Yet He loves us still

Been going through lots of changes in life lately. Many frustrations coming from all corners. So far work is good and bad. Team is awesome, one of the best. But boss wise... I've never been so offended by someone before. EVER. I think I've been very gracious to let the past few ridiculous ones go, but to hammer me with more ridiculous and illogical things is just not ok. Haha those of you who know me well knows that I am not one to back down. Sometimes I try to hide it, but I really don't like to be around stupid people. HA!

To be very honest, I am quite angry and if people were in my shoes I think they would be too. It's not a nice feeling to have someone coming after you over and over again because of their senselessness and illogical "reasons".  However, I'd be a bigger fool to argue with a fool.

But instead of being too too angry, the picture of Christ standing quietly in front of a group of people who hates him when being questioned by Pilate came into my mind. As frustrating as that moment was, it was still very refreshing to see that picture in my mind. It was so refreshing and uplifting that I was able to say to myself that I've sinned bigger sin against God but He loves me still.

As much as I do not want to be around this particular person and leave, it's crazy how much God is training me... all just because He loves me still.

Working life

I found a job in my field a month ago. So far it's alright... I'm still trying to get to know the system/ work dynamic there. A bit hard to... I find that things can get pretty unorganized :S Though work can be stressful at times due to lack of organization, my co-workers are great to work with. What a blessing! And I think most of the ppl in my department are Christians too. Haha so it's not too awkward to talk about church lol.

One of my family cars broke down completely so all 5 of us are sharing one car. It's ok, but it's really hard to share sometimes simply because we all have things to do at different times away from home and need the car. Originally, dad wanted me to buy a new one... uh no. bwahahaa LOL yea forget that man. I'll never finish paying off osap debt.

But with this incident, I found myself to constantly think about money... how to split my earnings and how to spend. It's good to think about it as I am responsible for what I do with the money/doing budgeting and all. But the sad thing was that it's always on my mind. It was stressful to think about. Though I am splitting my earnings appropriately on what is needed, I feel that my life is controlled by how much is earned :S It's such a confining feeling... trapped almost? I don't like it.

There are things I want to do and places I'd like to go to but I can't because it's not in the budget.

To some degree, I feel like everyone else... settled and working for a "life". I want to live for God and not live to pay the bills lol. I'm practically doing the same things right now as my training during co-op. But there's a huge difference between my attitude towards work and ppl then and now. It has a lot to do with perspective and where my eyes are at... God or money.

It could be because I actually have to be responsible and fully commit to a job for more than 4 months. But still... :(

Pinocchio

I never enjoyed Pinocchio as a kid. Mostly because there was too much talking going on. The introduction was almost 20minutes long. It's boring for kids.

But I stumbled on the movie today. So I thought I would give it a try... since I can't remember most of it anyways. Though the amount of talking in the movie is still the same and some parts are boring, but I didn't regret it. From the start of the movie until the very end, I saw the story of God unfold.

After Geppetto (woodworker/ father), put the final touches on Pinocchio, Jiminy Cricket who was watching from the shelves says "Very good! Very very good". Just like how God "...saw all that he had made, and it was very good" after the creation of Adam (Gen 1:31)

Pinocchio was later given life as a puppet by the Blue Fairy. His puppet state resembles where we are in life right now on Earth and the future "real boy" state resembles the perfection we will receive when we see are Lord face to face.

Jiminy Cricket was given the role as Pinocchio's conscience by the Blue Fairy. Throughout the movie, Jiminy Cricket whispers and tells Pinocchio what the right thing to do. He tells Pinocchio that "the world is full of temptations" and sings to encourage Pinocchio to "take the straight and narrow path... and when you start to slide, give me a little whistle". Sound familiar?

Later Pinocchio runs into Honest John and Gideon who persuades him to leave with them to pursue fame and luxury. As they march down the streets singing, Jiminy Cricket's call to Pinocchio is covered by the noise. This is just like how when we are led astray, surrounded with noise and distractions, we can't hear the call and prompting of the Holy Spirit.

Pinocchio often ignores the Jiminy Cricket even when he does hear him and goes his own way. But Jiminy Cricket would still run after him. We always push the calling of the Holy Spirit aside, but the Holy Spirit never leaves.

After Geppetto waited for a long time and Pinocchio still didn't come home for dinner, he leaves his comfortable home to go look for Pinocchio in the rain. Later in the movie you find out that he packed up his things to go look for Pinocchio and ends up in the belly of a whale at the bottom of the ocean. Our Father in Heaven never stops in search for us. Our God left His Heavenly throne to come into this pitiful world just so we can be with Him.

When Pinocchio finally realizes that he is in trouble (turning into a donkey) he listens to Jiminy Cricket's prompts. There was a scene where they were running away and they come upon the edge of the cliff. Jiminy Cricket tells Pinocchio that "you gotta jump" and they both jump without hesitation. The Holy Spirit will tell us to do crazy things, but all we got to do is trust that it is good for us. Sometimes we get ourselves into such deep troubles that the only way out is to do the most difficult and seemingly impossible. And we must always remember that we never jump alone, God jumps with us.

Pinocchio finally becomes a real boy and celebrates with his father in their home.

There are so many other things that happened in the movie that reflect the story of God. If you ever plan a Sunday school lesson, I think this movie would definitely be a good tool to use. I have so much more appreciation for the movie now than when I was a kid and before I knew God.

Emotions

"In your anger do not sin": do not letthe sun go down while you are still angry, and do not give the devil a foothold. --- Ephesians 4:26-27

"What this verse doesn't say is 'never get angry'. There are emotions that are godly and emotions that are ungodly. God has all emotions and expresses them in holy ways. All emotions therefore are potentially good, though they could lead us to sin if we don't control them and allow them to control us." --- Pastor Mark Driscoll

Interesting... never thought about it like that.

Prelude to Therapeutic Recreation Week

February 6^th to 10^th is Recreation Therapy Awareness Week, so I will use this opportunity to try to explain what my field of study and occupation is. Also there will be events going on around campus during the week à i.e. wheel chair obstacle course in the SLC on Mon Feb 6 from 1-3pm ;)

Many people have tried to ask me what Therapeutic Recreation (TR) is. I’m pretty sure my definition of TR changed, formed, destroyed (lol), and reconstructed over the past 5 years. Sometimes it’s very hard to explain because the client group TR works with is so diverse.

To start, I am NOT a party planner, camp counselor, occupational/ music/ physiotherapist, social worker, nurse, PSW or a person who gets paid doing a “volunteer’s job”. I work in collaboration with all these healthcare providers and vice versa. The purpose of Recreation Therapy is to use play as a form of rehabilitation, increase quality of life, and promote wellness and health (physically, socially, emotionally, & mentally). A play setting provides an environment where the individual feels safe and this is where they reveal many of their stories and hardships to you.

A Rec Therapist is trained to do a needs/ abilities assessment (ax) on patients (there are many more different types of ax than just the 2 mentioned), design suitable intervention according to the patient’s needs, and evaluate the patient’s progress towards a healthy lifestyle in a holistic manner.

Quick example: in an addictions and mental health setting, the Rec Therapist would teach positive coping skills to those with an addictions issue, combating depression/ suicidal thoughts, or both (dual diagnosis). Reality check and behaviour coaching will be involved in the work of the therapist. And the role of the therapist would be to guide the client to realize why it is beneficial to engage in activities other than cutting or doing recreational drugs (lol this one’s for you GL, JC, & E-money).

I can go on forever about this. Within the next week or so I’ll probably post about the TR awareness week stuff and hopefully I’ll get to some of the work I’ve done during co-op.

Peace!

Challenge- acknowledging

The challenge for this week's book study I'm doing with my friend is acknowledging. Acknowledging that I am weak and powerless coming upon frustrations, temptations, struggles... etc. and acknowledging that God is powerful over all frustrations, temptations, struggles... etc.

"Let's talk about sex"

The church I go to in Waterloo, Elevation, is doing a series on some of the most uncomfortable things to talk about, sexuality. Upcoming topics are "Single like Jesus", "The M-word", and "The Homophobic Church". These are really interesting topics as many, myself included, get uncomfortable even though we pretend to be completely comfortable discussing them. Anyways, last week was on sex.

In our culture today, there are 3 major lies we believe in about sex:

1) Sex is only natural

Sex is seen as the natural thing to do. It is everywhere on ads, tv, and rarely do you not hear implications of sex in songs. On the other hand, abstinence is seen as the unnatural, weird, awkward, and it is often made fun of when practiced. There is this mentality that we should just do whatever we want, whenever we feel like, and no need to suppress any urges. What are we animals?

2) Sex is only physical

Because sex is done with another human being, another soul. It is not just physical. Yes it obviously includes the physical, but it is also emotional and relational. Hence this is one of the reason why sometimes it takes people so long to heal from the break up of a physical relationship.

3) Sex is an expression of love

Often in relationships, sex is seen as a goal instead of understanding it as a gift form God. Sex is not the "ultimate expression of love". It is one of the many things that a married couple can share together as they journey and grow together.

But this is what God said:

"It is God's will that you should be sanctified: that you should avoid sexual immorality; that each of you should learn to control his own body in a way that is holy and honorable, not in passionate lust like the heathen, who do not know God." --- 1 Thessalonians 4:3-5

"Flee from sexual immorality. All other sins a man commits are outside his body, but he who sins sexually sins against his own body. Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body." --- 1 Corinthians 6:18-20

"Should your springs overflow in the streets,

your streams of water in the public squares?

Let them be yours alone,

never to be shared with strangers." --- Proverbs 5: 16-17

(Let it be yours and your husband/ wife alone. Never share it with another)

But don't forget, there is no shame to sex in the way God intended it...

"The man and his wife were both naked, and they felt no shame." --- Genesis 2:25

Not that you shouldn't have sex at all in your life. Only thing is, it is a gift from God for married couples. We should avoid and flee from sexual immorality (i.e. pornography, having sex outside marriage) Just because you are in a serious dating relationship and is heading towards marriage doesn't mean you get a free ticket to sex right now.

"Love may be blind, but it doesn't mean you should feel your way around." --- Pastor Brandon

A book was recommended: "Real Sex" by Lauren Winner. The author wrote about how sometimes the church can value virginity so much that it makes those who lost it in the wrong place feels like 2nd class. But Christianity is about receiving a 2nd chance from Christ... God's grace, repentance, and forgiveness. And also, how should the Christian community help and support each other?

So, what standard have you set for yourself? Have you even set a standard? Or just feeling your way around?