So many thoughts this evening, and it's so rude because I am supposed to be on a date with my sofa.

I went to CFC, Christian Fellowship Church, for the first time this evening. It was their 'youth' service but there were peeps of all ages, about 500 peeps of all ages. And I really enjoyed it. The sermon was given by 2 pastors who have been working in South Africa (already awesome) and are now ministering at City Church Belfast. He talked about our inheritance as the people of God and being on fire for God with regards to the charimastic church. She (and this is the bit I liked) then tagged in and talked about wisdom and discernment and not being a gullable people. She also mentioned how important it was to be grounded at a home church so that you can be held accountable when you go out into the world. This obviously spoke to me as somebody who is so desperate to get out again already.

This all affirms my decision to take on the Blaze program at church. Blaze is aimed at 16-18 year olds, which this year makes up the core of our youth. It needs to be a program that is appropriate for believers with questions, at a crucial stage of their faith life. It will be a challenge to design but there is alot of potential and if I am going to get involved with anything at FLPC, this is what I want it to be.

So the story continues...debs tries to 'settle'

Last night I went out for chinese food, people made inappropriate asian jokes and I was the only person eating with chopsticks and got ripped for it. On the other hand, I caught up with some of my favourite peeps which was so awesome.

Tonight I went to a make-your-own beer festival. I had beer from Poland, Italy, Mexico, Belgium, Estonia and the Czeck Republic. You know your back in NI when you spend an entire Saturday night in the one chair, with 6 different beers and nothing to do the next day.

This story would be so much better big brother style.

Exactly one week since I flew home with zoom airlines and today they announce they have gone out of business and left hundreds of brits stranded across the world. Well....I wish I was one of those peeps stranded in Vancouver. Haha!! I'm obviously meant to be stuck here for some reason so let's wait and see...

I am going to be an expert blogger if i can't get over this jet lag sometime soon. It's 4am and I am wide awake with not alot to do! I went downstairs to find a yummy snack and discovered that my parents keep our fridge well stocked with a range of beer, wine, spirits and mixers so if things don't work out in the next few months I can always turn to drink. Comforting.

I am also discovering the joys of job searching. First you have that heavy feeling you get when you have something important to do that hangs over your head constantly affecting your ability to relax. Then you get that really good feeling of productivity when you spend time working on your resume so that it's perfect, looking through available jobs and sending your resume out with very professional sounding emails. And now it's that horrible waiting period when you have nothing much to do except drink and blog.

This is fun. My song for today, stealing the concept from a fellow blogger of mine...."Longway to happy" Pink

Can anybody inform me why there are lines through the text on my page all of a sudden? Can you guys all see it on your computers?? Or is the culture shock messing with my vision...

Here I am on the other side....

And it still feels like I have never been away. I came home and went to church, and it was so good to see old friends and family but it was too wierd. I'm  sitting here in bed thinking about how I'm staying here for a year and I feel nauseous.

I really do wonder what the next few months have in store for me....

Vancouver peeps -----> I miss you and your country alot right now!

So you have 5 days to prepare to turn the page to the NI post-life-changing experience chapter. You pace yourself, taking the time to see the people you need to, saying what you want to who you want and thinking through the whole process. But the day finally comes when you can get on the plane and fly home and to be honest, you are ready for it. Sad but still ready. Even a little excited to see peeps back home. You pack up all your stuff, clear your room, throw out a whole load of crap and drive to the airport. Go check what desk to check in at....

Flight Z40366 Tard a 23.00

Delayed 5hours

Due to the plane being broken

The same plane I am going to board in 52mins

Peace Out

I hate schedules and I cannot wait for a time in the future when my life is not a schedule. 

Here I was thinking having 5days of quiet would be great to pack up my things here properly, take a break and maybs see some chillens at some point. NO. Everyday is jam packed with things to do and people to see and I am clutching my 8hours sleep each night like it was treasure of some sort. My goodbyes are scattered all over the place that I can't keep track and I don't have time to think about it or have feelings about it. I am numb.

I think I am going to go splash some cold water on my face now...

I said goodbye to some pretty important peeps this morning. But it was ok. I'm doing good with it and I think its because I know that it isn't goodbye. I know that I want to be back here within the next year so I will see my friends again. It's exactly the same way I haven't seen peeps from home for 8months. It's comforting, that feeling that it is the right time to take a break.

I took one of my kids swimming today and it was hilarious. I was pretending to be dead on a big green floating turtle when he climbed on top, started shaking my hand shouting "Jack, Never let go Jack". Then I sank down into the water laughing so hard it probs looked like I was actually drowning! We did a way better job than Kate and Leo!

(FYI Mamma Mia the movie is ridics)

Do you love Jesus?

Right now, at Urban Promise we are reflecting on this question and what it means to us as a part of our devotional time. It seems like a pretty basic question and the answer is, of course, yes. But I think what the question entails is whether or not we have accepted the absolute unconditional love from Jesus and are attempting to love in the same way in return.

In the book we are reading, the author talks about a second love which is the earthly love we search for. We look to our friends and our families to feel loved, belonging, affection, acceptance and intimacy. We say we love Jesus and all we want is Jesus yet we look everywhere else for the things we can only truly find through Jesus. When we look for it from people, it can end up in sadness, anger, rejection, betrayal and loneliness. 

So after thinking about it like that, I'm going to try and start looking in the right places for what I need and continue exploring what it looks like to love unconditionally in return. Easy

It is hot in Vancouver homes! And I love it! (makes the kids a little whiny though)

So here's the rundown...

I purchased my Nike dunks this evening which is amazing because I have been threatning to buy them for months. And now I feel strangely satisfied. 

My brother flies in tomorrow evening and I'm nervous. In an excited way. I think it has been stressing me out thinking of entertaining him whilst living my life. Hopefully it all works out. I'm assuming he is going to love Vancouver as much as I do!

And I suppose I should mention the fact that it is the last week of summer camp and nearly the last time I will see alot of these kids for a while. It feels like a normal week right now. I'm tired and sweaty 24/7. But now when the kids hug me, I hug them a little tighter than usual. It's going to be really hard and I have no doubts that the waterworks will be flowing full throttle on Friday afternoon but I am confident that my time with UrbanPromise and in Vancouver isn't finished yet. I just have to sort things out at home before I can really get started.