Exactly...

It's been exactly one year.  365 days.  Wow. 

No more needs to be said...

A Treasure

"But every memory of friendship shared, even for a short time, is a treasure, like sunshine and warmth in our lives, like a cool breeze on a humid day, like a shower of rain refreshing the earth."
     ~Author Unknown

Found at http://www.desktop-quotes.com/friendship-and-memories-quotes.html

Where Past and Present Collide

One year ago this week I said goodbye...

Goodbye to everything I had known for 9 years.  I said goodbye to my friends.  I said goodbye to my church.  I said goodbye to my coworkers.  I said goodbye to my city.  I said goodbye to my province.  Goodbye.

It's hard to imagine that a year has already gone by.  In a sense it feels like it was just yesterday...the memories and emotions are all so raw still, yet it also feels like a lifetime ago because so much has changed in me.

I miss Kamloops so much.  A part of me always will.

As tough as the past year and a half has been (including moving preparations, etc) I know God has used it to change me and shape me.  He has used it to mold me.  There are still what if's running around in my head about what would have happened if I stayed, but as I know from previous moves those will be there no matter what.  Yet despite all the questions I still have I know I'm right in the middle of God's will for my life.  I may still want to go back, but God has me here for a reason.  A reason still to be seen.

Thinking about 'moving week' last year brought the song "Whatever You're Doing" by Sanctus Real back into my mind.  It was my theme song last year. 

"Whatever You're doing inside of me it feels like chaos but somehow there's peace.  Though it's hard to surrender to what I can't see, I'm giving into something heavenly...Whatever You're doing inside of me it feels like chaos but I believe You're up to something bigger than me, larger than life, something heavenly." 

Moving was chaotic.  It was hard.  Yet in the midst of it I know God has a plan.  It doesn't mean I have to forget BC and all the memories I had there.  It doesn't mean I should forget the friends I have there and keep my distance from them.  No way!  It means that chapter of my life has ended and a new one has begun.  It means that I treasure the moments God gave me in Kamloops because they were used to shape me into who I was last year.  And the new memories and new friends I'm making here are shaping me now.  It's a place where the past and present collide...to fulfull God's plan for my life!

This has been something that has been on my heart for a few months now, ever since someone I know told me they weren't exactly going to stay in touch with me just because they had moved away...  Ever since the day I got that message in May I've been reminding myself over and over again that I will never, ever treat anyone that way.  I am blessed to have known all the people I have known, and while I may not continue to be close friends with everyone I've ever known, they will always hold a very special place in my heart...for God brought them into my life for a purpose, and I am so very grateful for those purposes!

The Past Few Weeks

The past few weeks have been full of:

Spending time with my cousin Taylor who was staying with us for 2.5 weeks.

Figuring out how to solve a Rubix cube...Taylor wasn't to impressed I finished it first...

Having my aunt, uncle and cousins over for an afternoon/evening.





Babysitting my baby cousin Trae! 



Spending more time with my cousin Taylor.



Enjoying some time with good friends.



Walking around the lake with our friends.



It's been a great few weeks! 

Sometimes...

Sometimes I wish time didn't go on.

Sometimes I wish I was still young.  Living in the good days where life was simple.  Where faith was 'as a child' if that makes sense.  Where people truly cared and life wasn't complicated. 

Sometimes I wish I could go back in time to when I lived in Calgary...when my friends and I were all serving God.  When He was what we would always talk about.  When nothing could come in the way of our love for Him. 

Sometimes I wish I could go back in time to a time where smiles always filled our faces.  Where fear was far from our hearts.  Where my sisters and I would enjoy our time together and sing our little hearts out for Jesus.

Sometimes I wish I could go back in time when real true friendships were the norm.  Where people actually cared about one another.  Where if you reached out to someone they would extend their loving arms back. 

Sometimes... Okay, really I wish this all the time.  I wish life was still as simple as it was when I was little...

But it's not.  So many people I love have turned from their first Love, Jesus.  So many people I know could care less about everything and everyone.  It hurts.  Badly.  Because all I want is to see them with arms raised high serving their King. 

I'm not going to give up.  I will continue pressing on.  Keep praying.  Keep believing.  Keep hoping.  Because a day is coming where they will bow their knee and worship Jesus.  A day is coming...

You're Beautiful...

"I see Your face in every sunrise
The colors of the morning are inside Your eyes
The world awakens in the light of the day
I look up to the sky and say
You're beautiful."

"I see Your power in the moonlit night
Where planets are in motion and galaxies are bright
We are amazed in the light of the stars
It's all proclaiming who You are
You're beautiful, You're beautiful."

"I see you there hanging on a tree
You bled and then you died and then you rose again for me
Now you are sitting on Your heavenly throne
Soon we will be coming home
You're beautiful, you're beautiful."

"When we arrive at eternity's shore
Where death is just a memory and tears are no more
We'll enter in as the wedding bells ring
Your bride will come together and we'll sing
You're beautiful, You're beautiful, You're beautiful."

"I see Your face, You're beautiful, You're beautiful, You're beautiful
I see Your face, You're beautiful, You're beautiful, You're beautiful
I see Your face, I see Your face
I see Your face, You're beautiful, You're beautiful, You're beautiful."

*Lyrics from You're Beautiful by Phil Wickham

A VERY Random Post

I survived week two!!  I've been enjoying my job, but I have found I am completely drained!  I guess that is to be expected since I was without a job for two months!  I'm hoping and praying that I will adjust quickly so I can get back to having energy and strength to do other things than just working and sleeping...oh, and don't forget all the reading I've been doing lately to relax after a long day!

I haven't forgotten my family and friend weekly posts...I just haven't had any energy to sit down and write...or think.  Hopefully I'll write a few more tomorrow.  Maybe I'll have to cheat and pre-write posts and schedule them for their respective days...

I've been thinking lately that I must be a tea addict.  My new favourite tea store has $5 shipping for the month of July and I am really, really wanting to buy a few new types of tea...Not that I really need anymore!  :p

Some of my family is headed 'home' to BC next week.  I am feeling extremely jealous of them.  And yes, I did say 'home' because ever since May I've been feeling very homesick and all I want is to go back...for good.  I can't wait until I know in my heart that it would be okay for me to go back...I miss it so badly...still!!  I was hoping to go back to visit at the end of the month, but some of my friends I was really wanting to see won't be there so I guess I'll wait until another time when they will be there.  It just really means more waiting...more wanting to go back...but I will...maybe next month?!  I hope so!  I may be very far away from BC in distance, but BC is always in my thoughts...and the people I love there are always in my prayers.

This post has become a big rambling update.  :( 

Well, to end this post I'll leave you with a very random video.  This song "True Love" by Phil Wickham has been in my head since yesterday when I read a line from it on a facebook status.  It's a great song, so I wanted to share it with you all!