Aloha from sunny Calgary! It reached about 12 degrees today, and in honor of hypothermia being on the downtrend, I busted out my sandals. Ya baby! The wind is howling outside now, though. It always get cold at night here. Ahh...For the days in kamloops where it was 30 degrees at 3am and we'd soak our PJ's in water to cool off while we slept. (Well, at least I did. I cannot sleep in hot weather!).
Nick, I feel your pain with the aggressive nature situation. Camping last summer, I had a pet squirrel in my sire. I named him Angry-Squirrel, because everyday as soon as the sun started peeking over the mountains he'd start beaking off at me...Really loud, too. Like, loud enough to wake
me up (remember my alarm clock everybody?). And not just in the morning - it was every time I went to my tent, too! For anything, at any time, there he was screaming bloody murder. If I sat out on my picnic table it would only be a matter of minutes before he'd start chucking little bits of pine cone at me, or whoever happened to be there. He nailed Chad right between the eyes and all the boys wanted to go get paintball guns and put him in his place (of course I didn't let them!). What is it with mutant animals? Anger management! Wow...Super tangent! (I Digress...).
Before I continue, I must also give a few quick shout-outs: Mary, thanks for yet again saving me from the evil web-comment-empire...Of Doom! You rock. James...Call your sister. Are you still alive? If so, say hi to Mac for me. Auntie Karen is sending you an anti-starvation kit, too. Yay! (ie. Care Package). Ya, who's got the mad skills and got you hooked up??? Love ya, bro.
So on to present things. I still feel restless, but I always twitch out in the spring time. The days get longer, the weather gets warmer, things start to shake and turn and come alive. And I begin to desperately crave the open road. I now have an official list of songs I cannot listen to for fear I'll run outside, steal a car and pedal-to-the-medal for the boarder, of course blaming it on the sunshine. It also happens that on top of the way seasons and weather really affect me, in light of the recent season in my life things in general have just been weird. I feel as if heart surgery part deux will be coming to a close in the next few months. I'm not sure I did as well this time around, it was in some ways a lot harder and more intense than what I went through in Jesus School, probably because of the covering that I was under. It was very sheltered. Not so much back in the real world.
I wrote a song a couple weeks ago called Land of the living, based off of one of my theme verses, Psalm 27:13-14. LOVE it! I'm not sure if I love the song, but somehow it makes me feel better when I sing it.
I've recently gotten hooked up with a 24-7 house of prayer that's starting up in Calgary.(Website: www.24-7calgary.com). It's not permanent yet, but it's coming. I spent a couple hours on Thursday night there. It was put on by a few ministries in Calgary; First Alliance has a coffee house in Kensington on 10th Street called The House Coffee Sanctuary, and it was held in a basement room under the shop. The Epic Church was also a big part of it, which Chad Block and Sherri McConnell (those of you who are avid avalanchers may know of her) help head up. Some cool things are happening in this city. I still want to leave, because it doesn't feel like home and I want that so badly, but I am begining to feel some passion for it again. As for being called to stay (or come back one day), who knows.
I feel frustrated and lonely still, but the last 2 weeks I think were the deepest part of the valley. I still feel that way, but I am also starting to feel hope again.
God has blessed me with some good friends who have really stepped up when I needed them most. I had this stupid idea that I was so alone becasue I had good friends but none of them were really on the "same page" as me...different ages, different places on their journeys with God, blah blah blah. Don't get me wrong - those are all really important things. But I did learn this: at the end of the day, a hug, a slurpee, gut-spillin' chats, someone to pray for and with you, listening to some loud tunes, honest encouragement, tea at 3am or even just sitting in a park eating Spits...that can be done with anyone who is willing to listen because they love you. I had God tell me the same thing that he did in Jesus School..."If you trust me, sometimes you have to choose to trust the people I put in your life...Stop arms-lengthing". I have truly been blessed. Maybe I will stay a bit longer after all...
Current Tunes:
- Ment to live: Switchfoot
- This is your life: Switchfoot
- One thing: Finger Eleven
- California's Burning: Sweetsalt
- My Life be like (ohh ahh): Grits
- Take me to the sea: The Violet Burning
- Why do you run: Kutless
- Shelter: Jobie Mallet
Current Albums:
- The Beautiful Letdown: Switchfoot
- Kutlass: Self titled album
- Way Gone Place: Heather Clark
Current Scripture:
Deuteronomy 8: 15-16
He led you through the vast and dreadful desert, that thirsty and waterless land, with its venomous snakes and scorpions. He brought you water out of hard rock. He gave you manna to eat in the desert, something your fathers had never known, to humble and to test you so that in the end it might go well with you.
