i'm back!

so that was a nice long break from blogging. okay, so only about 10 days. but it felt long. yay winter! i love christmas, but what i love almost as much is the fact that even though christmas is over and it wasn't quite white, there's still 3 months of winter to go! more hockey, more skating.....ah, the anticipation....
tonight the plan is hockey at winkler bible camp, at seven. i have to call the camp to confirm free ice, however. if that doesn't work out, it'll probably be at 5 at schanzenfeld instead. and my phone line works, so i can actually call people!

i've so enjoyed being able to visit different churches over the last year. i've learned a lot. about people's differences, how we learn, different hearts, and how God speaks to us. i love my church! i love where it's going. i think we are building up to something radical and i want to be a part of it! so much potential!! and i've spent too much of my time criticizing lost potential instead of focussing on the potential there is and encouraging it by becoming an active part of it! so i love my church and i will continue to pour into it as God tells me to!

have a great day everyone, enjoy the weather! oh, and could you pray for my friends sugi & elva? when i last heard from them, they were in indonesia, and i don't know if they had gone back to taiwan by the time these tsunamis hit. pray they'll be alright and if they aren't there, that sugi's family will be safe and protected and able to shine a light of Christ's hope in this tragedy. also, i don't know if cambodia was affected, it's near thailand, and thailand was hit bad, so pray for janelle suderman. if i'm right, she's on her outreach in cambodia. pray for her parents too! pretty much, keep praying!
Lord, may your hand be made visible in all this disaster and protect those we know and love, and others as well. let your light be a hope and comfort, and your truth a strength. we know this hurts your heart as well, so strengthen us to pray for those who are left and do not know you. make us radical for your and your power and truth! blessed be your name!

i'll be home for christmas

just hear those sleigh bells jingling, ring-ting-tingling too!
come on, it's lovely weather for a sleigh ride together with you!

that's my dream. proposal maybe...? :) actually you could replace "sleigh ride" with "hockey" and i'd pretty much be happy! list of happy things this week:
- done my exams!!
- home for christmas!!
- found hockey/skating rink 10 min. walk from my apartments!!!
- today's andrew derksen's birthday!!!!
- great home group potluck tonight (feeling fat, but satisfied)
- making christmas cards to mail off :)
- dreams about annie coming home.... :)
- church!!
- family gathering...

thank you Jesus for all these wonderful things. may each one bring You glory!
good night and God bless!!!!!!

the familiar

i'ts been really good to be home. i finally finished my sociology paper, praise the Lord, i am finished that course! tomorrow i have a gathering on my mom's side, and jessica, chadwick and the dts leave for the philippines!!! i wasn't able to talk to jessica before she left, that was a bit sad, but she will check her e-mail, so i won't feel completely out of touch :)

yesterday i started making christmas cards to mail out.....it was so much fun! i love colourful paper and glue and markers! makes me very happy. so does sleeping in, like i did this morning. bed at 1030, sleep till 10. doesn't happen often any more.

okay, so i have to pump myself up for 2 more exams next week - i can do it! and next weekend, calling all hockey players........GHL!!! apparently winkler bible camp has ice already, so if you're home next weekend, let's make it happen! i'd be super excited if that could happen.

"we must tell the world what happened in bethlehem!!" that was just on the radio. ameners to that.
ooh, and joel and phil and holly all come home this week!!
watch for more excitement......

the start of my revolution

done! done my art history exam, done my english paper! home! it's good. on the way home from school today, on the bus, i was reading ephesians. and this is what i learned,
"you were taught....to be made new in the attitdue of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness......do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen."
i let myself get manipulated by words far too easily and i throw them out far too quickly. jen, i am sorry for being self-righteous and yes, sarcastic, in my message on holly's blog. i was not building anyone up but myself, and definitely not building you up according to your needs. i'm sorry.

it's now going on my prayer wall that i want to only say things, especially write things, that build people up. and not just build them up by saying nice things, but that build them up according to their needs. i want to be listening for what Jesus has to say to them. i can't say thanks enough to Jesus for all he's done for me! he speaks to me, he loves me, he redeems me. thank you!

it's glorious outside :) not if you're driving, but if you're just looking....i love snow. yesterday i got to go skating - such a good time! i love it! i'm still a little unsteady on the hockey skates, but eric did teach me how to do forwards crossovers. at least i can do them when i'm turning right. i love the snow. it's so beautiful. i love it, love it, love it! i wish i was at the ranch, i bet it's even more gorgeous there. tomorrow i'm off to winkler!

macaroni and cheese on my shirt

yes, i answered the door yesterday with sweats, half-pinned up greasy hair, an old t-shirt and macaroni remains on my t-shirt. and yes, it was a creepy man. but i told him i wasn't interested in his picture taking skills, so he left. woot.

anyways! praises to Jesus because my bio lab exam is done!!! i may have failed, i may have done well, but at any rate, it is finished!!! so relieved. one of those where you didn't feel crazy inadequate, but you also have no idea if you were at all close. meh. now for the rest of my many papers and studying to do.....

my mom and little sister were going to come for night tomorrow, but their plans are changing, so that's kind of sad. we would all stay in a hotel together, at the other end of the city, but still. i was excited to have people stay at my little home. oh well.

i feel very relieved. that feels good. with few thoughts to share today that don't pertain to bioloby, i will leave you with a quote from carwash, a boy in my home group bible study. from england, lovely accent: "your snow sparkles here! it's beautiful!"

thank you Jesus for the glorious, sparkling snow that inspires and reflects your beautiful truth!