What's New ...Well

I went for orientation today at my new job and it went well as it was shorter than I would of thought. I also have an interview for a part-time position at the place I work at now.Plus, I have a bunch of night shifts scheduled this week so it looks like I'll be busy which is a good thing. I had like to see the sun come out as it has been very gray the last few days and I hope that snow we're supposed to get on Thursday and Friday won't arrive.

A Rare Friday Night

Tonight is a rare night for me as I'm by myself at home here. My girlfriend went up to her parents place and I have some sleep to catch up on as I had a couple overnight shifts at the paper mill and have had a rather busy week. at least I don't have to worry too much about what to do with myself.

A Word On Prayer

I have a case of writer's block but found this poem on prayer:


Prayer must always remain quite ineffective, unless
we do everything we can to make our own pryaers come
true. It is a basic rule of prayer that God will never do
for us what we can do for ourselves. Prayer does not do
things for us; it enables us to do things for ourselves.

William Barclay

Not Much Going On

I got back from home yesterday as it was nice to see friends and family. I have a big week ahead of me as I do a couple 12 hour shifts at the paper mill and some work with the SIL program and group home. In the meantime, I will try to keep myself occupied.

Primary Wonder

Since I have nothing new to write about here is a poem by Denise Levertov:

PRIMARY WONDER

Days pass when I forget the mystery.
Problems insoluble and problems offering
their ignored solutions
jostle for my attention, they crowd its antechamber
along with a host of diversions, my courtiers, wearing
their colored cap and bells.

And then
once more the quiet myserty is present to me, the
throng's clamor recedes; the myserty
that there is anything, anything at all, let alone
cosmos, joy, memory, everything
rather than void: and that, O Lord,
Creator, Hallowed One, You still,
hour by hour sustain it.

Spring Is Here

Today is the first day of spring and the best part is we are going to have spring weather to go with it as it is supposed to get to 7C today and tomorrow is supposed to be even warmer. i have been waiting for this for a while as winter drags at times and I tend to get cabin fever. It will be nice to finally see more of the outdoors.

Some Food for Thought

This morning I heard a very good sermon at church on the topic of the betrayal of Jesus by Judas Isaricot. The pastor used Luke 22:1-6 as the text and show how Judas betrayed Jesus. it was thought provoking in so many ways as one of the points of the message was how there is a little Judas in all of us.

The motive of betrayal was bought up as was it greed as Judas sold Jesus for 30 pieces of silver, was it that Judas wanted to overthrow the Romans and reestalibsh Jewish rule, that he never really believed in Jesus or just that He wasn't what he wanted Him to be. It is not known for sure but greed is at the top of the list.

The idea of us having Judas in us scares me but makes sense. We see it with people who cheat on their spouse, backstabbing at work, gossip in the church or even not being true to one's principles. There was also the idea of what Judas would be like if he were around today. He would be the one who attends church maybe is very active in it. Has a family and nice home maybe even sucessful at his job. But deep down is out for his own gain and is really insincere.

It was a good message to hear and remember in establish my faith but making sure I'm sincere in what I believe.

Facts About St.Patrick

On St.Patrick's day I figured I would post this on the man himself.

www.answers.com/topic/saint-patrick-saint-holiday-figure

Saint Patrick, Saint / Holiday Figure
Born: c. 385
Birthplace: Bannavem Taberniae, Britain
Died: c. 461
Best Known As: Ireland's most famous saint
St. Patrick is revered by Catholics for establishing Christianity in Ireland during the fifth century AD. The precise dates and details of his life are unclear, but some points are generally agreed: as a teen he was captured and sold into slavery in Ireland, and six years later he escaped to Gaul (now France) where he later became a monk. Around 432 he returned to Ireland as a missionary and succeeded in converting many of the island's tribes to Christianity. Late in life he wrote a brief text, Confessio, detailing his life and ministry. His feast day, March 17, is celebrated as a day of Irish pride in many parts of the world.
A popular folk tale says that St. Patrick chased all snakes from Ireland, but there is no historical basis for this story... Another folk tale, that he used shamrocks to teach about the holy Trinity, is also generally agreed to be a myth... In Gaelic the saint's name is Padraig.

With that happy St.Pat's day to you all.

Last Night

I worked at the paper mill last night and then got home and watch the second half of Are You Smarter Than A 5th Grader? It was pretty good but personally I would never go on the show just because I have the fear of looking foolish on national TV. Then for some reason I watched the movie Saw which was on one of the movie channels. It was as gruesome as I have heard it was but I found it rather uninvolving as I didn't any connection or sympathy for any of the charcters. Anyways, I got a slow day today and I hope to get a few things done.

New News

I just got hired for a new position yesterday with Community Support working as a support worker on an on-call/casual basis. Granted, it wasn't exactly the position I wanted but I'm happy about it. Plus, it is a matter of getting my foot in door and even better I can kiss seasonal work good-bye as I have grown tired of it.

It looks like spring is around the corner as we have been getting some warm weather the last few days. It is nice but I feel we will probably get one last dumping of snow. But I will enjoy this in the meantime.

Funny Isn't It

Here is yet another poem I found online:

Funny how a $10.00 bill looks so big when you take it to church, but so small when you take it to the mall.

Funny how big an hour serving God looks and how small 60 minutes are when spent playing golf, fishing or shopping.

Funny how long a couple hours spent at church, but how short they are watching a movie.

Funny how we get thrilled when a football game goes into overtime, but we complain when a sermon is longer than the regular time.

Funny how laborious it is to read a chapter in the Bible and how easy it is to read 200-300 pages of a best selling novel.

Funny how we believe what newspapers say, but question what the Bible says.

Funny how people scramble to get the front seat at a game, but scramble to get a back seat at church service.

Funny how we cannot fit a gospel meeting into our schedule with a yearly planner but we can schedule for other events at a moments notice.

Funny how we need 2 to 3 weeks to fit a church event into our schedule, but can adjust it for a social event at the last minute.

Funny how much difficulty some have learning a simple gospel well enough to tell others, but how simple it is for the same people to understand and explain gossip about someone else.

Funny who we can't think of anything to say when we pray, and don't have any diffculty thinking of things to talk to a friend about.

Funny how we are so quick to take direction from a total stranger when we are lost, but are hesitant to take God's direction to be found.

Funny how people are so consumed with what others think about them rather than what God thinks about them.

Funny how so many churchgoers sing "Standing on the Promises" but all they do is sit on the premises.

Funny how people think they can get more accomplished in a lifetime without God than in an hour with Him.

Funny how everyone wants to go to heaven, provided they don't have to believe, or to think, or to say, or do anything.

Funny how we all need to read this.

Cold And Cold

I'm still battling this bloody cold and it worst week to do so as I have quite a busy schedule. Not to mention that winter is back in full force as it back to -30C with the wind chill. I actually makes me miss when it's snowing because at least it is somewhat comfortable out. At least spring is around the corner and this cold weather will go away soon.

My Weekend

I had great weekend even though I had to work. I just a few hours working at the SIL program a few hours each day on Friday, Saturday and Sunday so it wasn't so bad. I also got to preach my first sermon at a church in Sundridge on Sunday night which went very well as I was asked to come back and do it again. The message was on Giving God Our Best and the passage I used was on Matthew 25:14-30.

But on the bad side I got a cold which I'm now fighting of and I don't feel 100 percent today but I do get some time to rest. At least, I didn't have to spend the weekend fighting this cold. Also, it's not the dreaded flu virus I have.

Another Update

The interview went well the other day and so did my shift at the paper mill. We got the storm up here and it is still snowing heavily. We apparently had freezing rain last night but roads were snow covered so it was hard to tell. Also, my car wasn't covered in ice this morning. I have to work today but it is only for a few hours and it is very close to home so it should be to bad. I just hope the storm will stop soon.

Big Day Tomorrow

I have a big day tomorrow as I have an interview with Community Living in Bracebridge. The position is for the same type of work that I do now part-time. It is another part-time position and I hope to get it. I also work with the SIL program in the afternoon and then I work at the paper mill overnight. I guess it is good to be busy since I am showing signs of cabin fever and am pretty bored right now.

Tale of A Drunk Snowmobiler

The other night my girlfriend and I were drive down a country road that was poorly lit. We encountered a guy on a snowmobile who look to be intoxicated. He used my headlights to help guide him and was waving across the road. Yes, I know they ride better on snow but he also stood on the seat at one point. Not to mention that that he wiped out three times and was feeling no pain. (Believe me from what I saw it would have injured me if I did that). He was minus a helmet on it was very chilly outside.

I know it scared both of us as we didn't know what he was doing and I could of easily smashed into him or run him over. We also weren't sure if he was maybe setting us up to rob us or whose.
It just brings up a few things Like vehicles and intoxicants don't mix. That there really should be a crackdown since I doubt very sadly this isn't an insolated incident and is one more driving hazard up here which we need like a hole in the head.

At least I can say that my week wasn't dull at all and gives me a stroy to tell my grandchildren someday.

Snow Day

We are getting a blizzard up here today. Apparently, as much as 5 cm of snow is supposed to fall by the end of day. It has derailed some of my plans but I do have to go into work today for a few hours. Other than that it will be a quiet day at home for now. I just hope it will stop for tonight.

My Driving Pet Peeves

I took a course today on Driver improvement as part of my training for work and we got to talk about our pet peeves when driving. I have come up with a few.

People who don't signal when changing lanes or making a turn.

People who talk on cell phones and are obviously not paying attention to the road.

Truck drivers who tailgate you because they supposely in a hurry.

People who turn right in front of you in an intersection and then proceed to drive slowly.

People behind youwho honk at you a split second after the light turns green.

Truckers in a hurry who splater your windshield in snowy and/or wet weather.

There are my main ones and I'm sure there are others but it's getting late.

O Gracious and Holy Father

O gracious and holy Father,
give us wisdom to perceive Thee,
intelligence to understand Thee,
dilgence to seek Thee,
patience to wait for thee,
eyes to behold Thee,
a heart to mediate upon Thee,
and a life to proclaim Thee;
through the power of the Spirit
of Jesus Christ our Lord.

Benedict of Nursia

The Latest

It is still cold outside. I was supposed to go to a course today but it got canelled which is just as well. I have to work tonight anyways and see the guy I'm helping look after this afternoon. I just hope I have enough energy for today and tonight. In the meantime I will have some rest.