SEA Update

Well there's less than 2 weeks to go before I leave for South East Africa. The pressure is on now to get everything done. I have packing and shopping and vaccinations and raising just a bit more money and of course, writing 3 exams but it's all good. I'm soo happy to see that I've got close to $3000 raised for support already...that just means only $1600 more to go! God is soooo incredible. It was great seeing people who I don't even know sending me money to support me for my trip. Such a great test of faith and I'm trusting for the rest.
I keep hearing horror stories about the bugs and conditions there (cuz I really HATE insects) and I thought they'd be a huge deterrent but I really don't feel as disgusted and freaked out about it as I normally would which is totally telling me that this is where God wants me to be. SOO EXCITED! I know about 5-6 people that are going (cuz they're also from my university) so its' really cool. I promise to try to take lots of pictures. Those who know me know that I go trigger crazy and take like 80 pictures a day but since I"m gone for 6 weeks I don't think that will be quite possible lol. 2000 pictures tops lol. Thank God for digital cameras! haha. Anywayz, I'll hopefully give another update before I leave and of course when I get back (if I can't get to it while I'm gone). Ciao!

Last Week

Last week was in a word...INCREDIBLE. School ended, had a formal AND got to see Phantom of the Opera. It was awesome!
So yeah, tuesday school ended (3 exams but they're in like 2 weeks). Then later that night I went by a friend's house to help prepare for the Night at the Opera formal. We ended up watching James Bond (again, but always fun) and then the Count of Monte Cristo...good times. Cakes were all over the place, there were chocolates getting put into pretty packages and seating arrangements to be made. It was great.
Wednesday was the big day. A Night at the Opera formal which was AMAZING! Had a great time. My table was Phantom of the Opera and yeah..words can't describe. Pictures can be found at: http://yorku.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2134002&l=ec07c&id=48921024
Thursday was Phantom of the Opera. It was sooooooo good. I had seen the movie first so it seemed like theatre would be hard to top but it was very comparable. And i found that a lot more stuff was explained in the theatre than i the movie which made it cool. Also, the set and costumes were great! Afterwords we went to Demetres for some good dessert. All in all a fabulous night!

Miracle of Life

Today my aunt (that i live with) had her baby. After 9-ish long months the amazing day finally arrived. It was soo awesome. I got to be there for the whole thing...bad labour and all. The darling little girl arrived at 3:09PM and she is honestly the cutest/prettiest little baby girl i have EVER seen. My own future children will have a tough time beating that beauty lol. And she's sooo quite and alert! She stayed awake for about 3 hours after she was born which is fairly uncommon. Anywayz, I can't wait till she can come home. She's soo tiny and fragile but GORGEOUS! I get another whole year of her. I'm so excited!

I'M GOING TO SEA!!

AHHHHHHHH!!! I just just JUST got my acceptance to the SouthEast Africa project and i'm STOKED! I repeat, STOKED! I CAN"T WAIT to go lol. I was stressing and freaking out throughout the week but now it's official and in 6 weeks or so I will be in the beautiful continent of Africa. I'm at a loss for words! I'm so grateful that God has a plan and use for me there and I can go there and further advance the kingdom and work that He has set out. I'm so excited to meet all the students and people there and also all the students and staff going from Canada. I'm sooo excited to see how God will totally come through and help me raise all the money I need (it's a decent amount lol). I can't wait to do what it is I was placed on this earth to do, and that's to:
Win for the Lamb that was slain the reward of his suffering

I'm Still Standing

It's been quite awhile I don't even think I can remember how to blog lol. Life's been pretty good. Lately it's been the routine stuff, minimal sleep, school, work, church, C4C stuff, driving Black Beauty etc etc. Nothing out of the ordinary. Had two exams (one yesterday and one today) soo tiring and actually somewhat difficult but oh well, that's life. I saw Zodiac on Saturday. Long movie but pretty good. It was great cuz I got to go with 2 very cool people and since we missed the movie at the time we wanted we just hung around and talked until the next showing happened. Church has been incredible...really great words being spoken (a blog on that later).
I'm still waiting to hear if i'm accepted to the SouthEast Africa project (mission trip) so hopefully later this week I'll know. It's soo hard being patient! lol

On a colder note, it got pretty cold here the past few days. And i know all my Winnipeg peeps will think i'm a big sucky baby saying it. But considering i've been here now for almost 3 winters in a row, i think i'm gettin a bit climatized. Anywayz, as I was saying, it got pretty cold. We were at moderate "march-like" temperatures for about a week and then *BAM* -31 weather. Ridiculous! I actually plugged in my car (go block heaters go). It's been intense but apparently it's gettin warmer by the end of the week so we'll see.

What If?

What If

What if you're right?
And he was just another nice guy
What if you're right?
What if it's true?
They say the cross will only make a fool of you
And what if it's true?

What if he takes his place in history
With all the prophets and the kings
Who taught us love and came in peace
But then the story ends
What then?

But what if you're wrong?
What if there's more?
What if there's hope you never dreamed of hoping for?
What if you jump?
And just close your eyes?
What if the arms that catch you, catch you by surprise?
What if He's more than enough?
What if it's love?

What if you dig
Way down deeper than your simple-minded friends
What if you dig?
What if you find
A thousand more unanswered questions down inside
That's all you find?

What if you pick apart the logic
And begin to poke the holes
What if the crown of thorns is no more
Than folklore that must be told and retold?

But what if you're wrong?
What if there's more?
What if there's hope you never dreamed of hoping for?
What if you jump?
And just close your eyes?
What if the arms that catch you, catch you by surprise?
What if He's more than enough?
What if it's love?

You've been running as fast as you can
You've been looking for a place you can land for so long
But what if you're wrong?

--Nicole Nordeman

New Year's Resolutions and Birthdays

I know it's a bit late to be talking about New Year's Resolutions but it's almost my birthday and I'll do what i want to lol just kidding. Honestly though, this year I thought that I wouldn't be thinking up any resolutions...not cuz I thought I was perfect and needed nothing to improve on, but because I really just don't take them too seriously and just didn't really care. Anywayz, that changed probably a day or two into New Year's when I decided that this year I really wanted to be completely available to anything that God wanted me to do. Which basically meant surrendering everything to Him and being obedient to His calls. It's been an interesting process so far. I can see the change in my life and in my attitude towards others whether it be with forgiveness, or kindness or just being more loving (although it's still a struggle with the customers at work; BUT God has in many ways removed that struggle by placing me in the back room to do stock away from all the customers. THANK YOU LORD!) But on the serious side, it's just been great gettin to know more and more about Him and getting deeper and deeper. He really is incredible.

It's kinda cool to see how different things fall into place. The books I've been reading recently (Don't Waste your Life - John Piper, Captivating - John&Stasi Elderidge, Fantasy - don't remember) and then the messages I've been hearing at church and just how they all fit together with whatever God has planned for this year. At time's it's kinda frightening but I'm willing to obey and I trust He knows what's best.

On another note, it's my birthday tomorrow (well in 1.5 hours) and I have NO idea what to expect of my 21st year lol. I can't believe I've been alive for almost 21 years. It's crazy lol,, 1997 seems like yesterday and it's been 10 years. Wow. It's starting to hit me as I write this I think, cuz i've just been too busy to think about it the past few days. But yeah, it's coming up soon and my dad, mom and younger sister are here in Toronto to celebrate it with me. Pretty cool. I guess, since I'll be legal everywhere, I'll be "officially" an adult...into a new phase lol. Oh well, I still have 1.5 hours of young-ness to go and I'll use it wisely (oh wait, only adults do things wise) lol i mean...i'll be RECKLESS haha jk.

Ps. For those of you who are past 21, i'm not saying you're old...age is relative!

C is for Cookie

2007 The year of insanity lol. That's how it will feel as the year progresses. I've been really trying not to plan out my whole life because a) it never works out how I've planned and 2) you never really know what could happen. So yeah, as much as I'm trying to do that, there are definitely some things I have to start putting in motion like going to South East Africa for summer project, finding a good job with relevant experience for Psychology, thinking about my fourth year thesis and then all the other thoughts of everyday life. However, a very wise man (Jesus) once said... "So don't worry about having enough food or drink or clothing...Your heavenly Father already knows all your needs, and he will give you all you need from day to day if you live for him and make the Kingdom of God your primary concern. So don't worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries. Today's trouble is enough for today." So hopefully I can apply that to my life.

Other than that, life's pretty much back to normal. I'm workin still and doing the school thing. I've got some dreadfully boring classes but a great pal in one of those classes with me and she makes it a lot more enjoyable. My internet hasn't really been working well so that's been a bit of frustration to me and those I've chatted with lol. sorry guys! My super cool dad popped by for a quick visit en-route to the beautiful island of St. Vincent where he's goin to chill with my equally cool grandfather. He'll be headin back this way later in the month, just in time to celebrate my 21st birthday (i know..so old lol) so that should be fun. Anywayz, so much to do and so little time. Until we meet again...