Goodbye beavers

Goodbye Frank and Gordon!



I just heard that you're going back to the forest. I would send you guys text messages and would have loved to receive them back from you but Bell (the stupid company who you probably got sick of) started charging me for incoming text messages.


I don't blame you guys for leaving. Bell's getting on my nerves too.


Adios Amigos,



Caroline

waiting game

I never heard back from the people out in Fort McMurry so I guess that means I'm still on the job hunt for Sept. the hardest part of being in teaching has been the waiting game.

It feels almost impossible to get a position right now which temps me to want to go overseas.

Faced with a challenge.

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I was just offered a great job. I should be excited and yet I'm scared out of my mind. I was offered a teaching position with Fort McMurray public school (in a publicly funded Christian school), it has a high First nations population and a high ESL population. Plus, on top of all that it pays 70K to start.

Yet, I sit here and wonder if I'm cut out for it. I know for sure that I'm not the same Christian I was years ago. I've lost the passion over the years. I still trust God and believe Jesus has redeemed my sins but I know that I don't do the same things I use to do. I'm not into the whole running around town telling people about Jesus any more thing. Not to say that I would never do it again it's just harder now that's all. I'm rusty!

The idea of working with first nations people excites me. I've wanted to do that since I was in high school but I didn't know how to approach it.

Additionally, working with students with high ESL needs is also one of those things that make me happy. I love the idea that I could work with them allow them to develop their language skills and overall that sounds great too.

The challenge comes with what I do with Craig. When I first thought about the opportunity he said he would think about it. Now, after some thinking he realized it's not somewhere that he can move. I know in my heart that it makes sense for us to just carry out a long distance relationship but here's the thing.... what if God's just calling me away to get seperate me from Craig. Would God be so cruel? Why do I always feel like I need to choose? Why can't I just have both?

If I stay here in Toronto am I ever going to have the same opportunities that this adventure will offer me? I know that I'm not going to be able to teach in a Catholic school here and that's difficult for me to accept. I set out in this profession years ago with a vision and right now, I can't see how that vision is going to be fulfilled here in Toronto.

So many what if's here. Must pray... must pray...

God's provisions

I feel like the luckiest girl in the world right now! I just realized that I got another scholarship from York! Yeah!!! This means that I might actually have money to start paying off my OSAP loan.

I was starting to think that maybe I would have to get a second job so I can pay off the loan and now maybe I don't. Mind you it would be nice to have money.

so I realized that I might not get marreid as soon as I thought I would. Which sucks but I guess that alright.

The Sweetest Thing

Isn't it great when one of your good friends decides to get married? I'm overly excited by the fact that Julie and Justin are finally getting married! I'm so happy! Whoo hoo! Congrats guys!

The Letter

Last night Craig and I had a chance to speak to his Priest. He told me that I wouldn't be able to get a letter from him becuase of the fact that I'm not Catholic. I don't know why I even asked him. I mean I kind of knew he wouldn't give it to me but I figured I'd have to ask anyways.

We talked about a lot of things. He mentioned how there are still differences in our fatih even though they're not as big as they use to be.

He mentioned how he didn't think I should convert just because of the fact that I could be issued a letter if I did.

The guy's cool. I gotta admit that. I like the fact that he said that I shouldn't do something just because the school board wanted it. I respect the fact that he said that it's ultimately up to me to decide if I want to convert or not but that converting means that I have to renounce everything from the protestant faith.

Last night the coversation of marriage also came up. We asked the Priest if the Catholic church would be able to marry Craig and I. He said that it's possible but we wouldn't be able to have communion at the service since if we did some of the people who attended the mass might feel offended that they couldn't take communion and he didn't want to exclude anyone. The priest mentioned that if the two of us were to get married it would be better if we did it in the Catholic church becuase that way Craig's faith would still be validated. He also made it clear that if we got married it would be marriage from that point on till death caused Craig and I to part. To which I made the comment, "Isn't that a good thing?" and he laughed it off and said, "let's see what you say 10 years from now."

Anyhow... I'm kind of bumed about the whole letter thing. I really wanted to teach in the school system. Not becuase I want to convert but I want the kids to realize that their faith in Christ doesn't just mean having to follow a bunch of rules but a strong commitment to following Christ becuase of the relationship they have with the Lord.

As we ate dinner yesterday I started thinking about the possiblity that maybe if I teach in the public school I could introduce faith. I know that if I do it I have to be respectful to all faith groups and that I can't be preachy but maybe that's the way to go.

Ok I'm rambling. Time to lesson plan again.

Expiry Dates

So I've got a confession to make. I've started eating products with past due expiry dates. Up to about a week ago I was freaked out with eating products that had a date that passed. I seriously didn't try it because I didn't want to die from it! I mean can you imagine... "It's unfortunate Lynn ate that pasta that had that November 2007 expiry date".

Anyhow... Craig's dad put it this way... "You aren't going to die at midnight just because you ate that yogurt that had today's date on it".

I got baptised on Easter Sunday

That's right. I got baptised on Easter Sunday (March 27, 2005 --> also Stanley's Birthday) I had a chance to stand in front of my family and friends to tell them that I am a follower of Christ. Please don't ask me why it took me so long to get baptised. (There's a very long boring story that goes along with that question. :))

For those of you who were not able to make it I've posted the testimony that I shared at the baptism.

Psalm 25 Of David.
1 To you, O LORD , I lift up my soul; 2 in you I trust, O my God. Do not let me be put to shame, nor let my enemies triumph over me. 3 No one whose hope is in you will ever be put to shame, but they will be put to shame who are treacherous without excuse.
4 Show me your ways, O LORD, teach me your paths; 5 guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my Savior, and my hope is in you all day long. 6 Remember, O LORD , your great mercy and love, for they are from of old. 7 Remember not the sins of my youth and my rebellious ways; according to your love remember me, for you are good, O LORD .
8 Good and upright is the LORD ; therefore he instructs sinners in his ways. 9 He guides the humble in what is right and teaches them his way. 10 All the ways of the LORD are loving and faithful for those who keep the demands of his covenant.
11 For the sake of your name, O LORD , forgive my iniquity, though it is great. 12 Who, then, is the man that fears the LORD ? He will instruct him in the way chosen for him. 13 He will spend his days in prosperity, and his descendants will inherit the land. 14 The LORD confides in those who fear him; he makes his covenant known to them. 15 My eyes are ever on the LORD, for only he will release my feet from the snare.
16 Turn to me and be gracious to me, for I am lonely and afflicted. 17 The troubles of my heart have multiplied; free me from my anguish. 18 Look upon my affliction and my distress and take away all my sins. 19 See how my enemies have increased and how fiercely they hate me! 20 Guard my life and rescue me; let me not be put to shame, for I take refuge in you. 21 May integrity and uprightness protect me, because my hope is in you.
Amen


Like David,I grew up in a Christian home but despite the fact that my parents showed equal love to all of my siblings I often felt that I had let them down. Also, because I was the last child in the family I often felt that I was the mistake child. I often compared myself to my brothers and sister, and when I did that I felt that my life had no value. My siblings were the smart, kind, polite, hardworking ones, and then there was me.

Unfortunately, I didn’t grow up as a normal “Christian” child would. In my childhood I was really awful. I would steal and not think there was anything wrong with it. Go places without telling my parents and it was in grade two that I started stealing from my parents and skipping classes in order to go and play in playgrounds or to go to the pools in different apartment buildings.

When I was in grade seven it was an extremely dark period of my life and I was even contemplating suicide. But I was lucky enough to attend a winter camp where the gospel was shared with me for the very first time. It was during that winter camp that I put my trust in Jesus Christ and accepted Him as my personal Saviour. One night the pastor asked our group if anyone wanted to receive Christ into their life. It was then that I knew that the stories I learned as a child had little value unless I put my trust in Him. So when the pastor asked us to raise our hands if we wanted to accept Christ into our lives I raised my hand as high as I could. That action made a huge difference in my life. It was then that I knew… I was a Child of God.

During my high school years I often experimented with different things. Though I didn’t totally neglect Christ I was very hypocritical in the way that I acted. However, I was lucky enough that each time I would run from Christ I would feel a “Kick in the butt” from God which told me that it was time to go back to Him in order to start living a more abundant life. In university it was then that I finally started to live a Spirit filled life. My new attitude and outlook on life allowed me to see the needs of others instead of always wanting to satisfy my own needs first.

Though I am by no means perfect I know that I am now very different from the person that I started out as and I know that our Heavenly Father will continue to mold me more in His own image.

I stand before you all this afternoon to say that Jesus is the ONLY way to get to Heaven. He is the only way to find true PEACE. Life may still difficult after you receive Christ and there will be times when you mess up big time, and you’ll feel like running from God, but it will hopefully seem easier because He will send His counsellor, the Holy Spirit, to help us out in times of trouble.

Today, I've got the only thing that matters in life. That’s having a personal relationship with Jesus Christ who teaches me how to be filled and grow in the areas of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, faithfulness, and self control. I guess that brings me where I am today. Today I also have a new sense of peace as I have a new purpose in life. I am also experiencing a love which is filing me more than can be believed that is teaching me to care for others. Praise Be To YOU, FATHER!

Thanks to my family and my gals for being there to witness my baptism.
(ESP you guys.. Michelle, Val, Grace, and Jenny
for coming all the way
to the church and not getting lost. Even with my horrible instructions
P.s.I've also posted pictures...