doopadoop

I love our lil southern friend "whiteheads". They just mozy along doing their thing. I've fallen in love with them. They're quite famous! Madagascar, March of the Penguins, Pinguuu, well.. sort of famous. Maybe I've just seen a lot of them. They're very strategic, smart, cute lil guys. Hey, I've learned they're the most social of all birds. They're quite the party birds! Only.. I don't think they dance to the grooves of CocaCola music. Pingu dances though! If you guys haven't seen him in action yet then you're missing out.

Well... you can tell I had a lot to say. I babbled about penguins. Honestly... I been trying to think of some interesting things to say. And. Yea. It's one of those few days where I just got nothing intelligent brewing in my mind. Just been reflecting on life here in Nemiah.
My conclusion... life can be so simple but so complicated at the same time.
To find the 'happy-medium', the balance, in life has been my challenge the past 2 years specifically. Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaack.
It's interesting, I have talked with my 'other mum' Mary about this and I now look at this in a new way.
It's good to be unbalanced.
I been doing my 'balancing act' all this time and in the way Mary looks at it: it's good to be lopsided.
We have been talking about our life story of TRUSTING in the Lord and having faith in where we feel He has called us and the whole thing of leaning into the Spirit and not on the "flesh". Flesh= ugly and defeating. Spirit= beautiful, life-giving and victorious.
We have this constant battle within of selfishness or selfLESSness.
Gratify our temporary sinful desires or say no and lean into the strength of God, the Spirit to do 'what is right' and take that narrow path. The road less travelled.
Become lop-sided, unbalanced in where you are always leaning in on God's understanding and not your own, God's understanding and not the worlds.
It is not only your life that is in the hands of God, not only my life, but every individual you walk by on the street, drive by or sit and have coffee with.
Their lives matter to God. Your life is a concern to God.
Because of this, lean into the Spirit of God.
God's been challenging me to acknowledge him on my every path.
To trust that He will direct my paths,
in where I am now,
in where I am about to go.
.
Here's a quote. It popped up on my computer with this lil robot.
I'm not sure yet what I think about this quote but it sure helped me to think:

...

“If you do your best everything that happens will be for the best”

–Microsoft Robot

...

Where I find God.1.

This is where I find God. When I mean 'find God', His presence

is made more aware to me. I was cruising with Billy through the

CocaHala (sp?) on my way to Salmon Arm and there was so

much snow through there! We kind of were eased into this

beautiful Wonderland. It was so peaceful & beautiful everywhere.

Every time I am home (well everytime, but more specifically)

during the winter time, I love looking upon our valley.

It's seriously Wonderland. It's heaven!

...

Every other blog I will write about where I find God.

This is one: I find God in winter wonderland where mountains

are. My soul screams out "yes" to this. This is the 'mountian-

top'. The life we all imagine life to be... Most of the time we

think life to be only on this place, the mountain-top, the good

peaceful life. We think we can jump from one mountain-top

experience to another mountain-top, but in all reality... we

can't! We forget the valley we have to go down into, the lakes

to go around, rivers to go through, the hard pressing trail we

have got to climb, animals to encounter. Most of the time spent

is down in the valley!

As we are in the valley, some parts of the valley, the sun's

light creeps past the shadow of the mountain, and there

are some parts of the valley that are within the shadow of

the mountain.

...

As I write about this I am remembering the hikes that we went

on in Outdoor Rec 11, Quest, during Lifeteams and hikes in

Nemiah. Oh how i LOVED resting on the mountain-top and

looking at what I had accomplished and scream "I did that!

Through all of that, I made it!" I remember talking to my uncle

Conway when I was home with Lifeteams. He talked about his

hike to Tsylos (Mt.Tatlow): "There's something about that

mtn. From when I left compared to when I have come back

from the hike, I feel really good! About myself and about life.

Makes me want to climb somemore".

...

There's always something that changes in me when I come

back from a hike. It happened everytime I came back from our

hikes during highschool and college. It happened everytime in

my life when I had to face something, I had to climb that mtn. It

was hard! I got tired! I needed others to help me make it

through. As I pray in my life, lol I think that prayer honestly

helped me make it up when I climbed a mountain literally.

When the sun is on our backs, we see everything before us.

We learn a lot in the daylight.

It is when the moon is on our backs, we don't see everything

before us. We take what we learned in the light

and put it to use in the darkness of life!

You learn the most in your walk through the valley

and through the darkness.

Pastor Vern of Northview encouraged us:

"Do not forget in your walk through darkness

what you have learned in the light".

...

So when you are having a rough time, know that you are not

alone in this. You have people around you climbing that same

mountain, some have climbed it before you, they hold the

wisdom of how to 'conquer' that mountain. Ask them how to

get through it. It is a humbling experience.

...

So I guess I started rambling on about mtns and day/night,

and the troubling times of life.. well, we all have it.

But the winter is sometimes, most times?, hard and rough too,

still, it is so beautiful. This earth needs winter as

it needs the summer. But if it had too much of that, well we

would have a dried up earth with dried up everything.

Squeeeeezing through...

*SIGH*Oh how I miss dirt. I miss Nemiah! The whole thing of quading, dirtbiking, off-roading... getting dirty.
Well, I got through this semester. I squeezed through the brushes, blazed some new trails in my life, working on some old ones, mostly peeled through muddy areas where I have been getting stuck. Overall, I'm bomming on life's crazy roads and enjoying it!
It's been really strange though. I think I have done bad in school... I still feel strangely at peace about EVERYTHING. I'm scared, I feel bad... that I'm so at peace.
God? What's happening?
So worries of school is not all-consuming for me. Rather... concerns of the Kingdom have been penetrating my thoughts. So through these classes, my mind, my soul has been in the middle of "warfare". God been speaking to me BIG TIME about L-i-F-E-! I know I keep saying this and blah blah blah that. But seriously...
ah... I dunno, I'm jus amazed at life. "The Lord is the Author of my life"-what He's been writing is amazing revelation after revelation.
I'll shut-up. I'm scattered.
I been through the mine-field. I'm tired. Need rest. Need to think things over. And have got to rerange things in my life.
Of 6 classes =P, I had only 3 exams.. well, and one paper.
I'm kind of sketched about Revelation exam. Joshua and Judges was easier than I thought, let's hope his marking isn't hard! And finally I had one today (Friday) and I LOVED IT! lol we had a rumble in the chapel, all 4 classes were together and we did the "wave", drum-rolled and cheered for our teacher. Did half of our "intense" exam, then 2nd half 4 of us got together and disected Matthew 2- this was especially fun. We had to memorize the EXEGETICAL METHOD and investigate Mt.2 at the same time, a lot of collaberating and working together, wohoo! Seriously though, I did really have fun.
I love being part of something great.

Home. I'm going home! Yoyo, Billy 'n me, oh 'n Reaco going from Fraser Valley to Nemiah Valley.
My family is here, do some shopping, Christmas is in the air.

What I was encouraged today: "Hope was born into this world, regardless of efforts made by humans to stop God's plans, God's WILL prevails! His will is that we have life, life to the full. This hope came to us as a person! Go Jesus Go!"

GOD in the CLOUDS

I definately been looking to the skies lately for reminder of God's presence. I been at awe with God's mystery. The way He works, how VAST He is, His design seen out in nature:
The trees branches lift up as if in praising it's Gardener, the winds whisper God's power, the Lord's majesty shines in the stars of the sky, the great mountains demonstrate God's might, the forever-flowing rivers, represent God eternal and overflowing of goodness... all of creation, tell somehow of the great Glory, the great something out there, of something close to us.
When I tend to lose track of who and what I'm living for... I am reminded that wherever and everywhere that I am in creation or with people, I am surrounded by worship. It all goes to Him.
He is worthy of it.
And so reminded of the great presence that is drawing close to me, I look to the skies.
I wondered of what Bible says about significance of clouds... I read through when Moses was in Egypt. God used clouds to represent His presence showing His people that He was really there- He hovered over a mountain (a crazy show of lightning and fire shook the mountain too!), He descended as a great cloud of fire to literally keep enemies from attacking Israel. These people followed this great cloud to their destination of land that God promised them.
I been seeing some pretty cool formations. I love the beauty God brings to light.

God met Moses face to face. I am truly amazed with that. God surrounded Moses with a cloud. How I would love that God would bring a cloud round me and engulf me with His presence like that. I read that and am inspired. "God I want my meetings with you like that. Not only when I am with a group of people, but in my own meetings with you day to day".
It's cool, the fact is, He has been surrounding me with "a great cloud". That cloud has been peace. Has been grace. Has been patience. Has been love. Joy. Wonder. Mystery. HOPE.
God doesn't only draw clouds to dance in the sky, but in every way He surrounds our soul with His presence and pours LIFE into us. Our whole life we could know God and still that is not enough to know all mysteries of God. He has much more of His mystery to pour out unto us... He offers us eternity to get to know Him!

"The tragedy of life is not that it ends so soon, but that we wait so long to begin it."
W.M. LEWIS

Giving back...

YESSS!

LOL, I jus love this picture. I cheer the baby on! Eat the kitty!
During the summer me 'n my bro got a kitty and LOVED them. They brought joy to our whole house! Except for dad, think he is allergic. But they were so much fun to play with, so much fun to pick on.
Then I moved to Lifeteams on September 12th-ish 2004, we got a kitty sometime in the 2nd semester and well... my love for them has changed.
The other girls brought a kitty home after church one time and Supper (that was what the boys named her or Supper time as Eli and Sasha call her.. or Brian called her Snack) was fun to have. UNTIL she started to pee on our carpet in our bedroom and our towels in the bathroom and everything. She whimpered a lot too. Especially after a close encounter with a racoon (hehe).
Go baby go!

SO MANY THINGS ON MY MIND.

lakjdflkdfljsdklskdjflsjflskjfslkjd... this is what my brain would say if it were put into words. AAAH!
Squeekity squeek squeek squeekin'.
I love squirrel talk. It's so... squirrelly! "There's fish in my hair! There's fish in my hair!" I have fallen in love with DiSNEYS. Me and my good friend Adam have been quoting Disneys like crazy lately. Adam I love that we can goof off! Thank you, I really need that. You are awesome! There is a Drive-In Theater (Outdoor theater or somethin like that) in Aldergrove, and we're going this weekend! Me and Adam. Random movies is good, I quote Adam Kuhn "Randomnessness is greeaaat".
Kronk. LOL! I LOVE that. Funniest name in the world. I'll name my kitty that.. if i ever get one.
As of right now, it is about 3 in the morning and I cannot... sleep.
"Hey duuuuuuuude!"
"Mine! Mine. Mine."



All the voices in my head are loud anyway. I am flipping through my radio channels right now (I been incredibly annoyed at how radio stations really tire my ears out by playing the same tracks. They play the new songs 10 times a day, everyday!)... looking for some good tunes... and voices in my head are louder still. A lot has been going on.. I haven't really allowed myself some rest. Today has been one of those days where I have been i n c r e d i b l y
l
a
z
y
.
I was jus so tired! I slept most of the day. In church.. wow.. let me tell you, I was jus so easily distracted.. "Oh, hey.. look, a butterfly" sort of deal. Butterflies in my mind.

My thoughts lately: Friendship is precious.
God thank you! Thank you, for blessing us with peop's who can pour great things into our life, we pour into them. It's especially fun when someone gets you. They jus GET YOU. (((Not sure if I'm making sense.. it makes sense in my head)))
So yea, I been thinking A LOT about all friends I've made, blessed people who I have crossed paths with. I am who I am cuz of them, more powerfully cuz it's all divine appointments of God.
Wohoooo!
My other thoughts: pestering people is sssoooo much fun!
I find pleasure in bugging my sis, Trev... wrestling with people. I lose everytime. But it's still fun. I may be small but I know
"Karate Chicken!"
This kunfu is strong.
"Chicken Ceasar!"
I see a lot, especially in Lifeteams family, wrestling, pestering, fighting, fun arguing, is love.
So if I come around bugging you, you know I am getting you out of your shell 'n jus love ya! *If I don't beat on you, doesn't mean i don't love you.

I been thinking a lot about cutting my hair, been entertaining the idea of piercing my lip again.
I decided I like my hair long.
I would really love to dance.
Love to kayak.
Dirtbike.
AAh!
Grrrr..

Well,
Serenity isn't freedom from the storm, but peace within the storm.
The winds of grace are always blowing, but it is you that must raise your sails.

WONDER...

People travel to wonder at the height of the mountains,

at the huge waves of the seas, at the long course of the rivers, at the vast compass of the ocean, at the circular motion

of the stars,

and yet they pass by themselves without wondering.

-SAINT AUGUSTINE

My Family

This was taken last winter '04 in Nemiah.

L to R- Darcey, me, Trevainian who's hiding our mum Phyllis, Billy, Yolanda, cuz Junior and our dad James.

~~~

"You can do more than pray after you have prayed
but you cannot do more than pray until you have prayed"

-S.D. Gordon

~~~

Rippling out...

Every dewdrop and raindrop had a whole heaven within it.

~h.w. longfellow

Imagine a lake. It's calm. It is as still as you have never seen it before. This autumn morning has breathed some fog, it's tucked into the trees and along the shore of the lake. You are sitting on a beach of rocks. The rocks are rough and eroded, others are smooth and flat. You take a smooth stone and skip it on the still lake. The rock has sunk, the ripples go out from where the rock has carved through the body of water. The ripples go on, it takes a few minutes before the ripples mellow out to stillness.

I like to think that is our lives. The ripples on that still lake. Who we are and what we do ripples out to other people's lives. We are nudged by the ripples people make in our lives or tossed about by the waves blown by them. Whether we like it or not, we are making an impact wherever we go.

Of who we are.

And what we stand for in life.

I can imagine my life. Everyday my prayer is that in some way, great or small, the impact I make is something that lasts.

On that lake I'm moving toward something. I'm moving to the other side of the lake where the Creator stands.

On the other side of the lake where heaven dwells.

I go out from where I started. I'm not alone on this lake, in my journey. I've met many who've impacted my life, positive and negative. I have met many who experienced positive and negative things from me.

Whatever ripples out from me, I pray that it is something that is life-giving- by gentle ripples and even waves that shake the other person. The Great Spirit compells me to move in a way that the impact made on others is not ignored.

The good that pours out from me is only of God.

Always was.

As I'm moving toward my goal, my home, others are being touched and they will also see where the line of ripples trail from. The impacts I've made, they point to where I am heading.

I'm going that way because of hope.

Because of change in my life.

That change is continuing and does not stop.

I'm going because of love.

Because of One Man. And a cross.

Truths are first clouds; then rain, then harvest and food.

~Henry Ward Beecher

Great joy has welled up in my life as I walk in the steps the One who has created me.

Incredible peace harmonizes my life.

It's all in grace.

Because of grace I live,

because of grace I stand,

because of grace I am where I am.

I get to go out on the lake and live the difference He makes in my life.