Tag Archives: life

Weddings

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Three friends got married on Saturday. Obviously I cannot be in three places at once and did not even really want to try. So I took the ferry over to Vancouver to stay at Dad’s place and go out to Langley for my friend, Nicole’s wedding.

I remember seeing Nicole (left, in China) a few times in my first year at the University of Victoria (six years ago). She would come to the occasional IVCF large group meeting on Friday night, with her assistance dog, Vespa. They kind of stood out so it was hard not to notice her. I didn’t really get to know her at all until my second and last year at UVic.

A few weeks before the fall semester began, a whole group of us from UVic, plus others from universities all over the province, drove to Kelowna for SLC – Student Leadership Camp. There, we spent a good few days in Bible Study and games, preparing for the year ahead. We were the leadership team of the InterVarsity chapters at our respective schools. While there, the provincial directors of IVCF presented to us the idea of going to China the following summer as a part of a Global Partnership. Right then and there, I knew I would be going; there was never any question in my mind. I wasn’t really the “world traveller” at that point that I am now. Up until then, I had been to the Netherlands with my family and lived in Australia. That was the sum total of my off-continent travel. So it was not really about the travelling… I just knew that I was supposed to go on that trip. So I signed up, and then started encouraging others to go.

Nicole and I began to get to know each other as the semester progressed. I don’t even really remember how it began, I just remember her asking me about “this trip to China.” She thought it might be fun, I told her she should go. She talked to the director, and next thing we knew, she was coming!

We spent six weeks in pretty close contact while we were in China. She and I were hotel-room buddies whenever we stayed in hotels (about two weeks of that six), and did some other stuff together.

After China and my subsequent trip around Europe, I needed a place to live in Victoria while I was preparing to go Offshore. Nicole had a room in her condo, a beautiful place about ten minutes walking from the shipyard. It was perfect, in more ways than one.

Nicole’s was a wedding I was looking forward to. I like to think I had a hand in it all: she met her now-husband in China.

So back to this past weekend, I made a long weekend of it and spent two days in Vancouver before the wedding, visiting some friends I hadn’t seen in too long. The wedding was utterly wonderful as well. The ceremony was outside in a gazebo and then we had dinner in a lovely glass conservatory. Apparently I took absolutely no pictures of the entire thing, except for the candle on the table… I’m hoping friends send some my way soon!

Perhaps the best part of the wedding, other than witnessing my friend marry the love of her life obviously, was the table I sat with at the reception. At the table were some of my nearest and dearest friends from university. At least one of them I had not seen since we graduated. But being there reminded me of how much I love and care for them and cherish the time we had together. These were people I struggled and questioned faith with (and still do, apparently, when we get back together), people I laughed with and cried with, goofed off with and studied with, and people I spent more time than I care to remember with. A great group of people and it did me good to see them and spend time with them. We closed down the dance floor.

Postponed Indefinitely

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Two words I’m not overly fond of at the moment. Postponed indefinitely. My trip to Myanmar has been postponed indefinitely by our friends in Myanmar. I understand and fully support the reason: it just is not safe. An election has finally been called for Myanmar. It is to take place in the fall, weeks before we were set to go. Myanmar doesn’t have a great track record with elections: the results are usually a foregone conclusion. The last one they held saw the military imprisoning the overwhelming winner Aung San Suu Kyi. Twenty-years later, she is still in house arrest and prohibited from running in this election.

Since then, Myanmar has had a few uprisings. The most recent one being the huge monks uprising in 2007. Accordingly, the government is pretty wary of letting people congregate at any time, especially not around the time of an election. Our friends are having a hard time getting the permit to hold the celebration we had intended to attend. They have decided that they do not think we would be as safe as we would like if we were to come in December and, even if we were safe, we would likely not be allowed to leave the city of Yangon. I don’t particularly want to fly halfway around the world to be confined to a big, busy city and miss out on the smaller places and other people who represent more of the real country.

Yes, the plan is still go go another time when the situation on the ground there is a little better. However as far as trips this fall go, it looks like I’m staying right here and will be continuing to pray for our friends and the rest of the people of Myanmar.

At Once

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Ever noticed how everything always happens ALL AT ONCE? Just when you think you are doing well, something else happens to throw things for a loop and make you realize that perhaps you could fit just one more thing in.

Take right now, for example. I am working my usual 20+ hours per week and doing the school thing, the same schedule I have been on for nearly a year now. Except (as I am sure I have mentioned, because I like to mention it and make people feel sorry for me) right now I am doing double the school work. In other words, full time school times two. Yeah.

Add that to Victoria finally experiencing summer and I actually want to go outside and enjoy myself! What is that, you say, a life? No, I haven’t really got one, though I am trying. Plus, I started up hot yoga about five weeks ago and have been doing that 2-4 times per week. I don’t really know how I fit in hot yoga, as the classes are 90 minutes long, but apparently it has become important enough to me that I am willing to get up really early do take part. Like 5:30am early.

Then, if that wasn’t enough, something else came up out of the blue a couple of weeks ago. Right now, it does not require any time commitment, but it has been requiring a great deal of mental and emotional energy. I can’t really say any more than that right now, but rest assured if it comes to something, I will pass that along. Until then, I would appreciate your prayers for my discernment. Oh – and big hugs, free meals (I sometimes forget to eat), and sympathy for all the hard work I am doing…!

Hove to

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To continue to appease the northern commenter… I offer this previously unpublished piece of writing, from this day in history…

June 20, 2007. 139nm

I never get tired of the sunsets out here. We’ve passed below 10N and so the wind is somewhat lacking, meaning the sea can be somewhat glass-like.

Yesterday and today we hove-to for a swim stop. Yesterday, I ended up with far too much saltwater in my body so today I took the snorkel gear out. How many people can say they’ve gone snorkeling in 15,000ft of water? It is so incredibly blue and surprisingly clear. All you can see are the people around you and tiny jellyfish ranging from the size of a dime to about 15cm in diameter. The small ones would sting a bit, but you don’t really feel it.

I never last long out there because I pretty much have no stamina. When I got out of the water, I went up and sat on the bowsprit. It was a unique perspective to look back at the swimmers and the boat against the endless horizon. Just us and the ocean.

I also did my first sights today with the sextant. It is neat to be learning such an old craft, albeit with some modern equipment. I was only 1.6nm off on my first sight which is pretty good. I haven’t calculated how I did on my second sight. The process reminded me of that part in Red Rackham’s Treasure where Thomson and Thompson try to correct Captain Haddock on his navigational calculations to which he replies: “Gentlemen, please remove your hats.” “Why?” “Because according to your calculations, we are now standing inside of Westminster Abbey.” It makes me laugh just thinking of it…

We caught another dorado today. I guess it is in the freezer which means I’ll be expected to do something with it tomorrow. Meals seem to be less exciting on this leg. For one thing, we didn’t buy as much in Hawaii as we did leaving Victoria. I think the allergies are more restrictive on this leg as well.

Well, it has cooled down and I am cooking tomorrow so… ‘night.

So…

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Yeah… sorry about that.

I am still here and I have been thinking about things, just not writing here. I started two courses this week – two. The usual for the program is one at a time but I’m doing two right now so that I don’t have to worry about one when I’m in Myanmar this fall. The downside is that one of the courses I am in right now is actually one of the most intense of the entire program. I usually spend the first week of a new course trying to find my footing in it. This time, I am doing it for two. Top that off with the first nice weather of the summer and me starting up at yoga, and life has been a little crazy lately.

On the plus side, I got my marks back from the last course I did, the one I did from Portland and France and various points of travel in between. It was the highest mark of the program to date. Apparently I should go to Portland or France more often.

Today, until I was chastised in the comments of my own blog, I have mostly been working on school work, interspersed with walks and naps. Mostly school work though. One course has an insane [my opinion] number of assignments, so I have started on one for the other course due in three weeks. Logical, no? It is actually going to be easier and is something I had already begun to work on for something else, so I though I would get it out of the way while I could.

Now that I have appeased the lone voice of dissent, I will resume my scheduled evening activities: break for food, finish paper, watch DVD counselling session for course, journal responses to DVD for paper, put away laundry, sleep. What a glamorous life I lead.

Reflections

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My head is still spinning from this past weekend [possibly also spinning because I had a paper due hours after the conference ended and I’ve been going non-stop on writing since then…]. It is a blur of good times with good friends, late night conversations, stimulating presentations at the conference, uplifting music, new friends, inspiring discussions, new connections, and so much more. I hope that the discussions that began during the conference will continue now that the excitement and immediacy of the event has died down.

While there was nothing newly revolutionary to my thought processes, the challenge of safe space was renewed for me. As Brian said, “Create a safe space to learn and grown and suddenly it is safe for others to join because they are joining a conversation not a denomination.” This is what we were trying to accomplish with our Modern Retelling of the Stations of the Cross over this past Lent. It is the hope of our monthly Theology Pub events. It is my approach to church as well. I love the denomination that I currently go to – I grew up in the Anglican church and returned to it three years ago. However, I’m not going to introduce a friend to the Anglican Church. I am going to introduce them to Jesus and where they go from there is up to them. Yes, filling up emptying pews is a good thing… for our financial overhead… but it isn’t my primary motivation. I would much rather people join into the conversation than get involved in an institution.

The other thing Brian said that stood out to me was,

Liberating people from what keeps them apart from relationship with God and others.

I feel like this is what what my job is [going to be] as a counsellor. It is what I want my job description to be as a counsellor: Creating safe spaces for people to discover who they really are and grow in their relationships.

For full, comprehensive notes, check out the blog of a priest in the diocese who attended. He’s summarized things far better than I can/will:

Also, I read a story about Steve Bell, who did the music for the conference as well as a concert on the last night. Not only do I think what Steve did absolutely wonderful, I am proud of whoever at the Cathedral relaxed enough to let the shopping cart come in.

New Classmates, Dentists, and Sunshine

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What do the above have in common?

Nothing, actually, that I know of. I just encountered all today, in reverse order of the title.

The day began with a trip to the dentist. It was time for my annual check-up and I made sure the hygienist was aware of the molestation my gums have received in past visits. Result: I left without sore or bleeding gums, plus a new toothbrush and floss. She was new, which may account for her being a little easier on me, but apparently whatever I am doing is working because I got high praise all around and even managed to get in a plug for my favourite, natural toothpaste (no more chemicals for me, thanks, especially after reading stuff here.)

Then, it was coffee down near Cadboro Bay with a friend. The sun was shining, it was warm hot, and we sat outside. I only just managed to wait the requisite 30-45 minutes after fluoride for eating/drinking.

After a couple hours in the sunshine, it was a short bike ride to meet a new classmate. A girl in Victoria (who is friends with some friends of mine – small world!) just started my program, so we had tea and chatted about our backgrounds, what we want to do with our degrees, challenges of the program, and random other psych-geek stuff. It was pretty great.

Now, I’m at home. I’ve been at home for a few hours. I have not accomplished any homework. But, the sun is shining, the Habs are still in the playoffs, I’m going to Vancouver tomorrow for a birthday party, and I just drank a fruit smoothie: all is right with the world.

The World as Best as I Remember it

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The last two weeks have gone by so fast that I’m not really sure what happened. Last Tuesday I could have sworn that I had only gotten home from Montreal the night before; apparently it had been the previous week. I’m still trying to figure out where the last five days have gone.

  • My aunt from Montreal was here visiting for a few days, we went to the art gallery (good exhibits going on right now, Victorians), wandered downtown, saw a movie, climbed a mountain…
  • I started a new course, one which I am not thrilled about but am trying to make the most of. Maybe I’ll finally get that A+ I’ve been trying to get.
  • Random note about that course (research methods) – the prof goes by the same name as my UVic stats prof which is kind of weirding me out.
  • These next two weeks are going to be psycho chaotic with course work plus the last two weeks before the big conference on the 28th/29th. It is not to late to register and you know you want to come!
  • The weekend was great,  but too short. Britt, Kelsey, and I had our first road trip of the summer and it was great fun! Bamfield is lovely and since the resident soothsayer decreed that I will return to Bamfield, I suppose I must. We had a pig roast (like a whole pig on a spit turning over the fire), The Broken Group played the house down and people danced all night. The sun shone all day and the stars shone all night. I got in the first real stargazing of the summer.
  • I know I just mentioned them, but I get very happy inside whenever I think of the name of Bamfield’s resident band: The Broken Group. (For you non West Coasters: The Broken Group versus The Broken Group.)
  • Photos of the previously mentioned weekend are forthcoming. Maybe Friday.
  • I booked airmiles flights to Prince George today for my 10 year reunion this summer. Airmiles was the only way I was willing to go. I’m too cheap to pay full price to see people I only had one year in common with… But I’m stoked to see other friends and (quasi!)family when I’m there!
  • I started reading a new book yesterday. Its really good.
  • Ok. Back to the school work.
  • PS – bonus points for anyone who gets the obscure early 90’s Christian music reference in the title. No googling!

Le Weekend

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No Friday Photo today, that I can think of. I’ve been too busy to take many pictures this week and most of the ones I did take were crap…

But, I’m headed to Bamfield this weekend so that will be great and wonderful and fantastic. Hopefully also productive as I still have school work to finish for the week…