Adventures on the Drive

Last night i did THE scariest and most adventuresome thing i have ever done. Basically, last week we had a friend from Vernon down sharing about their mission work and just reaching out and sharing the gospel with people. So Leonard had the idea of going down to the Drive and doing just that! we were ALL nervous and ALL scared spitless, most of us had never done anything like it, but Charlie paired us off guys with girls and sent us out with the purpose of approaching people, introducing ourselves, and asking if they had anything they needed/wanted prayer for.
And it was incredible.
For the first 5 minutes Miguel and I just walked and said stuff like "oh man this is so awkward" or "what if we don't get to talk to anyone?" to which my unspoken answer was "hey well that would be fine with me!". But God definitely had BIGger and better plans than just turning tail and running back to Joe's. The first person just brushed us off and kept walking and the second person asked if we could pray for a "change of consciousness for all mankind". How do you answer a question like that let alone pray for it? Miguel and I REALLY were not prepared for that, and you could tell the guy had some WAY deeper issues to deal with (which he obviously wasn't about to share with us), so we made a graceful-ish exit and kept walking. Miguel had seen a program on tv that weekend about homelessness in Vancouver and knew that there was this guy named [?] that lived on the Drive. the government had been trying to get him onto welfare but he was afraid of signing any papers b/c he didn't want his aboriginal rights to be taken away. So the next block there he was sitting against a telephone pole making some of his art. we stopped and chatted, Miguel mentioning the tv program. He was really friendly with us but when we asked if we could pray for him he said some others had already asked him that and besides, he talks to his creator every day already. I just hope and pray that he really and truly is saved and the creator he was talking about wasn't some mad-made god in his imagination. At the end of the night we brought him a coffee.
Right after that we were just walking and discussing stuff and the two people in front of us (a guy pushing a bicycle and a girl) stepped aside to let us pass, the guy with the bike making a light comment about his foot being hurt and he couldn't walk too fast so he'd let us pass. It was like God was shoving the perfect opportunity right in our faces! we stopped, introduced ourselves, and got to talking. When asked if we could pray for anything the girl outright said "oh actually yes, i'm having trouble with my relationship with my boyfriend and i'm scared about what will happen, if we'll break up or not." or something along those lines. So we prayed for her and nothing spectacular happened at all, but a seed has definitely planted! i just hope that something does happen and she'll remember the two crazy people that prayed for her.
but thats all for now, our bible study begins a few minutes ago upstairs so i'd better vamoose...

Forced Inactivity Is Killing Me!

So i've pretty much hurt my leg badly enough to have to stay home from work today. has this ever happened to me? NO! am i peeved? YES! am i extremely bored? YES! but life must go on as they (who?) say.
So far this morning i've done the laundry, tidied the house, vacuumed, watched a movie, screwed up 3 sudokus and finally finished the 4th, and sat on my rear end for countless hours. Now what?
who knows. but not being at work is killing me, and i'm beginning to wonder if i'm too obsessed with it. i mean, it's pretty much all i think about, all i talk about, and all i dream about (literally, i dream about work almost every night).
But i don't see any break in the near or far future from the retail line of work so i guess i'll just have to stick with it....
except today! today i stay at home and do NOTHING!
end of rant.

Holy Cow!

I heard THE stupidest and lamest and crudest joke today from a customer and after he went out, laughing and punching his friend on the arm, i took a moment to reflect on WHY i put up with idiots in my store. why wouldn't i just quit or something? another customer who heard the joke suggested i carry a squirt gun around in just such an event, i could just whip it out and spray them and MAYBE they'd SHUT UP!
But here's why i still work at Surplus Sam's (despite the idiots):
1. Believe it or not, i love it. i mean, where else can you get a job in which you can freely climb shelving units and throw stuff around and yell at your coworkers and do all sorts of stupid awesome stuff without getting in trouble?
2. I enjoy the stimulating company of my coworkers. Just the other day i took advantage of the good humour of Hannah and shoved her into a conveniently placed pallet box. I'm kicking myself now for not having my camera handy. boy was it hilarious. and just so you don't think i'm a mean horrid person for doing it, she did it to me the day before. NOW WE'RE EVEN!
3. We're the best paid cashiers this side of Hope, seriously, its awesome.
4. There's always something happening, never a dull moment, either a shipment coming in or a customer buying 5 tvs and two couches or the store being rearranged or a threat of flooding (every spring) which makes us run around like maniacs trying to get stuff up off the floor and secure. It's FUN!
And i'm sure there are more reasons, but the yummy dinner in my stomach is overflowing into my brain making it impossible for me to think.
So that's why i put up with the idiots and numbskulls.

Something i learned today

Maturity comes from Productivity.

Snow Daze

Well everyone I'm back safe and sound from Kelowna (albeit a day late due to road conditions).
Driving the coquihalla was definitely an adventure to remember. I almost turned back at the toll booth it was snowing so hard, but figured i'd come that far and i might as well keep going. Creeping along at 40kph. Sliding like mad. Having loads of fun. And about 2 1/2 hours later i arrived at work! Just in time for Hannah to leave at 1:30. God definitely kept me safe on that journey, without his incredible protection i might just be dead on the side of the road in an overturned car in the snow!
And now? Home again. Going to bed. Work tomorrow.
Goodnight all!

Adventures in the Dark Part 2

sorry about that folks, i was called away for dinner and had to post an unfinished blog. but the rest of the story is pretty tame, we just wandered around the store in pitch blackness, so dark you could almost FEEL it.....and i only realized now that the emergency lights didn't even go on! what is WITH that! cool.
so anyways, at 2 the power went out and at 2:45, after making sure all the light switches were in the off position, i was on my way home! a full half day off! pretty sweet. i tidied my room and went shopping and bummed around.
so ya thats all for now, if you want more on the adventures of alpha you'll have to wait because this week has been pretty boring.

Adventures in the Dark

Today started out like any other work day. I dragged myself out of bed at the crack of dawn, woke up in the shower (literally, i was seriously still asleep when i got up. in fact, its a wonder i wasn't still wearing my pjs in the shower), and drove to work while stuffing a banana in my mouth.
but then everything changed.
Power Outage!!!!
2 o'clock and all of a sudden the lights blinked off, and the store was plunged into darkness.