everything I dont miss.

I just woke up (what is with me and naps?) Everyone has gone off to do their things and I've got the house to myself. So I'm making funny posters and am going to call my girls shortly to set up coffees for tomorrow.

Last nights talk went really really well, man if I have a mid life crisis I think I'm going to run away and do stand up. Making funny sounds into microphones is... funny.
Joking aside I think the kids really got it. Andrew was spray painting Jesus behind me as I talked which was really cool. Even the junior highs were interested. I haven't done a talk all year, which is a bit of a departure for me, it seemed like I was behind a mic like every five minutes in highschool. I missed it though, doing youth talks is fun.

Spent some excellent time with Jesus on Tuesday, that being our 'solo experience'... 24 hours of solitude with God. It's interesting times to be sure. I read through the minor prophets in the Old testament and prayed a lot in the sanctuary. I want to do stuff like that more often... why don't I?
I wrote a song about Mary (Jesus's mother) called 'full of grace' which I think I'm playing at the YFC staff meeting this Thursday coming up.

fair enough folks. I have a book to read, a bluff to walk to and a bunch of funny stuff to paste around the house.

I've got ten free...

I've got ten free minutes to play on the computer while I wait for things to start happening again at placement. I shall utilize these minutes to post, for all your reading pleasure.

Just finished my final placement evaluation... man it feels wierd typing that. No more evaluations, and in two weeks time, no more kids either. What a sad thing that is... placement has been a good time. This Wednesday coming up I get to do the talk... on Jesus getting anointed at Bethany of all things. I'm devoid of any breathtakingly good ideas. I've gotta pray over this one.

So Jesus goes to a party at a sick social outcasts house with his disciples. This woman comes up to him and breaks an expensive jar filled with incredibly precious perfume and pours it on Jesus's head. The perfume was worth a years wages... today it would be thousands and thousands of dollars. The disciples get pissed and are incredibly harsh with the woman for wasting that much money, but Jesus shuts them up and says that what the woman has done is a beautiful gift, which she'll be remembered for.

Hardly content for the easiest youth talk, but hey God'll give me the words to say. Maybe my fabulous goth kids can come out too.

If you've got an insight or idea for me, post it... I could use a hand.

tired legs. lovely views.

We went to the Othello Tunnels today for the ever interesting 'wildcard Monday'. It was nice and flat, which made my life easier. It was also ridiculously gorgeous. We took a bunch of photos, I'll post them later, I promise.

It was kind of funny. The tunnels were actually closed today (and for the next two months) due to an extreme rock falling hazard. We only made it in because we beat the park ranger by about twenty minutes and thus missed the locking of the gates. They were locked by the time we got back, the boys needed to run and find a park ranger.

Dang... I miss working Parks Canada.

.the woman I want to be escapes me.

I spent the day swallowing a lump in my throat for no immediately apparent reason. I talked to God a lot, and thought about the kids I work with. Their situations are heartbreaking at times. I also spent a fair bit of time thinking and praying on my own brokenness. To borrow and modify a phrase from code... the woman I want to be escapes me.
Been reading The Imitation of Christ by Thomas a Kempis... it's sobering, but good. I pasted the fifty second chapter of the the third book here. Read it... in fact, just go find the book and read it.

Unworthy of comfort, Deserving of stripes.

LORD, I am not worthy of Your consolation or of any spiritual visitation. Therefore, You treat me justly when You leave me poor and desolate. For though I could shed a sea of tears, yet I should not be worthy of Your consolation. Hence, I deserve only to be scourged and punished because I have offended You often and grievously, and have sinned greatly in many things. In all justice, therefore, I am not worthy of any consolation.
But You, O gracious and merciful God, Who do not will that Your works should perish, deign to console Your servant beyond all his merit and above human measure, to show the riches of Your goodness toward the vessels of mercy. For Your consolations are not like the words of men.
What have I done, Lord, that You should confer on me any heavenly comfort? I remember that I have done nothing good, but that I have always been prone to sin and slow to amend. That is true. I cannot deny it. If I said otherwise You would stand against me, and there would be no one to defend me. What have I deserved for my sins except hell and everlasting fire?
In truth, I confess that I am deserving of all scorn and contempt. Neither is it fitting that I should be remembered among Your devoted servants. And although it is hard for me to hear this, yet for truth's sake I will allege my sins against myself, so that I may more easily deserve to beg Your mercy. What shall I say, guilty as I am and full of all confusion? My tongue can say nothing but this alone: "I have sinned, O Lord, I have sinned; have mercy on me and pardon me. Suffer me a little that I may pour out my grief, before I go to that dark land that is covered with the shadow of death."
What do you especially demand of a guilty and wretched sinner, except that he be contrite and humble himself for his sins? In true sorrow and humility of heart hope of forgiveness is born, the troubled conscience is reconciled, grace is found, man is preserved from the wrath to come, and God and the penitent meet with a holy kiss.
To You, O Lord, humble sorrow for sins is an acceptable sacrifice, a sacrifice far sweeter than the perfume of incense. This is also the pleasing ointment which You would have poured upon Your sacred feet, for a contrite and humble heart You have never despised. Here is a place of refuge from the force of the enemy's anger. Here is amended and washed away whatever defilement has been contracted elsewhere.



Amen... I wish I had this whole life thing figured out.

writing a paper on the sabbath day :: shame on me 

Friday.

Spent the day hanging out in Vancouver with Sarene, man she's a cool girl. One of the goth crew and very interesting. Never a dull moment with Sarene... no siree-bob.

Her and I walked into a vegan cafe, I started checking out the books and puttering around the angry animal rights bumper stickers. Sarene decided that she would make our visit more interesting and announced that she loved to hunt (she doesn't) and that her house is covered in mounted animal heads (it isn't) ... it's a dangerous thing to piss off crazy vegans, they won't wear wool for fear of offending a sheep, but I think they were within an inch of brutally murdering Sarene.

We went piercing today too. I have a shiny new centre lip piercing. Looks nice.

More later folks, I'ma go read Found magazine and drink some mate.

Back from Saltspring

Cool, so the fabulous Lacombe crew left last Friday, us Lifeteamers went for breakfast after they left, then I went home and fell into bed with my boots on. I slept for twenty hours.

After I woke up, all of us except Josh (he had a camp to go to) piled into Jo's jeep and Jimmy's car and headed for beautiful Saltspring Island.
I just got back maybe twenty minutes ago. It was a great little break. I spent most of it chilling and job hunting. I'm planning to live on Saltspring for the summer, so finding a job will be pretty key. I found one though, I put my resume in to the OysterCatcher restaurant and the manager hired me on the spot. I like it when that happens. I've been told that finding a summer job on Saltspring is easy, because the population of the island triples in the island with rich cottagers. So, getting a cafe job shouldn't be too hard. I'm also planning on setting up shop at the Saturday Market with beadwork and jewelry... supplement my income that way. Rich tourists love neat stuff.

Anyway, I must head to placement. Hanging out with the girls and the goths tonight should be rad, I havent seen them in a couple of weeks. Peace out.