friends...

Something profound... I was coffee-ing with a Langley-friend today and we were talking about who we are in relation to who we want to become. She said that who we want to become is kind of who we are because it's what we are moving towards and it's sort of our destiny ahead of us. A goal. It's kind of like the hope before us--what we are striving to become.

Does that make sense?

Ok, so it sounded better the way she said it.

What do you want to become?

on a bit of a tangent, i went through the Esso "touchless carwash" after coffee.. because i had to type in a code before the carwash began, i didn't roll my window back up! and power windows are so slow too! so there i sat, wet, feeling pathetic, spitting out water and laughing at myself. got a two for one. carwash and a facewash.


Two days ago, Nanci and I went "yau che ho-ing" (driving) to look at Christmas lights. Ended up at a JoJo's place... 45 minutes away from Vancity. Chatted it up for the next 5 hours--till early morning. No surprise there. We laughed, we cried, we ate, we drank (hot chocolate!)...

I've come to realize that conversation is so healing. Lack of it kills... but good talks heal the soul. Or at least, it heals mine.

Can we talk?

I use to love to read Reader's Digest... the Laughter section... Those jokes always made me laugh. But nothing beats laughter with friends. Tonight I spent most of it laughing. A great change of pace... Just eating with Em, who's visiting, Pans, and Connie... Talking about nothing in particular but just the everyday funnies that occur. Being goofy... we can always find something to laugh about... either we create it ourselves, or just weird things happen when we're together...

I miss that.

Laughing...

I need my daily dose of humour.

Don't you too?

Narnia. Still haven't seen it. But thankfully my gracious friends are waiting until I am free to go. We read it together in grade 5... when we first became "the awesome4sum."

While the world goes to watch it, these friends (minivan7) will wait... Thanks guys for always waiting...

Would you wait?

These are my post-Christmas "could-have-been-bored-and-lonely-but-not" stories.

I am truly blessed with incredible friends.

I always say that.

But I really mean it.

Last little while, friends have come out of no where to bless me.

Listened.

Cried with.

Fed me.

Hugged me.

Without you guys, I don't know what I would do...

God has truly truly graced me in the area of friendships.

With gratitude,

Thank you Lord.

:p

Say something funnie.. and make me laff...

C'mon...

Try it.

i need fun

I'm realizing I really need to do something "fun".... what kinda "fun" thingsa re there to do?

Open for suggestions...

Summertime, heard about skimboarding... now that sounds cool. Never heard of that before... I'm soo city-ish.

So what other type of "hick-fun" is there? Cow-tipping...?

12 more hours

12 more hours left

3951 out of 4000 word paper edited--numero uno

3246 words out of 3750 so far in paper numero dos

27 footnotes so far

high stress...

and still procrastinating.

why?

tick tock tick tock...

Lord help me. 2000 more words. Due Friday. I'm exhausted. I'm not "all there." And I don't know how to do an exegesis! It's like executing Jesus, is what I say!

I post when I'm procrastinating...

Yes I'm procrastinating.

Can't help it.

Blogging flows better than essay writing...

arrow-ing home

Here ends an era, I'm told. For the past 1.75 years, I've worked at Arrow Leadership International Ministries as the Communications Manager (graphic designer). I love what we do as a ministry. Mentoring and doin' leadership development for top notch leaders. The one thing that always gave me chills was hearing and witnessing the stories of leaders from across the globe, having their lives transformed from a long-term (2 year) leadership/mentorship process.

They have been a fabulous family to me. Loved me, laughed with me, supported me... and now they're releasing me to continue to go the "next step" in where God is leading... schoolin'. Well, they've always released me. Went to India for two months... kept on cutting hours since I started--I was suppose to move from part-time to full-time. I went from part-time to even more part-time.

About school... I'm not the most... actually I'm perhaps one of the least academic persons there is. Not the brightest. Not the best... but I do realize the credibility and the opportunity by having those letters beside your name... although really... I've never been about the letters.. if anything, I've spent most of my life trying not to conform and being about "anti-establishments..."

Anyways, my Arrow Family has treated me swell.

What I forgot to mention was that a week before my birthday, I went into Arrow on that Friday (I don't usually work in the office on Fridays) to finish up some stuff. What happened was that I was called to the front for a meeting, but instead was led into the kitchen where everyone was sitting in the dark. They sang for me, gave me a Starbucks card and signed card (even with the stamped signature of our President!)... wow. Completely, totally unexpected.

On the 30th of November, we celebrated the graduation of our 1000th graduate from around the world. We all got decked out at Sutton Place...with world-class leaders... just to be a part of that was gratifying... Jane-o, you did swell!

And just a few days ago, the 13th of December, was my last day in the office. Strange feeling that hasn't sunk in yet. I'll still go back and do stuff... just not as frequently, that's all. We had a "farewell" lunch for me... Chinese food, to suit the occasion. Then they all gave edifying words to me. Too bad my memory is so bad! I knew I should have taped it! :)

Got a card, with prayers written in it as well. Swell. And a Bible dictionary. It's heavy...!

Also, they gave me grace for all the times I just couldn't wake up... yes, miss sleephead I am.

Thank you Arrow... for opportunity, for a great example of 2 Timothy 2:2, and for friendship. I'll be back... actually I was just back the day after my "last day." Had to use the computer before I went to take my exam... Felt like "home"--I could run in and out of the office :)

paper numero uno

J'ai fini! Ok, so it's only one of two 4000 word essays. Oops, my mistake, one is 4000 words, the other is 3750. Yeah. One less page...

This paper was on L'Abri (see two post prior). I learned tons from just researching, reading and writing about the lives of Francis and Edith Schaeffer, who started L'Abri. It came out of just what they were doing. L'Abri was birthed out of their lives, not a "vision" that came during the night, or an idea that was hammered out, but it came from living LIFE.

They opened their home to others, their lifestyle was a demonstration of Jesus on earth, and everything... i mean everything was founded and had prayer apart of it. Nothing was done apart from prayer. Students would come into their home and stay for weeks on end to study with them... Their kids would be praying about everyone and everything. They were completely dependent on God for their "daily bread." And I'm not just talking about finances... their daily portion... daily joy, daily peace, daily satisfaction, daily relationships, just enough for the day. Not for tomorrow, but just enough for the day. Not hoarding for tomorrow, just need today's portion. Because tomorrow, we will ask again.

A New (Old) Prayer
Our Father in heaven
Hallowed be your name [on earth as it is in heaven]
Come your kingdom [on earth as it is in heaven]
Be done your will, on earth as it is in heaven
Give us this day our daily bread
And forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors
And lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil [evil-one].

Daily bread... forgiveness... deliverance...

The subject of paper numero dos.

SAD

Winter blues? Maybe got Seasonal Affective Disorder. Then again, who doesn't? The rain comes out, your frown comes on... yep. well, exam time is also happenin', so which is it?

Rain comes; Can't (ok, I should say "don't) exercise; Got homework; Couped up in a chair in front of the computer... who wouldn't feel SAD?

My own bad. Didn't keep up with homework. Funny how I wasn't this bad in undergrad... somehow I'm acting like doing masters-level courses would be "easier"...?

Then again, those who procrastinate do get to experience the grace of God at an even more abundant rate though...

My prayer is that as we run this "academic" race... we(I) would not lose sight of all the daily spiritual disciplines. The God that got us here, will only bring us through... run the complete race.

Grace 2 you,

procrastinating...

I'm writing two papers right now. One on L'Abri, an intentional Christian community and how they seek to live out the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-7) and another one on the last two stanza's on the Lord's prayer. "Forgive us our debts as we also have forgiven our debtors, and lead us not into temptation but deliver us from the evil one." 4000 words each. Then I need to read two texts... about 200 and 300 words respectively. Write one more annotation (~300 words), and study for an exam.

My due dates... December 9th (books), 14th(exam), 16th(papers).

Why is it that when I really need to concentrate, I find other things to do? I've been sitting at this computer or near this computer for about 14 hours today. I spent much of it surfing the internet because I'm looking for something to capture my interest. Reading people's blogs, checking email (no mail), checking again (no mail)... and then again (still no mail). I'm pretty pathetic when I'm procrastinating.. Like why am I blogging in the wee hours of the morning? I've got a few hundred more words to read before I can sleep...

What motivates you? Care to share?

Perhaps my impending doom should be a motivating factor... but it ain't creating a fear that it should...

Bless you in your studies too... if you study... may you have better success than moi!

the sky is falling; today is a new day

Ok, so I promised a second update on my birthday. This 25 year old woke up at 6am and couldn't fall back asleep. I had a tummy ache and too many things going on through my little head. Ah! I finally got out of bed at like 845.

I convinced my auntie to take me out for lunch. She just told a friend that she'd go out with her before my call... so I played the role of a bratty niece who emphasized the fact that it is indeed my birthday... and I'm giving her the privlege to take me out! Yay! hehehe... she canceled with her friend and took me out! Aw she loves me!

At night Esther said she'd take me out for the night. Cool couz mom was getting concerned I'd spend the evening home alone... reading. Dad's out of town, mom's working, Brad's at Alpha... Anyways, we had an awesome time. We always do. Everytime we chill, it's like we get high.. no, it's better than getting high! Thanks Esther! You really are the (my) best friend in the world!

That was that. Laughed tons, cried some... what a day!

Had 1.5 hrs left till the end of the day... of which I would have split 50 bucks with Brenda... had she not reminded Ali to call me. Darn. We bet that Ali would forget to call me on my birthday... she forgot until Bren reminded her about calling Cynth... then Ali was like.. wait... what day is it? Too bad..!

Well, I am officially 25. At 10 something last night, I have lived 25 years.... now it's 25+1 day.

Happy birthday Me.

Happy birthday Amy (Grant).
Happy Birthday John (F Kennedy Jr.).
Happy Birthday Barbara (Bush).
Happy Birthday Christina (Applegate).
...

birthday shelaine happy

Happy Birthday to ME. Yeah me. Here's a self-hug.

You're a whooping 25. Get ready for an even better year!

Hmm... I'm really talking to myself eh? Ouch. Thought that's not suppose to happen for another 50 years...

Welcome to my royal birthday. Turning 25 on the 25th. November 25th... writing at time 11:25. I believe I was born sometime at 10pm

Anyways... a recap of my birthday week!

Sunday
Party! Yay! Had friends come to BC Sports Hall of Fame and Museum... and just ate and hung out! Theme was "Childhood." People had to dress up as their favourite childhood hero or their selves as they were way back when... Also got people to get into groups... write and sing me a song using a childhood song! I was mighty uncomfortable but mightily blessed! Did my little "speech" too... better than last year, I hope.. heheh...

Thanks to all the showed up or tried to show up or called me that day. I felt so ~special~ really! The people who came braved about 60,000+ extra people downtown that day.. with the Rogers Santa parade, the BC Lions Western Final, and a Gwen Stefani concert too.

At first I was kinda mad with God, saying why did He allow me to make a dumb choice like this that would be too much of a hassle to change. Then he reassured me by showing me that this is like a HUGE party for me. I get to celebrate with 60,000+ extra people!

Wednesday
A great mid-week time. It was just want I needed. I went to Samuel's Mantle in the morning, prayed for people and had people pray for me. Reaffirming my life and the future. At night I met up with Rebecca from Pais and we just chatted and encouraged each other. Then we prayed for each other other. One thing she mentioned confirmed two things said to me at SM that morning. Crazee! God really is connecting things in my life.

Something I really needed, mid-week.

Thursday
My kids... Gladstone Christian Klub girls... Mary and Jen, made me a cake and got me a stuffed Winnie the Pooh! Yay! I love those girls... and the boys were all saying Happy Birthday to me as they came in. I felt so special. Would have made me cry. But like a proud parent, I was beaming. I love them tons!

Class was great today too. Looked at the Lord's prayer in a way that I hadn't seen it before. Wow. You know, you read something all your life and then finally things are making sense. It's nuts!

Went to Uth Mix at night... a collaboration of different "sounds" of churches across the Lower Mainland... choirs, dance, rap, bands... very cool.

Then a bunch of us went out afterwards for "dinner"... great food.. Alleluia cafe. Gotta try it. Lotsa meat for mighty cheap. At midnight, a candle in an ice cream scoop with crepes came out...

Friday
So today is Friday. My actual birthday. I've felt like it's been birthday week and it has been! Yay! May it be "birthday YEAR"... and I feel special all year round!

Woke up this morning at 6am. I forced myself to stay in bed for another few hours... because I just slept at 2am... Couldn't sleep, felt ill... I'm like great. I AM getting OLD...

Anyways, I'll let you know how today goes. Lord, I want a GOOD day... already on tap is reading my textbooks and writing reports! YAY! (sarcasm... and lots of it!)

a clean room...

Ah... You can usually tell the state of my life and mind by the deterioring state of my room. The messier and more disgusting my room gets, usually, the more stressed and messy my life is getting.

And when I feel like I need a shake up, I clean my room.

Today was such a day.

I just finished my paper yesterday night...
I'm finding more reasons to laugh... laughing is great... it truly is medicinal!

So now that I feel I need to "reset" my life so that I won't be feeling too "off kilter"... I cleaned my room! It's a great feeling. I can walk in the dark without tripping or fearing that I'll cut my foot!

Gotta try and keep it clean now!

Any tips?

wowed, continued...

I went to a Jesus Loves Vancouver crusade on Wednesday night. I was feeling a bit depressed and unmotivated all day. I needed to worship God. I needed a revelation of God. I needed an encounter with Christ. It's just what I needed and it's just what I received.

About my previous post (two posts ago)... Thanks Kevin for your comment... Hmm... Driving back to the airport that day, I got a phone call from the lady that we just had dimsum brunch with. This was our conversation:
"Hi Shelaine... I was going home and repeating your dad's name... because it sounded so familiar. Does your mom work at an Safeway or something like that?"
"Yes, she use to work at IGA... whyyyyy?"
"I remember staying at someone's house in Vancouver in 1982 for two days... the wife worked at a supermarket and they had two kids..."
"Uh yeah.... that's US! I was TWO!" meanwhile my mouth dropped...
"Oh, I just want to let you know that I'll be praying for your family..."

That's the gist of my "wow, You (God) really do love me!" Out of nowhere God reveals His love for me by touching the core of my heart. I felt incredible favour. I was "tickled pink."

This was truly the cherry on top. To meet a stranger, or so I thought, and to have her say she'll be praying.

Thank you Lord.

loving it

We just spoke at this Enoch Youth Outreach Society event. A very Cantonese event. Kinda like a follow up to their Leadership camp they had a few months prior. Anyways, it was an awesome night. 2/3's of the worship was in Cantonese with the rest being in English. First time speaking in a "very-Chinese" event... and not the last!

Thank you Lord for this incredible gift.

I loved it. The sense of "this is where I belong" and "this is a feeling of home" were felt yet again.

More to come.

Lord, what next?

wowed.

God, you never stop amazing me.

Maybe I should stop being surprised at His goodness and favor and start just living like it's expected. Couz then even crazier things will happen!

All of you got my Ottawa/Toronto email, right? If not, email me and I'll send it to ya.

By the end of the trip, I could sit there, sigh and say, "Wow, Lord, you really do love me. You don't have to prove it, but once again you do show your love to me and 'tickle me pink.'"

Incredibly blessed.

Ridiculous favor.

I love you Jesus.

being chinese

A few weeks ago I went to a Streams of Praise worship night. It was completely in Mandarin. I went with Sylvia who brought her friend Jen... who's Caucasian but spent a few years in Taiwan. Her Mandarin was so much better than mine! She knew all the songs!!! And I could only read bits and pieces...

But the spirit of the place was something that just gripped me. I loved it. I love(d) seeing Chinese people sing with passion, lift their hands... I love the "full sound" of Chinese worship...

It's odd for me to come to this place where I can say this.

Spending most of my life, thus far, being anti-Chinese... now I've totally swung the opposite way and I'm embracing it... more than that... I'm proud to be ME.

Albeit shocking, Chinese was the first language I learned. There's something about worshipping God in your "native" language. In India I witnessed the Bible college students come alive when worshipping with their Telugu songs. They wanted to learn our western worship songs, but the entire room and dynamics changed when their cultural worship songs were sung.

Perhaps that's why it felt so "at home" at that worship night.

Or maybe my heart is continuing to change...

I love being ME. Thank you Jesus for makin' me...ME! (a Psalty song!)

Too bad I didn't inherit the brains of the Chinese folks! Where are my smart genes? :p

school... enough said!

I brought it onto myself.

Yep.

I chose it.

School.

Ai!

I'm so not use to studying... reading... keeping up with assignments... so far behind! And this ain't no Mickey Mouse club no more! When you got 500 pages of reading due, you can't just read that in a week.. I'm learning...

So tired too.

I do love being in classes though. Love the interaction... the learning... being blown away.... having classmates cry in class every week because of new revelation and the Holy Spirit just touching the lives of people... I did miss school, my two years away. Love that learning environment! Not self-disciplined enough to study on my own...

Less than a week before I leave for Ottawa... I just want to be able to really prepare for Ottawa, but I'm playing catch up with homework!

God gave me a funny picture tonight. Pictured nailing homework, assignments to the cross... and then I got the word "It is finished!" The words Jesus said when he died on the cross... So it's conforting to know that my assignments will end...and that He will help me carry!

Ok, enough procrastinating. Sipping my Brandy Spice tea from Sri Lanka...

reconnecting

The last little while has been kinda like "a blast from the past." I've been seeing or interacting with friends from "way back..." People I lost contact with or just don't contact much anymore.

My Bible college friends have appeared out of the blue. Seriously! I got a phone call from my Montreal friend Shauna who found my cell number and called me. I got the message and not the call, but I was like, whoa..!!! Crazee! Earlier in the day, I missed a call where the caller didn't leave a message. I called the person back (yay caller ID!) and asked if someone there was looking for Shelaine. The response was "I most certainly did!" I was thinking...uh... who are you? Then he told me he was Matt...from Omega and I was like, aw man!! He saw a flyer from Sept 18th and just gave me a call!!! AND, I saw Jen S. at a pastors breakfast thingie... she's now pastoring at her home church! We had many conversations in the cafe at WPBC dreaming about going on missions. I think she was suppose to go to the Ukraine or something, and I am to go to China. Hmm... AND well... a few weeks ago, Jaci called me and just wanted to chat. Very cool. We use to be inseperatable. Kindred spirits, they'd call us.

And on the bus on Thursday I think I saw someone that I knew perhaps 10 years ago... it looked like Chris T, but I wasn't sure... until I heard someone call her name... but I still wasn't sure and I had to get off the bus because I was home.

Yesterday I met a guy who I think I knew back in the AFJ days too... and he's good friends with these two siblings that I went to Atlanta with... haven't seen them since 1999!

All these old friendships coming back into my life...

I am blessed with great friends. I truly am. Old ones, new ones, and current ones. Some that stay forever, some that are here for short seasons. Some are high maintenance others are extremely low maintenance... but I love them both!

So... do we need to reconnect? Don't answer that... :)

it's late

So much to update on... mmm... just email me ;)
I'm thankful...
Wake up. Call out... blew my mind. God just really "showed up" - why do I find myself surprised?
Now I find myself Ottawa bound... for Siege (check righthand side).
My two courses, I find myself learning... yet feeling so strange to be back in school.
And that... the grace of God will lead you, only where the grace of God can keep you.

Goodnight. I get up in four hours.

little differences

Got this from an article my boss wrote...quoted from his old boss, Chuck Swindoll. The difference between Appreciation and Affirmation is this:

Appreciation comes and goes because it is based on what a person does. Affirmation is much deeper in that it affirms who the person is.

Go encourage someone today by affirming them!

september 18th

So you've probably heard... Esther and I will tag team preach...! Yay! Holy Spirit we desire You. Have your way in our city. Revival fire COME! I know significant things are going to happen... it's time to Wake Up and Call Out, Vancouver!

going thru stuff?

I remember when I was in Thailand for a missions trip (2001) with my team of 30+ people... and some people were having a difficult time adjusting... or when people were having diarrhea, we'd change the lyrics to "Even when I'm running to the washroom... Yet I will praise..." That being said, I thought of this song today. Even when it's difficult, yet I will praise. Even when I don't feel like it, yet I will praise. Even when I feel small, yet I will praise. And even when I'm most excited about life... Yet will will praise. I will never forget to give You praise, Oh Lord... never!

Yet I will Praise (by Vineyard Music)

I will praise You Lord my God
Even in my brokenness
I will praise You Lord
I will praise You Lord my God
Even in my desperation
I will praise You Lord

And I can't understand
All that You allow
I just can't see the reason
But my life is in Your hands
And though I cannot see You
I choose to trust You

Even when my heart is torn I will praise (trust) You Lord
Even when I feel deserted I will praise (trust) You Lord
Even in my darkest valley I will praise (trust) You Lord
And when my world is shattered and it seems all hope is gone
Yet I will praise You Lord

I will trust You Lord my God
Even in my loneliness
I will trust You Lord
I will trust You Lord my God
Even when I cannot hear You
I will trust You Lord

And I will not forget
That You hung on a cross
Lord You bled and died for me
And if I have to suffer
I know that You've been there
And I know that You're here now

hello september

boy am i glad it's september. aren't you?

taking risks

I love it when I do something that scares me. Ok so I don't like it at that moment, but when I really think about it, that's what I LOVE to do. Get it? Doing something that scares you everyday is that life of adventure. Makes the heart go thum-thump. Raises up the blood pressure. Increases adrenaline. But what would life be without a little bit of risk.

Everyone is afraid of different things. What might elicit fear in one person is enjoyable to the next. Go at your own pace... do what scares you. Today I went make up shopping with a friend. We met downtown after work and she booked me an appointment. We sat there... and I said to the lady, talk to me like I'm dumb - like I know nothing. So she did.

So what is this that we did? We went to a make-up counter...

she's baaaack.

i'm baaaaack. yep. that's right. i've returned. a little darker (just a tad), a little skinnier (just a tad), a little more chinese (really, just a bit), and a lot more ME. i think i've returned more comfortable in my own skin.. know what i mean?

it's been a few weeks now. not easy for sure. the first night before i went to work, i slept 1.5 hours, the first night before church, i didn't sleep at all... so physically it's been hard. and my cold has now reached the 7th week... and doesn't seem to be getting better.

emotionally it hasn't been easy either. one thing i really felt throughout the trip was that you really do pick up things from each city. if you're aware, every city you go into, "feels" different. and vancouver definitely felt different from all the cities of the past two months. i've changed, this city and nation changed... it seems like summer was hard on a lot of people. i came back and ran into depressed, low energy, wary people. that was something i picked up from this city as well. trying to process the past few months, feeling down and jetlagged bagged together didn't make a good combo.

there is hope. praying just reinspires me. a few saturdays ago esther and i just went out and prayed... prayed for this city and nation... and wow, God gave us visions, images and prophetic words for this city and for this season of life.

i know things are different. me as a person, my relationship with God, how I interact with people... how i think.. it's all different. it really does feel like it's a brand new year. feels like it should be january.

so bare with me as i refeel my way through... it's good though. God's word for me for this next season (don't know how long this "season" will last) is opportunity and option. God always gives me one worders or phrases for seasons. In the beginning of the year, God gave me the first in Psalms "taste and see that the Lord is good..." I have tasted and I've seen... and can testify that HE is good.

so that's that. I'll try to get back into this blogging thang. let you into my thoughts a bit... see who's out there, who's reading :p

No good photos...

So.... sorries now... couz I didn't take those artistic photos... next time I need to travel with a videographer/photographer. I just don't feel like getting into that mode when I'd rather be "in" the action, ya'know? Sorry Jer T./Jane-O... my photography is lickin'... I'm gonna disappoint you both :) You guys would totally go crazee here... so many great things to take photos of but here I am... rather be "in" the action...

But I got tons of stories :) That'll make up for it eh?

So my cold that I got in India has followed me to Sri Lanka... I just hope I don't bring it to Hong Kong next week. It's crazee to think that next week we'll be in HK...

So I've seen a doctor via phone in India and a real doctor here in SL... had two dosages of antibiotics but all is well. God has been taking care of our health for sure.

Saw the Tsunami hit areas and just stood there by the water and watched.. these are the same waters that killed a lot of people.. this is the same beach that had bodies lying everywhere............. it still gets me eh...

Went to an orphanage..... umm... an elephant orphanage that is.. hehehe... took lots of cute pictures there :)

Also went to a girls home... aw... love to chill and play with those girls... some without parents some with parents that are too poor to take care of them. But each of those girls have a smile on their faces. We sang with them.. and they sang some singalese songs for us. very cool. They have "Deep down in your heart" in Singalese!!!!!!!

Anyways.. that's it.... for now... read my emails :)

hello all

Sorry for the lack of updates…it's been pretty busy here and getting adjusted and all. I'm Hmm… where did I leave off last time? Oh yah… the crazee bus ride…hmm… Yes, so we made it to Dharamsala safely.. prayed over that city.. then took a bus to Amrista – Golden Temple…. Took a 6 hr local bus that was basically a bc transit bus (the worst one they have), and taking that to Kelowna and stopping at every city inbetween… oh, and instead of flat land, it'd be going around the mountains. Can you imagine that? Well I almost threw up…. I said ALMOST.. I just kept on imagining how I could stop this bus and stick my head out the door… or stick my head out the window.

Anyways, all is well though.. We went to Haridwar after that… did everything we shouldn't do – dip our feet into the Ganges (I wanted to take the water home so badly!), and then hop into a car of a guy that just stopped and offered us a ride… tinted windows and all….

Don't worry… we're not totally loopy… but God sent angels our way and it is A-OK.

We are in Hyderabad right now.. teaching English, Communications and Worship/Music. Just had such an anointed time in chapel this morning.. where we talked about desperation…

God has been good. Despite getting sick and all.. God is good. I have a chest cold right now and Esther had some stomach problems earlier.. but He is FAITHFUL.. up until the very end…!

Ray: Yes, it's me!

Justin: do I know you? I am on a missions trip in India…

Shirley: cute boys? Haha.. I'll make sure I take some more pictures just for you.

Jane: mm…get Jer to do it.. he can do everything I do J

Eric: Thanks for the correction…doh!

Kerche: it's a'ight.. have fun in Aussieland…

Jos: Uh.. email me and explain!

exactly half

hey... i just realized something.. i'm like 12.5 hours away... so that's almost exactly half a world away!?!? craziness.

wish i could update you with stories and such, but there's just too many :)

in delhi, we were two nepali girls - they kept on thinking we're from nepal. here in dharamsala, they think we're two japanese girls...

the first day here, we sensed such a different places than delhi. everything is so very different. we walked into a kindergarten and chilled with some kids - it was precious. one girl ran up to me and grabbed my hand, even though we were only at the gate. then when we got permission to walk in, some kid ran up to me and gave me a hug. made my day...

well, gotta get back to the hotel. rest a bit, then off to the temple of the dalai lama... till next time.

no delhi belly

hey all...
how's it goin'...
it is SOO good. God has totally ordained every step in this trip. things that didn't appear to work out has... and we've had divine appointments everywhere. like literally god-send angels to help us and other friends who we've been able to talk with. there is just so much to say.... really. each day has been really good.

it hasn't been as bad as people have told us... about the beggars and such. we expected worse and have been so blessed being here.

right now we're sitting at the Y, about to take a ricksaw to the bus depot to take a 15 hr hindu-blaring video bus. yay...

so....

schedule wise, we're gonna be in:
10th: Dharmasala (see the Dalai Lama!)
12th: Amrista (sp!?!) - Golden Temple
13th: Haridwar - Ganges
15th: Agra - Taj
17th: Hyderabad - teachin'...

till next time. keep those emails comin' eh! :)

sleeping with termites

so yes. we come back bome yesterday and are greeted with a few hundred termite looking thingies. yum. it took us about one hour to step on and kill. woke up with a few corps too. great. just great. but it's good prep for india where we'll meet who knows what.

anyways. church today was pretty cool. tons of people and we were sitting at the very last row... yes we walked in late. and the pastor addressed lateness in the sermon too!

well a long day indeed... so many stories to tell already.. will note them down for you all... can't write long couz we're at my cousins house and it's late............ tomorrow we head to india... please pray! it's like our trip started when we stepped onto the plane couz we've already had opportunities to "do stuff..." hahah... good nite ya'll...

in need of grace

stepped out of the plane and a thick film of humidity slapped us in the face.... that was yesterday night.

anyways... at a 3 story penthouse right now... in HK, that's super crazee...
met Rocky - a Pakastani that can speak perfect chinese... we learned to dance the slow waltz from him in a "dance room" in the penthouse... hmm... i'm not so graceful. so pray for grace :) but apparently we're practicing for our weddings..uh... yah...

anyways, we're semi-jet lagged... but doin' a'ight. drank lotsa water on the plane so...wasn't feeling that dehydrated (happy? em and pans?)

31 degrees today... but it feels great... slowly preparing for 40 degree weather in India/SL.

okie dokes. that's it for today.... gotta run.

oh yah...

I know some of you are wondering where the heck will we be? Here's a brief "low down" on what's what.

June 2: leave for Hong Kong
June 6: leave for New Delhi, India (arrive on the 7th at 2am... it's always that early!) - seeing the Agra, Ganges river... and other things in the surrounding area. Maybe head to Nepal?
June 18-July 6: Hyderabad, India - teaching and preaching at a bible college... and going on ministry trips to the surrounding villages
July 6: fly to Colombo, Sri Lanka
July 8-10: missions trip with a local church to the hill country in SL
July 20: leave back for Hong Kong
Aug 2: fly back to YVR

no worries...

just got up from my comfy bed. rolled around in my blankies and got up. mmm...not long enough. 3 hours? gonna miss my blankies. tattered and torn, yet it's my fav.

actually mom woke me up. to say goodbye. and to feed me medicine. i'm still having my coughing fits... yet today was the first time i've had "real medicine." yesterday night i learned a secret though... that water actually does wonders! thanks guys... i'll try to remember. every sip i take i'll think of ya.. :)

just finished packing at like bird-chirping hours. was reading travel books last night and feeling so ill-prepared. i know God will make up for incompetence and lack of knowledge... but i... it doesn't seem right... well i guess i'm creating more work for Him.. hehe...

alright time for shower power... i'll cherish the "not-hard water" feeling :)

thank you...

so full of gratitude. really. this has been a week of wrapping up life in vancity to be put "on hold" for two months. sometimes it feels like i'm going away forever given the goodbyes. a few more get togethers this week and then off i go.

today was extra special. i knew it would be a little awkward as i walked into church knowing it'll be my last sunday till august. i really do love my church. wow. i said it. the people are tremendous. i'm learning to appreciate it so much as not every church body would have made this day as special as my church did for me.

morning service, i watched as my church rose from their seats to come and stand in agreement and pray for me. it truly was empowering... and yes i teared up.

chinese-speaking morning service... they prayed for me again... wow.

sunday school class, i had the opportunity just to share my heart. for me, anything that i get involved in, i gain a heart and burden for. today, i just went off and spoke. and yes... i teared up again.

just talking about brokenness in our class and how God is refining my character. character before calling. calling before competency. it just doesn't fly if one if it is out of order. if you got tons of competency but no calling, you're probably going to burn yourself out doing things that are not what you are suppose to do... or/and you'll burn yourself out doing everything. calling without character, you'll end up walking out what God may have called you to do, but without integrity and other foundations to make it through...

luncheon. wow... seeing that sight of people. wow. i feel so very loved. so very appreciated. so undeserving. thank you vcpc... from seniors to the kids. thank you even though i might seem to ignore you sometimes... i almost teared up again.

i knew this would be an emotional day. perhaps watching The Notebook yesterday probably prepped me for an day of emotions... haha.. so kiddin'.

let the river flow. oh man... i think it's coming again.

goodbye and goodnight. see you in august. can't wait to share with you again.

love you all tons. really. you wouldn't have this website if i didn't :p

lastly, in the words of my brother, "thanks for helping send my sister away so that i can have a little break for two months.."

ok eric...

i was told today that i didn't update my blog enough. so there. it's updated.

today was the last day of gladstone christian klub - a high school club that i run, attended mainly by teens who don't go to church...krazee kewl eh? i can't believe that i forgot to bring my camera! it would be so neat to see who comes out every year...to see them grow up - physically... and today we had the big group - 12 people who came pretty regularly throughout the year...

it was some fun times... eating pizza, laughing... chillin'... thanks for what you wrote in the card. aw, i love you guys tons!

i never would have imagined that i would be back in high school doing christian club stuff. i mean, i thought about it while i was in high school - as a speaker came to our club at killarney and said that we could do the same thing when we're in university... but i didn't imagine i would actually be doing it. perhaps you can say it was a idea that i spoke aloud and God took it as a desire and a dream and made it happen.

GCK (easier to pronounce if you call it GeCKo) is really something i look forward to. something i enjoy... just spending time getting to know them - at lunch hour, on email, msn... and 730am phone calls :p

loved getting together and talking and praying on wednesday mornings too... eric and mary, you guys made it special... or else i'd be sitting in my (ok ok i mean, my mom's) car all by myself.

today as they exited the room... i was on the opposite side of the room, so i didn't really give them hugs. i think if i did, i would have broken down and cried. yes, i'm a big little girl.

praying with them, seeing them learn about God and become inspired, watching their faces change as they hear speakers who strike a chord in their hearts... make it all worthwhile. in my life, i always ask myself "is it worth it." this is definitely one of those things that's "worth it." honestly, it's worth all of it. everything that may appear to be a sacrifice to others, everything that looks like it was difficult to do...it all has been worth it.

i think anytime you make investments in people, it's worth it. spending time, pouring into others lives... heck, i'd even forgo my sleep to chill with people (now for me, that's real sacrifice!). if only someone would pay me big bucks to do that... :]

anyways, i'll miss you guys this summer...yes, you too (whoever you are that is reading)... do email (spam) me... and i'll do my best to write back.

MSN dates...

I have a MSN date.

Yes, that's right. A date.

Don't worry, it's a girl... no wait.. it's a friend who is a female... argh... living in Canada you can't say nothing straight (no pun intended! ah haha... corny. ok.). Anyways., my buddy from Toronto has been to India before so we just wanted to talk a bit about stuff. Give me a few pointers and such. It should be pretty cool. Just need to decide what exactly do we want to see in New Delhi... the Taj Mahal...what else?

It seems like everything around me is turning into questions about India. Hmm... I guess it's because that's the next major thing for me. "How am I feeling? Am I prepared? What do I still need? What will I be doing?"

The itinerary isn't set yet... but I totally believe that God will make everything come together...even if it takes up till the very last day we leave. I'm not that anxious which is making me even more anxious - get that? It's like I'm not responding like I normally am therefore I feel like I need to be more anxious... it's dumb, I know.

17 more days... I need to get my visa, another small backpack, skirts(?)... it's funny, I always wear skirts on missions trips... I come home with all these pictures of me in these "non-pant like cloth-things" and people are like, "who are you!?! what happened to you?! why don't you wear skirts here?!?"

Well let me tell you..! In 30+ degrees celsius it's just more comfy to wear breezy clothing ;) And also... skirts and squatties are sooooo much easier..!

Anyways, let's get out of toilet-talk.

I'll keep you (whoever you are) posted on what updates as God puts this all together...

Till next time... my eyes are hurting. Not feeling the best... been 'round too many flu-ish... people!

who would have thunk it?

Never would have guessed.
What possessed me?
What's possessing me?
Must be the younger people I'm around.. couz apparently I'm "old" .

Welcome to my new home.
Grab a chair.
Make yourself comfy.

I'm not a blogger. I've never been one... avoided Asian Avenue, Friendster, Xanga... but now?
Sucked in. Oh darn.

Well if you know me well enough you know I love to talk... I can talk about nothing for a very long time :) The gift of gab.. yes, thank you Lord? :p

Anyway, this may be easier for India, I'm told. And then I don't have to worry about punctuation marks or captials. i can write however i like - blogging style.

Well this is my first post and my test post. Hello??? A whole world at my disposal... an entire earth to hear what I have to say.. Wow. A free audience.

warning: This ain't gonna be no fancy dancy stuff.. nothing flying across the page, no major pictures and such. Just some plain o'text... sorries if you're expecting a grande multimedia presentation.