SoccerChic9: August 2004

Sunday, August 29, 2004

Today didn't feel like a Sunday even though it was. It's always wierd when that happens. We were in our new church building this morning for the first time - always exciting starting new things. I appreciate the air condition and the new seats:) Though now I have to start taking sweaters to church opposed to ice packs:)

I had a good weekend. Played in a beach volleyball tournament on Saturday which was great fun!! Then did some shopping for Tamarack with my sister and actually suceeded in finding a shirt I liked in our slut-crazed world - which we call girls clothes. So, that is quite a feat.

Tonight I plan on finishing my packing - I absolutely hate packing - like if I could get someone else to do it I would. Like what shirt looks best with the black pants - or maybe I should stick with the jeans - perhaps they blue shirt or does that make my eyes look wierd, and then the shoes - gotta colour coordinate those. And then, what if it snows, or we have a tornado? Like you gotta be prepared:) In the end I figure just pack it all and we are safe. So, I have three suitcases, two duffle bags, and one huge cart thing just for my make-up. Then there are the shoe bags and the snow suit bag. I hope Sarah has a lot of room in her truck:)

Friday, August 27, 2004

Well, at the beginning of this week Bep and I decided to go camping for a few days since we both had time off. So, after spending Tuesday night watching a movie at the theatre and then watching CSI till 3:00 in the morning:); we packed up and left early Wednesday morning. We invited my mom, Esther, and Grace to come and they did.

It was really nice and sunny Wednesday, so we spent the day at the beach - which I happened to gain some colour from. Thursday it was kinda cloudy - we spent a lot of time sleeping and reading - it was very relaxing. At night Bep and I went for a walk at the beach - it was absolutely beautiful!! This morning it was cloudy/sunny - we cleaned up camp - went to the beach for a while then out for lunch and home.

So, that was the last few days for me. I don't know if I could camp for an extended period of time, but 2 1/2 days was a perfect length to relax and reflect.

Tonight I am heading off to a Ti-cat game, then tomorrow will be spent packing for Tamarack and most likely running off every once in a while to get some stuff. It is all good. I am looking forward to camp - gotta work on the beauty sleep so that I can attract some boys - NOT, So not interested in looking for boys. All for the nun dream:) But, I have to look tough in order to scare away all the boys from my sister. Should be a tough job - I may have to bring my machine gun:) Sorry boys - she is not available.

Sunday, August 22, 2004

I think we often tend to underestimate the grace of God, or have a warped perspective on the subject. I think we never will truly understand it since we are human, but it is a very comforting aspect of the nature of God. K, it is kinda like this:

If your six year old son was brutally murdered by some man, and the law found the killer.

If you were to seek him out and brutally murder him - that would be revenge.
If you were to let the court system convict him and sentence him to prison or possibly death sentence - that would be justice.
But, if you were to take him into your home, forgive him and treat him as one of your family - that is grace.

As much as it seems impossible to truly forgive someone who has taken so much away from you and then on top of it treat him as a family member - God does this every day. We brutally murdered His son, despised the person who did everything for us, and returned to our sinful ways - yet God, takes us in, forgives us and treats us as one of his own children. That is true grace. And it is that which continues to amaze me.

Saturday, August 21, 2004

I feel like I have hit a twilight zone. Like nothing is moving in either direction - I am existing. It's wierd. It was wierd coming out of camp for a week into the real world - like whoa, feels like I have been gone forever. Sometimes I love life - now is one of those moments.

Well, I was stretched this week - in a positive way. I was on double duty - co-counselor and on horse staff. This kept me quite busy my typical day looked like this:

6:00 - Round-up at the barn
7:15 - Devos. with the Staff
7:45 - Breakfast
8:15 - working with the horses
12:20 - Lunch
1:00 - Teaching horse classes etc.
7:15 - Horse staff eats a late supper
7:45 - Working with the kids doing night activities
9:00 - Set up for evening worship
11:00 - Clean-up and evening activity
12:30 - Bed time

They were busy days but good. I had some awesome apportunities to work with some kids and see God working in them. Definately an awesome experience! Every night we had worship with them - two nights we had a band come in, one night a rapper, and then the camp team for the rest of the week. Some of the worship styles were interesting - due to the more liberal side of the Camp at times - but God definately worked through that place and that was incredibly refreshing.

I met a girl there who I am next to positive I know from Brantford Pregnancy Center - that was kinda of sad cause they kids seem so young - they should be playing with dolls - not babies.

I was smucked - every week the camp has a hide-and-seek game - staff against campers. If a camper finds a staff they get to smuck them (they are given a plate full of whip cream, jello, rice - whatever and they get to wipe it all over the staff's face and hair). It was great fun:)

And I got to hang with my sister all week and meet her friends - I scared away a few boys for her also:) So, that was my week - it was a good experience!

Friday, August 13, 2004

The Olympics start today. Ever since I can remember my parents have always made a big deal about the olympics. We have watched them for years - so, for the next two weeks my family becomes glued to the t.v.. I watched some of the opening ceremony - some pretty cool stuff! I love all the history that is in Athens, and I would LOVE to go there! Hopefully someday.

I had a good time last night hanging with friends. Some unexpected things happened which was a good thing. I love it when you think everything is falling apart and then events turn and it's all good. Kinda relieving.

Tomorrow I have to pack up for camp - one whole week of counselling - scary stuff. I hope it all goes okay I hear some scary stories of what camp kids do to counsellors:) Though, I hear we are having a food fight and some other fun things are in the plans!

Tuesday, August 10, 2004

I woke up at 11:21 - it was great. I am sorry for all you who are working and get up at insane hours - like before 10:00 in the morning:) But, seriously it is great!! Not that I could do this for the rest of my life but a week of it certainly is refreshing! Last night I stayed up late - wrote some poetry - or more like attempted to write some poetry - I have a lot on my mind yet it is not translating so well to paper.

Today I went for a bike ride - I am trying to do this everyday - hopefully it will help my running - since biking is suppose to create strong leg muscles - and running uses leg muscles. I went with my brother - he is fast cause he bikes all the time - I kept up though!

I have soccer practice tonight - otherwise no pressing plans - sorry to rub this in:)

Monday, August 09, 2004

Well, now I present for all you people who hate reading through my poetry - a link, designated entirely and only for poetry. So, for you who like reading my randomness you can visit my poetry link - for those of you who hate it - you can just avoid it:)

Well, I did it. Finished my first year of school (fast-forwarded) without having a mental breakdown:) Though, some of my friends may beg to differ on that statement:) Now, the glorious bliss of having a month off - not that I have nothing to do - but just having the time to do some of the things that I haven't had time for. Like play my drums for example, or read, go to the gym, hang without having to worry about a test or homework, counsel for a week at camp (scary thought:0, go to camp Tamarak, or just whatever.

I had a good weekend. Got to see my sister - I really miss her somedays - hung with friends, visted the beach (always a good thing!), saw my cousins and some friends on Sunday and slept in this morning - it was great:)

Perhaps happiness is more of a decision then we think. Maybe you have to make up your mind to be happy - or maybe to be content - and then happiness flows from it. If you think of it, we have everything we need to be happy - sure life isn't always perfect - but when exactly is it going to be? So, why is it that in our circles (generally) we tend to lack joy?

I was talking to some of my friends last night and they were telling me about this Penacostal pastor who had attended a recent conference at their church. During one of the speeches he stood up and said "Maybe I am all messed up, like my theology is fuzzy, or I am seeing this the wrong way - but why is it that us Penacostal churches can get people off the street and into our buildings and you Reformed people can't?"

I think this pastor has a very good point that maybe we should consider. Sure, we have great head knowledge but often we cut the emotions right out. Like it is a sin to be extremely joyful that you are alive and have recieved the most incredible gift ever. I am not saying that the Penacostals are perfect - but I think they might have something we don't - true joy.

I am working on setting up a link for my poetry - just so that you people who really don't enjoy reading it won't have too - as of yet it is not working - but when it does I will let you know:)

Friday, August 06, 2004

Well, last night I played volleyball with Nick and Hammy - I officially suck - and I am sure they would agree with this:) But, it was fun!

I have one exam today - in about half an hour - then I am done - free like a bird!! Though I am sure the month I have off will pass like lightning. My sister's camp has already asked me to counsel for two weeks - not sure if I am going to do it yet but I think it would be fun!! I've always wanted to counsel at a camp - I am just worried that I won't be good at it or the kids will shave my head or something:) That could be interesting.

The other day I was listening to a tape and I was frusterated cause yet again another person was finding a certain issue and blaming our problems on it. I hate it when that happens. It is like we take our problems, lump them together and then blame it on one thing - hence using it to cop out on dealing with problems within the church and world.

For instance - some people claim that divorce rates would be next to nothing, affairs mostly gone, and cultral decline would not exist if woman were not in the workplace.

Now, woman being in the workplace may have contributed to some of these issues, yet I don't think it is the root of the problem. It is like people are using that as a cop out by saying "if woman weren't in the workplace then we wouldn't have problems." That is easy to say. Considering woman are most likely always going to be in the workplace.

By blaming problems of divorce, affairs, cultral decline, and negitive role reversal between men and woman - all on woman being in the workplace - this does not require people to try change the things that they can. Cause according to some people - if woman weren't in the workplace we wouldn't have these problems.

Wednesday, August 04, 2004

Somedays - moments drag out like an eternity. Each one marking a moment you will never see again. You can sit and look at the clock - watching the hands move slowly and really what you are doing is watching your life pass by. Then is scares you and you think oh, gotta do something - but somehow your gaze is eventually drawn back and you again are watching your life go by. I think I am losing it:) Mary is strange

This semster our class was joined with another - so instead of 20 or so students we now have over 50. The thing that sucks the most about this arangement is the other class loves to complain. They hate the teachers, their hair, their eyes, their nose, they hate the homework, tests, colour of the class, they hate the computers, the flooring, the noise. Seriously, some moments you wonder what else they can find to complain about. Now, as a disclaimer, not all of them are like this but about 72.4% of their class is.

It was during one of these complaining moments about our teacher and how they were going to tell her off, that I thought to myself - I hope I don't ever sound like this. Actually the good thing was one of the girls in my class that I hang with told them off. They were kinda disapointed that they had not gained our support - but such is their life.

Why is it that we hate the moments of waiting? Is it because our culture has made up people who are impatient. People who want to do everything as quickly as possible. Or is it just human nature and our culture feeds it? I hate waiting somedays - waiting for that phone call, or an e-mail, or a class. Silly really. I guess if I can't be content with where I am at - I never will be content when I have what I want. It is just a whole lot easier to say on paper then to actually live out some days. I will add this to the thing I have to work on list.

Well, I finshed two exams this morning, I think I have two tomorrow and one Friday. So, this is a good thing I guess. Last night I won a soccer game and tied the other one. It is great cause the kids are definately improving and it's always nice to see your work paying off. I also got to see my sister last night which is always good!

I learned from my sister, who is presently on horse staff at camp, that horses can get sun burns. This was news to me.

Something that bugs me is how our language has been abused. There are words that have been twisted and now have negitive conontations when really they shouldn't. For example - submission. The word it self causes my "femenist" blood to boil. It is not that I disagree with submission, just that we have abused the word so that it means something entirely different. I hate it when people abuse their power. Though in trying to escape this "abusive" submission, I sometimes jump into the opposite ditch and entirely miss the point. Silly I guess.

Tuesday, August 03, 2004

I had an awesome weekend with friends! It was nice having Monday off! It makes one's week go so much faster, so I vote we take Monday's off for the rest of time:)

I am into my last week of school - this is most exciting, though the exams are not so exciting. But, it's all good! I slept in this morning but I still feel kinda tierd, maybe it had to do with the large snow storm that woke me up:) I hate it when you leave your window open and you wake up with snow all over your bed, most annoying!

But it was a great weekend, and at the end of the day, I made some great new memories to erase the old - sometimes a good thing!