Tuesday, January 29, 2008

John.

This past weekend wasn't a complete loss- I found life, hope and inspiration within the walls of Jacob's Well in the downtown Eastside.

Scotty, Cheryl, Rachel, Ryan and myself arrived (late) for Friday's evening session (we took a weekend workshop on care and compassion for marginalized people). I couldn't help but notice God's blessing dripping from the walls of that little place- the Spirit was so close you could breathe it.

We met John who lives in low income housing near Jacob's Well, he told us a bit of his story and talked of how he came to be part of the Jacob's Well family. While he spoke I saw Jesus.

One of the things they do is make a dinner together and then sit down and share food together. John told us that he struggled with whether he was there to feed himself or to feed others who walked in off the street... so he would eat sometimes, and would go without other times because he felt it so important that he feed his brothers.



As he told that story my eyes welled with tears.

Here before us sat a man who had very little, yet he cared so much that he wanted to SERVE those who entered from the streets just like himself- even at the cost of going without.

This is a love that I long to learn.

A Weekend of "Threes"

Whoever said bad things come in threes was bang on.

Why is it that once one thing starts to go sour it seems to incur a landslide of unpleasant things?

This weekend was one of those that you just want to be over with. I won't go into detail, but my three consist of being somewhat chastized for not doing/being enough even when I truely feel that I've been doing the best I know how (to say the least, it was a major blow); THEN in a totally different scenario I got completely misunderstood and no matter what I said to explain myself it was twisted in a way to make me out to be the bad guy; and NOW one of my finches is on it's last hour. Although it is really old and can only be expected, it's still so sad to lose a friend.



Life is full of ups and downs, but it's near impossible to not be discouraged in the downs. I feel like I've had the wind knocked out of me, but I am fighting to get back up sooner than later. I rest only in the fact that it is in these difficult times that we are given the greatest opportunity for growth.

I guess if I say that I want to be a better person- if I expect to see growth- I have to accept these moments of "threes" with open arms.

Thursday, January 24, 2008

Still Holding On

"Get ready... God is preparing us for something very, very small- and it is the small things that change the world"-Shane Claiborne



Life is a bit of a whirlwind right now. We got back from Kelowna late this afternoon, with only a few hours to prep for youth group tonight- tomorrow Scotty and I (and a few few youth leaders/youth) are going to check out Jacob's Well, a nonprofit organization that's making a huge difference in the downtown Eastside. We'll be there for the majority of the weekend taking a workshop in working with those trapped in poverty right in our hometown- and hopefully, gain the courage to bridge the gap between the destitute and the affluent.

To be honest, I'm a little afraid to go. God has really been stirring my heart- and his still small voice is getting louder and louder, and I've been trying to muffle it because I'm afraid of stepping into a life that will no longer be mine. It is funny how stubbornly I hold onto my past (along with all the things I know, and find a false sense of worth/security/comfort in) even though I know that the path God has laid before me will be so much more than anything I could ever MAKE happen.

Jesus asked his followers to give up all they had and to follow him.

Lately I keep seeing him turning to me and saying: "Chelsea, give up all you have, and follow me."

I want to step off into the unknown, but...

Tuesday, January 22, 2008

...I'm Not Alone

I'm sitting up in my room at the Okanagan Grand looking out at the lights twinking off the lake between the boats docked in the little cove I've become so fond of. This is our forth year at the Christian Missionary Alliance conference, and every year, I feel truely blessed to be able to spend a few days in Kelowna with my husband and some great friends.

This year I'm feeling convicted... no maybe that's not the right word... I've been feeling like we're on the cusp of a new movement within the church- it seems that the stirrings within my own heart are not alone.

This is a verse that was like fresh air to me this evening:

"Whoever oppresses the poor insults his maker, but whoever is kind to the needy honors him"
-Proverbs 14:31

Saturday, January 19, 2008

Trash Your Dress

Love was in the air today.

This morning I made my way out to my Sister-in-law's salon, Mystique, for a little shoot with the Peace Arch Newspaper. They're doing a bridal section in one of their february prints and wanted to feature Mystique's undeniable top notch treatment of brides. Ang (a bride to be) played the part of the bride, and I, the part of the bridesmaid. After we finished up- Ang got a sparkle in her eye as she commented that it would be a shame to waste our fantastic updos and flawless makeup (if this comes across as an advertisement...perfect).

I had brought my wedding dress to hang in the salon while the did our thing with the newspaper. Within an hour I was in my wedding dress and running through a snowy field; chilled to the bone, but loving every minute. Ang was super excited as she ran back and forth and snapped tons of pictures, and in no time I found myself lying in the snow staring into the lens.




Who knew lying in the snow in a beach wedding dress could actually be fun?

Ang is a gifted photographer, to say the least, and is looking for more girls who are game for getting back onto their wedding dresses for an unconventional photoshoot- I'm already thinking about what I can do with my prom dress.

So if you're interested, let her know... if you don't know her, let me know and I'll hook you up.

You'd be best to take advantage because 10 years from now, you'll never be able to afford her.

Wednesday, January 16, 2008

...And Blow Away

I've been on strike for the past few weeks- doing very little but studying for my social psychology final (which I took, and rocked, on Saturday morning). Yesterday I had the day off work, so it was finally time to take down the Christmas decorations. What took me three whole days to put up (yes, I go a little overboard)- took me one LONG day to take down. I started at 6am and finally fell into bed at 11:40pm. My zeal was kinda lacking around 5:30 pm so I took a little break and did something I truely enjoy... I cooked.

One of my favourite things is to pour myself a glass of wine, crank some music and mess up the kitchen. A praciticum student of mine, who's mom moved here from Fiji just before she was born taught me how to make a kick-A#$ Fijian curry before Christmas (so that's what I made).

A couple friends of mine love Metric- they can't stop talking about how amazing Emily Haines' voice is- so last week I purchased their latest ablum, "Grow Up and Blow Away"- in all my studying fervor, I completely forgot about it until last night.



Now I know what all the hype is about this Emily- I loved the whole album, it's different enough from everything else out there without losing the ability to be incredibly catchy.

If you're trying to find some music for the new year- give Metric's new album a listen- I don't think you'll be disappointed.

Monday, January 14, 2008

And now I go into the wild

Between the presents, parties, dinners, baking, studying (I had a final on Jan 12th)- I managed to squeek in a little reading over the holidays. My inlaws gave us a espresso/cappucinno/latte maker for christmas (which I am absolutely thrilled with), so in amongst all the chaos I was able to steal away a little quiet time, armed with an eggnog latte or two, to read "Into The Wild." I thouroughly enjoyed the book- I was so dissaponted that it was pulled from theaters before I got a chance to see it- so when I saw it on the shelf in Walmart I snapped it up.



The story about Chris McCandless (aka Alexander Supertramp) really made me think about the diparity between my own life and the life I want to live. I truely admire that he wasn't just a talker, but actually LIVED the way he wanted to. People have their opinions, especially when people do anything counter to what society says is the path we should take in life (ie- go to college, get a career, get married, have babies...), but I always love hearing about the people who don't just live according to status quo. People, myself included, get so stressed about reaching all those "milestones" on time that I truely believe they never take the ime to think about whether they really want the life they're pursuing or not. People like Chris inspire that little rebel in me who truely wants to live a life that is counter to what society thinks I should do.

By no means does this mean I want to become a wanderer, hitch-hiking all over the continent, but it does inspire in me the idea that it's never too late, and that there is never a better time than now to do those things you want to do while on this earth.

Scotty was very inspired by this family he read wbout in National Geographic who pulled their children out of school for a year and travelled the globe. They weren't rich by any means, but "paid" their way by working for different non-profit oganizations such as orphanages, bulding projects, conservation efforts... you name it. At the end of the year the kids said that they didn't even care about being a year behind their friends in school, but it was obvious that that year would be the most inspired and educational out of any other year they'll ever do in school. People had their opinions too, saying that they were stupid to quit their jobs, put their house on the market and just take off- but this family has something to hold onto that few of us will ever experience- but the craziest thing is that most of us won't experince something like that not because we don't have the means to do it...

But because we're scared.

John Krakauer's book is just one story, but, if anything, it'll give you a desire to take a journey, to explore this earth you live on, experience nature.... and perhaps close that gap between the life you do have and the life you want to have.