Summer

I feel like I can safely say this now. Summer is here. I get excited everytime..usually about the same things that characterize this season (Outdoor concerts, barbecues, patio chillin, cottage chillin and chillin by the lake or any body of water for that matter!) and about some new things. It's going to be a great time this summer of 2011.

I just love surfing. It's a sport that people can do in competition or for the pure joy of it. Why else would so many surfers get up at 5 am to get the best waves before heading to work or school? There's just something about that salty rush of adrenaline. It's beautiful to watch too:

Gospel Coalition

I just got back from a week of being fed spiritually, and I'm full. I need some time to digest.

The Gospel Coalition was in Chicago this year and its over-all theme was preaching Christ from the Old Testament. For me, this conference offered a break from the old schedule and gave me a chance to evaluate how I'm serving Christ and the church where I'm placed in Toronto. To listen to a diverse group of speakers with unique ministries was great. It was interesting to hear Timothy Keller speak about the need for churches in urban centres and how the majority of the world's population is now in cities. Cities have become huge mission fields.

Then my head had to make the connection between learning heavy theology by D.A Carson, Al Mohler etc.. and how that transfers into urban ministry..or any ministry for that matter! They addressed that in a panel discussion. Thank goodness. Dr.Mohler spoke about the need for seminary training to give pastors both bones or structure for their ministries and also (maybe most importantly) the practical experience within a church. Seminaries that can help head knowledge become heart knowledge have got it right.

I admire a professor like Dr. Carson who has such a desire to examine the Word as God meant for us to know it. Why else should there be a conference like the Gospel Coalition? I know that Carson's intent was not to fill us with empty theology...such a thing does not exist. The study of our awesome, gracious Father should excite us. To see how God played out history in order to display Christ is crazy! Crazy beautiful. It should equip us with a passion for spreading the love of Christ.
So this is what I'm digesting...I need to pray...pray for a connection between what I've learned and how I speak, work, live.


http://thegospelcoalition.org/resources/a/The-Truth-Rediscovering-Humble-Orthodoxy

..you will find me..

My friend posted this video on her blog recently.
"When your soul's weary, when you find doubt, when you can't hear, lay your troubles down... In your dark moments, when your heart's weak, bring yourself low, you will find me" My Lord is faithful... He is true... He wrote the rain, He wrote the sun in...

Guess what Alicia

My friend Alicia appreciates my random stories from the emergency dept. Soooo she came up with a brilliant plan. A book! A book called, "Guess what Alicia..." and in said book I will compile short stories from the ER. They will all begin with the phrase "Guess what Alicia". I'm blogging about this so that when it gets published all my dedicated followers will have been anticipating its launch and will then rush out to purchase it, making me a millionaire! I told you this plan was brilliant! (*evil laugh)

First story.

April 6th, 2011

Guess what Alicia,
last night at work I had a lovely Asian lady as a patient. While I was checking her blood pressure she suddenly turned to me and asked if I was Chinese. bahahahahahah!
I responded, "this may shock you, but no."
(I'm blonde haired, blued eyed and as white Canadian as they come)
Her family laughed pretty hard. She was sweet. No one in their right mind would ask me if I was of Asian decent..I just hope that when I'm 96 and confused I'll ask funny questions like that.

quality time

Last time I posted I was gearing up for my 1/2 marathon..well I ran..and did alright. I'm happy with running it in just over 2hrs- next time I'll aim for under 2.
After my sore, beaten body recovered my sister Lauren came for a visit. She is both my best friend and sister... I hate living so far from her so when she comes I try to show her the best time possible hoping she'll eventually move to Toronto.
She flew back to Thunder Bay yesterday. Although there was no talk of her moving she said she had an awesome time.

run Forest run

Tomorrow I'm running my first 1/2 marathon ever. 21.1km or 13miles... I just went and picked up my kit that includes my race number and a tote full of freebies. The realization that I'm so not prepared hit me especially hard seeing a room full of fit runners. So I faked confidence and pretended I was as excited about the race as everyone else seemed to be. Little do they know I ran like max 3 times in the past 2 weeks, was sick and perforated my ear drum. Hopefully being partially deaf won't hinder my performance! Maybe they won't recognize me straggling at the back of the pack tomorrow..
I may post about the whole experience depending on how I do. Right now I'm just trying to get pumped up for the whole thing.

This guy's my hero. Don't be fooled by his goofy running style! Eric Liddell won gold back in the day for Scotland. Afterwards he went on to be a missionary in China.