I got to speak for the first time since my internship started. I'd say it went decently well, given the circumstances. 1 Timothy 6:3-6 was the passage that I spoke on. It was handed to me, so I didn't really get to choose what I wanted to talk about. So I thought it was a pretty interesting way to go about it: having preach one passage of the bigger series rather than just having me pick something I wanted to preach about.
So, yeah, it went pretty well. All in all, it was a different "preaching" experience for me. One, they got me to rehearse not once, but twice. I'm not really one for rehearsing when it comes to these sorts of things. So there was that. The other thing was that for whatever reason, they hyped me up so much. I understand that they want to make me feel good or whatever, but it really is unnecessary. Even though I'm the "intern," it's not required for people to go out of the way to make such a big deal out of me. I'd rather just quietly go about my business. But, at the same time, I do appreciate it greatly. For this instance, I didn't want so much hype because then it started to seem like people came to watch me preach. It was more about me rather than the message. If and when that is ever the case, then the focus is not right. So that's why I thought that I didn't need so much build up. Though I'm pretty sure it's just a one time thing because it was my first time preaching, and I'm just not really a preacher to begin with (at this point in time).
Anywho, June has now concluded, kids are out of school, and it is hot. I had a lot of trouble sleeping last week because I'm not used to sleeping in the heat. I have the basement at home, so it's always cool. When I'm at school, it's usually during the winter months so it's not that warm anyway. This is why I'm making a concious effort to sleep earlier to compensate for my likelihood of waking up a couple times due to the heat in the middle of the night. But, I don't want to complain because I love summer! .. Aside from the bugs, it is the perfect season.
So tomorrow is Canada Day, probably just going to take it easy. And I am excited for the summer months even though there is not a ton that is happening.
Just thought I'd let you know, you looked beautiful today! (=
Sunday, June 30, 2013
Monday, June 24, 2013
Only Here
There's only one grocery store in all of Assiniboia. Apparently there used to be another one but it burnt down a few years ago. Even when it was up, I hear that it a bit of a sketchy store anyway. The CO-OP has membership stuff, like most other places I guess, and whenever you go up to pay for your things, they usually ask for your number. I have no idea what the number does for you, earn points or other things. Obviously, I don't have a card, and I don't really plan on getting one because I'm only here until Christmas, so I don't feel like it'd benefit me all that much to carry one around. I never shop at CO-OPs elsewhere.
After the first couple visits with the awkward "I don't have a number," I decided that it'd be a waste if I just went to pay without reaping in some kind of benefits for the groceries I'm buying. It was then that I came up with the brilliant idea to just take these opportunities to ask the person behind me for their number and use theirs. It's been pretty cool so far. Each time I asked the person to see if they wanted to use their number, they met the chance with a smile and thanked me. It's pretty cool to be able to do this because I've never really done these sorts of randon acts of kindness things that so many people swoon themselves over when they see other people doing it. Things like paying for the person behind them's drive-through, etc. So hopefully allowing the people of this town to get something out of what could be nothing can make their days a little better.
I also believe that one of the greatest honors and compliments that anyone could ever receive is when someone says, "this guy is going to go far." I think I've said it so few times that I can tell you who exactly I've thought of or talked about that could go far in life. When I think about them now, they're either making it really big, or are well on their way. To me, though, the people that I feel this way about are pretty obvious that they're going to be successful, meaning it doesn't take a talent scout or super high ranked CEO to notice that they're gifted.
Since coming here, which has been a little over a month now, I've been told on three occasions that this has been said about me: twice indirectly by someone, and once said directly to me - and in all three cases, it was coming from people who are well respected given who they are in and around the church/district. It's probably the most humbling thing for me to hear because I really don't think of myself as someone who could be that successful in life. I can see why it is, if I were able to "make it," that I would turn out well, but never thought that it'd be attainable. There's so many other people that are far more capable than I am, so hearing that people think highly of me is one of the biggest blessings I can ever receive. I actually think that both my siblings have much more potential than I do, so if they do in fact meet my expectations for them, then maybe I won't actually be that much better off. Haha. At the same time, it reminds me of the incredibly high expectations that are both had on me and the ones that I have for myself. So hopefully it's something that can actually motivate me rather than cause me to crawl into a corner trying to get away from the pressure.
After the first couple visits with the awkward "I don't have a number," I decided that it'd be a waste if I just went to pay without reaping in some kind of benefits for the groceries I'm buying. It was then that I came up with the brilliant idea to just take these opportunities to ask the person behind me for their number and use theirs. It's been pretty cool so far. Each time I asked the person to see if they wanted to use their number, they met the chance with a smile and thanked me. It's pretty cool to be able to do this because I've never really done these sorts of randon acts of kindness things that so many people swoon themselves over when they see other people doing it. Things like paying for the person behind them's drive-through, etc. So hopefully allowing the people of this town to get something out of what could be nothing can make their days a little better.
I also believe that one of the greatest honors and compliments that anyone could ever receive is when someone says, "this guy is going to go far." I think I've said it so few times that I can tell you who exactly I've thought of or talked about that could go far in life. When I think about them now, they're either making it really big, or are well on their way. To me, though, the people that I feel this way about are pretty obvious that they're going to be successful, meaning it doesn't take a talent scout or super high ranked CEO to notice that they're gifted.
Since coming here, which has been a little over a month now, I've been told on three occasions that this has been said about me: twice indirectly by someone, and once said directly to me - and in all three cases, it was coming from people who are well respected given who they are in and around the church/district. It's probably the most humbling thing for me to hear because I really don't think of myself as someone who could be that successful in life. I can see why it is, if I were able to "make it," that I would turn out well, but never thought that it'd be attainable. There's so many other people that are far more capable than I am, so hearing that people think highly of me is one of the biggest blessings I can ever receive. I actually think that both my siblings have much more potential than I do, so if they do in fact meet my expectations for them, then maybe I won't actually be that much better off. Haha. At the same time, it reminds me of the incredibly high expectations that are both had on me and the ones that I have for myself. So hopefully it's something that can actually motivate me rather than cause me to crawl into a corner trying to get away from the pressure.
Friday, June 21, 2013
A Month In; the Journey Thus Far
I'm quite happy with my internship so far. The first month was great! The second one will be busy, I can tell you that much already. Being busy can often mean more difficult as well just because of the sheer amount of tasks opens opportunity for much more mistakes and correction being needed. That's okay, though, I think; this is why I am on this internship, so I can make the mistake and learn from it.
I think the highlight of my first month is pretty obvious: branding calves. I knew I'd get put into a farm at some time during this internship, I just didn't know that I'd be doing what I did to those poor things. It was an experience of a life time, one that I probably wouldn't really want to do again. I'd be all for watching and hanging out with the people while they do it, but I don't think I really want to wrestle them and do the branding part.
Ministry-wise, I'm starting to take on more responsibility, and I'm glad that I get to do so. It's split pretty well down the middle between things that I want to do and things that will push me. I've been given the chance to be preaching next Sunday (June 30), so I should really start the actual prep work for my message.
Aside from those sorts of things, my days have been pretty chill over the last couple weeks. I'm really thankful that I got to go to Kau and Dorcas' wedding, too. Every time I go home, I learn something new about maturity and the whole idea of life moving forward. Life is so busy, that you don't need to be gone for a long time for people to learn to live without you. So, part of maturing and growing up for me has been to realize that the things that are important enough to me that I would go out of my way for are not necessarily reciprocated. People are all connected, and once one side of that connection starts to break up, it can be tough for the person on the other side. That's why I've really started to understand the importance of relationships being a full commitment between two different parties - at all levels, not just from one person to another. This lesson, is probably going to be one of the biggest things that I will need to remember when I go into ministry. The goal is for me to be completely committed to Christ and to the church, in hopes that the church can also be completely committed. Funny how the relationships I have with people are teaching me the things that I need to do or not do as I near the beginning of my working career.
Anyhow, that's about all I really have for now. I'm mostly doing quite well right now, but I do have to admit that there's still some loneliness and sorrow deep inside of me that I often cannot find an outlet for. I think most of it stems from a selfishness, or my desire to boost my ego, that I've always had in my life. So I know that they are just the things in me that I'm not strong in, and hope that these things can be fixed soon!
Happy longest day of the year!
I think the highlight of my first month is pretty obvious: branding calves. I knew I'd get put into a farm at some time during this internship, I just didn't know that I'd be doing what I did to those poor things. It was an experience of a life time, one that I probably wouldn't really want to do again. I'd be all for watching and hanging out with the people while they do it, but I don't think I really want to wrestle them and do the branding part.
Ministry-wise, I'm starting to take on more responsibility, and I'm glad that I get to do so. It's split pretty well down the middle between things that I want to do and things that will push me. I've been given the chance to be preaching next Sunday (June 30), so I should really start the actual prep work for my message.
Aside from those sorts of things, my days have been pretty chill over the last couple weeks. I'm really thankful that I got to go to Kau and Dorcas' wedding, too. Every time I go home, I learn something new about maturity and the whole idea of life moving forward. Life is so busy, that you don't need to be gone for a long time for people to learn to live without you. So, part of maturing and growing up for me has been to realize that the things that are important enough to me that I would go out of my way for are not necessarily reciprocated. People are all connected, and once one side of that connection starts to break up, it can be tough for the person on the other side. That's why I've really started to understand the importance of relationships being a full commitment between two different parties - at all levels, not just from one person to another. This lesson, is probably going to be one of the biggest things that I will need to remember when I go into ministry. The goal is for me to be completely committed to Christ and to the church, in hopes that the church can also be completely committed. Funny how the relationships I have with people are teaching me the things that I need to do or not do as I near the beginning of my working career.
Anyhow, that's about all I really have for now. I'm mostly doing quite well right now, but I do have to admit that there's still some loneliness and sorrow deep inside of me that I often cannot find an outlet for. I think most of it stems from a selfishness, or my desire to boost my ego, that I've always had in my life. So I know that they are just the things in me that I'm not strong in, and hope that these things can be fixed soon!
Happy longest day of the year!
Wednesday, June 12, 2013
Day In the Life Of
Technically, I've been here for almost a month. If you ask me, it's pretty crazy to believe. I'm still in that honeymoon phase of my internship, meaning I haven't really settled in or I haven't hit my first crisis yet. I think it will happen pretty soon, though.
My days have mostly been pretty laidback so far. I was told that I'd just spend the first little while following the people around seeing what they do, and I don't mind it. Less responsibility makes for a happy me! However, once the end of June hits, I will be quite busy.
As of now, my days are quite awesome - hard to believe that this is what I do when I go to work. I would get to church around 9 in the morning. The three of us pastors like to pray first thing in the morning and just have a bit of a chat to get the day going. This might take up half an hour, it might take up a full hour. Then at 10, we do a coffee thing where if people from the community want to come in, we have coffee with them. If not, the three of us will have coffee ourselves. This can often go until lunch. If not, we'll end around 11:30 and have half an hour to do whatever.
When I decide to go for lunch, I usually just come home and make something. Let me just note now, that cooking for yourself has got to be one of the most tedious things ever, and I don't like doing it. And because I don't have the luxury to buy a million different foods to have a big variety, I've been eating mostly the same things every day.
After lunch, the day can become a little more diverse. If there is someone that I am to go visit, that usually happens in the afternoon. If not, I just hang around in church and kind of do whatever. Read, play guitar, etc., it's basically up to me or whatever I need to get ready for the weekend.
There's also no real set office hours for pastors, so when it gets late enough that work seems to be done, whether that's at 5 or whatever, then I'll head home to make supper! I've mostly had chicken... Sad that I've already spent $200 trying to fill the kitchen and all I can really cook for now is chicken and vegetables. I know that this will only happen for the first (and maybe second) month, so once I have most of my things, all I'm really left to buy is the actual food rather than all the spices and other things to make it. Not too bad, I guess. I'm still alive, so my food can't be that bad, right?
The rest of the evening I just kind of do whatever I normally do no matter where I am. So, this has basically been a day in my life here in Assiniboia thus far. Nothing real exciting, yet, but it's going to pick up real soon. Establishing routines are part of most jobs, but the joys of working with people is that there will always be variety and change to keep things exciting!
My days have mostly been pretty laidback so far. I was told that I'd just spend the first little while following the people around seeing what they do, and I don't mind it. Less responsibility makes for a happy me! However, once the end of June hits, I will be quite busy.
As of now, my days are quite awesome - hard to believe that this is what I do when I go to work. I would get to church around 9 in the morning. The three of us pastors like to pray first thing in the morning and just have a bit of a chat to get the day going. This might take up half an hour, it might take up a full hour. Then at 10, we do a coffee thing where if people from the community want to come in, we have coffee with them. If not, the three of us will have coffee ourselves. This can often go until lunch. If not, we'll end around 11:30 and have half an hour to do whatever.
When I decide to go for lunch, I usually just come home and make something. Let me just note now, that cooking for yourself has got to be one of the most tedious things ever, and I don't like doing it. And because I don't have the luxury to buy a million different foods to have a big variety, I've been eating mostly the same things every day.
After lunch, the day can become a little more diverse. If there is someone that I am to go visit, that usually happens in the afternoon. If not, I just hang around in church and kind of do whatever. Read, play guitar, etc., it's basically up to me or whatever I need to get ready for the weekend.
There's also no real set office hours for pastors, so when it gets late enough that work seems to be done, whether that's at 5 or whatever, then I'll head home to make supper! I've mostly had chicken... Sad that I've already spent $200 trying to fill the kitchen and all I can really cook for now is chicken and vegetables. I know that this will only happen for the first (and maybe second) month, so once I have most of my things, all I'm really left to buy is the actual food rather than all the spices and other things to make it. Not too bad, I guess. I'm still alive, so my food can't be that bad, right?
The rest of the evening I just kind of do whatever I normally do no matter where I am. So, this has basically been a day in my life here in Assiniboia thus far. Nothing real exciting, yet, but it's going to pick up real soon. Establishing routines are part of most jobs, but the joys of working with people is that there will always be variety and change to keep things exciting!
Tuesday, June 4, 2013
Doin' It Big
For anyone affiliated with the Alliance denomination in Canada in any way, I hope you read this post. I think this is honestly the first time that I am feeling incredibly positive and optimistic about where this denomination is heading. It's really rare for me to be this worked up about the church that I've been brought up in, so I think that by posting about it, it's at least worth looking at.
Here's why -
This past year, I've been given the tremendous privilege to be a part of and witness several changes in some vital leaderships throughout the Alliance circles.
First of all, David Hearn was elected the new president of the C&MA in Canada. I've been blessed to hear him speak four times now, and I only have amazing things to say about him and where he's leading the denomination. His personality is so contagious, and having heard his heart on the different occasions has me absolutely sold on what he's doing as president. If you don't know him but have an opportunity to hear him, I think that you absolutely need to jump on that chance and go listen. I almost never recommend things so strongly, but with him, I do. Also, I got to have lunch with him this past Sunday, so I've already connected with him. (Bahaha!)
Ambrose has also brought in a new president, Gordon Smith. He's an absolute visionary. I haven't heard him speak as many times, but he's right on par with where Dave is in where he wants to take the school and the denomination.
I've also been present at, heard of, or am aware of several other position changes in leadership throughout the districts that I've been part of. Two of them happened to be lead pastors resigning at the churches that I've attended. While it's saddening to see some incredible people step down from their positions, I think it's really lining up with where God is taking Alliance churches in Canada. EDIT: I guess I should've expanded on this a little bit. I think that having churches really desiring that their pastors are relational and empowering types of pastors now, it opens up the pathway for many of those who are (albeit quite rare) of that type to really take the church and spark the fire in its heart. Some of the pastors who have resigned did not have their strengths in that relational aspect, their strenghts were in something else, so that might be a reason to why such decisions were made. Either way, many churches now have an opportunity to really take off with the direction God is taking them.
I also really love that the focus is so emphasized on the person of Jesus. Christ is, after all, the very reason our faith exists. So, I know that I've been down on several churches over the past couple years; but now that I've been given the chance to be a part of so many of these changes and listening to where we want to be as a church, I am very excited. I can't say for certain that I know what exactly these changes will mean for the denomination, but it is going to be insanely exciting to be part of the movement of the church. Something is definitely brewing!
So please do not lose hope in the local church. I know many of us experienced some rougher times in the last while, but we are on the brink of something big. God's definitely going to be taking churches in Canada to a whole different level. We've often talked about a revival, something that's going to be seeping into our churches, through our lives and out into the neighborhoods, something that is going to fire us up and move us into action. Well, I think that if there ever is going to be a time that this is going to happen, it's going to be the next 5 to 10 years. God's placed some incredible people into leadership, and along with some of the things that are already happening in so many local churches, it's only going to get more exciting.
Again, I really don't get worked up over things like this very often, but I really feel this time that it is worth it.
The real deal.
Here's why -
This past year, I've been given the tremendous privilege to be a part of and witness several changes in some vital leaderships throughout the Alliance circles.
First of all, David Hearn was elected the new president of the C&MA in Canada. I've been blessed to hear him speak four times now, and I only have amazing things to say about him and where he's leading the denomination. His personality is so contagious, and having heard his heart on the different occasions has me absolutely sold on what he's doing as president. If you don't know him but have an opportunity to hear him, I think that you absolutely need to jump on that chance and go listen. I almost never recommend things so strongly, but with him, I do. Also, I got to have lunch with him this past Sunday, so I've already connected with him. (Bahaha!)
Ambrose has also brought in a new president, Gordon Smith. He's an absolute visionary. I haven't heard him speak as many times, but he's right on par with where Dave is in where he wants to take the school and the denomination.
I've also been present at, heard of, or am aware of several other position changes in leadership throughout the districts that I've been part of. Two of them happened to be lead pastors resigning at the churches that I've attended. While it's saddening to see some incredible people step down from their positions, I think it's really lining up with where God is taking Alliance churches in Canada. EDIT: I guess I should've expanded on this a little bit. I think that having churches really desiring that their pastors are relational and empowering types of pastors now, it opens up the pathway for many of those who are (albeit quite rare) of that type to really take the church and spark the fire in its heart. Some of the pastors who have resigned did not have their strengths in that relational aspect, their strenghts were in something else, so that might be a reason to why such decisions were made. Either way, many churches now have an opportunity to really take off with the direction God is taking them.
I also really love that the focus is so emphasized on the person of Jesus. Christ is, after all, the very reason our faith exists. So, I know that I've been down on several churches over the past couple years; but now that I've been given the chance to be a part of so many of these changes and listening to where we want to be as a church, I am very excited. I can't say for certain that I know what exactly these changes will mean for the denomination, but it is going to be insanely exciting to be part of the movement of the church. Something is definitely brewing!
So please do not lose hope in the local church. I know many of us experienced some rougher times in the last while, but we are on the brink of something big. God's definitely going to be taking churches in Canada to a whole different level. We've often talked about a revival, something that's going to be seeping into our churches, through our lives and out into the neighborhoods, something that is going to fire us up and move us into action. Well, I think that if there ever is going to be a time that this is going to happen, it's going to be the next 5 to 10 years. God's placed some incredible people into leadership, and along with some of the things that are already happening in so many local churches, it's only going to get more exciting.
Again, I really don't get worked up over things like this very often, but I really feel this time that it is worth it.
The real deal.
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