An interesting weekend

I can't believe that I've what seems to be a really random bunch of things this weekend. I think it seems all the more random because of the neat "God moments" that were interspersed in all the activities. Actually, it was kinda cool.

On Friday night, I came home was tired and hungry, but luckily my "roomate" from upstairs was getting some food ready with a friend and we all ate together and had a good time. Then we went to a good-bye party for another friend from our church who is going to India for about a year. Wow, I didn't really know many people there, and I was feeling a little tired and annoyed, bt suddenly it all came together - we all just started having a little jam worship session there in the kitchen, and it felt like I was supposed to be there, and it was just good.

Saturday was a long day of work, but it was nice to be planning to go to the reception of the wedding between two of my awesome friends from Queen's, Tyrone and Danielle Warner. I had been dissapointed to not get off work so I could go to the whole wedding, but it was just great in the end to be there for the speeches and to see them off on their new life together. These are people I know for what seems like forever at Queen's - I remember the day that Tyrone told me that he had met this fantastic girl for coffee, and when I met her for the first time, etc. Now they're married, and I am just so happy for them. It's just so awesome when you see two people united so completely under God. It's just makes me beam. I felt the same way a little while ago seeing two of my favourite people get married about three weeks ago - Yay Dave and Lindsay Bauer!

Another fun part of the evening was randomly meeting the older brother of the boy who will always have the title of "the first friend I made by myself in Toronto", Ben Johnson. His brother, Andy, is good friends with Tyrone, and it just goes to show how small the world is. I randomly met Ben one day after church, and we became friends, hardly knowing that we had other friends in common. Anyway, it was nice to meet Andy because he seems like a great person just like his brother. It's always nice to get a good impression about a person.

Also, that night a bunch of us Queen's cats got together and had a few beers and good conversation. It was so different for me to sit down with a bunch of my Christian friends from Queen's and not feel that same weird intimidation/judgement complex I used to feel when I was at school. Forever when I was there I couldn't get entirely comfortable in the Christian community there because, well, I just didn't feel like I had all my stuff together like they all seemed to. It intimidated me. But on Saturday, it was just relaxed, we talked about tougher issues, like the lines of sex before marriage, and whatnot, and I began to see the more "real" sides of all the people at the table. It sounds strange, but it was just so refreshing to me, and a real moment of clarity.

Last night was a random night like that too. I confess I was a little annoyed that I wasn't able to make church because I had to go to a BBQ that my manager from the store was having. I really wanted to hear the sermon last night, but alas, I made a choice and went to the BBQ. It's funny how God works it all out because I ended up having a rather serious and interesting conversation with the people from work about God and Religion. (Yeah, doesn't that ALWAYS happen?!?) Despite the fact that none of us at that table really believed the same thing, I couldn't help coming away from that conversation feeling very hopeful and excited. Whatever the background, all of us are tied together in understanding some of the same principles - love, being good to other, and respecting all people. In the end, we're all in God's image - as in, I believe that all these principles are innate things in humans because we are designed by God to think that way, because that is the image of Him in us. It just makes me smile.

Hmm...thanks God!

At least I did something to distract myself

I now have some pictures on the web for people to check out. I couldn't hook it up all that well on here, so check out my MSN space.

http://spaces.msn.com/members/girlfelicityjane/

Ups and Downs

Today has been a weird day. Full of ups and downs.

I had a great day of working hard on my friend Karl's movie stuff and catching up with a friend. It's so nice to feel useful and creative again. I didn't realize just how much I've been needing to do theatre-type stuff until today. I just felt so alive and excited, and it was even more clear when my friend Kris pointed out how much my demeanor changed when I was talking with him about theatre stuff. Sigh. One day I'll get back to it for real.

Tonight was a different story though. My family puppy dog, Candy, has been sick for some time now. She's got arthritis and has become slightly incontinent (leaky). She's been going deaf and blind for some time now, but she deteriorating a lot more lately. Last week, Mum took her to the vet, and they suspect that she's been experiencing some pain. We all prepared ourselves with the fact that some time between now and our planned trip to Africa in October we were going to have to put Candy down. Tonight the truth of the situation became more obvious. Candy just isn't doing well. Her stomach trouble isn't getting better and she can't take her pain medication, on top of which her allergies (which cause her to swell up and need to wear a collar) are acting up. It's hard, but tonight we came to the family decision that it's not fair to her to keep her going when she's so ill. Mum is going to try and book an appointment for Candy to be put down next week. None of us could bear the thought of her continuing in pain, and spending her last month alive wearing a stupid collar.


The saddest part, I think, for me and my sister is that we won't get to see our precious little pup before she slips away. Maybe it's just for the best. I don't think I really want to let her go. She's been a part of the family for almost 14 years. It's also tough to think that Mum, the one who rescued poor Candy from the animal shelter after she was abused so long ago, will have to be the one to drop her off...alone for the most part.

We have a couple of choices: to have Candy cremated and then it all take care of, to have a private cremation and to get Candy's ashes, or something that allows us to get a paw print from Candy before she goes to remember her by. I think that's what we're going to do, at least for myself and my sister. Man...I knew this would come some day, but you're never quite prepared for it.

aren't I cute? 

I've done it

I just gave in today and I decided to set myself up with a blog. I guess I'm just preparing for my trip to Africa in another way - I just got my first set of shots today! I'm really trying to look forward to this whole trip, but I'm not gonna lie, some of this business is stressing me out. Other than the money factor, I'm just getting antsy because I've got so much riding on this trip - so many expectations of good things, but even more so I'm using as a milestone in a way. After my trip, I'm planning for something to change in my life. I'm just sick of feeling like I'm doing nothing with my life. I'VE GOT POTENTIAL DAMMIT!

Baby steps. I'll just keep thinking that. One foot in front of the other and baby steps.