2007: A Year End Review

1) Where did you begin 2007?
At "699" in Guelph!

2) What was your status by Valentine's Day?
Single!

3) Were you in school anytime this year?
January - April; September - December

4) How did you earn your money?
Camis

5) Did you have to go to the hospital?
Yes - car accidents do that to you.

6) Did you have any encounters with the police?
Again, yes... car accidents do that.

7) Where did you go on holiday?
North Carolina, Parry Sound, Heather's Cottage & Ste Sault Marie

8) What did you purchase that was over $1000?
Tuition and my Macbook

9) Did you know anybody who got married?
Rachel & Matt!

10) Did you know anybody who passed away?
Yes, my Grandpa.

12) Did you move anywhere?
From "699" to my apartment.

14) What concerts/shows did you go to?
NORAH JONES with Heather!

15) Are you registered to vote?
I certainly am.

16) Who did you want to win Big Brother?
I didn't watch it!

17) Where do you live now?
A basement apartment on Robinson in Guelph.

18) Describe your birthday.
Trish and Lo picked me up and we went to church at Grandview. Then a bunch of people went to Mongolian Grill in Cambridge for lunch. Then we went back to Guelph and played at the park. Then we had a BBQ at 403. And last but not least, Heather and I watched Singing in the Rain.

19) What's one thing you thought you'd never do but did in 2007?
Facebook is not the place to discuss that. If you really care, you can ask me. But as for something fun, I got spontaneously got a piercing. :o)

20) What has been your favorite moment?
It happened during a late night chat.

21) What's something you learned about yourself?
I don't like to ask for help, but stepping out of my comfort zone keeps me humble and reminds me I can only rely on God.

22.) Any new additions to your family?
Craig proposed to Tara. Dave and Katie are a close and cute item.

23.) What was your best month?
I had an excellent summer... but December seems to stick out too.

24.) What music will you remember 2007 by?
-Norah Jones
-Hillsong
-Colbie Caillat
-Basically anything Heather or Alex played in the Rabbit.

25) Who has been your best drinking buddy?
Well, that's not really my thing.

26) Made new friends?
Yep! Julia, Em, Lauren

27) Best NEW friend?
lol, I LOVE ALL MY FRIENDS.

28) Favorite Night out?
One of my favourites because of how much time I spent laughing was at William's in Hamilton with Trish, Lauren & Heather in May. Another great night was Norah Jones in TO with Heather.

29) Something you look forward to before 2008?
My last night's sleep of 2007, ha ha.

30) Where will you start 2008?
At Amanda's with close to 20 of my closest friends!

Last University Lecture

Today I attended what is likely to be my last university lecture at the University of Guelph. I sat, listening to my favourite professor EVER, discuss the symbolic image of a tree; the tree's roots grow and the tree goes through seasons and changes. How fitting. Wow.

Insane!

Check this out:

http://www.poodwaddle.com/worldclock.swf

Free Rice:

http://www.freerice.com/

Sites to Visit Daily

Here are six sites you should visit daily to:

Fight Hunger

Fight Breast Cancer

Support a Child's Health

Support Literacy

Protect Endangered Habitat

Give Animals TLC

Promises of Fall

On Friday as I walked out of the science complex, I was greeted by rainbows. God's reminder of His promises.



Today as I stepped off the bus on my way home, I smelt the season of Fall for the first time. How refreshing.

Convocation

I just applied to graduate! AHHHHHHHHH!!!!

MACBOOK!

I got a MacBook and I LOVE IT!!!

Snapshots

A wonderful beginning.

The fabulous five characters.




A masterpiece ending.

Tally

Yesterday at work I went through my binder to tally up exactly how many different scripts I have for when I'm making a reservation for someone. And the grand total is:

23

"Liz speaking...

... where would you like to reserve?"

As of tomorrow, I will be trained to receive calls for:

-Ontario Provincial Parks [76]
-Ontario Backcountry trips [9]
-Conservation Areas (for regions of: Thames, Grand River and Toronto) [13]
-Haliburton Highlands Water Trails
-Nova Scotia Provincial Parks [20]
-Nova Scotia Backcountry trips [1 park; hiking, kayaking and 2 roofed facilities]
-Washington State Parks [58ish]

I do not think Camis can train me on anything else for the summer. I started working on April 30th and I am only now officially completing training. Wow!

Now, for your reading enjoyment, I could go into all the different policies for all the different parks and types of accommodations (ie. campsite, backcountry, yurts, cabins, cottages, group facilities and marina slips), but that would take a lot of your time, considering I can count at least 15 different scriptings I use (and I know I'm forgetting a few). Fun, eh?

One thing I will mention is this. If you are planning on going camping and you do not know exactly what date, park and site you would like, check the websites first or call the information line (for camping in Ontario, it is 1-800-ONTARIO). Then call me and I promise I will be very friendly and polite!

One last thing. I do enjoy my job. I enjoy talking to different people and I enjoy my co-workers.

And to put a smile on the faces of my co-workers...

"Unfortunately Sandbanks is full for the entire summer. [...] Yes, completely booked!"

I've Decided...

I've made the decision. I'm going to purchase a Macbook.
Thanks to those who gave me good advice!

They're coming out with a new operating system in October, so I may wait. But I'm definitely excited about this! AND, I've picked up 4 extra shifts and a few hours on top of that this month to put towards it! Woot woot!

Poverty

I received an email today from the President of Campus Crusade for Christ Canada. What he shared in the email really gripped my heart. Here it is:

30% of the 260,000 men, women and children who survived the holocaust are now living in poverty.

Wow. That means approximately 78 000 holocaust survivors are living in poverty. These individuals lived through one of the most horrific ordeals of all time and as if that was not enough pain to go through, life is still difficult because many of them lack many things I have that I take for granted. I've been sitting here thinking about that for a few minutes and I really have no words to express how I feel about it.

Campus Crusade for Christ in Canada wants to offer support to people by providing for their physical needs. If you are interested in being a part of that, you can go to the giving website.

Here is what they are doing:

"Campus Crusade's partner agencies will send 28 containers of humanitarian aid to Israel in the next 12 months - 2 of these containers have just been shipped out and more are getting ready to go. The containers are filled with food, clothing, school supplies, medicines and essential medical supplies. The contents will be distributed by 30 Evangelical Jewish Christian Congregations throughout Israel to refugees and holocaust victims who are devastated by these desperate conditions of poverty."

I'm reminded to count my blessings.
I'm also reminded to pray.

Thinking

I have been reflecting on the sermon I heard yesterday. Andre spoke about the fear of God. Last summer during my own personal reflection time, I spent a little while learning about God's character. I hadn't ever really put much deep thought into it before last summer and I was glad to dive into it, especially learning about what it means to fear God. When I think of my own fears that I struggle with, there is a great amount of negativity that surrounds such ideas. But when I dove into fearing God, I learned that I need not be afraid that God will strike me down with a lightning bolt, nor should I be fearful He'll send His wrath out when I mess up. Rather, I learned that it is standing in awe, in reverence of Him and His amazing creations and loving Him with all that is within me. It is a deep respect; a desire to do my best to honour Him. I have people in my life that I have grown to love so deeply and I respect and admire them so much that I do not want to mess up to disappoint them. It is a fear not of my loved ones personally; it is a fear of displeasing them. And I think it is the same for God. I don't think He wants me to be afraid of Him, but I do think He desires me to love Him so much that I will use that passion and that love to avoid sinning to the best of my abilities. He knows that sinning is inevitable for me, but through Christ, He has extended grace to me to forgive me.

How often do I marvel at His creations? I remember standing out on a Lake Ontario boardwalk earlier this month with Heather and looking out at the water that beautiful day. How could I stand there and not believe? But what about the "little things"? How often do I stand in awe? Not nearly enough. No, not enough at all. I think deep down my heart is telling me I need to start acting and expressing my awe, my fear of God more.

Hmmm, yeah.

Below are some of my notes from last summer.

Seeking Out God’s Character

Deuteronomy 7:9

“Know therefore that the Lord your God is God; he is the faithful God, keeping his covenant of love to a thousand generations of those who love him and keep his commands.”

• God is faithful.
• God is always trustworthy.
• God is timeless.

Joel 2:13

“Rend your heart and not your garments. Return to the Lord your God, for he is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love, and he relents from sending calamity.”

• God is gracious.
• God is compassionate.
• God is loving.
• God is patient.
• God is powerful.

John 3:16

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son. That whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life.”

• God is loving.
• God is merciful.

1 John 4:8

“Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.”

• God is love.

Therefore, God is: faithful, trustworthy, timeless, gracious, compassionate, loving, patient, powerful, and merciful.

Deuteronomy 6:2

“…fear the Lord your God as long as you live by keeping all his decrees and commands that I give you, so that you may enjoy long life.”

• We are to fear God so that we may enjoy life, which means, we are to respect Him and obey what He tells us to do.

Deuteronomy 6:13

“Fear the Lord your God, serve him only and take your oaths in his name.”

• We are to serve God and only God.

Psalm 34:11

“Come, you children, listen to me; I will teach you the fear of the Lord.”

• We have to learn the fear of the Lord. It is important to seek God out and learn of his character and learn how holy he is.

Romans 8:15

“For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the Spirit of Sonship. And by him we cry, “Abba, Father.”

• The “fear of the Lord” does not mean to be scared of God. Rather, God gives us a freedom through being a child of His, through Jesus.

1 John 4:18

“There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment.”

• God is love (1 John 4:8), so fear in the sense of being afraid is not of God.

Perhaps a definition of “fear the Lord” means that we are to be aware of the presence of God and His power in our lives, reminding us to obey and stand in awe of Him. We should also remember we are called to honour and respect Him and to try to possess His characteristics.

So why do we doubt God? Everyone must because even Peter, Jesus’ close friend and disciple doubted. Peter saw Jesus’ miracles and literally walked on water with Jesus, yet Peter still doubted (Matthew 14:29-31). So obviously we’ll doubt too. That does not give us an excuse to doubt, but rather should stand to remind us of our imperfections and reliance on God, and also encourage us to continue to trust so that we may not sink, but continue to believe in our Lord. Without catching a glimpse of what it is like to sink, we would not understand what it means to have faith. Do we become less of a person or Christian if we doubt God’s power? I believe we would only become less if we choose to continue to doubt God, rather than repent, which means “to make a change for the better as a result of remorse for one’s sins” (www.dictionary.com). Do we insult God if we lack faith in Him? It saddens His heart, yet He still forgives, and still chooses to show us why we should place our trust in Him.

Matthew 27:50-51

“And when Jesus had cried out again in a loud voice, he gave up his spirit. At that moment the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom.... “

“Jesus’ sacrifice not only covers our sin, but it also makes the way clear for us to come to God to ask for forgiveness! By the curtain of the temple tearing in two, it was the beginning of having a personal relationship with God through Jesus Christ – no longer did people have to approach God through a priest. If God has done all this for us, why are people afraid to come to Him to receive forgiveness from their sins? A father does not arouse fear in the child who is obedient and doing right, but in the child who is doing wrong. If you want to be free from fear of the one in authority then repent, ask for His forgiveness, and He will receive you” (Written By: Jonathan Christopher jc@feargod.com Visit our web site at www.FearGod.com).

1 John 1:8-9

“If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. “

Laptops

So I've decided and received the blessing to buy a laptop.

The issue right now is this: Do I purchase a MacBook or a PC?

Any opinions with reasonable and logical explanations would be welcomed and appreciated! :o)

Irritated, But Blessed

Things that are irritating me tonight:

(1) I can lie in bed, absolutely exhausted, yet be wide-eyed.
(2) While lying in bed exhausted and wide-eyed, I cannot stop myself from thinking.
(3) If I do dream at night, the dreams are weird and horrible. I wish I could dream about "raindrops on roses, whiskers on kittens, bright copper kettles and warm woolen mittens, brown paper packages tied up with string... these are a few of my favourite things..."
(4) Feeling awesome one minute, then tearing up, ready to bawl the next minute (especially at work when I have to sound happy on the phone).


Some good things about today:

(1) I made an appointment to have my first-ever professional massage next week. For those who know me really well, that is a rather huge deal for me!
(2) I picked up an extra shift tonight at work, which equals more money for me (and potentially closer to a new laptop).
(3) I received some positive feedback at work tonight from my employer and a customer. And my co-workers are super nice and super helpful!
(4) I was able to sleep-in this morning and enjoy my very comfortable bed.
(5) I received three voicemail messages while at work tonight. It was nice to hear my friends’ voices.
(6) A friend gave me the opportunity to see Hillsong United live for free. Unfortunately I have to work, but what a nice offer!


I always find it helpful to reflect on my blessings when things don’t seem very fun. Despite some challenges, I am thankful that God is faithful and continues to provide wonderful blessings to me. :o)

Now… I’ll try this bed thing again… good night!

Our Happy Day!

I have been wanting to post about the Happy Day I shared with Heather on Friday, May 11th, but I have been busy with training and life. Heather totally beat me to it on her blog, so here is the link because she did such a great job outlining Our 'Norah Jones' Day!


And please note that anything Heather said about me, I reciprocate back about her.

Thank YOU, Heather, for a wonderful day! Happy Birthday!

Week 1 of Training

The first week of my summer job training is complete. To bring everyone up to speed, I am working in Guelph this summer at Camis Inc. My position is a Call Centre Agent and I will be booking campsite reservations for parks across Ontario, Nova Scotia and Washington State. Perhaps that sounds pretty easy, but the training is pretty intense and very extensive. I felt like I was back in school this week, memorizing 76 Ontario Provincial Park names and locations and writing tests at least once a day! Crazy!

Today we learned about Washington State Parks. Unfortunately, I do not think I absorbed much because my brain was already operating at its maximum capacity. I sat at the back and Emily started drawing fun pictures...

This is a family who enjoys camping in Washington State.

Random information about Washington State:
Park names include Cape Disappointment and Deception Pass
(I thought that was funny).


This is a couple from Idaho and they want to go camping.
(Camis also books sites for Idaho)

I think I am going to enjoy my new job and the people I work with. I had a blast with my training group this week. Emily, thanks for keeping me entertained today when I could no longer process anything!

I'm off to bed... finally... good night!

Work

Well, I've started working for the summer at Camis. The training requires a great deal of memorization, but I think I'm going to really like it once I get into the call centre. I'm a little tired... actually, a lot tired. And note: my "weekends" will be on Tuesdays and Wednesdays this summer.

Today I was blessed to have a special person make and bring me lunch! She even brought a rose and an ice cream pizza from Dairy Queen for me! She made my day! Thanks Heather MacGregs!

AND, I wanted to go to bed about two hours ago, but Alex wanted to come over to give me a hug before he goes home for the week. So he, Nate and Nathan chilled with me for a bit. It was definitely worth giving up sleep! And now I have a new tattoo that Alex drew on my foot while I was on the phone with Lauren. It's so good to have time to be social!

Now I have to go to bed and force myself to make up early to study for my tests for work... good thing I brought Starbucks drinks to take to work with me in the morning!

Life Comes Back

A gorgeous friend of mine gave me a very beautiful bouquet of pink tulips yesterday for my birthday. Early this morning when I was getting ready for my first day of work, the sun was poking through the window and the warmth of the flowers made me happy. Thank you, Heather, for reminding me that with a new season, life comes back. :o)

"Farewell to Dad"

My Aunt Laura sent out this email to members of my family this evening.
It rings true.

We wanted all our family, friends and loved ones to know that on, April 28th, 2007, we said our last Goodbyes to Dad.

Our immediate family gathered at Delmer Cemetery at 11 am for a time of remembrance and prayer of committal. Please pass on this notice to any of our family who I don't have e-mail access to.

The 4 of us girls and Joy miss Dad very much, but were reminded by Jim Rowbottom that because of our "Hope" we will be reunited again, not only with Dad, but to our loved ones who have gone before.

Dad was one of the best listeners! (if he could hear you in the first place!) Some of you might know that on special occasions, I would write little poems and Dad would be my "sounding-board". If he liked it, I felt sure I had done well.

Below is a little poem which I hope would have pleased him.


Farewell to Dad

I don't believe in poems
For the one who's passed away.
But I do believe the message
For those who are here today.

We know Dad was a worker...
And patience he'd display.
We know if Dad were standing here
He'd have "not much" to say.

But what would Dad be telling us
If he were to have a say
I'm sure he'd say, "Get right with God, and please do not delay"
"Because we're not assured of time, and know not when He'll say,"

"Your time on earth is over now,
I know your heart 'tis true,
If you believed like Grandpa did
A reward will come to you.
But if your heart has hardened,
And you didn't "give a care"
My Home in Glorious Heaven, I cannot really share!"

So now it's up to all of us
To listen and obey,
And know that God's own precious Son
Is the One and only Way.

Let's not forget Dad's final words
Amidst our grief and pain,
The wave, the smile, the phrase well said,
"Until we meet again!"

It gives me great comfort knowing that Dad is in Heaven, as happy as can be! This day has been harder than I ever expected it to be, but I too have "Hope".

Going to the Doctor's

I have discovered that my favourite building on campus is the Student Health Services (SHS) building. I came to this conclusion today because I realized it is the building I seem to visit most, other than the UC.

You see, I was cleaning and rearranging my room last night when a sudden burst of pain shot into my foot. I sat down and noticed I was bleeding. I was responsible and cleaned the area. I even called Nate to see if he could come over to make sure the foreign object was ejected from my body. As the evening progressed, the pain intensified and the amount of pressure I could put on my foot quickly decreased. When I woke up this morning, the "trauma area" was red and puffy. At this sign, I decided it would be wise to go to the doctor (you called that one, didn't you Heather). The nurse said it was beyond her. SHS do not have a walk-in doctor in the summer, so they had to find one to look at my foot. Once a doctor came in and looked at my cold, purple coloured foot, he decided to put freezing in and then he made a tiny incision to dig around for any foreign objects. It was great: he had gloves (obviously) and all the instruments on a little stand and he covered the foot up - looked like he was actually doing something serious (I wanted to take pictures, but thought that was weird). He couldn't find anything, but he was concerned about it because the "trauma area" was really red, meaning infection. So, he prescribed an anti-biotic and my foot hurts even more now because of my mini-operation! ha ha, only me.

As I was pondering my visit to SHS, I realized I place my trust in individuals I have never met before. I mean, I let a total stranger freeze my foot to then dig around in it, trusting he knew what he was doing and doing it to the best of his trained ability! I find it crazy that sometimes I do not even trust myself that much, not to mention, people I love and know. I find it very interesting how experiences like these make me think so much about deeper issues. God wants our trust like that; giving Him control of our feet and where He wants them to go. Trusting Him to heal our wounds, whether it be physical, emotional, spiritual or mental wounds.

Hmmm. That's all.

Quote of the Day

"Liz, you really are the rebel out of all of us."
-Tricia

My thoughts: You really can't expect anything different from a Pastor's Kid. ;o)

Spontaneity

I enjoy being spontaneous every once and awhile.
If you're curious to know what I did, you'll have to wait and see!

Winter Semester 2007: Completed!

I have officially completed my Winter Semester 2007!

I cannot believe everything that has happened in the past four months.
Wow.
***sigh***

My Wacko Family

My parents asked my brother and I to go out for lunch on Good Friday. The problem was that we had no idea where we wanted to go. The four of us stood in our kitchen, tossing ideas back and forth but not coming to a solid conclusion. Finally, my Mom (and if you know my Mom, this will not surprise you) suggested that we each cast a secret ballot. Dave and I protested, but finally went along with it. We were each given a pen and a post-it note, then told to write our restaurant of choice with our left hands. The four of us folded our votes up and gave them to my brother to tally. Longhorns it was! Then my Mom's curiousity got the best of her and she asked my Dad what restaurant he voted for. He laughed and refused to tell her, saying it was a secret ballot. Then she asked me and I refused as well, saying that it was her idea for it to be a secret! During this, Dave threw the ballots in the garbage and Dad, Dave and I started walking out the kitchen to leave. We realized Mom was still in the kitchen, so I went back in and she was starting to go through the garbage to find the ballots! At this time, I yelled for my Dad and Dave to return to the kitchen and we started laughing hysterically while Dave went and grabbed my Mom from behind to try to stop her! We eventually gave in and told her when we turned into Longhorns to find it closed. We then decided to go to Boston Pizza, which no one voted for in the first place! Hope you enjoyed the glimpse of my wacko family!

My Mom and Dave wrestling over the secret ballots! Sorry for the blurry picture...
I only had my phone on me and they were spinning around very quickly!

Summer Employment!

Yay!
I have a summer job.
Two doors down from my house.
In Guelph.
Yay!

And I'll still get to go to Norah Jones! What a relief!

"What Happened?"

I called my Mom today to fill her in on how an interview for a job went for me this afternoon. I also mentioned that I received marks back for two exams, as well as a few assignments. For various reasons, my marks this semester have been higher and consistent (although, I am also somewhat surprised because there are various reasons why achieving higher marks does not make sense to me). My grades during my time here at university have been less than desirable and as time continued to tick by, all I started to want was just a pass. Until now.

I was telling my mom what my final marks will be and she said, "What happened?" I ought to mention she also said it was great and very encouraging!

But what did happen?

(1) I started reading the very first day of school, especially because I did not have classes. People were a bit surprised by this and gave me a hard time about it (except for Heather, of course). My theory is: better get a good start on it. And to those of you who gave me a hard time, I'm sorry that perhaps my actions resulted in you feeling unproductive! ;o)

(2) I had a great team of cheerleaders and prayer warriors on my side. Thank you!

(3) I attended class regularly. I'd say that was a huge accomplishment because I had my very first 8:30am class in my university career and I hardly missed it! It was actually refreshing to be on-campus early!

(4) I tried to read my readings BEFORE the lecture. It actually does help. The professors haven't been lying to us or trying to make our lives harder. Crazy! Who knew?! That also means that when it came time to write a midterm, I had already read all the readings so studying was actually reviewing and not learning information for the first time.

(5) Although I have had difficulty sleeping lately, my bedtime has been earlier this semester. If you don't believe me, Becks will tell you!

(6) I set some boundaries for myself, my time and in my relationships. I stepped back from commitments I had and re-evaluated where I stand. I think it has been beneficial and a useful exercise!

(7) God. Most of all, I owe it to Him. Why? Because the past few months have been some of the hardest months in my entire life. In all honesty, I expected to do poorly this semester in all areas of my life and academics. But He is gracious and supplied me with the energy and focus, despite my struggles, sickness, and my grandfather's death.

Thank you, Lord!
The victory is Your's.

April

I cannot believe it is April.
Time certainly flies.

A Mini-Rant!

Okay, so I have the same professor for two of my courses this semester. He put the final exams in week 11 (this week) because he is going to be leaving the country in the next few weeks. In the second class today, we were discussing marking and the final. The course outline says we were to have four pop quizzes throughout the semester; we have written three quizzes. The final is Thursday. I decided to ask how the last quiz was going to be graded (was it going to be worth double?) because the T.A. said it would be worth more. Well, apparently my professor thinks it would be a great idea to have a "pop quiz" next Tuesday -- AFTER THE FINAL EXAM! How extremely wrong is that? A "pop quiz" after the "FINAL EXAM" in an "optional lecture".

Grrrrr....

One Down, Three More...

I've officially finished one of my courses for the Winter 2007 semester! Crazy!
Social Welfare: DONE!!!

Norah Jones' Concert

Heather and I are going to a Norah Jones' concert on May 11th in Toronto. I have an extra pair of tickets. I'm planning on posting them on eBay, but I thought I'd offer them to my friends first.

Let me know if you're interested! :o)

Happy

Today I spun around in the rain, with a very cute girl who was giggling.
It made my day.

Then the cute girl sent me a text message that said...

"Open your eyes and see...
The wonder of a life so wonderfully free..."
-More to See, Hillsong

Thanks cute girl. ;o)

The Nasty 'S' Word...

... is the word SHOULD. Last semester I was informed that using the word should in my vocabulary really negatively influences the way I think and feel. It is a word that often times implies guilt. I really tried to eliminate 'it' from my lexicon.

Today I was reminded of the negative connotations associated with the word should. I was told that it is a word derived from the Anglo-Saxon word scold. I have not yet investigated the truth of the origin, but I was told, "If you use the word should while making decisions or in conversation, it's like scolding yourself or the person in which you are associating the word with."

Interesting. Interesting indeed.

Resting in His Arms

Last night, Becca shared with me a touching story about singing her niece to sleep. Her story reminded me of an evening last May while I was babysitting a sweet little girl. Mckenna’s bedtime routine consisted of giving her a bottle, while rocking her to sleep. Have you ever held a child and noticed that sometimes they fight going to sleep? As they fight going to sleep, all they do is exert more energy, making them even more tired. This was the case with Mckenna. But eventually, she started to ease more into my arms and she fell asleep. She was so incredibly peaceful. I held on to her for quite sometime while I realized God was teaching me a lesson. At times, I fight resting in His arms, just as Mckenna fought falling asleep that night. When I fight, it wears me down even more and makes me even more tired. But as soon as I do trust and let go, He gives peace and He carries me. Perhaps it’s not as easily said as done, but He’s faithful and provides perfect peace.

"Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee:
because he trusteth in thee." -Isaiah 26:3 (KJV)

Happy Jackie Day!

Today is Jackie's Birthday. A few years ago, we promised each other we would never forget the other's birthday.

So Jax, I haven't forgotten.

I like your birthday because it allows me to celebrate YOU!
It needs to be an International holiday.
Hunny, I so look forward to when we celebrate together! :o)

I L-O-V-E you, babe.
Happy Birthday!

Our Couch Talk

Picture Amanda, Liz and Tricia talking on the couch. Then Tricia and Amanda engage in a random conversation...

Tricia: "You look like you only have one leg."

Amanda: "Would you still love me if I had only one leg?"

Tricia: "Would you still love me if I made fun of you?"

Wonderful Gifts

Two of my fantastic friends, Heather and Rachel, gave me a gift.
They asked to spend the night.
I was so incredibly thankful.
They make me smile.

And my awesome brother called me yesterday to see how I'm doing.
And my sweet housemate Gabs called to say hi.
And my buddy Nate called to give me his daily update.
I'm blessed.

And two of my extraordinary friends listen to me cry over the phone.
Wow.
I love you girls.

Thank you all.

Let It All Out - Relient K

Let it all out (Get it all out)
Rip it out, remove it
Don't be alarmed, when the wound begins to bleed

'Cause we're so scared to find out (What this life's all about)
So scared we're gonna lose it
And knowing all along
That's exactly what we need

And today I'll trust you with the confidence
Of a man who's never known defeat
But tomorrow, upon hearing what I did
I will stare at you in disbelief
Oh inconsistent me, crying out for consistency

And you said "I know that this will hurt
But if I don't break your heart, then things will just get worse.
If the burden seems too much to bear,
Remember, the end will justify the pain it took to get us there."

And I'll let it be known (At times I have shown)
Signs of all my weakness
But somewhere in me, there is strength

And you promised me (That you believe)
In time I will defeat this
'Cause somewhere in me, there is strength

And today I'll trust you with the confidence
Of a man who's never known defeat
And I'll try my best to just forget
That that man isn't me

And you said "I know that this will hurt
But if I don't break your heart, then things will just get worse.
If the burden seems too much to bear,
Remember, the end will justify the pain it took to get us there."

And you said "I know that this will hurt (I know this will hurt)
But if I don't break your heart, then things will just get worse.
(Things will get much worse)
When the burden seems too much to bear, (Seems too much to bear)
Remember, the end will justify the pain it took to get us there."

Reach out to me
Make my heart brand new
Every beat will be for you, for you

And I know you know
You touched my life
When You touched my heavy heart
And made it light

Psychology of Death & Dying Assignment

This semester I am taking the course Psychology of Death and Dying. I have found this course to be very interesting and it has also challenged me to evaluate my own thoughts, feelings, beliefs and knowledge of death and the process of dying. I would highly suggest taking this course if you're looking for a really good Distance Ed (although, if you have lost a loved one recently, I suggest waiting a little bit -- it has it's difficult moments).

This week my group has a discussion. The topic is:

Is it normal to desire death? Are people who seek death, by definition mentally ill or unstable? Should society intervene?

I have already posted once with my own reaction and response, as well as mentioning the supporting course material. But I have four more posts to do this week on the topic and I think it would be beneficial to include the thoughts of others. So, I am curious to see if anyone has any thoughts on this. I have no idea if people even read this blog, but if you do... do you believe desiring death is normal and why?

I FINALLY FOUND IT!

When I was asked to come home for my Grandpa's final moments with us, I quickly grabbed a favourite picture of him with my two cousins, aunt, and myself. I knew that we would want to display the picture at the funeral home when Grandpa died. I stuffed it in one of my binders because I only had about twenty minutes to pack my things before leaving for the hospital. Much to my disappointment and discouragement, I could not find the picture when the time came for my cousin Meredith and I to put together all the pictures to design displays for visitation. Everyone knew about this picture and were so disappointed.

Well, I FINALLY FOUND IT! :o)

Bottom from left: Meredith (cousin), Grandpa, Aunt Lisa
Top from Left: Me, Dawn (cousin)

I love this picture so much! I know the picture was taken at least eight to nine years ago. Wow. I think I love it because I am close to this side of my family. We're not just family; we choose to be friends, which indicates that we really love and like each other. Grandpa looks great in it. You can tell he's happy and he loves us. AND to top it all off - it's colour coordinated!

Jackie Sings National Anthem for Leafs

I've posted before about my talented friend Jackie. She sang at the Leafs game once again on Tuesday evening. A friend of mine found that it was posted on YouTube, so check it out!

Jackie Sings National Anthem for Leafs

My Fantastic Day...

Today was a fantastic day. I'm writing this blog to remind myself of God's provisions.

Here's why my day made me happy:

(1) While I was scraping off the ice on my windshield this morning, the sun was shining and the birds were singing.

(2) I talked to someone new in my class this morning and she offered me her extra coffee. That made me smile.

(3) I got an A on a midterm I thought I was going to fail. I actually considered not writing it because I did not think I was prepared after being away for Grandpa's funeral last week and the stress of catching up was significant. This midterm was worth 40% of my final mark. If I had chosen not to write the midterm, I would have had to have written a 3000 word critical book review - woah! There was hardly anyone in class this morning, and as the Professor walked in, he said that all the smart students come to class after a midterm. When he called my name to hand me my midterm back, he said with a smile, "See, all the smart students do come to class." I was extremely confused by that because I am not a good nor smart student, and I was shocked to see my mark. That moment was the highlight of my university academic career. God totally provided during a time of difficulty, pressure and stress.

(4) I have people in my life who love me and get excited for me when I am happy. I cannot even express how thankful I am - especially for the encouraging hugs and phone calls!

(5) I was able to start catching up on my readings.

(6) I spent quality time with "The Heathers". Mac was the cherry and Quack was the rainbow sprinkles on my sundae. ;)

(7) I was able to drive some people around today. I love driving people around. Having my Grandpa's car for the past week has been such a blessing, especially with this lovely lung infection I have. But most of all, I really truly enjoy driving people.

(8) I visited Rachel Dorey and I can't help but smile when I see Rachel!

(9) I had the opportunity to chat with my housemates about life.

(10) I had a lovely nap. It was a gift because I really needed the rest.

(11) My Mom wants me to come home very badly and I wasn't planning on going home this weekend, but I decided it would be nice if I did go home to support her. She was really happy and that made me really happy.

(12) My brother helped me purchase (on eBay) Norah Jones tickets to celebrate my birthday and Heather's birthday in May. We will be sitting on the FLOOR, 8 rows from the stage! I am EXCITED and feel much, MUCH better about our closer seats (... it's a long story)!

(13) Becks came over tonight and we watched Grey's together. We cuddled. I love cuddling with my sweet Becks.

(14) I received this email from the University of Guelph:

Dear Elizabeth,

Your refund cheque is now available and can be picked up at Student Client Services.

The university owes ME money!

(15) God got me through a tough week. Last weekend while I was in bed feeling really sick, I was incredibly fearful and overwhelmed when I thought of everything I had to conquer this week. But, He blessed me and provided for me. He gave me strength when I needed it. He also allowed me to rest when I felt really ill and yet still provided the time to study and work on assignments that needed to get done. God gave me a very gracious professor who has given me extra time to make up a midterm I missed. God gave me supportive friends that accepted my sad moods, too. I am grateful for the blessings He gave me.

That's why I had a fantastic day.

And now, I will be able to sleep tonight because I am exhausted! Sweet! Good night!

“Until We Meet Again"

It was just over one week ago (Saturday, February 3^rd) that I received word that my dear Grandpa had suffered a massive heart attack. On Sunday morning, my Mom called me and asked that I come home to the hospital to be with my Grandpa and my family. This meant that Grandpa was not going to get better this time. As I walked into his room and sat down by his bed, he opened his eyes and looked at me, smiled his usual goofy smile and waved at me. Classic Grandpa. The next visit was very disturbing, as he was in so much pain. Soon after, our entire family was called in and we prayed together and with Grandpa. We kept reminding him that it would only be “just a little while longer.”

Later that night, Grandpa woke up and he looked at everyone in the room, did his usual wave and very confidently said, “Until we meet again.” He knew. And how confident he was in the Lord’s promise of eternal life!

And about one week ago today, right around this time, I was with my Grandpa as he spent his last few moments with us on earth. I really cannot describe what it was like to witness his last few breaths and then know that he was gone. I just do not understand. But as I recall those few minutes, I remember my Mom on her knees right beside Grandpa, talking to him about how amazing it was to see Jesus. She kept on saying, “Take Jesus’ hand, Dad; Take Jesus’ hand.”

Grandpa did take Jesus’ hand. At times this week, I’ve thought about how nice it would be to just leave this life and take Jesus’ hand, just like Grandpa did. But because of my Grandpa’s wonderful example and extraordinary character, I have learned that I need to continue doing my work here to the best of my ability for the sole purpose of honouring God. I admire the faith my Grandpa had. Christ’s love and strength just flowed through him. He had such a servant’s heart and I will forever be honoured to have been one of his granddaughters.

I had a special moment at Christmas with my Grandpa. I knew as I said goodbye on Christmas Day that God had just given me the most precious Christmas gift: the last really great conversation I’d ever have with Grandpa. I don’t know how I knew, but I did. And Grandpa knew too – he was crying. For such a quiet man, his ability to convey his love and pride was amazing. How thankful I am to have had the moment.

A favourite hymn of our family’s is My Jesus I Love Thee. I asked Jackie to sing it at the funeral because it really is a perfect fit for Grandpa.

My Jesus, I love Thee, I know Thou art mine;
For Thee all the follies of sin I resign;
My gracious Redeemer, my Savior art Thou;
If ever I loved Thee, my Jesus, ’tis now.

I love Thee because Thou hast first loved me,
And purchased my pardon on Calvary’s tree;
I love Thee for wearing the thorns on Thy brow;
If ever I loved Thee, my Jesus, ’tis now.

I’ll love Thee in life, I will love Thee in death,
And praise Thee as long as Thou lendest me breath;
And say when the death dew lies cold on my brow,
If ever I loved Thee, my Jesus, ’tis now.

In mansions of glory and endless delight,
I’ll ever adore Thee in heaven so bright;
I’ll sing with the glittering crown on my brow,
If ever I loved Thee, my Jesus, ’tis now.

Grandpa, I know you are singing in Glory and worshiping our Lord with endless delight!

I love you and miss you so much. Until we meet again.

"I--think--I--can, I--think--I--can"

I randomly did an internet search, wanting to look up information on "The Little Engine Train that Could". I found, what is said to be the original, on Wikipedia.

A little railroad engine was employed about a station yard for such work as it was built for, pulling a few cars on and off the switches. One morning it was waiting for the next call when a long train of freight-cars asked a large engine in the roundhouse to take it over the hill "I can't; that is too much a pull for me," said the great engine built for hard work. Then the train asked another engine, and another, only to hear excuses and be refused. At last in desperation the train asked the little switch engine to draw it up the grade and down on the other side. "I think I can," puffed the little locomotive, and put itself in front of the great heavy train. As it went on the little engine kept bravely puffing faster and faster, "I think I can, I think I can, I think I can."

Then as it near the top of the grade, that had so discouraged the larger engines, it went more slowly, but still kept saying, "I--think--I--can, I--think--I--can." It reached the top by dint of brave effort and then went on down the grade, congratulating itself, "I thought I could, I thought I could."

To think of hard things and say, "I can't" is sure to mean "Nothing done." To refuse to be daunted and insist on saying, "I think I can," is to make sure of being able to say triumphantly by and by, "I thought I could, I thought I could."

Keep Holding On...

I love how music empowers lyrics, thus empowering those who listen.

You're not alone
Together we stand
I'll be by your side
You know I'll take your hand
When it gets cold
And it feels like the end
There's no place to go
You know I won't give in
No, I won't give in

Keep holdin' on
Cause you know we'll make it through
We'll make it through
Just stay strong
Cause you know I'm here for you
I'm here for you
There's nothing you can say
Nothing you can do
And there's no other way when it comes to the truth
So, keep holding on
Cause you know we'll make it through
We'll make it through

So far away
I wish you were here
Before it's too late
This could all disappear
Before the door's closed
And it comes to an end
With you by my side
I will fight and defend
I'll fight and defend, yeah, yeah

Keep holding on
Cause you know we'll make it through
We'll make it through
Just stay strong
Cause you know I'm here for you
I'm here for you
There's nothing you could say
Nothing you could do
There's no other way when it comes to the truth
So, keep holding on
Cause you know we'll make it through
We'll make it through

Hear me when I say
When I say I believe.
Nothing's gonna change
Nothing's gonna change destiny
Whatever's meant to be
Will work out perfectly
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
La da da da, la da da da
La da da da da da da da da

Keep holding on
Cause you know we'll make it through
We'll make it through
Just stay strong
Cause you know I'm here for you
I'm here for you
There's nothing you could say
Nothing you could do
There's no other way when it comes to the truth
So, keep holding on
Cause you know we'll make it through
We'll make it through

Ahh, ahh
Keep holding on
Ahh, ahh
Keep holding on
There's nothing you could say
Nothing you could do
There's no other way when it comes to the truth
So, keep holding on
Cause you know we'll make it through
We'll make it through

-Avril Lavigne

Is love enough?

Let It Fade...

I started my day off by listening to Jeremy Camp's song 'Let It Fade'. What a perfect way to start my day. It just really spoke to my heart.

Have you been walking on a surface that's uncertain?

Have you helped yourself to everything that's empty?
You can't live this way too long.
There's more than this, more than this.
Have you been standing on your own feet too long?
Have you been looking for a place where you belong?
You can rest, you will find rest.
You can rest, you will find rest.

Let this old life crumble, let it fade.
Let this new life offered be your saving grace.
Let this old life crumble, let it fade, let it fade.

Have you been holding on to what this world has offered?
Have you been giving in to all these masquerades?
It will be gone, forever gone.
It will be gone, it will be gone

Let this old life crumble, let it fade.
Let this new life offered be your saving grace.
Let this old life crumble, let it fade, let it fade.

Let it fade.

Are you carrying the weight too much?
Are you running from the call?
Let it fade, Oh yeah.

You can rest, you will find rest.
You can rest you will find rest.

Let this old life crumble, let it fade.
Let this new life offered be your saving grace.
Let this old life crumble, let it fade, let it fade.

Let this old life crumble, let it fade.
Have you been standing on your own feet too long?
Have you been looking for a place where you belong?

NEW YEARS!

Happy 2007!
Thanks for a great time everyone!