Run, Zulu! Run!: 05.05

Tuesday, May 31, 2005

The Zoë Update

Location:: an empty, quiet office with purple carpet
Mood:: halcyon, musing, almost antsy
Eating:: licorice + pringles + cold coffee
Dreaming of:: pink grapefruit juice
Actually dreaming of:: flying
Planning:: hillsong UNITED concert tonight at cla
Thinking:: about writing some poetry... it's been a while
Excited for:: my date with God on saturday... we've got somanythingsplanned!
Thankful for:: grace and the fact that even though ambiguity stresses me out, it never stresses God out because he knows everything and is greater than our hearts. (1john.3.20)
Wishing:: I were either 5 or 80...
Doubly thankful for:: my family. i seriously love them all. every single one of them.
Wondering:: what I should call my clothing line, and on that note, what my name will be in heaven.
Singing in my head:: Layla by Eric Clapton
Pondering:: discipleship. remembering lessons God has taught me on the topic, studying them because I want to be excellent

Answering:: the challenge

Whelp!

well, bye!

Friday, May 27, 2005

Be JEALOUS For Your Human Life!

More on the cow revelation...

What is it, really, that differenciates us from cows?

"So God created man in his own image,

in the image of God he created him;"

Genesis.1.27

"God is love."

1John.4.8

The only thing that really separates us from cows, is that we look like God. If we are made in his image, and if he is love... then it stands to say that we also, have the ability to love!

Therefore the one thing we have, above all the rest of creation, is the ability to love!

Now, God doesn't do things like this for no great purpose... does it stand, then, that our purpose, as humans, is to love?

Certainly Jesus meant it when he said they would know us by our love? (John.13.34-35)

Love well.

Pursue loving God, pursue loving people.

Tuesday, May 24, 2005

Cows

So I had this revelation on Wednesday. I was driving with some of my most favourite people in my world: Scott (driver and face-maker), Matt (liar-in-training and happy-maker) and Carissa (entertainer and cookie-bringer) to Paska Lake (by Logan Lake/Kamloops area) when we happened upon some cows on the side of the road. I observed them for a while: eating, and flicking, very likely stinking.
I was struck by some strong vocalized thought of: "Man am I glad I'm not a cow!" (Whereupon Scott kindly informed the happy carload that when he was very young, he used to thank God for making him a human and not a worm or something... sweet words from the driver...)

I proceeded to ponder what it was that made me suddenly jealous for my human life. I asked myself, 'What is it that I love about my life so much?'

The glaring answer was that I love purpose... I love relationships... I love being earnest... I love making a difference in a way that I know will last to eternity... I love people...

Momentarily satisfied, I moved on to singing along with the rest of the happy carload... but then was troubled again when I saw the next patch of cows...

This time, the thought struck me that lots of humans are living like cows! What regret at the end of their human lives, when they realize they have been living below the poverty line (metaphorically speaking) of the abundant life Jesus promises! (see verse)

It became my mission in that moment to pull as many people around me as I can into the abundant life of following Jesus. It therefore has become my mission to live my abundant life more and more as it is hidden in Him… follow when He says, ‘Follow’, go when He says, ‘Go’.

Thank you, God, for the Holy Spirit who has been sent to reveal all truth to us!

Monday, May 16, 2005

Arrrg! We all love our french chef, Lumiere. More pirate tales to come... maybe

Arrr! He be Captain Andrewboots!

This weekend we dressed up as pirates and made a movie. It was highly successful.
I learned how to stick a knife in the ground, and how to behead a duck.
We fought and plundered and Arrrr!-ed our maggoty hearts out.
We slinked and slunked and ran and climbed,
All the while eating snails and really bad eggs...

We met our esteemed Captain Andrewboots at the playground, which was to become our ship. He had awe-inspiring yellow gumboots, ideal for the stealth plunder, and we wanted to call him Captain Yellowboots. He, however, professed undying affection for his name, Andrew, and proceeded to call himself, Captain Andrewboots. Aye, and a worthy name it was, mateys. He dubbed myself Double-Girlboots... I pointed out that I wasn't wearing boots, and he oh so thoughtfuly changed my name to Double-Boyboots... Aye!

Happy Birthday to Captain Andrewboots, who turned 5 seven days ago!

What would it be like, a fresh face in the 5-year old scene, to turn up at your neigbourhood playground to find a surly pack of pirates? Fearless Captain Andrewboots didn't show any signs of surprise or bewilderment, as I might have done. It was strangely as though he expected us to be there, just to play with him. Aye, and play we did. An admirable quality in any fine Captain.
I want to be like that.

Thursday, May 12, 2005

I love the freeway!

Monday night, driving out to Abbotsford (the destination) with Carly (the passenger), when suddenly, Peter Zach (the car) starts dragging (the symptom).

What does it mean when a car is "dragging"?
As a general rule of thumb, it's probably because you're out of gas (the diagnosis).

So we pull over on the side of the freeway and stick on the hazards (the response)... laughing, of course... anticipating great adventure... and call the boys to come rescue us. They do... and HOUR LATER! (the solution)

We sat on my roof, feet dangling through the sunroof, music blaring to drown the whoosh of cars and trucks blurring past us... stopped on the side of the road (the journey) playing cards... some sweet African game including lots of yelling and slapping. Carly won.

We counted 13 cars / trucks / motorcycles honked at us... we danced with joy every time. One car pulled over to see if we were okay - two young men. We thanked them, and they said (the quote) "Well, you see two beautiful girls sitting on car, what else are you going to do?" We gave ourselves two points for that. 15... Then a mother in a minivan, with all her kids in tow pulled over to see if we were okay! I wanted three points for that one because of the minivan, but we stopped ourselves at two points for her, ending at 17 points in one night!

Eventually, driver (Zoe) and passenger (Carly) got to their destination (Abbotsford) in the car (Peter) having responded (pulling over) to the symptom (dragging) and treated the diagnosis (no gas). And what was the highlight of that Monday night? Certainly not the destination! But rather the journey!

I have now added "Being stranded" to my list of interests. What two beautiful girls can't do with a deck of cards, music, a car, wind, and a hearty sense of humor and adventure?

I felt 1% sheepish, but 99% glad. It really was fun, and all parties involved were glad it happened! (Including Peter, because now I know that empty means empty!)

Tuesday, May 03, 2005

ihatefeelingstuck.

iwantmywingsback.

Cell Retreat

Below are pictures of our cell retreat to Oroville last weekend... it looks all fun and great... and it was... but there are stories the pictures will never tell. Paddleboat tipping and intercession. Transperancy and trans-fat. Suntanning and windstorms. Thanks to G, and thanks to Rod & Kim.