All moved in

So after a morning of feeling a little overwhelmed, I spent most of yesterday unpacking, organizing, moving furniture around and cleaning. Cally and Kaitlyn and I basically blitzed the whole place. They were such amazing friends, stickin with me and helping me sort out all my stuff. We even went through all the food cupboards and either threw stuff out, sent it to the lodge or reorganized it. I feel so much better now that everything is in order. I dunno, I just don't do well with even a little bit of disorder.

Anyways, let me show you around my new house...room...thing...

here be my bed up in the loft, Sam's beside mine

the kitchen...and those stairs of death lead up to  my loft room

the living room, these nice safe stairs lead to Cally and Kaitlyn's side of the loft

living room looking all cozy at night...it's actually really dark because our main light doesn't work...

And there you have it, my new living quarters...

Reflections: on leaving and returning and home

And wherever I wander - the one thing I've learned
It's to here - I will always....always return 

After two days of traveling, I have indeed returned to the Hole. The place this all started. The place that now has as a tight a hold on me as my hometown, a place I call home. But it's not as easy as that because I have another place that more surely is my home and will always be. But, well as people say, home is where the heart is, but what if your heart is in two places? 

I had the oddest feeling today as I drove away from my family, from BC, from Canada. For much of the trip, I felt that I was leaving, wandering away from home and all that I love. But then funnily I also felt that I was returning, coming home to a place just as beautiful and full of people that I love as well. 

I don't really know how to sort out all these things but I feel like Bryan Adam's song from Spirit applies oddly to two places for me. Of Abbotsford  and Jackson I can say that wherever I wander, I'm pretty sure I will always return to these places again sometime.

I hear the wind across the plain
A sound so strong - that calls my name
It's wild like the river - it's warm like the sun
Ya it's here - this is where I belong
Under the starry skies - where eagles have flown
This place is paradise - it's the place I call home
The moon on the mountains
The whisper through the trees
The waves on the water
Let nothing come between this and me 

Cuz everything I want - is everything that's here
And when when we're all together - there's nothing to fear
And wherever I wander - the one thing I've learned

It's to here, I will always return

 I feel my name called from both Wyoming and British Columbia, the starry skies, the moon on the mountains, the waves on the water - its a description of both my homes. And both of these places offer me things that I want, need and love. And so, I'm learning that my home can be more than one place, though my family will always have the strongest pull on me, there is Someone who has more say than all my feelings and callings and longings and that is my heavenly Father. He determines my home and location day-by-day. For now, it's back in Jackson and I praise Him for giving me the opportunity to return, and I will praise Him again when I head back...home.

A Sad Day

The Stanley Cup FINAL! Game 7! Canucks vs Bruins!

Hockey with my buddies = best times

I don't think I have ever been this excited, anxious or stressed about watching a sport. Seriously, I've never been really into watching sports, much preferring to play but when it comes to hockey and the Canucks actually doing really well, well, I had to join in the spirit. I mean, maybe being Canadian does have something to do with it because though I've never really cared much about the sports world, when it comes to hockey, my interest is piqued. I've always cheered for the Canucks but never been a very good fan, I'll admit it (however, after this year I'll probably always be engaged in the whole thing because I've come to really enjoy watching them play).

Megan is Burrows, Gabriella is Kesler and Danae and I are the Sedin twins of course!

Anyways, all this to say, I've been hosting parties for most of the games the last series of the playoffs and had a blast hanging out with my friends and getting excited. So of course, game 7 we were gathered once again at my place to watch in horror as our team fought a losing battle. It was probably harder for us all because EVERYONE predicted a win for the Canucks and our hopes were so high only to crash down even harder. I mean really, it didn't affect me that much, but for the moment of sadness. It's definitely a good reminder not to make hockey and the Canucks into an idol...because...well, they will ultimately fail you in the end. (No, I'm not being pessimistic about future Canucks attempts at the cup, but just pointing out that it will not bring you happiness even if they do win.)

still keeping our hopes up

Anyways, so as anticipation mounted throughout the day, I made a fabulous Stanley Cup cake which...didn't really look like the Stanley Cup, more like a little boy's birthday cake...Danae and her friend blew up balloons, Mom and I made spaghetti for everyone and people started showing up. We were all so sure things would turn out just swell, but after the first period...well, we tried to stay positive.

facing the inevitable

As it turned out, the Canucks lost the Stanley Cup but you know, I don't even mind when I think about it because, my favourite part of the whole series was the chance to hang out with my friends and just get excited about something. Besides, we still got to eat my delicious chocolate cake, so all wasn't truly lost!

"the cake is a lie"

The saddest part of the whole thing was what happened in Vancouver that night. I think it's ridiculous to blame the hockey game because the people who started those riots came there intent on doing so no matter the outcome. It sickened me to watch the images of my fellow human beings lighting cars on fire, smashing windows and worst of all, beating other people. As I watched the terror unfold on my television amidst smoke and flames and broken glass tears welled in my eyes and slid down my cheeks. It's scary to witness a world without God. How we are to be saved from ourselves, for I am sure, without His grace, the whole world would dissolve into such chaos. It is sad that whenever I think of the Stanley Cup or hockey, those images will come to mind; sad that a few dozen drunken idiots can incite thousands to rage and rampage; sad that even one person would throw a brick in unbridled violence; sad to think of the life they have lived which would lead them to such a state. It was indeed a sad day, not because Canucks lost, not because our hopes were crushed but because we saw humanity in such a state of sinful, violent, evil display.

just chillin after the game, not doing anything illegal...unlike SOME people

Reflections: the Bride, the Groom, the Purpose

You're my beloved
Lover I'm yours
Death shall not part us
It's you I died for
For better or worse
Forever we'll be
Our Love it unites us
And it binds you to me
It's a mystery 

(Beloved, Tenth Avenue North)

I recently attended my cousin's wedding, actually I was given the honour of standing up with her as a bridesmaid on that perfectly beautiful day. As I marveled at God's blessing in given us such amazing weather, reveling in the warmth of the sun on my face and shoulders after so many days of clouds and rain; 

as I looked out at all the smiling audience gathered to celebrate the uniting of two people; as I glanced over at the nervous groom awaiting his bride; as I joined everyone in turning to see our first glimpse of my stunning cousin walk down the staircase, eyes following her slowly up the aisle, her face fairly glowing with joy; as I listened to the teaching from Scripture, the vows of promise, the declaration of a new couple become one...I was impressed with the truths of God symbolized in the marriage of a man and woman. 

Though these things were not spoken of explicitly, after learning the depth of meaning there is in marriage at JHBC, I could think of little else. God has blessed me with a great memory and a joy of learning which allowed me to really soak up Pastor Don's message on marriage back in September. This being my first wedding since then, it all came rushing back and I was struck again at the wonder of God's plan. Back in Genesis 1 when God created man, it was in His image - both male and female. I find it fascinating how this image of God is not complete without BOTH man and woman. A man has certain characteristics of God (protection, leadership, wisdom, guidance etc.) and a woman has certain characteristics (nurturing, compassion, mercy etc.) and only together do they portray the complete image of God. Both are equal, both are valuable and because the woman came from a man, they have the potential to be united. It is interesting to note that the woman was obviously in the plan since God didn't have to remake Adam when He created Eve. Eve was created for Adam, God gave her to Adam, just as the father gives away the bride today in our wedding ceremonies. 

The roles of husband and wife in marriage are also so amazing to think about because of the truths they display to the world about Jesus and the church. Wives are called to submit to their husbands, not all men, but to their own husbands (Eph. 5: 22) as they submit to Christ. As a symbol of the church, which is in submission to Christ, "wives ought to be to their husbands in everything" (Eph. 5:24). And husbands, in turn, as a picture of Christ are to love their wives as Christ loved the church. It is a such a beautiful picture, the husband, the head of the marriage, but giving up everything for his wife as Christ gave up Himself for the church; and the wife, willingly and joyfully living in submission to her husband (so long as this submission matches submission to Christ). 

Now, I'm not married so I don't really know what that kind of relationship is like, but I am a child of God, part of His church and in submission to Christ. I have been blessed to receive His love for me, His life for mine and am learning each day to subject myself to Him.  I praise God for giving us the picture of marriage, for blessing me with so many wonderful married couples as examples in my life and for being my Beloved, my Saviour, and the One who sanctifies me. 

Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her; that He might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, that He might present to Himself the church in all her glory, having no spot or wrinkle or any such thing; but that she should be holy and blameless. 

            Ephesians 5:25-27

And so as the wedding went on, this is what was in my mind and I was blessed by these reflections on how God has purpose and meaning for everything, every aspect of our lives. I was also a little saddened because, as we all know, for the most part, these beautiful truths are not displayed or lived out in our world today. Women do not like to be submissive to anybody and men are often not an example of any kind of love, nevermind a self-sacrificing Christ-like love. Marriage has been attacked so much and perverted into something that it is not. It is easy to be cynical about it, but God created marriage and it is a beautiful thing when lived out the way He planned it.