welcome to a day in my life!

It’s nine something on Saturday the 24th of October. My eyelids refuse to open. My alarm has just gone off for the second or maybe third time and I’ve pressed snooze once again. I know I need to get moving but I’m no morning person and Saturday is about the only day of the week I get a sleep in. I hear my door open and in comes my mother. I‘m twenty-one, single and still live in my family home. Not that I’m complaining. I love living at home with my family. So I don’t really see the need to move out just yet! I live in the beautiful city of Christchurch in New Zealand. Google it and you’ll see for yourself, I’m not just saying it cause I live here! I study at the university, which is a 45min drive from my house. That’s not too bad in many places in the world. But where I live, it’s the other side of town. But I’m thankful to have minimal living costs while my income is so small. Anyway, my mum shakes me and tells me that we’re already behind. We had planned to be out the house by 9:45. I get up and start my morning routine. I have about twenty minuets by my calculation to get ready, but that seems fine. I have breakfast and by the time my mum inquires if I’m ready to leave, I’ve done everything I need to. Last night we decided to investigate a local farmers market for the first time, not far from where we live. So, off we go. We drive to the port “town” of Lyttelton, which is more like a suburb of the city. However, since it’s the other side of a hill from the city, it keeps an identity and flavour of it’s own.
This is a view overlooking Lyttleton.

It’s a beautiful, sunny day and as we drive around the streets it’s bustling with people. We have to park a few blocks away form the market, as it’s so busy. But it’s a lovely walk to get to the little farmers market that is in the courtyard of a school’s tennis court. The produce is fresh and colourful and we spend a good part of an hour wandering and exploring the market. Once we have walked the entire length of the courtyard and back to the exit, we make our way back to the car. We stop here and there in little boutique stores or anything that takes our fancy along the way. Eventually we find ourselves back at the car and we get in and head off to our next item of the day: shoe shopping. I’m surprised when my mum turns off the main road we’re travelling on and up a hill where there’s a little café halfway up. It boasts a beautiful garden and really good coffee. I can’t turn that down! We head in, order and sit down at a table that’s outside in the sun. It’s lovely. We share what’s going on in our lives and that turns to other things. We spend a long while just talking and enjoying each other’s company. When we finally decide it’s time to get moving and we proceed to my mum’s favourite shoe shop. Shopping with her for shoes is not just a pleasure but rather, an event (we don’t do it very often, she has hard to fit feet!). We spend at least two hours in the store and she leaves with two pairs of shoes. Success!!
By the time we get home, I’m ready to wind down and not bother with anything else at all for the day. Only I’m not so fortunate! Since I study full time, I work once a week to supplement my income somewhat. I iron my shirt and change into my work clothes and very soon after, I leave the house again. I work at a restaurant in the building at the top of this hill.

I know this may sound a little strange, depending where you’re from, but this is known in New Zealand as a gondola. Yes, you’re thinking “gondola, boat, Venice…that’s not a gondola!” well, I’m not sure what you know it as, cable car maybe? But anyway, it’s four o’clock and I’ve just got to the top station of the gondola. I go the back way, through the kitchen to the restaurant and get started with setting up the restaurant for evening service.
Sorry it’s not set and ready to go, I’ve just arrived and still need to make it look lovely, but you get the idea!

I’m by myself until about 6pm, when I’m joined by two other staff members. The evening passes with the usual busy pace and I’m glad when it’s all over and I get my things to go home. Myself and the other staff hop into a waiting gondola cabin and down the hill we go. It’s almost midnight. The day is just about done. I get home a little past midnight and can’t wait to get to bed. I start my usual bedtime routine and then get into my very inviting bed and read my bible for while as my mind and body calm down. Eventually I switch off the light and my head hits the pillow. I’m out like a light – goodnight!


Sharing a day in my life thanks to the Young Ladies Christian Fellowship's blog carnival.

homeschool humour.

This is so funny. I can totally appreciate it since I was homeschooled for a number of years. I definitely consider myself to be in the "homeschoolED" category. When I went back to public school for my final two years of high school though. I find this quite amusing. Enjoy!

dear God, please...

You do not have because you do not ask God.
Stop!
Read that again.
Has it sunk in yet?
I am seriously challenged by that sentence. There are many areas in my life where I want God to move, things I can envision in my mind yet disregard it, thinking it would be impossible in reality. James 4:2 reveals that God desires us to ask. Not just to put our thoughts, hopes, dreams and desires in a box to be later discovered covered in dust in a dark recess of our heart. But to lay the things we want for our lives in God’s hands by asking him. Verse 2 begins by saying, “You want something but don’t get it. You kill and covet, but you cannot have what you want.” In our own power we can try but can only get so far. It continues further on in verse 3 saying, “When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with the wrong motives”. That’s an incredible thought. When we ask for something, God looks at our hearts and the core motive behind our request. But even more incredibly, when we ask with the right motive, we are told we can expect our prayers to be answered. Jesus says in Mark that whatever we ask for in prayer and believe is received, so it will be. Jesus also tells us, “Ask and it will be given to you...for everyone who asks receives...”. It’s simple really. Yet I often find myself guilty of thinking of something and wanting it to be reality without actually talking to God about it. Whether it be something in my own life or in someone else’s, I catch myself thinking of the limitation of the situation instead of asking our limitless God to work in the situation for his glory. God desires to grant us our requests. Which of you, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Matt 7:9. If we, sinners, know a good gift when we see it, how much more would our Father in heaven want to give us, his children, the things we ask for and come from a pure heart? Matt 7:11

hi!

Welcome to my new blog.
How exciting! I never thought that I would actually have anything I could say, well enough to blog about anyway. I'm sure you will find much of my writing simply rambles about nothing important and occasionally come across one or two pearls of wisdom. I don't consider myself too much of a philosophical person but I have thoughts. Deep and profound thoughts even. And even if no one ever reads a single word I write, it doesn't matter cause it's more for my own record than anything else. But if you do happen to stumble upon my page, by chance or otherwise, I'm so glad you have! If you'd like to comment or even send me an email, I'd like that very much:)
So, let the blogging commence...

Welcome

This is the place where I reduce the complexity in my life (in theory) and take the time to step back and write about what's important to me without the noise that comes from the crazy, non-stop, clutter-filled world around me. I love simple things, small things, intimate moments with God. Out of those times come the things that inspire my everyday life. I chose the name for my blog intentionally. The "tion" at the end implies action - "the act of...". Simplifying the way I live my life is a choice. It means saying no to the things that clutter up my mind, energy and time. It's seeking to find God in the midst of the ordinary. Giving him the time to work on my flawed and imperfect self and make me more like him. It's a choice, an action, a journey and also a most incredible adventure. I'd love to have you along for the ride.

About me

Hello!!

I suppose you're here because you want to know a little something about the girl who writes here. Ok, I'd be happy to share. But just before I begin though, I've got a confession to make. I hate talking about myself. Oh, talking about my experiences is fine and throughout my writings it can't be helped because one's writing reveals something of oneself in such a way that it's impossible to detach one from the other. But talking about me in a nutshell is really hard. I'm so complicated!! Aren't we all:-)

But here goes. I'll try my absolute hardest, promise.

I am Jo-Ann. Hi:)

I am 22 years old young. I live in New Zealand, in the beautiful city of Christchurch. It really is beautiful, I'm not just saying that;) My favourite thing about living here is that there are four definite seasons to the year and sometimes all four in one day. There is lots of open space and the old buildings in town are gorgeous. Maybe I should give you a tour of 'my town' sometime?

I have just completed a university degree in early childhood teaching and I'm currently looking for my first teaching job!

I love to travel. I have family scattered all over the world so I've had the immense pleasure of visiting places that otherwise, I would not have had the opportunity to. My adventures have taken me to Australia, England, Scotland, France, South Africa, Singapore and throughout New Zealand.

I live at home with my parents and younger brother. We have an adorable Labrador called Daisy who occasionally makes an appearance in these 'pages'.

I love books, and flowers, and rain, and umbrellas, and earrings. I also love lavender, Beatrix Potter and A.A. Milne, the sea, and scarves. And I collect teacups. I love teacups. But most of all, I love Jesus. He knows exactly who I am and surprises me in the funniest and most unexpected ways. He is more than I could ever describe.

So I guess that brings us to the end. I would love it if you introduced yourself! You can do that by leaving me a comment or you can email me:-)

Contact

Suggestions, questions, comments or just want to say hi?

I'd love to hear from you!

My email is joannatsimplification[at]gmail[dot]com ...

...and if that's too much effort to type out (I don't blame you) then just click here :)