Wow, it's been a crazy few weeks. I didn't even realize the last time I blogged was back in September. Granted, it's only ten days into October, but there's been a lot of things going on, so it feels like a lot of time has passed.
Exciting things with me include having finalized my winter schedule for my graduating term and having successfully applied to graduate. If everything works out the way it's supposed to, I will officially be in the work force in about half a year. I'm incredibly stoked. I know that it's going to be a very challenging road ahead, but each day that I live and learn equips me to take on that challenge.
Because I'm looking at graduating, I am also looking at jobs. I think it's agreed upon by me and several other people that I've talked to that it's a good idea for me to take a bit of time off before I seriously consider positions. I know that the searching process will almost work in my favor because a lot of churches are already needing people like me to be a pastor in their church. So in some ways, I won't be looking for a job so much as my job will be looking for me.
I was able to have a brief chat with an old friend yesterday about this job searching process, and I came away very encouraged. I asked him about people pastoring in their home church; and while I already had a good idea of an answer I'd expect to get, what he contributed to the discussion was relevent to my entire job search and not just the question I asked. I'm now a little more aware of what I'll need to be looking for when I go out to look for a church to work at, and I'm incredibly grateful. A while back, I mentioned that I'm actively pursuing what people think I am doing well as I transition into ministry and what I need to do better, kind of an overall scope of things. From this chat, it became the second time that someone has said to me that they would hire me in a heartbeat. Hearing such words is probably still the most humbling thing anyone could say to me. It's crazy to think that because I haven't even come out to work for real yet, and there are people that are confident enough in me to tell me to my face that they'd pick me up without any hesitation. In the end, I think it's just a testament to the person God has made me to be. I have so much to learn, and honestly, I'd be willing to work and learn from any of these people that have said such encouraging words to me.
We had a small group meeting today and I came away pretty challenged. One of the questions that stuck out in my mind was to ask ourselves what being a fearless Christian looks like. There were several things that we talked about during the session. And while I'm usually someone that takes a while to be able to contribute to the discussion, I kept coming back to the idea that we need to be so rooted in the person of Christ and what he did for us on the cross. It really gives me the impression that, with the endless amounts of questions that we can ask about our faith and about life in general, it almost always comes back to Jesus. I guess we aren't really wrong to say that Jesus is the answer to everything. It's about being able to recognize who we are in relation to the reason that Jesus came to this earth, and what the result of that is. It's insanely profound, really. We've heard it millions of times, but I am still moved by it every single time I take it seriously.
Are you a sinner saved by grace? Or a saint who sins occassionally?
Thursday, October 10, 2013
Thursday, September 26, 2013
Back to Where It Began
Dang, blogging twice in one day, when was the last time this happened?
I didn't really have to blog again; but I want to, because I think it was a really neat experience.
So there's a piano/music teacher that uses our church to teach her lessons a couple days a week. It seems that this time around, she's got some really young students that are just beginning to learn what music is and be able to apply that to something concrete. I was sitting in my office, and the teacher has been using a room that's basically right across from my office. So while she's teaching her little group, I get to hear all that's going on in the room. I was trying to do things throughout the lesson, but I couldn't help but smile every time they did something that I thought was amusing or cute.
They say that you start developing your long term memory around the age of 4 or 5. The earliest and fondest memory that I have was actually the first couple times that I started playing piano. I do believe I was four because, as far as I know, I started to learn when I started Kindergarten. I was at my cousin's house one afternoon. She sat me down, opened a book, and showed me what the keys were all about and how the notes worked. I remember some reluctance in doing it because I didn't really like the idea of having to sit down and learn.
Little did I know, that as where it all began for me: the incredible journey of music that has so strongly influenced my life up until today. I am not sure what my parents or teachers had thought of me when I initially learned piano, but as much as I'm probably fabricating the details to try to make myself sound legendary, I learned insanely fast. Any and every memory that I have of learning different pieces, notes, scales, and all that kind of stuff was almost second nature to me. By the time I was in second grade of school, I was playing grade five material in piano. Shortly after that, I learned how to play Für Elise (the actual one, not the nooby simplified and toned down version). I also remember my piano teacher having to alter some of the chords that I'd have to play because my hands just simply weren't big enough to reach all the notes at the level of piano I was playing relative to my age and development - not to mention that I was a really small boy anyway.
But of course, all this time, my hate for piano grew and grew, and ultimately lead me to slowing down drastically and my eventual downfall. And that's where I stop, because this is already more than enough for why I'm posting this!
So hearing all the kids get introduced to notes and a keyboard today was really awesome. It's in my hopes that at least one of them will turn out to be a decent musician or even better! You never know what can happen if God has given you a gift, and it's up to us to nuture these kids and to give them every opportunity to grow and blossom. I hope that these kids are far more gifted than I am, and that their parents will be able to recognize it as well. Then, one day, they might be able to stand where I am now and see the same thing with some other kids that are just starting out as well.
I didn't really have to blog again; but I want to, because I think it was a really neat experience.
So there's a piano/music teacher that uses our church to teach her lessons a couple days a week. It seems that this time around, she's got some really young students that are just beginning to learn what music is and be able to apply that to something concrete. I was sitting in my office, and the teacher has been using a room that's basically right across from my office. So while she's teaching her little group, I get to hear all that's going on in the room. I was trying to do things throughout the lesson, but I couldn't help but smile every time they did something that I thought was amusing or cute.
They say that you start developing your long term memory around the age of 4 or 5. The earliest and fondest memory that I have was actually the first couple times that I started playing piano. I do believe I was four because, as far as I know, I started to learn when I started Kindergarten. I was at my cousin's house one afternoon. She sat me down, opened a book, and showed me what the keys were all about and how the notes worked. I remember some reluctance in doing it because I didn't really like the idea of having to sit down and learn.
Little did I know, that as where it all began for me: the incredible journey of music that has so strongly influenced my life up until today. I am not sure what my parents or teachers had thought of me when I initially learned piano, but as much as I'm probably fabricating the details to try to make myself sound legendary, I learned insanely fast. Any and every memory that I have of learning different pieces, notes, scales, and all that kind of stuff was almost second nature to me. By the time I was in second grade of school, I was playing grade five material in piano. Shortly after that, I learned how to play Für Elise (the actual one, not the nooby simplified and toned down version). I also remember my piano teacher having to alter some of the chords that I'd have to play because my hands just simply weren't big enough to reach all the notes at the level of piano I was playing relative to my age and development - not to mention that I was a really small boy anyway.
But of course, all this time, my hate for piano grew and grew, and ultimately lead me to slowing down drastically and my eventual downfall. And that's where I stop, because this is already more than enough for why I'm posting this!
So hearing all the kids get introduced to notes and a keyboard today was really awesome. It's in my hopes that at least one of them will turn out to be a decent musician or even better! You never know what can happen if God has given you a gift, and it's up to us to nuture these kids and to give them every opportunity to grow and blossom. I hope that these kids are far more gifted than I am, and that their parents will be able to recognize it as well. Then, one day, they might be able to stand where I am now and see the same thing with some other kids that are just starting out as well.
Harvest
I guess I should blog, eh?
When I was brought out to sit in a seeder during the Spring, I wasn't too excited about it. The experience turned out to be great, mainly because of the person that I was having a chat with. This time, as harvest kind of began when I went home at the end of August, I was super excited to get to see some of the harvesting process done.
The process is very much the same: big trucks that drive themselves and a heck of a lot of work. It is insane how dusty and messy it can get when these combines are out and about so much everyday. I've been stuffed up for many days if the wind was blowing the air from the farms into the town. (I almost typed city, but forgot I'm living in a town - haha) But regardless, I really enjoyed getting the chance to sit in one of those combines and see the harvesting process, how it's unloaded into those big bins and all that fun stuff.
It's very true, the parallel between the farmers and harvest that Jesus talked about to what it actually is in real life. So many farmers are harvesting thousands of acres of land, and many of them are only done by a handful of people. I'm sure that some would rather do it themselves, but I think they could always use more help getting their crop in.
Meanwhile, back at church, we've been having several kick offs in terms of fall programs and all the typical school year routines. I'm especially excited about Sunday school because we're going through "The Truth Project." If you haven't heard of it, you should check it out. I kind of also want to make mention that it's nice to just sit back and be part of the "group" in some things after having had to lead so many other ministries. Church pastors and leaders are always in charge of this, doing that, etc., but it's so nice to have every once in a while to be able to not need to worry about teaching or organizing, that they can just sit there and absorb what's going on. This is the opportunity that I have with Sunday school this fall!
We're also getting Friend's Club ready for the kids. Strangely enough, I'm in charge of putting this thing together. And while it's slightly slower than I want it to be, just because of a few circumstances, it's almost ready to be kicked off at the start of October!
Other than these things, there hasn't been too much that's new with life in the Saskies. I am mostly keeping busy with things that I want to do and things that I have to do, and it is an absolute joy; it's not easy, but it is awesome.
Add onto the fact that hockey has started up again, I am one excited dude!
"Then he said to his disciples, 'The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.'" - Matthew 9:37-38
When I was brought out to sit in a seeder during the Spring, I wasn't too excited about it. The experience turned out to be great, mainly because of the person that I was having a chat with. This time, as harvest kind of began when I went home at the end of August, I was super excited to get to see some of the harvesting process done.
The process is very much the same: big trucks that drive themselves and a heck of a lot of work. It is insane how dusty and messy it can get when these combines are out and about so much everyday. I've been stuffed up for many days if the wind was blowing the air from the farms into the town. (I almost typed city, but forgot I'm living in a town - haha) But regardless, I really enjoyed getting the chance to sit in one of those combines and see the harvesting process, how it's unloaded into those big bins and all that fun stuff.
It's very true, the parallel between the farmers and harvest that Jesus talked about to what it actually is in real life. So many farmers are harvesting thousands of acres of land, and many of them are only done by a handful of people. I'm sure that some would rather do it themselves, but I think they could always use more help getting their crop in.
Meanwhile, back at church, we've been having several kick offs in terms of fall programs and all the typical school year routines. I'm especially excited about Sunday school because we're going through "The Truth Project." If you haven't heard of it, you should check it out. I kind of also want to make mention that it's nice to just sit back and be part of the "group" in some things after having had to lead so many other ministries. Church pastors and leaders are always in charge of this, doing that, etc., but it's so nice to have every once in a while to be able to not need to worry about teaching or organizing, that they can just sit there and absorb what's going on. This is the opportunity that I have with Sunday school this fall!
We're also getting Friend's Club ready for the kids. Strangely enough, I'm in charge of putting this thing together. And while it's slightly slower than I want it to be, just because of a few circumstances, it's almost ready to be kicked off at the start of October!
Other than these things, there hasn't been too much that's new with life in the Saskies. I am mostly keeping busy with things that I want to do and things that I have to do, and it is an absolute joy; it's not easy, but it is awesome.
Add onto the fact that hockey has started up again, I am one excited dude!
"Then he said to his disciples, 'The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.'" - Matthew 9:37-38
Tuesday, September 10, 2013
Crazy
Technically, I began my final year of Bible college this month. Even though I'm not directly at school and in classes, I'm still "in school" by being on my internship. So within eight months, my hopes is that I am graduated and liscensed to work in the Alliance denomination.
Just the thought about that possibility is mind blowing. I remember when I first heard thoughts in my prayer about going into ministry. I remember the first couple times I was told that I should consider going to Bible college. The day I moved to Calgary to begin the journey is still so clear to me. All of a sudden, here I am. I'm not done yet, but the next big destination is on the horizon.
And to take it even further, get this: I'll soon be able to basically be working with a lot of people that watched me grow up in the church. That's insane, dude! I will have the opportunity to be working alongside some of the people that I looked up to, people that have helped shape me into who I am today, and people who have been doing the work I've been training to do for basically my entire life.
Finally, the most bizarre thing that I still refuse to accept is that the people who I've always looked forward to seeing on weekends, and certain occasions that would allow me to go to church, will be under my guidance. Not to say that I want to go back to my home church, though the thought of being able to work there is always interesting, but I've always taken a special interest in people who went to church; so in that sense, I go from being a church goer to the one that guides the church goers.
So, to think that being on this internship kind of doing what I've described is already surreal, what would it look like when I'm actually doing it for real? A little frightening, actually. But again, I refuse to back down now. I'm so determined to do the absolute best that I am capable of. I can't even remember being this driven in my life. I guess that kind of being put into the situation has sprouted this inside of me. I'm still the lazy and laidback person that I've always been, but it's a different kind that I never knew I had in me. You might be able to say that I've found my purpose, and with it comes with a bit of swagger to how I carry myself.. I just used the word swagger.
Crazy doesn't even begin to describe what this feels like.
I hope that everyone is taking advantage of the first couple weeks of September to really set themselves up well for this year. The second you fall behind, climbing becomes that much harder.
And remember this: what you do in private makes you either powerful or pathetic.
Just the thought about that possibility is mind blowing. I remember when I first heard thoughts in my prayer about going into ministry. I remember the first couple times I was told that I should consider going to Bible college. The day I moved to Calgary to begin the journey is still so clear to me. All of a sudden, here I am. I'm not done yet, but the next big destination is on the horizon.
And to take it even further, get this: I'll soon be able to basically be working with a lot of people that watched me grow up in the church. That's insane, dude! I will have the opportunity to be working alongside some of the people that I looked up to, people that have helped shape me into who I am today, and people who have been doing the work I've been training to do for basically my entire life.
Finally, the most bizarre thing that I still refuse to accept is that the people who I've always looked forward to seeing on weekends, and certain occasions that would allow me to go to church, will be under my guidance. Not to say that I want to go back to my home church, though the thought of being able to work there is always interesting, but I've always taken a special interest in people who went to church; so in that sense, I go from being a church goer to the one that guides the church goers.
So, to think that being on this internship kind of doing what I've described is already surreal, what would it look like when I'm actually doing it for real? A little frightening, actually. But again, I refuse to back down now. I'm so determined to do the absolute best that I am capable of. I can't even remember being this driven in my life. I guess that kind of being put into the situation has sprouted this inside of me. I'm still the lazy and laidback person that I've always been, but it's a different kind that I never knew I had in me. You might be able to say that I've found my purpose, and with it comes with a bit of swagger to how I carry myself.. I just used the word swagger.
Crazy doesn't even begin to describe what this feels like.
I hope that everyone is taking advantage of the first couple weeks of September to really set themselves up well for this year. The second you fall behind, climbing becomes that much harder.
And remember this: what you do in private makes you either powerful or pathetic.
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