Stuck in a Furrow

I have a new love in my life.

He is tall, sweet (but not overly) and makes my mornings bearable.

My sugar-free, non-fat, cinnamon dolce, chai tea misto.

(and yes, this is the correct way to order. The barista even commented that she was impressed that I got it in the right order)



Thanks Monica for setting us up! You can be my Starbucks matchmaker anytime...

I hated practicing piano when I was younger. Most of my practice sessions ended in me crying and my mom yelling at me from the kitchen. I was a stubborn child but I just didn't understand why my fingers HAD to be in a certain place or why I couldn't hold that rest for just a split second longer. Why did it matter if I wanted to change the timing? I was making the music and in order to be fully creative, I should have been able to play it however I wanted. I resist what I know is right, call it human nature.

I have been learning about timing recently.

I'm not going to lie ( I know, I know, that is a change for me!) but I sometimes think that God's timing in my life sucks. And not just a little. I think there is a whole world of sucking sometimes. Like March 1. Not only was I diagnosed diabetic, but also had some other news that would alter my life. And Corey died. In regards to relationships and their demise, there is also a lot of why's and why nows? God's timing is impecable when it comes to ripping the bandage off and letting the wound bleed freely again. It has healed now but to find out that B is going to MY country, the one place that my heart lives...what a bitter blow. And I can't help but question it.

Sometimes His timing is just what I need. And I find that when I stop looking for the grand things in life, expecting to be blown away and rescued time and time again, He has provided me with small things to earn my trust and prove that He knows best. I have received many a well-timed email in the past few days, a great conversation here and there and little things that make me smile and melt my heart.

Like yesterday at small group and the addition of Tina.

I will continue to fight the urge to change the timing, to make it my own. I will end up crying at the piano and smashing my hands against the keys over and over when I can't seem to figure it out. I will be stubborn when I hear Him coaching me from the sidelines.

But I will eventually learn.

So, I'm dating this boy. I kinda like this boy and will admit that when he informed me that he had done some detective work and had stumbled across my blog, I was a bit anxious about the whole thing. It is strange to have someone read about your life and know things that might change their opinion about you, especially when you didn't provide them with the information. I wracked my brain trying to remember past posts to see if there was some unflattering information and/or pictures.

He is still talking to me so I couldn't have been that strange.

He read my list of 100. Now that he knew about all my wierdness, I didn't think it was fair so I asked, in my oh-so-sweet way, that he provide me with HIS list of 100. He gave me the list last night.

And now I'm going to share a few of those with you!

5. I have a real passion for helping people with disabilites.
6. I might cry everytime I watch "I Am Sam".
19. Favourite time of the year is fall.
22. I want to live on a ranch where you can actually see the stars.
23. I want to travel Europe more.
25. I am really into musicals on stage.
30. OLP is one of my favs.
34. I might be a hopeless romantic.
37. I have been volunteering for the past 11 years.
39. I had a mullet when I was younger.
43. I used to have my ears and eyebrow piereced.
44. I have 1 tattoo but want more.
63. I love Stephen King novels.
66. I have won numerous awards for volunteering.
70. I am a big fan of people who have a passion for something they believe in.
79. I love hunting gophers.
87. I love to cook. Not a fan of cleaning up.
97. I like using words like fantabulous and fantastic

I warned him that I was going to post this stuff...but I did keep a few to myself. And since I'm still talking to him, the rest of the list isn't that wierd, aside from the ones about lego and action figures.

I finally figured out how to do video on my blog. Here is just a short video of my trip to Zimbabwe and the bunjee jump. It was 111m and about 4 seconds of adrenaline. Would I do it again? Sure would!



Photo Sharing - Upload Video - Video Sharing - Share Photos

There is a longer version but I can only add 2 minutes at a time. You get the gist.

A year ago, at this time, I was boarding a flight to Toronto to begin my 3 week adventure to Africa. I can't believe it has been a year already and I can't wait to go back!




These pictures are of the City of Maptuo, in Mozambique, where I spent the first 10 days. Lots of people have this idea of Africa of being the World Vision view, in that it is only desert plains and grass huts. Maputo is a major city and a hub of business activity.

It makes me laugh....

www.meetjoe.ca

The Von Trapp Children in Concert

I wanna go.

It has been such a busy week and I don't see the busyness ending anytime soon.

Last week brough about some excitment in the good ol' mail room. We received a shoebox filled to the brim with white powder. My manager opened the box and ordered us all out of the room after he realized that after the intial assumption that something broke in the box, that it was actually filled to the brim with powder. Out came gloves and a facemask as his fingers were tingling and it stunk! Turns out that some genius in NFLD decided that the people of Kenya needed a lice medication. He enclosed a nice note, at the bottom of the box explaining his intentions. The box went in the garbage and the letter went to our donor ministries department. They will give him a nice call and politely explain why mailing a white, unknown powder is not a great idea.

Then, on Thursday, Timothy and I weaseled our way into the Billy Graham side of the organiziation and got ourselves a trip to Banff. We were "security" for a private Starfield concert as they were playing to a group of about 60 youth who had come to BG for an evangelistic conferance. They played at the Banff Springs in the theater. They was very little security involved as the kids were so well behaved but we had a great time hanging out with co-workers and enjoying the show. Intimate and interactive is the way to go! I enjoy Starfield but have a hard time watching the lead singer who looks exactly the like ex. Creepy. At least I didn't want to vomit or throw things this time. Progress people. The show was good and we headed back to the Banff Conferance Centre for a night in that hotel. I had my own room. With a king size bed. And TLC. It was glorious! They fed us well and we were disappointed to have to go back to work on Friday for a 1/2 day.

Friday night was Meet Joe and then Saturday was my Joshua Project. We had our "interviews" with the elders of the church to see where we are at. I was scared shitless as I don't do well in these situations but it went really well. We had to know the core values of RPC and what our leadership style was as well as our spiritual pathway, (or the way we connect to God the most. I am a managerial leader and a worship pathway, FYI). We had to explain our holy discontent and what we wanted to see changed. My elders were so encouraging and told me that I seemed to have a lot of clarity about my life and the direction that God is leading me. I also discovered that my holy discontent, is being address in an upcoming weekend at RPC. Yippee!

This week is shaping up to be just as crazy as I try to balance work, social life, job #2, church and life in general.

Sunday: Sushi with the family
Monday: Volunteering at the church
Tuesday: Yoga. I can't miss this!
Wednesday: Night off? I wish...I will be working
Thursday: Small Group. I miss these ladies and am excited to get together
Friday: Roughnecks game?
Saturday: Work and then poker night
Sunday: Rest? I wish....

I think that New Years is one of my favourite seasons. I know a lot of people don't like it because of the expectations and the stress of finding a suitable party to attend. I love it because of the promise and excitement of a new start. Even though it is "just another day", a new year always feels like you can put behind you what the last year held and look forward, with expectation, to what is in store. Every year, I say "this year is my year!" and I really think that 2006 was a great year for me. I began it with a bang and travelled to Africa for 3 weeks on my own. It was a great trip and I hope to be able to post some pictures and video of that experience, in the next few days and weeks. I got my own apartment, and while I just rent, it is my place and feels like home to me. I feel like I've finally left mommy and daddys wing and am an adult. I got a new job and whilst it isn't my dream position, it is with an organiziation that I respect and love what they do. I think I may be a lifer but who knows that God has in store for me. I developed some great new friendships over the last year with people from my small group and have begun to get actively involved in my church, volunteering in the financial department and taking a leadership course. I used to hate going to church because I think that going alone is one of the loneliest things you can do, but now I look forward to seeing my friends and being in community. This isn't to say that the last year has all been roses. There has been lots of heartache, feelings of lonliness and rejection but I know that I've become stronger for it and am happy to put these situations and individuals into my past. Sometimes it is bittersweet.

I don't really make New Years resolutions because I don't have the willpower to keep them. Besides, I would just be another person who adds ...to get in shape....to the list. But, I do have a list of 100 things that I want to accomplish before I die and I think that this year is a great year to put some of those things on the COMPLETED list.

This year holds much promise. The possibility of moving up in my organization, the possibility of a new relationship that might go nowhere or might go everywhere, the possibility of more friendships and a deeper relationship with God.

The possibilities are endless.

This year, is my year! Bring on 2007...

Happy New Year!














I think this could have been one of the most fun New Year's I have had in a few years...although there really isn't any competition.

New Year's 05 - Party with co-workers and then people from highschool.
New Year's 04 - "worked" at Denny's 'cause they were short staffed. It wasn't a great way to start 04 and it went downhill from there.
New Years 03 - Montana babysitting and drinking really bad champagne. At least the kids were cute and it was a minivacation. Ok...so maybe this year was a close second.
New Year 02 - Watched the ball drop at home after we didn't bother to make any real plans.

Anyways, this year, I went to a party at a friend's housesitting place. It was out in Bearspaw and is an absolutely gorgeous house. We had a fire and then went skating on the outdoor rink, in their backyard. I didn't particpate in the skating as I don't even know where my skates are. I would probably have been much warmer if I was skating but it was a lot of fun to watch. Then we headed inside to warm our cold toes and partake in some yummy food. We watched the countdown and then just hung out and watched Pirates of the Caribean. It was fun to hang out with a group of people that I love to be with and make some new friends in the process.

No...I didn't get my New Year's kiss but it was great nonetheless! And so far, 2007 is shaping up to be a great year....holding lots of promise!

So, I'm a little behind in my Christmas post. But better late than never, right??


Christmas was good. It is such as busy time of year that I always feel like I need a vacation from my vaction! We went to Camp Evergreen on December 23th to party it up with Dad's side of the family. It wasn't the same as going to Grandma's house but since the move into the condo, we don't all fit. I got this delightful pair of knickers from my grandma for Christmas. They untie to become dischclothes.






On the 24th, we went to the Christmas Eve service at Rockpointe, which was really good. Then off to Craig's to open stockings. I got lots of good stuff in my stocking and hope that everyone enjoed what I bought them!.






The 25th at my parents is usually the highlight. We always have a great time together with lots of yummy food, booze, presents, poker, car racing and laughing. Dad got his butt kicked in poker. We had to play again just so he could win. I got some awesome presents including the cell phone I wanted, wine glasses, a sushi set and a housecoat. It is so comfy that I didn't get out of it until almost 5pm today! On the 26th, we headed to Linden to party it up with mom's family. There is even more food and luckly, this year, we didn't have to watch any Gaither videos! We did watch a video circa 1957. There was very little arguing and I think a good time was had by all.

I'm glad that Christmas is over so that my Visa has time to recover, although I will be sad to put away my wee Christmas tree.