Monkey's and other animals

Right now the new musical artist in my life is Gary Jules.

Lines like: "the monkey's in my heart are rattling their cages" are too much yet somehow I get him. Maybe it's just monkey, not monkeys... I'm too tired to look it up.

The lesson today for the little girls at Sunday school was how God made the animals: monkeys and all. They all love animals. Me not so much. I started out with: "Today we were going to talk about how God made the animals but you guys probabley don't care about animals right?" and they all shrieked in protest. They care about animals so much. It was a good class.

We also talked about how nothing is impossible for God (Luke 1:37) and for an assignment they had to write out one impossible thing they wanted to trust God with this week. One girl in grade two wrote that "Cassidy wouldn't be mean to me". She asked me how to spell "mean". I know from former pictures she's drawn for me, of Cassidy and me and her as cats, that they used to be friends. You forget how mean kids can be and maybe that's why animals become such treasured companions.

My New Anthem!

Take that "The Fray"! Alas, I found this song from my new secret favourite tv show. Yes, there's remnants of my dear Bridget Jones' : "I like you-- just as you are". Having a good day. Maybe it's because I met a nice boy, maybe it's because I've got some good perspective on work and life, maybe it's because I had chocolate cake for dinner. Shhsh! Don't tell my mom.

The Way I Am
-Ingrid Michaelson-

If you were falling, then I would catch you.You need a light, I'd find a match.
Cuz I love the way you say good morning.And you take me the way I am.
If you are chilly, here take my sweater.Your head is aching, I'll make it better.
Cuz I love the way you call me baby.And you take me the way I am.
I'd buy you Rogaine if you start losing all your hair. Sew on patches to all you tear.
Cuz I love you more than I could ever promise. And you take me the way I am.
You take me the way I am.You take me the way I am.

A Year

So I realize I've been "blogging" for a year. And like other "bloggettes" that I know, namely Janette and Jill, I'm wondering whether or not I should keep it up. And if I do-- should I change the template, format etc. etc. One of the reasons I started the blog was because I was pretty much addicted to Kirsten and The Barrett's and I thought I'd have some fun with it. And I hate email.

Before I started I recall thinking I'd just end up using it for evil so should I bother? I don't want to cultivate evil in my life. But sadly, I think I have succeeded a bit with that with this very blog.
And I should be seeking to eliminate evil in my life. Perhaps a kinder blog where everyone who reads it are my favourites of the week... where I talk about what God's talking to me about... Hmmm.


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Forrester: Paragraph three starts...with a conjunction, "and." You should never start a sentence with a conjunction.
Jamal: Sure you can.
Forrester: No, it's a firm rule.
Jamal: No, it was a firm rule. Sometimes using a conjunction at the start of a sentence makes it stand out. And that may be what the writer's trying to do.
Forrester: And what is the risk?
Jamal: Doing it too much. It's a distraction. And it could give your piece a run-on feeling. But for the most part, the rule on using "and" or "but" at the start of a sentence is pretty shaky. Even though it's still taught by too many professors. Some of the best writers have ignored that rule for years, including you.

-Finding Forrester, 2000
(check out the soundtrack for that cool "Somewhere Over the Rainbow/It's a Wonderful World" song by Israel Kamakawiwo'ole)

The Y

Wow. I just got back from my second "Cardio Dance" class at the Y. It was an 80's theme tonight which was such fun with songs like "Jesse's Girl" to "The Right Stuff" to "Wake me Up Before You Go-Go". We even did "Thriller" for the cool down. I felt like I was in the movie "13 Going on 30" or something?!

I joined the Y for the first time this year and I'm so thankful I did! I attended Y camp as a kid "Camp Queen Elizabeth". I actually worked there for two summers. Okay and I guess I did swimming lessons at the Y when I was a kid-- the changeroom was always a frightening place-- but this is the first time I've had a gym membership there complete with cardio dance classes!

An interesting thing about the Y is that when it was founded it was a leading Christian movement of campus evangelism.

The pic is of my friend Lee, who's also started getting back into the gym! She's going like "gangbusters!" as you can plainly see from her photo.

How to Save a Life

Have you ever had a song thwart you? Everytime I've turned on the radio this week it's been the Fray, the Fray, the Fray. Why?

Two Things on My Mind

As I stepped out into the bright snowfall from the darkness of my apartment I had two things on my mind: does God exist and some winter tires.

I Call this Song "Pancakes"

In fact it's called "Table for Two" and is by Caedmon's Call. I heard them play live a couple years ago and much to my dismay they didn't play the song even though I kept calling out "Pancakes" which got someone yelling "Bacon". I love this song. Secretly sometimes I love being single. And sometimes I don't. Right now I'm in between. I bolded my favourite lines. Enjoy!
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Danny and I spent another late night over pancakes,
Talkin' 'bout soccerAnd how every man's just the same
We made speculation
On the who's and the when's of our futures
And how everyone's lonely
But still we just couldn't complain

And how we just hate being alone
Could I have missed my only chance
And now I'm just wasting my time
By looking around
But you know I know better
I'm not gonna worry 'bout nothing
Cause if the birds and the flowers survive
Then I'll make it okay
I'm given a chance and a rock
see which one breaks a window
See which one keeps me up all night and into the day

Because I'm so scared of being alone
That I forget what house I live in
But it's not my job to wait by the phone
For her to call

Well this day's been crazy
But everything's happened on schedule
from the rain and the cold
To the drink that I spilled on my shirt
'Cause You knew how You'd save me
before I fell dead in the garden
And You knew this day
long before You made me out of dirt

And You know the plans that You have for me
And You can't plan the end and not plan the means
And so I suppose I just need some peace
Just to get me to sleep.

New TV

So I just watched the first episode of "Little Mosque on the Prairie". Clever title eh? It was a cute slice of Canadian life... jokes about Islam, Christianity and Toronto aside. There were lots of lines about conversion, terrorists and the handsome newcomer to lead the Mosque.

My church is up for sale right now and recently I wondered if they would indeed sell it to another religious group if the offer was made... hmmm.

Facts and Such

* on average one out of every 85 births in Canada is twins
* in 1968 the first credit card came out
*by age two a child can ask for a product by brand name
* it was Jesus Christ who said "... the truth shall set you free." John 8:32
*10% of all people are left handed

Top Five People of the Week

It's been awhile.

1. Mildred Vilbar
2. Daniel Richardsen
3. Evonne Sullivan
4. Matthew Hughes
5. Jonathan Myles

New Look for the New Year?

Ah to be back in Halifax where gas is 99.6, milk is $3.51 for 2L and
it's 7 degrees and sunny on January 4th?!

pics as promised