| Ich bin... |
| [Tana]. Child of God. Teacher. Youth leader. Music-minded. Blessed.
|
| Ich liebe... |
[Jesus]. My Family. My Church. P & W. Mission Trips. Music. Prayer. Traveling. Writing. Drama. Sunshine. Languages. Photography. Badminton. Nature. Snail Mail. Fruit. Green. Simplicity. Listening.
|
|
| 25 June 2004 |
|
altogether content today...so far at least: ^_^
finished the presentation to my colleagues
the CD i've been after for four weeks finally came in
the 'to do' list continues to diminish in length
still need 6 rubber chickens. naturally, when i went by where the party store used to be, it was nowhere to be found. i still have tomorrow to search, though, at which time two sets of eyes will be better than one.
|
posted by simplejoys @ 14:51
|
|
|
| 22 June 2004 |
|
leaving in two weeks! ^______^ excitement is setting in.
thanks to GH, ML, KL and SL for time well-spent on saturday - authentic conversation, laughs and of course, yummy sago.
finally managed to locate a CD - not the exact one i wanted, but one that does have "to the ends of the earth" on it (can you tell i love that song?), and i actually like the bonus disc better than the main one! :)
emceeing a work function at century palace (where else?) tonight. can't believe it's been an entire year since the last AGM/VA. though i won't miss the projects, i'll definitely miss these colleagues, especially the handful i grew quite close with during my newbie months.
if i had wings i would fly
'cause all that i need, You are
and if the world caved in around me
to You i'd still hold on
'cause You're all that i believe
and the One that created me
Jesus, because of You, i'm free
("free" by marty sampson)
|
posted by simplejoys @ 08:31
|
|
|
| 17 June 2004 |
|
had a decent interview yesterday. although, should i get the position, the hours would not count towards the AB teaching certificate, the job is still very much teaching in nature, so i think i would take it. not to mention the hours are very workable with the other plans i have for the fall...ah, God knows what He's doing, so i'll let Him worry about the outcome here.
several upcoming anticipations, including saturday, the last day of work, july 1st and of course, jetting :) to make things less hectic at the end, i'm attempting to pack at any free moment, while simultaneously picking out pieces for the garage sale. good so far...
can anyone do the USB hook up for me, please?
|
posted by simplejoys @ 14:43
|
|
|
| 14 June 2004 |
|
THREE WEEKS!!! seriously seems surreal at this point, other than the pile that is slowly accumulating in the guest room and the back and forth e-mails with various contacts. quite excited that i'll be able to take voice lessons and perhaps also guitar while i'm there, too.
in retrospect, i realize yet another prayer has been answered. i still don't understand why i insist on creating stress for myself by attending to petty immaturities time and time again. i guess all i can do is wholeheartedly ask for His compassion and neutrality, then keep silent.
glad that i had a chance to gab with tara for nearly an hour yesterday - long overdue, no? i'll call you again before i leave.
note to others and self: never attempt to read more than two books at a time. it will leave you feeling slightly scattered :p
|
posted by simplejoys @ 08:32
|
|
|
| 10 June 2004 |
|
my littlest cousin just graduated from middle school - craziness! congrats, char! don't grow up too fast! i'll be praying for you as you pursue your dream. :)
the CD must be fantastic, since it's never there when i try to buy it. (this is two weeks and counting now.)
a major challenge in this job search is geography. who knew there were so many hamlets and villages around here? ruralite, i'm NOT! by the way, BFF, how did your interview go? i have one next week. if all goes well, this position would actually count, which is a first for me.
syncopes are no fun, NO FUN AT ALL...and neither is writer's block. :(
|
posted by simplejoys @ 20:26
|
|
|
| 08 June 2004 |
|
the busyness before my trip has begun, with several tasks wrapping up but even more to start and finish in these remaining weeks. very blessed to have committed brothers and sisters with a witty sense of humor on the team as support...thanks for your diligence!
still not getting the sleep that i'd like. unfortunately, it's not merely a matter of hitting the pillow an hour or so earlier, but rather, the need to empty my mind completely of those situations over which i have no supreme control. Lord, please take it all and help me to make You my all in all...
|
posted by simplejoys @ 22:23
|
|
|
| 06 June 2004 |
|
the past week has been long with little genuine shut-eye. somehow i always had something to ponder that was 'worth' waking up for at 5 a.m. (to be a fan of sunshine is not always a good thing, i guess.)
yesterday the last big project at work wrapped up with a daylong retreat that included water fights, an obstacle course, a missing watermelon and continued practice with english <-> mandarin interpretation. then today after church my small group and i headed off to elk island national park for a windy lunch, some hiking and endless laughs and car adventures. thanks so much for the lovely send-off! ^____^
with less than a month till departure, i suppose i should pack...
HAPPY BIRTHDAY, MARGO!
|
posted by simplejoys @ 19:11
|
|
|
| 02 June 2004 |
|
chatting with a friend and meeting up with several others from a few years back makes me think back to my hopes, dreams and priorities upon first graduating high school:
(1) going away for college
this was never a realistic option for me, however, because my parents had told me all along that my tuition and other expenses would be covered if i remained at home base, but if i went elsewhere for undergrad studies, i would be entirely on my own. as i hear stories about living in dorm from my cuz and friends, sometimes i wonder if i missed out on a uniquely campus adventure, but i travel a lot anyways and have had numerous encounters with unfamiliar, exciting surroundings and people from a variety of backgrounds.
(2) maximal gathering with an ever-expanding group of friends
over my four years of post-secondary study, i did manage to build up quite a social network. even so, i found that time was better spent with one or two confidantes, as opposed to numerous acquaintances. it seemed that the more people i attempted to meet up with, the more cluttered my schedule and the less meaningful my discussion with each of them. to this day, frequent contact remains with those i kept closest, especially those who shared a love for Jesus Christ.
(3) one career path
it never occurred to me just how challenging it would be to find a suitable job upon graduation. rather, i was convinced that i was pretty much guaranteed a job upon graduation, since i had an inner peace upon applying for this field of study. however, my interim teaching certificate is set to expire next summer, and i have yet to obtain any local work experience. i now wonder whether this degree is only meant as a foundation for further study, or even if i will end up working elsewhere - out of province, internationally, overseas...
thanks be to God that even though things didn't always work out the way i wanted them to, He found ways to provide and reveal His wisdom where i was lacking, and shower His blessing in more ways than i can count!
|
posted by simplejoys @ 20:38
|
|
|
|
|
three days after the end of YC, i'm still struggling to put my thoughts and reflections into terms that do it justice, but to have to sum up 56 hours of God-generated excitement is impossible!!! undoubtedly, i will remember all that was gained and transformed for years to come, especially as the Lord chose to impart such such a significant portion of this new insight via the means that I best experience Him - MUSIC.
EDIT: more specifically on YC to come at a later date...
it's incredibly tragic how saturated and obsessed society has become with misconceptions and misdirections of what life is all about. honestly, without His guiding light and presence, there would be no reason whatsoever to get up each morning.
to combat this worldly tendency in myself, i've committed to going on somewhat of a "media fast", attending more to how God is working through daily circumstances and what He is saying to me in the simplest aspects of life. one such way to do so is to become immersed in His Word and other readings -currently, i'm reading through the 40 Days with God devotional for probably the third time, yet i continue to glean new truths from it. also, i'm about to begin Larry Crabb's The Pressures Off.
when i one day go before the King of Kings, i hope i can say with confidence that, although many of my days and years were not lived "pure and blameless[ly]", i accepted His call to start afresh and persevere with a single-minded existence that glorifies Him.
Fall back on everything You've done
Fall back on everlasting arms
When all the world is swept away
You are all the things I need
You're the air I breathe
I love You more than life |
posted by simplejoys @ 09:31
|
|
|
|
|
