Desiring to Desire...

About four years ago I sat in chapel at WCC and listened to the words of Tyler Laycock. He spoke about the desire to know God more. And he talked about when we don't desire to know God more we need to pray and ask God to give us the desire to desire to know Him more. And if that doesn't work to pray for the desire to desire to desire to know Him more. I think you get the point. Anyway, Tyler's words have stuck with me all these years. I often think about my desire to know God more, or my lack of desire to know Him more. Tonight I started praying that I would desire God more. I have also been praying recently for focus, because I have lost mine. I have focus, but it is on the wrong things. I'm focused on school, I'm focused on work, I'm focused on musical, I'm focused on so many things but not the most important thing. I have let other things take priority over my God in my life. With the loss of my focus I have allowed certain sins to creep back into my life and I have allowed them to make themselves at home. How I detest these sins in my life! Oh, Lord give me the desire to know you more! I feel like if I could know you better that I would be more like you. I wouldn't be this broken person who keeps falling into my old ways. Lord, transform me. Give me the desire to truly know you and become like you!

Treading Water and Refusing to Drown!

In recent weeks I have been getting very discouraged with the number assignments that I have looming before me. There are only 4 weeks left in the semester before finals begin. (I actually thought there were 5 up until a moment ago when I looked at my calendar!!! Good Grief! It's worse than I thought!) The most suiting way to describe the way I have felt is drowning! I am currently working on approximately 5 different assignments at the same time. Three of these said assignments are due on Wednesday including a critical book review that I have found myself getting completely frustrated with. Every time I sit down to work on it I inevitably end up doing something else. In other words I have been procrastinating and getting no where fast! Finally I decided to start working on a different assignment for a while. Approaching a new task was much less frustrating than working on the one that I was getting no where with. And after working on something else for a while I was able to come back to the book review with fresh eyes. Soon enough though I found myself getting frustrated once again with it and looking for anything else to do but that. The feeling of getting nowhere has been overwhelming! I kept thinking that if I could just get through this book review that then I wouldn't feel like I was drowning in a sea of assignments with not even a glimpse of the shore in sight.

As I sit here tonight I still haven't finished said book review...grrr! But tonight I did finish a different assignment. I've been working on so much at once recently that I haven't actually finished anything for a number of weeks. Tonight the feeling of accomplishment that I had after finishing an assignment was incredibly satisfying and encouraging! Even though it is only one of MANY more, just being able to say that I have finished something makes the rest seem a little less daunting. After finishing that assignment tonight I went back to the ever frustrating book review and I actually think I have a chance of producing something worthwhile! It's as if I've been thrown a PFD to help keep me afloat!

These next four weeks are going to be crazy but as I am able to cross each assignment off of my list it will give me encouragement and drive to tackle the next one! This semester is not going to drown me! I'm treading water and I will make it through one stroke at a time!!!

Friends who speak Portuguese

I was really excited last month when I discovered that Queen City Collegiate (an English school for foreigners that rents space from Western) had a new student from Brazil. I soon met Leticia and we became friends instantly. I was so excited to have someone to speak to in portuguese but I was very disappointed when I learned that she would be returning to Brazil in only a few weeks. She had come to Canada to visit her friend Carla and to imporove her English speaking skills. She and I started to do friendspeak together almost everyday. I was able to meet her friend Carla as well. Carla is half Brazilian and half Japanese and she is married to a Canadian. I am so excited that I am now able to pracitce my portuguese with Carla regularly. It was very sad to say good-bye to Leticia last week but I am excited that when I go to Brazil this summer that I will be able to visit her.

Leticia with Carla's dog

Baby Shower

On Saturday October 28th some of my friends from high school in Saskatoon held a baby shower for my friend Lisa and her daughter Cadence Mattea (aka my niece!) It was even more fun for me because I came as a surprose for Lisa. She was not expecting me...hehe It was definately fun to see the surprise on her face.

The evening was a great time of catching up between all of us. It is neat because this group of people who spent at least 5 days a week together back in higschool can get together maybe once a year and talk just like old times. Of course a lot of the conversation is now catching up on what we're all up to these days. Some of them are married and having kids now and some of us are still enjoying the single life:)

The highlite was of course getting to see my neice again! This was actually the third time I had seen her as I was in Saskatoon the weekend before when my roomate randomly decided to make the trip. This Little girl has grown so much since I first met her back in September!

Me and My beatiful neice!!!!

Cadence Mattea Wearing a very cute t-shirt and hanging out on the blanket that I crocheted for her.


This is Tamara holding Cadence. Tamara is one of the only other girls from our high school group who is still single and doesn't have babies...It make me feel better anyway!


Robin holding Cadence. Robin has a little boy of her own at home.


Jenna holding Cadence. Jenna is married and has two of her own.


This is Cadence and Spencer. Would you believe that Spencer is about three times her age?? You would never guess by the size of them! I took this photo because I think it will be cute to pull out some day at the wedding. ;) hehe Who knows!?!?

Here she is all bundled up and ready to head home. Bye Little girl!