Today was the beginning of one of the largest adventures of my long 18 years of life...YWAM. I moved in yesterday so I guess you could say that the adventure started yesterday but not a whole lot happened so I'm just gonna say that it started today. First off I have to readjust to town living. Street lights, trains. well mostly just the trains. My first night I got about 2 hours of sleep between the train that went past what seemed like every 45 min. I am so not used to that!
I am one of 5 students in this DTS. I am the only girl. Which really isn't much different than living at home except for the fact that none of them are my brothers. At least there are other girls in the house, There is a young couple with at little 1yr old daughter, and then two Korean girls. As of right now I have no roommate but if a girl mission builder comes than she will share my room. The past two nights have been a little boring, spending them in my room alone, over time that might change, but I have a real hard time getting to know people, so it might take a couple days.
Today we just spent time getting to know each other and Blackfalds. We played a couple games to help us learn how we all think, and to learn YWAM's 17 values, haha to bad none of us really read our handbooks...whoops us. This first week we will spend learning what it means to live in community and what it means to love. I am excited to tomorrow when actual classes start! I never thought that I would say that I miss school!
This evening after supper I realized that I am a lot smarter than I thought I was! haha but then again this is just the beginning.
Here at YWAM we are all put on what they call "work duties" they split us up into teams of two and we are responsible for certain chores. I am on lunch clean up and house clean up. So I have to clean up after lunch and then clean the bathrooms, vacuum, sweep, mop, that kind of thing. I am on that with a guy names Kevin. He is from California and is in the Biblical Worldview School. There are Ten people living in the "Red House" (bet you can't guess why it's called that). Two Koreans (Anna & Juhee), Two dutch (Becky & Niek), One Portuguese (Dan), One American (Kevin), 4 Canadians (Chris, Eli, Brandon, Me) and then Becky & Dan's daughter. It makes for cool culture.
I will try keep this as updated as I can, but there are NO guarantees. We will be traveling a lot so I may not have internet access all the time! I will try make it at least once a week! I will end most of them just highlighting interesting things that I have learned, either about myself, life, God, or really anything.
1. I am more of an introvert than I thought
2. You can't scrub off the words that are indented on the inside of rice cookers
3. That it is possible to take a shower in a minuet and a half
4. I am NOT a morning person, even is I am up I do not start functioning at a normal rate until lunch-ish
Anyhow tomorrow is a bright and early day! So long till next time!
-K.G
Monday, January 11, 2010
Tuesday, January 5, 2010
Growing pains...
So unfortunately being only 5 foot I have never really experienced growing pains personally. I do however remember the nights I was woken up by my little sister (who by the way is like almost a foot taller than me) screaming in pain, either she has a super low pain tolerance or those were some killer growing pains. She had them often! I on the other had have only experienced the apparent gnawing feeling in my legs only a couple of times (much to my disappointment). I have however and still am experiencing the growing pains of character growth, (due to my lack of experience in the "growing pains" area I will not compare growing of the heart to the growing of legs) I will just say they suck. I am not sure I have really experienced anything quite as painful! I don't even know how to explain them, other than pain, like your heart physically hurts, I never thought you could feel your heart breaking. Anyhow, over the past couple months I have been experiencing lots of growing pains, which I suppose if I look on the bright side is a good thing, but do I always have to look on the bright side? or can I just wallow in the pit of self pity and broken hearts? I know I know "because it builds character." I feel as though I shall have a lot of character very soon.
I often find it hard, and sometimes almost impossible to keep myself out of the "self pity mode" and keep looking at the silver lining. I often wonder why there is so much pain involved in building character. But then you are really just building your heart, and what is your heart? a muscle, and how do you build muscle? by working out. When you work out and push yourself just a little beyond where you normally go (out of your comfort zone) you tare your muscle just a little bit (i.e the stiff feeling you feel after a long hard day). When the muscle fixes itself you have a stronger muscle (i.e six packs). So when you are going through all the heart breaking and taring of growing pains when your heart fixes itself it is much stronger than it was before. But boy I would much rather spend six hours at the gym than go through some character building experience again! But like time they never cease coming.
As much as I hate the feeling of something getting ripped out of my heart, there is nothing better than the feeling after, the peace, the freedom, and (NO WAY!) the strength that I feel. I feel stronger and wiser having gone through those things than I would without. God has been teaching me and guiding me and building my character so much the past couple months it's been amazing! If I look at where I was in September and where I am now I get blown away! I have grown so much (I feel anyways haha not sure what everyone else thinks =P). God has just totally wreaked me. But the cool thing is (unlike when I take something apart) He is putting me back together into something stronger than before. He is shaping me into what he wants me to be, to be able to carry out the plans that he has for me, the plans that were written before time...But golly does it hurt!
I often find it hard, and sometimes almost impossible to keep myself out of the "self pity mode" and keep looking at the silver lining. I often wonder why there is so much pain involved in building character. But then you are really just building your heart, and what is your heart? a muscle, and how do you build muscle? by working out. When you work out and push yourself just a little beyond where you normally go (out of your comfort zone) you tare your muscle just a little bit (i.e the stiff feeling you feel after a long hard day). When the muscle fixes itself you have a stronger muscle (i.e six packs). So when you are going through all the heart breaking and taring of growing pains when your heart fixes itself it is much stronger than it was before. But boy I would much rather spend six hours at the gym than go through some character building experience again! But like time they never cease coming.
As much as I hate the feeling of something getting ripped out of my heart, there is nothing better than the feeling after, the peace, the freedom, and (NO WAY!) the strength that I feel. I feel stronger and wiser having gone through those things than I would without. God has been teaching me and guiding me and building my character so much the past couple months it's been amazing! If I look at where I was in September and where I am now I get blown away! I have grown so much (I feel anyways haha not sure what everyone else thinks =P). God has just totally wreaked me. But the cool thing is (unlike when I take something apart) He is putting me back together into something stronger than before. He is shaping me into what he wants me to be, to be able to carry out the plans that he has for me, the plans that were written before time...But golly does it hurt!
Sunday, January 3, 2010
2010!
Happy New year!!
wow 2010 already! crazy where time goes! So it's been awhile since I last posted, the holidays are soo crazy busy it's ridiculous!! Celebrating them with just my brother was interesting, totally different! not all bad but very very different. None of the traditions we have with our family happened. No dutch food, no tree, no lights, we were in bed by 7:30 every night. We did go to a friends house on Christmas day for dinner and games after, that was fun, we had some good laughs.
New years was about the same. My brother went to pick up my cousin (who is living with us from ONT.) So he was gone till about 3:30am. I went to a friends house for supper and games till about 11:30. That was good. My Year went out with a push! I got stuck in my friends driveway when I was leaving...Really stuck...really really stuck...it took 13 big guys to push out my vehicle it was quite fun :) Oh the memories I shall carry with me forever.
It's been interesting to adjust to adult life, there are lots of changes. It's been an adjustment living with people who communicate differently than you, who eat differently than you, who run a house differently than you. But as hard as it has been it is all part of growing up and learning and it's been a good thing. Growing never feels good but it's always needed. Sometimes I wish it was just my brother and I but then again When he is gone at work all day it would be pretty darn boring around here. Only one more week to go than I am off to YWAM and will be living with a bunch of new people...PEOPLE I CAN'T GET AWAY FROM THEM haha. I have learned over the past few weeks I am much more of an introvert than I thought. At times that is good but sometimes that is also a pain in the neck! It's a hard road living in community with people, but at the same time has it's advantages. Having parents out of the country is a different feeling, we can't just pick up the phone and talk to them or text them, even e-mail is hard. What a way to get launched into adulthood. I hope to be a little more on top of updating this thing, hopefully once a week but no guarantees.
I hope everyone's year is great!!
-K.G
wow 2010 already! crazy where time goes! So it's been awhile since I last posted, the holidays are soo crazy busy it's ridiculous!! Celebrating them with just my brother was interesting, totally different! not all bad but very very different. None of the traditions we have with our family happened. No dutch food, no tree, no lights, we were in bed by 7:30 every night. We did go to a friends house on Christmas day for dinner and games after, that was fun, we had some good laughs.
New years was about the same. My brother went to pick up my cousin (who is living with us from ONT.) So he was gone till about 3:30am. I went to a friends house for supper and games till about 11:30. That was good. My Year went out with a push! I got stuck in my friends driveway when I was leaving...Really stuck...really really stuck...it took 13 big guys to push out my vehicle it was quite fun :) Oh the memories I shall carry with me forever.
It's been interesting to adjust to adult life, there are lots of changes. It's been an adjustment living with people who communicate differently than you, who eat differently than you, who run a house differently than you. But as hard as it has been it is all part of growing up and learning and it's been a good thing. Growing never feels good but it's always needed. Sometimes I wish it was just my brother and I but then again When he is gone at work all day it would be pretty darn boring around here. Only one more week to go than I am off to YWAM and will be living with a bunch of new people...PEOPLE I CAN'T GET AWAY FROM THEM haha. I have learned over the past few weeks I am much more of an introvert than I thought. At times that is good but sometimes that is also a pain in the neck! It's a hard road living in community with people, but at the same time has it's advantages. Having parents out of the country is a different feeling, we can't just pick up the phone and talk to them or text them, even e-mail is hard. What a way to get launched into adulthood. I hope to be a little more on top of updating this thing, hopefully once a week but no guarantees.
I hope everyone's year is great!!
-K.G
Friday, December 11, 2009
What makes me happy...in the great white north...
So there are a few things that make me feel very happy at this point in life...
1. Snowy days.
2. When you are out doing chores or riding and you come back inside to a nice warm cozy house.
3. Sitting in front of the fire with tea and a book on those snowy days.
4. Drinking real green tea on those snowy days.
5. Doing puzzles in front of the fire with a cup of tea on those snowy days.
6. Foggy glasses: it makes the whole experience more real :)
7. Reading about Robin Hood and King Arthur in front of the fire on those snow days.
8. Watching 'The Princess Bride' in front of the fire with tea.
So really as long as I have tea, a good book, a puzzle, snow, and fire then I am quite content to live in the great white north :)
K.G
1. Snowy days.
2. When you are out doing chores or riding and you come back inside to a nice warm cozy house.
3. Sitting in front of the fire with tea and a book on those snowy days.
4. Drinking real green tea on those snowy days.
5. Doing puzzles in front of the fire with a cup of tea on those snowy days.
6. Foggy glasses: it makes the whole experience more real :)
7. Reading about Robin Hood and King Arthur in front of the fire on those snow days.
8. Watching 'The Princess Bride' in front of the fire with tea.
So really as long as I have tea, a good book, a puzzle, snow, and fire then I am quite content to live in the great white north :)
K.G
Thursday, December 10, 2009
time passes...in the blink of an eye
Do you ever wonder where time goes?? It's crazy how fast things change and grow. You blink and it's gone. I never understood why my parents always told me I was growing too fast. According to me I was growing to slow. Now all I want it to turn back the hands of time and relive those moments that I loved, the moments that I hated, the moments that I thought life couldn't get any worse, the moments that life was the greatest thing that could ever happen, and the moments that changed my life forever. Do you ever wonder how you would handle things going back and redoing them? Would you fight back? Would you just walk away? Would you have more grace? Would you say something or do something different? Would you have more patience? Sometimes I wish that I could go back with all the knowledge I have now and deal with things differently, but then where would I be now? I wouldn't be the same person. I wouldn't have grown the way I did through those situations.
The love you have after building a relationship with someone through the good times and the bad would not be the same, or as strong if you never went through those though times. The understanding that you have for something wouldn't be the same, or even be there if you didn't take the time to work it out. Why is it that when you are so young all you ever want to do it grow up? Why do we spend so much time when we are little trying to be bigger, trying to be older. just the get there and try to be young again? Why can't we just go through life and enjoy every minuet? the good and the bad? the better and the worse? What causes us to fly though life only to regret not taking the time to soak it all in? Why can't we all just stop and breathe? Take in the scenery? Enjoy our pie? (not 100% sure where that one came from but hey I never said I was smart :P).
Four years ago today a little 6 month old baby came into our family screaming, but she still stole our hearts. Who knew she would change our lives so much? all the long nights screaming and writhing from the pain of with drawl. Would I have traded those months or something else? No. If I could have taken her pain away I would have taken it in a heart beat. But would we be where we are now? For one thing no one would have guessed that after 6 months of screaming and writhing in pain every night, that this little girl would hold each one of our hearts so tightly? Well she has. I can't even imagine life without her. It actually hurts to think about it. After four years she has stolen the hearts of pretty much everyone she has come in contact with. Her beautiful brow eyes, her mischievous smile, her contagious laugh, her giggle that can light up a room. she is amazing. Today December 10 2009 marks four years of her being in our home! We looks forward to the years ahead and hope and pray her adoption goes through soon! We love you a million stars Peaches!! (nickname used to protect child).
-K.G.
The love you have after building a relationship with someone through the good times and the bad would not be the same, or as strong if you never went through those though times. The understanding that you have for something wouldn't be the same, or even be there if you didn't take the time to work it out. Why is it that when you are so young all you ever want to do it grow up? Why do we spend so much time when we are little trying to be bigger, trying to be older. just the get there and try to be young again? Why can't we just go through life and enjoy every minuet? the good and the bad? the better and the worse? What causes us to fly though life only to regret not taking the time to soak it all in? Why can't we all just stop and breathe? Take in the scenery? Enjoy our pie? (not 100% sure where that one came from but hey I never said I was smart :P).
Four years ago today a little 6 month old baby came into our family screaming, but she still stole our hearts. Who knew she would change our lives so much? all the long nights screaming and writhing from the pain of with drawl. Would I have traded those months or something else? No. If I could have taken her pain away I would have taken it in a heart beat. But would we be where we are now? For one thing no one would have guessed that after 6 months of screaming and writhing in pain every night, that this little girl would hold each one of our hearts so tightly? Well she has. I can't even imagine life without her. It actually hurts to think about it. After four years she has stolen the hearts of pretty much everyone she has come in contact with. Her beautiful brow eyes, her mischievous smile, her contagious laugh, her giggle that can light up a room. she is amazing. Today December 10 2009 marks four years of her being in our home! We looks forward to the years ahead and hope and pray her adoption goes through soon! We love you a million stars Peaches!! (nickname used to protect child).
-K.G.
Tuesday, November 24, 2009
Concerts and other such delights...
Ok so it's been awhile anyways cool story this past week one of my favorite christian bands came to my area and played! It was an AMAZING worship time! God was totally there and you could just feel his presence it was awesome! there weren't that many people at the show so it made it very personal, and after the show was over it gave us a chance to talk to one of the guys from the band. It was really cool! We were able to pray with him and for him and yeah it was just nice to be able to give back a little bit to them. It must be hard to be in a band and have to pour out so much to people and never get anything in return. I just hope and pray that we were able to make a little bit of a difference even if it just encouraged them. Anyhow I don't really have any more time to post a whole lot more but till next time!
K.G.
K.G.
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
So this past week I've had to play vet for my mare. On Sunday my dad gave her her vaccinations and Monday afternoon I went out to get her to work with her and found that she wasn't breathing properly, her noes was running like it was a tap that was left on, she was dripping sweat, her neck was swollen and she was shaking so much she looked like she was ready to collapse. Called the vet and unfortunately I didn't have a trailer to take her to the vet, nor did I have the 150$ to have him come out and look at her. So I got my camera out and took pictures and videos of her and brought those to the vet and had her checked out that way, I know, I was desperate. A
nywho when I showed the vet the pictures and video he said it looked like she had a reaction to the vaccines and it was a localized infection. He gave me some meds I had to give her orally as well as needles I had to administer :S so I spent three days checking her almost every hour and giving her and 18gage needle with 20cc of meds in her neck...the needle was HUGE! But now I can say I know how to give a needle but it still creeps me out...yeah that was my week. Oh on saturday I worked with Arod for the first time! he has the attention span of a pickle, but what do you expect with a two year old :) he did well for never doing anything before.
till next time!
K.G.
nywho when I showed the vet the pictures and video he said it looked like she had a reaction to the vaccines and it was a localized infection. He gave me some meds I had to give her orally as well as needles I had to administer :S so I spent three days checking her almost every hour and giving her and 18gage needle with 20cc of meds in her neck...the needle was HUGE! But now I can say I know how to give a needle but it still creeps me out...yeah that was my week. Oh on saturday I worked with Arod for the first time! he has the attention span of a pickle, but what do you expect with a two year old :) he did well for never doing anything before.till next time!
K.G.
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