Becoming Canadian

Today, I had the really, really amazing privilege and honour of accompanying my Chinese friend, Ruxu, to the immigration office to obtain her Canadian citizenship.  Of course I was quite excited about it, but I was really unaware of what all went on and what to expect.  I will never forget what I saw!  About 50 people were receiving their Canadian citizenship and it was amazing to see the responses.  Some were refugees from countries like Sudan, Iran, and other places in the Middle East.  They were sooo excited to be Canadian - they were all dressed up and just beaming when they shook the judge's hand.  It was the neatest thing.  Others were definitely grateful, but not quite so excited - they had come from countries like Colombia or places in Europe like Austria and Germany.  And still others thought it was not a big deal and were so "ho-hum" about it.  I felt like asking them if they knew what an honour it is to be Canadian.     Ah well - he that receiveth much loveth much - or something like that.  We really do take so much for granted!

Fellow Canadians!

The Clerk and the Judge

Meet Canada's newest citizen!

The last several days have been tough for various reasons, but here's my top-ten list of things that have made me smile so far this week.

10.  My little brother

9.  My other little brother

8.  Text messages from Africa on my cell

7.  Fresh revelations from above

6.  An excellent presenation in class last night

5.  Spring weather and not having to wear a jacket outside

4.  Text messages from Africa on my cell

3.  My conducting prof, trying to create overtones

2.  English speakers speaking Spanish

1.  Text messages from Africa on my cell

Ok, ok, ok....I give in....here's an update on the last several weeks, which I must say, have been some of the most eventful days in my entire life.

My previous post is still true - in fact, I think I'm even more blessed now than I was when I wrote that.  God is just amazing - and awesome - and incredible - and *sigh*...I am speechless again (this has been happening far too often lately and I'm not really used to that feeling!).

Anyways, I have the greatest kids in the whole world.  I wish everyone could experience what it's like to have a church family like ours and a youth group with future evangelists, pastors, missionaries, intercessors....etc...it's just so cool!  Besides being a blessing all the time, they outdid themselves on the weekend by surprising me a whole month after my birthday with a scavenger hunt and then birthday party.  Once again, I'm at a loss for words, but to sum it all up, I felt extremely loved, blessed (there's that word again!), privileged, honoured...yadda, yadda, yadda.  Thank you all so much for such a great evening, guys - you are the best and I love you all so much!

Ladies and Gentlemen, feast your eyes on the firstfruits of this generation - you won't find a finer group anywhere else in the universe.

And, OK, yes, Hannah - here is something new to write about.  For those who are not on the Zion grapevine or have had wires crossed, see the pictures below - it's pretty self-explanatory, but if you seek explanations, you can write me and I'll fill you in to the best of my ability.  All I can say is, it's really hard for me to focus on school right now!  Thankfully, there are only three weeks left!

I'm so blessed  

Though I play with the musicianship of Itzak Perlman, have the technique of Liszt, and can write music like that of Handel, and

have not love, I am become as a sounding brass, or a clanging cymbal.  And though I have the gift of perfect pitch, and understand the most complex theory and all composition, and though I master my instrument, so that I can move vast audiences to tears and have not love, I am nothing.  And though I strive for and acquire the highest recognition and degrees, and though I make it into the premier symphonies of the world and play in the most prestigious places and have not love, it profits me nothing.

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY EVERYONE!

New Births and Birthdays

With the last few days being a blur of activity, it's hard to put into words the things that have been going on.  This past weekend, I had the privilege of taking 8 of my kids to a youth retreat in Pennsylvania.  While any time spent with them is always a joy for me, somehow trips like these are always an even more fun experience and I love the chit-chatting over the course of the long car ride.  The weekend was a neat experience for me - not one filled with superlatives, but more of a sense of God drawing and bringing things to a new level.  Personally, I felt a breakthrough in myself in listening to what He is saying and in learning how to pray and interced on behalf of others.  There was more than one occasion where I was speaking to someone and felt like I wasn't even thinking about what I was saying, because it sort of bypassed my understanding and ministered directly to their spirits.  Granted, there have been lots of times when I've said things without thinking about them (to my own detriment), but this time I knew it wasn't me talking.  I was also soooo blessed to see the older youth praying with others as well and being willing to serve in that way.  Oooohhh - it's so exciting.  I know there is so much more, though, and I can't wait until I see the time when these services will surpass anything that I've seen or heard about before.

Highlights from the weekend include: getting some of my homework done amidst the activities and visiting, tubing (and taking out half the bushes at the bottom of the hill), the Reese's Peanut Butter bits in the renewal centre, prayer on Saturday and Sunday mornings, frisbee with Evan, prayer with my kids, surprise birthday cupcakes, talking and sharing about stuff with some of my favourite people.

So, upon arrival home, I have been swamped with studying for exams, papers, and other projects.  I completely forgot it was my birthday until I received more than one phone call this morning and a whopping 19 e-mails - I think that's pretty much unprecedented, but it does make me feel loved   I can't believe that I'm closer to 30 than I am to 20 now - yikes!  More celebrations will follow when I have the time, so I'm looking forward to that.  Until then, I'm cramming for a mid-term...yay...

Happy Birthday, Stephen...