128 Days Completed

So this is post 128. I don’t know how summer managed to fly by this fast, and how I’m sitting here even thinking about writing this last post. This summer…this summer has been everything I thought it would be and completely different from what I thought it would be at the same time. I’ve learned so much and done so many things, and yet my list is barely even half complete!

This summer I started out with a simple little list that I wanted to accomplish. Final tally is in!

THINGS I DID:
– Hammock
– Tan
– Volunteer
– Go to AGO
– MUCH quality time
– Read a lot of Bible and some other things (kinda monastic retreat-ish)

THINGS I DIDN’T DO:
– Actually finish learning New Testament Greek
– Pass bootcamp (or maybe I did … not really sure)
– Learn guitar
– Become a pro slackliner
– The Ex

THINGS I GOT TO DO I DIDN’T THINK I WOULD:
– Meet many new people
– Experience healing and love
– Be a camp counsellor
– Learn about God’s grace and how to trust
– Love freely and be loved

This summer I was able to reflect, recharge, relax, re-think, and get ready for the next step. While I’m sad to leave behind some of the sweeter days of summer, I move on knowing that God has great things in store for me – even if it doesn’t always seem like it. I was incredibly blessed this summer. I don’t even know where to start to tell you all the things I’ve learned and been able to experience.

As I move forward, I carry excitement for the new ministry opportunities, but also for the continued journey of my own life and faith. I still have a lot to learn, but we all do. I know as I walk forward i will continue to be taught lessons of patience and trust.

So thank you to those of you who walked this journey with me, reading all these blog posts (though I swear some of them had to be super boring), and especially thank you to those who made this summer all that it was, whether you were a part in May, June, July, or August, I dearly cherish all the memories of this summer.

“I’m not even going to look at a school book in vacation.” she told Marilla. “I’ve studied as hard all term as I possibly could and I’ve pored over that geometry until I know ever proposition in the first book off by heart, even when the letters are changed. I just feel tired of everything sensible and i’m going to let my imagination run riot for the summer. Oh, you needn’t be alarmed, Marilla. I’ll only let it run riot within reasonable limits. But I want to have a real good jolly time this summer, for maybe it’s the last summer I’ll be a little girl. Mrs. Lynde says that if I keep stretching out next year as I’ve done this I’ll have to put on longer skirts. She says I’m all running to legs and eyes. And when I put on longer skirts I shall feel that I have to live up them and be very dignified. It won’t even do to believe in fairies then, I’m afraid; so I’m going to believe in them with all my whole heart this summer.” – L.M. Montgomery, Anne of Green Gables

My thoughts precisely, going into (and now out of) summer, Anne Shirley. Well put.

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Monday, September 2

I’m writing this one a little early in hopes I’ll be able to start up on post 128 about the entirety of my summer. Today was say goodbye (again) to people and drive home (again) and unpack (again). I feel like I’ve done this before……

Anyhow, I’ve completely unpacked (finally) and I think I might be ready to start tomorrow. Maybe not. It’s a little weird to be sitting here the night before everything hits. I’m tired and my finger tips still hurt a little, but it’s ok. I’m starting to feel the regular large dose of stress that comes with the rest of life, but as I can do nothing about that, I’m going to have to deal with it. Hopefully tomorrow will alleviate some of said stress. Once I get a week done, I think I’ll be good.

Anyway, this evening has basically just been spent getting ready for tomorrow and scheduling things. What a way to end it! I think I shall end by going and eating ice cream. Ice cream is a splendid way to end a summer.

Thursday, August 29

So today I learned that once I finish cleaning my room…I have nothing left to do. once everything has a happy home, I literally had nothing left to work on. I mean, yes, I have the Gnostic Gospels that i’m reading through, but it isn’t the same as having a hands on type of project. On the plus side, my room is quite nice now. Hopefully it will stay in it’s usable state. The only thing left to do these days is work on my Greek/monastic retreat things! Since the other half of my list is clearly not happening.

In other news, I bought a swimming suit today! It has been a while since I got one, and it was nice to find one that fit, was one piece, and actually looked not like a speedo. Satisfaction = present.

Sunday, August 25

I feel like I accomplished a lot today. I managed to finish cleaning my whole room and find places for all the things I have. Hopefully it will be functional as well … but I’m just pleased that I managed to get everything to fit. I even cleaned my closet for the first time in about 5+ years! Granted, I still have to buy textbooks and find a place for THOSE, but lets not talk about that right now.

This morning was wonderful though. Highlight of the day. Leading out on Sunday was…definitely harder than I thought it would be. But it was also really cool to see God pull everything together and make the day his and not mine. From the number of curve balls we were thrown, I think it’s clear that God was showing me to let go and worship him myself instead of worrying about all the other things. Would I be open to doing something like that again? Yes. Seeing God glorified and giving others the opportunity to glorify him is something I would like to see happen again.

Saturday, August 24

I didn’t do a whole lot of things today. Mostly just errands/getting things that I knew I needed. Example: went out and bought new pants because school soon. Went out to buy more cheap-er cards because mailing lots. Went out to buy another box to keep my letters in (and proceeded to get 4 instead…) because current box is full. Really just normal things for me to do on a typical day of nothingness.

I’m currently on a cleaning-spree aka I think I might even tackle my closet tomorrow. Or tonight. We’ll see. Basically I’m “systematically” going through various parts of my room in an attempt to make them more useable/look less cluttered. This may or may not involve me disposing of things I no longer need/use (either that or storing the useless things away somewhere until a later day when I can bear to part with them).

The downside of summer winding down (along with everything else thats obvious) is the fall allergies start hitting me. Darn things. Itchy eyes ALL the time.

Friday, August 23

I am covered in glitter. Also I am exhausted. Today I volunteered all day at the DAM, which was pretty fun I must admit. It was cool to hang out and help put on their fundraiser community barbecue thing. I worked the craft table (thus the glitter that I will be finding on my body for the next 3 months, make no doubt about it), which was kind of like flashbacks at camp + glitter. I also performed at the event which was super fun. It was nice to be able to perform versus leading others on Sunday. Not that I don’t like leading worship, but I kind of like playing and singing by myself too.

OOOOHHHHHH. I also got to teach some people how to decorate cupcakes with the decorating tips for frosting. That was actually really fun. Cupcakes are marvellous things.

Wednesday, August 21

Today was a super special day (for me) because I got to go back and reunite with my university friends at CCF! Woop! It was cool to go back and see people I haven’t seen in a while, to catch up, and to just be in community together. Ironically, the topical tonight WAS on community, so that was a nice way to jump into the school year.

Also, we went out for dinner and I got my Asian food fix for the week. Oh how I missed it at camp.

Speaking of school, IT STARTS SO SOON! AHHHHHHHHH. This summer has been full of many things so far, but I’m getting ahead of myself…the wrap up post will be the last one. Needless to say, I’m not completely ready for classes to start yet, but I hope that by the time I get to that point I will be. I may not have completed my summer goal list, but I think it was a good summer nonetheless.

Thursday, July 11

Today I ran around trying to get things figured out for camp. Mainly my police check. This also resulted in me getting a significant amount of highway driving practice in addition to realizing that Google Maps lied to me.

Strangely, when I looked up the address on my computer for where I had to go, it sent me somewhere really far away (resulting in highway driving. I had no choice). It was good because I survived. It was not good because it was inaccurate. My phone corrected me when I pulled over in a random mall to figure out what was going on. Needless to say, I was able to find it and get the police check. Yay! I can officially work now. Also, I know that I can probably pass my highway drivers test when I get around to taking it.

Friday, June 7

In the wonderful excitement of having people come over tomorrow, I spent today … CLEANING. Surprisingly, I actually enjoyed having something to do all day. It was kind of nice to be able to focus on just getting it done and seeing the accomplishments thereof, instead of doing nothing. I like nothingness as much as the next person, but one can only do nothingness for so long …

Best part of cleaning: Seeing it all get done and knowing that i had accomplished something

Worst part of cleaning: The snide comments from my family regarding their disbelief in my cleaning abilities. Thanks family.

Wednesday, June 5

Today was SUPER exciting for me because I got to go to the AGO with my friend before bootcamp. We saw some of the regular exhibits, but we went in particular to see the Renaissance Exhibit. For me, it was mainly to see the illuminated manuscripts. and there were a bunch. = SO PLEASED.

I study printing as my major, and I took an English class this past year on myth and literature … and so the fact that one of their manuscripts was an original copy of Dante’s Divine Comedy pretty much made my day. Ugh. the paintings were so beautiful (manuscripts and all the other ones too). Gold leafing like crazy, SUPER intense detail … floored me. If you live in the GTA, go see the exhibit 🙂