This Christmas was wonderful! This is the first Christmas I remember actually enjoying the entire day! There was no fighting, no arguing, no awkward or tense moments. Just good food, good conversation and fun!
This year we weren't with the Waugh side of the family.
Now don't get me wrong, I love my family. I really do. It's just that we don't have the "Hallmark movie christmas moments" like most of the families I know! It's always a bit awkward and tense. But we love each other, in our own special ways.
This year about a week or so before Christmas I went to an evening church service in town. The pastor there spoke an amazing sermon that touched me! He talked about advent and how it is a quiet time of expectation for the coming Savior. He talked about Old Testament times, when the people knew a Messiah was coming they just didn't know quite when. The expectation and anticipation they had of that coming day! I wonder what it was like. I constantly forget the true meaning of Christmas. I get so caught up in the purchasing of gifts for others, the Christmas events in town, the Bethlehem Walk, the Christmas dinner to help prepare and how to make things less tense at our family gathering. Not that those are bad things it's just that I forget that over 2000 years ago there was an entire generation of people waiting for a Savior. Truly waiting for Him to save them.
Bah! I don't even know how to word what I am thinking. I'm just happy that GOD came to earth and made a way for us to be with Him again. I also need to remember that there is another time He is coming! And that I should be anticipating and expecting that as well! Sometimes I get too comfortable here in earth. But this is not my home, there is a better place for me yet!! I need to remember to be in a state of waiting for the Messiah to come and get me!!
I hope everyone had a blessed Christmas!
Friday, December 28, 2007
Wednesday, December 12, 2007
That's something new...
So yesterday I had to go to Saskatoon to the eye specialist again (for those of you who don't know that entire journey I plan to blog it soon so stay tuned!) What a scene! I have to drive almost 4 hours to Saskatoon (I also had to leave at 4:30am to get to my 9:00 appointment, grrrr!) then I sit in the waiting room for almost an hour. When I do finally get in to see the doc this is what happens.
He shakes my hand, asks me how I am doing and we small talk for about 40 seconds. Then he puts a flashlight on his head and picks up the little eye magnifier. He puts it to my right eye and says, "Look left...look right...look up...look down...look right again..." Then he puts it to my left eye and says, "Look right...look left...look up...look down...thank you." After that he puts down the eye magnifier, takes the flashlight off his head sits down in his chair and says, "everything is excellent, come back in a year and then after that if everything is still good I won't need to see you anymore." I thank him and walk out of the office. I was in there for maaaaybe 2 minutes! Crazy I tell ya!
Anyway so now I know what I will be doing December 15, 2008 at 9:10am...that's an entire year away! That NEVER happens to me! I rarely know what I am doing 2 days in advance! I don't think I have ever known a year in advance something that would be specifically happening in my life...I don't think! The real miracle will be if I remember I have a doctor's appointment a year from now!
He shakes my hand, asks me how I am doing and we small talk for about 40 seconds. Then he puts a flashlight on his head and picks up the little eye magnifier. He puts it to my right eye and says, "Look left...look right...look up...look down...look right again..." Then he puts it to my left eye and says, "Look right...look left...look up...look down...thank you." After that he puts down the eye magnifier, takes the flashlight off his head sits down in his chair and says, "everything is excellent, come back in a year and then after that if everything is still good I won't need to see you anymore." I thank him and walk out of the office. I was in there for maaaaybe 2 minutes! Crazy I tell ya!
Anyway so now I know what I will be doing December 15, 2008 at 9:10am...that's an entire year away! That NEVER happens to me! I rarely know what I am doing 2 days in advance! I don't think I have ever known a year in advance something that would be specifically happening in my life...I don't think! The real miracle will be if I remember I have a doctor's appointment a year from now!
Sunday, November 11, 2007
The First Snow...
There are many emotions that pass through me during the first snow of the winter. First I feel happy inside. The fluffy, white snowflakes falling gently to earth blanketing everything in a pillowy whitness makes everything seem...cozy. I look out the window and I smile.
Then my thoughts turn to the snow shovel I can see just out of the corner of my eye. This bring to mind a somewhat exasperated emotion. Not that shovelling snow is a horrid thing, I just get tired of it!
But then shovelling snow makes me think about skating out on the lake! Which makes me think of building snowmen, making the perfect snow angel and sledding! I feel a kid like giddiness swell up inside on me of all the months of fun to be had!
This brings me to thoughts of how long winter is. Month after month of snow and cold. I may be a Canadian but after Christmas is over I am ready for winter to be too. The emotion that comes with this train of thought is weariness.
But then I remember, "Oh yeah, Christmas! With that one words feelings of joy and thankfulness flood my being! I adore Christmas! I adore what it stands for, I adore the traditional activities that come along with it, I just adore everything about it!
And so I continue to look out my window at the first gentle snowflakes making their soft decent into the world and I continue to smile...
Sunday, October 28, 2007
Full of crab meat and content
Today was a great day! First off I had an awesome hair and outfit day, that always makes a girl happy! Then I actually got to go to the adult Sunday School class because none of my students showed up (I know that may be a strange thing to be happy about but hey.) Then during church a whole whack of my youth group friends that I grew up with showed up! (You see my youth group pretty much married each other and now are all related so when one comes home they all come home!)
Then after church Debbie and I went to Rick and Colette's house for lunch. After lunch we wound up just hanging out all afternoon, talking and having a good time. We also wound up calling Cory who as well came to hang out. We hung out for so long that we all wound up staying for supper! (I used the phrase 'wound up' a lot up there, my English teacher would be angry!) We had a crab leg feast! Which reminds me, I think I may be intollerant to shell fish... but that's besides the point.
I love hanging out with Rick, Colette, Debbie and Cory. It just makes my day! it's amazing what a little fellowship with good friends can do for your heart and soul. After today I walked home content and happier then I've been for a few days. We had some good laughs, discussed some important points brought up in church today, I got to hold baby Jordan (he puked on me but that's okay, baby puke isn't that gross!) we played a game and I got to play with Trenace for a solid 20 minutes! It was a good day indeed!
Then after church Debbie and I went to Rick and Colette's house for lunch. After lunch we wound up just hanging out all afternoon, talking and having a good time. We also wound up calling Cory who as well came to hang out. We hung out for so long that we all wound up staying for supper! (I used the phrase 'wound up' a lot up there, my English teacher would be angry!) We had a crab leg feast! Which reminds me, I think I may be intollerant to shell fish... but that's besides the point.
I love hanging out with Rick, Colette, Debbie and Cory. It just makes my day! it's amazing what a little fellowship with good friends can do for your heart and soul. After today I walked home content and happier then I've been for a few days. We had some good laughs, discussed some important points brought up in church today, I got to hold baby Jordan (he puked on me but that's okay, baby puke isn't that gross!) we played a game and I got to play with Trenace for a solid 20 minutes! It was a good day indeed!
Thursday, October 25, 2007
Oh children
I havn't posted for a while. Mostly because I havn't known what to think or say. After writing my big post about finally being happy in Loon Lake I became very unhappy. Why is it so hard for me to be content? I know that if I did leave Loon Lake right now and pursue something else I would be often thinking back to Loon Lake and everything going on here. So why can't I be content here? It's a very strange thing.
Maybe I just need to go on a trip for a little while, I weekend away. Good thing Youthedge is coming up soon!
I've become involved in a lot of Children's Ministries this year. I help out at 2 different Kids Clubs and I teach Sunday School for age 6-9ish. There is also a bit of camp follow up going on that is kid friendly. Through all this I have discovered...I don't really enjoy children's ministry all that much. Now don't get me wrong I like kids and I like hanging out with them but I don't so much like teaching them. It scares me a little bit. Even though their cute, kids can be intimidating! Now that I know this about myself I still need to stick with all thes things I've committed to for the year. And that's okay, GOD can work even through me and my lack of kids skills!
Maybe I just need to go on a trip for a little while, I weekend away. Good thing Youthedge is coming up soon!
I've become involved in a lot of Children's Ministries this year. I help out at 2 different Kids Clubs and I teach Sunday School for age 6-9ish. There is also a bit of camp follow up going on that is kid friendly. Through all this I have discovered...I don't really enjoy children's ministry all that much. Now don't get me wrong I like kids and I like hanging out with them but I don't so much like teaching them. It scares me a little bit. Even though their cute, kids can be intimidating! Now that I know this about myself I still need to stick with all thes things I've committed to for the year. And that's okay, GOD can work even through me and my lack of kids skills!
Friday, October 12, 2007
The difference
Last year at this time I was already discouraged with living in Loon Lake, I dreaded going to church on Sunday morning and I dispised going to work. Last year at about this time I was looking for an out, I had mentally packed my bags and rented an apartment in Regina! You see I had moved to Loon lake very eager to do ministry. I had hoped to get involved in youth ministry, along with being involved in the church and other such things. Well to make a long story short, (because the long story is very long and very dramatic) things didn't pan out the way I had hoped last year. I was pretty much a very discouraged, lonely and unhappy girl.
I didn't want to. But I stayed.
This year, completly different story. I am very involved at church which makes me so happy, tomorrow is my first night of helping with a youth group, I enjoy the jobs I have (they works well with everything else going on in my life) and I am happy here!
So what was last year all about?
The main lesson I learned last year, that was so hard for me was not running away. Ever since I was probably 7 or 8 I have ran away from things that make me unhappy, or uncomforable. I have ran away when things get a bit too intense or me or scary. I have ran away from the unknown and untrusted. Over the past 16 years I have gone through a lotof runing shoes you could say! But last year when I was so unhappy, when uncomfortable situations were coming at me from allaround and when the first and only thing I wanted to do was tie on a new pair of running shoes and race away for all I was worth God firmly and lovingly said, "No. This time you stay."
And I did, for the first time in 16 years I didn't run away. I'm still here and glad about it! Isn't GOD strange? In a good way though! I'd say thanks to Him this girl has put away the running shoes, maybe I'll invest in some comfy slippers, moccasins even!
I didn't want to. But I stayed.
This year, completly different story. I am very involved at church which makes me so happy, tomorrow is my first night of helping with a youth group, I enjoy the jobs I have (they works well with everything else going on in my life) and I am happy here!
So what was last year all about?
The main lesson I learned last year, that was so hard for me was not running away. Ever since I was probably 7 or 8 I have ran away from things that make me unhappy, or uncomforable. I have ran away when things get a bit too intense or me or scary. I have ran away from the unknown and untrusted. Over the past 16 years I have gone through a lotof runing shoes you could say! But last year when I was so unhappy, when uncomfortable situations were coming at me from allaround and when the first and only thing I wanted to do was tie on a new pair of running shoes and race away for all I was worth God firmly and lovingly said, "No. This time you stay."
And I did, for the first time in 16 years I didn't run away. I'm still here and glad about it! Isn't GOD strange? In a good way though! I'd say thanks to Him this girl has put away the running shoes, maybe I'll invest in some comfy slippers, moccasins even!
Monday, October 8, 2007
I am thankful for...
...a roof over my head on these cold, cold nights
...a job with which I can support myself
...my education
...my mum and papa
...Debbie, Colette and Rick...I would be lost without them here!
...the ways GOD has enabled me to serve Him this year in the church
...late night discussions about outreach and the church
...Jenny (You know I love you for calling me today!)
...my car
...my MRI being all clear and me being MS free!
...my SBBC family
...my Healing Hearts family
And that's just a start! Happy Thanksgiving everyone!
...a job with which I can support myself
...my education
...my mum and papa
...Debbie, Colette and Rick...I would be lost without them here!
...the ways GOD has enabled me to serve Him this year in the church
...late night discussions about outreach and the church
...Jenny (You know I love you for calling me today!)
...my car
...my MRI being all clear and me being MS free!
...my SBBC family
...my Healing Hearts family
And that's just a start! Happy Thanksgiving everyone!
Wednesday, October 3, 2007
Fake eyes
About 3 0r 4 times a year I put on eye make-up. I take my time getting eyeliner on evenly, I pick out the shades of eyeshadow I think would compliment me that day and I blend it nicely. Sometimes I even put a little bit of mascara on, just for that extra umph. Then I look at myself in the mirror and I think, "Joni. This looks so fake." So I wash it all off.
Wednesday, September 26, 2007
A 3 year olds prayer
I have recently had the blessing of caring for the cutest 3 year old fostor boy during the day while his fostor mom is at work! He is just adorable and always says the cutest things! An example of this...
It's meal time and I ask him is he would like to pray for the meal. He gets a shy look on his face and says, "Yeeeeeessss" So I hold his hand, close my eyes and wait. That's when this little voice says, "Dank you for da pizza...dank you for outside...aaaaaaaand...dank you for pop. Da end!"
My heart done gone and melted just like the cheese on the pizza I had made!
It's meal time and I ask him is he would like to pray for the meal. He gets a shy look on his face and says, "Yeeeeeessss" So I hold his hand, close my eyes and wait. That's when this little voice says, "Dank you for da pizza...dank you for outside...aaaaaaaand...dank you for pop. Da end!"
My heart done gone and melted just like the cheese on the pizza I had made!
Thursday, September 13, 2007
Cheesy Movies With Good Lessons
This past weekend Debbie and I decided to invite some teeny bopper girls over to watch a movie. We watched Aquamarina, it's a pretty cheesy and lame movie made by the Family Channel but I was pleasantly suprised by the lesson that came out of it. In case you havn't seen the movie and were planning to I am going to give away the ending in this blog. Just so ya know!
The story is about a mermaid who has "swam away from home" to prove to her father that love exists. If she isn't able to prove this in three days she is going to have to return home and be married to a merman of her fathers choosing. (I told you, it's lame!) So she comes ashore and meets two teenage girls who befriend her and agree to help her out. She meets a cute guy and starts to get to know him, all in the effort to find love. The movie goes on, she astounds the cute boy, her friendships with the two girls deepens and it all appears to be working out for her. It's day three of the agreement with her father and she must prove to him love is real. So she asks the cute guy if he loves her.
I know what you're all expecting. A classic cheesy line of his undying love for her, a romantic (family channel approved) kiss, a sunset and a happy song! That's what I was expecting! But instead he says, "I like you yeah but love? We only just met. Why do we have to be in love right now?" In my mind I was like, "Yeah! Way to go Family Channel!" And so the mermaid girl is all dismayed and her father is trying to pull her back to sea, the two girls she has befriended jump in to rescue her, it's all very dramatic! Ther mermaid asks, "Why would you do all of this for me?" and the one girl answers, "Because we love you Aquamarine!" The ocean is calmed, the wind settles and the happy music plays. The girls have proved to Aquamarine's father that love really does exist.
As I was sitting there with three 14-16 year olds who latley are all about boys and 'falling in love' I was happy this was how the movie ended; that love in friendship was elevated and romantic love was encouraged to grow with time.
The story is about a mermaid who has "swam away from home" to prove to her father that love exists. If she isn't able to prove this in three days she is going to have to return home and be married to a merman of her fathers choosing. (I told you, it's lame!) So she comes ashore and meets two teenage girls who befriend her and agree to help her out. She meets a cute guy and starts to get to know him, all in the effort to find love. The movie goes on, she astounds the cute boy, her friendships with the two girls deepens and it all appears to be working out for her. It's day three of the agreement with her father and she must prove to him love is real. So she asks the cute guy if he loves her.
I know what you're all expecting. A classic cheesy line of his undying love for her, a romantic (family channel approved) kiss, a sunset and a happy song! That's what I was expecting! But instead he says, "I like you yeah but love? We only just met. Why do we have to be in love right now?" In my mind I was like, "Yeah! Way to go Family Channel!" And so the mermaid girl is all dismayed and her father is trying to pull her back to sea, the two girls she has befriended jump in to rescue her, it's all very dramatic! Ther mermaid asks, "Why would you do all of this for me?" and the one girl answers, "Because we love you Aquamarine!" The ocean is calmed, the wind settles and the happy music plays. The girls have proved to Aquamarine's father that love really does exist.
As I was sitting there with three 14-16 year olds who latley are all about boys and 'falling in love' I was happy this was how the movie ended; that love in friendship was elevated and romantic love was encouraged to grow with time.
Wednesday, September 5, 2007
just a random memory...
It was the end of second year (at Millar College of the Bible) and finals were finally over. Stress was melting away and the time to go home and leave friends was drawing near. Amy, Tyler, Nathan, Andy, Anthony and myself decided to celebrate the end of finals by aquiring late leave and going on a donut run. So the six of us piled into my five passenger car. Nathan, one of the tallest boys I know, decided that he was going to sit in the middle between Amy and I in the front of the car. I tried to convince him otherwise saying that he wouldn't fit and would be all cramped up ater the 45 minute drive. But he would not be convinced otherwise, he was bound and determined to sit in the front. So off we went, Nathan all bent over inbetween Amy and I.
We arrived at Tim Horton's, ordered and sat around eating, talking and laughing. David was working at Tim Horton's that year so Andy went up and was conversing with him. The thing is though, he wouldn't leave once we were ready! You see we had big plans to now go to Dairy Queen and get some ice-cream! Andy refused to listen to reason and remained in Tim Horton's talking to David. Finally the rest of us simply went out to the car thinking that he would of course follow us. He didn't. So what do we decide to do? What else then go through the drive through?! When we got to the order speaker I promtly ordered, "One Andy Rapko to go please!" Next thing I hear is Andy talking over the Tim Horton's Drive through telling us he will be out in a minute.On the drive home I convinced Nathan that he should drive and let me sit in the middle this time. He happily agreed to that! Little did the three of us in the front know just what was going on in the backseat...
Andy and Anthony had decided that they were too hot and had long since shed their jackets. The next thing they decided to shed was their shirts. Tyler was unaware as he was looking out the window. But apparently he looked over to find two bare chested men sitting beside him. Appaled he hissed, "what are you guys doing?" They shushed him and continued sitting in their shirtless glory. Nathan for some reason turned on the intirior light and I glanced into the backseat to find Andy and Anthony without shirts on, in MY car! I promptly shrieked! Amy turned around to see what was going on and promtly yelled at those two guys who had the audacity to take their shirts off around us! There was a huge kirfuffle as the guys tried to convince us that they had been too hot so of course they had to take off their shirts. At this point Tyler (one of the most polite, calm people you could meet) yelled at the top of his lungs, "How can you be too hot? I have my jacket on and I am not boiling!" Thus Nathan blasted cold air until Andy and Anthony put their shirts back on!
What fun we had at Millar, laughing and joking together!
We arrived at Tim Horton's, ordered and sat around eating, talking and laughing. David was working at Tim Horton's that year so Andy went up and was conversing with him. The thing is though, he wouldn't leave once we were ready! You see we had big plans to now go to Dairy Queen and get some ice-cream! Andy refused to listen to reason and remained in Tim Horton's talking to David. Finally the rest of us simply went out to the car thinking that he would of course follow us. He didn't. So what do we decide to do? What else then go through the drive through?! When we got to the order speaker I promtly ordered, "One Andy Rapko to go please!" Next thing I hear is Andy talking over the Tim Horton's Drive through telling us he will be out in a minute.On the drive home I convinced Nathan that he should drive and let me sit in the middle this time. He happily agreed to that! Little did the three of us in the front know just what was going on in the backseat...
Andy and Anthony had decided that they were too hot and had long since shed their jackets. The next thing they decided to shed was their shirts. Tyler was unaware as he was looking out the window. But apparently he looked over to find two bare chested men sitting beside him. Appaled he hissed, "what are you guys doing?" They shushed him and continued sitting in their shirtless glory. Nathan for some reason turned on the intirior light and I glanced into the backseat to find Andy and Anthony without shirts on, in MY car! I promptly shrieked! Amy turned around to see what was going on and promtly yelled at those two guys who had the audacity to take their shirts off around us! There was a huge kirfuffle as the guys tried to convince us that they had been too hot so of course they had to take off their shirts. At this point Tyler (one of the most polite, calm people you could meet) yelled at the top of his lungs, "How can you be too hot? I have my jacket on and I am not boiling!" Thus Nathan blasted cold air until Andy and Anthony put their shirts back on!
What fun we had at Millar, laughing and joking together!
Monday, August 27, 2007
Some people gotta learn the hard way...
You know that old DC talk song? In youth group my friends used to joke aorund saying that was the theme song from my life. I don't think I've changed much since then...
A friend said to me the other day, "I like how all your stories are about how hard the circumstances were but GOD pulled you through. Like all your stories."
I didn't really know how to respond at the moment so I simply smiled and laughed a little, not denying it because it is true I think. After a while I was thinking about it again and I wondered why all my stories follow that pattern.
I think maybe I am a slow learner.
If I would just obey GOD and learn to be joyful no matter what the circumstances then it wouldn't seem so hard at the time. For some situations that I go through anyway. Or maybe if I trusted GOD more then my life stories would take on a different theme.
I just don't know quite yet.
A friend said to me the other day, "I like how all your stories are about how hard the circumstances were but GOD pulled you through. Like all your stories."
I didn't really know how to respond at the moment so I simply smiled and laughed a little, not denying it because it is true I think. After a while I was thinking about it again and I wondered why all my stories follow that pattern.
I think maybe I am a slow learner.
If I would just obey GOD and learn to be joyful no matter what the circumstances then it wouldn't seem so hard at the time. For some situations that I go through anyway. Or maybe if I trusted GOD more then my life stories would take on a different theme.
I just don't know quite yet.
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