"Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see."
~Hebrews 11:1
The timeline on this story probably goes back before December, but that's where I'm choosing to begin.
When I was home for Christmas, I started telling people I was interested in a job at Eden in their Spiritual Life Department. This was an odd thing for me to do for a few reasons. One: I was already settled at a great job in Calgary. Two: there was no posting for a job at Eden in the SLD. But as I prayed, I sensed great confirmation that this was where I should (at the very least) apply.
So, in March I sent in my resume and a cover letter, only to be informed that there were no positions available at that time.
As I continued to pray, I still sensed that my time at the Centre would be coming to a close and I should pursue other possibilities. I began to look for jobs that were similar to the SLD, and one by one, every door was slammed shut.
I prayed more. I believe that in life there are many choices we can make and God will bless us with either one. I believe that if I had stayed at the Centre, God would have continued to bless me there (not that he would have to...just that in this particular situation it wasn't a clear "right or wrong"). But I also felt somewhat discontent about staying there, and believe that God was challenging me to trust him, to take a step of faith and see what would happen.
So I did.
I notified my bosses and coworkers that I would be leaving the Centre at the end of the school year. They responded so positively; they weren't angry at me for leaving them, they were thankful for the large amount of notice I gave, they encouraged me in my search for new work, and, most importantly, they prayed that God would provide a job that would be the right fit for me.
As my time in Calgary began to draw to a close and doors were repeatedly slammed in my face, I began to dread the inevitable questions: "Where are you moving to? What will you be doing?"
I had no answers. I didn't know where I'd end up. I didn't know what I'd end up doing. But I always rested assured of who God is. I reminded myself frequently that God has shown himself to be kind and loving; he is not mean. He would not tear me out of one place of ministry and then not provide another and then laugh at my misfortune. He is a provider. And I chose to trust that he would provide for me in this situation too.
I won't lie. There were moments in days when my faith would waver. When the reality of moving across the country to end up who-knows-where doing who-knows-what seemed a bit overwhelming. But I continued to take it to God in prayer and let it go. I refused to let myself be bogged down for long. (Though I'm sure my friends can attest to a few "freak out" moments.)
Not too long after I was back in Ontario, I was enjoying a beautiful afternoon at the beach. That day, I kind of gave up. I told God that I felt like I had exhausted every possibility of finding a job that seemed to fit with the gifts he's given me and the calling I've felt on my life. I told him that I was giving up on looking for work; I didn't know what else to do, where else to apply. When I got back later that afternoon there was an email waiting for me inviting me to interview for the position at Eden.
I hadn't even realized that a position had become available, but as soon as I read that email I laughed. I thought, 'Ok, God. I get it. Thank you.' I knew that this was my answer, and he was being faithful to my obedience in following him into the mystery.
I am so blessed.
"And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him."
~Hebrews 11:6
Tuesday, August 10, 2010
Friday, July 23, 2010
.road trip!.
During the Canada Day long weekend, Kim had a few days off and agreed to accompany me on my cross-country move back to Ontario. We crossed through 4 provinces and 4 states in 3 days, and have some stories and pictures to prove it.
Day 1:
We left Calgary for Winnipeg. Thankfully, although we saw evidence of the flooding, the highway had reopened by the time we needed to go through.
We discovered that Swift Current may possibly be one of the last places in Canada that we'd actually want to live. We grabbed some lunch at their local "Wheatland Mall" and realized that we did not fit in. (That was a common theme of much of the trip.)
The drivers in Saskatchewan were exceptionally bad. 5 or 6 times various transport truck drivers decided to cross over a few lanes of oncoming traffic travelling at 120 km/hr and then stop and simply block the lanes before turning left. Seriously? The first time we just thought it was a random incident of a bad driver, but it kept happening again and again and again!
The best part about Saskatchewan was we stopped for a few minutes in Regina and I got to see Mel! YAY! Miss you, Mel.
From the little I've seen of Saskatchewan and Manitoba, I like Manitoba better. It's a bit more interesting to look at. More trees. More lakes. MORE MOSQUITOES. Ok, that part, I'm not such a huge fan.
We stayed just outside of Winnipeg the first time, with Kim's friend Kurtis who just bought a farm. And some goats.
Day 2:
We headed to Otterburne before crossing the border, because I couldn't imagine coming so close and then not seeing the school from which I graduated. (Seeing the entire campus took less than a minute, with the foot hovering the brakes.)
On our way there, we were caught in the middle of a wicked storm. I do mean wicked. I slowed down significantly because the rain was so heavy it was difficult to see far ahead. At one point we saw headlights coming towards us, then lightning strike, and the headlights go out. We pulled over. When we continued, we wanted to see if the people in the car were ok, but when we passed where the car had been...there was no car! So we might have witnessed a car being incinerated by lightning. (Or, truthfully, we don't have a clue what actually happened.)
By the time we got to Otterburne we had passed the storm, and the rest of our drive was sunny, hot, and much less buggy.
We breezed through the border into North Dakota, where we also did not fit, then continued on to Minnesota. Guess what? We didn't fit in there either.
But we did meet a giant roadside fish!
When we were in Duluth we were looking for a restaurant. Kim had been telling me about an American chain where they have a cheap salad buffet, and you can get all kinds of all-you-can-eat salads, and it sounded so delicious, and we were quite disappointed when the guy at the gas station had never even heard of it. I then asked a ridiculous question: do you have any restaurants with salad buffets? Kim almost died choking back her laughter. Note to self: never ask a vegetarian question in Minnesota. We ended up going to a local restaurant whose owners buy local food, and it was both affordable and delicious.
Continuing on to Wisconsin we took photos at a cheese store, which sadly wasn't open, and drove until we reached some random town along Lake Superior and found a cheap motel.
Day 3:
Head out early! Crossed into Michigan. We went through a town called Christmas. It had a giant Santa.
It was a pretty drive. We discovered a lot of Michigonians(?) are Lutheran. Or at least, Lutheran churches are most prevalent in the midwest. It felt like we were in Michigan for a long time, but the lakes and trees and winding road kept it interesting.
And then finally we were at the border!
A rude shock upon arriving in Sault St. Marie: gas was $1.10/L! We pressed on, hoping to reach South Baymouth before the last ferry took off for Tobermory. We also discovered a town called Spanish, and then shortly thereafter, a town called Espanola. (I am told that because it doesn't have the ~ over the n, you don't pronounce it the Spanish way, but still. Kind of funny.)
Someday I may go back to Manitoulin Island and explore or go for a day hike or something (except the ferry is rather expensive, so maybe for more than a day. Or not drive over.) because it was pretty, but we were rushing to make the ferry. Kim had doubts. I was determined. And. We made it! Barely. But we made it.
We got some supper on the Chi Cheemaun and tried to nap a bit. But it was COLD. When we got off the boat, my gas tank was hovering on empty, but every gas station we passed was closed; I guess pay-at-the-pump hasn't made it that far. But, we made it home (whew) and my parents did not wake up with our arrival (around 1:30am). Which means, they shrieked (read: mom shrieked) upon discovering me the next morning.
Day 4:
We also stopped by Inglis Falls briefly, and headed to the drive-in for a couple of shows, since Kim hadn't been to a drive-in movie before.
Day 5:
We went to church, had lunch, then I drove Kim to the airport to fly back to Calgary. I went to my sister's for a bit, and then drove back to my parents' place.
And the sadness hit me and I cried.
Thankfully, Meera called me and cheered me up with talk of home. (I say "home" very loosely, because I don't really know where "home" is...but at that moment, "home" was Calgary.)
Day 1:
We left Calgary for Winnipeg. Thankfully, although we saw evidence of the flooding, the highway had reopened by the time we needed to go through.
The best part about Saskatchewan was we stopped for a few minutes in Regina and I got to see Mel! YAY! Miss you, Mel.
We stayed just outside of Winnipeg the first time, with Kim's friend Kurtis who just bought a farm. And some goats.
Day 2:
We headed to Otterburne before crossing the border, because I couldn't imagine coming so close and then not seeing the school from which I graduated. (Seeing the entire campus took less than a minute, with the foot hovering the brakes.)
By the time we got to Otterburne we had passed the storm, and the rest of our drive was sunny, hot, and much less buggy.
We breezed through the border into North Dakota, where we also did not fit, then continued on to Minnesota. Guess what? We didn't fit in there either.
But we did meet a giant roadside fish!
Continuing on to Wisconsin we took photos at a cheese store, which sadly wasn't open, and drove until we reached some random town along Lake Superior and found a cheap motel.
Head out early! Crossed into Michigan. We went through a town called Christmas. It had a giant Santa.
It was a pretty drive. We discovered a lot of Michigonians(?) are Lutheran. Or at least, Lutheran churches are most prevalent in the midwest. It felt like we were in Michigan for a long time, but the lakes and trees and winding road kept it interesting.
And then finally we were at the border!
A rude shock upon arriving in Sault St. Marie: gas was $1.10/L! We pressed on, hoping to reach South Baymouth before the last ferry took off for Tobermory. We also discovered a town called Spanish, and then shortly thereafter, a town called Espanola. (I am told that because it doesn't have the ~ over the n, you don't pronounce it the Spanish way, but still. Kind of funny.)
Someday I may go back to Manitoulin Island and explore or go for a day hike or something (except the ferry is rather expensive, so maybe for more than a day. Or not drive over.) because it was pretty, but we were rushing to make the ferry. Kim had doubts. I was determined. And. We made it! Barely. But we made it.
We got some supper on the Chi Cheemaun and tried to nap a bit. But it was COLD. When we got off the boat, my gas tank was hovering on empty, but every gas station we passed was closed; I guess pay-at-the-pump hasn't made it that far. But, we made it home (whew) and my parents did not wake up with our arrival (around 1:30am). Which means, they shrieked (read: mom shrieked) upon discovering me the next morning.
Day 4:
The next day we (mostly just Kim, actually) slept in and then I took her around town and to Sauble Beach. Oh, how I had missed that beach!
We also stopped by Inglis Falls briefly, and headed to the drive-in for a couple of shows, since Kim hadn't been to a drive-in movie before.
Day 5:
We went to church, had lunch, then I drove Kim to the airport to fly back to Calgary. I went to my sister's for a bit, and then drove back to my parents' place.
And the sadness hit me and I cried.
Thankfully, Meera called me and cheered me up with talk of home. (I say "home" very loosely, because I don't really know where "home" is...but at that moment, "home" was Calgary.)
Sunday, June 06, 2010
.water valley rodeo.
As my time in Calgary is drawing to a close (eek!) I'm trying to cram in all the things I never got around to in the past 4 years. (I know, it's so wise to procrastinate on life, right? oops!)
Yesterday, Amy and I went out to the Water Valley Rodeo.
Getting to Water Valley was easy, since it's right down the road from Amy's camp and she could get there "in her sleep," but finding the rodeo grounds was a bit of a different story. We drove for a while on the road that turned into gravel and dirt, but there was really no traffic so we became concerned that we were way off the map. We turned around, and immediately noticed a truck towing a horse trailer going to where we'd just left. Since there was only one, we shrugged it off, assuming it was heading to a nearby ranch, and continued back from whence we'd come. After passing a few more vehicles, a few with families inside, and a few more horse trailers, we turned back around again. If we'd kept going for literally 20 more seconds before turning around the first time, we would have arrived at the rodeo. Oh well, we paid our money, parked, and claimed some great seats at the top of the covered bleachers (so we had a back rest).
Wisely, we brought a blanket and umbrellas with us as well. When the sun was shining and the wind wasn't blowing, it was quite warm. Unfortunately, those moments were few and far between.
We stayed for almost the entire show, leaving just before the last team calf roping and last bull rides.
My favourite part was the wild horse race. So crazy! Men being dragged across the arena barely holding on to a rope attached to a horse's neck, desperately trying to calm the horse down enough to put a saddle and rider on it. I don't think any of the teams actually made it to the end of the course (they had to ride around a barrel and back to the other end) but there were a few teams who came close (they rode around the barrel but couldn't quite make it to the other end). It was chaotic, but fun. And dangerous. Every once in a while when a galloping horse passed, a bunch of the men frantically climbed the fence to get out of the way.
The steer riding was cool too --except one kid got his hand stepped on. And at one point another guy had to be taken away by stretcher. The rodeo may be kind of cool to watch, but it also seems quite dangerous. Maybe you have to be slightly crazy (or else have a dopamine addiction) to do it.
The cutest part of the day were the little kids mutton busting. Apparently the best technique for staying on a sheep is to grab on to the side.
I didn't end up taking many photos, mostly because I didn't feel like moving (I was huddled in a blanket) but enjoy these few.
Yesterday, Amy and I went out to the Water Valley Rodeo.
Getting to Water Valley was easy, since it's right down the road from Amy's camp and she could get there "in her sleep," but finding the rodeo grounds was a bit of a different story. We drove for a while on the road that turned into gravel and dirt, but there was really no traffic so we became concerned that we were way off the map. We turned around, and immediately noticed a truck towing a horse trailer going to where we'd just left. Since there was only one, we shrugged it off, assuming it was heading to a nearby ranch, and continued back from whence we'd come. After passing a few more vehicles, a few with families inside, and a few more horse trailers, we turned back around again. If we'd kept going for literally 20 more seconds before turning around the first time, we would have arrived at the rodeo. Oh well, we paid our money, parked, and claimed some great seats at the top of the covered bleachers (so we had a back rest).
Wisely, we brought a blanket and umbrellas with us as well. When the sun was shining and the wind wasn't blowing, it was quite warm. Unfortunately, those moments were few and far between.
We stayed for almost the entire show, leaving just before the last team calf roping and last bull rides.
My favourite part was the wild horse race. So crazy! Men being dragged across the arena barely holding on to a rope attached to a horse's neck, desperately trying to calm the horse down enough to put a saddle and rider on it. I don't think any of the teams actually made it to the end of the course (they had to ride around a barrel and back to the other end) but there were a few teams who came close (they rode around the barrel but couldn't quite make it to the other end). It was chaotic, but fun. And dangerous. Every once in a while when a galloping horse passed, a bunch of the men frantically climbed the fence to get out of the way.
The steer riding was cool too --except one kid got his hand stepped on. And at one point another guy had to be taken away by stretcher. The rodeo may be kind of cool to watch, but it also seems quite dangerous. Maybe you have to be slightly crazy (or else have a dopamine addiction) to do it.
The cutest part of the day were the little kids mutton busting. Apparently the best technique for staying on a sheep is to grab on to the side.
I didn't end up taking many photos, mostly because I didn't feel like moving (I was huddled in a blanket) but enjoy these few.
Wednesday, June 02, 2010
.highlight.
My favourite Community Supper moment happened tonight.
It began a few months ago, when Christina and Nicholas and Victoria moved and then had a housewarming party. Unfortunately I had to work and was unable to attend, but other members of my small group, including Evan, were able to check it out. While they were there, Nicholas played Dance Mix '95 and taught Evan and Nadia some sweet dance moves, making them promise to dance at community supper with him sometime.
Last month Nick didn't bring the CD, so Nadia and Evan got out of it.
Tonight, Nick brought the CD.
After dinner he and Evan provided a show, as they danced to Whigfield's Saturday Night. There were some high stars, low stars, high arm rolls, low arm rolls, the classic 80's dance moves. And then, to make the moment that much more glorious, 6 little boys joined in. They added straight arm pumps, the disco move, and they even brought out the sprinkler.
Amazing.
It began a few months ago, when Christina and Nicholas and Victoria moved and then had a housewarming party. Unfortunately I had to work and was unable to attend, but other members of my small group, including Evan, were able to check it out. While they were there, Nicholas played Dance Mix '95 and taught Evan and Nadia some sweet dance moves, making them promise to dance at community supper with him sometime.
Last month Nick didn't bring the CD, so Nadia and Evan got out of it.
Tonight, Nick brought the CD.
After dinner he and Evan provided a show, as they danced to Whigfield's Saturday Night. There were some high stars, low stars, high arm rolls, low arm rolls, the classic 80's dance moves. And then, to make the moment that much more glorious, 6 little boys joined in. They added straight arm pumps, the disco move, and they even brought out the sprinkler.
Amazing.
Monday, May 31, 2010
.job hunt.
In the past, I've been blessed to have had jobs offered to me, with very little effort on my behalf in finding them. Having given in notice at my job, I am faced for the first time with the difficult task of applying for jobs and facing rejection.
Benefits:
Anyhow, at this point I just have to wait and keep putting myself out there. I am certain that something great will work out. God is faithful.
Benefits:
- having been actively recruited in the past, I have higher confidence that people will want to hire me
- I have great work experience and excellent references
- I have little to no interview experience
- I don't really know how to "brag subtly" about myself, or advertise myself as a desirable candidate
Anyhow, at this point I just have to wait and keep putting myself out there. I am certain that something great will work out. God is faithful.
Tuesday, April 27, 2010
.april.
I can't believe April is almost gone already.
I started off well for me --in Cuba!
I've been enjoying spring (but not so much the random spring storms) and have been spending more time outside.
Janet and I even revisited the stop-by one Saturday night. She had just gotten her motorcycle back from the shop and we rode around visiting I think about 10 different places (although a few people weren't home). So lovely.
It has recently hit me that I'm only here for 2 more months, so I'm trying to spend as much time with my friends as I can. I'm really going to miss them.
Why am I moving again? Why am I leaving a stable job? To move to Ontario where there are no jobs? (I just looked through over 1,000 postings and NONE of them interested me in the slightest, or was in my area of expertise. I'm still praying that I'll get one that I've already applied for.)
Oh right, I'm learning to trust. Life is a journey...and sometimes it's dark and the road bends and you haven't a clue what's ahead.
Might as well just keep going forward, cuz there's no sense stopping and hoping the darkness will just pass and the road will somehow straighten.
I started off well for me --in Cuba!
I've been enjoying spring (but not so much the random spring storms) and have been spending more time outside.
Janet and I even revisited the stop-by one Saturday night. She had just gotten her motorcycle back from the shop and we rode around visiting I think about 10 different places (although a few people weren't home). So lovely.
It has recently hit me that I'm only here for 2 more months, so I'm trying to spend as much time with my friends as I can. I'm really going to miss them.
Why am I moving again? Why am I leaving a stable job? To move to Ontario where there are no jobs? (I just looked through over 1,000 postings and NONE of them interested me in the slightest, or was in my area of expertise. I'm still praying that I'll get one that I've already applied for.)
Oh right, I'm learning to trust. Life is a journey...and sometimes it's dark and the road bends and you haven't a clue what's ahead.
Might as well just keep going forward, cuz there's no sense stopping and hoping the darkness will just pass and the road will somehow straighten.
Sunday, March 21, 2010
.welcoming in spring.
This weekend was so pleasant!
The weather was great, and I spent some time with friends.
I got to meet my friend Jen's new baby, Caris. It was lovely to catch up with Jen a bit too.
Then I went to my friend Dustin's art show. He has this one art piece that's a bunch of crushed coloured Christmas lights, and we kept overhearing people commenting that the artist must hate Christmas, which amused us both greatly.
Then I went to an Awaken games night at Amy's where an exciting game of apples to apples lasted long through the night.
I also watched a bit of the Paralympics, which is just incredible to me. (Especially the seeing-impaired skiers!!)
And then Steve, Amy, Ed and I went to an Irish pub and then the CPO. It's nice to feel cultured every once in a while.
Today I did 3 loads of laundry, and then I was planning on walking to an art gallery to see if anyone had out-bid me on a few items, and Amy wanted to come along too. She suggested that I dress up as a 50s housewife for a photo shoot at the laundromat, which was a grand idea. There was a man there who looked at us awkwardly the whole time (PLUS, he had just dumped all my clean laundry out of the dryer, when there were over a dozen other dryers available, which I found rather annoying). And, randomly, Amy knows the owner of the store/gallery we went to, so that was kind of fun too.
The sun is shining. The air is warm. It's officially spring. What more can you ask for?
The weather was great, and I spent some time with friends.
I got to meet my friend Jen's new baby, Caris. It was lovely to catch up with Jen a bit too.
Then I went to my friend Dustin's art show. He has this one art piece that's a bunch of crushed coloured Christmas lights, and we kept overhearing people commenting that the artist must hate Christmas, which amused us both greatly.
Then I went to an Awaken games night at Amy's where an exciting game of apples to apples lasted long through the night.
I also watched a bit of the Paralympics, which is just incredible to me. (Especially the seeing-impaired skiers!!)
And then Steve, Amy, Ed and I went to an Irish pub and then the CPO. It's nice to feel cultured every once in a while.
Today I did 3 loads of laundry, and then I was planning on walking to an art gallery to see if anyone had out-bid me on a few items, and Amy wanted to come along too. She suggested that I dress up as a 50s housewife for a photo shoot at the laundromat, which was a grand idea. There was a man there who looked at us awkwardly the whole time (PLUS, he had just dumped all my clean laundry out of the dryer, when there were over a dozen other dryers available, which I found rather annoying). And, randomly, Amy knows the owner of the store/gallery we went to, so that was kind of fun too.
The sun is shining. The air is warm. It's officially spring. What more can you ask for?
Sunday, March 14, 2010
.spring.
I know that we'll probably get another blast of winter still, but I have been thoroughly enjoying our mild winter and recent spring-like conditions.
Also, I received spring flowers this week, which helps to excite me about the approaching spring.
This weekend I went for a few walks (I am so blessed to live in such a great area of Calgary!) and also a bike ride. I may or may not have run into dancing roller blade man again today.
I spent part of today reading outside as well. I've picked up Don Miller's "Searching for God Knows What" again. My problem with reading books is that I often forget what they say, but then it's good because I can get "new" insights when I read them again.
It was lovely to finally have a weekend free of plans (and work!) because I was able to relax and just enjoy spring. I can't wait for trees to begin to turn lacy...I love the budding rebirth. I think that I, too, am being refreshed and renewed. I look forward to leaving winter behind.
Also, I received spring flowers this week, which helps to excite me about the approaching spring.
This weekend I went for a few walks (I am so blessed to live in such a great area of Calgary!) and also a bike ride. I may or may not have run into dancing roller blade man again today.
I spent part of today reading outside as well. I've picked up Don Miller's "Searching for God Knows What" again. My problem with reading books is that I often forget what they say, but then it's good because I can get "new" insights when I read them again.
It was lovely to finally have a weekend free of plans (and work!) because I was able to relax and just enjoy spring. I can't wait for trees to begin to turn lacy...I love the budding rebirth. I think that I, too, am being refreshed and renewed. I look forward to leaving winter behind.
Friday, February 26, 2010
.self-esteem boost.
Sometimes being a guest speaker is really great for my self-esteem.
At the end our our presentations, we pass around evaluations for the students to fill out (and separate ones for the teachers). It's a way for us to see what the kids are learning/picking up and how effective we're being.
Yesterday a student in gr. 7 learned that he should "not try to be someone else." What a great lesson for him to have learned!
There's also a spot on the paper where they are asked "would you recommend this presenter" and can circle yes or no. This week in responses I not only got almost all yes's (3 boys said no, which isn't a bad ratio out of 220 students), I got a bit extra from some students. One student circled yes, then drew an arrow and wrote "totally!" and circled it. Another student circled "yes" and wrote "x10!" and another guy said "yes x2." A bunch of people circled "yes" multiple times. One girl put stars next to her very circled "yes" and wrote "so great!" Another heavily circled yes had a note underneath saying "She's awesome! (and pretty)"
Also, one student told me that I gave the BEST sex ed talk ever! I'll take that!
I haven't recently had any students tell me I deserve a raise, but those comments always make me smile.
It's great that there's always a silver lining that can be found in the midst of a really crazy week.
Wednesday, February 10, 2010
.stories from a sex ed presenter.
As a guest speaker for human sexuality, I often have amusing things happen in my classrooms. Here are a few recent anecdotes. (I need to start writing them down more often, because I tend to forget them because I'm just so used to random comments and funny things happening.)
The other day as he was leaving the room, a boy in grade 7 commented, "You make learning about sex fun!" which I took as a great compliment.
I had a girl ask me, in all seriousness, "Can you get pregnant by swimming in a pool?" I assured her that although sperm are good swimmers, they're not that good. They don't have radar that helps them find vaginas.
While discussing reproduction, a student asked me how the X-men got their powers.
When I talk about condoms, I mention that although they reduce risk of pregnancy and STIs, they're not perfect. Especially because some STIs are transferred by skin to skin contact, and condoms aren't a fully body wet suit. After saying this one time, I had a high school boy say, "Well, what if I wrapped myself up in seran wrap?" I looked at him and said, "Do you really think some girl is gonna wanna get with you when you're covered in seran wrap?" and he thought about it for a second and said, "You're right. How about tin foil?"
Tuesday, January 19, 2010
Monday, December 14, 2009
.winter hit.
So this weekend Edmonton was the coldest place in Canada, hitting -46 (-59 with windchill)!
Thankfully, I was in Calgary, staying warm and cozy in my apartment (yes, with the yuletide fireplace channel on tv. I am a nerd). Jenn and I ventured out to a mall on Saturday, which was a bad idea considering all the crazy Christmas shoppers. But other than the parking being insane, the mall itself wasn't terribly busy, and we had some success finding sales for ourselves. (And yes, I do feel slightly selfish to have gone shopping for myself at Christmas time, but I haven't neglected my Christmas shopping, I was just really on top of it this year.)
On Saturday night I went to the Awaken Christmas party (we rocked some karaoke), on Sunday I stayed home all day and set up our psychedelic Christmas tree and baked muffins, and then went to church.
And then Monday arrived, in its glory.
Erm...
My car is currently dead. Will not start. Steve suggested that I try swearing, as that may help. I decided not to take him up on his suggestion, and the booster cables also let me down. I tried calling AMA, putting that trusty CAA card into use...but their phone lines were busy. Too busy to even get put on hold. And then I got through once, to be put on hold, and they randomly hung up on me. And since I don't feel like waiting until midnight for them to fix my car, which is probably when they'd be able to get around to it, I'm going to "do as Calgarians do" and wait for a chinook. (and also try the jumper cables once more tonight.)
Unfortunately, in the mean time, I still have to go to schools to teach. Thankfully today I could use Jenn's car, and I'll probably have to use it again tomorrow. But I NEED my car to be working on Wednesday, because I'm going to be teaching in Carstairs, and she'll be teaching in Calgary at the same time.
So it's somewhat annoying that my car is dead, but not the end of the world.
But shortly after arriving at work, Jenn came running down the hall with the news that the bathroom is leaking sewage. Gross. The pipes froze, and the sewage is backing up into the bathrooms. So we immediately made some calls, but ultimately ended up having to close the Centre for the day. (It's tough to do pregnancy tests without access to bathrooms...)
The plumber did make it to the Centre to fix it...but apparently the leakage has spread into the classroom. Where we were supposed to hold our client Christmas party tomorrow. Not to worry, we have a backup location at a church just a few blocks down on the C-train line...but this complicates things greatly. We have TONS of presents and decorations and things to move there tomorrow, plus we'll have to redirect all our clients to the party.
Also, we've been calling the appointments to try to reschedule them, as well as continuing to make new appointments with clients phoning in today. Normally we've got an office full of people answering phones all day; today it was just Jenn.
So thank you, winter, for the chaos you have provided. You certainly keep life interesting!
Thankfully, I was in Calgary, staying warm and cozy in my apartment (yes, with the yuletide fireplace channel on tv. I am a nerd). Jenn and I ventured out to a mall on Saturday, which was a bad idea considering all the crazy Christmas shoppers. But other than the parking being insane, the mall itself wasn't terribly busy, and we had some success finding sales for ourselves. (And yes, I do feel slightly selfish to have gone shopping for myself at Christmas time, but I haven't neglected my Christmas shopping, I was just really on top of it this year.)
On Saturday night I went to the Awaken Christmas party (we rocked some karaoke), on Sunday I stayed home all day and set up our psychedelic Christmas tree and baked muffins, and then went to church.
And then Monday arrived, in its glory.
Erm...
My car is currently dead. Will not start. Steve suggested that I try swearing, as that may help. I decided not to take him up on his suggestion, and the booster cables also let me down. I tried calling AMA, putting that trusty CAA card into use...but their phone lines were busy. Too busy to even get put on hold. And then I got through once, to be put on hold, and they randomly hung up on me. And since I don't feel like waiting until midnight for them to fix my car, which is probably when they'd be able to get around to it, I'm going to "do as Calgarians do" and wait for a chinook. (and also try the jumper cables once more tonight.)
Unfortunately, in the mean time, I still have to go to schools to teach. Thankfully today I could use Jenn's car, and I'll probably have to use it again tomorrow. But I NEED my car to be working on Wednesday, because I'm going to be teaching in Carstairs, and she'll be teaching in Calgary at the same time.
So it's somewhat annoying that my car is dead, but not the end of the world.
But shortly after arriving at work, Jenn came running down the hall with the news that the bathroom is leaking sewage. Gross. The pipes froze, and the sewage is backing up into the bathrooms. So we immediately made some calls, but ultimately ended up having to close the Centre for the day. (It's tough to do pregnancy tests without access to bathrooms...)
The plumber did make it to the Centre to fix it...but apparently the leakage has spread into the classroom. Where we were supposed to hold our client Christmas party tomorrow. Not to worry, we have a backup location at a church just a few blocks down on the C-train line...but this complicates things greatly. We have TONS of presents and decorations and things to move there tomorrow, plus we'll have to redirect all our clients to the party.
Also, we've been calling the appointments to try to reschedule them, as well as continuing to make new appointments with clients phoning in today. Normally we've got an office full of people answering phones all day; today it was just Jenn.
So thank you, winter, for the chaos you have provided. You certainly keep life interesting!
Monday, November 23, 2009
.the end of an era.
I'm done with chicken wings.
Don't get me wrong, I think they're quite delicious. If I'm at a party and they're already made, I may indulge (hey, the chickens are already dead, nothing can be done at that point) but I'm done with buying them myself.
Tonight Tina and I grabbed some wings at a pub. They were only 30 cents because the Flames were playing, so we figured, why not? But they were big. I mean, the bones were the same size as normal, but these wings were meaty.
I began to think about these chickens being "raised" in crates stacked on top of each other, being pooped on by other chickens, being so overfed that their legs couldn't support them just so we could enjoy wings, while they had absolutely no quality of life. How many chickens die for wing nights? Way too many.
So I decided I'm done with them.
Don't get me wrong, I think they're quite delicious. If I'm at a party and they're already made, I may indulge (hey, the chickens are already dead, nothing can be done at that point) but I'm done with buying them myself.
Tonight Tina and I grabbed some wings at a pub. They were only 30 cents because the Flames were playing, so we figured, why not? But they were big. I mean, the bones were the same size as normal, but these wings were meaty.
I began to think about these chickens being "raised" in crates stacked on top of each other, being pooped on by other chickens, being so overfed that their legs couldn't support them just so we could enjoy wings, while they had absolutely no quality of life. How many chickens die for wing nights? Way too many.
So I decided I'm done with them.
Friday, November 13, 2009
.Remembrance Day.
On Remembrance Day, Helen and I were wandering Bowness, taking photos. As I was photographing a little junkyard, a woman passed by and incredulously remarked, "are you taking photos of junk?" to which I replied, "yes, I am." She was shocked. "Why would you do that?" "Well, I'd like to find the beauty in the midst of it all."
I feel like that's a big theme in my life --looking for beauty in the junk and mess of life. Meera often points this out in her stories of people she observes and interacts with in East Hastings, and I am always full of hope in the midst of the despair after hearing (or reading) her stories. But I also want to find the beauty in the mess of my own life, as well as the people and places around me.
So, I decided to take photos of a junkyard. I can't say as I find any of my photos of it very beautiful. The pictures are busy with colour and shape mishmashed together in broken pieces. Yet, I wonder, if each piece was taken away from the rest of the junk, would there be more beauty in it as an individual? Can you find the beauty if you look closely enough? Or is there beauty in the fact that the brokenness has found a home together?
Remembrance Day is an interesting day for me. It's good to remember the soldiers who have fought for justice and freedom, losing lives, limbs, hearts, and families for the sake of others. But it's also the anniversary of my grandpa's death, and so on this day especially, I remember him. Although Remembrance Day is often sad, there is a beauty of hope in it.
Today, I feel sad, but I am determined to search for the beauty, to learn from the mess, to fully embrace life in its ups and downs.
I feel like that's a big theme in my life --looking for beauty in the junk and mess of life. Meera often points this out in her stories of people she observes and interacts with in East Hastings, and I am always full of hope in the midst of the despair after hearing (or reading) her stories. But I also want to find the beauty in the mess of my own life, as well as the people and places around me.
So, I decided to take photos of a junkyard. I can't say as I find any of my photos of it very beautiful. The pictures are busy with colour and shape mishmashed together in broken pieces. Yet, I wonder, if each piece was taken away from the rest of the junk, would there be more beauty in it as an individual? Can you find the beauty if you look closely enough? Or is there beauty in the fact that the brokenness has found a home together?
Remembrance Day is an interesting day for me. It's good to remember the soldiers who have fought for justice and freedom, losing lives, limbs, hearts, and families for the sake of others. But it's also the anniversary of my grandpa's death, and so on this day especially, I remember him. Although Remembrance Day is often sad, there is a beauty of hope in it.
Today, I feel sad, but I am determined to search for the beauty, to learn from the mess, to fully embrace life in its ups and downs.
Sunday, November 01, 2009
.grand gesture.
Last week was a very busy week with work...lots of classes, plus the banquet. I guess I had mentioned that a few weeks ago and Ed remembered. When I got home from my 14 hour day on Tuesday he came by with homemade soup and fruit and bread and only-slightly-outdated yoghurt. It made me feel so cared for! I love my family at Awaken...I think we are becoming such a wonderful community. Thanks!
Sunday, October 18, 2009
.peace in the fear.
I've been auditing a theology of suffering course this fall. As expected, I am being challenged, not only on my view of suffering, but also on my view of God.
I've been struggling with holding together seemingly contradictory parts of God. I don't know what to do with some of this, and I don't feel safe with God sometimes.
I don't really know how to put this all into words. (and I love words!)
When I was at spiritual direction earlier this week God gave me an image (which I don't know how to describe in writing). And although in some ways I still feel very unsettled, I also feel more at peace.
I don't know the answers to my questions. And my head doesn't even want the answers. It's my heart that needs to experience them. And I am trusting and believing that God will come through for me.
I know this to be true, in my head, and now my heart is on a journey of discovery with God. And yes, sometimes it may be scary, but my heart won't rest without continuing on. I am excited for the journey, wherever it takes me, and I am learning to trust God through my fear.
Merciful God, shine your light of truth into me in the coming weeks and months, that I might more clearly understand what you're like and how you see me. Let my fears and pride be exposed for what they are, and keep them from distorting my picture of who you are. Give me courage, that I might face my true self, and hope, that I might face you. Help me see in you what Habakkuk saw, that "as you bring judgment, as you surely must, remember mercy." Amen.
I've been struggling with holding together seemingly contradictory parts of God. I don't know what to do with some of this, and I don't feel safe with God sometimes.
I don't really know how to put this all into words. (and I love words!)
When I was at spiritual direction earlier this week God gave me an image (which I don't know how to describe in writing). And although in some ways I still feel very unsettled, I also feel more at peace.
I don't know the answers to my questions. And my head doesn't even want the answers. It's my heart that needs to experience them. And I am trusting and believing that God will come through for me.
I know this to be true, in my head, and now my heart is on a journey of discovery with God. And yes, sometimes it may be scary, but my heart won't rest without continuing on. I am excited for the journey, wherever it takes me, and I am learning to trust God through my fear.
Merciful God, shine your light of truth into me in the coming weeks and months, that I might more clearly understand what you're like and how you see me. Let my fears and pride be exposed for what they are, and keep them from distorting my picture of who you are. Give me courage, that I might face my true self, and hope, that I might face you. Help me see in you what Habakkuk saw, that "as you bring judgment, as you surely must, remember mercy." Amen.
Wednesday, September 09, 2009
.amsterdam.
I arrived in Schiphol on Saturday morning after a slightly uncomfortable flight...and hopped on a train to Amsterdam Centraal. Then I walked the familiar streets to the Shelter City (only the Zeedijk is under construction and is all torn up, which makes pulling a suitcase somewhat challenging) where Jacoline was working a reception shift. I relaxed in the cafe for a while and chatted with one of the cleaners. After Jaco's shift, we grabbed her bike, Marco's bike, and my stuff and set off for her house. It was a bit difficult because we had to carry my suitcase along, and Marco's bike had a flat tires, not to mention the construction along the way (apparently Amsterdam decided to do a whole lot of construction at once!) but we made it. There I met Jan Pieter, Jaco's husband, got settled, and had lunch. Their apartment is really cute, and they made me feel right at home. We were talking about what I do, and I gave them a shortened version of the relationship triangle (keep in mind that this was on no sleep...) because apparently I really can't leave work behind me. Later JP's brother and his girlfriend joined us and we walked around a bit, went to a cafe, then came home to make dinner. I was really, really tired by now, but I stayed up until about 9:45 I think...I figured that I had been up for about 30 hours. Het is niet goed!
I slept really really well that night, and just relaxed on Sunday morning while Jaco and JP were at their Dutch-speaking church. Then I hung out with Ben at his house for the afternoon. We talked about life and relationships, and, of course, camera stuff. It was good. Unfortunately Teri was feeling sick, so I didn't really see her at all, but that's ok. Ben drove me back to Jaco's and we tried quickly to pump Marco's tire so I could use his bike to get to church, but it didn't work (we needed the french tip) so I borrowed Jaco's and set off for the Zolder...in the kelder. I got there a bit late, but that's ok. It was a good service, and I got to see so many old friends! I also saw many of them again on Saturday, so it was cool to see them twice. Elliot did not remember me at all, but he certainly wasn't shy about becoming instant friends! The Asp's have cool kids and it was neat to see them older (and to meet Cor for the first time!).
On Monday Jaco and I went to the Albert Cuyp Markt where I got the majority of my souvenirs. Sadly, the stroopwafel guy was not there (that's 2 years in a row I have missed him!) but I did take my picture with Andre Hazes, hahaha. Jaco and I fixed Marco's flat tire which, oddly enough, did not have a hole in it. In the afternoon we went boating on the grachts, and the weather was so sunny and beautiful...it was a lovely relaxing time. On our way to the boat I was riding Marco's bike, which is way too tall for me, and I dismounted rather smoothly, landing on both feet, but in the car lane...so Jacoline and I switched bikes. But she also couldn't ride it, so we parked his bike, and she and JP ended up sharing his bike as we went. After the boat trip we went to Dwaze Zaken for dinner and a little concert. It was fun to be back there again (and no, I did not take the stereotypical bathroom photo there. but probably I should have).
On Tuesday I headed over to the Jordan to see Ewout. It was, as usual, wonderful to talk with him again. I also talked with Jacob for a while, so that was nice too. The staff there right now are really friendly, and I just relaxed in the cafe and the garden for a while and read my book. It felt like home. After that, I went to the library...wow, that place is huge! I can see why people like to go there to hang out. For supper we made a lekker salade and ate it outside by the Amstel at the launching docks for the rowers. Then we went back and watched a movie, and then we played Uno and the Dutch version of Dutch Blitz, which is exactly the same only it's called Ligretto and the cards don't have little Dutch people on them. I schooled JP and Jaco at Ligretto, but they both schooled me at Uno.
On Wednesday I slept in, which was really nice because my throat started hurting (I was really hoping the Cold FX would pull through for me). In the early afternoon I met Samira at the Cafe de Jaren where we sat on the patio on the gracht. After that, we walked along the Kalverstraat so she could return some boots, and then we headed back towards Jacoline's. We stopped to grab a late lunch at Amstel Haven, a cafe on the water, and het was heel lekker! Then we got back to the apartment and I cut Samira's hair (just like old times, haha). Jaco and JP had small group coming that night, so I helped prep a bit for dinner (Meera, I chopped the vegetables. apparently that is my food prep calling, haha) and set the table. I hid away during their small group so they could chat in Dutch without feeling obligated to translate (plus, I really have no vested interest in helping them decide when and how often to meet). I really think I should have learned Dutch when I lived here. At least I can pronounce the language well...
On Thursday I did a bit of shopping (I tried to find the book Dat is Gevaarlijk with no luck, but I did get Marco and Claudia's wedding present) and then sat by the Amstel writing postcards and reading a bit. I enjoyed a delicious dinner at Eric and Marci's. We taught the kids the moonwalk (with the help of Michael Jackson and YouTube), and Elliot also began to learn how to walk/dance on his hands. It was lovely to catch up with them.
On Friday I walked to the market to buy Jaco and JP some beautiful flowers for their anniversary. Then I hung out with Nynke. We took some touristy photos in/on the I Amsterdam sign, and also ate poffertjes. That night Jaco, JP and I went to a 90's birthday party. As in...we brought out the track suits (i.e. I borrowed bright yellow sweat pants from Jacoline), side ponytails, and Jaco even did the dark lipliner thing (although she actually used eyeliner to do it). It was a pretty loud dance party, and I was thankful that some people came that I know. It was awesome to see Annemarie, since I didn't think I was going to be able to see her. And it was nice to chat with Suzy and Arienne.
On Saturday we tried to go to the Palace and up the Westerkerk tower, but we were too late to book them, so we went to another church (where we found a quilt on the wall on which someone had penned "Nynke") and a garden. It was nice to hang out with Marco and Nynke (again) but then I had to leave to go to the wedding! Marco and Claudia had a lovely wedding, and although it was all in Dutch and German, I could follow right along thanks to Eric's English translation. The party afterwards in the H88 was very fun too, and I got to chat with Kor and Gerard for a bit, which was cool, cuz I haven't seen either of them since I lived there (last summer they weren't around when I visited). I also got to chat with Heidi for a while which was lovely. So yeah, it was great to catch up with people again, as well as to celebrate Marco and Claudia. I'm so happy I could be part of their special day!
On Sunday morning I went out for breakfast with Rosemary (although everywhere was closed and it took us some effort to find a place that was open) and it was great, cuz last summer we only had the chance to talk briefly on the phone, not to actually see each other. After breakfast I dropped her off (late, oops!) for church and walked back to Jaco's and JP's to say goodbye. Then I walked for an hour to Centraal Station, pulling my luggage. I'm glad I walked, though, so I could say goodbye to the city. I know, I'm a cheesy romantic like that, and in reality my hands began to blister, but it was still totally worth it.
And I have to say that it didn't rain the whole time I was there! Do you realize how amazing that is? So I feel very blessed to have had the opportunity to have such a wonderful vacation.
Thursday, August 27, 2009
.seattle and onward.
Oh man...I have been remiss in my blogging as of late...considering Amy and I roadtripped back in...May? And school is already back in. *sigh*
So...Seattle. After Cannon Beach we headed back north, and we found Eric's relative's house where we were staying, but no one was home, so we decided to hit up a mall to kill a bit of time. There we discovered stirrup pants. But I also found very beautiful shoes that make me feel sexy, and Amy and I found a few tops and stuff, so it was good time killing...even if not financially.
Amy called Eric's relatives, but the only name she had was Ruth, and a guy answered the phone. Amy's connection wasn't very good and she couldn't hear a voice, just that the phone stopped ringing, so she said "Ruth?" and the guy was like "Nooooo" haha. Anyways, they were super nice, and it was wonderful to stay with them. We also got a personal tour of all the non-downtown touristy sites like Lenin and the troll.
The next day we borrowed change from grandma to take the bus downtown. We went up the tower (way over-rated), took pictures of funky sculptures, walked around Pike Place and saw the original Starbucks, and went on an underground tour. The underground tour was super interesting; I feel like I really learned a lot about the city and how it was founded. Which was mostly funded by prostitutes (aka "seamstresses" with no sewing machines). We walked around hotels where you could pay by the half hour, and one of the guys on the tour quipped that maybe the businessmen just wanted "power naps" haha.
After the tour we wanted to buy flowers for our hosts, but the market was closed, so we found a little flower shop nearby. The man who worked there is a major jerk. He kept insulting us and calling us stupid and ugly. He gave us a discount on the flowers, but if he wasn't the only flower place open we totally would have left.
Anyways, we were trying to find the right bus stop to head back, and it was kind of confusing, but this nice Seattle Ambassador on his bicycle gave us clear directions and we found home easily.
We decided to drive home through Montana, and what a wonderful choice that was! It was a beautiful drive, and I'm fairly certain that I would rather live in hills than mountains now. I mean, mountains are beautiful and stuff, I'm not denying that, but I really loved those hills! We stopped in Kalispell for the night, and chose a hotel with a hot tub and breakfast.
The next day we headed home, but the road was not clearly labelled...plus we didn't have any maps with us. So we drove around trying to steal wireless internet to check out google maps, haha. We were successful!
Then we wanted to go on Going to the Sun Road, but it didn't open until June, so we were given general directions of "keep going for a while, when you see this, veer left, but not sharp left" etc. But first we stopped to get huckleberry somethings...there was a store full of huckleberry honey, huckleberry jam, huckleberry tea, etc.
On our way we saw some really cool trees and stopped to climb them.
Our wait at the border was non-existent which was lovely.
And then we stopped at Head Smashed In Buffalo Jump to take some photos.
So...it was a lovely road trip. We had lots of adventures, but I must say...I'm glad to finally be done blogging about it! haha.
So...Seattle. After Cannon Beach we headed back north, and we found Eric's relative's house where we were staying, but no one was home, so we decided to hit up a mall to kill a bit of time. There we discovered stirrup pants. But I also found very beautiful shoes that make me feel sexy, and Amy and I found a few tops and stuff, so it was good time killing...even if not financially.
Amy called Eric's relatives, but the only name she had was Ruth, and a guy answered the phone. Amy's connection wasn't very good and she couldn't hear a voice, just that the phone stopped ringing, so she said "Ruth?" and the guy was like "Nooooo" haha. Anyways, they were super nice, and it was wonderful to stay with them. We also got a personal tour of all the non-downtown touristy sites like Lenin and the troll.
The next day we borrowed change from grandma to take the bus downtown. We went up the tower (way over-rated), took pictures of funky sculptures, walked around Pike Place and saw the original Starbucks, and went on an underground tour. The underground tour was super interesting; I feel like I really learned a lot about the city and how it was founded. Which was mostly funded by prostitutes (aka "seamstresses" with no sewing machines). We walked around hotels where you could pay by the half hour, and one of the guys on the tour quipped that maybe the businessmen just wanted "power naps" haha.
After the tour we wanted to buy flowers for our hosts, but the market was closed, so we found a little flower shop nearby. The man who worked there is a major jerk. He kept insulting us and calling us stupid and ugly. He gave us a discount on the flowers, but if he wasn't the only flower place open we totally would have left.
Anyways, we were trying to find the right bus stop to head back, and it was kind of confusing, but this nice Seattle Ambassador on his bicycle gave us clear directions and we found home easily.
We decided to drive home through Montana, and what a wonderful choice that was! It was a beautiful drive, and I'm fairly certain that I would rather live in hills than mountains now. I mean, mountains are beautiful and stuff, I'm not denying that, but I really loved those hills! We stopped in Kalispell for the night, and chose a hotel with a hot tub and breakfast.
The next day we headed home, but the road was not clearly labelled...plus we didn't have any maps with us. So we drove around trying to steal wireless internet to check out google maps, haha. We were successful!
Then we wanted to go on Going to the Sun Road, but it didn't open until June, so we were given general directions of "keep going for a while, when you see this, veer left, but not sharp left" etc. But first we stopped to get huckleberry somethings...there was a store full of huckleberry honey, huckleberry jam, huckleberry tea, etc.
On our way we saw some really cool trees and stopped to climb them.
Our wait at the border was non-existent which was lovely.
And then we stopped at Head Smashed In Buffalo Jump to take some photos.
So...it was a lovely road trip. We had lots of adventures, but I must say...I'm glad to finally be done blogging about it! haha.
Tuesday, August 04, 2009
.cannon beach.
So...back to my road trip.
Amy and I left Portland to drive on a beautiful road to Cannon Beach. We got there, drove to Sarah's house to make sure we could find it, and then went back downtown hoping to find a bathroom. It began to rain so we decided to duck into stores until we found one with a bathroom. We went into one that had some amazing photography and paintings, and there was a cafe in it too, but it was closed. But we still got to use the bathroom, cuz the lady there took pity on us. Then we went next door to the next store, and as we were browsing around all of a sudden I heard Sarah's voice, and she was like "Meghan? What are you doing here?" It was awesome...we accidentally bumped into her at her job when I didn't even know she worked in a store there. So then Amy and I kept wandering around in art galleries and shops until Sarah got off work.
We went to a local restaurant for dinner, and as we were leaving the guy working there was like, "see you later!" and I said, "probably not!" but it was supposed to be under my breath. Oops! It was bad though, cuz I think Sarah was shooting his son's wedding the next weekend.
She's got the cutest little house right near the beach. Oh, I adore walking barefoot on a beach! Bliss. It was really cold that night though, so we bundled up before our walk on the beach. We saw some crazy kid dive repeatedly into the ocean, and I chased some seagulls.
It was too cold to go surfing, plus there were sharks apparently, so the next day Amy and I naturally decided to go to a cheese factory instead. The Pacific Coast Highway is gorgeous. We had a nice drive, and we pulled over to stop at a thrift store. We parked at a deserted pizza place next door to it, and this guy popped his head out the window to yell at us for taking parking spots from his non-existent customers. We told him we wouldn't be long, and he said, "half an hour?" and I said, "probably 5 minutes?" and, well, based on the incredible finds at the thrift store, my guess was a lot more accurate than his, haha.
Oh, at one point we saw a cop driving behind us, so Amy put on the cruise control at the speed limit to make sure he couldn't pull her over. But he put on his flashing lights anyways and pulled us over after a few minutes. We were pretty confused as to why, and kind of freaking out a little, but as he approached the car he looked pretty sheepish. He told her not to bother getting her license out or anything and that we could just keep going. I guess he ran our plates and didn't notice that they weren't from Oregon, but my license plate is the same as a stolen vehicle in Oregon.
That night after a delicious dinner we set out to make a fire on the beach. Sarah had claimed a fire pit near her house as her own for the summer after some college students built it a few weeks earlier, but her recycling had just been picked up and we didn't have any paper to start the fire. We had some wood, but only little pieces for making a teepee, nothing really to burn once the fire got going. Plus it was really windy. So we searched in the dark on the beach for things to burn, and Sarah went to get cardboard boxes from her store. Mostly the fire was a cardboard fire, haha, but we did get a pretty decent blaze going after a while. Fire + beach + stars = great night.
We also went for a hike with Sarah down a cliff near God's Finger, and we got some fun pics. It was so great to see her again! It was a quick visit, but totally worth it. I love that girl!
Amy and I left Portland to drive on a beautiful road to Cannon Beach. We got there, drove to Sarah's house to make sure we could find it, and then went back downtown hoping to find a bathroom. It began to rain so we decided to duck into stores until we found one with a bathroom. We went into one that had some amazing photography and paintings, and there was a cafe in it too, but it was closed. But we still got to use the bathroom, cuz the lady there took pity on us. Then we went next door to the next store, and as we were browsing around all of a sudden I heard Sarah's voice, and she was like "Meghan? What are you doing here?" It was awesome...we accidentally bumped into her at her job when I didn't even know she worked in a store there. So then Amy and I kept wandering around in art galleries and shops until Sarah got off work.
We went to a local restaurant for dinner, and as we were leaving the guy working there was like, "see you later!" and I said, "probably not!" but it was supposed to be under my breath. Oops! It was bad though, cuz I think Sarah was shooting his son's wedding the next weekend.
She's got the cutest little house right near the beach. Oh, I adore walking barefoot on a beach! Bliss. It was really cold that night though, so we bundled up before our walk on the beach. We saw some crazy kid dive repeatedly into the ocean, and I chased some seagulls.
It was too cold to go surfing, plus there were sharks apparently, so the next day Amy and I naturally decided to go to a cheese factory instead. The Pacific Coast Highway is gorgeous. We had a nice drive, and we pulled over to stop at a thrift store. We parked at a deserted pizza place next door to it, and this guy popped his head out the window to yell at us for taking parking spots from his non-existent customers. We told him we wouldn't be long, and he said, "half an hour?" and I said, "probably 5 minutes?" and, well, based on the incredible finds at the thrift store, my guess was a lot more accurate than his, haha.
Oh, at one point we saw a cop driving behind us, so Amy put on the cruise control at the speed limit to make sure he couldn't pull her over. But he put on his flashing lights anyways and pulled us over after a few minutes. We were pretty confused as to why, and kind of freaking out a little, but as he approached the car he looked pretty sheepish. He told her not to bother getting her license out or anything and that we could just keep going. I guess he ran our plates and didn't notice that they weren't from Oregon, but my license plate is the same as a stolen vehicle in Oregon.
That night after a delicious dinner we set out to make a fire on the beach. Sarah had claimed a fire pit near her house as her own for the summer after some college students built it a few weeks earlier, but her recycling had just been picked up and we didn't have any paper to start the fire. We had some wood, but only little pieces for making a teepee, nothing really to burn once the fire got going. Plus it was really windy. So we searched in the dark on the beach for things to burn, and Sarah went to get cardboard boxes from her store. Mostly the fire was a cardboard fire, haha, but we did get a pretty decent blaze going after a while. Fire + beach + stars = great night.
We also went for a hike with Sarah down a cliff near God's Finger, and we got some fun pics. It was so great to see her again! It was a quick visit, but totally worth it. I love that girl!
Thursday, July 02, 2009
.mystery.
God is Mystery. It's a part of him that I tend to wrestle with when asking the "why" questions. But it's also something I'm incredibly thankful for. If God weren't Mystery, then we could fully understand him. And if we could fully comprehend him, then he wouldn't be very big. And if he weren't very big then what could he do, and why would I waste my time worshiping him, or even trying to get to know him?
So Mystery is something I will embrace, because even though it means I do not and will not understand, and I may never have answers, that is a lot more satisfying. I am glad God is Mystery, that God is big, and that nothing is mystery to him.
So Mystery is something I will embrace, because even though it means I do not and will not understand, and I may never have answers, that is a lot more satisfying. I am glad God is Mystery, that God is big, and that nothing is mystery to him.
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