Kimbra

4 hours of waiting. We dared not move from position as time grew closer. Darkness fell on thousands of anticipating faces. Chants of a single name began to brew from behind us and powerfully come alive when glimpses of a possible beginning was seen amongst moving shadows. "KIMBRA, KIMBRA, KIMBRA." Four figures appear in swift but careful fashion. They begin on their instruments, sending the crowd deep into roaring excitement. No sign yet of the one to whom the single name belongs. Then as if out of nowhere she runs out blazing with a rainbow colored flapping and moving dress with a black jewelled corset and black boots. Her infamous dark as night crop bounced as she flashed a bedazzling smile at the crowd. The spotlight hit her exposing mesmerizing beauty. As she kicked off her first song, everyone just stood there unmoved, paralyzed and transfixed trying to take in her energy. All I could hear around me was astonished gasps and exchanged comments of "she's so amazing, what the hek!?", "are you serious, shes so beautiful!" Waves of disbelief swept the arena. When she dropped the beat for "Warrior" we all seemed to snap out of our hypnotic state and straight into some serious fist pump and head bumping action. This has been one song that's been on replay on my Ipod and I tell you, hearing it live was just another level of excitment for me.

Kimbra's live voice is powerful, soaring and without blemish. She grips the crowd with the emotions and stories in her songs. When she sang "Call Me", I felt the giddy confidence that the song imbued, it was crazy to see her acting out it's very words. She danced, jumped and head pounded like no tomorrow, all with pink tambourine in hand. She also played a rendition of "Settle Down", using an iPad to create loops of her live voice. I've only seen her do that on Youtube (see below), but as I said it before seeing it live is when you really appreciate that kind of skill and talent. She is one of the best, if not the best live performances I've seen so far. Seriously, if you ever get the chance, you cannot miss her!

Metal Birds

I took a wee trip down under to celebrate a long 3yr degree that took about 6 months longer than expected. But finally that square piece of hat swag found it's way onto my head with a great black gown to match.

Being away from home means altered routines, subtle & not so subtle adjustments to an environment different from your own. It also means going without particular time slots that you've spent months crafting to suit your own needs and enviornment. Put simply, it's a time out of your comfort zone. Saying goodbye to that well indented body cave you've created on your couch or bed and saying hello to a barely touched or marked one. What happens when we encounter the unfamiliar? Do we maintain habits distinct to our usual environments? Or do our actions and thoughts become dictated by new surroundings. In Romans it teaches us not to be conformed to this world. There is always a good and a bad aspect to adaptation. This trip reminded me how important is to never let your environment, no matter how much it may change to dictate who you are in Christ. I found myself in situations where my usual practices needed to be deterred for the sake of adaptation. That is fine. Just never allow yourself to lose the heart of God in processes of change, small or big.

On the plane over, I sat there spiritually unmoved and unusually oblivious to how far I had come to be able to sit in this very seat. A momentary dry state perhaps. The only way to find water is to step out and FIND IT. So, I fumbled through my bag for writing material. Pen, yes. Paper, no. Napkin, YES. I know alot of people will agree with me when I say that, sometimes you just need to write things down to make more sense of them. So I penned a short poem that kept this trip in perspective for me.

"your grace is sufficient for me

it will carry me across the seas

into a land I once labored

it will grant me glory

under bright lights and tearful eyes.

It will strengthen bonds

and remind me of a love I cannot hide.

It will provide.

It will not cease.

I am grace-full."