Kaleo Christmas

I write to you as I sit in the Victoria airport eagerly anticipating my flight home for Christmas. Brace yourself dear readers as this is going to be a long one seeing how it has been almost two weeks since my last entry; it will also be my last until the New Year.

The first week of December was not a very eventful one I cannot say I even really remember what I did from Monday up to Thursday night. I wrote an exam for Church Ministry and I think that went rather swimmingly. I also did much research on two papers that were due the following week. One was for my Field Education Course for Kristi Voth (Kaleo Student Life Leader) it was on reconciliation. The research on that one was fairly easy, I am very certain that it will be my poor grammar and other writing skills that will be my down fall, but I finished and handed it on time (Dec 9). I had resolved not to stress to much about it because I had bigger fish to fry (no offense Kristie), my paper for Church Ministry happened to be due a mere after the first, yeah, yeah if you do the math it is due today. I had the final copy e-mailed to David last night so I am all clear and I no longer have any papers to worry about until the second of January (when I get back to camp). Thus I think that it is safe to conclude that December 1-3 was all about research, expanding ones knowledge on what it means to be reconciled with Christ, as well as shaping my view on women in the church.

Ok, lets move on to a little bit more of the exciting things that went on in my life over the weekend. Thursday afternoon quite a few of us loaded up the vans and headed over to Vancouver. There was a youth specialties conference that was being put on by that dear prince of a man Mr. Marv Penner. This conference started Thursday night and went until Sunday evening. It was a very excellent weekend; I learned so much and have a newfound respect for Youth Pastors. There were some excellent speakers there.

One of the things I found that God was teaching me throughout this weekend was to “Be still and know that I am God.” It blew me away. I so often find that I try to put God into a little box, I cram him in and try to make sense of him, but as as I sat in these seminars I realized there is no possible way for me to make sense of God, I will never be able to make him fit into the neat little box I want him to; He is God and I need to stop trying to make sense of the things that He does, instead I need to remind myself that God is God and I am me. I need to be still and know that He is God.

While at the conference I got a chance to explore Vancouver, it is truly a lovely city, possibly one of my favorites (how wonderful it would be to live there one day). As most know I LOVE cities, I love the bustle and buildings and the people. All the people were running around in a rush seeming to forget to breath and take in the fact they that they are alive and able to walk, and not only that but they are in one on the most beautiful major cities in Canada! It was this that was so shocking to me, seeing how worldly these people are. I like to people watch and walking in the streets of cities is a good place to do this, to see just how ‘of’ the world many of the people were was amazing, I only hope that I am able to be in the world and not of it. This is a very daunting challenge but I think that the end result worth it, I can take comfort knowing that there are others out there trying to do the same thing and also that I have God to empower me to do this.

Through all its concrete beauty there is also some very natural beauty, like the ocean, the mountains that surround the city and cute little (though not so little) Stanley Park. However amidst the wonders of man-made structures and God’s creation there was poverty, as it is with any city, there were many homeless people. They were sleeping on church steps and on the sidewalks. I was amazed by some of my classmates and how big of a heart that they have for those who are living in the streets, they show love, compassion and a genuine interested in getting to know these people. It is truly a life changing this to be able to go to school with the people.

Alas the conference had to come to an end, it was nice to see some familiar faces and catch up with friends but unfortunately I had to leave the big city and head back to tiny Crofton.

Back at camp the week flew by fast. Monday we went bungee jumping it was so fun. Though I did not go bungee jumping (it cost $100) I did go on a giant swing which was scarier then bungee jumping (I got my name pulled out of a draw so I got to go for free) it was exhilarating!! It was a like 125ft drop before you could even feel the rope of the swing catch you and then you continued to swing back and forth. I love the rush!!

Other then that nothing really happened until Thursday morning where we celebrated Christmas with each other, it was titled Kaleo Christmas Morning. We all drew names out of a hat a few weeks earlier and that was the person that we would have in the gift exchange. It was so fun seeing how creative people are and the joy on the faces of them as they opened gifts was so rewarding. Matt Myles had my name and he got me gum, a journal and a poster with guitar chords. I was so happy about all these things as they are some of my favorites! I pulled Haley out of the draw and I was so excited to find her a gift, I wanted it to be prefect because she had blessed me in so many ways this past semester. I found her two mugs and three different types of hot chocolate. I was so excited when I bought it I wanted to tell her right away, and unfortunately it was that day where she decided she wanted me to teach her to crochet so keeping the secret was very hard.

This morning after some short good-byes we all headed our separate ways for the next three weeks of life, into the world we are sent and out of the little green house of Kaleo…so the test begins….

Hope all is well wherever you are.

Thanks for reading,

ABBY

Uh...

So I’m sitting here in the office listening to Christmas music with Nick and Ben (Ben talking in a horrible French accent and Nick pretending to be Jim), I’m pondering what to write.

This is the conversation that is going on in my head…

“Self what did I do this week?”

“Well self, I don’t know why don’t you ask someone what you did?”

“Who am I going to ask?”

“Uh, Ben and Nick are sitting right beside you ask them.”

I then proceed to ask them what I did and they inform me of my activities.

“Oh well if I did all that why am I am I not writing this then?”

“Good question, you should get started.”

So as I advised myself, I am going to start writing about my week.

Classy, class, class, yeah, in case you have not guessed I had class this week. David Ernst and his wife Michelle cam out to tech us. It was pretty interesting learning about Church Ministry and all that jazz. I made several hats (while I listened and took notes).

As most of you know I am out on Vancouver Island and it rains A LOT here, I’m not complaining, I mean I lover the rain. But the town of Duncan I’m guessing…not so much. It floods there so one night we went sand bagging. What’s that? You don’t know what sand bagging is? Well my little friend it is just as it sounds, filling bags with sand so as to stop the water from invading the houses and streets.

“Jingle bells, jingle bells, jingle all the way!” Well Christmas is around the bend and one of the places that has jumped right into the Christmas Spirit is the town of Ladysmith. They had light up, this is a event that is like the Santa Clause, but it is at night and there are fireworks and like 1500 people show up for it. I was very excited to see fire in the sky.

Well youth on Friday was fun!! We (my fellow Kaleos and I) put on youth. We made them play spoons, and a strange box game and then made them eat popcorn until someone threw up (we succeeded in that goal). We had a worship time and Nate and Emma played the guitar and then we watch a Nooma video. It talked abut how when there are storms in our life God it there helping us. It was good to hear some of the storms that the youth have been through and how God helped them. It is very encouraging.

I’m glad you took the time to read this chopped up blog, my mind is all over the place, like a chipmunk on roids or something (I think it is from studying for the exam I wrote today).

Thanks for reading.

Abby

Week Of Prayer

Week of Prayer was this past week; it started on Sunday at 4 and ran until the next Sunday at 4. It was a challenging week for some and easier for others, for me personally it was not a struggle. It was more of a time of reflection and thanking God for all He has done in my life and a time of praising him. I really enjoyed it, and cannot wait to see how He answers the prayers and seeing the work He does through what went on here this past week.

Thursday night I flew out to Calgary to be with Dale and Galen as Irene’s funeral was on Friday. It was nice getting to see all my sisters for a day seeing how I do not know when I will get to see all of them again. The weekend went swimmingly but I when it was time to leave I was ready to see my friends again.

Seeing how I was at home for the weekend I did not go to youth or to church so I really have nothing to say about that. I would ask that you pray for Dale and Galen as well as Galen’s family as the go through the process of grieving and adjusting.

ABBY

Sequels.

Salutations!

This week I expanded my mind in regards to the written word, thus it can be concluded that it was once again time for class.

Old Testament Literature stepped up to the plate this week, and I must say it was most interesting dear friends, how I wish you all could have been here to learn with me. Good ol’Don Taylor come out from the ‘mother ship’ (that is what we have taken to calling Briercrest) to teach us. The days were long full of knowledge and a numb bum but it was well worth it. I think after increasing my understanding of the OT it really helped to deepen my knowledge of the NT. They are so connected it actually blew me away, even after three years at a Christian high school I did not really think the OT was very relevant to me today (at least not unless I wanted to read a really interesting story). Turns out I was wrong. Apparently the key to understanding the NT is understands the OT. Brilliance hey?? I discovered I liked to look at it this way; the NT is the sequel to the OT, and in order to understand any sequel you have to have an understanding of what came before it. I mean you don’t have to, but any smart person tries to know what was going on before partaking in a sequel. You don’t just start reading The Return of the King because otherwise you are completely lost, you sit there wondering why they are trying to destroy a little golden ring and find yourself asking people what the heck a hobbit is. Thus it is the same with the OT and the NT. The OT makes the NT make more sense.

Well I was the only one at youth this week as all my fellow Kaleoers were working or at home for the weekend, and you know what, not very many youth showed up either because there was improve camp of something artsy like that. So I shared and hour and half of fellowship with the seven youth that showed up at Tim Hortons. It was cool we just sat around and talked, nothing to deep just school and weekend plans and a few humorous stories. It was a pretty relaxed time. Wish I had more to report on this, but hey it is what it is, I can’t say it if it didn’t happen because that would be a lie, and I’m in Bible college so I’m pretty sure that goes against my morals or something…

But I guess I should get back to the grind of schoolwork, if I don’t take advantage of time, time will take advantage of me.

Until next time….

Abby

Music and Metal

Hello again.

Went into Victoria on Tuesday with some friends and got my industrial piercing done. I want to get another piercing of some kind done as well as another tattoo that I am currently in the process of designing with a friend. Oh altering ones appearance through ink and metal, I actually think I might be addicted to the feeling of such things. Thursday night (the rest of my week was filled with reading and homework and all and the other monotonous activities of being a student, it was reading week after all) was a wonderful day full of rain and cool wet dampness. Haley, Jade and I headed in to the sprawling metropolis of Nanaimo BC (I still have yet to eat a Nanaimo bar there) we went shopping and had Thai food. Dinner was followed by the intake of live music of Matthew Good and my favorite Mother Mother (they do give a fantastic live show). It was a good night, I had superb time with Jade and Haley, and good dreams about live music.

I did not go to church or youth this weekend because I was working all weekend in the kitchen for a retreat. They gave me sharp knives…. but all is good, it was a long weekend in its entirety, but fun. I don’t know what really went on ministry wise here as I was in the kitchen and then reading when I was not, pray for the camp and that God might do his works through the people here.

Bests,

Abby

WAVES+WATER+WIND= SURFING

Greetings,

Interesting little trip happened this week, I went surfing. That was a fun time, I learned that I am not very skilled in the area of riding a board on a wave and that getting in and out of a wet suit is one of the most challenging things I have ever done (also wet suits do not look good on anyone, I don’t care who you are, they flatter NO one!). It was so much fun to get hit in the face with the waves as I paddled out to attempt to catch a wave. I love the rush of having to gasp for air before the next wave hits you in the face. It was so much fun, I can’t really explain the way it feels when you catch a wave and to have the momentum of it pushing you forward, it is truly an unreal feeling, I doesn’t shock me that people fall in love with this sport. The waves are so beautiful, very fascinating things, just like when you pour creamer in your coffee and the little mushroom cloud appears (I bet you don’t really take time to notice it because you are in to much of a rush and want the actual end product). Anyways it was a good time and I really could see God and his works written all over the strength and grace and wrathful beautiful ocean that goes by the name Pacific.

Youth was good, it was a Halloween party so we got all dressed up and had a pumpkin carving contest. George talked about gifts and how they were to be used, the youth continue to amaze me, they want to use their gifts in away that is Christ Honoring. I see such hope in these young folk, though I am still having trouble trying to get to know them on a deeper level, I would ask that you pray the usual for them and that I will somehow find away to build deeper bonds with them so they feel comfortable talking with me about their lives and sharing questions that they have about faith.

This is where I leave you, I am tired and over loaded with homework (good thing reading break was invented otherwise I don’t think I would make it.) I’m off to the dock to star gaze and moon watch.

Still Breathing so I remain you Friend,

ABBY.

I don't know what to title this....

Hi Again,

Ahh the habits I am picking up here at Kaleo….something along the lines of I no longer keep track of how many times I shower during the week, I no longer like shoes and I am starting to have some rather strange hair that quite frankly would repulse those from home seeing how I have not actually washed it in a month. Do not worry though I still brush my hair. I think this will last until Christmas when I believe that my sisters will force upon me the grooming standards that the world seems to find acceptable, where as this place is just instilling in me more of the need to move away from the things that society seems to think is right (even in the grooming department, I wear a lot of hats now). I think I have grossed you out enough now though, don’t worry I’m still a clean person, I do my laundry and I shower at least three times a week...I think……

So this week was fairly uneventful, I spent five days from 9-4:30 sitting at a table learning about Hermeneutics it was a little dry but fun. I learned lots on how to read the Bible and to get more out of it. I must say I am a pretty big fan of Merrill Dyck; he is a excellent professor.

That is all I’m going to say about that.

Went to youth on Friday it was a little more of a serious then what it has been over the past few weeks. The topic was doubt, George (the youth leader) gave a talk about what doubt and asked a series of questions one of them being if we had ever doubted God. He told us a few experiences in his life about when he had doubted God but how he came through in the end. It was really good getting to know the youth on a more serious level. I ask that you pray for them still having talked with a few, some come from a not very stable home life, I just would ask you to pray from them, just that God would strength them while they are at home. I feel so encouraged by this group all coming from different back grounds some hard ones and others not a trying but their hunger for the Lord is in each and every one of them. I was placed in this church for a reason and I am excited to find out why, I hope that I will be able to help them along their quest to be closer to God.

Church today was very interesting, a man name Ian Green came and talked to us he is the head of a mission that plants churches all over Europe, I do not remember what it is call unfortunately, but he talked about generosity. I like it, it reminded me how lucky I am to be born in Canada and to be able to afford the things I can afford, sometimes I get caught up in the world a materialism, but there are people who get along with far less then what I have, I left there being far more grateful for the things I have.

Sorry it’s so short this week, but that is all I have to report, or at least all I can think of. My mind has turned to a sort of mush from writing my paper for Spiritual Formation, and I must pack to go surfing.

Be well and thanks for reading

Abby

Creepy Crawlies.

Hello my fuzzy little friends (with the exceptions of those who are bald),

There was no youth this week so I do not have anything to report on that. Please continue to pray for the youth I work with and that they continue to seek God out and continue to live their lives for him.

So to my grad disappointment the surfing trip to Tofino was cancelled due to weather. I know, so sad, but dry your tears dear friends for the adventures that were in store for me were marvelous. On Tuesday we went spelunking! Yes you heard me SPELUNKING!! Caves are a wonderful things full of spiders and creepy crawlies that will never be seen in the light. I got muddy and fit my not so dainty self into a small hole. We turned the headlamps off and stood in the darkness, and when I say darkness I mean darkness, I mean it was like closing your eyes and trying to see your hand. Well you can imagine how I felt about that seeing how I have a small yet still somewhat crippling fear of the dark…I made them turn the lights back on. After we went shopping in a place called Coombs where there are goats on a roof….literally goats living on a roof. CRAZY!! Swimming was after that. I was swept away by the small current that pulled people around a small island in the middle of the pool, wonderful. I love water, weather it is a pool, fresh water or the ocean, if I can swim in it I love it!

Thursday and Friday was DTG (Ditch the Guys). We (the ladies) went to a senior’s home in Crofton and visited with the elderly, some of them were quiet lively for their advanced years, they were lovely women. I wonder what I will be like when I am old….hmmm food for thought, probably paranoid and cynical and maybe a little eccentric. After we had tea in a little touristy town just down the highway, we also walked in some small shops. We had dinner at Kristi’s (our student life leader) house and hung out. It was really swell getting to know the girls and just chilling out. I liked watching them all interact with each other, because that is what I do, I watch. Each one of them amazes me with there capacity to love one another, I am sure I will learn something from each. I feel so blessed to be placed here amongst these amazing women.

Understanding. Compassion. Love. A Dash Of Cynicism.

Abby

Sailing and Thanksgiving

Hello Dear Ones!!!

Ok lots happened this week so I am going to dive right in and tell you all about it get ready to read all about my oh so thrilling life!!! AHHH!!

Monday was a magical day! Want to know why?? Well it was the first day of our trip with S.A.L.T.S the first day of five days of sailing in a real sailboat!! It was so muchfun I’m pretty much in love with it. The crew was amazing I learned lots about boats and about my fellow students seeing how there was no escaping them cause we were on a boat…. Oh the memories I have with these very special people. It was a fun experience no showering for five days and the toilet had to actually be pumped thirty times before you could flush it. The sights were amazing and I loved just sitting and watching the waves with the nice cool wind blowing my hair around. Some people went swimming but I am not going to lie I found it way to cold to actually even entertain the thought of entering the water. At one point they actually let me steer the boat can you please just imagine how stressed I was the first few minutes I did it? It was a fantastic time and I have realized my love for being on the water goes much deeper then I thought.

So we got off the boat Friday at like 3:30 and had to rush back to camp to get to youth but the little thing called traffic held us up so we did not get back to camp until 5:30 and youth started at 6 meaning no shower for us we had to eat and run. Emma and I got to our girls night all smelly and sweaty and a little tipsy from the sea legs. The night was fun; it was really great getting to know some of the girls. We had banana splits and talked about friendships and popularity and how much one would sacrifice to get either and if the sacrifices would be worth it. It was amazing to see how much these young women seek out God in all they do; they truly have a heart for him and wish to become women of God. It is really encouraging to see this I hope that they continue on this path and continue to ask questions. I’d say it was a pretty good night considering it was two of the girls that planned it and ran the entire show. If you could it would be a great help I think if you would pray for these girls, they are trying so hard to be the women God has called them to be, I think we all know how hard it can be especially in their age. I ask that you pray that they continue to make God their pillar of strength and that they continue to grow and that maybe Emma and I will be able to help them along their journey.

Today a family from Bethel had us over for Thanksgiving dinner; it was so much fun meeting the Kulhawy family. They were very welcoming and very curious about Kaleo, I had a great time hanging out with them and getting to know them. I’m not going to lie the food was so good, homemade pumpkin pie. That’s all I have to say.

That’s all for now mon amies, Happy Thanksgiving!!

Abby

First Two Youth Groups

Hello Friends,

A bit has happened since I last talked to you; let me fill you in on the events….

I went to my first two youth groups. The first one was a concert in Nanaimo and it was wonderful a band called Revolution played. It was pretty swell I really liked their music and the kids in the youth are CRAZY!! I swear they all have ADD or something. There were quite a few churches there and in the end a total of about 15 youth ended up making a commitment to the Lord and got hooked up with some churches it was pretty amazing. The second was this past Friday in which we had a Rock Band battle of the bands contest….meaning we dressed up and played Rock Band for like 2 hours. Needless to say Bo, Emma, Nate and I lost that one. It was cool meeting more of the kids though we did not really do much except chill out. George the youth leader is going to be trying to get us more involved as time goes on and I am looking forward to it quite a bit.

I mentioned in the first post that I wanted to work with the little kids and I had a chance to experience what that on Wednesday. I had a really good time, we played games on that involved sticking cotton balls to someone’s face and then split up into small groups and had some bible studies. We went over the Christmas story (the theme for the night was Christmas) it was so cute teaching them and listening to their answers to questions. I had a great time with the precious little fetuses but I don’t think working with them is for me, I think I shall stick with the youth.

AHHH after being here for what 2 weeks the first class started Spiritual Formation with Dr. Marv Penner. It was a wonderful class and I learned so much on how to build my spiritual life, I can not say enough good things about Marv he is a stellar fella that one is, a real prince. I learned so much from him. I look forward to writing my paper for him.

Today our pastor had us over for lunch, we just talked and had fellowship with each other. It was nice getting to know him and his family (we also practiced our Rock Band skills after getting spanked on Friday night).

Next on the agenda would be the S.A.L.T.S sailing trip which I leave for tomorrow morning and am gone or 5 days, I am so pumped to be out on the water for that long!!

Alas my chums I must sign off I must pack for my adventure, I will update you soon!!

Peace and Love

Abby

Blogging??

Hey,

So it has been about a week since I’ve arrived at Kaleo and I must say it has been a pretty eventful week. Let me tell you a little about this very exciting time in my life….

So the first night was pretty cool we played some games to just kind of relax and have some fun with one another. One of the games involved a slip n slide, water noodle and was full contact…slightly hilarious. I went tubing and it turns out it we are on the ocean and it just so happens that I only remembered this after I swallowed half of it. I’m sure those of you that know me best can imagine what was going through my head when I flipped of the tube and was swimming in the ocean…where my oh so beloved sharks live…. have fun with that thought friends.

A few days later we were given a list of churches and some background on them and told to look up some more information on the ones we would be interested in making our home church. After much research and prayer I settled on Bethel Tabernacle which I am quit happy about. Having attended my first service this past Sunday I feel as if I have made the right choice, for those of you that have gone to Church Of God in Moose Jaw that would be the closets feel to Bethel. I’m very interested in working with the Junior Youth or the smaller children age four to grade five. I think it may just be from observing my four nephews but that age group is just so pour and I want to help them maintain the image of the world in the innocent beauty that they view it in and maybe allow them to explore things and ask questions in an environment that will allow them to keep their faith and trust in the way that only children can have. I’m very excited to serve my new church family. I have my first youth group this Friday and I am STOKED!!

The first adventure was a three-day hike in Strathcona Park. I had such an amazing time. It is unreal how beautiful it is. It was so sweet getting to know the people in my hiking group and just walking through the bush with packs that weigh the same as like a five-year-old child, I LOVED IT!! We hiked to the top of Mt. Albert Edward. Seriously the last bit of the hike to the top was probably one of the most physically demanding things I’ve done in a while (for real the last thing I did that made me feel that way was Coach Frank Spinozzi’s bag skating sessions and we all know I have not done any of those lately). I never really thought of hiking up a mountain as being helpful in building relationships but now I know that it is. You are walking together, talking and sharing stories with each other and encouraging each other to keep on going when your feet are begging you to stop. The blisters, dirt and sweat were totally worth it to see the view from the top even if the time it took to get there was longer then the time spent on top. But that’s like life most of the time right? It’s the journey that makes the end so sweet.

Anyways friends I must leave I have some reading to do. I shall update you more next week hopefully with more information on my church and the ministry I’m doing.

STAY FROSTY

Abby.