Z SoccerChic9: November 2005
Wednesday, November 30, 2005
I know I keep telling you about the "bad" stuff here....well there's just one more thing. But honestly, I do love it here...just some minor points, mostly involving weather, that make me cringe.

Well, the cops here are very sneaky...they hide everywhere, the city has also installed hidden cammera's that mark your speed. You get caught here if you are going even 5 over. So, Mary has now become a very slow driver, my grandmother would be proud I tell you. No tickets that I know of yet, but who knows, I could go to change my license and have like 10 or something. Happy thoughts all around.

I need to live in the Bahama's or something!!
 
it gets as cold as -45 here in the winter. Oh yah, no one seemed to have mentioned that one small fact to me before I took all my stuff and headed down here. I have to get a block thingy put into my car so that I can plug it in during the night, otherwise it will be dead to the world. It's rather a depressing thought, me stopping to cross the road, and in the five seconds before the light changes I become a solid block of ice. People here do not break up here outside, if you do and there is tears, you have permenant blocks of ice on your face for the rest of your life. We all considered getting rid of our freezers, but the moment you jump outside to grab that can of orange juice you freeze. It's sad driving around and seeing all the frozen statues of people who happened to stop for longer then 1.23 seconds.

On the other hand, it's not a damp cold, it's a very dry cold - so the -20 feels not so -20 and more like -8.

I wish I could type more, but my fingers are going to freeze into blocks of ice.
 
Tuesday, November 29, 2005
Last night I went to a Bible Study with Suzanne (my boss's wife). I actually had a great time, and I don't mean actually as in suprise suprise. The group was younger, more college career aged...meaning in their 20's and possibly 30's. There were a few couples and such....but a really cool group. We had a lot of fun together and I felt right at home despite the fact that I didn't know any of them.

Well, since I was new and all - they decided to introduce themselves. Instead of going around the room and telling your name and where you're from, or maybe your favourite colour, or perhaps what you do in your spare time...they decided you should go around the room and give your first and middle name. Like who does that?

For those of you who know my middle name, you understand why this sort of information display would be a horrible thought for my young and innocent mind. However, they all started promptly spewing out their middle names...all of them very normal and cool.

I tried to get away with it by just not stating my middle name, but they started grilling me - and I told them I really couldn't give my middle name because they would laugh. After all, that is what that friend of mine did after she promised about five times that she would never laugh if I told her.

Well, I finally spilled, yes I told over 15 people my middle name - and they laughed. I am doomed:)
 
Monday, November 28, 2005
I walked out of work today, and I was greeted by a brilliant Alberta sunset, which had transformed the sky into a brilliant shade of pinks. As I drove home with Coldplay floating through my speakers, I couldn't help but feel that I have made the right choice in moving down to Alberta. Not only am I doing something "big" in my life, having a job that is more then just a job but a ministry, meeting new people (who so far have been absolutely wonderful), seeing if I am really authentic, growing and being stretched.....I'm also in Alberta, wow.

Today was my first day working, Amanda and Anne-marie are great....I can forsee us having such a great time together. We had staff lunch today with Suzanne (my boss's wife) and Anna-marie (the one you guys all know:). It was quite fabulous...and the food was amazing!!

So yes, I feel quite at home here...it's almost odd.
 
Sunday, November 27, 2005
I've been doing a lot of thinking on God's will lately, not so much in the sense that I am fervently persuing it in order to somehow discover what I should be doing at this moment in my life, but more on the side that I am interested in our understanding of God's will. Along with some thoughts, and random conversations with people on this topic (hello driving and discussing this with Anna-marie for about three hours) I am thinking of doing a more indepth study on this topic.

For instance....can a perfect God have a will that includes imperfect people? Does God have an ultimate will, and then the "plan b" so to speak, since man fell into sin, and how can his will be perfect if there is sin in it? Is God's will include man's sin...can it? Can we stray from God's will, or was our straying part of his will? Do we have our own free will, or do we not really even have free will because God's will is ultimate and we are just following what has been predestined? Does that theory make us puppets?

Now, I have views and answers to most of those questions, but I do think that some of those answers and thoughts may be me just spouting off ideas based on my thought pattern. I have found though, that the answers to these questions vary quite drastically with the people you talk to. I have started to wonder if maybe the church has the wrong view of God's will, and we use the entire phrase and mindset in a dangerous way that could be hindering us.

Someone asked me how important it was for us to even worry about this topic. After some thought, I think it is an important subject, mostly because a lot of people are unsure of the answers to those questions, and I think that your thoughts will greatly impact your perceptive on life. Besides, if we are unsure of what God's will is, are we able to effectively live our lives as Christians?
 
Friday, November 25, 2005
Well, 34 straight hours later, without stopping for anything but gas and bathroom breaks, we are bug eyed, tierd, and permenantly stuck in a sitting position....but, we arrived, safe and sound in Medicine Hat, Alberta...thank you Lord.

The snow started London and Sarnia way...in about three hours we counted 54 vehicles in the ditches...many with people still in them as accidents were happening by the second. It was a really odd feeling, almost like you were entering the end of this planet or something, as the cars dropped off in front and beside us. Thankfully, we were able to get through without an incident, despite the bad weather.

North Dakota also offered really bad weather, which almost (and I am quite serious about the almost) landed us in a ditch. It was very brutal driving, as you could not see anything and it was pitch black outside with snow pelting the windsheild.

We almost got a ticket...but the police officer I think felt sorry for us as we stared back at him with ghost white faces, and sucken blood shot eyes. He told us to have a good trip and let us go....whew.

We also hit a cat, but unfortunately did not kill it - we didn't have the guts to try hit it again.

We took some awesome pictures....the praries are beautiful....and hard to describe.

But, all that to say that Medicine Hat is much bigger then I thought it would be...it has everything except for a Chapters...but they have an Indigo. I can see myself falling in love with this place:)

Anyhow, I am exhausted...thank you for your prayers - we felt them.
 
Wednesday, November 23, 2005
 
So, apparently tomorrow is Thanksgiving in the States....which means the day after is huge shopping sales....it's like boxing day up here. So, guess what Anna-marie and I are going to do......that's right....HELLO SHOPPING!!!!!

Now I'm excited!!
 
and apparently that is a bad thing. But, here is the latest thing I want, and I think I might actually save up and get it - provided it doesn't cost more then a house. Jessica McClintock

I gotta go grab a cloth to wipe up the drool on my keyboard now:)
 
with a piece of electronics. I definately think I drooled when I saw the most awesome stereo that my parents bought me for my car. It's beautiful, and I still haven't let go of the remote...which is making this typing thing rather interesting. Of course, they spent way too much...but I am a happy little girl, and my car's cool factor just rose 5 points
 
Tuesday, November 22, 2005
So, I am leaving a day earlier, Thursday to be exact, sometime in the afternoon most likely. This involves one less day for me to procrastinate my packing too, which is highly unfortunate:) On the other hand, my mom keeps getting stuff for me, because I'm leaving, which makes me think I should move out more often!

On another note, I had coffee with my pastor this morning, and he told me that they nominated me to be an elder in our church. Okay, I'm kidding about the elder part. Actually, we had a really good time together, and I left feeling refreshed and inspired to do better in my life. Also, disapointed in myself and how little effort I actually put forth at times.

Mr. and Mrs. Hamstra are a very cool couple. This crossed my mind as they sat for about three hours with people about half their age and just talked about life, federation, moving out, meth use (they aren't for it, just incase you wondered:), and other such random topics. That along with the Bailey's made it a very enjoyable evening.

I am getting more and more excited as I anticipate leaving. Like come on, road trip with Anna-marie, which will always prove to be eventful!! And I'm like moving to Alberta, it's not every day I do that. Although, I will be much more excited when my car is packed....grrrumpkins to packing.

My brother and father are going to pick out a system for my car today - that could provide to be interesting to say the least. Thankfully my brother is going along!! In the words of my mother "a 34 hour drive needs music" - and who am I to disagree with giving parents.

My little car is getting it's timing belt replaced - which means I am carless at the moment, which is almost as bad as being jobless, but not quite. Hopefully it emerges sometime soon - as I have more then a few errands to run, which generally involves either hitchhiking or driving, perferably the later.
 
Friday, November 18, 2005
with a passion. I hate having to decide what to bring, I hate having to choose how to fit everything in the allotted boxes. I hate having to pack clothes for vacation. And now, I have to pack for an apartment, and moving across country. That's even worse, I need to take stuff from bath towels to house stuff so I can cook food or something.

So, once again I am procrastinating - I can't even find my room, I slept on the couch last night....there's just too much packing, I don't like it.

Okay...I'm done ranting now.
 
Wednesday, November 16, 2005
Okay, further to my post a few hours ago, here are the details for those of you who want to know - for those of you who don't, my apologies....cause you'll just have to suck it up.

I am leaving for Medicine Hat, Alberta on November 25, 2005 - at about 10:00 at night. That time mostly because my sister is flying in from Ecuador where she has been for the last three months. I will manage to squeak in some hello's and goodbye's and then head off for a 34 hour drive with my car and my earthly posessions, well some of them. I might be taking my sister with me, it all depends on if she wants to be stuck with me in a car for a long period of time - it does weird things to my head.

When I get to Medicine Hat, after hopefully not hitting any moose or large moving objects - I will be living with the lawyer and his wife for three weeks. During that time I will train under the person I am replacing and get to know the town and such. They have a few places lined up for me to live, so I will have to look into that.

Then, I'll be flying back on the 21st of December at night and staying here in Ontario for about three weeks - which covers Christmas, can't miss all those family dinners, new years, and Sarah and Kev's wedding. I then will be flying out most likely after Sarah and Kev's wedding back to Alberta for good. I should have an apartment of some kind of living conditions by that time, and I will be on one of the adventures of my life.

It's terrifying, exciting, nervousing, scary, awesome and everything else all at the same time. It's happened really fast, which has it's blessings because I won't have time to think and chicken out:)

So yah, you guys need to all come down to Alberta and visit me or something!
 
So, as of this moment, I am officially moving to Alberta....and as for the shocking news. I'm leaving the 25th of November, as in next weekend.

So yah, I am starting to pack - everything from cooking stuff to bath towels. Hello road trip.....and in the words of my future boss "watch out for the moose"
 
Tuesday, November 15, 2005
I filled up with gas for 77.7 cents per litre, and it made me happy, because that is a very positive price for gas nowadays.

Somehow I know that a bunch of you guys are going to come on and state that you filled up for cheeper just the other day, but I'll pretend I don't hear.
 
Well, I was suppose to ref one hockey game today - as each team is responsible for supplying a ref. However, about 6 games later I still haven't seen the end, and hockey sticks are starting to create a blur in front of me.

They say that if you're a good ref people aren't happy - if that is the case, then I am a good ref. Everything went fine until one of the semi-final games. There were two teams, major rivals - lots of pushing and penalty stuff - 2 minutes left and I hand out two penalties, one to each team for highsticking. One of the kids goes off and takes his penalty, the other didn't (which since these are non-stop games I can't really babysit). So, I call too many men on, just as the one team scores bringing it to a tie game. I say "the goal doesn't count, there's too many men". That is when the one team errupts, claiming they didn't know they had a penalty, claiming the scorekeeper didn't tell them they did, whatever. Mothers yelling, coaches turning purple, and kids screaming. But, I stuck with my call, and they lost the game.

I guess it wasn't too bad, because the head guy had come over - and he asked me to ref the final game.

All I can say is.....glad I don't ref every day!!
 
Monday, November 14, 2005
I am in the Meadowlands tonight, trying to get Sarah's wedding invitations printed - mostly because they were suppose to be printed a few days ago. Anyhow, I stop by at Starbucks to grab Nick, who is not with me, a tall vanilla latte - as I get into my car and start to exit the parking lot, trying to balance a burning hot coffee cup and driving (thank goodness I don't have a standard) - my cell phone rings. I put the coffee cup on the dash, grab my purse and pull my cell phone out - all while driving. It is at that moment that I start a conversation with Sarah, who is not at the Staples in the Meadowlands, rather the one in Hamilton, that the coffee cup slowly starts to tilt across the dash, and I watch in dismay as vanilla latte pours over my dash and onto the floor. I'm just praying it doens't hit the box of invitations on the seat. I can't reach the coffee cup, and I'm still driving and on the cell phone. I finally manage to do all three at once - thank goodness for no traffic in any of the lanes beside me.

My car now smells of vanilla - and I chalk another one up for not drinking coffee!!
 
On a random whim the other day I applied for a job in Alberta....kinda crazy, I know. Especially because it takes 34 hours approximately to drive to where I would be living if I got the job. Perhaps it was because no one expects it, or maybe because it's a really great job offer, or maybe I am tempting fate, maybe I subconsciously think I don't have a chance at getting it, or maybe it's the rock club they have down there. I think I should join if I move:)

Then again, I'm also a referee for a hockey tournament tomorrow, I've never been a referee for one before - so maybe it's the week for new experiences:)

Just thought I'd say.
 
Thursday, November 10, 2005
when I'm tense, or nervous about something, I can't really sleep, or eat for that matter. It's an odd thing about me, which I wish led to me being skinny and alert, but somehow it doesn't work that way:) On the other hand, I do get a lot of reading done during these times.

So, if you're like me right now and need some cheep entertainment, here you are - Stupid Videos Trust me, they are funnier when you are lacking sleep and have had a lot of coffee or something!
 
Wednesday, November 09, 2005
make you catch your breath and say wow - this website has a few of those such moments Photo.net
 
Tuesday, November 08, 2005
Yesterday, I lost five years of my life - which technically makes me about 14 years old. Which in someways is cool, but that whole learning how to drive, going back to school, becoming cynical were not exactly things I was looking forward to doing all over again. However, today I gained five years in a matter of seconds - which is cool in someways - though I was looking forward to re-living the last five years:)

Anyhow, my yahoo account is now up as I sucessfully got into it. Somehow my password had been changed to some very random password, I have no idea how unless their is a loop in the system - but I am back, and the world is still a happy place - though I am still old:)

Thank you to everyone's helpful advice - which made me feel like a dumb blonde - as each one of you told me I should go to the yahoo page and enter the feedback link. That was the first thing I did, but everyone, including my dad's techi guy all thought I wouldn't have thought of that. Anyhow, it's all good - I still love you despite you thinking I am not all there:)
 
Monday, November 07, 2005
I am unable to access my yahoo account due to my password no longer being valid. Presently, my account is also in it's second 12 hour lockdown and it is sure I am some kind of terrorist or something trying to hack into my own account. So, my latest hobby has become hacking into my own e-mail account. If you happen to have any suggestions, let me know - as I am pretty much open to anything at this point. Though, please don't suggest that I should e-mail yahoo - I've already done that and it wasn't all too helpful.
 
"It's easier to talk about a person than to help a person. It's easier to debate homosexuality than to be a friend to a gay person. It's easier to discuss divorce than to help the divorced. It's easier to argue abortion than to support an orphanage. It's easier to complain about the welfare system than to help the poor.

It's easier to label than to love.

It's especially easy to talk theology. Such discussions make us feel righteous. Self-righteous."

I agree with Max Lucado when he said that.

It is so easy for us to become rah-rahing bench warming Christians. We love to sit and criticize those around us, "she should be doing that differently, the old people should not run the church, we need an organ not a piano, we have too many programs, the church should have more programs". We've produced a nation of benchwarming Christians, and in it's wake we are reaping the consequences - Christians who do not know what it is like to be involved in the front lines. Sure, you get hurt in the battle, you fall, you're attacked, the mountains seems bigger then your strength - but it's in the game that you make that shot from half court with three seconds left, and it sails through the net and you win.
 
Friday, November 04, 2005
My dad walked into the house singing a Backstreet Boy song. Just when you think you know people....all I can say is, "wow, that was really wierd".
 
Wednesday, November 02, 2005
Do you ever have it where you get so mad, yet you are unable to counter attack whatever is standing in your path and making you so upset? Yet afterwards, you sit there and all the creative comebacks rush through your mind like cold water, and you think to yourself, how could I be left feeling so upset and yet unable to say what I wanted to say.

I have that all the time, something, or more specifically someone, will attack me in someway and I am left speachless. I hate that outright conflict silences me and leaves me feeling like a five-year-old child being punished for something she did not do wrong.

This happened to me today.....I was walking down Main Street on the way to an interview. As I came to a street crossing, I started to cross due to me having the advance light (no I was not jay walking - otherwise this post wouldn't be happening:). I stepped out into the street, only to pause because a pushy driver making a left hand turn was nosing into the interesection. I was unaware if he saw me since he was waiting for a mother and her two children to cross the street. He then stopped moving, so I started moving, assuming he realized I was crossing. Instead, he stopped, yelled at me about how I couldn't read and I was going to get myself killed trying to cross the road like that and such.

I was so mad, because it was clearly my advance, yet I couldn't say a word. As he drove away I hit the back of his vehicle really hard with my hand because I was so upset, instantly wondering if I could be sued for that (I need to get out of the legal field).

So hear I sit, with a thousand comebacks in my mind - yet it really doesn't matter anymore - for that man most likely told a story around his supper table about the crazy woman in black crossing the street who was so in the wrong she had nothing to say.
 
Tuesday, November 01, 2005
because it's really well done - and I try to recognize great things some days - My North Star wedding video
 
This template is called "Living the Dream", a modification of "The Light : The Sound". (c) 2005 Daniel Josph Xhan. Use and modify at your own discretion.