Edmonton - Part 2 :)

I am still having a wonderful time here! It's a pleasant mixture of fun, busy activities and also relaxation and doing absolutely nothing :)
Monday - Me and my lovely hostess went and had tea with a married lady from Ireland and her cute baby girl, so that was lovely to talk about all things British :) , then I managed to finish the last book in a series, which was great to end all that suspense! And that day finished by playing a great word game with the couple I'm staying with, and having a heated discussion on whether 'ping' is a word :)
Tuesday - We had a full day at Fort Edmonton Park. You can check that out at this website: http://www.fortedmontonpark.ca/ That was followed by a great evening at a friend's house with a few other people, and my first bonfire on this trip! It was lovely :)
Today's plans are to get dropped off at the Legislature Building and get a free tour inside, then there is a self-guided tour of the grounds. I may just take a book and read under a tree too :) Then I am out for supper with friends :)
The rest of my time here included busy plans as well but those will be blogged later.

In case you are wondering why I am being so detailed, it's mostly for my own benefit! I'm doing this so I don't forget what I did on what day, or the different things I did on my trip. To all of my family reading this, I miss you lots and I will see you soon!

Edmonton :)

Well here I am in a new place! It's actually rather bizarre as I have to actually remind myself that I have never been here before. I guess it's because I know so many people from here, but I have just always seen them in other places and not here! I got here on Thursday (the 23rd) and am here till Labor Day Monday. I'm staying with a great couple and their 3 adorable boys. It has been SO great to enjoy the simple pleasures of a vacation and not feel guilty! For example, we went to a Christian book store yesterday and I treated myself to a new book (a biography) and it was so gripping that I read half the book in the afternoon, without a little voice in my head telling me that I should be doing something else instead :)
Then in the evening, the sun came out and it was gorgeous! There were around 15 people over and we had a great volleyball game, and I was actually convinced (or persuaded) to play...and for those people who know me, that is no small feat! Many laughs were had by all, so much so that my ribs are still aching this morning :)
The plan for today is to have a lazy morning then I am potentially going with a friend to 'Whyte Avenue'...doesn't that sound so classy? It's like that famous Ave. in New York....5th Ave? Here is a link to see what it is about:http://www.tripadvisor.com/Travel-g154914-d156146/Edmonton:Alberta:Whyte.Avenue.html

Anyways...that is what I have been up to thus far :)

On a Journey :)

With my present summer job, I drive a total of 90 minutes every day to and from work. It is because of this that I have been constantly reminded of journeys, and what is involved. Then, because those 90 minutes can be rather boring, I started to think and to link it to life and I was amazed at how appropriate the saying "Life is a journey" really is. A certain girl reading this will get the private joke associated with that phrase ;) The following is a list of things that are a part of a journey and how they apply to life :)

- Dates: This is rather straightforward, as our birth date is the beginning of the journey and our death is the end.
- Preparations: Booking flights, hotels, transportation etc is vital to having a successful time! What is life without goals and dreams? To drift through aimlessly is such a waste - prepare! (for more on this see my post "Time...then Eternity").
-Luggage/Baggage: I had an interesting thought on this the other day. Many times when we say someone has a lot of 'baggage' re. life, it is often shed in a negative light and sometimes, the baggage may be negative. Yet think how ridiculous it would be to go on a long journey and have absolutely no baggage! It would be crazy. It is perfectly fine to have 'baggage' so long as it is the right kind. What is the right kind? Good baggage includes experiences (not regrets), memories that help (and not weigh one down), the love of family (not their disapproval), and the support of friends (not their rejection). It would be rather puzzling if someone, say teenagers and up, had no 'baggage' whatsoever. That would show that they had not taken risks, that they had not gained from poor experiences etc.
- Destination: Eternity :) Life is just the stepping stone...the bridge between. But remember, life is not a dress rehearsal. We only get 1 life - live it well.
-Distance: Sometimes, if we have never gone to a place before, we are unsure of how long it will take. These days, things like Map Quest, GPS or Google Maps, can aid in that. But think of the days before those things existed. When settlers on the prairies moved out West, they had NO idea how long it would take them! I think you can make the connection, that life can be taken at any time - no one knows how long they will live.
- Entertainment: It is always important to keep the destination in mind, so we can travel the journey accordingly. However, the flip side of that is don't get so caught up in the end that you miss the here and now. Don't miss the cool mountains, the ocean, the other funny things you may see on the side of the road. Don't blow past tiny towns or breeze through crazy cities. Enjoy the trip. Music, conversations, friends, family etc. always make literal trips fun! Life needs fun :)
-Difficulties: No trip is complete without something going wrong! Whether it be the car breaking down, or losing luggage or missing connections, something is bound to happen. Yet when the trip is over, those 'trials' become fun memories that add to the experience of the trip! An anonymous person once said, "If the mountain (life) was smooth, you couldn't climb it." Turn the difficulties into something good. :)
-Food/Fuel: Also vitally important! The first is for you, the second is the means to keep you going! If you ignore either, the journey ends. "If you fuel your journey on the opinions of others, you are going to run out of gas.” Suicide is a dreadful thing and most of the time it is because the individual has lost the will and motivation to live. How sad. They didn't fuel the fire of life. Make time for these important stops - it will make a difference in the long run!

This was longer than I anticipated - but the next time you go on a journey, whether it be short or long, think of life. Make your life the best trip and journey ever! And have fun along the way :) If I have missed something, or you would like to add something - please do!

What is peace?

Peace. I believe that word conjures up both a general definition and also a personal connotation. Everybody in the world knows what peace is, whether from the enjoyment of it, or the lack of it in their lives. At all the world conferences there is a quest for 'world peace'. Personally, I think we will never attain that until individuals learn what peace is personally.
There are many peaceful scenes that can be pictured. A lake as calm as glass, the house when all the kids are in bed asleep, the roar of a consistent ocean, standing outside in the country and looking up at all the stars, a perfect sunset or sunrise, and the list could go on. God has placed many things in nature that remind us of peace.
I used to think that peace was not having any rough situations in life, nothing to 'rock the boat'. Now, through experience and through the experiences of others, I know that is not the case. Peace is something I can have no matter what life tosses my way. See, I know the one who is the Prince of Peace :) In fact, many many years before Christ was born, there was a prophecy stating that He is such - Isaiah 9:6, "For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon His shoulder, and His name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace."
When one is a prince, they rule over something and they bestow of their wealth and possessions, so it is here. What assurance that the peace I have comes from the one who created that peace, and who freely gives it to those who seek Him. 
There are two symbolic examples of peace which I love, as a reminder to myself. The first, and not one I see often where I live, is the ocean after a storm. From the water crashing over the rocks, to boats being tossed up and down, to lives being in  as a result... then to utter serenity. The same water that was crashing, now laps gently on the shore. The boats once tossed, now anchor safe and secure, and lives can enjoy the sea once again.
The other example, and one that is quite frequent in the summer, is the calm after a thunderstorm. When the wind has died down, and the rain gone away....there is a sweet atmosphere to be felt and enjoyed. So it is with life. Only with Jesus Christ, the peace can be enjoyed before, DURING and after the storm. A favorite verse of mine is found in Isaiah 26:3 - "You will keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on You, because he trusts in you."
A song that I have so often enjoyed is sung by a group called Sanctus Real and it's called, "Whatever you're doing." I've posted the link below so you can listen to it:

"Whatever you're doing, inside of me
It feels like chaos, but somehow there's peace
And though it's hard to surrender to what I can't see,
I'm giving in to something heavenly." 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XfZ3THjUcs0


Tell me, what is peace to you?

Being an English Major...and why it is THE best :)

For those of you reading this who are not English majors, you may disagree with the title but hear me out :) For those of you who are and agree, enjoy the following and let me know your thoughts :) For those who are wondering what on earth I mean, I mean a major in a university degree not the nationality of a position in the Army! This post is for those people who, after asking what my major is and I tell them, go..."Whaaat?? Why?! Why would you choose THAT?" To which I sometimes reply, "Why not?" :)
I know that many fellow students (and those who are coming to school or those who have completed it) may have had a struggle settling on a major. However, that was never an issue for me. Ever since I can remember I have loved the subject of English, both the mechanics (grammar, punctuation and all that) and the literature. It grew from a love of spelling and being so proud of always making it to the top 3 kids of the class spelling bees, to loving the books studied in junior high and high school to being excited about extremely focused courses in university. I was THRILLED upon receiving the course guide and seeing a full-year, 6 credit hour course in Shakespeare alone. Absolutely great. Since being at uni I have taken courses in Canadian literature, Middle English texts, Shakespeare, literature from the Romantic period, texts written by female authors, Victorian poetry and 20th century American drama. Such variety! There are so many more I would love to take but I have run out of time!
There are 2 simple reasons why I chose English as my major. 1. I love English :) 2. Because it is my declared major I have to take many, many courses and hours (36 hours to be exact) to complete it - therefore forcing me to take the subject I love :)
Setting aside the major aspect of it, there are other reasons why I love English. To me there is something very thrilling about reading/studying a piece of literature that was written many decades, or even centuries ago, and finding that the author has perfectly conveyed my own thoughts and emotions that I am experiencing that day. OR, in more general terms, the way they convey ideas and arguments in such creative ways! The human race has not changed. All the same emotions are felt. And English literature, to me, spans generations and time eras and ties it all together.
For those friends and family reading this who know that I am awful in math and the sciences...this is why. It is because in Math there is only 1 right answer...only 1! Science is mostly theories, some proven, some not. English? No one right answer. It is a matter of opinions, thoughts and the ability to express them and to draw them out of what you are reading and substantiate it with evidence from the text. And it is THIS that has provided the fuel and material for the countless English classes at uni shared with great friends (you know who you are!), the memories that have been made, the life lessons that have been learned, the experiences with different profs and the overall enjoyment of literature :) That is why it is THE best.

Time.....then Eternity

I wrote this about a week and a half ago after the sudden passing of a friend of mine at the beginning of June. I hope these simple thoughts challenge and bless you as they have me.

How ironic it is that it takes someone to die to teach someone to live.  Yet that is what happened to me. When a friend of mine passed from earth into eternity, it made me realize how vital it is that my life while here on earth needs to be lived in light of that great eternity. I grieved not the life that was lost but the loss of the life I had already lived. If I knew I was to die in 5 minutes, I would be frantic with regret of things I have not done or said, or things I should not have done or said. How is it then that many times in Scripture we are taught that very thing and yet it ceases to be a habit of our lives? Acts 17:25 states that God “gives to all life and breath…”or Proverbs 27:1, “Do not boast about tomorrow, for you do not know what a day may bring.”Why then, do our lives not follow this mindset?

When my friend died, I realized what an oxymoron life truly is. Life is a gift and yet is a gift that we know for a fact, will at some point be taken from us. We should never live life as though we are counting on or certain of the future, but rather to live a life that is planned for the future. One may ask what the difference is. As a human being and soul, there is nothing more important in this temporary life than being prepared for the life that is to follow. Without God in my life, true life ceases to exist and life becomes a mundane ritual that has no purpose. Yet if I were to live with the mindset in my life, that there will always be tomorrow, then that wrongly portrays what life is to God. Life is God’s gift to me, what I do with that life is my gift to God. That verse in Acts states that “God gives”, many a time at funerals the verse from Job is read, “The LORD gave, and the LORD has taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD.” Life is a gift! For any other gift, I am thankful, I am grateful, I may be rendered speechless with the generosity of it and I use it or spend it wisely because it is that – a gift. Why then is life – something far more priceless than anything else I could receive- treated with such indifference?

Even though my friend’s life was cut short at age 17, he left behind a full memory and lasting legacy. This too, dramatically shifted my view on my own life. What is the sole purpose of my life? Is it to ultimately bring glory to God? I must reply in shame that my selfish heart answers no. And yet what greater purpose can there be, than to bring glory to my Creator and Savior? So I have resolved to set goals and a means of direction to my life which is in tune with the will of God, and thus by me, with His help, seeking to carry out that will, I may bring glory to His person. However, we must not forget that God has blessed us with countless gifts along the journey. When is the last time I appreciated the things He has placed directly in my life to remind me of Him and His goodness to me? I now realize that the laugh of my nieces or nephew is a gift. The beauty of grand music, the smell of a rare flower, the invaluable friendships I have, the love of a family, the chance to get an education, the privilege of having a job and the list could go on. I do believe in the great significance of the little things.

How simple it is and yet how hard for us to apologize when needed, to express our love, to say what needs to be said and to do what needs to be done, to acknowledge what we have rather than focusing on what we don’t have. I am challenging myself, as I turn the age of 20, to live a life that counts! To live the one life I get, that if I knew I was to die in 5 minutes, I would pass into eternity prepared, and to stand before Christ with no shame, without the burden of regret and goals not yet reached, knowing that I had touched others lives with my life, and ultimately bringing glory to the One who have me this life to begin with. This life is not for forever, it is for right now. Eternity is not right now but it is forever. God give me the help, focus and strength to remember that.

The Best of Friends :)

This post is about a dear, dear friend of mine. In fact it was she, who inspired me to do this blog. To see hers...check out  http://beautifullifeofabusybee.blogspot.ca/
This friend is amazing. I know that some view that word as a superlative, exaggeration or some such thing and I too, try to use it correctly. This time I am. :) It surprises me often that we will have only known each other for a year come this September. I am so thankful for her. I will be honest and say that this past year has been a little rough. Many changes have occurred (both positive and negative) and that is to be expected in life. After all "the only thing that ever stays the same is change." There were days where I felt like I was drowning in the sea of expectations, responsibilities, priorities and emotions and I couldn't see the clear horizon anymore or, if you like, the forest for the trees. (I should perhaps insert here that I am an English major, therefore metaphors, symbols and the like may appear!) Countless times, my friend would pull me from the water, set me on the solid earth yet again and point out to me what life was truly about. It is never about the stress of school, but rather the education we receive. It is never about berating ourselves for past mistakes, but taking the good from the mistakes and applying it so we never repeat them. It is never about being so crazy busy that we don't have time for ourselves, but rather to set time apart just for me. She taught me all of that.
Yet, casting all seriousness aside, she is also the type where if I want to be 100% silly and throw caution and care to the wind, it is to her I turn to! The fact that we have the same taste in school, our present jobs and our future careers tells me that this runs deep :) We also enjoy the oldies but the goodies in movies, the yummy cheesecake from Gullivers, the same music of classics, instrumental and jazz, and the same authors of Austen, Bronte, Fern and Landon. We both love the sun (and the symbolism involved with it) and rather than spending money or going someplace, we'd rather just veg and chat (which is our specialty). She is the type of friend who, scarily enough, knows how I am going to react to a situation or statement before I do or sometimes even before it happens!
I love her as a sister and I am so thankful she is in my life :) I love you, Spotty!