It's a royal occasion...

Today's my royal..or champagne birthday (meaning I've turned 23 on the 23rd).

It's offical...I'm old.

One of my house mates this morning told me that it's a wonder I'm still alive, and it's all down hill from here. Fantastic words of encouragment lol.

Day is only half over...but favourite moment so far. One of the guys who come into the drop in centre who I've been spending a lot of time with over the past week or so getting to know, suprised me this morning with a beautiful birthday card. He knew it was my first birthday in the southern hemisphere, and away from home, so he wanted to make sure I still felt like it was being celebrated. Love it.

My humility will be known throughout the world...

Pet Peeves. Got any? I’ve got a few, although I don’t always remember them at a moments notice.

One I’ve had since I was a kid, and that is when people try to engage me in a conversation when I’m deeply into a book that I’m reading. Of course if someone needs to talk to me about something important, or if it’s just someone saying hello or checking in or me…that doesn’t bother me. But it’s when for whatever reason someone thinks that I’m only reading because I’m bored, and they’re going to relieve me from that boredom by making continual attempts to start up a conversation I don’t want to have. My family knew right from when I as young not to bother me when I was reading, and my mom even bought me a cheesy bookmark with a horse on it that said “don’t nag me, I’m reading” to poke fun at my pet peeve.

Another pet peeve I’ve only just come to realize over the past 6 months or so. It’s being told that I’m better then someone else. I definitely don’t want that to come across as me saying that this happens all the time, or that people just drop it in every day conversation that I’m better then someone. But to have someone say to you, “you know, you’re better then them.” How do you take that? Myself…I’ve realized…I get mad. The things that run through my mind tend to be…what kind of twisted view do you have of me to think me better then other people? Or…how dare you think that low of the person you’re comparing me to? As well as…who has given you the right to compare people to one another?

I know that I have pride, and that in some areas of my life I really struggle with being humble and allowing God to be in control. I think that’s another reason that this is a pet peeve of mine and gets me so angry…because I don’t see it as a favour or as a compliment from whoever is saying it. I see it as a lie that is trying to inflate the pride that I already struggle with letting God break down.

I think it’s an unfair and unjust thing to be compared to someone else. What do you base your comparison on? Looks? Intelligence? Wit? Their talents and abilities? Popularity? How “close” they are with God? What kind of scale do you use to make the call who is better at what, and at what point in time do you decide that you know someone well enough that you are entitled to make that judgement?

So, I guess my pet peeve isn’t just from hearing someone say to me that they think I’m better than “so-and-so,” but also just the idea in general that people have this need to compare themselves and others to those around them. It really isn’t a compliment to either party, and it puts you into a position of being a judge of something you were never meant to judge.

I suppose I could rant about this for a long time, so I’ll end it now. Just wanted to put those thoughts out there while they were fresh on my mind.

Blessings.

This is no time for dwarvish river dancing!

The Commonwealth Games are well underway and has become all that anyone in Melbourne talks about. Australians are pretty much dominating all the medals that have been won, with Canada ranking sixth I believe.

Not too much new or exciting has been going on with me. I've been keeping busy working in the drop in centre at 614, and getting ready for our kid's ministries team which starts up next week when the kid's are back to school.

My 23rd birthday is creeping up on me and arrives in three days (that's THREE days Dad, not one lol). Despite the fact that winter is around the corner, it's apparently supposed to be 30 degrees on Thursday, making it officially the hottest weather I will have ever had for my birthday.

I had an interesting conversation last week with my roommate. We got into a big discussion about boys, and past hurts we've had in relationships. We got onto the topic of how interesting it is how much past hurts can continue to dominate our heart and minds, even years later. Sometimes we don't even realize that something that someone has done years ago in a relationship can make us insecure, and maybe even a little paranoid, when we encounter new relationships..or even just a friendship with the opposite sex.

Trust really is a delicate thing. All to often as young (or sometimes older) teens, we have a real naive concept of people when we enter into our childish and immature relationships with the opposite sex. Speaking from personal experience....I tended to have the outlook that I could fix "him." I usually went for the guys who I knew broke girls hearts, and were a bit rough around the edges, because I thought that they were probably just misunderstood and all they needed was a second chance. Although I suppose this isn't a completely bad outlook to have on it's own... when it's combined with the mind of a naive and pompous 17 year old girl entering into a relationship, however...it can spell heart break.

I had my trust in males ripped from me when I was 17, although I guess the fault can't be entirely put on the fellow I was "dating" at the time, as I did willingly put myself in the position. Hindsight really is 20:20 though, as I look back now and wish that I had done so much differently...including having a better self esteem so that I didn't need to stay with a guy that I knew in my heart was cheating on me and lying to me straight to my face.

But...in trying to see the positives in a negative situation...I learned a lot about trust. I learned that it isn't something to just put in anybody. I learned that putting my full trust in someone who I really don't know can leave me vulnerable and open the door to a lot of pain. And in the last couple of years, I've learned what an incredible feeling it is to be able to sincerely trust someone that I've come to really know and love.

I guess thats about it for now. Keep our kids ministries team in your prayers, as we have lost some leaders and our numbers are dwindling, even before things get under way. But God is good, and I know things will come through according to His plan.

Blessings!

PS. If you were wondering where my random title came from, Matt has gotten me into his addiction called World of Warcraft and while watching a video on it one of the characters said this line. So hilarious. Check out this webpage to see all the characters dance moves.

Sun Smart

Just a quick update for my family (and anyone else who is concerned about my skin)...

I spent a few hours at the beach on Sunday, in some absolutely scorching heat..and I am pleased to report...I did not sunburn!! I was plastering on sunscreen about every 45 minutes or so, which left me feeling pretty gross, but I did not burn!

It's game time.

Well, it's the end of another hectic week, and we're on a much needed long weekend off.

We had three more days of training this week, which is always a challenge to sit and listen for hours on end about things that aren't necessarily too interesting, and at the same time try and remember as much as possible that will be needed for this upcoming year.

Commonwealth games start in just four days. Everything going on at Melbourne at the moment is literally revolving around these games. Flags and banners are up all over the city advertising it, every shop and restaurant has some sort of Commonwealth games merchandising, and everyone is trying to brace themselves for the horrid traffic flow that is going to be greeting us in driving around the city, and on the public transport.

At 614 we're also preparing. It's not really certain how the people that we know and work with every day at the Lifecentre (drop in centre) are going to react to the games. We've already noticed an increased tension amoung people the past couple of days at the knowledge that soon their city is going to be flooded with strangers. For 7 days during the games the hours at the Lifecentre is being changed from 10-1, to 10-8...which means our schedules also change during the games to take turns on shifts to make sure all the hours are covered. We aren't entirely sure if we'll see a decrease in people dropping in, due to the rumours going around that police will be kicking the homeless out of the city during the games...or that we'll see a huge increase because so many will just be looking for a place to hide away and take some space from all the activity that will be going on. Either way, it'll be an interesting experience.

Canadians are certainly making a name for themselves during the preparations for the games. It's been all over the media how the Canadians have complained that there is no air conditioning in their living accommodations, and that Melbourne is too hot for them to stay here without it. So apparently they are looking at buying heaps of fans to bring with them, just so they can survive this intense heat. I know they're coming straight from a bitter cold winter out there in the great white north...but common guys! Making it sound as if us poor Eskimos out there in the west never experience any heat!

For anyone who watched the video tour I put up of my house, I took another one so that you can actually see my room. Click here to view it!

But, I guess that's about it for now. I'm still alive and well and things are very good overal. I'm going to go and relax and enjoy the long weekend (and the hot weather..It's gone back up to 35!).

Blessings!

Brilliant like a fox!

I've come to the end of week three, and spending some time relaxing enjoying my day off.

This week was the busiest so far, but also the most enjoyable. We had a Ball Monday night at 614 that was run by loads of volunteers and heaps of donations. It was a free event, held for anyone in the community who wanted to come. We had hair stylist and make up artists come in to make over anyone who wanted it. We also had tons of suits and dresses and shoes for people to come in and try on and wear to the Ball. A few of us Order members decided we weren't going to get dressed up but just help out...but once we got started looking at all the dresses...we couldn't resist getting all dolled up. It proved to be an absolutely amazing night, and was a real chance for people from the community and from our drop in centre to look and feel beautiful and just dance the night away. We had a well known football player come and host a "dance off" and a fantastic house band play as we ate our dinner. I've put up about 40 pictures from the night on my msn space so definitely check those out. It was an awesome chance to just bond with my Order team members, as well as to just have a lot of fun with clients that we work with every day.

We also had safe syringe disposal training this past week, and an overview on mental health. The syringe training got a bit interesting when one of my team members fainted due to a combination of lack of sleep and getting put off by all the talk of needles and blood...but she recovered quickly and after a good rest that night had a full recovery.

Things are starting to come together for the kids team that I am apart of. I was asked if I could be one of three to help teach Junior soldiers at 614, as I'm the only Senior soldier on the Order, so I'm looking forward to that. Soon we'll have some breakfast clubs and homework clubs up and running with some of the communities that 614 began to get involved with last year. We had a very successful meeting with a primary school about getting involved with the kids there, and we're starting to get very exciting at the doors that God is opening for us this year.

I'm starting to feel a great deal more focused and on track...and a lot more like myself. I've begun to really click with several members on my team, and I'm laughing and enjoying myself a lot more. I still have moments where I feel completely lost or that I'm struggling with everything going on around me...but God is good and is pulling me through. Thank you to everyone who has been praying for me, it is so extremely appreciated. And thank you to those of you who continue to be there for me when I'm struggling and always willing to give an encouraging word...it means so much.

Oh..I also uploaded a short video tour I took of the house I'm living it. I look quite gross in the bits I'm in...so ignore that...but click here if you'd like to have a look.

That's about it for now I think.

Blessings!