41

 After Noah built the ark, it rained for 40 days and 40 nights. Day 41 came, and the rain stopped. 

After Moses committed murder, he hid in the desert for 40 years. Year 41 came, and God gave Moses a second chance—commissioning him to rescue Israel from slavery in Egypt. 

After the Exodus, the children of Israel wandered in the wilderness for 40 years. Year 41 came, and a new generation entered the Promised Land. 

For 40 days, Goliath bullied Israel, just begging for someone to come fight him. Day 41 came, and David stepped up and slew the giant. 

For 40 days, Jonah delivered a message of doom and gloom to the city of Nineveh—that God was going to destroy them because of their wickedness. Day 41 came, and God changed his mind and instead extended mercy because the Ninevites had repented. 

After being baptized, Jesus fasted in the desert for 40 days and was tempted by the devil. Day 41 came, the devil fled, angels showed up, and Jesus launched his monumental ministry. 

During the 40 days after his resurrection, Jesus appeared to his disciples on several occasions—proving to them that he was alive and breathing new life into them as he explained the Kingdom of God and commissioned them to build it. 

On day 41, after promising to send the Holy Spirit in his place, he ascended into heaven, leaving the disciples to carry out his plan for launching the church—a church that, by the way, is still prevailing against the gates of hell. 

Briscoes is having a sale!

 Ever since I moved to New Zealand, the huge home furnishings chain-store, 'Briscoes' has been having a sale just about every week, especially on national holiday weekends.

After all this time, Hubby and I will still randomly yell to each other, 'Briscoes is having a sale!', like it's a big deal.

The bizarre part is the difference between the 'regular prices' that are just absurdly high and the 'sale' priced that is rather normal.  We recently needed a new frying pan and Hubby went to Briscoes (on his way somewhere else) to get one. When he got home, the sticker price was $94!! I just looked at the sticker, then looked at him and he said rather flatly  'I paid 30.'

One interesting part of the Briscoes legacy is 'The Briscoes Lady' who has been the face of the company since 1989. 

Her name is Tammy Wells and she lives in the Christchurch area. She goes to Auckland to film the ads. 

Any google of 'The Briscoes Lady' will find you more information about her.

Old Mangapehi Railway Station

In 2020, I took this shot of a forgotten railway station in Waikato.

Mangapehi (or Mangapeehi) was a flag station on the North Island Main Trunk line, in the Waitomo District of New Zealand. It was 5.89 km (3.66 mi) north of Poro-O-Tarao and 5.15 km (3.20 mi) south of Kopaki.

Ellis & Burnand had a sawmill at Mangapehi from 1901 until 1968.

In 1950 the station was moved almost a kilometer north, away from the sawmill, at a cost of £13,405. In that year it had 23,636 passengers, 4 staff and railed 148,093 board feet (349.46 m³) of timber and 28,633 sheep and pigs, earning £3,256 from passengers and £85,473 from freight. https://kids.kiddle.co/Mangapehi_railway_station

As I looked for its history, I found that, sadly, it had been taken down on 2022.

You can read about that by clicking here.

St Mary's Catholic Church

One of the many churches in Whanganui.