I bruised both my elbows when we went to wonderland on Thursday!
Wow, what a good day - good days make me tired.
Wonderland, we went on 14 rides... Behemoth twice in a row, five minute line ups; got wet while unbuckling our seat belts and trying to hide from the water in white water canyon; convincing the guys to go on the merry-go-round and naming my horse Starfire-Rose-Ruby-Red-Heart; trying to make conversation with a girl beside me on Drop Zone, but learning that she doesn't speak English (but she's white!); screaming on Thunder-Run; singing Oh Canada up the wooden rides; making friends with friends.
Coffeehouse, amazing. Honestly, God took all our pieces and fit them, tying them together in ways I never would have imagined for this coffeehouse. My monologue was about a party girl, a drinking girl, a girl who could not find herself under everything - and Evangel follows it up with a sharing about wanting to be a 'cool kid' as a child, giving up everything to be cool, like the girl in the monologue... but coming up empty, wanting more. The second worship set ended with 'By Your Side' (Tenth Avenue North) and then Zoe sharing about trusting God, about him being with her always. Then Graham spoke... and just. Oh! Everything was good. And I think everything was neccessary for someone... I thought the message was a bit too philosophical for some in a sense, but I know it was useful for a friend of mine ("IT MAKES SO MUCH SENSE! FREEDOM MAKES SENSE!") and Zoe's sharing touched a friend and... Oh!
Then, back home, I studied for Biology, and honestly it was the best I've ever studied. Ever. I finally learned how to study! Growing is so surprising. Another surprise: I was reading 'Mere Christianity' by C. S. Lewis, and he was talking about how it is strange how we are always so surprised at the passing of time: 'My, just yesterday he was ten years old...' 'Time just flew by!' 'It felt like an eternity'. It is like a fish, every so often, going 'Hey look: it's wet!' He was talking about how we were made for more than time, that we are creatures that were designed for the ever of for.
I can't believe I have friends! No, but I mean... look at them. They like me!
May 22, 2009
May 17, 2009
I Have Never Walked So Slow
WOLVERINE | I watched Wolverine with Candace - I love her - and I would love to blog about how embarrassing she is (let me give you an example: she walked around with a balloon parrot on her head in SilverCity. And then on her leg. Why. Why. WHY) and how much fun we had but, yes!, no, I won't.
WAITING | I called Simon to check bus times for me, and he said the 40 comes at 6:24 but after waiting for a long time, I went home and checked and it actually comes at 7:02. So, I walked out of the house with 15 minutes to spare. I have never walked so slow. The path from my house to the bus stop takes 3-5 minutes at most, and I had 15 minutes. At first, I was hurrying (why are we forever going somewhere in a rush?) but then I slowed down and turned around and saw the Sun. The moment I pivoted the rays pierced through the clouds. And like the parting of waves and hair, the floating dream of evaporated breath ran off to reveal a marvelous light. It was magnificent. I have never walked. So. Slow. Every day, I go to school in a rush, missing everything, you know? Every day, I walk to class in a hurry; everyone does. Yesterday was just a good chance to slow down, breathe, and realize how beautiful the world was. I sing out loud a lot when I travel now. I want to learn to bake cookies and give them to people I meet on buses, if they aren't scared of cookies from strangers. But, oh!
WHY | do so many people miss the beauty in grey days?
So much good and bad has happened since Friday; I wanted to blog about it, but instead I just talked to friends and family and, hey, things are better and light.
WAITING | I called Simon to check bus times for me, and he said the 40 comes at 6:24 but after waiting for a long time, I went home and checked and it actually comes at 7:02. So, I walked out of the house with 15 minutes to spare. I have never walked so slow. The path from my house to the bus stop takes 3-5 minutes at most, and I had 15 minutes. At first, I was hurrying (why are we forever going somewhere in a rush?) but then I slowed down and turned around and saw the Sun. The moment I pivoted the rays pierced through the clouds. And like the parting of waves and hair, the floating dream of evaporated breath ran off to reveal a marvelous light. It was magnificent. I have never walked. So. Slow. Every day, I go to school in a rush, missing everything, you know? Every day, I walk to class in a hurry; everyone does. Yesterday was just a good chance to slow down, breathe, and realize how beautiful the world was. I sing out loud a lot when I travel now. I want to learn to bake cookies and give them to people I meet on buses, if they aren't scared of cookies from strangers. But, oh!
WHY | do so many people miss the beauty in grey days?
So much good and bad has happened since Friday; I wanted to blog about it, but instead I just talked to friends and family and, hey, things are better and light.
May 10, 2009
(Grand)mothers
Mommy
I interrupted my mom's Sunday school (she was teaching) to give her a flower and the Aunties and Uncles did this: "AWWWWWW" collectively. It was amazing.
Ma-ma
My family sat in the dark after a Josh-Me-Dad-cooked dinner, surrounding an orange candle in our living room. Dad wanted to tell us about Grandma, because we didn't really know about her, other than that she loved us very much. He started off by telling us about her destructive relationship with my Grandpa, and how it caused hate and bitterness. It was so terribly sad so I cried at all the things that composed what was their family's tear-filled song. But I just praise God for changing my dad to become a man of Him, because my grandparents' lives were also changed. My Grandma liked to travel, and went to live with all eight of her children. I asked if they loved each other, and he said they did have some romantic love near the end; when my Grandma was away, my Grandpa would write love letters to her. After my Grandpa went heavenward, my Grandma got lung cancer. Before she died, she said she was afraid of three things: 1) losing sight in her other eye 2) not being able to see her entire family 3) pain. My dad always prayed with her and God gave my Grandma all three wishes before she went home.
Por-Por
I just got off the phone with my mom's mom. I haven't talked to her awhile; I kind of sense that she would rather talk to my mom, maybe our generational gap is too big. Anyway, it turns out she is learning English. No, you don't understand: she. Is. Learning. English. WHAT?! She is 92 years old and has never spoken an English word in her life (other than 'fank-you'). Apparently, the manager at her home is teaching her. The first word she told me was supposed to be "exercise" but apparently it's "lee-ser-lee". Then, she got intense! She knows "Beeef," "Chic-kun," "Mil(k)," and "Oranguce." I was running back and forth from my living room and kitchen yelling "GRANDMA YOU ARE SO GOOD!" and telling my mom what she was saying. It made me so, so happy and I'm glad I didn't say bye to her (I gave the phone to my mom) or else I would have burst into tears because I have so much love for her inside of me. Before, when she said bye to me, she would refuse to hang up the phone first, so I would have to and all I would hear is "Bye-bye, la! Bye-bye, la!" She really breaks my heart. I am making a new commitment to pray for her everyday.
Speaking of praying, right now I'm inconsistent again, so I will start small and build up. 15 minutes in the morning and 15 minutes before I sleep. Keep me accountable? Eek, it's already 10:30.
I interrupted my mom's Sunday school (she was teaching) to give her a flower and the Aunties and Uncles did this: "AWWWWWW" collectively. It was amazing.
Ma-ma
My family sat in the dark after a Josh-Me-Dad-cooked dinner, surrounding an orange candle in our living room. Dad wanted to tell us about Grandma, because we didn't really know about her, other than that she loved us very much. He started off by telling us about her destructive relationship with my Grandpa, and how it caused hate and bitterness. It was so terribly sad so I cried at all the things that composed what was their family's tear-filled song. But I just praise God for changing my dad to become a man of Him, because my grandparents' lives were also changed. My Grandma liked to travel, and went to live with all eight of her children. I asked if they loved each other, and he said they did have some romantic love near the end; when my Grandma was away, my Grandpa would write love letters to her. After my Grandpa went heavenward, my Grandma got lung cancer. Before she died, she said she was afraid of three things: 1) losing sight in her other eye 2) not being able to see her entire family 3) pain. My dad always prayed with her and God gave my Grandma all three wishes before she went home.
Por-Por
I just got off the phone with my mom's mom. I haven't talked to her awhile; I kind of sense that she would rather talk to my mom, maybe our generational gap is too big. Anyway, it turns out she is learning English. No, you don't understand: she. Is. Learning. English. WHAT?! She is 92 years old and has never spoken an English word in her life (other than 'fank-you'). Apparently, the manager at her home is teaching her. The first word she told me was supposed to be "exercise" but apparently it's "lee-ser-lee". Then, she got intense! She knows "Beeef," "Chic-kun," "Mil(k)," and "Oranguce." I was running back and forth from my living room and kitchen yelling "GRANDMA YOU ARE SO GOOD!" and telling my mom what she was saying. It made me so, so happy and I'm glad I didn't say bye to her (I gave the phone to my mom) or else I would have burst into tears because I have so much love for her inside of me. Before, when she said bye to me, she would refuse to hang up the phone first, so I would have to and all I would hear is "Bye-bye, la! Bye-bye, la!" She really breaks my heart. I am making a new commitment to pray for her everyday.
Speaking of praying, right now I'm inconsistent again, so I will start small and build up. 15 minutes in the morning and 15 minutes before I sleep. Keep me accountable? Eek, it's already 10:30.
May 07, 2009
Miracles At TC
It is so, so late, at least for me, and I am supposed to be studying biology for tomorrow's quiz, but I can't because I just feel so excited to write the poem for 4:24! I really didn't know what on thoughts and pencils and outsides to write about, but I asked God to give me something to share with other people and then boom a scene hit me. It was from TC jr, the last night. It was during altar call that Candace and I decided to step outside for some fresh air. I never blogged about this, but we had such a good conversation, one of those that makes you go, Yes, I understand. Oh, okay I was going to blog about how I am talking to Simon about his 4:24 poem and how amazing it is (All Of My Reason To Dream) but now I want to blog about something that happened during TC that amazed the doubts out of me.
The night before TC, during the Concert of Prayer, my brilliant and God-given TC coaches lead our team into a reflection in our own room, where it was quiet and still. First, we were just asked to reflect upon our past six months with each other, and to pray. I don't remember the exact details, but I remember that people started crying, humble apologies came out, honesty peeked out a little. And in the midst of it, I felt God's presence with me very strongly. And I had no doubt that it was God, and I felt that everything I was praying was perfect, pleasing and would be answered.
We were to wash one another's hands; when you were ready you would go up and have your hands washed, and after you would take the place of the person before you and await someone elses dirty fingers. During my prayer, I knew that I had to wash Candace's hands for some reason. I wanted to comfort her so badly, to be the one who would say the right words for her, but somehow I knew it wouldn't be me. I asked God to let me wash her hands, and so I went up and immediately afterwards Candace came up.
Afterwards, we were presented with our media sweaters. Before we could put them on, our counsellors gave us words that God had impressed into their hearts. Michelle just sent me the list: vessel, willing, adopted, beautiful, and on. It was so amazing, because somehow I knew who would get what words, I thought of the words before the counsellors said it.
It wasn't a gigantic miracle or anything, but it was to me because it just felt so amazing to be connected with God through something as personal as my thoughts.
The night before TC, during the Concert of Prayer, my brilliant and God-given TC coaches lead our team into a reflection in our own room, where it was quiet and still. First, we were just asked to reflect upon our past six months with each other, and to pray. I don't remember the exact details, but I remember that people started crying, humble apologies came out, honesty peeked out a little. And in the midst of it, I felt God's presence with me very strongly. And I had no doubt that it was God, and I felt that everything I was praying was perfect, pleasing and would be answered.
We were to wash one another's hands; when you were ready you would go up and have your hands washed, and after you would take the place of the person before you and await someone elses dirty fingers. During my prayer, I knew that I had to wash Candace's hands for some reason. I wanted to comfort her so badly, to be the one who would say the right words for her, but somehow I knew it wouldn't be me. I asked God to let me wash her hands, and so I went up and immediately afterwards Candace came up.
Afterwards, we were presented with our media sweaters. Before we could put them on, our counsellors gave us words that God had impressed into their hearts. Michelle just sent me the list: vessel, willing, adopted, beautiful, and on. It was so amazing, because somehow I knew who would get what words, I thought of the words before the counsellors said it.
It wasn't a gigantic miracle or anything, but it was to me because it just felt so amazing to be connected with God through something as personal as my thoughts.
May 03, 2009
"Safety"
Yesterday, I went to Crystal's house for 12 hours to work on our Biology Video Project, our topic being "The Advantages... Blah Blah... Steroids." It was so epic! We wrote the script and all that, but when we actually did it we came up with so many good ideas right on the spot, and it was so funny because Crystal had to pretend to be a nerd dying from asthma (wearing a neon green UHS shirt with a dress shirt underneath) and it came so naturally for her! And then we got her older brother to help us, and he thought we were insane. Like for one scene, we were Dr. Seuss characters, and we were singing a song. I couldn't stop laughing so we asked him to help us and he's like, "Okay, YOU can sing about proteins all you want, but don't drag me in there with you." It was really fun, we were insaaane; there are so many things I want to write but no one would laugh because it was good only then and to us. I was so comfortable at her house (as always), we were sitting so cho-lo and everything: plus we were ultra-ugly. Like, seriously, so ugly. So we decided to camwhore a little and I wanted to gag looking at our pictures, haha! Yes, I love her a lot.
And oh, I taught her what "Safety" means, and farted at least once every fifteen minutes. Even during dinner with her family (HAHAHA) but I didn't say safety then, because... that's just... no. But yes, thinking about yesterday makes this bad morning much better.
Safety.
And oh, I taught her what "Safety" means, and farted at least once every fifteen minutes. Even during dinner with her family (HAHAHA) but I didn't say safety then, because... that's just... no. But yes, thinking about yesterday makes this bad morning much better.
Safety.
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