NOOMA Nights

My friend Bonnie has recently introduced me to these Nooma videos. I am seriously speechless... I mean... they just absolutely blow me away. Bonnie and her husband John have bought the entire series which consists of 21 videos. Each video is approximately 20 minutes long and they are so beautifully done, I find myself just getting completely lost in the video.

How can I explain these videos? It's almost impossible for me to do it. You have to watch one to understand why I am so passionate about them.

Bonnie asked if I would host a "Nooma Night" at my house and she gave me 6 of her videos to choose which one I'd like to present. I looked through them and there was one that really hit close to home and I thought, "Well I'm NOT going to chose that one!". I put it in the DVD and in a few minutes I was in tears.... it touched me so deeply and spoke to me so personally. I was hooked. I want to eat these videos.

The video that affected me so much was called "Luggage" and if you click on that word, you can watch a short clip and get an idea of what I'm talking about. The clip isn't actually the part of the video that brought me to tears... but you can get an idea of how easy it is to listen to this guy speak.

This guy, Rob Bell is a pastor in Michigan. He speaks with such conviction and he's not "preachy". You don't have to be a Christian to listen to this guy speak - because his message can reach everyone. He's just a guy who helps you understand what this phenomenon called "religion" is all about and why people get into it. He makes you see that it doesn't matter whether you go to church or not - but that you have your own personal relationship with God. I don't think I am explaining it properly.

Five years ago, I was so hesitant to say the word "God" out loud. And I grew up Catholic so it wasn't like I didn't know anything about God or Jesus or heaven or religion. But I went through so many years of questioning my beliefs. Who is this Jesus guy? What made him so special? The bible is just a book of stories... how do we know they are real? So so many questions. Rob Bell gets it. He wants us to ask these questions because he is so excited about finding the answers. Again, I am seriously not doing him justice. You just have to experience it for yourself.

Experience a NOOMA moment right now. Be prepared to be wowed.

Go to www.nooma.com to find out more or go to You Tube and search "Nooma" to watch some short clips of the videos.

Rob Bell, if you ever come across this blog... how can I get you to come to New Zealand? Bring the family. You need to come here.

Something tells me that these videos are going to change my life. Maybe they just might be the change you're looking for too.

The Art of Setting Boundaries

Back in May I started a course called "Positively Me for Women". It was a 6 week journey of self discovery - or in my case "rediscovery" because I've learned the tools but forgot how to use them. It was a powerful course and I highly recommend it to every woman (and man) out there. The course taught me how to be assertive without being aggressive and how to recognize patterns and behaviours that weren't healthy or productive. Our course leader Barb warned us that the people who were pushing our boundaries the most would probably not like the changes this course would bring. The week I finished the course, Brian walked out of my life.

I have just started a new course on "Boundaries". Today was the second class of eight. I am so excited about this course because I already know that I am well on the right path to finding the life that is going to be healthy and will allow me to be myself without guilt. I also have the perfect opportunity to practice the lessons I'm learning at work with the cook who is a major bully and seems to use me as target practice. Some lessons are hard to learn but I'm grateful for this opportunity to fine tune my boundary setting skills.

I thought I'd share this poem that we were given today in the course. I absolutely love it.

On Being Yourself

You must learn that you cannot be loved by all people.
You can be the finest apple in the world - ripe, juicy, sweet, succulent
And offer yourself to all
But you must remember that there will be people who do not like apples.

You must understand that if you are the world's finest apple
And someone you love does not like apples
You have the choice of becoming a banana.

But you must be warned that if you choose to become a banana
You will be a second-rate banana.

BUT you can always be the finest apple.
You must always realize that if you choose to be a second-rate banana
There will be people who do not like bananas.

Furthermore, you can spend your life trying to become the best banana
Which is impossible, if you are an apple.

OR you can seek again to be the finest apple.


I love being an apple. I cannot and will never again try to be a banana.