Jono Miller

This morning it was minus 17 outside when I woke up.

The sky is still blue and the sun is still there and we saw them both yesterday – it was really beautiful.

I found a jumbo box of fair dinkum cornflakes – oh I am so happy.

When it’s really cold the inside of your nostrils freeze.

Pris Gollan is a good cook – and all of her kids are growing up really fast.

I’m not sure if I’m more annoyed at having shoes stolen out of my van, or having the window with my silver fern and southern cross smashed.

The silence of snow is truly amazing. I stopped working on the computer and looked out the window to see big, slow, heavy, swirling, individual flakes of snow, silently falling down down down. My office is on the third floor in the school here in Rzhyshchiv. I tried to take some photos – but you can’t see the action. Snow is so different from rain. It is so silent it is deafening. I don’t want to prepare lessons today. I want to stand at the window and wonder. It is a sight to behold. The wind catches the flakes, some appear to be going up, then they will spiral into a mini slow motion tornado, then again as always they fall down down down. And silently they make their bed upon the ground. Oh it’s a beauty that has to be seen. All of you antipodeans, come over here and visit. I know I encourage you to come in the summer, but some of you, come in the winter. You can help me teach English – but you can see the snow fall. You can wonder at the wonder of wonders.

I keep turning round to see out the window. It just got thicker and faster. Some of those flakes must be the size of a 20 cent piece. Words are not enough. I wish you could all see what I can see.

Stuck in traffic! A rainy late Friday afternoon and I'm stuck in a propka. The name for a cork is the same word for a traffic jam. I see a sign for the metro system so I pull up on the footpath, park the van and head to the underground. 15 minutes later I'm waiting in the rain with some friends. I have a silly hat, a sign that says Lida for president, and I'm wondering why for the second time in a few weeks I forgot to bring a jumper when the weather is below 10 degrees. Eventually we hop on a bus and are transported to some weapons factory that has been converted into a TV studio.

In 2001, fresh out of University, with a new haircut and a second-hand suit, I commenced teaching grade 3 at Pacific Hills Christian School. Thirty 8 and 9 year olds were entrusted to my care for a year. I loved that year. One of those wonderful students was Stephanie Evans. Every day she was cheery, smiley and polite. She was a hard worker. She always put in a good effort. I guess she was the sort of student teachers dream of having. She had an older brother, good at sport, good looking and also a friendly person. Both of her parents were involved in school life.

This year while casual teaching at PHCS, during playground duty, a high school girl jumped up and said, "Hello Mr Miller!" It was Steph. I think the first thing I said was, "Wow, I didn't recognise you with make up!" We had a brief conversation. It was a pleasure to reconnect with a past student.

Now I'm 10 000 miles away and I hear the tragic news of a life cut short. It hurts. I feel as if I'm writing this blog for myself.

But to the Evans family, I send you my love. To my former 3M students - thank you for everything you mean to me. Stand strong together now. Support each other, pray for each other. To fellow colleagues who taught Steph, I hurt with you.

I opened my Bible and God placed this verse upon my heart: Psalm 121:1-2 "I look up to the hills, but where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth."

Love Jono (AKA Mr Miller - and Jeff)

Keep Looking Up

When I returned home to Rzhyshchiv, the cat which was hanging around last year was still here and pregnant. Mark and Jacqui, friends from NZ have befriended it and now I have three kittens as well, Kiwi, Smokey, and Chunkey. They are beginning to become used to being fed and loved. I still haven't relented and let them inside yet. But I must admit they look rather adorable - but then they grow up don't they?!?

"The time you enjoy wasting, is not wasted time." Bertrand Russell

A large portion of this year for me has been "time out". It has been thoroughly necessary, worthwhile and rewarding. And also very enjoyable. But I have had to seriously deal with thoughts about time wasting, usefulness etc. I've grown to realise that so much of our thinking, and our yard sticks for success, revolve around what we accomplish: "How much can I accomplish? - and remember that time is money".

I have also been challenged about joy. God means for us to live lives full of joy. I believe joy is 5% what happens and 95% attitude  - or should I say 5% external and 95% internal.

So rather than asking, What can I accomplish?, I want to ask, Who does God want me to be? and How then should I live so He is glorified through me?

True joy finds it's source in Christ. Therefore, "the time I enjoy wasting, is not wasted time".

Variety is the spice of life. However, too much spice spoils the food. It is the subtle differences that bring about a pleasant change. It is the slight change of perspective that teaches us something new. Trying an old trick a new way uncovers a skill. Approaching the same situation from another angle helps get us out of the rut.

I thought about this today as I was getting dressed. I don't know why, but I put my left leg into my trousers first. It felt weird! I then realised that I don't think I have ever done that before.

Also I bought a new camera. Fiddling around with all the settings and functions, I notice that the subtle changes in setting help bring out a variety of finished products.

I wrote this psalm on December 7 while at

Victoria Falls, Livingstone, Zambia.

I had recently been white-water rafting on the Zambezi. 

God You are Sovereign.

You created the amazing waterfalls that thunder.

The people that live here and all the animals.

The rich and the poor You made.

God, I don’t understand You or Your justice.

But I know You are just – the judge of all the earth will do right.

So God, I see my problem before me.

It looms up big like a dark cloud –

Like an overwhelming obstacle that will swallow me and consume me.

Yesterday I spent the day on the roof of the house, pulling up the old tin and putting down new tin. The old tin had lasted 95 years! Throughout the day I enjoyed cloud gazing. The cloud formations were just amazing. Marbled patterns, whispy strands, fluffy cotton wool, luminous grey threatening to rain etc. I just enjoyed the feeling that I was close to my Creator. Afterwards I commented that our God is so amazing. How did He think all this up? Before there was anything, there was God. And He decided to create. How did He possibly imagine what to create?

With NSW on school holidays I spent the last two weeks up in Queensland. I stayed with my "Aussie family" the Gollans. Highlights include but were not limited to:

• climbing Mt Beerwah
• organising a garage sale
• working with Josh
• ANZAC Day service
• riding with Tim
• Jemimah's surprise 18th (which I didn't give away)
• basketball training
• general socialising
• seeing Serge and Tanya from Ukraine
• walking in the bush etc.

Tim and Judith are both much better bloggers than I (and I currently don't have a camera), so you can see pictures of the climb and pictures from the garage sale on their sites. Judith also drew a really good image of an Australian diggers hat. Click on the picture for a larger version on Jude's site.