a skippity hop

Christmas break: always a hike up the 'mountain' behind my place. Notice the lack of snow...so sad! The guy in the picture is from South Africa who was visiting... we were showing him how it was safe to walk on the beaver dam!


WORTHY! Winter Conference '06! This is where our feet set off the hotel's security alarms, and people came to see 'who was stuck in the waterfalls'... oops, we'll know for next time not to try and wade in the designer ponds in the Sheraton's courtyard!

AND this picture: us who roomed together! 3 AMAZING people, who I had so much fun hanging out with! Meg, moi, Karen, and you all know Katrina! Way to go Katrina for representing the European continent... the rest of us... yeah we stuck with Asia... can't go wrong with Asia! This was at our SUPER DUPER FUN New Years Eve Party... lots of dancing, lots of singing... and lots of fire alarm beeping!

And because I'm having issues with posting pictures in between text on this blogging thing...I won't post a picture of my co-op place this time. In a nutshell: co-op is very different. I'm running around with kids all day, going on hikes, skiing, making sure they don't get lost in the bush when they try and orienteer themselves around...that sort of thing. Unfortunately...my experience working with kids is nill...so that is a bit of a challenge. Also working 8days straight, with over 30 11-year olds for 13hours/day... is a bit exhausting, but I'm sure I'll get used to it.

It's neat to be back in the bush again...I was a bit worried that I would have lost a bit of my love 'for the wilderness'...but I haven't! I enjoy it at times... except the birding hasn't been all that great since the kids aren't interested in birds...and I spend a lot of time teaching them how to walk in the bush, how to use the snowshoes properly, picking up their mittens, dealing with the kid who pees their pants, and finally allowing them to use the washroom after they ask me. Since when did I get myself into a position where people ask me if they can go pee? It's very strange for sure. The kids have no idea that I'm actually just a random co-op intern who barely knows what they're doing. Being in a 'teacher' position is not that great... it's for sure more challenging then I expected... but still pretty fun to be outside!

Oh.. funny things some of the kids say: a couple of girls talked about furniture and how you need the right mattress for certain spinal conditions....they're 11. One girl gave me the attitude that she coudln't go outside to wait because leaving her friend was 'totally against friend policy'. One of the dinners...I found myself sitting with all of the epipen kids for their various food allergies... aaak.. that was a bit scary trying to manage 10 kids and what they were eating, what they could eat and couldn't eat!

I've been challenged lately with simply just being away from Waterloo, away from C4C, a whack of Christian friends, prayer meetings, class... I was expecting it to be a lot more difficult to be disciplined in having quiet times...but it hasn't been so bad. Praying throughout the day is a challenge, and I'm finding it so easy to get discouraged. I've been praying daily for my co-workers that God would provide opportunities to have spiritual conversations, or that I would be able to share the Gospel... and it seems like the soil is so tough.. but I just started, I still have more time there, and I have to keep reminding myself that it's all in God's timing. I trust that He will use me regardless if I share my faith or not... I'm at this co-op job for a far greater reason than just skiing with kids through the bush. Man... what a great reward to know Christ. I am His and He is mine.

For those of you Waterloo-ers who were at Eastern WinterCon., I shared how I had realized that I really need to love the Christians in my hometown, in my church... and how challenging that was to love them. Well... I forced myself to go to the C&C Bible Study tonight...and you know... it wasn't that bad. My mom reminded me the other night how we really need to truly forgive people and be more full of grace. I was struggling with some of these C&C people for I know how they act sometimes (and it is definately not God-honouring)... and it almost upset me that they would go on pretending like nothing ever happened. I then realized how stupid that was...and for all the stupid things that I've done and how by God's grace, He's forgiven me...so why coudln't He forgive them just the same? Who knows what I was thinking. I guess I was expecting them to come clean about things more publicly and let it out and say: 'I was wrong, I've sinned, I've repented, please help me by holding me accountable to such and such'. By not doing this, I feel like they're just not taking their sins seriously...maybe...is it necessary to be public about it...I guess not, so I guess I shouldn't expect it.

WOAH BEAR! Did that make sense?! Okay folks, I am out to work on some more Calculus... and just to forewarn you a bit...(I'm slightly getting hooked to it...and almost addicted to completing the lessons that I have to do....shhh....I'm hoping it doesn't become too extreme where Kathleen becomes full blown whacked out crazy... please pray!)

Remember....DON'T WASTE YOUR LIFE! Oh Piper!

--Peace and Love--