Random things about my week...

I picked up my long awaited police check on Tuesday and handed it into the school board. Today they called me with my official supply teaching ID# and now I'm activated on the list. Come on calls....

Yesterday was really warm and sunny out so Becky and I did our walk up the escarpment (well half way up!) and onto the Bruce trail and out through a winery. Once you get past the vicious dogs, its a great work out walk cause there are quite a few ups and downs. It takes us about an hour. When we came out into the winery, we decided to run the rest of the way. Its such a great view...you can see green everywhere with Lake Ontario not too far off and the Toronto skyline in the distance.
Oh and has anyone ever heard of these super high pitched beepers that only dogs can hear and it keeps them away from pedestrians?? I was thinking of looking into them....

I won something today.....and I was so excited cause I never win anything and I was pumped to tell Brad about it only to find out that.....he won the same thing!!! WEIRD, but TRUE! We both won 2 week memberships to Premier Fitness. It was a draw at Canadian Tire that I just decided to put my name in and a ballot with Brad's name on it. The REAL prize is a year membership and $500 CT gift certificate, but this was just the preliminary drawing for the 2 week enticement. Both our names were put back in for the big prize. Anyways, I thought that was just so weird. So maybe we'll check it out together for fun. It is a pretty great facility. I'm still hoping for the big prize though!!

Brad has been feverently working on fixing his camper van this week. He's been a little discouraged because one problem seems to lead to another problem. Poor guy! The van is not running so that means he's been working on it out on his gravel driveway, mostly in the dark every night. I've been trying to be supportive so I've been plopping my lawn chair out there with him when I can. I really don't know much about fixing cars. I've been the flashlight holder and I'm pretty sure I do a darn good job at that though!

Velvet Elvis

I'm not much of a reader. I'd like to say that I am, but I am really not. And that's why I am proud to say that I have officially finished reading a book this week called Velvet Elvis by Rob Bell....and it only took me a couple weeks!! YEAH! I came across it after I had seen one of his NOOMA videos that we watched with the kids at the drop-in centre. I'm not quite sure if I can pull off a formal book review here, but I'll tell you what I liked about it. This book is basically following this guy's thoughts on Christianity today. The subtitle on the book says, 'repainting the Christian faith' which really describes the way this guy thinks. I loved the way he is real and honest and wants Christians to know it is okay to ask questions about our faith. "Questions", he says, " are central to faith. A question by its very nature acknowledges that the person asking the question does not have all of the answers. And because the person does not have all the answers, they are looking outside themselves for guidance."
I was hooked on his train of thought as soon as I read the first chapter. He describes his book as 'one for those who need a fresh take on Jesus and what it means to live the kind of life he teaches us to live'. Although there were many parts of the book that really connected with me, I'll type this one out that I really liked near the end of the book. He's talking about how much God actually believes in us (and up to this point, has given a really clear description of what the rabbinical system was like in Jesus' day).

He says, "God has an incredibly high view of people. God believes that people are capable of amazing things.....Let's spend some time here, because the implications of this truth are astounding. A rabbi (with includes many other leaders as well as Jesus) would only pick a disciple who he thought could ACTUALLY do what he was doing. Notice how many places in the accounts of Jesus' life that he gets frustrated with his disciples. Because they are incapable? No, because of how capable they are. He sees what they could be and could do, and when they fall short, it provokes him to no end. It isn't their failure that's the problem; it's their greatness. They don't realize what they are capable of. So at the end of his time with his disciples, Jesus has some final words for them.. He tells them to go to the ends of the earth and make more disciples. And then he leaves. He promises to send His Spirit to guide them and give them power, but Jesus himself leaves the future of the movement in their hands. And he doesn't stick around to make sure they don't screw it up. He's gone. He trusts that they can actually do it."

So if you come across this book, I recommend reading it. Hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

All the little moments...

I've been taking some time this week to recognize and enjoy those moments where you feel a little outside yourself; where you can almost step outside of the situation you find yourself in and soak it up for what its worth. Let me give you an example. I had 2 conversations with 2 different old men yesterday.Now, don't go thinking about this in a creepy old man way! What I mean is the cute, really old men who just need someone to share their life stories with. I was mowing my lawn and my neighbor Mr. Macloed walked by just as I was turning the corner on the lawn near the road. I used to deliver newspapers to him back in the day and always had great conversations with him and his wife. Normally I would say hi but just continue on mowing. But instead, I decided to turn off the mower and take the time to really talk with him. It was one of those moments where you just knew that God wanted you to be there to just listen. I've been learning a lot about listening lately and the opportunity presented itself to practically apply the skill. I love it when you can sense God's design in those little moments of our lives...when you are able to just step outside yourself for that brief moment in time and serve another persons need to be heard. Later on that day, I decided to take my book, a cup of tea, a lawn chair and a blanket and head down to the lake to enjoy some reading (and as you are all probably thinking right now, yes, yes I do have some free time on my hands these days!!) It wasn't too long after I sat down, that a man pulled up and started searching through all the rocks on the shore. I noticed what he was doing, but just continued to read. After about 1/2 an hour, the man approached me with a really cool rock he had found and proceeded to enlighten me on the fascinating hobby of rock collecting!! yeah! Obviously I listened with keen interest and after a few minutes, realized that this again was another opportunity to sit patiently and be a listening ear to an old man who needed it. I chose in that moment to have no agenda, no purpose but to listen...and to speak when necessary. And its interesting how the Lord will lead because before I knew it, we were talking about my faith. And the amazing thing about it was that I had nothing to do with it. I want to have more experiences like that...where even for a brief moment, I am able to step outside myself and allow the Lord to give me new eyes to experience those situations from His perspective. And I want to recognize those times when the Lord asks me to let go of my own agenda so I can fully experience His.

Mmmmmm.....grapes!!

I wish I could capture the smell of this picture. It is one of my favourite smells in the world and it only lasts for a few weeks each year. Brad and I took a nice Sunday afternoon drive along the many beautiful roads around here and captured this shot. Vineyards are ripening all over the region and as you drive around, you can smell the sweet grapes everywhere. You just keep breathing in and breathing in to maximize the sweet aroma that lingers around the vineyards. Some vineyards already smell like fermented grapes, while others are just starting to ripen. And some grapes will stay on the vines until the middle of winter when they are harvested for ice wine. The smell always signifys the beginning of fall and I look forward to it every year. I just wish I could put it in a bottle!!!

So now what do I do?

So I'm not quite sure what to do with myself these days. I mean, I can always find things TO DO, but what I really mean is the bigger scale of 'what to do with myself'. The job scene is looking a little bare right now. I applied to some job positions that opened up this past week, but no interview calls. The positions were mostly .5 or .25 contracts that were created since classes needed to be rearranged or newly created as the actual number of students increased from the progrected enrolments back in the spring. I had my sights on a few positions in particular, but who am I admist the hundreds of teachers wanting that same position? I am, however, on the supply teaching list (or for some of you westerners, substitute teaching list) here in the Niagara school board. So for that, I am thankful. We had our official meeting at the board office this week to set up our accounts and give us all the information on how the automated calling system works. Most of us were all set to be activated on the list, except for one little glitch.....our up-to-date police checks. It is policy that no teacher can officially start supply teaching without an up to date check. This does make sense, except for the fact that having just come out of teachers college and gone through this process a couple times already, you'd think that I'd be good to go. Apparently it appears as if there is a chance I could have committed a crime within the last couple weeks, because my last police check expired only at the end of August. Hmmphhh!! So now I have to get a new one, fork out another $40 from my pocket and wait until its all processed so that I can officially enter the classroom. Many of my friends are in the same boat and we're all a little discouraged. We decided to take the trip to Hamilton, where they guarantee a 2 week processing time, in order to speed up the process. For some reason it takes 6-8 weeks in Niagara, and that would be a long time to wait to start teaching. So here I wait again. I mean, it is nice to have this phase in my life to actually slow down and rest and not be crazy busy, but I am getting antsy. I've been hanging out and catching up with several of my 'stat-at-home-mom' friends, which has been great, although a little weird since I am not yet either a wife or a mom!! I'm learning a lot though!! I am thankful to my parents who graciously allow to me to still live at home and have been a great support during this time. God's timing will always be perfect and I am continuing on in this journey of learning to trust and rest and wait.

Waiting

Waiting requires patient trust. That short statement is filled with three big words - waiting, patience and trust! Words that require action in order to be fullfilled. I must choose to wait by an act of my will, giving up my own plans so that I can allow the Lord to fullfill His plan in His own time. That is the trusting part....His own time. This is where I tend to get ahead of God and think I know what He wants and start planning it away. I am learning again and again to stop and listen. I read in a book today that 'what we wait for is not more important than what happens to us while we are waiting.'.....and its true. I love how the Lord knows exactly the situations we are going to face and exactly what we need to learn as we go through them. It's perfect... we just need to take the time to recognize it.

Trust

I've been learning a lot about TRUST lately. Actually, if I think about it, it has been a theme in many areas of my life for the past few months really. Letting go of control is such a hard thing for me to deal with. It is instictive and most of the time, I am totally unaware of its tight grip. But again and again, I hear God's quiet voice telling me to let go and give up my ideas, my plans and the way I best see fit. I know in my head that God has his best in mind for me, yet there is a part of me that doesn't always believe that. Because if I did, I wouldn't worry about having everything under control. Trusting God is hardest when we can't see what's ahead. Its easy to trust Him when everything is going good, but uncertainty creates a sense a fear and fear disrupts faith and becomes the biggest obstacle to trusting and obeying God.
I've been reading a book by John Ortberg called, "If You Want to Walk on Water, You've Got to Get Out of the Boat". I read this book about 4 years ago actually with a small group, but I found it again before the summer and started reading through it again. It's been quite timely. The book is about experiencing the thrill of living by faith by having the courage to step out of our comfort zones. I'm looking over the edge of many of my comfort zones these days...not knowing what's ahead and what the plans God has in store for me. I have many ideas, but the hardest part is not getting ahead of God. I want to learn to wait, which I think really is the ultimate test of trust. Learning to rest in His plan and live in obedience to Him daily is my goal. I want to experience the fullness of His plan and for once in my life, not get carried away with my own. Its hard, but I want it. I know it will be better that way. So here's to learning to trust....

Some birthday party pictures

Making sure this video thing still works...

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Jenna's going to the Philippines

Today I have to say goodbye to one of my best friends. I hate goodbyes! Jenna is leaving for 2 years to go to the Phillipines to become a midwife. I am so proud of her for taking this huge step in her life and can't wait to hear about all the adventures she will be having. But it's hard to imagine the next 2 years here without her as she has become so much apart of me and my family's life. The girls and I spent our last night out together last week as Becky and Julie have been up at camp this week and had to say goodbye to Jenna a bit early. We had a great night, although our emotions were definetly all over the place. We hit up Niagara Falls and ended up going on the new skywheel. I wasn't really aware of my fear of heights until we got up there. I must say, it is a cool view of the city and falls, but the fact that we were just hanging in this little box in the sky freaked me out a little. Anyways, it was a blast.Love you girls tons and Jenna, you will be missed so much.