Vancouver Precipitation.

Vancouver Update:

Don't you wish you were here =]

It has begun to get dark earlier, and rain clouds constantly loom over the damp city; typical Vancouver weather this time of the year. This weekend though, God took it up a notch and the first snowfall of the season fell upon the city. Even though it lasted just overnight, Vancouver is blanketed by white.  The feeling may not be shared by all, but the white stuff definitely has a cheerful effect.

"He spreads the snow like wool and scatters the frost like ashes." - Psalm 147:16

Mr. Clark and Mr. Lewis

Dear Reader,

Forgive my long absence for I have been mentally exhausted and have not entirely been pleased with my own writing. I'd welcome any feedback on anything, from writing styles to topics.  I know I've been writing mostly to myself but for the few readers that happen to chance upon this blog, I'd like to know what your looking for/like in blogs and in life.
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Earlier this month I was very fortunate to have Steve Clark come and visit. No not the guitarist of Def Leppard,  I would have been scared out of my mind. This Steve is the guy who started The Sword of the Spirit, Servants of the Word and writer of many Christian books which I'm also getting around to reading. One of the most recent ones I finished is 'Knowing God's Will' - awesome read and I'll probably write up on it eventually too.

We had a good chat about everything that's going on really and it didn't register with me exactly what was the outcome or message that we were revolving on. Not till about a week later, after some reflection and some help from a very good friend of mine that I realized. See me and Steve talked about challenges and persevering, 'hanging in there', not quiting, doing things for the right reasons - God, and really opening up to what He has in store. Then a conversation with my friend a week later hammered things home/ knocked it out of the park (baseball reference since its October). The message is "waiting".  Waiting on the Lord because He knows what's best, and He shall show us in time when we are ready. When we are finished being "battered by the shocks of doom" God shall make real the vision He has for us. Thank you friend for this.

Current book: Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis.

I haven't read a lot of Lewis's work. I think the only one that I finished is Screwtape Letters which was a doozie of a challenge (check it out and you'll understand why) and  that took a while. I am now moving to Mere Christianity as I was told it is a good/easier book to follow, and so it is.  For one who has been a Christian for some time now I am finding things which I either over look, took for granted and even tried to avoid. Lewis explains things, facets/aspects of Christianity, in ways which not only helps me understand them better but allow me to share with others better. Sharing regarding the book to come, once I finish.

"Life is not as idle ore,
  But iron dug from central gloom,
   And battered by the shocks of doom
    To shape and use." - Oswald Chambers

A working man

Life update: Work has begun for me. God has blessed me with a coop (full-time) job. It came down to the last minute but He came through like He always does.  So now I will be kept busy 8 hours a day, 5 days a week for the next 7 months.  It is tiring and I am feeling it, but He gives me strength. I know I'll be relying on Him even more the next few months.

I work at the heart of downtown Vancouver.

" I can do all things through Him who gives me strength." - Philippians 4:13

Sometimes small can make you see the bigger picture

From time to time, I would find myself wishing that my church was better.  I know a lot of it has to do with my own understanding of my tradition (meaning I need to study more) and also taking things seriously enough to really prep for church - not getting too tired and falling asleep. But sometimes I would wish that I could feel a better connection with the whole service or that the priest/pastor could keep me engaged enough.

A weekend trip to the sunshine coast (it's a peninsula north-ish of Vancouver) was God's answer to my prayers and taught me that very often, it really is just a problem with me. I just need check how I'm looking at it. In our trip, we attended our Sunday service (Mass) in a small community church (probably 6-8 rows of seats at most) which is shared by multiple traditions - Roman Catholic, Pentecostal and Lutherans. When the service began, the place was a little less than half full and there were 20 people - 7 of which were us who came from the city. My first thought: "is it really worth the trip to have someone come out here to have the service?" Insensitive I know, and I'm sorry, working on it. And then comes the priest who apparently is already retired, and my next thought: "well this is a nice place to retire to." Anyway, as I told the stupid voice in my head to shut up and focused myself, the service began. 

It turned out to be one of the most intimate services I've attended. This priest was very charismatic and lively despite how he looked and the organ music which would normally put me to sleep didn't.  Something kept me focus as if telling me that I needed to hear what ever message was gonna said. It was really quite refreshing and it inspired and motivated me to go back to appreciate my home church (which has a huge congregation).  I'm able to take in so much from the small service and reconsider things that I would normally just go over habitually. It helped me see things clearer and think "yea that's why we do this, that's why this is important." 

Skookumchuck Rapids - I think their the
 only one of it's kind in the world.

I hope by this short sharing, I've inspired you to look deeper into your tradition. Study it more if you have to, so that you may understand why things are the way they are, why it's done the way it is. I pray that you may grow to love what ever church you go to even more and inspire others as well. 

"But every seed dies before it grows" 

- Enough To Let Me Go by Switchfoot

I'm sorry for Mr. Hyde

To start: I love basketball. And I try really hard all the time at it because I know that I'll suck if I don't (same goes with any sport I play, and in some cases I still do terrible despite trying). I'm not really the most talented, smartest, fastest, most athletic guy on the court but I give it my all and I play the game the only way I know how.  I'm also very competitive. I like to win, but don't mind losing as long as everyone's REALLY trying. I like to have everyone I'm playing with take the game seriously when someone's keeping score. (If you want to play for fun, don't keep score).

With that: I want to apologize to anyone who's played against me (and even with me) where I forgot who I am. I'm sorry for being a jerk.

This is something I have been working on for a while now and I'm really glad God is working with me. He humbles me when I go too far and cools me off when my emotions get hot.  When someone has to tell people your playing basketball against(with) that your actually not like the way you are off the basketball court, you know it's bad.  And it's even worse if you scare some people how competitive you get.  It's just not how I want to be because I know no matter where I am or what I do, I am a witness. I am a Christian at all times.  I am very very thankful to God that He has given me this love for sports and that I am able to play sports - basketball in particular.  I am a work in progress...

"I had to tell them and explain to them that you're actually a good person" - I.C.

P.S. As I don't assume a lot of people (in particular those I play sports with) will be reading this, I shall be making amends or an apology of some sort in person.

Summer in the rear view mirror.

It was very much a typical summer for a student that was filled with uncertainty. I wasn't sure what was going to happen. Endless job searching (for coop/internship) was unsuccessful which meant that I was to take summer school. Uncertainty of when a job offer/interview was coming made it questionable whether I could leave Vancouver. It was a big test where God was calling me to trust Him. What did that mean? I did all I could do that is within my control. I focused on the present, the moment and what needed to be done at the time, leaving the rest and  'what if's up to God.

In June, I signed up for Campus Outreach Academy (COA) despite not knowing if I was going to get a job in the fall. On top of really wanting to go, I felt like I needed to be there. COA, which was the highlight of my summer, finally came in August. Leaving Vancouver behind, 8 Vancouverites headed for Michigan for a 9 day retreat at Miracle Camp. The theme for this COA: Ecumenism and Christian unity.

I don't think I've truly appreciated this aspect of UCO. Having university students and Kairos staff come together, build relationships and be -what I can best describe as- a family... is just amazing. Everyone, coming from different backgrounds, traditions, cultures, came together and shared 9 days of learning and growing as Christians. Having Christ at the heart of every relationship is what I think makes it so special; it allows me to call someone my brother or sister. There is a love that He gives us and teaches us to share which makes the relationships we build unique. If your reading this and feel like you want in on it, let me know, we're more than happy to share it to you.

My summer was topped with a trip to the beautiful sunshine coast of BC to get away from it all and let things settle down. There I was far enough from the city lights that I could see more stars than I ever imagined (you can't tell where the big dipper was anymore or I just got lost not knowing where to look).

So what happened with my job search? Well God always provides, and He came through for me like He always does .

"God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change; courage to change the things I can; and wisdom to know the difference." - R.N.

Definition: saint

What I mean by saint isn't exactly being martyred or giving away everything you have to live in hardship - although that is the type of saint we tend to think about.  I believe that being a saint is simply following God, doing good and trying to be the best we can be (we're not perfect but at least we can try). What do you think, good enough definition?

"When you come to where your broken within, the light meets the dark" - T.A.N.

What up with the blog?

And so it begins.

I am a Christian and Christians are called to be witnesses and live out the gospel; be saints. What do I mean by saint? That's for the next post. But here's the the purpose of my blog: to share with you my journey living out what He's called me to. 

This past couple of weeks I was in Michigan attending a University Christian Outreach (UCO) retreat called Campus Outreach Academy (COA) which got me to thinking of what's going on in my life. 

See I forgot who I was living for, my ultimate end goal and why I was put in this earth. I thought God was pretty much done prepping me for life and that it was my turn to rock out. I thought I'm living a pretty decent Christian life and that since I'm part of UCO already, I'm good to go. Could I have been more wrong. God knocked some sense into me and called me out. 

From some very inspiring time spent with amazing people I can only call my brothers and sisters, I learned that my Christian journey is never over until God calls me home. Also that relying, trusting, giving it up to Him is better than selfishly trying to go at it alone. God provides - one of the resounding messages of COA - we just have to let Him. 

Life gets too busy sometimes and I tend to forget or lose focus of things that matter so I've decided to put up my reflections and thoughts in writing.  Hopefully my sharings with you in this blog can help me and you remember the good and right of life. I hope to inspire you with things I encounter day to day, and what goes on around the world (current events - cause we all miss some things).

"Remember - a couple of fish and two loaves of bread fed 10,000 people, and a handful o flour and a few drops of oil fed a household for months. W/ Christ, all things are possible." - A.P.