Grad Breakfast and Parade

Dont have time to journal much, but here are a few pics from both Parade and Breakfast today! Both were lots of fun, lots of memories and pictures. There were acutally a lot of people watching all over for the parade! I was planning on rollerblading, but luckily I stayed close to some friends with a trailer, so I hopped on there when I was tried!! Grad 2006!!!

Grad is near

2 more days... Tomorrow is the Breakfast and the parade in the afternoon. I have no idea what we will be having for breakfast tomorrow, but my guess is eggs and bacon and all of that good stuff! Corey's home now, he came out last friday in the afternoon. It is good to have him home again, although we dont see him often because he is busy with a "significant other" but it is all good, seeing how they will both be going to a camp in a few weeks. One of the benifits to having him home is that he has time to make all this good, and interesting food for suppers. Last night we had Alfredo sauce and noodles with chicken and then some sort of a spinich salad on the side. That wasnt my favorite becuase it had to be baked for a while for the egg in it, so the spinich leaves were kind of gross. However the noodles were really good.
Then Cecilia came out on Sunday and it was great to see her again. Its like she never left! It is crazy to think that a year has gone by since the last time I saw her. She's out until the 19th of July, so that will be good to spend time with her until then. We already went to Mirandas farm and it was a great time feeding the pony and hanging out. Then last night, Mom and I helped decorate where our grad will be. Our theme is under the sea or someting like that. I am actaully impressed with how good the center looks. I thought the theme might be hard to decorate for, but it turned out good! I am going again tonight after a youth thingy to help out for a bit again.

The whole Graduating thing hasnt really hit me yet. I am looking forward to it, but I am looking forward to what comes after grad more so, which is wierd because I will be spending over half my summer working a full time job which will be new and different. Yet that as well i am loooking forward to because I know what I am doing next year so I have more motivation to get the money and all that I need. two missions trips are in August and I am really looking forward to the first one, I cant wait to see new friends and old friends from these last few years, and like always, I am sure that God will challenge me that week. Saskatoon should be good, a whole new experience as well. So I am really looking forward to that as well, and oh yeah, SOnshine in July shoudl be good as well! So much to look forward to!
So here are a few pics from the last few days of excitment and fun!

Mudfest 06!

Last night we had our youth windup. It was Mudfest round 2! It is basically where we run around and get mud all over ourselves. There were a few games of tug of war, but other then that, just making mud angles, slipping and sliding and having a good time. A few people went swimming in the dug out after to get rinsed off, and then spent the rest of the time standing by the fire trying to warm up! Overall I think it was a major success! Here are a few pics to enjoy!

DONE!

Ok, I had my english exam today. It went good, just a lot more writing then I had thought, but good thing English always came easy for me! I also got my math mark back, well... I got my credit, that is the biggest and most important thing, but it brought down my mark quite a bit. So yeah, I wind up with an over all of 56%, ouch I know. Although there were a few questions that we had gone over in class that I apparently got on the exam, full marks, so it was good that I got that at least! Just grad next week! My friend is coming out in a few days, so I am really really looking forward to that! Should be a good time, and I think that Corey Might be home sooner then planned, although things can change like that were he is, so heres hoping!

Father's day/Grad celebration

I just got back from our family's Father's day/grad gathering. It was a good time, and for the most part, the weather held off as well. It was great too see Samuel, the newest addition to the family for the first time. We BBQ meat, and had salads and hung out. For a grad gift, I got a super awesome set of 6 lugguge set from the whole family. Thanks guys, it is awesome and I will get lots of use out of it! From my mom, as an early grad gift, I got her locket that she got from her mom (my Grandma) way back in 79 when she graduated. In the inside there is a picture of my mom, and late Grandma. Ever since I could remember, I have wanted that locket, and mom always said I had to wait, but I finally got it. I am not a person who tears up easily, but this time I did, (you would too I am sure). Lots of pics were taking. Hopefully this will be the start of a tradition of

passing it down for future generations come their grad. Oh I love it so much, it is priceless, I just wish that Grandma could have been there, but I am sure God gave her a front row seat for watching, her presence was felt (at least by me). So yeah, too bad Corey wasnt there, but heres hoping that he will be home for Grad next week!

I am again reminded at how blessed I am to have such an amazing family!

I Am Done...Well almost

I wrote my math provincial today. Like always, there were a few questions that just totally stumped me, and yeah go figure that those were the ones that were worth more marks. Lets just say that I know i didnt get 100%, not that anyone does anyways. Good news, my credit is not on the line, so that was lots of pressure off, now the question is just by how much I passed. So yeah, we are babysitting at the moment, so I should be going. Have a great day!

Baptism

As of today, I am just not ready. There I said it. Why is always so hard to admit to something when you are wrong, or just not ready for something? Once again, Baptism is really pressing on my mind. For those of you who remember, before Christmas, I took Christian Growth class at church and I think through that and seeing almost all my friends get baptized, the questions started to come. Questions that deal around church, membership and belonging to a certian church/family, what does it mean, Why are there so many churches in our town? Why are there major shortages of Sunday school teachers, when our church is so huge? Why is teh church not being held accountable in some situations. Why are we so quick to judge some, and then openly welcome others? You know, things like that.

I know that I am not the only one who struggles with these issues. Like I mentioned in my last post (Baptism is another huge issue that I struggled with. I took Christian Growth class (aka Baptism class), but I didn't get baptized. I talked for hours with a numerous of different people about it and I came to a conclusion that I wanted to get baptized, but I didnt want to belong to a church, not yet anyways, and I didnt feel that my church gave me that option.) Baptism is still an issue for me. Its kind of interesting how for the last 6 months or so, I really didnt think about it, until last night when a friend asked me where I was with it (I had talked with her briefly before). This got me thinking again so today I spent two hours talking with my aunt and uncle, just hearing their thoughts and stories. I always think that I Have more of my dad's side in me, but now, I think my mom's side is just as much dominant. For those that know me, not sure if this is good or bad...I like it.

Anyways, through talking with them, I have come to the conclusion that as of Today, June 10/06 I am not ready for Baptism. That may change tomorrow, next week, month or 10 years from now, but not now. I keep using these different issues as excuses, and maybe they are more then just excuses, but they are also something for me to "hide beind" My aunt mentioned about having this power as a youth giving my testimony wherever, or if and when behind the pulpit, about my concerns and questions. I never really thought about that, but for those few minutes or however long, my voice will be heard. It may not be agreed with or followed, but it will be heard non the less and that is a start and that is power. The generation gap is there, its a fact of life and chances are will always be there. So many things have already changed in the churches here, women now have more of a voice, the acceptance is becoming greater and things are changing. My aunt listed numerous of things that have changed in her church these last 30 years. So what's holding me back? Is it just human nature? Am I just the sort of person who likes to know what they are getting into before they do it? Is it Satan putting these thoughts in my head, making my self question my faith? I have also realized that what I need is too sit down with a pastor or someone higher up in the church and ask them these questions; and NOT get a biblical based answer. I could get that with a click of the internet, or from one of the Many help books and all out there. Again, dont get me wrong, bible answers are good, but I wwant a present day answer, someone who wont hide behind biblical answers and will give me their honest thoughts on it. that would help.

Nathan, I hope you dont mind that I am using a quote of your blog but I thought it was really good; Drinking beer is easy. Trashing your hotel room is easy. But being a Christian, that’s a tough call. That’s rebellion. -Alice Cooper


"Ask, and it will be given you; search, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened for you." Matthew 7:7
So maybe the push and questions are coming from God, just another step in my spiritual journey, one which I am sure will have questions through out my whole life- thats how you grown, thats how you learn. You wont' find the buried treasure if you dont look for it, and I guess the same obviously goes with my walk that I am walking. So in the end I guess i am asking, seeking for answers, for the truth, and if you think you could help, I would love to have a conversation with you, just hear thoughts and ideas.

Heaven...or Hell...- You Decide

Last night at youth, we were suppose to have a Heaven or Hell night at youth. It Didnt happen (which in a way is good becuase then I didnt have to miss it due to math studing). Fire, food and hanging at a leaders place was good time though. It turns out that the reason for canceling it was due to theological reasons. See Nathan's blog at http://officehourthoughts.blogspot.com/ for more details and more in depth. Although I can understand the reasons for awarness, or caution against playing the "game", I must admit that I was disapointed. I may be in over my head here, not knowing the full story, but I do know that we did have a pretty good turn out as far as students go yesterday at youth, and there did seem to be a general disapointment as well.

Its kind of interesting actaully, our churches seem to have no problem with "drilling" the same bible stories into our (the youths) heads- such as Easter, CHristmas, passover, Communion etc etc, please dont get me wrong, those are all amazing and important stories, but does the church not realize that they are driving away youth as well? At the age of 5, most kids already know thsoe stories off by heart. A few people that i have talked to have said that that is why they Stopped going to church, it was the same thing over and over, it wasnt full filling and eventaully lead them further away from the truth then closer to it. That is the sad part.

I have had a few conversations with people, saying that although our community is close, we are almost too close. People who move in have a hard time adjusting and feeling like they belong. Even the people that I have talked too who were born and have grown up here, find it hard to live here. As long as you are mennonite, or have an anabaptist based faith,without any extreme ideas, you will be ok.

Personally, my faith is very important to me, and I credit lots of it to my morals taught by my family and to youth. Yet even with that, and my faith, I just need to get out of the area for a while. I feel like I am being overwhelmed by it at points. Through different experiences, I have come to find that we really do live in a bubble here. There are days when I feel like saying "screw church, its the same thing over and over" I hate that I feel that way, but its true. We are still so old fashioned that its driving people away. Take communion for example- it seems our church does it at least once every two months. I feel that the more we do communion, the further and further away i get from wanting to do it at all. The meaning and purpose is just totally gone for me. Baptism is another huge issue that I struggled with. I took Christian Growth class (aka Baptism class), but I didn't get baptized. I talked for hours with a numerous of different people about it and I came to a conclusion that I wanted to get baptized, but I didnt want to belong to a church, not yet anyways, and I didnt feel that my church gave me that option.

Like I said, I maybe looking at this totally wrong, or nieve, but none the less, I think it is ultimatly up to the child (or youth) and their parents to deciede whether or not to attend an event like Heaven or Hell. I just dont think you can deny that of the other youth who want to be there and who perhaps need something like that at that moment. God works his way through amazing circumstances beyond our imaginations, so with not having it last night, how many youth did we lose who had questions that that night would have helped? Would that night have been the start of an amazing relationship for a youth with christ? I guess we wont know. I'm not putting blame on anyone, but its something to think about, and its just my thoughts on it, so yeah, leave a comment if you have one.
Kutless- Passion
Within my mind's eye

Flickering from the past

Come images that terrify and calm

A paradox in me

Nail pierced hands they run with blood

A splitting brow forced by the thorns

His face is writhing with the pain yet it's comforting to me

He chose to give it all

Jesus endured the pain

Paying a debt I owed and created a paradox in me

Nail pierced hands they run with blood

A splitting brow forced by the thorns

His face is writhing with the pain yet it's comforting to me

And in my heart I know that you're the only one

Who could of came and died, a sacrifice

As your God's only son

Nail pierced hands they run with blood

A splitting brow forced by the thorns

His face is writhing with the pain yet it's comforting to me

Photography

One thing that I love about where I live is that the weather is so intesnse sometimes that it gives amazing pictures! I also found out that I love taking pictures of clouds. Yeah I know it may sound wierd, but hey, you gotta do something here to pass the time! Anyways, last night, there was some intense weather happening north of us. Luckily all we got was rain, nothing compared to last year's father's Day storm!

When taking pictures, people sometimes ask what is the point of this or that. For example, a stop sign, dishes, you know, useless things that there really is no point in taking a picture, but that is also part of the creativity. Taking something boring, and doing something with it to make it more interesting and new.

I guess sometimes taking a picture is kind of like when God started the world. Taking something old, or even new, and adding life to it, making it colourful, fresh and exciting. There are times that I go, "Shoot, I wish I had my camera! I can't believe I forgot it!" I miss a picture perfect moment. I then realize that those are the times that maybe I am not suppose to have a camera, I am just suppose to stop and "smell the flowers" or to even just stop and think and just praise God for the beauty around me. So enjoy these few pics.


I love this picture, because it reminds me of the clouds either spliting open for Christ, or the clouds closing after he rose back into Heaven
So yeah, that is just a sampling of some of my pics! Enjoy

Sun, laughter... and drinks?

That was an interesting experience. We had everything from people getting wasted by 8:00 in the evening, to going to bed at 2:30 and then waking up at 5:30. finding out at 8:00 that we were on the wrong side, yes side, of the campground, so we had too pack up and move EVERYTHING. To a friend just totally ditching us all weekend, to try and fit in with the people that were getting wasted (sore subject, dont ask), someone else rolling around drunk in their vomit, too the guy that NEVER says anything, being totally lose and talkitive, too losing a classmate (who was intoxicated enough) in the bush and getting the rangers in involved (and almost the cops) and then to find out he was just at his aunt and unlce's campground...

The Beach though was really nice. Minus the leeches in the water, oh and the sunbrun. But like I said, lying out in the sun all day, playing frisbee and baseball on teh beach was a good time, really it was. Dutch blitz was crazy as well. I had some really sweet talks with people about certain things, got along with people I usually dont. So minus all the bad stuff, it turned out to be a pretty decent Grad skip. Lots of pics were taking, we were all safe and Memories, good and bad made

Here's to Grad 2006

Grad Skip

We leave for Grad skip in 3 hours. Believe it or not, I am actaually looking forward to it! Mind you I will be one of the select few who will actaully remember it. (unlike some who are planning on getting wasted by 8:00 already..) As long as nothing bad happens, I guess in the end that is all that matters.

I have been trying for a while already to figure out how to add links and all and the few times that i have tried, I haven't gotten it, and yes I have tried to figure it out with Blogger help, but nope still dont got it, so if anyone could explain it to me easier, that would be great!
Cya after this weekend!