Condo Part 3

Well its official. I'm a proud owner of a home. I took possession on December 15th and have been going hard every day working on it. There's lots of work to be done and lots that has already been done. I'm doing a complete overhaul. First thing is new flooring in the living room, dinning room, kitchen, and both bedrooms. Some ceiling repairs (there was some water damage from the suite above and the tape seams were showing) and some minor dings and scratches. Some new paint in all the rooms and new light fixtures. It's a big job and I have only 2 weeks to do it all in. Like I said I've been working hard at it for the past few nights and will be working over the break. It's fun and exciting, but I find it hard to sleep at night. My mind works about a mile a minute on crazy ideas for my place. Some rest and peace would be great.

Your Grandpa,
Bob Drinkwater

There will be photos up shortly, but till then this link will just have to do. This is the what it looked like when I moved in...
http://mlslink.mlxchange.com/DotNet/Pub/EmailView.aspx?r=826234692&s=BRC&t=BRC

Thanks!

Hey! I am wondering if you could all pray for me on a little thing. Just pray that I would have direction. Thats all.

Thanks, I knew I could count on You! PERFECT, you're the best. Have a great day!!

so cool

just wondering if people still use this.
am I right? or am I right?

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!
so thankful for you all :)

I've Fallen And I Can't Get Up

I am having trouble with trusting and caring about people again my walls which were slowing being built back up went up faster. I let myself feel something for someone this summer and I got hurt, yet I still am having trouble letting go of him and it makes me mad and frustrated and sad that without knowing it he ruined me as I was trying to view the best in people. I was trying to let myself care for people just for the sake of caring for them. It scares me having walls back up, but I don’t want to get hurt again.

On top of trust issues I have another issue. One that is starting to worry me, which is rather ironic when you read about it.

I don’t know exactly what it is, but I feel anxious and stressed all the time. I can’t sit in silence; I always have to have some kind of sound around me because I can’t handle the stillness. It is so quiet it rings in my ears and I need it to stop because it drives me crazy. My family is starting to notice my anxiousness and stress and they are starting to worry for my health. Yesterday my parents sat me down and tried to talk to me about it. They wanted to know how to help me and I couldn’t tell them what I needed because I don’t even know what I need to get through this. I don’t know what is causing all this stress. I can’t figure out why I am up at all hours laying in bed with a feeling of dread in the pit of my stomach. I am constantly nervous and anxious about something even though I have no idea what it is. I know part of it is because of school and how I am no longer sure if paramedics or even medicine is the right field for me. But I know that it is not all of it. I’m scared. I don’t know why I feel the way I do. I don’t like that my family feels worried about me. I don’t like that I feel lost and confused. I don’t like that I can’t talk to people about it because I don’t trust anyone other than my family.

I don’t know what I am asking for, maybe its just telling you guys because I used to tell you so much. I just need a hug. I need to be told it is all going to be ok and that it is ok to care for people. I need to be reminded that people can be good. I need to be told that my life doesn’t need to be as full of stress and anxiety. I need to be told that I am loved and it will work out even though I am not sure what “it” is.

I need a hug and I need a friend.

I’m sorry it jumps around. My thoughts are jumbled lately. And the ringing is starting.

THEY GROW UP SO FAST!

sup babes?

Well...

Since Rob and I broke up, I no longer have a house or any money. I just got my job back, so those will both be changed slowly over time. I lost most of my friend's when we were dating. So all I really had left were Carly and Allix. Allix and I got into a big fight just over three weeks ago because I called her on some stuff and she didn't like that very much. Carly took Allix's side... so I am no longer friend's with either of them... and it's just this big stupid mess. Allix is acting like a crazy person now and trying to hurt me in any way that she can. So not only do I not really have any friend's anymore either... but Allix and Rob's best friend Keegan are now "together" and are ganging up on me... so they have started to spread the rumor to everyone that knows me that I have a bunch of STDs and a bunch of other crap. I'm trying to reconnect with some old friends that I just kinda drifted away from in hopes that I will still have a few people to hang out with. I also met a few new people that seem really sweet so we will see where that leads me. But, there is nothing I can do to fix anything wrong in my life except wait it out. Life's gonna be hard for a while.

Missing you guys alot.

Hopeful

Jim & Sarah on Tour at a Town Near You!

A week from today, Sarah and I leave on a tour of Canada! We would love to see as many of you as we can manage, though of course we can't get to every community where you will be.

Here is what would be helpful: If you live in a place where a number of students could come for an evening or weekend afternoon, maybe you could arrange something and let us know, and you/we could invite people there from any of the years of Kaleo.

It would also be helpful - and especially fun - if you would be willing to let us park the truck (with a camper on it) in your driveway for a night or two. We are otherwise pretty self-contained.

We have no set schedule, but here is an idea of where we will be and when:

August 24 - arrive in Halifax, Cape Breton, PEI, maybe Newfoundland
Early September - New Brunswick
After Labour Day - Ontario
Mid/late September - Winnipeg, Caronport
Late September/early October - Edmonton, Calgary
Early/mid October - BC
Mid October - back to Victoria

You can text, FB or email us even while we are on the road. In the words of Paul, we "long to see you so that [we] may impart to you some spiritual gift to make you strong—that is, that you and [we] may be mutually encouraged by each other’s faith." See you soon!

Condo part 2

So...just entering the final stages of buying a place. It's the first place that I looked at (I looked at about 8 places so it's not the only place, but still the first). Loved it. Saw a lot of potential A.K.A needs a lot of work. But that's okay because I'm Bob the builder and I get sweet discounts through my company. But I'm in the paper work stage and it's a little nerve racking. I hope that I'm doing the right thing. It seems like things are falling into place and the Lord is working. Praise God. This is the same place that rejected my offer and wouldn't budge on their demands so I left it alone, waited about a month and offered about $5,000 less then they wanted to go but possession a few months later and he accepted the offer. So by waiting I save 5 grand! granted I know have to rent for 4 months, but still...spend 1600 and save 5,000. Totally awesome. Just a little up date, somebody got made that I didn't tell him (Matthew) or posted it on the blog. So here it is...posted.

And Bria...the Sub blog is....a Blog about subs...

Well it's cold in my room, I think I feel a Draft. I'm going to go close my window now.

Your Grandpa,
Bob Drinkwater

Hey Boys, I would still love to know what the "sub-blog" is...

A little bit of an update.

So I still am crashing in my mom's basement for now. But I applied to go back to my old job at the casino and they accepted me and gave me a promotion yesterday. I'm kind of excited to start my new training. When I used to work there I was working in Guest Services. So I was doing the coat check and answering the phone and selling loto and what not. Now I'm getting trained to work in every section except for the Cafe. I can't work in the Cafe because some of you may remember when there was a hit out on my life last year... The girl that started it all works in the Cafe. So I will be floating around and helping where needed. SO... eventually I can become a Pit Boss or a CSM (Casino Staff Manager). It's all pretty exciting. At the same time though, I was at Ida Mae's wedding on Saturday (If you guys remember the Knox family from my stories... she is the oldest knox kid). My friend's Betti and Andrew flew in from Calgary for the wedding. So the three of us hung out all day. Betti and I were talking and I told her I wanted to move to Calgary and try to apply for the internship at Firefly Occasions again. She started laughing. Turns out she worked for them last year and hated every minute of it. So she quit and started her own business. She told me that if I can move to Calgary she will give me a job, teach me everything she knows and eventually set me up with my own company that is a branch off of hers. She is giving me an offer to have a paved way to becoming a wedding planner. I have no money to move, nor anywhere to live there. But my sister is planning to move there... so I'm trying to figure things out with her.

Please pray for guidance.

Hopeful

Have been thinking of you guys a lot lately and am missing you guys.

Just a couple interesting pictures. So I talked about the rainbow at our kaleo grad in my last post and some of you did not remember it, so here is a picture of it!Also this is my nephew his name is Gabriel. I think he's cute.

Hope you are all having an awesome summer!

Attention All...

Bria needs to move...

Therefore Bria needs a room mate. I am willing to go almost anywhere, need job when I get there... obvs.

Please let me know if you guys know of anyone or anywhere... or even just have imput or suggestions.

Love and miss you all
Barely,
Hopeful

Chilling on the Island

In response to Nicole's "Jim that means you too!" I want you to know that we are alive and - in spite of everything - well in spirit if not in body. Rather than write the same thing on every Kaleo Blog, may I direct you to the K8 Blog (not because I love them more - you are all my favorite year of Kaleo!) where I wrote an update on us. We loved seeing so many of you at the Briercrest Grad, and hope to see many more of you on our trip across the country, which you can read about by clicking here. Blessings on you - we hope to hear from you soon!

Just a little about this year.

Hiiiii. Guess it's been way to long since I've given you guys a solid update. Well I'm about to change that. SO where to begin. Well first of all I miss you guys sooooo much. You need to know that.

So through what I've heard from all of you and what I've seen in my own life this year, I think it is safe to say that life the year after Kaleo is tough. It is interesting to me to hear the stories of how people have been nocked down again and again but still somehow there is a consistent theme of Gods grace. Not sure if you guys remember this but at kaleo grad there was a stunning rainbow that seemed to almost cut through the oceans surface. I think back to that a lot. I think that God was reminding me of something very important in that moment. He was reminding me that there is so much hope for the future of Kaleo 7 and to never doubt his promises in our lifes. I think this year has been really challenging for a lot of us but I don't doubt that God is using that to shape our character and bring us closer to him. Ladies, just want to remind you of the words that kristie felt lead to pray over each of our rooms. 309- the truth will set you free, 311- hope, 312-let go, and 310!!!!- healing and new life. I don't think God quite finished with those words yet.

So i guess it is time to tell you how my year has been going. So I said already that this year was hard, which in a sense it was but it was also really neat. So I think one of the hardest things about being home was the adjustment of living in such close community and accountability to then being left to stand on my own two feet. I thing it was hard to see that chapter of life end but also hard to figure out what the next chapter is supposed to look like. I struggled this year with feeling lonely and just bored. I kind of felt for awhile that my friends didn't really care about me. I also had an ongoing thought that I was not being useful to God. I think this year has really been about redefining my self worth. I think I needed this year to really take a step back and figure out who I am, who I want to be and what my heart looks like. There was a moment earlier this year when I was trying to figure out my plans for the future that I thought to myself, what am I passionate about? and for a while I didn't really know how to answer that question. Through a lot of prayer I thing I am starting to figure some of that out. Still got a long way to go with really having a heart that is like Gods and being able to see through his eyes. I guess God teaches slow or maybe I just listen slow. But either way I am very slowly being molded into something that I don't know a lot about yet. As for those plans for the future, they are slightly more defined. I am going to school this september at Seneca college for Social Work. I feel at peace with this but also scared out of my freakn' mind. Number one most draining job, here I come! I think I'm going to love it though. I would love if you guys would pray that God would use me in that career and really help me to love like he loves and serve like he serves.

Well, little side note here, so my sister just got married! and my other sister is due to have her baby in about a week! so I'm pretty excited! Also I want to hear about your lives! so come on post something you slackers. Jim that means you too!

Pray

Please pray for my nanny. my mom flew out yeasterday to see her, shes 85 pounds and is in need of prayer for health.
thanks so much for always being there guys.
appreciated
have a good day

MY JOB IS BETTER THAN MOST VACATIONS...

Surfing the massive hole at "Greyhound Buseater" with other guides during rookie training


Chillen at the challenge course


Sunset view from my cabin




HEY EVERYBODY!!

I don't have much time on the computer because I have to get to work this morning but I wanted to write a quick update on here because I haven't in a while and I would so appreciate your prayers!

As some of you know I have landed an amazing summer job that I started three weeks ago. I am a whitewater raft guide at Canada's number one adventure resort, Wilderness Tours! The resort is about an hour northwest of Ottawa and it is so beautiful here. It is located on a gorgeous section of the Ottawa River called the "Rocher Fendu" (near Pembroke, Ontario if anyone knows where that is). After not rafting since my accident when I was twelve, and then whitewater kayaking during Kaleo, God placed this challenge on my heart as if to say, you have been my Ambassador at Rona and now I need you somewhere else, somewhere that may be a little uncomfortable. This job fell into place so perfectly and, although I was pretty nervous to come here, I was very excited for what He was going to do this summer. When I am not on the river I am part of the activities department. This means I run the waterfront, challenge course, rock climbing wall, mountain bike tours, beach volleyball and basketball tournaments and any other weekend events we have. We have a lot of kids come here, as well as adults and I love working with all different ages.

The first two weeks I was here was crazy. All of us "rookie guides", as everyone calls us, had to go through a sort of boot camp training. This meant up at 7am everyday, on the water by 8pm and not in bed till 9pm. We had to run the river (2 channels) over and over, get our SRT3 (swiftwater rescue training), and swim every rapid. The rapids here are CRAZY! If any of you know what class 5 rapids look like then you know what I mean. The power of water is just ridiculous!

I love this place. The community is fantastic and being on the river everyday is incredible. I am awestruck by God's creation every day here- in the rock cliffs, waves, waterfalls, trees, sunsets, sunrises and in the people. It is definitely a culture to it's own here, something like Caronport but a much different atmosphere. I am always exhausted at the end of the day and everyone is always up early to either work on resort or on the river.

I have met some super rad Christian friends here and some super rad non-Christian friends here. If you could pray for these people that would be great. I would especially love if you would pray for my roommate. Her and I live in a super tiny cabin together here. Her name is Kirstin and she is from Deep River, Ontario. She is a fantastic girl and a great roommate and I would love for her to be showered in the prayers of K7.

Worked through the book of James my first week here, then Ephesians and now Colossians. Any other suggestions for while I'm out here?

Also, if any of you would like to come up here for a trip (day trip or camping or RV-ing or rent a cabin) please let me know! I can give you a discount AND take you down the river!

No worries if you can't comment. I totally understand that everyone is crazy busy and sometimes we only have time to read stuff before life takes us to the next set of business. Give me some Ee-taow lovin and send some prayers to the Ottawa River!

Love you all so very much,
Emmers the Ambassador

PS. We also have the biggest bungee jump in Ontario here so if any of you are in for round two, come on up!

Does anyone still care to comment?

I've noticed a trend. People will say that they read the blog but just don't comment. So, I'm here to put that to the test. If you read this post, comment. It can be a story, a joke, an update, whatever you want but post a comment.

Also if you haven't found the sub-blog I would recommend it.

This Video...

Just got this link today and as much as it breaks my heart i would love to share it with all yall.

Condo?

Hello everyone,

So I'm looking at buying a condo. Exciting news, I know. However this whole process is a little stressful and confusing. Much prayer would be much appreciated. When I do end up buying a place and move in I will post photos. Probably on Facebook because it will be easier, but I'll still put a few up here...just for kicks. So pray that God will show me where he wants me and close doors to where he doesn't.

Your Grandpa,
Bob Drinkwater

Many suppressed feelings...

Hello family!

I have to say that I have missed all of you dearly and have been thinking about our year together often! I apologize for not posting on the blog. But I do want you guys to know that I do read it and i do think of you guys. It has taken me forever to write on here because of course.. that would include sharing my feelings. And you all know how I love sharing my feelings =D. But I need to share these things with you..so here it goes..

First: at christmas, wait maybe i should go back farther. As long as I can remember mom has told me that I have a letter from my birth mother's parents.. She told me should would give it to me when she thought the time was right. So this Christmas mom gave it to me. I had never really thought about my adoption, and it never really bothered me. But since reading that letter tons of feelings have come and I have been struggling with it. I feel.. rejected. Why get rid of me if she has more? Why couldn't she keep me? In the letter it says, "our precious little girl" and all these things but apparently i was not precious enough...Every time i read the letter it breaks my heart.. I feel unwanted.. My mom always told me that my birth parents had a hard time giving me up..but it still doesn't make me feel any better knowing that. I keep people at a distance, I don't show them the real me, because I am afraid of rejection. I do what they want me to do, i please people and try not to ruffle any feather because I am afraid of rejection. I don't show affection very much, because i don't want to get too close and then have a broken heart.

Second: I have not read my Bible or talked to God in months. Ever since well Christmas, I have been struggling with my relationship with Him. I haven't trusted Him in anything. I just don't try to have a relationship with Him. I have tried and tried to get close to Him, I have tried trusting Him, but it fails each time. I am not saying that I don't believe there is a God and that I have turned my back on HIm, because I still believe in HIm, I just...feel dead. I lie to everyone who asks me how I am doing. I act as though I am happy and loving life, but inside I am depressed, sad and numb.. I don't hear God's voice anymore and I am starting to feel like I never will. Then i get angry because I cannot get to Him.. I try to sing songs and praise Him, but every time I try a little voice says, " oh ya? ellie did He help you in this situation" or " no, He isn't really there.." I try not to listen to those voices, but it is so hard.

I am sorry! i am sorry for keeping you guys at a distance to protect myself! I love you all deeply! I hope you know that.

love your guts,

Delight

Matt Myles, please post an update!

hey guys,

just wanted to let you know I started a new blog, nothing fantastic or anything. just something to do, a place to get some sort of thoughts out on random stuff. Here is the link should any of you want to read or follow it. http://musicofabbyslife.blogspot.com

Abby

The Favorite Aunt =D

I AM AN AUNT!!! His name is Joshua David. He is 6 lbs and 4 ounces. And he is ADORABLE!!

Briercrest and YouthWorks!

In case any of you guys are wondering, here's a little about my life...

This past year at Briercrest is a lot of things. Among them is growing, learning (tons!), and forming (both in near future and distant future). I could spend a very long time talking about all the things I'm learning.

This summer I will be on a first nations reservation with YW. I will be apart of a four person team. program coordinator, work project staff, kids club coordinator, and our site director. we will have youth groups come to us every week, and we host them, and lead them in ministry on construction projects, kids club, and other activities on the res. My job is leading the "chapel" part. we play games, silly songs, skits, worship and a talk. I also facilitate the evening activity around the res. There's more to it than I can explain now, and more seems to be coming every day.

I'm scared about this summer. I realized I have no idea what humility is, and recognize it will be essential that I am humble this summer for it to go well. I am completely overwhelmed with the amount of things I have to do, and prepare. I have never spent any serious amount of time on a reservation. I have never done public speaking. I have no major experience in leading senior high kids. What scares me the most is knowing I will be humbled, and finding a little more about humility. So, not knowing what it is, and knowing it will come and knowing it will be critical that it happens is daunting thought. plus a lot of the stories prepping us for what's to come are very sad and broken stories

However, I am also super-duper-uberly excited for the summer. I'm a part of a baller team, with AWESOME teammates. Although I feel overwhelmed and unqualified a lot, I am stoked to get my hands dirty. This stems from the fact that I have been learning and growing, and now I have a place to really use it. A place that needs a lot of everything. Forgiveness, grace, love, and much much more.

So please be in prayer for and with me.

Little update

So...Things are going pretty good. I am falling back in love with Jesus and he is revealing things to me about me that I didn't know. So that is good, scratch that, that is great. I have been listening to Mark Driscoll in the mornings on my way to work and that is helping me develop a hunger for the word again. Praise be to God.

As for things with Emma, I haven't really had much contact with her but that's probably a good thing. I have been reading a book titled '5 love languages'. Good book. It has opened my eyes. I have not been showing Emma that I love her in a way that she understands. Her love language is gifts and I have been cheep. You know me, I'm a saver. But by not spending money on her she isn't feeling loved. Ouch. It sucks when you don't feel loved and then you feel neglected and hurt. I have been hurting her by not giving her gifts. They don't have to be expensive, but gifts none the less. Almost done reading that book and will probably read it again before I talk to her. It's a really good book.

But things are going pretty good. I am also meeting new people and reconnecting with old friends. Things are going good. Thanks for all your prayers. Praise be to God

Your Grandpa,
Bob Drinkwater

P.s Nate that is one ugly cat

Hello everyone, here is a little update.

(This is Melanie's and Clay's cat Mack, he is the ugliest thing in the world but so great in many ways I wouldn't be able to describe how.)


So. My original plans to go back to the farm were seemingly set in stone until after a chat with my aunt and uncle advising me to get out of town. The nearest and most probable solution was to go and live with my sister Melanie and her husband Clay up in Cold Lake and get a job in the oil patch. After asking my mother if she would allow me to leave for the summer, even after I just got back from Briercrest a few short weeks earlier. Clay got me a job with a phone call to a company called Linden Oil. i am going to have to give up getting a tan this summer because i have to wear coveralls and a hard hat all the time but i think that paying for school and then some will be worth not getting dark like all you camp folk. Pretty much the reason I came up here to work boils down to making money for school which it is looking pretty go so far. Also, my plans have changed once again for schooling. I looked at myself and honestly asked if I thought I could be a Doctor. I think if I applied myself and worked really hard I could. But then thought that having 8-10 years of more schooling I would rather toss myself out of a moving vehicle. I came back to firefighting and I think that I am going to pursue. I am still going to school in the fall in Lethbridge but not into premedical but I am registered in their EMR course.

HEY THERE!

KaLEO 7- wow this blog is getting some good usage.. sickkk
Alright so I’m really excited as to what God is doing in my life!
Um where do I start?
One He has opened my heart to others; well he’s always doing that. Like I really enjoy listening to (all people) a lot more! Which is really important, to listen to people.
Also I’ve been spending time with people who I use to be too stuck up with to associate with. ha I know I’m a jerk. Joke
But anyway Gods been really great and I love him a lot. He has taught me what it means to be a physician, and how to help heal people i can see myself growing into my name. And I’ve been told so many times how I’ve influenced them on big choices or just helped there self esteem and this makes me so happy. Nothing fills me more than coming out of myself and serving others.
God’s love never fails; He has been answering so many of my prayers I can’t begin to tell you. And yah I’m just really pumped right now and want to share! Nothing in this whole world makes me more satisfied than JC! And nothing is more real than Him. Ameannnnn
Anyway I just really want to encourage you guys again that no matter what’s going on in your life, happy times, bad times whatever understand that God is with you and is forming something great!
Have a awesome DAY
LOVE YOU ALL!


P.S
COME VIIT ME IN MONCTON NEW BRUNWICK! YOU WILL PROBALY HAVE THE BEST TIME OF YOUR LIFE.
JUST SAYING...
this picture does not do justice. halllaaa

What's going on GOD?!

So I just found out on Thursday that I’m moving to Surrey, BC for the next six months. Much has happened since the last time I posted many full moons ago. No, I didn’t ‘full’ moon anyone. Just halfers maybe hah (long-johns still on). But that’s besides the point.

Waaay back in September I felt the Lord was clearly calling me to Briercrest so I dropped everything and drove out shortly before classes began.

O sorry going back before that, end of July I guess, I quit cycling competitively. The reason for that being life itself was becoming harder and I realized how much pressure I was putting on myself in forcing myself to work out all the time. It was becoming too much to always have to ride hours on end each day and if I missed a day I beat myself up pretty bad about it. It just wasn’t worth it anymore, too much stress. (Ok, so I know what you’re all thinking. DUH! We saw that like from the second we met you Haley. I was so focused on it. I’m a little slow all right haha.)

During Kaleo I had started throwing up my food very occasionally when I’d mess up and eat a lot of something I shouldn’t. Once Kaleo ended, this became much more frequent. I’d go on tours with the Team and race hard in extreme heat, day after day, not eat much and then throw up my dinner that we ate as a Team. Looking back I don’t know how my body was able to compensate for that. This also contributed to why I needed to drop cycling for some time.

Now, going back to B-crest. For those of you that don’t know the first semester was extremely challenging for me personally. The classes I took were great and I learned tons. However I think cycling was a very tight lid I had snapped on to keep everything suppressed and not let anything leak. First semester was about that lid coming off. I started out so excited for getting rid of the lies I knew existed and to pursue my Jesus and His truth. I wanted freedom and I wanted it desperately. Little did I know how engrained and consuming these dark lies had become as they had sat brewing in my mind unspoken for more then half of my life. Speaking things out into the open, pushing thoughts from the darkness of my mind and heart into the light became huge for me. As stupid and unreasonable as they sounded. As I uncovered this lid, massive monsters that I have little control over have come roaring out and are towering over me. The more I speak, the deeper and darker things go. I find myself in a place I thought I’d never be again. I didn’t want to go back into this intense despair but I don’t think I can experience freedom without traveling this road first. Tormented by lies and feeling so empty. I’ve been in and out of hospitals throughout the last five months and diagnosed with bulimia and depression.

Second semester took a bit of a different direction. I ended up back at home in MB. Home has been real hard in multiple ways. The circumstances surrounding this decision added to the deep pain I was already feeling. Loneliness has been my unwanted constant companion. I often can’t feel the Lord near and beg Him to make this knowledge of Him that feels fake so intimately known by my heart, to the very core of who I am in Him. I long to want what He wants so much more than what I want. Many moments with no feeling at all have accompanied me this year. I am so numb sometimes I think it would be safer for me to feel the pain as scary and unbearable as that may be. Right now I’m desensitized. I recognize I’m in a dangerous place but it doesn’t bother me very often at all. I also recognize that being in this place the Lord has protected me from much. I fail to be thankful for it though. In fact I get angry often because He’s protecting me. I have such trouble accepting His love for me, I find myself having to fight often to not push everyone away and actually ask for help. I keep telling myself I’m not going to make it through this. That I can’t handle the pain any longer. The Lord however, has a different plan (how typical right, I know so little about His great plan). My strength is failing both mentally and physically these days and I feel like His strength is no where to be found in my eyes, no matter how hard I search and plead, but I sense it’s got to be there since I’m still breathing, still battling. I frustrate myself with how little sense I make sometimes. With conflicting desires and loud voices in my head demanding things of me.

Anyways, I don’t know what He’s doing. I’m exhausted. I’m weak. I’m numb to the pain often and when I do feel, I wish I didn’t.

So, moving to BC...

There is a program there called Mercy Ministries (mercyministries.ca - check it) that is pretty much a hospital that has Christ at the center. After a long application process they called me this last Thursday about coming in. They usually give two weeks notice but the woman who’s been talking with me over the last five months felt strongly that I needed to be rushed in as soon as possible and encouraged me heavily to come next week. This is a bit crazy since there are over fifty other girls on the waiting list. It’s estimated that I’ll be there for the next six months going through counseling, seeing doctors and working though some of this pain. I don’t see another option at this point and have clear affirmation from others in taking this step of obedience. I don’t want to go. I have no idea what the Lord intends to do with me there but I am trying to trust that it is good. I’ve had assignments from them ever since I was put on the waiting list. Reading a book full of the testimonies of other women who have had Mercy change their lives was one of them. I was amazed at the power of God in these lives but at the same time found my story to be so different from theirs. It definitely had similarities but the one major difference was that they didn’t know the Lord or had walked away from Him before coming to Mercy. Once they experienced His unconditional love through the staff and were directed back to Him, their lives changed significantly and powerfully. This puts a big question mark in my head because I have been journeying with Him through all of these struggles. I am asking for your prayers as I head out on this journey. I know it will be dang hard but want to expect and anticipate all the Lord has to offer in this. It reminds me a bit of the second semester of Kaleo. Going into something I thought I didn’t want to go into after months of the Lord working on me. I keep having to remind myself of what came of that. How much God blew my mind. How it was so much sweeter then anything I could’ve imagined in January. Then my incentive was the sick biking on the island, now my incentive is God and God alone. While I was praying about this decision after they called me I heard Jesus speak these words to me - ‘You’re more ready than you know.’ At first I wasn’t sure if it was Him, I think the enemy loves to put these doubts in my mind constantly but over the past day I been assured it’s from Him. So now is the time. I’m just going to do it - trusting. I’m going to pack my bags and will arrive Thursday May, 12.

Please be praying this week that I just make it there. That I would arrive in one piece (mostly out of fear of myself and my own free will) even if it’s not perfect, just to get there is going to be a challenge. I’d love for you guys to be sending me out in prayer.

I won’t have internet at all so you’ll know why I won’t answer fb, emails or able to read the blog. Contact is pretty limited so maybe be sending up prayers instead - I’d love that. I can receive phone calls I think on Sundays (?) but will write in the comments when I know for sure (just get the # off of the MM website I think). And I can receive mail! I’d love letters if anyone’s up for it.

A few psalms that have been significant to me lately that might be a good start for praying over me:

23, 27, 42, 43, 51, 62, 63, 92, 107, 139 ... ok I better stop haha. Or just turn the Spirit loose in leading you.

I love you all.

By His grace and in His love, your sister,

Hales

The Yearbook

I just discovered that you can access the Kaleo Seven Yearbook online, in case you miss us a lot or want to show it to someone and don't have it with you:

Untitled | Make Your Own Book

Just not feeling the Love

Alright kids its time for a story with Grandpa Bob. Grab a loved one, pull up some rug, and grab some popcorn. This might take a while…

This will be my second of post one the wall. I am sorry for the delay and do to contrary belief I do check the blog almost every day. I just never post or respond. I could sit here and make a long list of excesses such as, I’m too busy, I’m not well with words, I can never find the words to say, I’m not good with computers…and the list goes on. But I will say again, I am sorry.

So where did we leave off…Awe yes, last April…

I was one of the last to leave camp and again one of the first to return. It had a strange feel to it. It was empty. I was placed in the same room and even the same bed as I was for the year. I was blessed with awesome roommates (not to say that James and Nick could every be replaced) who enjoyed going to bed at an early time. We were the old room. I would wake up at times and think that Kaleo was still going on, but it was just advance crew. Advance crew was a sweet time. I was back on the tools building again. Oh how I missed it so. There was no home work and just lots of chill time. Meeting new faces and enjoying the beautiful weather, life was good.

Summer came and went within a blink of an eye. I was camp security. A pretty laid back job. I would work from 5pm to 2am. I know what most of you are probably thinking. “2am…that’s way past Bobs bedtime!” And you know what…It was. But it gave me the morning off and even pretty much the whole afternoon. Now some where in between advance crew and summer I met a girl. This girl was something else. She was out going and crazy and not to mention HOT! I fell for this girl and I fell pretty hard. Her name is Em-J (Emma Jane not Marry Jane like in Spiderman). She would never admit it to you, but I believe that she sought after me. She asked if I’d like to go for ice cream. Ice cream is my Kryptonite. I was all over that. Ice cream? Yes please. I didn’t want to date during the summer, but looking back now…You basically were. She was an ALL star (games person with Stevie-G) and I was the cool security guard. I was able to be a counselor for a week. It was probably one of my favorite weeks. I had an awesome group of boys who basically all knew each other. There were 3 guys that didn’t know the other boys, but they got along with each other great.

Summer came to an end and we all went our separate ways. I was going to stay on camp full time for a year but things changed.

I WENT TO ENGLAND. I was awesome. I travelled around with Alice and Joel Blakey. Joel was only part of our England tour for 2 weeks, but I met up with him for 2 more weeks in Northern Ireland. My whole trip lasted 9 weeks. 9 good, but long weeks. It was hard trying to start a new relationship and travelling around. There would be days that I’d be without Internet and I would go crazy. I would drive Alive crazy too. Out of the whole 9 weeks I’d say that I had the most fun in Northern Ireland. Joel had just moved there a week before and man is he ever blessed with awesome housemates. These boys loved the lord and the loved each other. It was so refreshing to be in such a community like that again. During this time in England I did some thinking and praying about camp. And after much thought I decided that camp was just not going to work out. I just couldn’t afford it any more. I would be loosing $200 a month and my savings were not doing so hot after not working for 2 years. So I had to say goodbye to a place that I loved and move on. And since I had no real place to move on to I thought might as well move closer to the girl. She was pretty happy about this idea as well. She even found me a place to live and even a job. She is so good to me.

I now am living in Maple ridge (Vancouver). It’s not a very big community. It has a lot of horse people. A very big farming town. I have lived here for about 5 months and there have been some good times, and some bad times. Right now I’m in one of those bad time. And I’m hurting pretty bad. Which is why I am crying out to you now.

I’m too busy. Three simply words that pack a lot of punch. Things with the girl have not been going well these past 3 months. We’ve been doing nothing but fighting. She is a very busy woman and isn’t making any time for me. Every time I call her on it she just tells me that she’s busy. I say okay, and then in about 3 weeks I bring it up again. I’m not feeling important. She spends all her free time with her cousin or other friends. I am not near the top of her list. Which in a relationship aiming for marriage I think that I should be. She is from maple ridge and has a lot of friends here. I have none. It’s been very hard to find friends when we bounce around churches. She needs me to have a bunch of friends so that when she’s busy I too can be busy. But it is hard for me to find friends when I only work with one other guy or by myself. Don’t get me wrong, I’m enjoying my job, but at times it can be lonely. These past 3 weeks have been the worst. It has been exam time and I haven’t really seen her. I would make her dinner because she was out studying and 15 minutes before she said she would be home I call to double check to find out she’ll be another 3 hours and blow off dinner. This would happen on a regular basis. It has been very frustrating on my part. And to top it off her and her family are starting a business and she works part time and now is a Mary Kay woman. She is a very busy woman. On Tuesday I popped in to say hello before her Mary Kay party and she asked if we could talk. She asked how I was doing and how I think that we are doing. I told her that I was frustrated with her schedule and I’m tired of begging for some of her time. She then went on to tell me that I am the nicest guy that she ever dated and that I treat her very well, but she is just to busy and cant handle a relationship right now. She wants to go one a little break for a while, a break from us. She still wants to marry me, but I have to make my own life here in maple ridge first. She told me that I was needy and that I need to go out and find friends. I gave up everything for this girl. I don’t think that wanting to spend time with someone that you care about is needy (24 hours a day…yes, but an evening or 2 a week without doing home work and maybe an afternoon on the weekend) I would only see her one night a week, if I was lucky and she would be doing homework. She just never made time for me, but had time for her girlfriends. I gave up everything for this girl and when I said that to her she said she couldn’t give up anything. It is now Friday night and I am home alone. I have a few other friends here in town but when I called them up to see if they could hang out or talk I got the same response. “I’m busy”. When I hear that I hear “you’re not worth my time.”

After that whole talk she even told me that she loved me for the first time. I have never said that to a girl that I was dating because I don’t think that unless you are ready to give up you life for that girl that you truly don’t love her. But if she did love me how was she showing it? I wasn’t seeing it. I was feeling neglected and taken for granted. If you want to see where some ones heart is, look at their day planner and bank statement. That was preached in a sermon many years ago. As I was thinking how she isn’t making anytime for me and if she loved me, she would. Then it hit me…

I was putting her before the Lord.

I had realized that a few weeks before and was slowly, very slowly trying to correct that, but I guess the Lord knew that I needed help.

I haven’t been sleeping well and it was a rough week a work and I kept messing up and costing the company money. I believe that I was finding my self worth in earthly things. I am Bob Drinkwater. I’m a carpenter (but can’t do his job well), I have a girl friend (who doesn’t spend time with me), I drive a truck and have a bike…and I’m a Christian (last on my list). Once I realized this, things started to get better. First I am a child of God…then I’m Bob Drinkwater the carpenter. Still haven’t talked to the girl and probably wont for a little while seeing how she is that one that called for the break. I miss her so and would love nothing more then to get back together but many things must change for that to happen.

Much prayer is needed. I miss you all very deeply and would love nothing more then a big group hug around Jim.

The Devil tells nothing but lies and in our weakest moments its hard not to believe them. For me the lies are… You’re a loser, you’re alone, you’re not worth any body’s time, and if you were gone no one would even know nor care. It’s really hard not to believe them.

Bit of an update.

Hey guys,

Start off... I miss you all incredibly. Been reminding myself of the good times alot lately. Wishing I could see you guys again.

Secondly... General life is pretty good right now. I just quit booster juice, so I will be only working at the Casino during the summer. This means I only work a few nights a week and the rest of the time is Tan, Tan, Tan! :D I plan on being obnoxiously brown. Rob and I have now been dating for just over 4 months, he's still wonderful! I'm moving in with my friend's Mellisa and Dirk tomorrow night. I'm really excited to live there. It should be really good. I'm planning on going back to school in September. Either here in Prince George or down in Kelowna. Depending on how much money I can save. I'm going for my Bachelor of Commerce degree. :)

Thirdly... I am in need of some serious prayers right now. I have been really sick for about 3 months now, and the doctors can not figure out what is wrong with me. I've now gone for blood work, two ultrasounds, a CT Scan, and multiple urine tests. On May 5th I get to go see the specialist. I'm really worried about this though because he has to put a scope inside me and look at my organs. Kinda freaky to think about. :( This last week I have been so sick that I can barely stand or walk for more then a few minutes. I found out that I also have a kidney infection now. So I've been missing alot of work lately, and had to come home early today. I just don't want to feel sick anymore. And the drugs they have me on now are really making me sick because you can't eat for 2 hours after taking them or for 6 hours before you take them. So it's really hard for me to be properly nourished right now.

So any words to the big man would be much appreciated right now.

Love you guys so much!

Your sis,

Hopeful.

Some times you just feel like you want to hear everyone's voices again...

These videos don't have EVERYONE... but it's a start.

This is the link to Matthew's Youtube

http://www.youtube.com/user/hopehelphonesty#p/a

This one is James'

http://www.youtube.com/user/vandershnifter

Love you guys!

You Like?

Just so everyone knows, Nick and myself are the new administrators for the blog. If you have any trouble with posting or have any ideas and opinions on layout and whatnot, just talk to us!

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almost a year!!!!

K7!!!!
i figured it was about time i write something on here! can you believe it has been almost a year since k7 finished?? weird!!!
I would have to say that this year has been an incredible one!! tons of moving around... but sooo good!

my basic itinerary since kaleo...
prince george- camp- prince george- camp- manitoba/ontario- oregon- surrey- thailand- china- mongolia- china- mongolia- thailand- china- mongolia- china- and now i am back chilling in mongolia again! but i will only be here about 2 more weeks before i head back to canada!

what's next?? well as a lot of you know i think... i was hoping to move right to vancouver to go to hair school. however after talking to my friend that i was maybe going to move in with and finding out how expensive vancouver actually is i had to do some thinking and praying! she recommended that i save money for 6 months to a year before even moving to vancouver. i knew that if that was where i was supposed to be that God would provide the money i would need... but i was really praying for clear direction...

so...the other day i got an e-mail from a friend who works for folklore(a tree planting company) and he told me he was looking for someone who could be a quality checker for the summer.(basically i just go behind the planters and make sure they are planting their trees properly) so as of yesterday you are looking at folklore's newest checker!!! 3 months in the bush baby! there are a lot of details of how this is a clear direction for me... but the short version is that this is where i really feel and have peace that the Lord is leading me!! so no vancouver yet... instead i am heading back up north!

please pray though!... i have been looking at trying to find a flight back to canada and haven't found anything reasonable yet... i am going to talk to a travel agent today. so hopefully!!

here are a few highlights from my time here in asia as well...

-being in china for chinese new years!!!- craziest fireworks you will ever see!
-having Christmas with my family!
-a big reunion of missionary kids over Christmas!!!
-beaches in thailand!
-hanging out in china last month with a british family... i helped look after their 3 little boys-that i adore!!
-having time to do more artwork!!
-getting hit on by lots of asian guys!
- getting a literal taxi ride in a police van!!!
- trying to start the first underwear tree at the only ski hill in mongolia
-a FREEZING cold campout over new years!
- market shopping!
- a free gym membership to a super expensive gym!(at first i thought it was $200 a month... but found out it is actually $250 a month! crazy!!)
-picnics, hiking, and playing on the frozen river in the mongolian countryside!
- and tons more!!

REALLY i am SOOO thankful for this time i have had back in asia! i need to get going... but i hope you are all doing well and i think of you often!!

HEY GUYS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Wooooooooottt!! What’s up!!! AHH I miss you wonderful people, I hope you are all being awesome post kaleoers and rising to every occasion life throws out you. How sweet is life!!! woooooo!!!


I am praying for you all, amen to the power of prayer- YEAHHHH UH! prayer brought me to art class which i love!!!! that picture is me BTW!!!!!!!! what will i do with it .. i dont knowwwww?? Alright so here’s the deal you all need to pray for my art class because I care for them and none of them are Christians... they are wild ! That’s all…


yeaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh
p.s if I get one comment I’m going to scream!
p.s again this is a crazzzzzzy posttttttt wooooooooooooooot

prayers may finally be answered

well i dont want to get my hopes up but it looks like my dads trial will be over before my little brothers birthday (may 9th) which means he should be out in just a couple weeks. cannot even begin to describe how happy i am right now. ahhhhhhhhhhhhhh. thats me shouting i cant actually do it cause im in the library studying for exams...

john 11:40 "did i not tell you if you believe you would see the glory of God?" :))))))))

love you ALL

Birth Dance Party 4 Hales!

Thought you guys might want to know.....

I'm Getting Married! If you haven't seen the facebook updates then I thought I's let you all know that I have recently become engaged. Now there is a long story behind it all that I don't have the time to tell now, so to whet your appetite perhaps you can check out the proposal video on youtube at this link:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6K-r3Ap4yaU

Love ya,
Nick "Pilgrim" VanSnick
One Who Journeys

My heart is darker than these oceans, my heart is frozen underneath...

Hey family,

I need prayer, I am drowning. As you all know my life hasn't been the easiest on me, when I was house sitting my house last week I found an AA handbook, a sheet of times and places for meetings, no wine in our house (which is very unusual) and anti depressants. I am about to head home in a very short time. With all of what ever this is going on I am going to need strength for me and my sisters, because I know after I confront my step dad and find out for sure, I will hold responsibility with my mom too, responsibility that I can not run away from like I did the last time. I really hope that it is not what it looks like, but I really don't know what else to think, especially seeing first hand how my mom can get. God and I aren't on very good terms either so I am finding it hard to lean on him for support and to be honest I think this is the most honest I have been in a long time, (which may shock some of you, since I have never been one to lie about how God and I are). I need help... As much as I tell people over and over I am, I am not okay.

Your sister,
Mercy <3

“They may take our land, but they can’t take our freedom…”-Braveheart

Alright so to get you started you need to be reading this as grounds keeper willie from the Simpsons, and if you haven't seen the Simpsons then your probably a fan of Shrek....(donkey?). ready? ok.

Well I'm sitting in a starbucks (of course) in Edinburgh Scotland right now. yes. Scotland. why? because I'm on an adventure of a life time.... here's the story:

In January I sat down with my parents explaining to them, "mom, dad... I'm a bum.. I have no job, not going to school.. and well yes.. I'm a loner.." shocking right? yes hard to believe Rivera doing nothing (shopping is fun, the movies are fun this... is not fun!) ... So my dad suggested that I go work abroad. umm no thanks I'd rather stay at home surfing the web and slowly become agnostic. <- agnostic? well I'm not the best person to be living outside community.. So for about a week I was looking at going to New Zealand, there's a lot of fruit picking work, long hours, hot sun, back breaking... hmmm alright looking somewhere else. how about... the UK? I could travel to europe on the weekends! So I got all my paper work filled out, a couple trips to Toronto to the british embassy, a few £'s, and watching post-apocalyptic, zombie movies, and little Britain/the office uk/ and simon pegg.. I was all set for the UK. I have a 2 year working visa, so I can work in wales,england,n.ireland, and Scotland. On March 21st I landed in London.. well not really london, my plane wasn't able to land due to fog. LOVELY! and then for some reason they wouldn't let us off the plane for about 3 hours because we landed at a national airport not international.. I could write a post about that experience alone.. lets just say.. police surrounding the plane, reporters taking photos, people threatening to leave the plane when not allowed to... WELCOME TO LONDON RIVERA! ahha then I had to buy a bus ticket to london which was about 39 miles away.. good luck! made it to london, got lost on the underground, made it to my hostel and slept for the rest of the day. I only spent a week and a half in london, personally I find it a tad dirty, busy, and well my canadian fashion made me look homeless (hello H&M).. Also there was a protest durning the week, with anarchist, B&E, and masked V for vendetta people everywhere. I've meet some great people from all over the world at the hostels I've been at, and some great girls form Quebec. haha love them. Well now I'm in scotland, and Loving it. Edinburgh is BEAUTIFUL! soooo much history, great stories! went on a free walking tour and learn't so much, suggest if (when) you come over (to visit me) we'll go on the tour! at the end you go to a pub for fish and chips or haggis and a pint. I find haggis spicy.. but good. I've been in edinburgh staying at a hostel for 4 nights and on monday I'm moving to Callander Scotland! at the base of the Highlands just north of Edinburgh (LOVE!) I got a job working at a fudge shop (my employer also owns a souvenir, american antiques, and sweets shop(s)) So I'll be working between them. Well this is the news for now I guess. I do have lots of side stories.. maybe not ok for the blog.. hehhe, spiritually I'm in Love with God! I just need to find community.. I've been looking at stirling baptist wich is 25 min form callander.. just need to find a ride.. hopefully I get sundays off.. I think generally I'm happy, i haven't felt depressed in about two weeks.. maybe It's over powered by stress... but I rather stress then depression., this is a life experience I need (wanted) to have, I've always wanted to travel, get out and see the world... yea it's the UK and there's sooo much more to the world then this, but it's a start right?

(FYI ladies) Come to scotland!! the men a gorgeous, their accents are Sexy and if you don't mind a guy in a kilt... close your eyes when it's windy!!! and well If you get a save the date in the mail.. don't be surprised!!! ;D

Love you all soooooo much!!! it's getting late and I need some sleep before I'm off tomorrow to Callander.

LOVE RIVS

Quick attempt at a post

Hey everyone,

Don't have much time but here is a quick update for you. I live in NB again, in a house with my friends. It is pretty awesome. I am hoping to be a day camp counselor at the YMCA this summer but that job doesn't start until the end of June so I need a job until then. If you guys could pray that some opportunities come my way and that I would be smart enough to see them, this would be super most excellent.

While I don't have a job right now, I do have loads of time to hangout with people which is great because I never really got to do that on PEI and it feels good to spend so much time investing in relationships again, like we did at Kaleo. Just talked to Marissa on fb and she is going to Mongolia soon to visit, which is CRAZY AWESOME! so keep her in mind too.

Love you all! Matthew Newton is an incredible bro! I am working on scheme to be in ON around may 21 to visit yall Ontarian dwelling folk and it is looking solid so far so I will keep you guys posted.

Peace from the Coast in the East, your brother Timothy.

P.S. While Nate's hand is impressive lets be honest here, Jim's head is what makes the photo

Just so yall know. . .

That's my hand! That's MY hand on Jim's Forehead!

Exciting times!

Well, I'm about due for a blog post. The past week or so has been very eventful and I would like to inform you about such things. First of all, I am apprenticing as an electrician! Not sure If i had told all of you but yeah, I'm working at Atco Structures and Logistics; wiring those Atco trailers that you seen on construction sites and camps. I'm a doing very well in electrical and have proven myself skillful in a short manner of time. More on that later.
I was almost in a very serious car accident. By the grace of God, Me or my car did not receive a scratch. Last week, I had a spell of dizziness and was not able to drive anywhere because of my disorientation. I though the dizziness was gone but two days ago, it made a reappearance. For some reason, traffic had stopped on the highway and I didn't really clue in that I had to stop (due to my lethargic state) until I was around 50 feet away from the stopped car in front of me. I was going 100 km/h and had no where near enough time to stop (you need around 240 feet at that speed) so I bailed into the ditch but was able to continue driving afterwards. I can only describe it as God literally taking the wheel from my hands and perfectly parking the car around two car lengths in front of the car I almost rear ended. Praise the Lord! As for the dizziness, The doc said it most likely from high-ish blood pressure (140/72 vs. normal 120/90) and a headache-less migraine. I am getting bloodwork done today and will see if there anything else contributing. As for the high blood pressure, I have been putting on too much stress on myself at work. We just finished a month of overtime and we had to work very hard just to keep up. I pushed myself waaaaay beyond the limit and my body said it's had enough. Every muscle in my body is super tense. It is so bad, I can feel blood flow in my head being restricted by the tenseness in my neck. So as a result, God said slow down (Ha! literally!) and I have a nice, long, doctor-officiated break to relax. Pray that I might be able recover from my stress inducing pace.
That same day I had the first dizziness spell, I was also prophesied over. Wow! this was a treat. It was given by some dude I had never met before from the States. In the prophesy, he said that I was to be a builder in the nations, both physically and in the kingdom. He said that I had a "platter" of talents and abilities that God had given me and that God had a great smile with the way I had humbly laid them in front of Him and let Him choose where he wanted me to go with these skills. Because I had done that, God will allow me to use all of the skills in my lifetime (Yipee!) but the one I desire most, will become the center of my ministry. He prophesied that God will give me the desires of my heart and that I will be successful in whatever I lay my hands to. He said that I had a great mind, and that I will use that mind to create financial release for others. And because of God's provision, I will be able to all this! Pretty flippin' cool eh?
As for the famjam, I recently moved in with papa and absolutely love it! That dude is so cool and we can farts around all day if we really wanted to. Totally a blessing from God. As for mama, she was recently admitted to the royal alexandria hospital to receive some medication for some health challenges. Please pray for her healing as I know that God wants to heal her but there is something that is preventing him to do it. It might be pride, unbelief or unforgiveness, Pray against all of these in the name of Jesus Christ.

That's pretty much all I can think of for the moment. I love you all and I can't wait until the next time we are able to see each other again. I am praying for you and thinking of you often.

God bless,

Masterpiece

Go[ing] in peace, to love and serve the LORD -Cal McFarlane

This semester is coming to a close and I will be a graduate from Briercrest for the second time in two years. I may return, I may not. What I have decided is that I won't decided what I will decided until the time to decided has been decided which is undecided at this point. In that decision, I have decided to just take it easy and utilize this time not to apply any unnecessary pressure, and relax within this kind of freedom.

One thing that has been decided for me is my place of residence and employment for the summer. Ontario...get ready, CUZ I'M HEADED YOUR WAY!! God has orchestrated myself to find favour in the eyes of Jeremy's landscaping employer and has given my the privilege of not only working side by side with Jeremy for the summer but living with him also. (So Jess,

I'll be visiting you right on time.) I pray that the entries we post of some of the adventure we have will encourage all of you K7's and give you joy to share these times with us in spirit.

Until then, I hope to finish this semester giving my all to these courses that I have deeply loved and involved myself into lately. Because the next two weeks happen to be far more open than last semester having taken six courses, I want to use my time intentionally with investing into my friends with the help and focus of our Lord Jesus.

I'll be back in Steinbach (back in the 'bach) for the first week of May and, being closer to a phone together with a less pressing schedule, I should be available for some good ol' phone conversations (I'm leaving the world of Facebook come April). I still check my email though - markguenther15@gmail.com

See you Southern Ontario dwellers soon (and whoever else cares to visit me).

I hung out with Kristie!

Be Jealous! :D

You Carved Your Name.

Hey! Fancy running into you here! It has definitely been a while since I have talked to many of you. I really am very poor at keeping in touch, and for that I am truly sorry. I hope all of you are doing well and enjoying life. My life has been uneventful for the past while, I finished my program and have been accepted into pre-health sciences in September. And the EMS on my reserve has been asked by chief and counsel to take on a summer student, and Sean the EMS supervisor has specifically requested me to fill the position! I am slowly getting closer and closer to my end goal and I cannot seem to hold in my excitement each time I think about it. Since I have no school I spend my time working and sleeping as I work grave shift at a casino and I have been playing a lot of hockey (ice and ball and coed). I am currently coaching a beginner’s hockey clinic on my reservation and get paid to do it. My boss is so pleased with that work I have been doing in the clinic that she is looking for a way to get me ice for three clinics three times a week next year, she is trying to figure out how to get me a more permanent position…so I can be paid…PAID TO COACH HOCKEY!!! I cannot picture my life getting any better then what it already is. I am feeling content and right now and am confident that my life is heading in a very positive direction. In the stormy waters of life I seem to have found a nice eddy in which I can take my time and play around in. I know I have probably disappointed many of you (as I have my parents and siblings) in my hesitancy to be follower God, but as of now I still have very many issues with him and am not entirely sure of a belief of his existence. I feel as if exploration it the right thing for me, and to be honest I am happy in my life right now and all that I am doing. I refuse to refer to myself as a Christian to anyone who would call me one or to any one who would question what my beliefs are. I do not feel it is right in anyway to associate myself with a faith I am unsure as to how I feel about, as I do not want to be the one that people use as a example of a faith. Having said this I still consider each of you my brothers and sisters because of the bonds we formed while at Kaleo and I would like to thank you for the community you gave me last year. I was telling my story to a man who is conducting research on young adults and faith. He wanted to hear my story before we got down to the actual research part (which will be next Tuesday). Anyways it was the first time I had told my story to anyone since Kaleo and my Dad’s heart attack and surgery. As I was talking it made me miss you guys and remember how much you guys meant to me. So I just wanted to say that I was thinking of you all today and found that I was missing you very deeply.

I seem to have forgotten what talking can do, even if it was just for the purpose of research. But talking about my past experiences and my thoughts now seem to be very therapeutic, even though they are spoken to a stranger. The little ach in my heart reappeared today and I could not help but smile as I thought of you all today and the adventures we shared. I miss you all dearly and just thought I would give you an update and let you know that each of you have craved you name upon my heart and it makes me smile when I think of the memories of how each of you did this.

Much love,

Abby.

Sister in great pain at the moment.

100 Huntly Street

My sister was on 100 Huntly street today, Check it: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZHnD6dpUExA&feature=player_embedded

Pi Day

Do you guys know what international holiday is coming up? You guessed it! Pi Day! On March 14th (3.14) it is Pi Day all over the world. I am inviting you to celebrate Pi day wherever you are. Make a pie or buy a pie and then eat it. If you want you can carve a Pi symbol into the pie. Well I hope you all enjoy some pie.

Oh how weird...

Hello all. Miss you greatly.

I am officially sitting in Jim Badke's living room. In a matter of minutes I will be heading over to the camp and walking in on the K8 Gospels class before they head to lunch. This will be the first time that I have set foot on Qwanoes property without all of you here. I'm not excited. It shall be sad to walk by our old rooms and see new people living in them. 310 won't have a chin up bar in the walk way, 213 won't have a creepy curtain, and none of the doors will be covered in our random hang ups.

I miss you guys so much.

Justin is here with Wes. But I wish you all were too.

Your sister, Bria

Mom

Mom is gone now. We are all feeling good. Losing a mother is hard and I have been losing her for the past few weeks. But today she moved on and it feels a lot like the end of Kaleo, sad to say goodbye but excited to meet again. I appreciate all the prayers and conversations. Words can be hard so don't sweat it if you can't find any. Just knowing that you are my brothers and sisters means a lot. Still hoping to run into many of you asap.

Cheers, love you guys.

Hey guys. So in these past couple of weeks a lot has happened with my mom. After a recent scan we found out that mom is really short on time. The cancer is affecting her personality and so she isn't the mother I know. She sleeps about 21 hours a day and it looks like we are down to weeks. These past couple weeks I have felt the most loss and hurt. Just wanted to fill you all in.

I know you guys are praying for me and thinking of me and my mom. I am sure it has helped in ways I don't even know of. I have a hard couple of months ahead of me but I know that love grows much in suffering. Cheers brothers and sisters, I will be in touch.

How easy it is.
How easy it is, to lift your hands,
How easy it is, to raise His name
How easy it is, to be given so, so much
How easy it is, to praise
How easy it is, say “blessed be His name”
In times of prosperity
In times of despair?
How easy it is.

How easy is it to say,
What I have is not mine
It belongs to The Lord
How easy is it, to lift your hands
How easy is it, to open those hands
How easy is it, to look upon a crowd
Who have been given so much
Who haven’t had what was given
Taken away?
How easy is it, to recognize the ownership
What you have been given
Your Friends
Family?
How easy is it.

It’s not easy.
It’s not easy to raise my hands
It’s not easy to say, “blessed be His name”
It’s not easy to look upon a crowd
Who have not been challenged?
Who still have what they were given?
And can easily sing, “blessed be the name”
It’s not easy to stare down a calendar
And wonder, How long till?
It’s not easy to imagine a life without
It is easy to imagine a life with.
Not without.
It’s not easy,
Not one bit.

Jeremy

Yo Jer, why do you have to be such an idiot and not be on Facebook?

The Last 5 minutes.

Go to the last five minutes of this sermon from an Anglican church in Lethbridge, i hope you enjoy this as much as I did. But if you want feel free to listen to the sermon as a whole i wont try to stop you but it is one worth listening to in its entirety.

http://www.staug.org/modules/core/home/1/sermons/sermon2011-01-30-10-15-51.mp3

Titles do not appeal to me :P

Hey guys,

Through a various set of circumstances and gracious people, God has been revealing to me that I am quite a controlling person. This has to do with my past, I was programmed to fight my circumstances rather than be dealt a serious amount of pain. Also, after a counselling session, I was told that my brain is programmed to forget things as a method of dealing with pain. Remember how I was always forgetting things? I would like to leave this controlling personality behind and start with a clean slate. I am thankful for the name you guys gave me because it will help me through this process. I would appreciate your prayers and encouragement, I need it right now. Yes, you just heard Trent admit a need, shocking eh? The realization of the state of my character has left me quite discouraged and I am angry at myself for how I have conducted my life/relationships as a result. Did I say that I need your prayers and encouragement? Yes, please help me through this, I cannot do it alone. As a result of my forgetfulness, It is much harder for me to deal with such things.

God bless you my friends,

Masterpiece.

You Guys

In my class yesterday we were going over Proverbs. I wish I could remember what just exactly what proverb he was going over, but he was asking the question how many people in our lives can we share everything with, and have them still love us ("take our heads off" as he put it). He said he could only think of two people in his life. I feel very, honored, thankful, humbled, and in awe of the blessing of Kaleo. Thank you all for being a part of the number that I can share with. You left me realizing how blessed I am to have done Kaleo, and every day here I see just how sweet we had it, mainly because my roommate is uber jealous and wished he had done Kaleo. Eric (my prof) really put things into perspective for me, as he has many other things. I don't quite think a "thank you" is sufficient enough for what I am trying to convey, but it will have to do. Thank You.

Your Brother,

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6gJjzpON3bA

A Blog?

So I've been thinking that I should post on here for a little bit but frankly I really don't have that much time right now...So I'll refer you to my recently started blog:
nvansnick.tumblr.com

I also want to draw attention to my very first post on it:
http://nvansnick.tumblr.com/post/2160703545/yep-thats-where-it-all-started-right-there-on

Anyway, love you guys lots. Keep on keeping on.

Nick "Pilgrim" VanSnick
One Who Journeys

Clarification

So I realize my last post sounded pretty negative. But it wasn't meant to be, I just wasn't clear enough. So here are my thoughts using much greater explanation.

So it's an idea that sounds bad at first but has come out of some hard times. The idea is that hope doesn't just have to be about the wholeness, restoration and glory of the kingdom of heaven. Hope doesn't have to be entirely about healing or victory.

Lately my life has sucked, BUT... it's okay. See I have found a sort of hope in suffering, a peace in pain, a life in death. My pain and suffering over the last 6 months have led to the deepest connection i have ever had with my family. Love grows much in suffering. And so I appreciate suffering. I am content to live in a messy, messed up mess of a life because it deepens my reality, it brings depth to how I live, it brings me hope.

See, whenever I talk to people about this I usually hear about the "one day" when all will be made whole. But that "one day" could be up to 60 years away. It seems to me like hope needs to be much more dynamic than just a point in the future.

Metaphors don't seem to do this justice but I will try. It is like in any action movie. The best scene in the movie is usually the last one where the main villain is defeated. If I am watching the new Robin Hood for the second time, I can't go through the whole movie just waiting for Godfrey to get killed. I watch the movie and let all the garbage, the suffering of the characters, the trials that Robin faces, build up the connection to the characters. Robin's strong character shines through in his tough moments, maid Marian's devotion to others shines through as she toils in the fields. Those moments build up a strong appreciation for the characters, a love for the characters. It is those moments that make the final scene so good. Without the injustices, how can we savor the justice that comes when Robin places a skilled arrow through the neck of Godfrey and so ending his chain of evil deeds and deceptions?

I guess all I am saying is shouldn't we, at least sometimes, find the places where people are hurting and place ourselves right in the middle of it, and experience the suffering. Not create suffering or push others to cause suffering but seek out the places of suffering as it is. Love grows much in suffering. We could see the true character of people around us. We could develop a greater love just by living in suffering with others. Then when justice comes we can savor the sweet glory of restoration, but not before it's time has come. Desert after the veggies, not before.

This is what I have come to understand and live out lately. I am not without hope, just in a revelation of hope in ways and places that are new to me. Hope this helps clarify my last post a bit. Cheers.