A Prayer for Transition

Hello all!

So, this post will draw a more serious tone but I wanted to share something with you. I was introduced to this great book called Common Prayer: A Liturgy for Common Radicals. It basically includes daily morning/evening prayers, special event prayers, etc. I have included it in my daily morning routine and it is amazing to know that there may be many other people around the world praying the same prayer.

As I posted before, I said that I am moving back to Toronto after being in Edmonton for 6 months. As with every transition, there is a certain level of anxiety and fear. But it is with those times that I experience a more heightened level of intimacy with God. I wish it didn't take times like these for me to be more intimate with God but alas, I am learning.

As I was thinking about moving back to Toronto this past weekend, I went to my book of Common Prayer and reread my favourite prayer for transitions. I would like to share it with you and also include a link to a song by Chris Tomlin that has also been an incredible song to sing very loudly and out of tune in my bedroom alone! (I highly recommend that). So, here you go. I hope if you are going through a transition or a tough time that you will find solace in the words in the prayer and the song.

"Lord, help me now to unclutter my life, to organize myself in the directions of simplicity. Lord, teach me to listen to my heart; teach me to welcome change instead of fearing it. Lord, I give you these stirrings inside me. I give you my discontent. I give you my restlessness. I give you my doubt. I give you my despair. I give you all the longings I hold inside. Help me to listen to these signs of change, of growth; help me to listen seriously and follow where they lead through the breathtaking empty space of an open door."

Faithful - Chris Tomlin

Free Ride?

Hello all,

So, I have been working super early this week. On Monday I started at 5am and then for the rest of the week at 7am. Except this morning, I started at 6am. So, I had to walk about 15-20 minutes to get to my bus because the bus near my house doesn't run that early.

So, it was a rainy day today and I was just exhausted from the long days this week. Having to get up at 4 am and walking in the rain didn't help either. Anyway, I get to the bus depot and wait for my bus to arrive at 5:30am. As I wait I put my bus ticket in my pocket so its ready to be given to the bus driver.

So, the bus arrives but the sign on the bus is wrong. So, as I step onto the bus, I ask the driver if this is the number 7 which he says yes. So, I walk towards the back of the bus and sit down. I sip my coffee trying to get the caffeine in my system and stare blankly into space.

Halfway to work, I reach in my pocket to get my phone and I feel a piece a paper. It is at that point that I realize that I did not pay for my ride. So, here I am left with a decision. I can either:

a) go to the front of the bus and give the bus driver my ticket

b) forget about it

I chose option b. I felt like God was frowning down on me. But come on a free ride on the bus? I squared it off in my mind later in the day when I remembered the time that I lost a bus ticket in the wind. So, there we go - the transit system owed me. Right?

Maybe it was wrong. Maybe I just shouldn't take the bus at 5:30 in the morning. Who knows.

What would you have done? Honestly.

McGuinty got me again! Say what?

Oh dear. It happened again. I was watching TV this evening and as you all know, I am so excited to go back home to Ontario. And so, I was on CTV Toronto and this commercial came on. Basically, pumping up Ontario and saying what makes us different and just how great we are. And in my head I was like "YESSSSS. This is awesome. Ontario is awesome!" But then the final screen came up and it was produced by the Liberal Party of Ontario.

Come on, McGuinty! You are killing me. I mean, however many years ago it was that you got re-elected, I voted for you. You told me that you would give me money for textbooks and I replied, "Heck yes!" And then later I promised myself that I wouldn't fall for your gimmicks anymore.

So, please, McGuinty, please don't try to use the capital WE are Ontario. Because, really, after all the crap you put us through, do you think you are part of OUR Ontario?

But I do applaud the McGuinty's advertising crew because that was a fantastic commercial.

The Ontario Way - Check it out below.

Going Home

Hello there,

So, its official, I am leaving Edmonton and going back home to Toronto. And I have never been sooooo excited! But these last six months have been great. Edmonton is a fair city. Though, I have been accused of being an Ontario snob (or Toronto more specifically) and I don't deny it. Ontario is awesome. Toronto is a great city and I'm excited to get back there. Going to the Beaches, touring the Steam Whistle, walking at the Bluffs, driving on the gardiner in my favourite lane, and of course seeing friends and family whom I haven't seen in a while.

But knowing that home is so close, is almost killing me in the meantime! Especially because this week the Styles are in Ontario this week! So brutal. But alas, I am trying to be patient and waiting to finish out my time here.

Goodbye Alberta, Hello Ontario.

Tennis

Hello all!

Well, its that time of year again where I sit on my butt and watch hours of tennis. It is like an addiction. But only an addiction that happens four times a year. This addiction started about 3-4 years ago but I only faithfully watch the Grand Slams of tennis. The Australian Open (January), The French Open (end of May, beginning of June), Wimbledon (end of June, beginning of July) and finally the US Open (August).

These are the times of year that whoever I am living with will learn a lot about tennis. Right now, it is Paul and Jennie. I have overtaken their television and their living room. I quite literally come home from work, grab my laptop and a juice box and watch tennis till bed time. I also snack on chocolate covered almonds until I realize how many I've eaten and get up to get some actual dinner while then eating it in front of the TV.

I remember a couple of years ago when I was taking some spring classes. Laura was living with me at the time and Wimbledon was on (which is my favourite grand slam). She absolutely hated it because I was quite literally glued to the TV and she would yell at me to study or tell me she wanted to watch something other than tennis. You see the glorious thing about the grand slams is that you can pretty much turn on the TV anytime of the day and find it. But really, studying french or watching tennis? TENNIS, obviously.

So, here is my question for you. Studying french or tennis? Choose your own adventure.