First Things First
ANNETTE OSBORNE | SUNZ Children & Families Consultant
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highlight for me in the past few months has been regular visits to the Tākapu Gannet Colony at Muriwai, on the West Coast. Currently, the birds are nesting and preparing for the arrival of their babies in a few months’ time. The headland is dotted with creamy white birds, navigating the winds and persevering at creating nests on the bare hillside. My camera is my companion on these trips. With hundreds of birds in sight, I have learnt to focus my lens on one bird at a time. Keeping an eye on one bird in the crowd allows me to get to know their movements and aim for the perfect shot. As we enter a new year, there is much to grab our attention. We can become overwhelmed with news items, social media feeds and the constant visual overload of the digital world. Like my experience at the Tākapu Colony, it takes intention to focus in on a few things. This year as a Children and Families Team we are committed to focusing in on what we consider to be the important aspects of working alongside children and families in church and community. As we approach a new year, how do we put the first things first? There is an account in the Gospel of Matthew
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that draws my attention over and over again. You can find it in Matthew 21. Imagine the scene. It was chaotic, crowded and noisy. The temple courts were filled with people from all over Jerusalem and beyond. Everywhere you looked there were people. Amid the crowd was Jesus, walking in the temple courts, most likely in Solomon’s Colonnade where all the debates happened. That’s where the religious leaders were to be found. People were clamouring for Jesus’ attention, bringing their sick and injured to him to heal. Word had spread, and people were desperate for hope and healing. I imagine Jesus stopped to talk with each one, calling them by name, touching their broken twisted limbs and
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AS WE APPROACH A NEW YEAR, HOW DO WE PUT THE FIRST THINGS FIRST?
