GODventureZ -- LIFE! through Pictures: September 2014

Tuesday, September 23, 2014

TAGIMOUCIA Festival 2014 - Keep TAVEUNI Clean

This colorFUL banner by student artist Hans -- which expressed perfectly the 2014 Tagimoucia Festival -- decorated Wairiki Hall...

"Keep TAVEUNI Clean" theme-banner anchored the Wairiki Hall decor...

Creative solutions to trashy problems...

SoulFUL art from trashed-out sole...

Painted bottle bottoms -- very fruitFUL works...

Bouma School District's explosion of colors...

Hidden Treasures of Naselesele...

Friday -- first day of the two-day festivities -- the school children of Taveuni gathered together to enjoy the various items on the fun-filled program...

Clear and simple slogan: USE me...

Winner -- arts and crafts division...

This invention turns plastic junk into use-able fuel -- WINNER (in the hearts of all environmentalists)...

Carnival-fun SPENDitures...

Roselyn -- definitely one of the "hidden treasures" of Taveuni...

Pacific Islander-style face painting by rLn...

These very persuasive students had me design almost a dozen "hidden treasures" inside the heart...

Bus ride home, after a long and exciting Friday...

Saturday festivities about to begin...

Banner from the students of Qeleni School (Wainikele District)...

MC and one of the prime movers'n'shakers at the Tagimoucia Festival -- VINAKA VAKA LEVU!

Jo Dean doing her heart's calling -- VINAKA VAKA LEVU!

ColorFUL and healthFUL...

Bu, anyone?

Color of "The Garden Island of Fiji" -- very green...

Teacher at Naselesele Primary School -- Ms Lo -- enjoying family time...

Tarusila-in-charge...

Talented and versatile artists...

Face-painting -- popular attraction for the kidZ...

Food parcels -- popular attractions for ALL...

From the TAVEUNI Empowerment Women's Support Group...

Where creative women support each other...

Action chorus from the Salvation Army Church...

Heartfelt speech to encourage support for the disabled people of Taveuni...

rLn's art for sale...

Makarita and dad Leone -- again in concert...

Hans and his two assistants from Buca Levu Secondary created this keepsake-of-an-artwork...

VINAKA VAKA LEVU for letting me be a part of this year's Tagimoucia Festival!

Friday, September 19, 2014

LAST FriDAY At NASELESELE Primary School

Refurbished Naselesele Primary School (NPS) sign...

NPS secretary Ms 'Nia, Mr Sai (Class 3 and 4 teacher), Mr Simo (headteacher and principal) at the school office...

Some of the Class 7 and 8 NPS kidZ...

Ms Serenia helping the kidZ find the hidden treasures on the banner...

Josese -- while the other kidZ are hard at play, he is hard at work...

NPS kidZ eagerly searching for their names...

Hopscotch designed by Ms Lo (Class 1 and 2 teacher) -- what a fun way to learn numbers!

VERY rumbunctious Class 3 and 4...

NPS rooms getting a "facelift" -- thanks to AQEP support from Australia...

Very young hidden TREASURES of Naselesele -- Ms Mila's kindergarten class...

Our children -- young or old, still in school or graduates or preschool toddlers -- are INDEED our very beloved TREASURES. CHRIST JESUS said, "For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." (Matthew 6:21) May we truly treasure our precious growing treasures by loving them as JESUS also loved us. "No one has greater love than this, that someone would lay down his life for his friends." (John 15:13) Children are a gift from the LORD; they are a reward from HIM. (Psalm 127:3)

GODventureZ -- Adventures with GOD

LIFE is an adventure! It's like a long (or short) corridor with many doors. Some doors are dark and ominous--while others beckon with light and warmth. Some doors seem ordinary with muted hues--while others glitter and catch the eye. Some are painted in exciting, vibrant colors--while others with Caution! Do NOT Enter! NO Trespassing! Some are transparent, while others are like mirrors reflecting your image.

Doors, doors, doors! Choices, choices, choices!

All kinds of doors--all designed to catch the imagination... all vying for attention... tempting us to look, stop, inspect closer and wonder--is this THE door that will open up to LIFE!--that abundant life everyone longs to live here on earth?

From birth to death are many doors to walk through. Which one(s) do we choose to open, that we may venture into LIFE!?

Through the choices we make, we can either venture in with GOD--walking with Him by our side, sheltered under His wing, surrendered to His wisdom...

Or we can venture in alone, GOD-less, foolishly thinking to go through each "Let's Make a Deal" door under our own finite intelligence, our own meager power.

We can choose GOD into our ventures, making them GODventureZ (LIFE!--abundant and blessed); or we can choose to go solo, without GOD, creating missed-ventures.

GODventureZ is about adventuring through life with GOD. Through these personal photographs, stories of LIFE! unfold...

my Prayer For You

i ask GOD to give you a complete understanding of what He wants to do in your life, and i ask Him to make you wise with spiritual wisdom. Then the way you live will always honor and please the LORD, and you will continually do good, kind things for others. All the while, you will learn to know GOD better and better. i also pray that you will be strengthened with His glorious power so that you will have all the patience and endurance you need. May you be filled with joy, always thanking the Father, who has enabled you to share the inheritance that belongs to GOD's holy people, who live in the light.

(Colossians 1:9-12)

I AM The True Vine

I am the True Vine, and my Father is the Gardener. He cuts off every branch that doesn't produce fruit, and He prunes the branches that do bear fruit so they will produce even more. You have already been pruned for greater fruitfulness by the message I have given you. Remain in Me, and I will remain in you. For a branch cannot produce fruit if it is severed from the Vine, and you cannot be fruitful apart from Me.

Yes, I Am the Vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in Me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from Me you can do nothing. Anyone who parts from Me is thrown away like a useless branch and withers. Such branches are gathered into a pile to be burned. But if you stay joined to Me and My words remain in you, you may ask any request you like, and it will be granted! My true disciples produce much fruit. This brings great glory to My Father.

I have loved you even as the Father has loved Me. Remain in My love. When you obey Me, you remain in My love, just as I obey my Father and remain in His love.

I have told you this so that you will be filled with My joy. Yes, your joy will overflow!

I command you to love each other in the same way that I love you.

And here is how to measure it--the greatest love is shown when people lay down their lives for their friends.

You are My friends if you obey Me. I no longer call you servants, because a master doesn't confide in his servants. Now you are My friends, since I have told you everything the Father told Me. You didn't choose Me. I chose you. I appointed you to go and produce fruit that will last, so that the Father will give you whatever you ask for, using My name. I command you to love each other.

The Sermon on the Mount

GOD blesses those who realize their need for Him, for the Kingdom of Heaven is given to them.

GOD blesses those who mourn, for they will be comforted.

GOD blesses those who are gentle and lowly, for the whole earth will belong to them.

GOD blesses those who are hungry and thirsty for justice, for they will receive it in full.

GOD blesses those who are merciful, for they will be shown mercy.

GOD blesses those whose hearts are pure, for they will see GOD.

GOD blesses those who work for peace, for they will be called the children of GOD.

GOD blesses those who are persecuted because they live for GOD, for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs.

GOD blesses you when you are mocked and persecuted and lied about because you are My followers.

Be happy about it! Be very glad! For a great reward awaits you in heaven. And remember, the ancient prophets were persecuted, too.

You are the salt of the earth. But what good is salt if it has lost its flavor? Can you make it useful again? It will be thrown out and trampled underfoot as worthless.

You are the light of the world -- like a city on a mountain, glowing in the night for all to see. Don't hide your light under a basket! Instead, put it on a stand and let it shine for all.

In the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father.

Don't misunderstand why I have come. I did not come to abolish the law of Moses or the writings of the prophets. No, I came to fulfill them.

Psalm 33

Let the godly sing with joy to the LORD, for it is fitting to praise Him. Praise the LORD with melodies on the lyre; make music for Him on the ten-stringed harp. Sing new songs of praise to Him; play skillfully on the harp and sing with joy.

For the word of the LORD holds true, and everything He does is worthy of our trust. He loves whatever is just and good, and His unfailing love fills the earth.

The LORD merely spoke, and the heavens were created. He breathed the word, and all the stars were born. He gave the sea its boundaries and locked the oceans in vast reservoirs.

Let everyone in the world fear the LORD, and let everyone stand in awe of Him.

For when He spoke, the world began! It appeared at His command.

The LORD shatters the plans of the nations and thwarts all their schemes. But the LORD's plans stand firm forever; His intentions can never be shaken.

What joy for the nation whose GOD is the LORD, whose people He has chosen for his own.

The LORD looks down from heaven and sees the whole human race. From His throne He observes all who live on the earth. He made their hearts, so He understands everything they do.

The best-equipped army cannot save a king, nor is great strength enough to save a warrior. Don't count on your warhorse to give you victory-- for all its strength, it cannot save you.

But the LORD watches over those who fear Him, those who rely on His unfailing love. He rescues them from death and keeps them alive in times of famine.

We depend on the LORD alone to save us. Only He can help us, protecting us like a shield. In Him our hearts rejoice, for we are trusting in His holy name.

Let your unfailing love surround us, LORD, for our hope is in You alone.