Christmas is here!!

So Christmas this year was pretty good! I'm not gonna say a lot, but I'll put some pictures up of some stuff I got. Theres more pictures on my Facebook. It would have been better if my older brother and sister could have been here. Jeff will be home on the 28th for a little while, and Megan isn't coming home till my Grad, which is ok cause its a lot of money to come here (she lives in Ontario). My granparents are here from Quebec, which is pretty cool. And my other grandparents (Comox) were here for the afternoon and dinner. So it was a good day..full of laughing and family..and presents :D haha

I will tell one funny story tho..so this morning we were opening presents (obviously) and everyone was getting new clothes but me. Kelsey opened a shirt and skirt and said "I'm gonna wear this today!" Then I said, by accident, "I guess I'm not wearing any clothes today". I meant to say "new clothes" but didn't! The worst part? My dad was video taping and got it on tape! So yeah..its been brought up mulitple times today. :P

Hope you all had a VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Santa done good!

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LOVE this bag

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New boots!! Top of my wish list this year

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Bunch of little things

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HSM collection :P

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AMAZING movie

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Necklace from Russ

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Pretty figurine to hang jewelry off of

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Christmas Eve Present

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Dino Bone I got for Sabre

The S Word

SNOW!!!

I really don't know what to think about all this snow. I love it, but I hate it. Well...hate is a strong word...I dislike it with a passion. There we go :)
Anyways, I mean I love to play in the snow with people and with my dog. And its cool cause we're gonna have a white Christmas. But then there's the downside to it. It just gets in the way of so many plans. Like today I had to work at 7:30, so I had to walk. The roads were extremely slippery, causing me to fall once and almost fall multiple times. My wrist is still a bit sore. Then after work I was supposed to go to the church for a youth event, but couldn't get a ride out there cause my mom's car isn't good in the snow. I'm really hoping it doesn't snow so much that we won't be able to get to the christmas eve service. That would really suck!

Well thats all I really have to say for the time being. I have to go clean my room >_<>

Later Gaters!

Sneezes hurt my head

Friday/Saturday was the Youth Christmas All Nighter and it was SOO much fun!! We went to the pool first for a few hours and then headed to Goose Spit for the Polar Bear Swim. I'm not actually sure how many people went in the water because it was FREEEEEEZING!! A few of us went to Timmy's and then to the church. Then we just hung out at the church for the night. We had a service with Mayflower (AWESOME!) and our speaker Jason (equally AWESOME!). We played quite a few rounds of Can Can Bump and also our Gift Exchange. Then around 5 we watched Elf. So it was a pretty fun night! I got home around 8 and slept till 4. Then lazed around for a couple hours and babysat till 10.
Today I (Forgive me Lord!) missed church to sleep because I woke up feeling like crud x 10! Then at 1 I had my hair appointment at Roots for my grad photos. A couple of my close friends were in there at the same time, so that was cool. My stylist was Andrew and he was really nice. Then I went to the school and met Sarah there. We spent the whole afternoon there getting group shots done and, of course, our individual ones with the cap and gown, plus some casual ones and I also got some with my saxophone. Russel came in so I got a couple with him as well. I got to look at them after and I was seriously blown away, as were my friends. I was surprised at how good they were. I will get some up on here/Facebook as soon as I get them.
I still can't believe I'm graduating in 6 months!!
Well I think thats all I have to say for now :P
Later Gators!

The Question Is Why??

As I'm sure most of you know, there was a horrible accident at the top of Ryan Hill yesterday involving three vehicles. A jeep driven by a drunk teenager, along with a few more passengers, ran a red light and hit two trucks. Two teens were thrown from the jeep, one of them (Kevin Baker) died on scene. I believe two were sent to Vancouver hospital for serious but not life threatening injuries, and four are in St. Josephs with minor injuries. The jeep was believed to have flipped over, the windshield is smashed and the body is badly misshapen. The hood appeared to have been peeled off of one pickup truck that came to a stop about 50 feet away from the jeep, while the driver's side of the third truck had been caved in and had to be opened with the Jaws of Life.

It's just so hard to comprehend, especially with the big accident last month. This one was different though because alcohol was involved. I don't understand why people drink and drive. I just don't understand why people drink at all. My mom, being the youth counselor at Highland, got these goggles that have been "blurred" to what it would look like at different levels of alcohol in your blood. I tried them on and it was crazy. The highest one (i can't remember the percentage) was next to unbearable! I felt sick to my stomach. I wouldn't want to even move like that, forget about driving! There's so many people who drink that think its fine and don't pay any attention to it. "I'm a great driver" or "I'm not going that far, it'll be fine" or "I only had a little to drink" or "It's only one extra person, no big deal". They don't realize this is the kind of mistake that destroys lives. You hear it in the news, statistics, people getting badly injured or killed. Because of what? Because of drivers who don't take the matter seriously enough. Alcohol slows down your reflexes and even just a split second decision while driving could cost someone their lives. And its not just the people in the vehicle that are in danger, its people in other vehicles or pedestrians. Why wait until something happens to stop drinking? Why take the risk? It's not worth it.

RIP Kevin Richard Baker


Here's the link to more pictures of the crash scene. I warn you though, they are not pleasant.
http://www.canada.com/comoxvalleyecho/galleries/comox_dec05/index.html

One God, One Earth, One Heart

Ok..so to start..this weekend was AMAZING!! Friday was great..as people starting showing up and registering, i was getting SO friggen excited. It was awesome to see some people I haven't seen in a long time and to meet so many new people. The first service was incredible..Pastor Ira is just a great man of God and is great at what he does. Usually people expect the first night to be kinda calm..it was anything but! Everyone was just loving and praising God. After that we had a bit of hang out time, and then an AMAZING concert by Revolution Band. They told us they wanted it to be more of a time of worship than an actual concert. And was it ever! People were lifting their hands, falling to their knees, singing out loud. A little side note, the bass player's name is Sam..so we talked for a bit..haha. They were all really cool tho..they hung out with us after and getting the chance to talk to them was a great experience for me.

Saturday..wow...where to start?! The morning service was phenominal..you'd think that early in the morning a bunch of kids and teenagers would be slow and sluggish..but no..it was the opposite. Pastor Ira spoke again and was, again, awesome. Then we had a workshop..I went to Pastor Matt's on Politics in Canada and we had a guest speaker..Craig Millar..so it was cool to hear from him. Then it was lunch and another workshop. This time I went to Pastor Mike's on Evangelism. It was also really good. After that we had another service with some worship and then we broke into our youth groups. Our youth group then split into our Cadres. It was really neat to be able to talk to some of the girls, ones i've known for years and some I just met this weekend. We went around and said something that stood our to us or impacted us so far. Then we prayed and played the Human Knot game :P. And then..DINNER!! A lot of people went to BP, including a group of 10 of us. That was fun..then it was back to the church for more hang out time and another service.
Now, everyone knows the second evening service is always the one that something BIG happens..and this time was no different. Pastor Ben spoke and definitly kept everyones attention! Worship was amazing (as it was ALL weekend!) and then at the end during the ministry time..wow. There were people just crying out to God, being filled with the Holy Spirit and just loving Him. I prayed for a lot of people and some of those girls..they just fill my heart with pride..I loved watching them all weekend and it was great to hear them say they looked up to me. At the end of the whole service, we cleaned up (while some students were still at the alter!) and then went home around 11:30ish. This morning was also really good..Pastor Ben spoke again and during worship, me and Matt went up to the front and were soon followed by most of the youth. It was great!

So all in all..this weekend was amazing. I admit I wasn't really expecting a lot to happen with ME personally, but having the privilege to spend time with these people and pray for some of the younger girls..its just an amazing feeling. I think thats all I have to say..for now ;P

A HUGE thank you to everyone who helped put this conference on..it was a great blessing!

Cadres

So tonight was Cadres. And let me say..it was AMAZING! Although most of the time everyone was distracted and running around, a lot of things happened. I'm not sure about the other groups, but mine was awesome. Earlier today I went out and bought journals and bracelets for each of my girls. Then I wrote a little note on the first page for them. They were pretty happy to get those. I only had three girls today (Kelsey, Tianna and Carmen) and I love them so much!! They are all so insightful and adorable. We discussed the pros and cons of public schools and christian schools. And we got a pretty big list! One of Tianna's biggest con about christian school was "UNIFORMS!" It made me laugh :P. If you wanna see the list, you can ask me or one of the girls, its a little long to write on here.
So all in all, tonight was really good. It was nice to have something to take my mind off recent situations. It's still hard..I see his picture and it makes my heart hurt..I still can't believe he's gone, but its getting easier.

The pain will ease

I still can't believe he's gone..it just doesn't seem real. Today didn't seem real. I got to school..and it was so quiet. Extra counselors were brought in and there were rooms open for people to go to. Blue stairs was packed with grade 12s..all mourning. We went to AG first, where the teachers made an announcement about the accident and about Zach's death. I, along with a couple others, started crying before the teacher finished speaking. First class, Tourism, we did nothing..some went on the computer, others went to one of the counseling rooms. I held together all class, and then as I left the room, my friend Harrison was standing there, waiting. He gave me a huge hug and I broke down. Another friend was there to give me a hug as well. We then had regular AG, which was extremely silent. Chorus was more routine..we sang two songs. One is called Prayer of the Children..I tried to make it through, but I couldn't. I had to stop singing a few times because I was starting to cry..then I let go at the end..I had to leave the class for a bit. During lunch, me and a few people went to a room with a friends youth leader and prayed for the whole time. That was awesome. Biology was hard...Zach was in my biology class. My teacher said she didn't want to teach..and didn't know when she would be able to. She canceled our unit test and our final project. A few of us sat in the room and just talked to her..crying and remembering the good things about him. Then I had my spare, which I spent most of in the library..a few other friends were in there, and they all tried to cheer me up, which was nice. I really noticed how many supportive friends I have..not many of my close friends were friends with Zach, but they knew I was, so they were very comforting. I've never had so many hugs in one day. It still pains me to think about him..to see his picture. I can still hear his laugh...see his smile..my heart hurts. I want him to come back..walk into the school and say "hey guys..i'm here..i'm fine.." but i know that won't happen. Katey, one of the girls in the accident who was injured, was at school today. She had cuts and bruises on her face and body. Abby, the driver, was there too. I feel for her because even though she has many supporters, many people are blaming her as well. Jordan, Zach's girlfriend, has taken to blaming herself because she begged him to get in the van because she didn't know anyone else.
I've been praying like crazy..for Zach's family, Abby, Jordan..the other students involved in the accident, everyone who was affected by this. As I was reading my bible, I found a couple verses.

Psalm 71:20-21 - Though you have made me see troubles, many and bitter, you will restore my life again; from the depths of the earth you will again bring me up. You will increase my honor and comfort me once again.

Revelation 21:4 - He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away."

These verses really gave me peace and comfort. I know that Zach is better now...free of pain. And I know everyone else is going to make a full recovery. God is here in the situation and has been all along. He will heal and He will provide. All we need to do is trust in Him. It hurts to say goodbye to Zach..but its not the last time I'll see him. One day, when it's my time, I know he'll be there waiting for me.

RIP Zachary Peardon <3

We don't always understand

Why some things happen

We can't always comprehend

The reason for pain like this

Why people so young are suffering

I do not know the answer

All I know is it's in God's hands now

Zach, you were an amazing person

Always laughing, always caring

You had the biggest heart

And the brightest smile

You were there for me

When I felt like giving up

I wish I could have been by your side

I wish I could have said goodbye

I love you, Zachary Peardon, and I will never forget you

God obviously needed another Angel

But you didn't need to go to Heaven to be one <3

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Looking around

Pained expressions on each face

Eyes hollow, with no feeling

Even those who didn't know him

Share the grief of a loved one's passing

Halls are silent

Only a few whispers are heard

Bodies weak from crying, hurting

Questions are asked,

Why him?

Comments are said,

He was so young

How can something like this

Happen to someone like him?

He didn't deserve this

It wasn't his time

But God knows what He's doing

So we can all rest knowing

That everything will be alright.

<3

Update...

So I was told this morning that Zach passed away..but now there's talk that he's still alive. So I'm trying to figure it out..and I'll keep you all posted. Thank you so much for your support and prayers. Its greatly appreciated :)

3:04pm
Zach's on life support in vic general. he's braindead, with no activity all last night. if there's no change, they're gonna pull the plug today.

3:30pm *I'm not sure if all of this is correct, but its what I've heard*
Bobbi is in a coma and if she doesnt wake up soon they dont know if shes gunna be okay
Katey got burns and cuts on her face but shes okay now
Jordan broke both her ankles
Hailey broke both her legs and pelvis..its gonna be a lot of therapy for her
matt broke his cheek bone
Abby(the driver) is fine and so is ryan

3:50pm
I heard its possible that Bobbi woke up today

4:22pm
I've been told they pulled the plug on Zach..not 100% sure though

7:00pm
They made the decision to pull the plug at about 4:30..Zach is now with God. Everyone else is going to be fine though.

Thank you for all your prayers and support.

Keep Fighting

I'm not going to say much, but a good friend of mine, Zach, and a few other people were in a accident late friday night. Four of them are in the hospital, one in critical condition. Please pray for them and their families that they stay strong and make it through. They're all tough people and I know they can make it.

Surrey isn't all bad..

So this past weekend was the Youth Rally at Sunshine Hills in Surrey. We all piled into the van (plus two in the car along with luggage) at about 3 o'clock on friday and headed for Nanaimo. The ferry ride was..well..a ferry ride :P We went up on the deck and had fun with all the wind. The drive to the church seemed so long, but finally we were there..late..but we were there. The worship was great and so was the sermon (Pastor Dan is AMAZING). The best part tho was seeing camp people again, especially Tayler!! It all seemed to go by too fast, and before we knew it, we were the only ones left. Us girls (me being the only leader, and then 8 students) got the portable, which was really nice actually! The guys got the church. Everything seemed to be going fine..we were listening to music and laughing and just having fun..then all of a sudden there was a bunch of pounding on the back door and yelling. The girls started screaming and everyone ran to the door (no idea why!). While me and Marika were yelling at everyone to stop screaming, Steph was yelling "We're all gonna die!!" and Chelsea "I'm not screaming!!" Then someone said something about him having an axe..which really didn't help the situation! Finally we got everyone to be quiet and go back to the couches. The pounding had stopped so I called Jay and he said all the guys were there and (get this) most of them were sleeping. Being in the state of mind I was in, I believed him. A few minutes later he called me and told me it was all a joke and that it had been Cody. I hung up on him. He called me back to apologize. And has been apologizing over and over again since! :P I guess when he was trying to call me, his phone died. So he had to run around the room trying to find a plug in to turn his phone back on, and then Kelsey called, but he ignored her call to call me back. The thing that scared me the most about this was that I was the ONLY leader, so I was responsible for these girls. Jay said he didn't think of that until after, and if he had, then he wouldn't have let the guys do it. Looking back on the event now, I laugh. But other than that, the trip was lots of fun. Randy got me Starbucks in the morning so I was quite content :) The trip home didn't seem as long. Although we did have to wait awhile cause we were really early for our ferry. But there is definitly good stories and memories coming out of this trip and I can't wait for the next trip.
Well I think I've written enough.. :P
Later Gators!!

17 DAYS TILL CONSUMED!!

Did you know that lime jello gives off the same brain waves as adult males?

So a friend informed me that I haven't blogged in a bit..so I decided that as I sit here in the library during my spare, I would blog. I'll just recap my week and week to come.

Last night was the Jazz Cabaret at my school. Six groups performed, including our Jazz Band and Vocal Jazz, Vanier's Jazz Band and Vocal Jazz, Isfeld's Jazz Band and a special treat, a choir from Wales. Everyone performed really well. Our teachers kept saying it wasn't a competition, but if it was, we totally won. Just putting that out there :P I had a solo in Jazz Band and played it perfectly. I was very happy and got many compliments afterwards, a few even from the Wales choir! The highlight of the night, however, was when my teacher came up the steps to the stage to conduct, she tripped on the last step and just about fell on the front row of saxaphones. She landed on her knees and sorta caught herself on a stand. It was quite hilarious. She's fine though..a little bruise on the knee I believe. The only thing that sucked about the concert last night, was that I missed Cadres, but there will be more.

Andrea is coming today!!! If you don't know, she is my BEST friend and has been since grade 6. She moved to Surrey at the end of grade 10, which really sucks. But she's coming to visit. Sadly, I don't actually get to see her till friday, because of Youth Group and work. But we're going out for breakfast and then probably go shopping for a bit on friday.

FRIDAY!! OMIGOSH so excited! Even though its only one night, Youth Rally is gonna be SA-WEET! I'm just so stoked to see camp people again. And I love traveling places..even short distances :P. I wanted to go to the Ladies Conference, but I don't have the moola right now..and I have work too and could only book off so much time. But that's alright..it'll still be good.

So I think thats all I have to say right now. That's pretty much my life in the last week in a nutshell.

Later Gators!!*

*That's "Later Gators!!" in Webdings :)

Flow

Yesterday at church Pastor Scott continued our series called Flow. The point of the sermon was Whoever holds our heart determines our future, so we must not follow our heart, we must lead our heart. Matthew 6:19-24 talked about not storing our treasures on earth because they will overtake our hearts. If you allow earthly treasures to hold your heart, they will start to control your emotions and the way you percieve things. We need to let God hold our hearts.
Every sermon I hear affects me in some way. They always do..but this one really hit hard. I have been guilty of telling people to "follow your heart" and I too have listened to this "advice". 1 Peter 5:7 says "Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you." Looking at my life and the way I lead my heart, at times I see I have not been doing the best I can. I have sometimes feared that He will do something I don't like...but that's not true. I now see that I need to completely and fully put my heart in God's hands, because He will always be there to teach me how to lead my own heart and He will never do anything with it to hurt me. I am learning how to lead my heart and I am happy with the way things are going right now. I have an amazing family, friends, boyfriend, job, schooling...life. I'd say I'm doing pretty good! But i know that if I ever struggle (and I know I will!) that when I turn around, no matter how far I get, God will always be there, heart in hand, waiting to catch me if ever I fall.

Thanksgiving Poem

Beauty as far as the eye can see
Only one as great as you
Could create such wonders
So many times we turn away
But you never leave our side
We boast to those around
The love of the Lord Almighty
We wear the Belt of Truth
And the Shield of Faith
And we give our all to you
No more holding back
No more fear
Thanking you for all you've done
We humble ourselves and praise

Lead.

Last night at Youth is was so amazing. We were a little small in numbers, but that didn't matter because God was still there in great abundance. Pastor Matt spoke and it was AWESOME!! He talked about not letting your emotions control you, but not to be completely emotionless. It was good. Then after he was done, we had a time of prayer where students could pray by themselves or with a leader. I prayed for a few girls and I just felt SO proud of them so stepping up and saying they wanted to Lead. I also felt touched that they trusted me with things they told me. I'm liking this series on Leading because its something I do and love to do. It great to be able to learn more about how I can lead further and not just lead others, but lead myself.
I am so so so SOOOO stoked for Consumed!! I don't even know exactly whats happening yet, but just knowing that its coming is getting me syked! I am also excited for this Sunday. The service is gonna be AMAZING and then I get to go to Nanaimo and see a bunch of family. It's gonna be great.
Going kayaking tomorrow morning, so I should wrap it up and head to bed soon.

Later Gators!!

Woot Woot!

So today I got my new phone :D :D :D I'm pretty stoked on it. Not really a lot to say...its better than my old one. A big thank you to Russ for helping pay for it :)
Message/call/comment on this and leave your number so i can add it again. My number is the same.

Later Gators

She's BAAACCKKK

Alrighty..wow so much to say now. Where to start?? Homewood. Good place to start. So even though I was only there for 2 1/2 days, it was so much fun! We got there and did the whole tour thing and then got our rooms. My room had 11 people in it, and the other rooms had 2-6 in each :P Then we did our "get to know you" games. They included one called "Do you like your neighbours" and another called "Human Bingo". Last years Syrup mishap was definitly brought up in that game..and many other times on the trip. All the staff that wasn't there last year (pretty much everyone) was filled in pretty quick. If you don't know what happened, long story short, i poured boiling hot pancake syrup BY ACCIDENT on my hand and burnt it. It was pretty embarassing. The whole trip was pretty fun, but there was one incident that, in the end, wasn't very fun at all. We were sailing, and seeing how far we could tip the boat over. Roper (the staff guy, real name John) got me to get on the beam that the sail is on that swings around the boat. So I wrapped my arms and legs around it and he tipped the boat. My head was about 3 inches away from the water. Then he went to do it again, but one guy was leaning on my leg, so I moved it just as Roper tipped the boat. I slid around the beam, hanging upside down. My head and shoulders went under water, and since the boat was moving, the current dragged me under. It was kinda funny, until I got back on the boat and my friend was like "Don't you have your phone in your pocket?" I was in shock..I was pretty upset. So yeah..salt water and phones don't go good together..my phone is done.
It was sad to leave homewood on friday, but now i can't wait for our youth retreat. A few of the staff members are stoked too cause not only am i going back, but some of my jazz friends want to come on the retreat too, so thats awesome.
Can't really think of anything else to say at the moment..plus I'm getting kicked off the computer. So I will add more another time.

Later Gators!!

My Bad..

Oops..it seems I haven't been in the blogging world for a bit. Busy Busy Busy! I will get on as soon as I have more time to write!

Later Gators!

Jazz It Up A Bit

So today we leave for Camp Homewood. I am SOOOO STOKEDDD!!! Three days filled with friends, activities, camp food and Jazz. Pure bliss! I'll have more to say on Friday when we get back, but until then I'm gonna say that you better be jealous..cause this is the most amazing trip ever! The only down part about it is that I miss Youth tonight, but I'm sure it will be amazing and that'll get me even more hyped up for Youth next week. So pray that the weather won't be horrible like it's supposed to be and I will talk to ya'll in a few days!

Later Gators!

Jazz Trip last year

Olivia Erica Johnson ~ November 20, 1991 - September 20, 2007

As many of you know, yesterday was the one year mark of one of my best friend's death. Olivia was 15 and passed away from cancer September 20, 2007, exactly two months before her 16th birthday. She battled cancer since grade four, and was easily the nicest and strongest person I have ever met. She was always happy and laughing and making everyone around her smile. So many were mourning when she passed away, but it was what needed to happen. She is no longer in pain. Last night I was thinking about her and words started coming..so I wrote it down. When I read over it after, I started crying.

A year has gone by
Since you went away.
It seems like just yesterday
I saw you smiling.
I hear music
And your laughter fills my ears.
I think of the days
We sat and told stories.
As I sit here and remember
My heart and soul mourn.
What I'd do to see you again
Just one more day is all I ask
But you're better up there
So keep dancing with Jesus
And I'll see you again someday.
Until then, Rest In Peace
My Gaurdian Angel <3

Stay Off The Roads!! (jk)

So.......I PASSED MY N TEST!!!

I am soooo friggen stoked! Hopefully I can drive to Youth tomorrow...we'll see. But yeah..thats all I really have to say right now. I'm just so happy I passed. Thats a record for the kids in my family cause both Jeff and Megan failed their first time. So I'm gonna have to rub that in their faces BIG TIME! :P

Later Gators

As I Was Saying..

Ok so now I can add more to my last post. I have a spare right now and am sitting in the Library. I've done my Bio homework and now have nothing to do. BLOG TIME! WOOOT!
So last night was our big Kick-Off for youth group. The biggest thing was saying goodbye to Fusion/Shift and hello to THRIVE YOUTH CHURCH!! As all the students went into the sanctuary, us leaders ran into the pre-service prayer/masters/green room and put on our awesome red leaders shirts. (did i mention that these shirts are awesome? Great job, Kels!) Then as Jay went up to talk, we all went in and stood up on the stage. When he introduced the new name, Russel and Randy took off the old banners and a sweet picture went up on the screens. The kids were pretty loud as they cheered! It was so awesome. The worship was AMAZING, the sermon was AMAZING, and the hang out time was..well...AMAZING! I just love our youth group..words can't describe how proud I am of all of us and how excited I am to see everyone grow and walk with God so much more.

I step into the background,
Smile on my face as I watch.
Everyone laughing and joyful,
Loving each other and God.
I can't express the way
All this makes me feel.
Anxious for the future
Excited about the now.
So proud of my family
As they grow all around
Just be patient
And you'll see a miracle

THRIVE

I have to go to bed, so I will elaborate more later, but I am SOOO friggen stoked for this year. Thrive Youth Church is going to be amazing..it already is amazing. I can't wait for whats to come!!

The Week of Ends

This weekend was pretty packed. I worked late friday night and it was pretty good. The only part I didn't like was when one of our projecters messed up and I had to go into the theatre to explain to everyone what happened. And as some of you may know, I HATE public speaking. So I was shaking when I went in. I told everyone and then pretty much ran out. I had to go back in later with Interruption Passes and the people clapped for me and everyone said thank you and that I did a great job. So I was pretty happy about that..made me feel better.
Yesterday was a long day too. I was down at Lewis Park from 9-3:30 helping at Kids Fest. That was tons of fun..really hott though. I handed out balloons for most of it and got my picture taken by a few people..so I might be in the paper! Then after that me and Russel went to Tuscanos for dinner and I had the best ceasar salad I have ever had. I was really tired though and when I got home I went on the computer for a bit and then went to bed.
Today at church I gave a testimony in first service, which wasn't as nerve-wracking as talking to the theatre people cause I've spoken infront of the church before. After church me, Steph, Russel and Matt walked to Wendy's for lunch and then walked back to the church. My feet were DEAD! Got home, went outside for a bit and then flopped on my bed. Closed my eyes and when I opened them (which felt like 5 minutes later) an hour and a half had passed. Woot for Power Naps! Also watched a movie called Not My Life which was really good.
On a final note...I'M SO STOKED FOR KICK-OFF!!!!!!

Ok one more final note..i was searching videos on youtube, and i found probably my favourite Veggie Tales songs. I can't figure out how to post a video on here...so I'll just leave the link.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j1FGaCNN1aw

Later Gators!

Last First Day of School

So school today was pretty sweet. Being in grade 12 is funny cause all the grade 8-10's are like "omg big kids!" so i felt pretty powerful! haha. Also my classes are good. I've got Tourism, Music, Biology and at the moment I have no D block, so we're trying to fix that. I might just take a spare if there's no classes I want. AND I got an island locker, which for those of you who don't know, are the GOOD lockers. I'm stoked on that fo shoe!
We got out at 2, but I had to hang around cause I had a driving lesson at 3:15. So I hung out with a friend (Heather) and we had a pretty good talk about people changing and whatnot. It was good. Then I had my driving lesson which was better than good. I did everything right and she said I'm pretty much ready for my test, so I am excited. Pray that I pass!!
Well thats all I really have to say for now..sooo...

Later Gators!

A Dream Is A Wish Your Heart Makes

So yesterday was a pretty sweet day. Worked from 12-4 and then met up with Matt. Went to his place, hung out a bit, blew a horn in each others faces, messed with my voice mail (check it out, its friggen sweet) and ate dinner. Then Russel, Jesse and Dylan came over and we all walked to the movie theatre and watched House Bunny, which was pretty good. After the movie we walked back to Matt's house and Russel drove Dylan home. Me, Jesse and Matt talked for a bit about stuff (including Jesse planning my wedding :P) and then Russel came back to drive me home. The whole drive my mind was racing "could this be it?" We got to my house and, as many of you probably already know, he asked. My heart was all *kjdhffahgBOOM* haha so yeah...we are official now. And I am very happy :)

With you in my arms,
I just want to fall asleep,
Dream with you,
No hunger,
No nothing,
You and me forever
Its not about finding somebody
That makes you smile
Its about looking for the one
That makes your heart
Sing its own love song
Looking into your eyes
Everything else fades away
All thats left is you and me
Together for enternity

From Church to Winners

So today was a fun day. Went to both services this morning and was touched by God like always. Pastor Ken spoke about how we are all loved by God. Then we sung "Jesus Loves Me" at the end and I admit I teared up. It was pure bliss.

After church a group of us (me, Madison, Mandy, Sarah, Marika, Steph, Russel, Matt and Jesse) all walked to Wendy's for lunch. Quite a few other people from church were there too, no surprise! Then we (minus Marika, Steph and Matt) went up to Petland and the dollar store and Winners, which was also fun. At winners i bought myself and Madison (against her will) new bags which are AMAZING! :P
So after today I realized how much fun it can be to just hang out with friends and not have a set plan. I love my friends!!

We make relationships everyday
Some last an hour
Others for a lifetime
I live for the tears
That make me smile
I live for the moments
That never end
I live for the dreams
That are coming true
With everything I am
And with everything I do
I live for my friends

Keep It Simple

"Jesus loves me, this I know"

Camp was amazing. Thats the best way to put it. Each night I was touched by what the speaker said and what God said. Especially the last night...I don't think I've cried that much in a long time. And it really showed me how amazing God is and how lucky I am to have such great friends. A special thank-you goes out to PC. You showed me so much this week and I am just blessed to know you and to have the chance to talk to you. When you prayed for me the last night, I felt such a reasurrance in my heart and soul. So thank you for always being there for me.

Everything else at camp was fun too. The first day was a little let down at first cause of the rain, and some complications with people, but other than that it was fine. My team, Tongues of Fire, was amazing. Its true we didn't win a lot, but we still had fun and got along. Memorizing bible verses, painting our scroll, building our boat, playing games like kickball, volleyball and water polo with a watermelon wrapped in duck tape..ahhh good times. And, if you didn't already know, I got kicked in the jaw during water polo, but its not really swollen or bruised anymore :D. Clash day, bad hair day and costume day were also tons of fun. So all in all, it was a great week. I made new friends and my relationships with old friends grew stronger. I can't wait for next year.

P.S. To all those people who said it would be fun, you were right. But I will NOT say its better than Nanoose! :P

Explanation

I can't explain this feeling inside
My heart is pounding
My stomach is flipping
My mind is racing
The sound of your voice
Can save my soul
The touch of your hand
Can stop my breath
Every moment spent with you
Is a moment I treasure
I keep dreaming you'll be with me
And never let go
You're the million reasons why
There's love reflecting in my eyes
I just wanna stay in this moment
Forever and ever
With every word and every smile
You make me fall in love

Girls rule, boys drool

Today was the Shift event Girls hang/Guys hang. The guys went to the driving range and us girls stayed at the church and did our nails, ate cookie dough and watched Enchanted. It was good fun..I laughed a lot in the movie. Too much cookie dough though...my stomach didn't like me very much! :P But hanging out with these girls today showed me how amazing God's love is and really inspired me.

Your children cry out to you
Songs of praise from their lips
In awe we fall to our knees
How can someone so great
Love someone so small
You gave your life
So that we could live
For now and ever more
We open our hearts to you
From young to old
Souls are yearning for you
We run to you with open arms
Forever we are faithful

I am officially in love with Toyota Hybrids!

So I had my first actual driving lesson today. My dad has been teaching me, but my parents finally bought me lessons. The instructor, Sherri, is awesome. She's so nice and was so easy to drive with. Plus, the car was amazing. It rode so smooth...easy to turn, stop, go, park, everything. And I love the way its set up..the key is a little box thingy that you put in this slot and then press a power button! Its amazing. So yeah, she said that I'm a really good driver and I'll be ready to take my N test in a few weeks. I'm scheduled to go September 16. Wish me luck!!

Later Gators

high on this new drug called STOKED

I just have to say that after the cadre leaders meeting today, I am SOO friggen stoked for this year. Even more than I was before. Cadre's are going to be amazing and the kick-off is going to be spectacular. I'm not allowed to say whats going to happen, but I will say this. Its going to be the best night ever and you better be there!

1 week till camp!!!

Summit, Poems, Africa and Moms!

So today was the second and final day of the Leadership Summit. And was it ever AMAZING! We watched...4 videos i believe..and P. Craig talked as well. Evereything was so deep and touching and I got so much. I was on the verge of tears more than once and all this has made me so much more stoked for what Gods got for me. And I got to see Emily Beer again, which was friggen sweet! But it was sad to say goodbye to Darla and Romeo. They promised to visit again though.

Sheila pulled me and Russ aside after it was over and first thing I thought was "oh snap what did i do?!?!" I guess i made a face and she laughed and was like "you`re not in trouble". So we went and sat on the stairs to the stage. She started talking about how her and other leaders in our church, such as P. Scott, have been reading our blogs and poems. They said they were so inspired by what we wrote. That was sweet to hear just by itself..but it gets better! She then asked me and Russ to think and pray to God about writing a poem for Thanksgiving and then possibly getting together with photographers from our church to basically put pictures to words. I was so touched that they would ask us that..it really shows how even the younger leaders are recognized for their strengths. So I`ve already started thinking about that.

Another sweet thing that was thought up today was a possible Africa trip in spring of 2010, with just a few youth from our church. Me, Jay, Russ, Jesse and Matt were talking about it this afternoon. We want to raise $100,000 and then go to a small village in Africa that has nothing..and basically give them everything. Build them houses, a school, give them clothes, bring a doctor to get them medical help. Its in the works right now, but its gonna be awesome.

So I`m just gonna finish this post off by saying I have the best mom in the world. She has always been there for me and building me up into the young woman I am today. Without her...I don`t even want to think of where I`d be. I realize that I have not always given her the time and value she deserves. She is an amazing mother and I am so lucky to have her as mine. I love you Mommy, to the moon..and back! <3

Later Gators!

the day of fries (aka friday)

So today was pretty friggen awesome. At first it looked like things would be all messed up, but everything worked out. Went to Miracle Beach with my family and got to visit with Andrea for a bit too, which was great. Then while we were on a beach, we got to watch a beach wedding so that was pretty sweet. I've always wanted a beach wedding. Then we had a BBQ and had hotdogs for dinner.
I got to the summit just over half an hour late, but thats alright. I gotta sit with Sheila, which was sweet cause she's like another mom to me. The best part of the whole night was seeing Romeo and Darla for the first time in 10 years. IT WAS AWESOME!! Just before the second video started Romeo came over and was like "Sammy!" and gave me a hug. Then he went and told Darla and she ran over and hugged me. Then we had to wait until after the video to actually talk. They were both like "you were this big when i saw you last!" and "you're in grade 12?!?" haha it was great to see them again. And the videos were awesome, especially the second one. I laughed pretty hard and I got so much from it. So stoked to see what tomorrow brings!

Later Gators

Wootness

So yesterday I went on a hike through Paradise Meadows with Jason, Kelsey, Russel and Jesse. It was pretty sweet. It was really hot though and we had to take a break for a couple hikers :P. We got to a lake...Battleship i think. and we just sat there for about 20 minutes or so. I was just looking out over the water and the trees and I was amazed. God made that and its SO beautiful. I just let its beauty and tranquility overtake me and i forgot about all the cares of life. To put it simply, i was in awe. It was so nice, but it kinda started to smell like fish, so we left. Then we hiked back down and back to the van. Jesse has never seen a bear in real life, so we were trying to spot one and went a little "4x4ing" in the van...bad idea since we almost broke it :P but sadly we didn't see a bear. Sorry Jesse! Then we got back into town and went to Jason and Kelsey's for dinner and we watched a couple tv shows, like csi, something-point (i don't remember) and Wipe-Out. Then Kelsey drove me home and we had a nice talk, which is sweet cause we haven't gotten a lot of one-on-one time this summer. So yesterday was a pretty sweet day.

On another note, SUMMIT TONIGHT!!! WOOOOOO! :P So stoked to see whats gonna happen and I am looking forward to hearing what these leaders have to say. And I get to see Romeo and Darla again, which is friggen SWEET!

Later Gators

The Dream Of Now

When you wake to the dream of now
from night and its other dream
you carry day out of the dark
like a flame.

When spring comes north and flowers
unfold from earth and its even sleep
you lift summer on with your breath
lest it be losst ever so deep.

Your life you live by the light you find
and follow it on as well as you can
carrying through the darkness wherever you go
your one little fire that will start again

-William Stafford

I read this for the first time the other day and immediatly fell in love with it. I've always liked Stafford's work, but this really got me. I have a friend who is dealing with some stuff right now and she's been losing faith. I showed it this and talked to her for a long time. I kept thinking about it after and realized I too have struggled with letting my "little fire" go out. But I also realized how easy it is to get it started again. With God as the lighter and by not letting yourself slip away and let it fire extinguish, it can turn into a wild forest fire..hypothetically, of course!

Summer Knight

So I finally saw The Dark Knight yesterday. Missed the first half hour or so, but thats alright. It was AMAZING. Way better than I thought it was going to be. So now I'm thinking I should watch the first two batman movies!
Ok so my title is Summer Knight...cause it sounded better than Dark Summer. So you can probably tell what the rest of this post is gonna be about. SUMMER!! And how it's gone by so fast! It's August 11th. A month from now I'll be in school, getting back into the daily routine. And to top it all off, I'LL BE IN GRADE 12!!! It's scary. People keep telling me I'm not allowed to grow up.."i remember you when you were this big!"..."you are growing up so fast.." And I am. I almost wish I was back in elementary school, with no cares, having fun. Not that I'm not having fun now. Cause I am..I'm having so much fun. High School has been the best years of my life so far. I have learned so much, inside and outside of the classroom. Middle School wasn't my favourite three years. I was with the wrong group and all I really had were my good grades..and I even got teased because of that. But in high school, I'm average in most my classes..and I love it!! But back to summer...its come and now its almost gone. It has been the best summer I've had in a long time. Camp was amazing..more amazing than last year. God spoke to me so much. My birthday party...also amazing. And then just hanging out with family and friends pretty much everyday is such a privilege. So many memories are coming out of this summer and I can't wait for whats to come. I am so stoked on this year because of all thats going to happen. New relationships, new discoveries, new adventure. I'm loving what God is doing in my life right now. I am so stoked on leadership this year too cause we're going to be doing so much more and getting closer to each other and God. It's gonna be good. I can't friggen wait!

Later Gators!

Time to reflect

I've noticed lately how people are always thinking about the future and what they're going to do 50 years from now. They're always worrying about whats going to happen tomorrow. They rush through life without taking time to stop and look at their lives. I'm not saying don't prepare for the future, or that everything should be spontaneous. I'm just saying that things need to be handled with care, especially your own life. Let me ask you some questions. Have you ever let a good friendship die because you didn't take the time to say "hi"? Have you ever gone to bed with the next hundred chores running through your head? Have you ever ask someone "how are you" and not waited to hear the reply? All you parents, have you ever told your child "we'll do it tomorrow" and in your haste, not seen their pain? Everyone, have you ever watched kids on the merry-go-round or gazed at the sun into the fading night? Have you ever watched a butterflies erratic flight, or listened to the rain hitting the ground? When you run so fast to get somewhere, you miss half the fun of getting there. When you worry and hurry throughout your day, life becomes like an unopened gift, just tossed to the side. Please, you'd better slow down, don't dance so fast. Time is short, the music won't last. Life isn't a race. Take things slower. Hear the music before the song is over.

Sometimes you gotta run away so you can see who will run after you. Sometimes you gotta talk quieter just to see who's listening. Sometimes you gotta step up in a fight just to see who's by your side. Sometimes you gotta make a wrong decision to see who's there to fix it. Sometimes you gotta let go of the one you love just to see if they love you enough to come back. Believe in yourself and all that you are. Know that there is something inside of you that is greater than any obstacle. You deserve to be with somebody who makes you happy. Somebody who doesn't complicate your life. Somebody who won't hurt you. If they're stupid enough to walk away, be smart enough to let them go. Be who you want to be, not what others want to see. Forgive people, not because you're weak, but because you're strong enough to know that people make mistakes. Take chances, because you never know how great something could turn out to be. Certain things are just worth waiting for.

So I was just sitting here writing this and listening to worship songs and it really got me thinking. I love Jesus. He has just been so awesome in my life lately. At times I've felt like there's no reason to smile or to even live. But then I see this glimpse of light and I feel God saying to me that there's more to come. Theres a story I read about a lady who was dying, and asked her pastor to bury her with a fork. She explained this by saying how after meals people always say to keep your fork, and that means theres something better coming. So by keeping her fork, she's getting ready to go on to something even more spectacular than life itself. So I say to all of you, KEEP YOUR FORK. :P But seriously, this past year has just been amazing. It's definitly had its downs (R.I.P. Olivia, Eric and Floyd) but it's had it's ups as well. I have grown so much in myself and in Jesus. God has been doing a ton of stuff in my heart and I am so stoked on whats to come this year. I know it's gonna be good.

Later gators

Mini's

Never say I love you if you don't really care
Never talk about feelings if they aren't really there
Never hold my hand if you're going to break my heart
Never say you're going to if you don't plan to start
Never look in my eyes if all you do is lie
Never say "Hello" if you really mean "Good-bye"
Never say forever because forever makes me cry
If you really mean forever then say you will try

I haven’t had the best life
There’s been lots to work through
My family’s been broken apart
And my hearts been torn in two
I’ve been called names
And I’ve been pushed away
But through all this hurt
I’m still gonna say
I’ll be okay

I'll pull you out when life pulls you under.
I'll be the sun when there's lightning and thunder.
If I could catch a rainbow I would do it just for you.
And share with you it's beauty on the days you're feeling blue.
If I could build a mountain you could call your very own.
A place to find serenity a place to be alone.
If I could take your troubles I would toss them in the sea.
But all these things I'm finding are impossible for me,I
cannot build a mountain or catch a rainbow fair
But let me be...what I know best, a friend that's always there.
Years may fly, tears may dry
But my friendship with you will never die

Just Say The Word

Time flies by when I’m praising you
I close my eyes and I am gone
Into your arms is where I go
And in your arms is where I want to stay

My love for you, Jesus
Is like a burning fire
Just say the word
And I’ll go anywhere

Your spirit fills me up
Your grace overflows
I know that you are God
Forever you will reign

You laid down your life
You died on the cross
How can I repay you?

Inspiration

I just want to thank you, Lord
Thank you for everything you’ve done
I want to know you, Lord
I want to live by your side
We sing our songs of praise to you
But I want to do even more

Everyday, Lord, I live to praise you
Every minute, Lord, I live to love you
Anytime I need to sing, Lord
You’re the one giving me words

You are my inspiration
You the love of my life
I open my ears to hear your words
I open my heart to let you in
Everyone who knows you, Lord
Knows that you are great.

I want you, Lord
I need you, Lord
I love you, Lord
You’re here right now
You’re setting us free

Solid Proof

When I first wrote this, I saw it as someone saying it to someone else cause they're "in love". But then I read it again and saw it completely different. I saw it as God singing to those who don't know Him. It was amazing.

1st verse
Every time you're near me
My body starts to melt.
Every time I think of you
My mind turns to mush.
Every time you talk to me
My words just don't make sense.
And every time I look at you
Things seem to turn out right.

Chorus
All of this is solid proof
Of how I feel about you.
The only down part is
You don't even notice.
I wish that you would look
And see who I really am.

2nd verse
Some people say you're right for me
And some people say you're not.
Some people think that I'm wasting my time
But I think you're worth it.
When will you open your eyes and see
That you're the only one for me.

Chorus

3rd verse
All day long I think of you
All day long I wait for you.
I shouldn't want you like this
I'm sure that in the end I'll lose.
But Hun, you know what?
I'm willing to fight for your love.
Because even though I'm invisible to you
You're the only one I see.

Chorus 2x

Cause That's What Love Is

Sometimes it can be easy
And sometimes it can be hard
But I know it’s worth it
Sometimes we see each other
And sometimes we don’t
But I know you’re worth it

As long as I’m here and you’re here
Nothing can go wrong
And even though
There’s things holding us apart
We’ll keep on going
Cause that’s what love is

All we have to doIs stick together
And not fall away
All we have to do
Is pray to God
And ask for His strength

As long as I’m here and you’re here
Nothing can go wrong
And even though
There’s things holding us apart
We’ll keep on going
Cause that’s what love is
And babe, you’ve got the best of my love

First Blog. woot!

Ok so this is my first blog post thingy. I've always wanted to have a blog, but was too lazy to make one. So hopefully I can keep this up. It will probably mostly be my writing, but I will get some real life stuff in here too.
Yeah so check it out and hope you like it.
Later!
<3