Somehow life seems to be speeding by... turning 23 last weekend was quiet but fun.
Yet it makes me think about where I am in life, 23, what a strange number, its not even like 22 or 24 and not 25 that quarter of a century. I feel a little bit lost.
Life - right now for me that involves working each day, which I enjoy most days, involvement in church and hanging out. But sometimes I wonder how life would have been different if I had stayed in my hometown of Narol, Manitoba and gone to school in Winnipeg. Where would I be today? Maybe still in school, working, married, etc. Who knows... but its something that I have thought about on occasion.
Its funny to look back and see how those small little decisions that I made on my journey have brought me to the place I am, because I could have easily ended up married and living in B.C. possibly at this point, but because of a small decision I am not there... it seems strange to think about today.
I think life teaches us something every day, sometimes we don't take the time to notice because we live in a world that tells us being busy is how we should live, but than we miss out on the moments of friendship, laughter, love, fun and community. Why is it that we think we should be busy all the time? I love curling up with a good book on a quiet evening, its enjoyable to just spend some time in peace... maybe we should all find that place that brings us peace and actually enjoy it more, because many of us probably aren't enjoying it enough.
Life... as crazy as it is, its our life, and what we make of it is our decision.
Saturday, November 22, 2008
Friday, September 26, 2008
Blessings to You
So, its been awhile since I have written on my blog... life somehow has a way of getting away before I have some time to sit down and write on here.
This past week I had the oppurtunity to plan a service project for our youth. Something local as our theme this year was community. We went to a free clothing store in the town next to ours... I never imagined that a place that gives away clothes, furniture, etc. not only gets tons of stuff donated but can continue to run without a glitch.
We were told that when the ministry first began it reached about 100-150 people within the community, now being open three afternoons a week they are reaching over 1000 people with their ministry. So many in our community are in need and some feel bad for taking the clothing for free so they come in and help on a Wednesday night and get the place in order, which is what we were there to do as well. Some even leave a donation in which they put towards paying the rent of the building.
Seeing all of the clothing and stuff in that place made me realize that we are so materialistic and are constantly buying things that we do not even need. There was a brand new TV there!! (which we brought to youth for christ in town, but still...). Stores give them brand new clothes, people bring clothes with tags on them still. Somehow its become all about the new fad, looking good to impress others and keeping up with what society thinks we should look like.
The ministry is pretty amazing though and when the night was done it was great to see that we were able to make such a huge dent in the work that needed to be done there. There is stuff everywhere!! But it was fun and hopefully we can go back and help them with some of the work again one evening.
This past week I had the oppurtunity to plan a service project for our youth. Something local as our theme this year was community. We went to a free clothing store in the town next to ours... I never imagined that a place that gives away clothes, furniture, etc. not only gets tons of stuff donated but can continue to run without a glitch.
We were told that when the ministry first began it reached about 100-150 people within the community, now being open three afternoons a week they are reaching over 1000 people with their ministry. So many in our community are in need and some feel bad for taking the clothing for free so they come in and help on a Wednesday night and get the place in order, which is what we were there to do as well. Some even leave a donation in which they put towards paying the rent of the building.
Seeing all of the clothing and stuff in that place made me realize that we are so materialistic and are constantly buying things that we do not even need. There was a brand new TV there!! (which we brought to youth for christ in town, but still...). Stores give them brand new clothes, people bring clothes with tags on them still. Somehow its become all about the new fad, looking good to impress others and keeping up with what society thinks we should look like.
The ministry is pretty amazing though and when the night was done it was great to see that we were able to make such a huge dent in the work that needed to be done there. There is stuff everywhere!! But it was fun and hopefully we can go back and help them with some of the work again one evening.
Sunday, March 30, 2008
Quote
Something that I heard today in a presentation....
We (North Americans), need to live simply, so that others can simply live.
We (North Americans), need to live simply, so that others can simply live.
Monday, October 08, 2007
Thanksgiving
Its been a long time since I have written on my blog. Life has been a blur the last few months.
Its Thanksgiving day and there are many things to be thankful for...
...for the sun rising every morning and setting every evening
...for the beautiful creation around all of us, a picture of God himself
...our families
...our friends, those near and far away
...our church family
...our work or schools
...for the time we have here on earth
..and for me today, thankfulness for the impact that Craig made on my life over the last four years. I miss you a lot and a week never goes by that I don't think about you constantly. Its hard to be thankful that you are with the Lord some days and not here with us on earth but you are better off where you are, sitting at Jesus' feet! I love you and am so thankful for you in my life!
Its Thanksgiving day and there are many things to be thankful for...
...for the sun rising every morning and setting every evening
...for the beautiful creation around all of us, a picture of God himself
...our families
...our friends, those near and far away
...our church family
...our work or schools
...for the time we have here on earth
..and for me today, thankfulness for the impact that Craig made on my life over the last four years. I miss you a lot and a week never goes by that I don't think about you constantly. Its hard to be thankful that you are with the Lord some days and not here with us on earth but you are better off where you are, sitting at Jesus' feet! I love you and am so thankful for you in my life!
Thursday, June 07, 2007
Grad Photos....
Craig and I!
Hannah and I
My first year roomie and I
Dad, Mom and Me!
Nan and I
Nicker and I
Our Business Graduating Class of 2007Tuesday, June 05, 2007
Something Interesting
I found this article on Compassion Canada's website. It was interesting to read and I thought I would post it on my blog.
That’s What I Think.
Editorial by: Richard Dew
So Dr. King Jr. had a dream, sort of. He actually had several dreams commonly founded in one thought. Dreams of a great man replayed time and again for our inspiration and perhaps, even comfort that we have fulfilled the dream. But I wonder. I wonder, 44 years after the speech given in Washington and 39 years beyond his tragic murder: Have we changed, or have we simply gotten better at accepting the lack of freedom, experienced by our fellow man?
Dr. King dreamed all men would be treated as created equal, but yesterday 35,000 people died of starvation. I dined with eight friends in a wonderfully overpriced restaurant. Forty-two people drove to my office in 39 cars. There is a bedroom in my home, which sits empty.
Dr. King dreamed that one day, slave and slave owner would sit and dine together – brothers at the same table. But we have not abolished slavery. We have simply moved it across oceans to operate in the hidden hollows of the third world’s so-called free-zones. Rather than chastise the slave owner, we have opted to call him ‘Tommy’, allowing his name to be proudly stitched upon our jeans.
Dr. King dreamed that the deep south would be a place where justice would reign, and yet Genarlow Wilson is serving 10 years in Georgia for breaking a law that no longer exists: consensual sexual relations with his girlfriend. A teacher from the same country served 90 days for molesting a student. But that makes sense doesn’t it? She’s a professional white women. He’s a black teenager from the slums.
Martin Luther King dreamed. He dreamed we would one day get it right. He believed. I believe.
I believe that equality is possible. I believe that justice is worship. I believe that we can worship the God of all creation in the manner He wishes to be worshipped. I believe that our motivation can be pure that we can live with no other agenda than to do the right thing.
I believe that poverty can be eliminated, and I believe that there is no naivety in that claim, despite the naysayers. I will allow the last five decades of South Korea’s vast history to stand as my witness.
I believe that slavery, regardless of location, will end. I believe that we will one day care to protect the coltran miners of the Congo that provide for my $24.95 cellphone; and the sweatshop seamstresses hidden in harbour cities around the world; and the sold children that harvest my Easter chocolate. I believe that one day the millions and millions of annually murdered slaves will one day grace my local six o’clock news. Perhaps the 3,100 soldiers killed in Iraq wouldn’t mind giving up five minutes of their coverage.
I believe that it will not be gender, nor location, nor the colour of skin that dictates your contribution to this world, but I will allow God Almighty to do as He will with all of His children for His Kingdom. I have the testimony of Harriet Mutumba upon which to stake my claim. (compassion.ca/harriet)
I believe that this generation will not repeat the patterns of those who came before us. We will not sit on gardened hilltops listening to Jerry Garcia, reminiscing about the days when we were young and idealistic, but we will stand together, shoulder to shoulder, black and white, and we will remember the day they said it could not be done. We will remember their discouragement that acted as our motivation. We will know what it is to live equal. We will know what it is to share prosperity across borders and oceans. We will know what it is to experience true freedom together.
I believe that one day, dreamt freedom will ring.
And when this happens, and when we allow freedom to ring, when we let it ring from every village and every hamlet, from every state and every city, we will be able to speed up that day when all God’s children, black men and white men, Jews and Gentiles, Protestants and Catholics, will be able to join hands and sing the words of the old negro spiritual, Free at last, free at last. Thank God Almighty, we are free at last. (MLK)
I think that will be a beautiful day. I think we will live it together. I believe the dream lives on. I want you to live it with me, because like me, you believe.
That’s What I Think.
Editorial by: Richard Dew
So Dr. King Jr. had a dream, sort of. He actually had several dreams commonly founded in one thought. Dreams of a great man replayed time and again for our inspiration and perhaps, even comfort that we have fulfilled the dream. But I wonder. I wonder, 44 years after the speech given in Washington and 39 years beyond his tragic murder: Have we changed, or have we simply gotten better at accepting the lack of freedom, experienced by our fellow man?
Dr. King dreamed all men would be treated as created equal, but yesterday 35,000 people died of starvation. I dined with eight friends in a wonderfully overpriced restaurant. Forty-two people drove to my office in 39 cars. There is a bedroom in my home, which sits empty.
Dr. King dreamed that one day, slave and slave owner would sit and dine together – brothers at the same table. But we have not abolished slavery. We have simply moved it across oceans to operate in the hidden hollows of the third world’s so-called free-zones. Rather than chastise the slave owner, we have opted to call him ‘Tommy’, allowing his name to be proudly stitched upon our jeans.
Dr. King dreamed that the deep south would be a place where justice would reign, and yet Genarlow Wilson is serving 10 years in Georgia for breaking a law that no longer exists: consensual sexual relations with his girlfriend. A teacher from the same country served 90 days for molesting a student. But that makes sense doesn’t it? She’s a professional white women. He’s a black teenager from the slums.
Martin Luther King dreamed. He dreamed we would one day get it right. He believed. I believe.
I believe that equality is possible. I believe that justice is worship. I believe that we can worship the God of all creation in the manner He wishes to be worshipped. I believe that our motivation can be pure that we can live with no other agenda than to do the right thing.
I believe that poverty can be eliminated, and I believe that there is no naivety in that claim, despite the naysayers. I will allow the last five decades of South Korea’s vast history to stand as my witness.
I believe that slavery, regardless of location, will end. I believe that we will one day care to protect the coltran miners of the Congo that provide for my $24.95 cellphone; and the sweatshop seamstresses hidden in harbour cities around the world; and the sold children that harvest my Easter chocolate. I believe that one day the millions and millions of annually murdered slaves will one day grace my local six o’clock news. Perhaps the 3,100 soldiers killed in Iraq wouldn’t mind giving up five minutes of their coverage.
I believe that it will not be gender, nor location, nor the colour of skin that dictates your contribution to this world, but I will allow God Almighty to do as He will with all of His children for His Kingdom. I have the testimony of Harriet Mutumba upon which to stake my claim. (compassion.ca/harriet)
I believe that this generation will not repeat the patterns of those who came before us. We will not sit on gardened hilltops listening to Jerry Garcia, reminiscing about the days when we were young and idealistic, but we will stand together, shoulder to shoulder, black and white, and we will remember the day they said it could not be done. We will remember their discouragement that acted as our motivation. We will know what it is to live equal. We will know what it is to share prosperity across borders and oceans. We will know what it is to experience true freedom together.
I believe that one day, dreamt freedom will ring.
And when this happens, and when we allow freedom to ring, when we let it ring from every village and every hamlet, from every state and every city, we will be able to speed up that day when all God’s children, black men and white men, Jews and Gentiles, Protestants and Catholics, will be able to join hands and sing the words of the old negro spiritual, Free at last, free at last. Thank God Almighty, we are free at last. (MLK)
I think that will be a beautiful day. I think we will live it together. I believe the dream lives on. I want you to live it with me, because like me, you believe.
Thursday, May 10, 2007
Days Go By
There is something strange about each day going by and you wondering what it is you accomplished, or if you achieved anything significant, like helping another person out.
I am at that point right now, finished university and looking for a job. Its strange knowing a chapter in my life is complete and another one is starting. I am going to miss Redeemer, there are memories that I have made there that I will never forget and people that have touched my life over the past 4 years that I will cherish forever.
But God... where are you leading me? Where am I supposed to go from here? It is hard being in a place where you do not know what is going to happen in life. And its very hard to trust in God when you just want to take it into your own hands and figure it out for yourself, but life does not work that way. As I continue to watch each day slip by I feel God working in my life, preparing me for whatever he has in store... though it is hard to be patient I know that it is coming.
I am at that point right now, finished university and looking for a job. Its strange knowing a chapter in my life is complete and another one is starting. I am going to miss Redeemer, there are memories that I have made there that I will never forget and people that have touched my life over the past 4 years that I will cherish forever.
But God... where are you leading me? Where am I supposed to go from here? It is hard being in a place where you do not know what is going to happen in life. And its very hard to trust in God when you just want to take it into your own hands and figure it out for yourself, but life does not work that way. As I continue to watch each day slip by I feel God working in my life, preparing me for whatever he has in store... though it is hard to be patient I know that it is coming.
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