From craziness to peacefullness

Last night, I got to hang out with my friend Elsah and we had a sweet time just laughing and chatting. I was super tired and my brain was almost dead from all the homework I had been doing, but we still had a great time! Sometimes exhaustion really adds a great twist to humour. We laughed so hard and for such a long time too. I think my stomach is going to die if I laugh that hard again today!

Homework seriously seems to dominate my life right now. 24/7 it seems to be eating up all my time. But hey, what do you do when you’ve only got one month of school left and are trying to finish (or maybe even start and finish) up your projects for the end of the year, study for exams and write papers? I started studying for my final exams now because I know that if I don’t put time into that now, I’ll freak myself out cramming later. And I’ve discovered freaking out never really helps me ;).

For our Intercultural Studies class James had us write a Surviving Your First Year of Tread Guide. I really enjoyed putting it together and even found it hard to stay close to the 1800 word margin. I was sure to put plenty of pictures in, as I’m a big time visual person and if there aren’t pictures in things, I have the hardest time reading it.

The beginning of this week was slightly stressful for me (as a few of you who will read this can attest to) and I was certain that I wouldn’t survive the week. I was totally exhausted, overcome by homework, thinking about school next year and a summer job, on top of a few other things as well. Fortunately my parents were able to give me some good advice and really encouraged me. What would I do without them? I certainly would have given up long ago if it wasn’t for them. I love you Mom and Dad! :D

So as this week draws to a close I am reminded again of the beauty of God’s Word and how wonderful it is to spend time with Him. Prioritize Him as number one in your life; there’s nothing better you can do!

So this week started off really good. We Tread students as well as: our teacher and his wife, James and Sonya with Izi and Eli, and Brian and Susan, went to Victoria for three days. We had fun shopping; playing games, going out for supper, but the best part of all was going to the Orthodox and Catholic Churches. I loved the Orthodox Church because of all the friendly people we met and the beautiful icons. Father Baxter the pastor introduced us to some of the things that went on in the Orthodox Church, some things of which I thought neat and others I didn’t quite believe. I think the most interesting thing he talked about was the fact that they believed that Mary was a virgin before after and during Jesus’ birth. I am pretty sure the Bible tells us that Jesus in fact had brothers. Mark 3: 31 says, “Then Jesus' mother and brothers arrived. Standing outside, they sent someone in to call him.” I liked the big stain glass windows in the Catholic Church. I found it interesting that, in the alter and pulpit, the Church had incorporated native art with their traditional art. I thought this was neat because Agnes, our tour guide, had said that the pagan art had some things that related to that of Christianity.

When we had got back from Victoria I found myself going to the library a lot. For some strange reason I had a hard time sitting at home and getting homework, I was addicted to the library. I did manage however to slip in fun during the weekend. On Friday there was a fun girls night at Sonya’s. We had a chocolate fondue and walked to Tim Hortons where we enjoyed timbits. Then on Saturday I had an amazing time bowling with a bunch of girls from the D-team and others from Underground. It was a great time to laugh and well be girls. We also took a trip to DQ afterwards. We had fun eating blizzards and fries and taking pictures.

Well it’s late and my bed is looking really nice right now so bye bye

The Interesting week of Tread (as compared to the Wonderful World of Disney)

Well actually, I'm not going to compare Tread to Disney, they are completely different, with the exception of course of us girls randomly dressing up in Princess dresses and all of us doing things that greatly resemble Goofy (okay, maybe it's only me who does that, but hey!).


So like Lindsay said, it's been an interesting week. There has been a lot that has gone on; some of it good and some of it bad.
Our trip to Victoria was really neat, I enjoyed checking out the Orthodox Church and the Catholic Cathedral too. Also like Lindsay said, the father/priest was very nice and answered all the questions we had, going even into the history of some of it. There was also a group of ladies down stairs making Paska (an Easter bread) and they let us watch and smell the deliciousness of it all (later they blessed us with a loaf of bread, which we later enjoyed as a group). Our time downtown, in the hotel, bowling, shopping etc. was great fun too! There is so much to see and do.
After returning on Wednesday, it was really strange to try and get back into my week. Everything seemed sort of turned upside down and I wondered if I would live through it. There were some frustrations and complications that arose this week, causing another spin to be put on my already racing top. By the grace of God I have survived and am excited to see what He has in store for me next week.

The realization of how quickly the end of Tread is coming scares me. To think that in a month I will be finished my first year of college! I bet you thought I couldn’t do it either (haha, jokes on you :P). Its exciting to see all that God has done, all that He has taught me. I'm so happy to have been part of all this, even if I did have to put up with sharing a room with Lindsay and Karen for almost a year ;) (don't worry I still love you guys).


Anywho, I’m off to do more homework and maybe get to bed before midnight tonight (I need that beauty sleep that the Disney princesses get ;) ).

Bowling Three times.....

It's saturday again, and honestly the first part of this week wasn't too swell. I felt out of sort- do you know that feeling when it's like you'e just not in tune. Like I wasn't really myself, and I wasn't talking too much with God.
We went to Victoria on a tread feild trip, and I enjoyed going for a tour of a Ukranian Orthodox church. The pastor/father guy was really interesting, and answered our questions well. It was neat to learn about this tradition, as it overlaps with themes inour theology and history courses....very educational.
In Vic we also shoped, played games, went cosmic bowling, and spent time inthe hotel and went out for dinner....

I also went bowling with the Bowser crew on friday, amid a girls night at Sonyas. I was encouraged by our time together, and my talk with Sonya afterwards. Man, it's great to have her as a friend!
The other bowling episiode was with a bunchof girls this afternoon, it was great to hang out with such a great bunch

Upon returning from Victoria I was at that point of "k, I want to runnaway, but that's not going to happen, so it's time to go talk to God, and get some attitude reajustment". After talking with GOd, and Jen and Sonya, I was encouraged, being reminded that this is where I want to be, and that I should be content in each day, and grateful. The last few days have been better, choosing to ty and enjoy schoolwork, and living more in the momment. I really don't know what next year's going to hold, or next week for that matter. It gets daunting when if I start to worry about it, but then, as I remember GOd's faithfulness int eh past, life gets more exciting. ...I wonder what He has planned..

plus, the days are getting long and summery!!!!!

Hawaii Pictures

Hey floks....so here are the long awaited pictures from Hawaii.....The people you might not recognise are my Dad, step mom Marie and step siter Tara.

Imagine warm weather, and warm water :) and a great time suring, and warm evenings and star gazing and wonderfulpina coladas. I think my favorite time was the playing in the waves, body surfing. It, and many other things, smells, plants and senses, reminded me of Peru. How do you like my tatoo?

To many words to describe this week

So the begging of the week started out as a normal week. We had class in the morning and then class again, but this time I had to give a presentation. That was good and then bam Wednesday begins and my week seems to head in a different direction. As it happens on Wednesday Jeff and I did the lesson at Underground. I was not nervous at all until I was standing up in front. Why, I ask myself, do I get so nervous? The rest of the night my face was beat red and it wouldn’t turn back to that lively colour I usually have. Yes I am being very honest here; I am not perfect when it comes to speaking in front of big crowds.

After Wednesday then every day following was just plane weird. I spent many hours at the library working on homework and hanging out with youth. I know that might not seem weird to you, but for some reason or another I really feel that I am in another world because my brain is having a hard time focusing. I have been really ancy and jittery and when I went to the library I was still jittery, but I got a lot of homework done.

On Thursday we Tread students went to the DePutters for supper. We had an amazing meal, talked, and played a game. There was also this little ball that had to be put together in a certain order; it kept me entertained for a long time. I never figured it out and it really frustrated me.

I went to Bowser with Lindsay on Friday, it was sooooooo much fun. To see the smiles on the girls face was priceless. I don’t know them very well, but it made my day. The girls got their faces done with makeup and haircuts, beautiful girls! Hah it was so cool! I am so thankful that Lindsay asked me to come! It really made my day, I was so tired, but I felt really excited when Lindsay asked me to go. I am not usually that excited to go to a place were I don’t really know the youth, but yeh as I said before it was fun and good.

Overall I am not saying that I had a bad week, but that it was interestingly weird. Even now as I am typing I just want to stop and go run around in circles or something other then sitting in front of my computer. I think I know what the problem is, I need a break, but we are going to Victoria on Monday and I afford to wait one more day. Sorry if this posting is very confusing.

The Week-over, or weak over?

What first comes to mind when I think of this week is that I'm going to be more sore tommorow morning than I am tonight, because today I got to go snowboarding :D. My friend Joanna kindly gave me a free lift pass (she' Mt. staff) and I borrowed Karen Epp's board, so the whole day was free!!! I though I would find snowboarding (my first time) much harder, so that was a pleasant discovery :) I didn't think it would be so much fun! (reminded me of surfing)

Friday in Bowser, Karen came with me, which was excellent, because I'd been apprehensive about going myself. We prayed on the way down that smiles would be brought to the kids' faces. It was "makeover"night, which I thought wouldn't "go-over" that well. But it "turned-over" to be and excellent night! as the boys played poker, one lady offered hair cuts (keeping with the girls unique styles' but freshing them, and making them look great!) and another makeup lessons. The girls usually give the impression that they don't care much about what they look like, and have very low self confidence, which shows up in interesting ways. To see them know that they were cared for, and beautiful was a highlight of the Bowser year so far.

Sonya came over on Fri night for a long awaited hot tup with us girls. Then she trimmed my hair, and I like it. (I'll be expecting compliments, hint hint ;)) Speaking of Sonya, it was great on tues. to have a long talk with her. I could unload some stuff that's been biking through (thought I'd use biking instead of running ;)) my brain. I like that she's getting to know me better, and can thus offere better questions, and insights.

School was good this week. We've got a feild trip to Victoria on Monday, which I'm sure you will hear about. I was challenged this week as we talked aobut what part the body has in spiritual formation, to think about how much time I spend concerened about my body, and how important that really is.

I've been thinking about the strength in weakness, and how I am grateful for the people around me (this week my mom and sonya in particular) who support me. It is so beautiful when I recognize my weakness and depend on God.

Quote to ponder:
"so long as we see ourselves as competent we do not qualify" Elisabeth Elliot

An AWESOME week!

This week was amazing. God opened my eyes anew, showing me wonders I never expected. “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call upon me and came and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you,” declares the LORD, “and will bring you back from captivity.” Jeremiah 29:11-14
I have been going through a lot of different struggles, trials and journeys in the past few months and they were really starting to depress me. I was tired of being sad, upset, and confused all the time. This week God did something wonderfully unexplainable inside of my heart. “Out of the depths I cry to you, O LORD; Oh Lord, hear my voice. Let you ears be attentive to my cry for mercy.” (Psalm 130 1-2) I had been crying out to the Lord, but never really looking for an answer. Like the last part of the passage in Jeremiah says “You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.” I wasn’t seeking with my whole heart, and I knew it. So I surrendered and allowed Him to be found, or you could say that I simply opened my eyes to find myself in the arms of my Father.

Great are the works of the LORD; they are pondered by all who delight in them. Glorious and majestic are his deeds, and his righteousness endures forever. He has caused his wonders to be remembered; the LORD is gracious and compassionate. Psalm 111:2-4

At youth group this week Karen and Jeff started off a new session on the scroll that the Tread crew had created while at Prairie for Intersession. It was really neat to show the kids the scroll for the first time and to begin to open their eyes to God’s plan for missions throughout all of scripture. Karen and Jeff did a great job and I had fun listening to them talk about the thing that we had worked so hard on all together.

Also at youth group Lindsay and I did a make-up skit. It was great. Lindsay was my voice and my arms, putting my make-up on as I prepared for Underground Idol. Gosh, these pictures are funny and I really would have loved to be in the crowed watching the whole procedure, but experiencing it first hand was pretty fun too!

Forgiveness

This week has been a very very interesting week. Forgiveness has been key this week. This past week has tested my thought in whether or not I had truly forgiven a wrong done to me in the past. As it happens I found out that the person who had harmed me had also harmed others. This made me furious and I was filled with anger, before I knew it I was feeling a deep pain and memories flashed back which literally made me sick. Then I questioned if I had really forgiven this person in the first place. When Sunday came, as it happens, the sermon at church was about God’s grace and in short forgiveness. It was then that I realized that forgiving someone is possible even though the pain will still be there. I had to give this person and the situation to God. I had become so entangled in this mess that it became bigger then I could grasp and I knew that God knew everything that was going on in the hearts and minds of all the people who were and are now involved. God used this situation by allowing me to talk to another girl who was wronged by this same person. I was able to share my experience and God gave me the words to give her encouragement. I was also able to talk to her about God’s forgiveness and the forgiveness she posses. Thank God we don’t have to do this alone!

Life is a learning curve, but I did have a fun week. Joanna’s birthday was on Thursday and I made an angle food cake (yeh for cake mix!). I knew she liked angle food cake, and well yaaaa I really like it to. We had fun making waked gel hair styles, playing pin the donkey, a game of pool, and there was also time to talk as well.

I stayed at one of my “four homes” this weekend, the Epp’s, and Karissa’s sister and brother in-law were also there. Jade came and also visited for a little while. While at the Epp’s we did a variety of things such as games, a couple quick walks by the beach, two games of fast and furious with Korey, scrap booking with Karissa, and went out for lunch. It was a lot of fun!
Well I have to start working on my homework so I will right again some time soon…

Another week...

This last week has been pretty wonderful. There were two great surprises this that I was able to enjoy: my sister and brother in-law coming for the weekend and Jade surprised the TREAD crew by coming for the weekend as well. It was a wonderful time catching up, playing games, visiting, watching movies, and driving into and back from town (not really sure why, but that seemed to be happening a lot, oh well :D).

Classes went really well this week, with us plenty of studying and such included. I’ve been getting into my classes a bit more lately and taking more out of them which has been really great!

On another topic (“Oh dear, how do I talk about anything other than school?”) I’ve have been thinking a ton about a thousand different things during the last week (my spaghetti brain is going crazy); anything from school next year, to work this summer, to “what in the world am I doing biting my nail! Ewww!” You can tell that things are a little random in my life (actually I think it might just be my thought life that is random, not my life in general). So working through (or ‘processing’) those thing has been difficult, but a good thing.

Karen has been “dragging” me to College & Careers with her on Sunday nights. I must admit that it’s a good thing that she takes me, even when I say that I don’t want to go. Not only has it been great for me, but I’m also starting to meet some more people who are out side of the TREAD circle (no offence you guys, but I do need to know other people my age).

And so here I am at the beginning of another week, looking forward to whatever God might have in store for me and contemplating dying my hair red… ; )

Vancouver and back

This past week climaxed with my time in Van. YFC stuff was good-fun time getting soaked sledding up the mountain on tues with the d-team, and then bowling on wed with RAT pack, I like to call it RAT and mouse pack when us girls join them.

I got hmk done ahead of time so that all I had to do on the weekend was relax, visit and read. Igot to see my grandpa on fri afternoon, and then my good friend Robyn. Crazy Vancouver drving in the dark and rain was an adventure, then so good to see the context of Robyn's schooling. I miss you Rob!

Then time at Trinity with Jen, good talks and I read "Blue like Jazz" which was provocative. Made me think about how I understand the Christian faith, and people around me. It helped in my thought porcess of how I'm definetly not perfect, or even good on my own. I'm learning that what annoys me in other people is usually a reflection of what I would like to forget in myself. I think there's a poem in there somewhere.....

Time with Jen was good, as we talked about life, school, future, money, frugality, summer, hopes, fears, you get the picture. Too bad Hannah wasn't there, but her bed was comfy;)

And now, back in Courtenay, fun last night at Emmaus, as we had a beat-neck poetry party. Neat to read poetry, and eat good food. Delicious drink by Sonya, like pina coladas :)

Verses that encouraged me over the weekend:

Jeremiah 17:7-8 (read 5-10 for context)

Blessed is the man that trusteth in the LORD, and whose hope the LORD is. For he shall be as a tree lanted by the waters, and that spreadeth our her roots by the river, and shall not see when heat cometh, but her leaf shall be green; and shall not be careful in the year of drought, diether shall cease from yielding fruit.

(pretty in King James eh?)

Pictures...

Hey all, here are some of the sweet pictures from our D-team mask making day. Enjoy!

Here is Stephanie, Caitlyn and I. I think they had a lot of fun smooshing it all over my face.

And here also is the lovely Karen; you've got to love the button nose!

Julia's team was very creative, they had fun with the chocolate chips!

This week...

What a good, long week. It’s one of those weeks that seemed like it began a month ago and at the end of it all you are wondering how you lived through it. Haha!
For D-team on Tuesday, after our History class in the morning, we had great fun making avocado, coconut and chocolate chip masks on people. None of the D-teamers in my group wanted avocado smothered all over their faces so I volunteered. Somehow I got it up my nose and in my ears too, along with the avocado peal in my mouth and coconut in everything! It was great fun! (I'll put some pictures up later when I get them.)
On Wednesday Underground was a blast, as some of us were dressed up in clash. The thing was to wear cloths that you normally wear, but just stuff that doesn’t work well together. It was great fun indeed. Several people forgot all about it, but they really enjoyed laughing at the rest of us who were dressed up. Richard talked about building our “house” on the “rock” of Jesus and used wonderful visual examples of brick houses (made out of a single brick) on rocks and then on sand. Seeing the stable foundation of the rock compared to the shiftiness of the sand gave me a mental picture of where I want to “build” my “house.”

(Sonya, Richard, and Karen all love the clash!)

Friday morning brought clean-up/set-up for Focus and then a little bit of relaxing time in the afternoon before starting up the whole Focus weekend. Phil Cann (the Quest series guy) was here speaking to the group of us and he did a wonderful job. His sessions were on how we need to “sharpen our sword” which is the Word of God. And how if we don’t read God’s word, than we have nothing to “fight” Satan with. The Word is so important that if we neglect it, than we have neglected our life line. Of course we need to talk to God though prayer, but meditation on His word is so important too! Phil’s words were really impacting to me and it deeply encouraged me to spend more time in the Word.

(Randy, Jas, and Rebeka "playing" dodge-ball)

Some very excited news is that my friend Jill was here on Saturday. She is now a hard working Homewood Camp girl, who will be cooking up a storm in the kitchen there. I’m so happy that she’s only an hour away now instead of eight! Hopefully we’ll see a little more of each other now eh Jill?

(Jill would kill me if she knew that I had put this beautiful picture of her up here, but now she doesn't have high-speed, so I don't think I have to worry about her seeing it! :D)

So…oo. o….oooooo T..ir..e….d an…..d lo….vin…..g i..t…!.!!!

School, homework, friends, laughter, swimming, Focus, family time, D-team, Underground, baptism of a friend and soccer tomorrow; yes for busy weeks! This week has been full of activity, but no worries I LOVE it!!! I am very very tired, but that is my fault for having an awesome night last night. You see yesterday night was Focus and well… when it comes to going to bed there are two bed time options to pick from; the one option involves going to bed at a descent time and the other, staying up late doing whatever your mind finds interesting. As it happens I went to the side I always go to; stay up late and do whatever your mind finds interesting. As it happens our minds found that it would be interesting to make tea with the necessities available in the garage across the road. For our tea needs we found: tea bags, syrup (our substitute for sugar), marshmallows (picked out of a bag of Lucky Charms), suckers (substitutes for a spoon), mugs and plastic Tupperware containers (for holding the tea), and last but not least a tea kettle! Wow I don’t think I have ever had a stranger tasting tea; my tea was a good ol’ Chi Tea with all the extras. While we enjoyed our tea we took lots of fun pictures and talked about the speaker that night, Phil Cann. Phil was very funny and also very repetitive which got his point across very nicely. He talked about the importance of reading the word, not just skimming it, but actually getting into it. He made it clear that we as believers have forgotten the importance of the Bible, God’s word. A quote Phil used a lot was, “It sounds random but we know it can’t be because it is in His Book (the Bible).” It really challenged me as to how I spend my time in the scriptures with God.

Rewinding a little bit, the rest of the week was also very good. I have gone to the library a few times this week. I like going to the library it is a good and quite environment were I can study and yes opps I even fell asleep, but I have an excuse for that one… I was finished most of my homework and well those nice cushions are very very comfy.

Anyway, if you haven’t noticed already, God has blessed me a lot this week and for that I am very thankful!

Philosophy, Phil and Phun times

Wow, I have so much I want to write about, I think I'm going to start another blog, cause I feel bad for taking up so much space on this treadettes' one..... oh heavens this is long....

I've been thinking this week about philosophy and big questions. One night (tues) as K and K and I were sitting in the hot tub, I was explaining my frusterations with how I have these big questions coursing in my brain, and I don't ever vent them all out, like about life, and what it's about, and poverty, and what my purpose is, and other big huge questions. And how I wished I could go for a massive long walk with a close friend. Kariss said "Would tommorow be the day for that?" since we unexpectedly got the day off school. CHallenged by that, I set out that night to type our my questions. I thought after ranting about those big things I would come to somekind of conclusion, or at least sense that life is pointless, and I should give up in some form, and that I would be depressed. After four pages of ranting (and by ranting I mean trying to type as fast as mythoughts and following them all over the place to seemingly un-importnat issues and back to deep stuff) and risking acute tendonitous ;) I was relieved. For you guys who read this and don't believe in God like I do this will probably sound weird, but ah well, I figure you've already labeled me as weird in some way.

While I was ranting, I thought of how life really isn't about me, but there's a much bigger picture going on, with God as the culmination of it. Life isn't about Lindsay developing her "kingdom", or even her helping develop God's the way she thinks it should go. It's about God, His fame, and His kingdom. That means today is worthwhile if I spend it on that, and that chances are His kingdom isn't going to look exactly like I expect-He's the best :) and specializes in good gifts and making wild flowers grow where there was a forest fire. ( my mom encouraged me with this analogy when I was little)

Anyways, I was encourage that yeah, life is pointless it I spend it on myself, I'm going to die real soon (realitively) anyways, and can't keep anything, but if I "waste" it on God's kingdom, I'll turely find life.

Why not seize this moment, and what God has place before me to do?

Following the philosophical theme, I've been enjoying time in the library this week, enjoyig reading, and having time for reading :)

Other highlights of this week....phun time drwaing with Julia and Karen on the old carpet living room florr that my mom's having replaced...Alex and Cassie (two Vanier kids) commming and enjoying Wed. YU activities...a good Focus weekend, Bowser kids felt more comfortable (it's really neat to see Daniel doin so well, and to hear of his dream to become a Marine Biologist.... please still pray for Brody and Diva and their mom with MS)

Bear with me on a few more things I'm learning...

not to take my feelings too seriously. Instead of wallowing in "I don't want to feel like this..." or "I don't feel like doing such and such", I can decide what I need/should do, and do so regardess of how I'm feeling... act like I wish I felt, and often the feelings follow suit. This is especially applicable with enjoying schoolwork, and reading, and loving people

Oh, and other cool thought, Phil Cann (the speaker at teen training this weekend) tlaked aobut not loosing our " cutting edge", of the WOrd of God. And how Satan would love to have us stop reading the Bible, and just settle for good Christian other books. He used the story of Ehud, a left handed guy in the Bible (lefties were not given swords in battle) who worked hard to fashion himself a sword, and then killed the bad king. We too should be working hard to get to know the Bible so we can use it in fighting evil.
Another neat point he made was about not forgetting the "God factor". In all our nice institutions and organizations (I could rant on how these frusterate me...) we can't forget the primary purpose we're on earth, to spread the Good News of the Message of Jesus. We can't forget that sometimes Gd likes to "mess with the system", and do wild things...cool eh?