Feeling the Rhythm, Moving to the Beat

Quote of the day

2007-04-17T21:27:00.000-07:00

"A strong person stands up for him/herself. But a stronger person stands up for others"

Possessions...

2007-04-16T09:41:00.000-07:00

"I place no value on anything I have or may possess, except in relation to the kingdom of Christ. If anything will advance the interests of the kingdom, it shall be given away or kept, only as by giving or keeping it I shall most promote the glory of him to whom I owe all my hopes in time and eternity."
David Livingstone

The Purpose of Pain

2007-04-06T23:00:00.000-07:00

Pain and suffering are our greatest teachers. Often it is the only way that God can get our attention. If there is one difference between the I of today and the I of the past it would be this; pain. Through feeling pain and seeing the suffering of others I have become who I am; I have been tempered and seasoned into a sense of greater wholeness. Therefore I look upon pain as an instrument of divine grace, not something to be shunned, but something to be embraced.

It Comes Down to Trust

2007-03-27T21:19:00.000-07:00

The search within is often a fearful journey, but one that is necessary nonetheless...teach me to trust

The path is unknown and this is what is most frightening...as I embark into the unknown may I always depend on your sustaining presence and loving grace...teach me to trust.

I cannot make this transition on my own. I cannot travel this journey as the lonely traveler...teach me to trust.

I cannot help but to look to the future with great anticipation and expectation for reasons I sometimes cannot explain...trust.

It is a journey that is worth taking because within this journey lies the power of transformation, renewal, revitalization, and rejuvenation...just trust in Him.

One can have all the knowledge in the world, but if that knowledge is not put into action in some manner then it will succumb to nothing, mere thought, like a bird stuck in a cage, never given the opportunity to spread its wings and fly...trust in Him.

How do I even begin to start the journey that I must take? How do I begin walk the path that will keep me from falling off the side of the cliff? Of this I am uncertain. But I know one thing, and this one thing has grappled with my very heart. If I don’t start walking this path and start soon, then my walk will soon become a crawl and soon I will cease to move forward...trust.

There is so much more to this life than I have taken hold of. What blessing awaits those who walk diligently in Your ways... sometimes it feels as if I have taken a side route, walking alongside Your blessing, seeing it to my near right, but never laying hold of it. I want to get back on the right track, where is the trail that leads me there? It is as if I am wandering aimlessly in the forest, hearing my Your voice echo through the trees, yet I am unable to find the path that leads me home...the trees are too thick, too hard to navigate. The sun is not shining bright enough to see where I am going, and the winds often blow so strong that I can no longer hear. I feel as though I cannot navigate this dreaded forest as the chill of the darkness closes in around me...trust in Him.

I am amazed by those moments when out of the frustration comes a whirlwind of peace. When confusion turns into clarity, and despair into joy. It is as if suddenly the aches deep within cease and the burning of unexplainable feeling of stress are vanquished. I love those moments, for I know that it is within these moments that You begin to pour into my life, relieving all fear. I certainly cannot explain how or why such moments come about, but I am thankful that they do. It is these moments that become the fuel for carrying on in the journey...you can trust Him.

I don’t believe in coincidences, but in Your sovereignty, so may I take comfort in knowing that Your are guiding me in the right direction...place your trust in Him.

Sometimes the journey can be messy, but at least I can have the confidence in knowing that amidst the messiness You are there...trust Him.

Sometimes there are so many questions and not enough answers..trust.

I am unsure where all of this is going, unsure of what the future may hold...but I will trust.

Be still and know that He is God. Trust.

Exciting times

2007-01-31T20:55:00.000-08:00

For a while now I have been struggling whether or not I should seek out the opportunity to go on a missions trip (particularly Africa), it has just been something that has been tugging at my little heart. Upon coming to Vanguard this semester I discover that they are planning to send a missions team to Africa this upcoming June. Now what do I do? Shall I go, shall I not. I basically had myself going crazy! I felt this is what God was calling me to do, but once again my feet were planted firm I was seriously doubting about going.

However, God is faithful even when I am not, and I have been affirmed more times over this past week concerning purpose, obedience, and listening to God's still small voice. God has certainly opened up the door of opportunity, one that I had been praying for, yet one that I was about to slam shut again.

Not this time though. The door has been open and by the grace of God I am taking a step of faith right through it! This will be my first mission trip experience and I am excited about what God has in store. I am going to help bring change, but I am going to be changed. It shall certainly be a life-changing experience.

Here are some of the details. We are leaving on the 9th of June and will be gone for around 4 weeks. First destination; a village in Nairobi. Part of the ministry here will be to help paint an all girls school. After our first week of ministry we will be travelling on bus for 7 hours to Moshi, Tanzania. Here will will be helping to build a youth shelter as we continue to share the love of Christ through our ministry. It is here we will stay until we are ready to return home. One of the very exciting things about this trip is that from day one we will be actually living with the villagers in their homes. It is going to be quite and experience, but exciting and amazing nonetheless.

So now the fundraising begins, as does the preparation. Please keep me in your prayers as I take this journey into a new horizon. Oh that we may be blessed by the work that God is already doing among the people of Africa, and become fellow workers in his great plan, to become part of his global workings. It is a privilege!

Quote of the day....

2007-01-16T19:42:00.000-08:00

Learn it, love it, live it.

Learn it (chew on the Word)
Love it (gain the conviction)
Live it (manifestation)

Amen and amen.

The Will of Choice

2007-01-14T15:40:00.000-08:00

I was recently reading a friend's blog post concerning making choices and it really stirred something up inside, and I say Amen! Over the past several months understanding God's call and uncovering God's will has been a major theme of my life that has brought me thus far to Vanguard. So many things have been running through my head!! How do we know God's will? How will God reveal it to us? When he does reveal it will we hear it, "he who has ears, let him hear." Or will a flood of frustration and doubts cause us to second guess? To keep searching for an answer when the answer may be right in front of us?

Will we hear his voice in a sudden theophany with sounds of thunder so that it becomes a drastic, life-altering, I-know-for-sure experience? Will there be hand-writing on the wall or will a man or woman of God bring us a message, an unexpected message from the One who holds the blueprints of our lives? Maybe, just maybe, one night we will dream of that perfect will and wake up with a sense of purpose, or have someone else interpret the dream for us? Will we need a life-changing experience, good or bad? Do we need an angelic visitation bringing glad tidings and a copy of the map for the rest of our lives?

Or do we simply need open ears so that we may truly hear, an open mind that we may truly understand, an open heart so that we may truly trust, and a soul that yearns to become God's partner in His redemptive purposes for a fallen generation?

Sometimes it seems oh so complex. But many times we make it that way ourselves, at least I know I do. Looking for the voice of God in the storm when His still small voice is whispering in the silence. Making God's will something that seems so hard to discern, and when we think He is not answering because of all the noise in our lives we take it to mean "no, this is not God's will for my life."

Our lives are full of choices, some major, some minor, yet all the same we have choices to make. Sometimes it is scary, and because of this we often want God to take the responsibility by giving us a clear-cut, eye opening, and deafening answer. But what if God simply says, "You choose"? I think that sometimes God leaves the choice in our hands. God made us in His image, and that included having intellectual capacities. He granted us the gift of free will, God made us that way. Sometimes I think God simply wants us to use this God-given ability to His glory and take the responsibility of making certain choices. Whether we choose A,B,C or D God is saying, "I love you and I will bless your choice my dear child." Sometimes over-spiritualization can prevent us from living in the joy of the Lord and claiming that blessed life that God has so graciously laid before us.

"All things work out for the good, for those who love God and are called according to His purposes."

If He says "you choose" don't be afraid or confused, you serve a loving God.

It's the Will of Choice.

Moving into the new year...

2006-12-29T17:09:00.000-08:00

It's amazing how fast the holidays have gone by. Christmas was great, getting to spend time with the family, hanging out with my nephew and niece, and just relaxing. Before I know it they will be all grown up, so I really enjoy getting to see them again. I must say that the weather hasn't been too bad, although it is fairly cold, but at least there is snow everywhere which really puts one in the holiday spirit. However, it hasn't actually snowed since I have been here. Apparently, it is too cold for snow, and what is down now is probably going to be all the snow they get!! I also find it amazing how many people drive trucks up here. Look at any parking lot and 90 percent of the vehicles are either trucks or SUV's. But it is understandable once you have tried to drive on the streets in Grand Priarie. Roads hardly plowed, ice and snow covered all week long, and at any given intersection you might have to pull into four wheel drive so that you do not get stuck. It's a real "up north" feel to this place, but nice all the same.

I must say that although the holidays are slipping by, I am excited about begginning school in the New Year. The good Lord provides as everything has fallen into place. My roomate and I now have the keys to our apartment, everything is in place in terms of acceptance into school (although my schedule is a little messed up, lol. Because I transferred courses I may have to do first, second, and third year courses in order to maintain a full course load. It's all good!), and the finances have worked out.

Last night my parents and I went shopping for some things for the apartment, and I must say that I am psyched about moving in. As of now I will be heading into Edmonton on the 5th with my parents to bring all my things down. This will give me a chance to get everything settled away and have a chance to explore the new city a bit before school starts on the 8th. My parents also want to look around the city so this will give them a chance to do so before they head home. I heard that Edmonton is a nice place, and I am sure it will be. Only a matter of time to find out for myself!! I also feel blessed in that I already have several friends made who are already waiting for my arrival. which is a comfort in itself. Looking good, looking good.

So the New Year is on its way with all that it has in store. For sure, this is the start of something good, a time of redifinition and transformation that comes from growing in ones relationship with God and understanding his ways, a time of character shaping and renewal. Thanks for all your prayers, these past two weeks have been the most life changing weeks of my life, a time of discovery that has shown me things I overlooked for many years and I know that I shall look back on this in some future time and realize that God's hand had been in this from the beginning. It's all about having the proper perspective in order to take joy in all of these experiences, knowing full well that you will come out the other side conformed in His likeness, and walking in depenence on His Spirit. Amen and amen.

So have a Happy New Year and I look forward to seeing everyone again. For sure, I will come back to visit all of my great firends. However, you know not the hour, lol!

New beginnings...

2006-12-14T22:18:00.000-08:00

Well it has been quite some time since my last post, and a whole lot of stuff has been going on in my life. Quite frankly, blogging was the last thing on my mind. But now at least the business of school has ended, all assignments put to rest, and the last final written as of last night. Thank God!

Now is a time of new beginnings and new experiences; a new year in a new place. 12:50 today I boarded the plane with my overweight luggage on my way to the West. The flight to Edmonton went really well, and I only had a short stopover before heading to Grande Prairie. So here I am in Grande Prairie with my family getting ready to celebrate the holidays. It's going to be different this Christmas, that is for sure. Different in many respects. But I am sure that the joy of the season will bring a sense of cheer amidst the chaos.

Then in the New Year I will be moving to Edmonton to begin my studies at Vanguard. Another new experience that I am excited about. Moving to a new place, new school, living on my own (with a roomate of course), a real time of discovery.

I must admit that I miss everyone already. Remember me in your prayers as I make a fresh start, a new beginning.

2006-11-02T15:37:00.000-08:00

(Can ) Father-son bond of Dick and Rick Hoyt

Today in class our professor played this video clip as a source of inspiration, and it truly is. If you want to read more on their story go here

Interesting days....

2006-10-28T16:09:00.000-07:00

The business of mid-semester has come to an end. Mid-terms are finished, and my biggest paper of the semester is handed in. Oh, the wonderful feeling of handing that paper to the professor. It feels as though a ton of weight has been lifted off my shoulders. Only five more papers and the semester comes to an end!! O the joy of that day.

Last Thursday prooved to be a fun-filled day. It was reading week at the school (which really only means Thurday and Friday off, so Shauna-Lee and I went into Toronto with Kevin to spend a day hanging out and running some errands. First, we started the day with a fix of expresso at Starbucks. You just have to start the day right! Then the new experiences began to unfold. Our tour guide into the culture of China, Mr. Kevin himself, brought us to an awesome bake shop, a very interesting restaurant that served a mean pork (freshly cut from the pig hanging in the front window!), and an amazing Chinese restaurant. To name what we ate, I am not sure because we made Kevin do the ordering. Nonetheless, it was an A+ experience and I will certainly go back there again. Theme of the day: food!! But the day wasn't over yet. To end of the evening, after picking up Melissa at the school, we all went to Streetville to relax and browse around. Such a nice area! What a great day!
Kevin is the man!!

Friday turned out to be an interesting day. First, I end up leaving my bank card at the convenience store and end up having to go back and get it. Then, I go into Toronto again to check out some effects pedals at one of the music stores. After, driving around for about ten minutes tryign to find a parking spot, I see a opening. I look around, and look some more to make sure that this parking place was legal. All the other vehicles were parked along that side of the road, this place didn't seem any different. No fire hydrants, and apparently no signs saying "no parking". Well at least I didn't think so. Therefore, I park, place my $1.50 in the machine for a parking pass and enter the store.

I guess you see where this is going. Needless to say, I come out of the store only to see that dreaded yellow slip of paper tucked under my wiper blades. A blessed parking ticket! And i thought I was legally parked! I guess that proved me wrong.
What a waste of $1.50. Let's just say I won't be trying to park downtown any time soon. Way too expensive, lol! Lesson learned.

Down and out

2006-10-17T08:30:00.000-07:00

The flu virus has infiltrated our household. Shauna-Lee has suddenly come down with a bad case of sinus congestion, chest congestion, sore throat, and the headaches and runny nose that go along with it. Poor thing. Not a good week for this to happen seeing that we have a mid-term on Wednesday, a major assisgnment due this coming Monday, plus the usually readings and studying that are typical of a week at Tyndale.

Hopefully, this will pass off quickly and not pass on to me. Contac Cold and Sinus may be our best friend for these upcoming days.

Ok,Ok...I''m blogging again!

2006-10-15T15:45:00.000-07:00

I know that I have been getting a little slack with my blog lately, as I have been recently informed (love you guys). So do not worry anymore. You can view my blog from now on with confidence in knowing that there will be something posted that is not four weeks old! I have neglected the blogging, but shall do so no more.

So to start off my re-blogging phase, here are a view pics from the thanksgiving weekend. More to come, and that's a promise, lol!

A Challenge and a Journey

2006-09-12T18:01:00.000-07:00

As a worship leader I have always felt a passion for worship, for living it out in my own spiritual walk, for using my talents to create an atmosphere where the realities of our everyday lives and Jesus meet face to face. It’s a mysterious, life transforming, dynamic, life-giving, redemptive, faith and community building meeting with an ever present, knowable God who delights in being known, desires to be known, and finds great joy in revealing himself to those who are hungry and thirty for more of Him. It incorporates every fiber of our beings, every aspect of our lives, and is the heart and soul of who we are as the people of God. Worship is our lifestyle. We were created out of God’s own desire to be worshiped and adored.

My own understanding of worship and how it is to be lived out in the faith community is an ongoing process and a journey which has led me to the unknown chambers of my own heart and into the very heart of God. For the past several months my life has been turned upside down and inside out as I have been trying to come to a better understanding of my role as a worshipper and worship leader. It is as if one day Jesus shook me out of my place of complacency so that I might open my eyes, helping me to see through the Father’s eyes into the very heart of worship, the very place where Jesus desires the church to be. I can’t get away from it; I do not want to get away from it. My eyes of faith have been open and I am beginning to see things in a whole new light.

Lip service, Sunday salvations, Christianity that is nothing more than a smoke screen to cover up deeper issues, hypocrisy, faith without deeds (which, by the way is dead), all obstacles that have crept into the church and which need to be fleshed out. The church was never meant to exist in such a manner. Where is the authenticity in such a manner of living? No, the body of Christ was meant to be a vibrant, authentic, worshipping body of believers living out the message of Christ and proclaiming God’s kingdom to a world that is crying out for a Savior. At the very heart of the matter is worship, the missing jewel of the church. Worship will revitalize the body of Christ, give it strength to endure, empower it to fulfill its mission, and envelope it in the riches of God’s mercy and grace, releasing the blessings of Christ to a fallen humanity. Inevitably this enveloping and empowering, this wonderful mercy and grace will not go unnoticed, but rather will begin to transform all of those who come into contact with it.

It is the journey into the heart of worship. It is a journey that begins within our very own hearts when we get real with ourselves and grasp the realities in which we have lived, are living, and are going to live. Such self-understanding and reality provides an environment that gives birth to authentic worship. God is challenging the church to worship him in spirit and in truth, to return to its proper place in his divine purposes. Worship, the blood life of the church.

Be challenged. Keep it real. Go deeper. Get intimate. Search yourself. Seek Him. Begin the journey. Worship with reckless abandon. Amen.

The precious little man

2006-09-11T18:43:00.000-07:00

For those of you who haven't seen Malakai for some time I thought I might post some pics of the little man. Enjoy!!

Nissans and Newfies

2006-09-11T17:31:00.000-07:00

I never would have thought that Nissan commercials would turn in this direction. Could this be a new marketing strategy? All to funny. Your sitting down watching T.V when suddenly there appears a Newfie salesman describing the features of the new Nissan. A T.V commerical with class, lol!! Now if you thought my accent was noticable, then you haven't heard anything yet. At least I don't need a translator. If you haven't seen the commerical, then check it out here. Genuine Newfinese in action.

It's good to be back!

2006-09-03T07:23:00.000-07:00

It's good to be back, amen and amen. The long anticapted return has finally come and we are back in Ontario. After a long summer of work and more work it is exciting to be back in Ontarion to begin another year of school and see everyone again. It might take us a day to get unpacked and settled in, but after that things should be back to normal again.

The trip back was great!! We stopped in P.E.I to go camping with Shauna-Lee's family for a week, then we stopped in Moncton for a night. It was a real nice break after such an hectic summer. A well needed holiday!! But school isn't started yet, so there is one more week to go crazy and have fun and do whatever we want to, and Shauna-Lee's sister is here with us until Wednesday so we have to get as much in as possible in the next few days. I'm in.

So we shall be seeing all of you guys shortly.

A little precious gift

2006-08-06T18:32:00.000-07:00

If you have read Shauna-Lee's blog you already know that around a month ago I found a stray dog as I was driving to her house. If you didn't know about this, then take a look at her blog. The original plan was that her little brother was going to keep the dog, however those plans changed and after getting attached to the little puppy, Shauna-Lee and I decided that we would keep the dog ourselves. Unfortunately we are unable to take the dog back to Ontario with us this year, so Shauna-Lee's family will be taking care of the dog until the wedding next summer. After the wedding, when we get our own place, the dog will be going back to Ontario with us.

I don't like the fact that we will be away from the dog for two semesters, but as long as we can keep the dog I am happy. Here is a a pic of our new dog. Her name is Nala which means "the gift" and what a precious gift indeed.

Time?

2006-06-29T16:17:00.000-07:00

Are the clocks on fast forward? They say that time is precious, but where has it gone? It is mind boggling just how fast this summer is slipping by. It’s Friday and before I know it, it is Friday again. Then another Friday. Now as I look at the calender I realize that there are only around five and a half weeks left before we pack up and begin our journey back to Ontario. Crazy or what? Exciting indeed! I can’t wait to see everyone again. Call me crazy, but I am also looking forward to going back to school to continue furthering my knowledge and getting a little closer to getting my BRE in Youth Ministry. Sometimes it is a little scary to realize that the time is just around the corner when I will be a Youth Pastor. However, great times lay ahead, and I need not worry for it is all part of the Master’s Plan, and He promises to be with me every step of the way!

Seeing that I am on the topic of time, I must mention something that I have discovered recently that may occupy some of my time in the future. It’s either a phase or a craze, but whatever it is I am enjoying it. What is it? I have found another hobby that I enjoy, and it is carpentry (particularly woodworking). That’s right, for some strange reason I have taken a liking to it. Not only that, but since I have come home I have been increasing my tool inventory, browsing through the tool departments, searching my father’s tools for things I might need, and getting excited about it. I never got excited over a mitre saw in my life, but my dad just bought me one and I am itching to use it! For my birthday I’ll be asking for tools, and maybe for Christmas as well. The world of carpentry is fascinating, at least for me.

After seeing that I have become so interested in woodworking and all the other fun carpentry stuff, Shauna-Lee got a bright idea, pretty cute if you ask me. She challenged me, and I am not backing down. When we get our own place next year after the wedding she wants the first set of coffee tables to be handcrafted by yours truly. Pretty keen I think, getting the most out of this stage I am in before it wears off, lol. She already has the design in mind! Draw up the blueprints dear, and I’ll build it! I just need to get the right tools and off I go.

So as time continues to fly by I’ll be working hard at my job and trying to get my new hobby off the ground. Maybe I’ll go online to search for tools, or ideas for the coffee tables......here I go again.

One, two, three...

2006-06-05T18:26:00.000-07:00

If there is one thing that just drives me crazy it is Canadian Tire sales. Why? Because you look in the flyer and see something that you need, go to the store to get it only to find out that they are out of stock. However, they probably only had one in stock in the first place. Yet, it doesn’t stop there. They’ll offer you a rain check and tell you that the item will arrive in about two weeks, yet five weeks later you are still waiting for the blessed thing. Lesson one: don’t get to excited over sale items in the flyers, they are probably out of stock. If you really want it you better be the first person in the door on sale day.

Besides that things are going great here on the rock. Keeping busy, especially this past week. The Pastor was gone to a conference so he asked me to preach. Also, we were asked to lead worship. So last week consisted of work until 5:30 , practice, and a whole lot of sermon preparation. Although it was a little stressful everything went well and we had an awesome time. After the service we had a campfire at Shauna-Lee’s house, a great time of relaxation and just hanging out (and eating of course!). A hectic week ended with a blast. Lesson two: fulfilling the role of Pastor and working another job at 50+ hours a week can be tiresome, but it’s worth it in the end.

So another week begins and it’s time to strap on my carpenter’s belt and get to work. This weeks task: working on the new Canadian Tire that is being built in Gander (which is an hour and an half from where I live). When they open I hope they are well stocked, ha! For now we are coming home each evening. However, seeing that there will be several weeks of work to be done I am expecting that we will end up staying in Gander during the week and coming home on the weekends. As if eight and a half months away from home wasn’t enough, lol! Lesson three: when you are involved in construction work you might end up anywhere doing anything. But as they say, "make hay when the sun shines."

Take care everyone!

An update from Newfoundland

2006-05-21T18:08:00.000-07:00

It's amazing how fast the weeks are going by. Already we have been home for three weeks and have only a little more than two months left before heading back to Ontario. They say that time flies when you are having fun. But, I would like to also say that time flies when you are keeping really busy.

For sure working is keeping me on the move. The typical work week is Monday to Friday from 7:00 to 5:30. But, let's just say that my work weeks will probably not be so typical. More than likely the days will end up going beyond 5:30, and include a few Saturdays. But, that is the life of a construction worker, labourer, concrete finisher, gardener, painter, carpenter and landscaper. Let's just say that I'll be the jack-of-all trades for the rest of the summer, and it's keeping me busy.

What else is happening in my life besides all the hours of working. Well, my sister and her family came home from Alberta last Thursday and are home for two weeks. It's so exciting to see them again, and to spend time with the cutest niece and nephew ever!! They are so adorable and growing up so fast. They meant to surprise me and show up at the house Thursday morning, but Riley (my nephew) leaked it out. Too funny. We all went to the cabin yesterday and spent the night. Trouting, sitting around the camp fire, relaxing, watching my little niece dance her little heart out (she is not even two and she is quite the little dancer!) and taking in the great Newfoundland outdoors. Good times, good times.

Also, last Thursday I went to have an eye examination because I have realized that my eyesight is not so keen as it use to be. Well, let's just say that I'll be coming back to Ontario wearing glasses!! Oh well, that's life.

I must be going to take in the rest of the movie that all of us are watching. If you haven't seen the Ringer it's a must see. You would laugh your socks off!! Take care and enjoy the rest of the May 24th weekend. It's off to the pond again tomorrow for me to do some trouting with my dad and nephew. Gotta love it.

Driving, Driving, Driving....Home.

2006-05-07T18:23:00.000-07:00

The first week back in Newfoundland is just about finished, so I’ll have to give an update of what has been happened since I left. Let me begin from the day we left Hamilton...

First, we ran into a slight predicament. We had figured that we might run into this problem, but we were still hoping that it could be avoided. However, Saturday morning soon proved us wrong. All of our luggage couldn’t fit into the car!!! (Just to let you know, Shauna-Lee’s mom and dad were also traveling with us so we were a little pressed for room!) But, being such innovative Newfies we raced off to Canadian Tire to buy a cargo rack and bag for our little Corolla so we could pile on what luggage couldn’t fit. Well, we probably could have squeezed it all in the car, but I wouldn’t have been able to bring my guitar home. For sure I couldn’t let that happen, so I opted for the cargo rack. We ended up leaving a little later, but nevertheless we were off!

We had planned to stop in Montreal to do a little shopping, but because of the delay the stores would have been closed by the time we got there. One way or another Shauna-Lee was going shopping with her mom, it just had to happen or else.... Therefore, we were not even outside of Toronto before we made our first pit stop, that’s right, we hit the Yorkdale Mall for a few hours. As if we didn’t already have enough stuff in the car with us!!

If you know anything about Shauna-Lee, then you know that she is a second cup addict. Decaf caramel carretto made with skim milk, topped with whipped cream, drizzled with caramel sauce and sprinkled with chocolate. That’s her favorite (so if you ever want to get on her good side you know what to get her, lol!). So after shopping we all indulged in a Second Cup, a great way to start of such a long, long drive and put a smile on Shauna-Lee’s face.

Then the driving began. I took the first leg of the race, driving from Hamilton to just outside the Quebec border. I couldn’t handle it anymore so I handed the car over to Allister (Shauna-Lee’s dad). We drove and drove and drove trying to get to the other side of Quebec before stopping for the night. I was napping, and not really paying attention to the time, only waking up to hear Allister say that the hotel was only another ten minutes away. Yeah right! We ended up stopping at the Hotel in New Brunswick (Edmunston) at around 4:30 AM (we lost an hour because of the time change). Up again at 9:00 to get breakfast and keep on driving.

All day Sunday it was driving, driving, driving. Shauna-Lee drove from the hotel to Moncton and then I took over again and drove the rest of the way to the ferry. By supper time Sunday we were getting hungry so we had planned to stop at Smitty’s (Canso Causeway) to grab a bite to eat. We got there and it was closed! So we decide to go right to North Sydney and get something to eat at Pizza Delight. We arrived there and it was about to close! What luck, what luck. So we had to settle for Tim Horton’s and Wendy’s, but it’s all good.

The ferry ride was great seeing that we crawled in the bunks and slept the whole trip. It was a well needed rest. 6:30 AM our feet were back on Newfoundland soil, and we kept driving and driving some more. You got to love the drive though. It was a beautiful sunny day, a great day to take in the beautiful Newfoundland scenery (if you can stay awake!). Finally, at around 4:30 we arrive back home in our little community of North West Brook, just the way I remember it.

Now it is taking me a little while to adjust back into the relaxed life of the rural setting. I must admit that it is going to be a little different after living in Hamilton for two semesters. I’ll have to keep myself busy, busy, busy so that I do not suffer from severe boredom. Just joking, it’s not that bad! I will be starting work tomorrow so that should keep me on the move. As if the change was not enough I have been dying from the flu all week. What a welcome back gift! Contac, halls, and cough medicine have been my best friends this week, ha! However, it is still great to be back home for the summer and see all those familiar faces even though I miss all of you guys in Ontario. Yet, I’m sure that this summer will fly by and before I know it I’ll be starting that 2800 km drive all over again. What joy, what joy floods my soul (I’d rather get a kick in the rear end!!).

That’s all for now. I'll post some pictures later when I go to Shauna-Lee's house. I am using dial- up connection right now and it takes an eternity to load up the pics. Fortunatley, Shauna-Lee has high speed.

Greetings from the Rock, the only province where you can experience four seasons in one day!
Take care everyone!!

School is finished!!....Time for a change of scenery.

2006-04-26T13:54:00.000-07:00

These past several weeks have been a little hectic as you could probably already tell from my lack of postings. Oppps...I'll try to keep it up to date from now on, lol. I just got tied up with doing some renovations, and studying for final exams. Thank God the exams are finished!!! So this marks the end of another semester, and to tell you the truth I do not know where the time went. It only seems like yesterday I was returning from Newfoundland ready to go back to school. So here I am with another semester under my belt and getting ready to pack up and head back to Newfoundland for the summer.

I am excited about going back home to see family and friends, to relax on home turf. But, I must admit that I am also a little sad that I am leaving. I'll definitely miss the Freeway and all those wonderful people who are part of that community, as well as Tyndale and the great friendships that we have made there. Then there are the Jacobs, such amazing people. To see all the events that are taking place during the summer, and all the great opportunities that are available, makes me want to stay. Yet, for this summer I am going home. Who knows? Maybe next year I'll stick around for the summer (at least until the wedding, yippy!!)

We had planned to leave to drive back to Newfoundland this Monday so that we could go to the Freeway one more time before we leave. But, due to certain circumstances we have to leave Saturday morning, yikes! So if I do not have a chance to say goodbye, or rather see ya later, then I just did, ha! I'll miss everyone, so sad. But, I'll be back in August and I am already excited to come back to see all those wonderful faces. Take care guys, I'll be thinking about all of you. It's time for a change of scenery, but only for a while.

Love and Prayers

It's a boy!!!!

2006-04-06T19:26:00.000-07:00

If you haven't already heard the news, on Wednesday morning at 5:00 AM Malakai Byron Raymond Jacobs was born. After 9 months of anticipation we finally get to hold the little bundle of joy, what a little blessing. These are exciting times, especially when you see the proud looks on the faces of his nanna and poppy Jacobs, his auntie Shar and especially his mom!!! Take a look at this precious little man.

The Art of Worship

2006-03-30T17:26:00.000-08:00

Worship.........

A dialogue between a Father and His beloved children.

An expression of honor and reverence to our Creator.......showing devotion, profound love and adoration to the One who gives us breath.

Proclaiming His worthiness with a sense of respect.

Offering praise in adoration...offering praise with a sense of joy.

More than an intellectual and rational response. It is an act of artistic expression, reaching deep into the creativeness that is instilled within, placed there by a Creative God.

An act of confession, laying ones heart before a righteous God.

Simply saying thanks.

Sacrement....celebrating the death, burial, resurrection and ascension of our Saviour.

It is not something extra, it is essential.

It is transcendental.....transcending all barriers.

Life transforming...connecting us with the ultimate source of life.

Rejuvinating.....pouring upon us waters of refreshment.

Healing, bringing forth fullness of life.

Interactive, live, dynamic.

It's about praising God even when he doesn't seem near.

Wholistic, involving body, mind, and soul, a heart and head reaction to God.

Intimate.

Standing before God in praise and prayer, kneeling before Him in adoration, lifting up hands in awe and wonder.

Living one's life in obedience.

It is more than just a song.

Incarnational....manifesting the realities of Christ in the lives of the worshiper...not entertainment....Incarnational

A whole life offering to God, impacting all of our senses, all dimensions of our personality, and all aspects of our lives. A total life response, giving honor to God in all that we do.

It is the root of who we are as believers in Christ.

Shall we never neglect the ministry of worship, an offering to God in praise for the works of His Son through the power of the Holy Spirit as we sing.....

Take my life and let it be consecrated Lord to Thee.

Take my moments and my days; let them flow in ceaseless praise.

Take my hands and let them move at the impulse of Thy love.

Take my feet, and let them be, swift and beautiful for Thee.

Take my voice and let me sing, always. only, for my King.

Take my lips, and let them be filled with messages from Thee.

Take my silver, and my gold; not a mite would I withhold.

Take my intellect, and use every power as Thou shalt choose.

Take my will and make it Thine' it shall be no longer mine.

Take my heart, it is Thine own; it shall be Thy royal throne.

Take my love, my Lord, I pour at Thy feet its treasure store.

Take myself, and I will be ever, only all for Thee.

("Take My Life", Frances R. Havergal 1874)

It's a lifestyle!!