better looking attempts at getting out... I believe everybody has an inner whale, I discovered mine of friday ;)

So a mix of late nights, sleeping under the starts, and waking up to beauty at its finest (Sorry guys, it was nature not you ;D ) we entered another beautiful day ! With snow white themed relays, more swimming, smores and cooking dinner it was another eventful day :)

But it never truly is a camp without an injury, capture the flag at night  had a pair of glasses being broken and a few random injuries, I myself got injured tripping over rope that was supporting our tent, but what is a little bit of blood when your heading to get a smore ??


So Right now I am back at base and am struggling to right this, I am overly tired when it comes to using brain power at the moment, sorry guys :P

This week in classes we learnt about Submission and Authority, a very good subject, all I have to say is, sometimes people who are your leaders do things because the love you, even if it hurts you for a little while, it will be better in the end :3

I honestly cant type any more sorry :3

Until next week
Tash :)

WAITTTTT !!

This week I found out two people who I dont even know are going to pay for a trip to Malaysia for me for our church mission trip, God put me on their minds and they prayerfully responded which is awesome ! God has my back for this, I didnt think I was going to be able to go !!!

And my outreach location is *drumroll please*

MOZAMBIQUE AND AUSTRALIA !!!!!!!!!!!!

But more on that next week :D

Okay, so tired, Goodbye :P

Week 4..... And procrastinating !

So there goes yet another week!

Time goes by so fast !

So what happened this week ?

Well it was and exiting week of tears, laughs, lectures and decision making !

So after procrastinating for about an hour by google-ing riverdance and rolling on the floor I think I am ready to continue my blog :D

So the week started out pretty well, we had a speaker from New Zealand (KIWIIIIII) and I found his teachings very interesting and fun. Outside of lectures I slept, did chores and morning exercise, talked, and did homework.... So just another usual week...

Except... WE FOUND OUT OUTREACH LOCATIONS !

So I can’t tell you until next week where I am going because other people in my DTS read this blog, so I will tell you all next week, but all I can say is it’s going to be great !

Oh I just realised I had been on facebook for ten minutes >.>

So I have the procrastination bug quite obviously !

I am also having the biggest mind blank in history, I can literally not remember anything I did this week, other than having morning exercise at the beach yesterday (Oh yeah!) and going to the beach for small groups on Monday. I am finding everything is starting to get packed as we talk more about outreach and we do assignments (I finished mine on Tuesday, and its due tomorrow, at least I didn’t procrastinate that one ;D ).

It’s one of those days when I don’t have a lot to do but it seems to be taking forever, such a funny mood I’m in !

I’m currently watching the YWAM little girls dance around to my music I’m blaring from my laptop J I love Saturdays, its quiet and I can play music aloud J

Here is a video from our base :D I know a lot of these awesome peeps ;D And I am actually in the background of one of these shots, so gooooood luuuuck ;)

Well I had better type and email home and start my new book J

Until next time, with a better blog than this weeks ;)

Tash 

Forgiving People, Outreach and Australia Day

Soooooooooooooooooooooooo,

I have entered week three of being at YWAM ! This past week we learnt about repentance and forgiveness...

But I'm going to tell you about forgiveness.

I never realised I actually held grudges, I'm a pretty easy going person, when people wrong me it takes between thirty seconds to a day to be all good with what happened, but it seems I never really forgot..

I found I actually had quite a few things to forgive people for, things that I would bring up on occasion, and feel perfectly okay with, but then when I thought about it deeply when I had to make my list I found that I obviously hadn't forgiven them, as, I would still feel a small amount of agitation.

I think people bury things deeply, things they think they have under control but really don't. Trust me when I say, its a huge relief to get it all off your chest. I found as I sat with my two leaders and said my list in front of my class that I cried about the things that I didn't think affected me.

I challenge you to make a list !

It was a long challenging week... :3

Tomorrow I find out the possible locations for my outreach trips. I am super excited to find out where in the world I get to go help people ! Outreach teams are made up of our DTS students, we group up and do many different things from skits to teaching and everything in between. It is all very exciting !

So Australia Day was yesterday ! I dressed up super Ozzie like, as did my DTS and we all headed down to the river for an awesome firework display (as usual ;P). It was so beautiful to see and such a great time to spend time with friends :)

I have found there isn't much to say about this week, there was simply to much going on for me to ever be able to type it all, and honestly I am still trying to process it ! Enjoy my friends photo of the fireworks :) I haven't downloaded mine off my iPod yet sorry, and I'm still awaiting on my camera..... Seriously .... Australian post sucks ! But not as much as American I hear ;)

Until next week,
Tash :)

God and Men with Fluffy Beards....

So here begins yet another week in Perth !

So the reason I am in Perth is because I am doing a YWAM DTS !

But what is that you may ask ?

YWAM (sounds like “I am”)(Thankyou Loren Cunningham for that one) is a non profit organisation the specialises in teaching young and older people about God and missions. I chose to come to YWAM to better my relationship with God, which makes some people go “Huh, a relationship with God..... You have gone mad !”

The truth is, I was already mad ;)

I kid, I kid

But I did hit that point with God where I knew a certain amount about him, and knew him a little bit, but nothing quite satisfied. It’s truly amazing here as I slowly learn about the bible and all of its stories and the messages behind them. Pretty soon I’ll be on outreach, which is where I go overseas and help people, and I’ll have many exciting stories to tell you all, and you can read my usual rants ;)

But until then I will tell you about my week by week experiences J

<- Doing le Homework latenight at base with my fellow schoolmates

Sooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

This week.....

This week I started proper classes and morning workouts ! Now the first day of morning workouts we had a sports DTS take our school.... Now I know there is fit when you do sprints, but I think Ninja is a better word for our leader.

So I was in the last shuttle (group) to go, we did it in shuttles because there is many of us, and I’d look to my right and my leader would be there and I would out run him.... Every single time !

But here is where the really interesting part comes in J :S

Somewhere between hitting the halfway mark and blinking he would always be at the finish line waiting for the rest of us to finish.... I tried lots of times to see how he did it, and all I can say is that he’s fast.... Ninja fast.                                                                                                            Jesse's feet sunburn from Sat ^^^

So that started my week off ! During the week I had many fun activities with my fellow school mates including watching Tangled and a Planet Earth video. I always love a good documentary, but never before had I ever watched something that was written for the visually impaired. At first I didn't realise, and just had those weird moments where a whole scene is described to you and you just sit there like... oooooookayyyyyyyy.... but soon after my fellow schoolmates and I embraced this new way of speaking and used it quite often ! Some of our favourite quotes from the doc are:

“A man with a fluffy beard”

“A man carrying a spear”

And

“A man in a wooden boat”

These all seemed to revolve around men (How sexist ! Jokes) but what happens when it comes to describing how someone is feeling when they feel upset? Well you just slip in: “John looks very upset at this statement”...

Now I am not having a go at blind people, I am just saying it was a funny new experience for me. I did thoroughly enjoy having the scenes said to me J

Other than that I had some lovely life changing confrontings as I learnt about the character and nature of God and had to look at my own heart J

Currently I am chucking starbursts to one of my roomies as she does her journal and I type this, since she is on a top bunk and I am on the floor I have had some interesting throws including having her pen fly at me... Generally you put things down before you catch something ;)

So that’s my quick update J

Catch you up next week J

Tash

All photos are taken by me and edited, please try to desist from stealing them ;)

Did you say Perth.... Australia ?

Hello All !

Feast your eyes on the chocolate pizza I had the other night !!!! Mwahahaha

It has been quite some time since I have touched my blog, and the simple reason is.....

I really didn’t have time !

In a mix of packing for Perth, saying goodbye to everyone, and other various activities that had to take priority, I didn’t have enough time to sit down and type to you.... So sorry about that one ;)

Now because I am in Perth I will only be able to blog ever Sunday, and the occasional Saturday, so it will be a once a week update on all things that are happening in my life ! :D

So last Saturday I flew into the beautiful Perth ! My flight was pretty good, except for the screaming child at the very back of the plane that I could hear from the front.... -.-
So on the flight I did the usual: Eat, watch movies (pitch perfect), talk to the nice lady next to me who broke my record of having to sit next to creepy older men every time I fly,  read a book, did origami, chewed gum, attempted to sleep, went to the bathroom (almost taking out a few people in the aisle seats, come on guys, just because you’re in an aisle seat, doesn’t mean you have to lean all into it!), and then did the very thing I am good at on planes...... Waited.... Because when all of that was over, I still had one hour of flighting ! Insanity slowly crept in....

But after landing I met up with a guy who was sent to pick me up ! With no sign I did side glances across the room as he looked like he was waiting for someone before he came up to me and asked me if I was Tash, which I said yes and we collected my baggage and went to another area of the base to pick up another student who flew in at the same time ! So we went over and met with another student and leader and introduced myself before we finally after what seemed like too long to travel, made our way to base ! The other students greeted us with open arms and Rachel and I (the other student from the airport) ate lunch before quickly going to drop our stuff off at our temporary home and going to the beach ! That night out other roomie Molly arrived and finally out bedroom was full as we were the only students in out DTS to be assigned to this house ! (We do live with other students though :D )

Over the next few days orientation began and classes, while other students arrived from locations all over the world which is very exciting ! The week also included many outings to the beaches and other places in Perth and outside of Perth ! Having said that, I did have homework ect, so it isn’t as much of a holiday as I make it sound ;)

So I bet your wondering where I am (exactly) and what I am doing ?!

I’ll tell you next week :P

Tash J