The other day Will and I had a interesting conversation at the dinner table. It all began with three birthday cupcakes for Hannah, each with one candle. Will hypothesized that what if your age depended entirely on how many candles you blew out on your birthday every year? For example I am 23, but if on my next birthday I choose to only blow out 23 candles I would still be only 23...see where I'm going with this? Basically you could live forever! I could keep on blowing out only 23 candles on my birthday, year after year after year, forever 23.
Now, ponder this: what if you chose to blow out zero candles? Would you die? And in that case I speculated that it would simply turn into a method for killing someone. Stop them from blowing out their birthday candles and they would die. OR force them to blow out a few hundred candles and they would instantly age to an impossible age. But if this whole candle business was legit maybe you COULD age to an impossible age? Hypothetically someone could live for 300 years and still "only be" 23...correct?
And to top it all off you could be "23" years old but with the wisdom of 300 years.
Fascinating.
In other news, guess who made it to round 3? THE CANUCKS! WOOOOOOT!!!
and oh yes.....
Happy Birthday Hannah! <3
Wednesday, May 11, 2011
Friday, April 15, 2011
The Playoffs
Well folks, playoff hockey is finally here. And along with it the jitters, chewed up nails, chewed up white towels and snacks i can't eat....
There's something so incredibly delicious about watching a playoff game as opposed to a regular season match-up. For one, it's WAY more intense. A regular season game can be watched with a mug of hot tea on your knee and 3 conversations going on simultaneously. This is not the case with the playoffs. The playoffs involve your entire concentration and emotional involvement (whether you want it or not).
The first period starts off not too badly, you're excited to be watching the game and are still settling into your seat. A couple of hits and a goal later and you are chewing your nails off, alternately screaming in anticipation or groaning over a missed shot.
2nd period rolls around and your nerves are starting to fray. The sound of the puck pinging off the goal post, Luongo wasn't ready for that one...the white dishtowel in your hand doubles as a muffle for your yells or a celebratory flag, waving triumphantly. Go Canucks Go! Maybe this could be the year we actually go all the way?...
3rd period. The enemy scores. We score. The enemy scores again. Time is counting down and your nerves are frazzled, heart beating fast, towel clutched in your sweaty hands as you twist it round and round, watching as the play becomes more and more frantic.
The horn blows. You breath a huge sigh of relief, exhaling 2 hours of pent up frustrations, and relax your shoulders. The Canucks live to play another game!
The run may be long or it may be devastatingly short. Enjoy it while you can folks, and cheer for the Canucks!
There's something so incredibly delicious about watching a playoff game as opposed to a regular season match-up. For one, it's WAY more intense. A regular season game can be watched with a mug of hot tea on your knee and 3 conversations going on simultaneously. This is not the case with the playoffs. The playoffs involve your entire concentration and emotional involvement (whether you want it or not).
The first period starts off not too badly, you're excited to be watching the game and are still settling into your seat. A couple of hits and a goal later and you are chewing your nails off, alternately screaming in anticipation or groaning over a missed shot.
2nd period rolls around and your nerves are starting to fray. The sound of the puck pinging off the goal post, Luongo wasn't ready for that one...the white dishtowel in your hand doubles as a muffle for your yells or a celebratory flag, waving triumphantly. Go Canucks Go! Maybe this could be the year we actually go all the way?...
3rd period. The enemy scores. We score. The enemy scores again. Time is counting down and your nerves are frazzled, heart beating fast, towel clutched in your sweaty hands as you twist it round and round, watching as the play becomes more and more frantic.
The horn blows. You breath a huge sigh of relief, exhaling 2 hours of pent up frustrations, and relax your shoulders. The Canucks live to play another game!
The run may be long or it may be devastatingly short. Enjoy it while you can folks, and cheer for the Canucks!
Tuesday, March 15, 2011
BarnaNews
It's an update from the land of Barnabas!!
For all of you who are/were wondering, I have been doing really well lately (and before lately too :P ). I'm getting excited to be spending a summer here beginning in June as an assistant cook, and this week has been great prep for that.
We currently have a 5 day group in called Arrow. They arrived Sunday afternoon in time for dinner and leave Friday morning. Arrow groups are known not only for their incredible speakers (I have yet to hear one...maybe tomorrow if i have time) but also for their crazy early breakfasts (7.30) and the vast amounts of coffee they consume. The coffee isn't a huge problem for me (it might help that I'm not the one making it...:) ) but the early breakfasts are. Eating at 7.30am means getting up at 5am for me.
Yesterday (the first morning) was ok for me. I got up at 5am, showered, dressed, and being the eager beaver that I am, went down to the kitchen 10 minutes early to make myself a cup of tea.
By the time breakfast rolled around I felt like I had been run over by a truck.
As I sat in the dining room with my plate of food I could feel myself fading fast, but after eating and clearing and doing lunch prep my strength returned slightly. That afternoon after lunch as I stood in the dining room yet again setting tables for the next meal I glanced out the door to see a man in his running gear tearing up the hill. "OH!" I thought "How lovely would it be to go for a run during my break"! I suddenly had a terrible urge to do just that and so when dinner prep was done the sporadic afternoon sunshine found me breezing through the forest to Plumper Cove.
"This is great, these early mornings really aren't so bad after all" was the thought running through my clearly caffeine saturated brain.....I should have napped.
This morning I woke up later than my alarm clock (apparently i turned it off and went back to sleep? yup.) and practically fell out of bed. My burst of stamina lasted all of 1/2 an hour and then my energy was completely sapped. I honestly don't know how I made it through the morning, I almost fell asleep during lunch, my tiredness was past the point of hyper-laugh-at-everything-even-if-it's-not-funny point and into the phase of if-only-I-make-it-to-break-time-so-I-can-nap-forever. And nap I did! No more runs for me this week thank you very much :P.
And now...It's 9.40pm and WAY past my bedtime. Everyone else in the Shep is in bed, it's warm and cozy and I'll sleep well tonight.
So aside from the early mornings it's been a good experience. I just need to learn to discipline myself to nap in the afternoons and drink lots of coffee. And no more runs. And go to bed earlier.
I daresay I'm turning into quite the sensible person.....almost an adult....NOT!
Your prayers are appreciated...I miss you all
Alpha
P.S. I would love it if you sent me letters, I love getting things in the mail...just saying...if any of you feel the urge....;)
For all of you who are/were wondering, I have been doing really well lately (and before lately too :P ). I'm getting excited to be spending a summer here beginning in June as an assistant cook, and this week has been great prep for that.
We currently have a 5 day group in called Arrow. They arrived Sunday afternoon in time for dinner and leave Friday morning. Arrow groups are known not only for their incredible speakers (I have yet to hear one...maybe tomorrow if i have time) but also for their crazy early breakfasts (7.30) and the vast amounts of coffee they consume. The coffee isn't a huge problem for me (it might help that I'm not the one making it...:) ) but the early breakfasts are. Eating at 7.30am means getting up at 5am for me.
Yesterday (the first morning) was ok for me. I got up at 5am, showered, dressed, and being the eager beaver that I am, went down to the kitchen 10 minutes early to make myself a cup of tea.
By the time breakfast rolled around I felt like I had been run over by a truck.
As I sat in the dining room with my plate of food I could feel myself fading fast, but after eating and clearing and doing lunch prep my strength returned slightly. That afternoon after lunch as I stood in the dining room yet again setting tables for the next meal I glanced out the door to see a man in his running gear tearing up the hill. "OH!" I thought "How lovely would it be to go for a run during my break"! I suddenly had a terrible urge to do just that and so when dinner prep was done the sporadic afternoon sunshine found me breezing through the forest to Plumper Cove.
"This is great, these early mornings really aren't so bad after all" was the thought running through my clearly caffeine saturated brain.....I should have napped.
This morning I woke up later than my alarm clock (apparently i turned it off and went back to sleep? yup.) and practically fell out of bed. My burst of stamina lasted all of 1/2 an hour and then my energy was completely sapped. I honestly don't know how I made it through the morning, I almost fell asleep during lunch, my tiredness was past the point of hyper-laugh-at-everything-even-if-it's-not-funny point and into the phase of if-only-I-make-it-to-break-time-so-I-can-nap-forever. And nap I did! No more runs for me this week thank you very much :P.
And now...It's 9.40pm and WAY past my bedtime. Everyone else in the Shep is in bed, it's warm and cozy and I'll sleep well tonight.
So aside from the early mornings it's been a good experience. I just need to learn to discipline myself to nap in the afternoons and drink lots of coffee. And no more runs. And go to bed earlier.
I daresay I'm turning into quite the sensible person.....almost an adult....NOT!
Your prayers are appreciated...I miss you all
Alpha
P.S. I would love it if you sent me letters, I love getting things in the mail...just saying...if any of you feel the urge....;)
Thursday, March 10, 2011
Life is good!
Today i'm sitting on our couch in the Shep, soft classical music (Beethoven) is playing the background, i'm sipping a mug of hot Indian cardamom tea. Outside is a torrent of rain, inside warm. Life is good. Life. Is. Good.
Off to Kathy and Rob's for dinner and discussion!
Off to Kathy and Rob's for dinner and discussion!
Saturday, February 26, 2011
Tuesday, February 22, 2011
Weekend Review (in short form)
Well, the Young Adult Weekend is over! It was an absolute blast having everybody here, seeing old friends and making new ones. The weather was incredible (a definite answer to prayer!), sunshine all weekend long, glorious mountains and blue skies. What a fantastic combination.
We were blessed to have Tyler and Emma Milley speak with us and their willingness to be open and vulnerable and attentive to the Holy Spirit is something i look up to a lot. Also having Tyler plan the music with me was GREAT! It took a lot of pressure off of me. I tend to volunteer for things like that because i really like music but when it comes down to the nitty gritty details of planning a large portion of me dies inside.....yay for Tyler! It was fantastic to have a bunch of the guests take part as well, Leonard, Dan, Thomas, Chantel, Holly, David, Mary, Emily, John, Sarah, Trish, and i'm sure i'm forgetting some others...but you know who you are and a huge thank-you is due to you!
The theme of the weekend was "If You Really Knew Me....", and we focused on how we were discovering our identity in Christ. For all of us this meant different things, but it was amazing to see how they tied into the same common threads. For myself it was about how i struggle with loneliness and accepting the fact that i'm a forgiven and loved child of God, and how God has been healing me of that over the past few years. It was encouraging for me to see over the course of the weekend how many other people struggled with the same things, especially loneliness. The knowledge that we are not alone in our struggles is healing in itself and a lot of people realized that. God is so good!
I know a lot of people were praying for this weekend and i would just like to say how much those prayers were appreciated. God moved in a powerful way and it was AMAZING to see!
Love you all
Alpha
We were blessed to have Tyler and Emma Milley speak with us and their willingness to be open and vulnerable and attentive to the Holy Spirit is something i look up to a lot. Also having Tyler plan the music with me was GREAT! It took a lot of pressure off of me. I tend to volunteer for things like that because i really like music but when it comes down to the nitty gritty details of planning a large portion of me dies inside.....yay for Tyler! It was fantastic to have a bunch of the guests take part as well, Leonard, Dan, Thomas, Chantel, Holly, David, Mary, Emily, John, Sarah, Trish, and i'm sure i'm forgetting some others...but you know who you are and a huge thank-you is due to you!
The theme of the weekend was "If You Really Knew Me....", and we focused on how we were discovering our identity in Christ. For all of us this meant different things, but it was amazing to see how they tied into the same common threads. For myself it was about how i struggle with loneliness and accepting the fact that i'm a forgiven and loved child of God, and how God has been healing me of that over the past few years. It was encouraging for me to see over the course of the weekend how many other people struggled with the same things, especially loneliness. The knowledge that we are not alone in our struggles is healing in itself and a lot of people realized that. God is so good!
I know a lot of people were praying for this weekend and i would just like to say how much those prayers were appreciated. God moved in a powerful way and it was AMAZING to see!
Love you all
Alpha
Thursday, February 17, 2011
Just Life
The weather today was absolutely phenomenal. It began this morning with sunshine and loveliness, blue skies but cold air. Then it began to cloud over, the rain started to drizzle down. Lunch rolled around and all of a sudden Helliki was pointing out the window at the crazy HAIL that was being dumped down! Hail! How marvelous! Hail quickly turned to slushy snow, slushy snow to SNOWY snow (picture me screaming like a banshee and running down Main Street), and then back to rain, and then snow again. oh wait but then it rained some more...and then it stopped for a while. and then the clouds got reeeeally dark and it started raining again. It's currently not precipitating but the mist is hiding the mountains and Gambier is far from sight.
Cold.
Wet.
Dreary.
I love it!
Something horrible happened this morning. I put on my gorgeous fire-engine red wellies and noticed a mark on the right toe. UH OH it wasn't a mark, it was a MASSIVE GOUGE!! I have no idea how the heck it got there, i have no recollection of stubbing my foot or dropping anything on myself or leaving my wellies where something could've dropped and made a hole.....
Oh well. Duct tape will fix it.
I'm starting to get slightly nervous about the Young Adult Weekend (it starts tomorrow!!!). We really want people to be vulnerable and open and for that to happen we need to be open and vulnerable ourselves. On Saturday morning i'll be sharing a bit and piece of my life. It will be deep. Maybe deeper than i've ever shared with my closest of friends. But i want to set a precedent of openness that hopefully the guests will follow, enabling them to grow closer to each other and to God.
The problem i have is putting my thoughts into words.
I'm worried that i won't be able to convey clearly what i'm wanting to, well, convey. And also (selfishly) i don't want to look like an idiot.
Trying much too hard
To be the Holy Spirit
Just let go, let God.
I like haikus.
Would you pray for me?
A
Cold.
Wet.
Dreary.
I love it!
Something horrible happened this morning. I put on my gorgeous fire-engine red wellies and noticed a mark on the right toe. UH OH it wasn't a mark, it was a MASSIVE GOUGE!! I have no idea how the heck it got there, i have no recollection of stubbing my foot or dropping anything on myself or leaving my wellies where something could've dropped and made a hole.....
Oh well. Duct tape will fix it.
I'm starting to get slightly nervous about the Young Adult Weekend (it starts tomorrow!!!). We really want people to be vulnerable and open and for that to happen we need to be open and vulnerable ourselves. On Saturday morning i'll be sharing a bit and piece of my life. It will be deep. Maybe deeper than i've ever shared with my closest of friends. But i want to set a precedent of openness that hopefully the guests will follow, enabling them to grow closer to each other and to God.
The problem i have is putting my thoughts into words.
I'm worried that i won't be able to convey clearly what i'm wanting to, well, convey. And also (selfishly) i don't want to look like an idiot.
Trying much too hard
To be the Holy Spirit
Just let go, let God.
I like haikus.
Would you pray for me?
A
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