back at the u OR taking my own advice

So I'm back at school. It feels completely the same. Or is it different? I can't tell. I've learned a couple of things already:

• just because you CAN wear it, doesn't mean you should
• it is possible to have acquired a hangover by the first day of class
• a motorized couch on wheels is a viable option if you are too lazy to walk to class (parking may be a problem)
• that tattoo you got on the weekend, you know, the one of the eagle across your back, might be hard to hide from your mom
• busses are surprisingly busy at 7:36am

I've also learned that I should take my own advice. I wrote a post on Monday about spending time with God. (yes, three days ago. Count them: one-two-three) I believe I said something about the world crumbling but still being in the hand of the one who made it.... clearly, God is still teaching me this lesson. This week has been less than stellar for various reasons, and I woke up this morning mad at the world.

And then I read my post.

I should take my own advice.

time with the King

"The thing I know will give me the deepest joy
- namely to be alone and unhurried in the presence of God, aware of his presence, my heart open to worship him - is often the thing I least want to do."
~John R. W. Stott

There's this guy at church, who, whenever I talk with him, I walk away challenged, or encouraged. His passion for God is so contagious, so bold and so free that I can't help thanking God for him on my way out.

This past Sunday, he caught me at the door, and we were chatting before church started. In the course of conversation, he asked me how my week was.
"Oh, it was really good." I said.
Before I could elaborate, he asked, "So you spent time with the King then?"

So you spent time with the King then.

It was almost the condition for a good week. And as I went into church, thinking about that, I realized that even a really bad week can be good if you spend time with the King. When you do, priorities shift, minds clear, hearts settle, worries fall away and peace ensues. And the world, even though it crumbles, is in the hand of the one who made it.

His week was like that. His week was hard, but God used that to bring someone in his life to Christ. He was there, following God. Being a trembling, but obedient disciple. And the angels rejoiced. And he was rejoicing 3 days later. He spent time with the King, and though the world around him was swirling, and the flood waters were rising, he had his feet on something solid.

So you spent time with the King then?

Spend time with your King this week. Alone, and unhurried. Listening, and waiting, and yelling and screaming, and finding that he alone is the solidness under the rushing waters. He'll hold you up. And even though the world crumbles, the week will be good.

exciting things... (plus one)

I just bought a rain coat. and a popcorn maker. One of the best popcorn makers in the whole world. If you want, come to my place, and I'll make you some. Just to prove it.

and my coat... oh, how exciting. I finally have a fall coat. And it's waterproof. Yeehaww!!!

AND... My congratulations goes out to Sarah and P.Jot (known to most as Josh) on their engagement and upcoming wedding... I'm so excited for you guys!

some things of note...

It's been a very, very interesting couple of weeks in my life. Here are some of the things that I think are noteworthy enough to share:

• the Carribean parade on Jasper Ave. Um. Yeah. This was on the same street where they held a cattle drive 2 years ago. It seemed kinda "off". Or maybe it was entirely "off". It was absolutely hilarious. I think there is more thought that went into the floats in the Tofield parade.
• There was a moth in my room a couple of nights ago. Now, I'm not usually one to be afraid of bugs, however, this moth was larger than a toonie, and it FREAKED ME OUT! I spent 30 minutes on the phone with my parents (who were, by the way, laughing their heads off), trying to kill the thing with rolled up newspaper. The thing fell off the blind, and landed on my bed. I hit it on my bed, and it fluttered to the floor. I went to grab it with paper towel from under the radiator, and it flew under my bed. So I went to grab the vaccuum cleaner, and it disapeared. So then, I couldn't find it. (I found out later, that Eric killed it a few days later.) This was a very tramatic experience. I thought I was iron-woman. Clearly, I'm not.
• I spent an evening (and part of a night) watching meteors and stars beside a fire. For those of you who weren't aware, every year on August 12th, there is a meteor shower. (provided that it doesn't cloud over) Even though it did, it was still amazing to see the stars, and hang out with cool people.
• I led worship last weekend, and God was totally amazing - giving me words to say and songs to sing. Totally cool.
• There was also a sweet thunderstorm the other night. The thunder was incredibly loud, and the lightning was so amazing. I was enjoying it, and terrified of it at the same time. Funny how that works....

sticking to the map (or not)

On Sunday night, my dad handed me a map. It was nicely scanned, and the route that Lisa and I were to take was highlighted in orange.

I should always remember: stick to the map.

We made it fine, all the way to St. Walburg. But then, the highway we were supposed to take was under construction and turned into gravel. Lisa and I both decided that it COULDN'T POSSIBLY be right if it was gravel, SO, we turned around and took the next road. But that led to the middle of nowhere. So we turned around went back to the store. The lady there looked at us as if we were nuts, but at least we knew that we were on the right track.

Um... did I mention that there are only 2 roads OUT of St. Walburg?

Ok. So after that, we thought we were fine. We were still on the map. Still heading in the right direction. Until I decided to make a stop at Auntie Del's cabin. At this point, we veered off the map, in a deadly detour that took almost an hour.

There's this white arena with a map painted on the back of it in Loon that I remembered as the land mark to get to the cabin. EXCEPT, Lisa didn't remember it being there. She suggested that we keep going. (deadly advice) So we kept going. I still wasn't convinced, so we stopped at the Dairy Bar to ask someone. We asked a lady, but she had no idea, so we asked the next person: a native guy with a baby.

pretty safe eh? a resident of Loon, with a baby?

be ye not deceived!

He told us to go straight. When we saw a white arena, make a turn. But it would be really far. He pointed in the direction that we were traveling already.

This convinced me that it was a good idea. 20minutes later, I was not so convinced. The road turned into a smaller road, turned into a gravel road with many signs, but not the one we were looking for.

so we turned around.

Mr Native Man neglected to tell us that we needed to GO BACK INTO TOWN TO TURN AT THE ARENA. Leave out a vitally important piece of information, and we're lost for 45 minutes. Eventually we got there. I'm pretty sure that it took my aunt forever to decipher exactly what had happened to make us laugh so hard, but we arrived nonetheless.

As I said before: stick to the map.

yet another reason that my sister and I should never be left alone together with a map and some keys.

man.