Welcome to my blog, I'll be updating this when I have time, it's going to be about whatever is on my mind. Could be stories, revelations, words of wisdom or just whatever. I hope it inspires, blesses and informs you.
Tomorrow, bright and early, at 3 am, I'm going to be leaving for Dayton, Ohio. Anton(Connecticut) and myself are going to be joining Scott Evelyn and Recie Saunders from the Streams Itinerant Ministers to help them at a conference they are doing. I don't really know many details, but you can pray for us as we are there.
Well I forgot to put the link up, but a while ago I told you I was going to have my dream interpreted by John Paul Jackson for AWE WebTV so here it is below, you can also follow the link at the bottom of my post to see all the other Awe TV shows.
Matt, my good friend who works at Streams doing the video work, loves coffee much more than I do. He's always trying different coffee's that he orders off the internet and has very particular ways of brewing it just to his liking. Although I am far less picky, I do appreciate it when it is well done.
I tried one of his coffee's which is actually aged, which gave it kind of a weird, although not unpleasant, musty taste. But when we heard about Kopi Luwak coffee, which is essentially, coffee beans that are eaten by a cat-like creature called a civet, then harvested from the poop, cleaned and roasted, we knew we needed to try it.
Unfortunately, it also one of the worlds most expensive coffee as they just can't seem to make those civets eat enough beans for mass production. We ended up pinching pennies and together we afforded a whole 6 ounces of it.
There was a whole lot of anticipation, would it be a party in our respective mouths, or would it just taste like cat excrement?
Fortunately for us, after a tentative taste, it turns out they cleaned up those beans pretty good and just tasted like dang good coffee. Smooth and without any nasty aftertaste.
So all in all, was it worth it? Well, financially speaking, probably not, but you just can't buy memories like that. Besides, how many people do you know can say they drank coffee that came through a civets intestines? That alone should convince anyone!
Just got back from helping out at a healing conference at John Thomas's church, The Metrowest Bridge in Natick, Massachusetts. We got there friday afternoon to help set-up for that night for a healing service. Doug (I can't remember his last name) came down from Ontario to help lead the services for the weekend.
So that night there were quite a few people there and it went pretty good, there were people healed, so I guess it was a success! A few people got healed from deafness, a few people got their backs healed, and there were a few more that escape me currently...
That ended up being a late night and Nathan, Anthony and I were privilaged to get a host home with a friend I met, Tim, when we went to the Vineyard youth retreat weekend last semester. It was a real blessing, we didn't get to bed till 1 am and we had to get up at 6, but it was better than sleeping at the church where we'd have to share a single shower for everyone. Time even made us pancakes so that was pretty much amazing!
Saturday consisted of teaching in the morning and in the afternoon we went out to the mall or where ever to see if we could pray for people. Us interns split up and teamed with people from the church so it was definitely a great growing time for many of the people there as they had never done anything like that. Really stretched alot of people, it was good to be able to come alongside them to do this. It ws good although I'm not used to having to go up to people and ask them. I much prefer setting up a table to interpret dreams, it's easier to talk to people when they want to approach you or when they are interested in what you have to say.
It was an interesting trip, definitely not without it's struggles, but it all worked out and was amazing. It was a real learning trip, everybody that went seemed to have such a varied experience and opinion of how it was for them, and what everyone learned was just as varied.
This however was only half our team as the other half went to Connecticut to a university there to do dreams and stuff at their big spring festival, I'll try to add a link to a blog from someone who was there when they get one up.
Sorry I didn't have many pictures this time, but come on, I've been good to you in the past, let it go!
Unfortunately, no one thought to mentioned that fact to New Hampshire. I took this picture today. There is the possibility of us getting another foot of snow over night. I've got to say, it's all very disheartening. My good friend Matt from around here informed me that New Hampshire only has three seasons. Summer, Winter and Mud. Sometimes they get four, but that only means that it's Summer, Mud, Winter and then Mud again.
I sure am looking forward to Mud season...
Picture: Chad(Michigan) along with our very own Scotsman Dan! I have sad news to relay. Everyone's favourite Scotsman has officially returned to his motherland. He left today at 3:45 pm. However, we were able to send him off with a party the night before. There are some pictures and I really really quickly threw together a few video clips(I'm trying to say it's sloppy and don't expect much!)
Picture: Noah "Wallace"(New York) We are all going to miss Dan very much but we are so blessed to have known such a man of God. I take comfort in knowing I'll see him again, we both share similar desires to fish in each others country, so of course we'll see each other again! I am really going to miss my fishing buddy, but I'll see if I can't pick it up again soon. Unfortunately there is too much snow at the moment...
We did all share a great evening with him that contained food, including an american version of haggis (sheep stomachs aren't exactly in abundance here...) we had a Scottish jig competition, a Dan impersonation session and some bag-pipe impressions, just to name a few things that went on.
But enough typing, on with the pictures!
Picture: Myself with Anthony, a "genuine" Scotsman!
Picture: Brandon(Wyoming) all gussied up, Scotland style
Picture: Mandy(Texas) sprucing up Rebecca's (Sweden) arm.
Picture: The best dressed. Noah(New York), Brandon(Wyoming), Mandy(Texas), Claire(England), Dave(Massachusetts), Anthony(Virginia) and Mike(Texas)
Video: My sloppy, slapped-together version of last nights events!
This is a few days after the fact, but let's start with the trip home. We drove to Connecticut on friday, it took us around 7 hours-ish but it went by fast. We all missed driving so this time we were splitting it three ways between Anton, Anthony and myself. I gotta say it was pretty hard to share. Normally I don't like driving quite that much or long, but I sure have been missing it! 6 months with no vehicle will do that to you.
On the way home we stopped in Gettysburg where I honoured the fallen with a slushie from 7-11.
We finally arrived at Jeremy and Rachel's house around 5:30 pm-ish where we were joined by a friend of theirs, Shawn. We had some pretty amazing tacos, some good conversation and after we ended up praying and giving each other prophetic words. We also helped interpret a few of Rachel's dreams. Although, she didn't really need it, she's read Jim Goll's book on dream interpretation and did a pretty good job of it herself! We were all pretty tired so after that we hit the sack.
The next morning we were joined my Ritchie and Traci Root for a breakfast of fruit and cinnamon buns. After breakfast we ended up praying again and that took a while but it was really good.
Picture: The guys: Jeremy, Myself, Anthony, Anton and Ritchie
When I first came to the USA 6 months ago I visited Jeremy before he was married and he was staying with Ritchie and Traci, so it was cool to get to see them again. Traci is a musician and does some really cool like R&B Worship, I'm not really sure how to describe it, but you can check it out and buy it here. --->http://www.myspace.com/tracirootband
We didn't end up getting on the road till about 12:30 pm, but we got home around 4 pm -ish which was nice, we had time to unpack and relax that evening.
Since then school has started. Officially, as of yesterday we are in the final trimester. 3 more months and then I'll be back home in Abbotsford for at least the summer. I really don't know what I'm going to be doing when I get back. There's the possibility I do a second year inter kind of program which is basically being staff. If I do that, I'm not sure if I would do it an the Canadian base which is opening up in Vancouver, or if I'd stay down here. Personally, I'm not really sure, and God hasn't really given me any clear direction at this point, so it's pretty up in the air right now. But I'm not worried, God's taken me this far.
Leave me a comment below, let me know who you all are reading this! I've had a few comments in the last week by people I've never met who said "Oh hey, you're that guy with the blog right?" It was kind of weird having strangers come up to you saying that. But I don't mind, It's a good way to get to know people, so if you're reading this, let me know!
It was a busy day yesterday, a very long and busy day. We headed out to the Metro to take it into DC but we couldn't get a parking spot, in fact we went into a parking lot and had to pay to get out even though there were no spots available. So that was lame.
We decided to just drive all the way in and hope we could find a spot. Turns out we could, and fairly easily. Only problem being we were way out on the outskirts and that meant even more walking.
Picture: Anthony (Virginia) and Anton(Maryland) leaving our truck. It was cool just driving out there though because you could see different monuments as you drove, really nice view.
Picture: Anthony couldn't get the guy to change the station... Our first stop was the Roosevelt Memorial where there were a lot of different statues. There were also many cherry trees, it just happened to be probably the busiest time all year, the week when the cherry blossoms are blooming and when tons of kids are on spring break. So we really picked a winner of a weekend to go. I don't think we could've picked a worst one. But it worked out, it was just terribly busy.
Picture: And here be me. In the midst of cherry trees and with the Washington Monument in the distance.
We all had a lot of fun, but it was so terribly tiring walking everywhere, you'd think they'd have built those things closer together, didn't they know I'd be coming? Apparently they used to offer Segway Tours, I'd have been all over that!
Picture: Here I am reflected in the Vietnam Memorial
Almost everything there is free, all the museums and stuff, and you can even walk all the way up the Washington Monument (It's hollow! Who knew?) Unfortunately, even free things have their price, which in this case meant getting their really early to snag a "free" ticket, but I don't know, anything that would make me get up too early is a pretty high price, one that I apparently wasn't willing to pay.
Picture: Here I am in front of the Lincoln Memorial
Picture: Anton and Myself with good 'ole honest Abe in the background.
Video: Me and the Memorials
We had been walking for a couple hours already and it was around 2:30 pm, way past my lunch time, so we stopped at a gourmet food establishment where I got a Polish Sausage and a Chili Dog. I'm not sure they liked each other much because they gave me a bit of trouble, but they seemed to have worked it out.
After lunch we went to the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History. It stunk. Bad. Not in an "this-place-is-sub-par-at-best" way, but more like in an "there-are-far-too-many-sweaty-kids-on-spring-break-here" kinda way. So we wandered around and looked at some dinosaurs, we saw the Hope Diamond and just when I thought I might be seeing my Polish friend again, we left to find somewhere less crowded and less smelly.
Picture: The Hope diamond, I had to crowd surf over, wade through and beat off 73 school kids to get this picture so you'd better appreciate it.
Picture: A dinosaur.
So we left there and can you believe my good fortune, just when I was feeling lost in a crowd of people I say this little place (See Picture Below). It sure lifted my spirits, after gazing longingly for a while, I had the courage to resigned myself to my fate and just press on.
Picture: The Canadian Embassy
We continued to the National Art Gallery where I saw some amazing Edgar Degas's sculptures (I didn't even know he did that?!) Apparently he only every displayed one sculpture, but when he died his family found over 70 in his studio. I didn't take any pictures in there, I didn't think I was allowed but I really enjoyed it. Even though by this time my body resented my every step.
Then out in front of the capitol building there were a few quaint statues. So I took a picture or two of them.
Picture: Yonder quaint statues
And here is the capitol building.
Picture: As promised, the capitol building!
Picture: Hey it's me by that building.
We met up with Anton's brother Mitch, who is doing an internship at the Jordanian embassy, and we all proceeded to the botanical gardens.
I had heard that there would be this giant flower that only blooms once every 5 years and stinks like a dead stinky thing, but unfortunately we couldn't find it. In fact that was really my only motivation for going to the gardens at all. I was sorely disapointed but Mitch pointed out that I could take a picture of anything and tell all you suckers that it was the real thing, so see below for the stinky flower.
Picture: Stinky Flower
Luckily, the gardens weren't a total loss, I did find a new friend.
Picture: Dear old Sam
After all that we were pretty worn out so all of us headed on out, it took us probably 30-45 minutes to walk back to our vehicle so we were pretty much done.
You'd think our day would be done, but oh no, not for us. Instead we headed to Virginia to Christian Assembly church where we went to hear a man named Wade Taylor speak.
But first dinner.
Picture: Dinner at Anthony's with Anthony
The service was really good, Wade spoke on living prophetic lives instead of just using the prophetic gifting, after that he prayed for everyone, I'm too tired to type out any of my notes, so trust me, it was amazing.
After the service the youth pastor, Todd, and youth leader, Dae, asked us if we wanted to go out to get something to eat. Which, obviously was a yes. We went to this 50's-ish diner where we had a really good time talking and praying with Todd and Dae, it's too bad we are so far away in New Hampshire, it'd be awesome to get to see them again we all really enjoyed our time with them.
Picture: The Diner!
Well that's about it for that day.
Today I didn't do much, and I'm going to leave it at the because it's late and I'm tired and I have to get up to drive to Connecticut tomorrow to see Jeremy and Rachel. So until later...
The last two days have been so relaxing I almost have nothing to write. Normally doing nothing all day would drive me crazy but I've really been enjoying sleeping in, reading, doing nothing and reading and before I know it it's bedtime! In fact the only time I got out yesterday was to go to Starbucks to read!
I've really been enjoying it though, it's such a blessing staying here with Anton's family, it's been very refreshing as I can just take time to read my bible or pray or do whatever. This morning I was reading in Psalms and I came across this verse which I like very much!
Psalm 94:17 "Unless the Lord had been my help, my soul had almost dwelt in silence."
It makes me so grateful, it's just a good reminder that the Lord fills our soul with Him. A holy noise, I don't really know how to explain it, but just dwell on that verse today. If you have any good insights to share, leave a comment!
Here I am. I am staying at Anton's house in Potomac, Maryland about 20 minutes from the White House in DC. Anthony and I left this morning at around 10:30 with our bellies bursting from an amazing breakfast thanks to Rachel. It took us around 7 hours to get to Anthony's house in Virginia, we took our time and managed to get there with only 75 cents in tolls instead of the possible $10-$15 dollars if we'd taken busier routes.
So far we've been through quite a few states, it's kind of different, it just doesn't work that way in Canada, our provinces have far to great a girth to be traversed in just a few hours, it takes me like 9 hour to just get to Alberta! But in the last 9 hours worth or driving, we've been through:
New Hampshire to Massachusetts to Connecticut to New York to New Jersey to Pennsylvania to Maryland to Virginia.
I learned a few lessons along the way as well, you don't pump your own gas in New Jersey, they don't know what a "washroom" is, in America, it's either a "bathroom" or a "restroom". I asked a gas station attendant if they had a washroom and he said no they didn't. It wasn't till later that I learned that Anthony had used it at the same gas station!
The drive actually went by really fast, I think because Anthony and myself have been enjoying driving so much, I forgot how much I miss being able to just drive somewhere!
I've included some pictures of our adventures thus far below...
Now I've seen it all, ice cream vending machines, flower bouquet vending machines at the airport and now for your convenience, live bait vending machines for all you fishermen out there!
This house is actually one of Rosie O'Donnell's, at least, that's what we were told and admittedly, I can be kind of a sucker...
What are the chances we'd see a fellow British Columbian way over here? He must have been from my area as well because he had a JR-FM radio sticker (Not that I condone listening to such a station.) It felt good to be near him so I passed him, let him pass me, then I passed him and watched him and his wife in the rearview mirror for quite a while. In retrospect, I'm kind of glad he never noticed me, it must have been pretty creepy.
Just when I thought this trip couldn't get any better, we saw a fireworks store, and since they are illegal in British Columbia, I've never had a chance to get it out of my system. So we ended up shopping at a very shady fireworks shop. Maybe I went a little crazy, but I was assured by the owner that they had the very best prices in all of Pennsylvania, so with that, I felt much better.
And here we are with some of our new, packaged explosive fun!
We even had time to swing by Bethlehem on the way down!
Within the first few minutes of driving in Virginia, I think pretty much most of the Southern American stereotypes that I've ever seen were confirmed. It was a true American experience as we drove and listened to bluegrass on the radio, unfortunately I didn't get any video of some of the houses that we saw, but this pointless video will maybe at least distract you for the next 20 seconds or so...
So what's next? Not even I know the answer to that, but keep checking back for more!
