swimming: learning to drown

MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE!

I'm glad Jesus came. At our Christmas eve service tonight the pastor asked us what it would mean to us if Jesus hadn't come. Always winter and never Christmas, just like the white witch in Narnia. How dreadful! I'm so glad God decided to relate to us in our form. Wow! Is that even possible to understand, how the God of the universe stepped into our world by becoming a little baby. A helpless one, and to a young woman who wasn't even married yet. The way God works is so strange, so different, so genuine, that it makes me believe that he works.

This week visiting my parents, sister and seeing friends God has been the one initiating some thinking. I've been learning, errr... God's been teaching me about how I don't give him control. On the one hand I really want to make decisions and do my own thing and be in control, but on the other I'm helpless and just wish someone would just tell me straight up what to do. Yet Jesus doesn't control me like a control freak, yelling or making sure I do everything He says. He allows me to choose, which is actually hard for me to do. For some reason I either trust my own wishy washy thoughts and decisions or just wish some bossy person would tell me what to do, no matter what it is, just so I can say, hey i'm doing something. But Jesus is patient with me and while i'm fighting over the throne of my life between myself and other people, he's patiently waiting for me to give it all up to him. He has such a soft voice though, so i have to listen carefully. I'm not used to doing that, usually with my parents I automatically tune them out even when I'm not trying. It's easy to do this with Jesus too, so I've got to learn to listen and do what he says even when he gives me just a little nudge.

In church today our pastor shared a good comparison of us and Jesus to a lifeguard and someone who is drowning. When someone is drowning the lifeguard will swim up to the person and stay within a close distance to them, but he can't grab them and bring them to safety until they've stopped flailing their arms. If the lifeguard grabs them before they've stopped trying to save themselves, both might drown. So the lifeguard waits until the drownee has exhausted himself/herself and then rescues him. Like the lifeguard Jesus waits for us to come to the end of ourselves, exhaust our own resources before he can rescue us. The trick is giving up and trusting him to save us.

well have a really fantastic and merry Christmas!

Love lots,
Robyn

Exciting Developments

Whoopee~ Corey and Peggy Just had a baby!!! This is very exciting. She's a girl. And her name is... da da da dah! Meaghan Grace Pei Guang Porter.

Corey and Peggy were staff on the Calgary Project I went on. They were in my food group with their little guy, Caleb, who's now a big brother. They grow so fast. I remember when wiggling our fingers at him would make him laugh.

Also, I met up with some stellar people today while I was working at a little kiosk in the mall (that I'm working at for 10 days while I'm off from school). I saw Grace and Jill who know my friend katie and I've had the privelege of learning "Settlers of Catan" with them. That's when the obsession began. I'm glad to say I'm moving onto other things. Anyway Jill went on the North Africa Project last summer with C4C and they're both going to Winter Conference in Calgary. Woot! On the #3 bus. Yes~ Then I saw Steve too! He apparently works down the mall hall from me. So strange and wonderful! Today was full of goodness.

Then I ate spicy shrimp sushi from T&T because it's so cheap! It tasted wonderful, except it was a bit spicy. Note to self: Do not eat wads of ginger after eating a mouthful of spicy sushi. Fire Brigade!!!

So I'm home from school for Christmas. Still have to shop for presents, but I'm feeling like a rebel and not wanting to at all considering I have to work there. Tomorrow I have a day off to go visit my grandma (who's sick in the hospital-she's getting better but still needs prayers), go to the dentist for cleaning, and make a gingerbread house at my friends house!

I've seen 3 movies in the past 8 days I've been home. One on friday because our house was so cold due to no electricity. Did you know that newer houses' electricity does not go off due to windstorms because their power lines are under the ground. sneaky, hmm??

I've seen "The Holiday" which was a cute chick flick; "Eragon" based off the book about a boy and his dragon; and "Pursuit of Happyness" with Will Smith and his real son, which I didn't love all that much, though it's a true story.

Anyway that's the most movies I've ever seen in that short a timespan. Seriously!

I best be off to bed to rest my head and teeth.

Adios friends,
Robyn

ps. See some of you lovely people at Calgary WC! woot!
Also is anyone going to Bodyworks at Science world and know how much it costs? I want to go.

Exciting Developments

Whoopee~ Corey and Peggy Just had a baby!!! This is very exciting. She's a girl. And her name is... da da da dah! Meaghan Grace Pei Guang Porter.

Corey and Peggy were staff on the Calgary Project I went on. They were in my food group with their little guy, Caleb, who's now a big brother. They grow so fast. I remember when wiggling our fingers at him would make him laugh.

Also, I met up with some stellar people today while I was working at a little kiosk in the mall (that I'm working at for 10 days while I'm off from school). I saw Grace and Jill who know my friend katie and I've had the privelege of learning "Settlers of Catan" with them. That's when the obsession began. I'm glad to say I'm moving onto other things. Anyway Jill went on the North Africa Project last summer with C4C and they're both going to Winter Conference in Calgary. Woot! On the #3 bus. Yes~ Then I saw Steve too! He apparently works down the mall hall from me. So strange and wonderful! Today was full of goodness.

Then I ate spicy shrimp sushi from T&T because it's so cheap! It tasted wonderful, except it was a bit spicy. Note to self: Do not eat wads of ginger after eating a mouthful of spicy sushi. Fire Brigade!!!

So I'm home from school for Christmas. Still have to shop for presents, but I'm feeling like a rebel and not wanting to at all considering I have to work there. Tomorrow I have a day off to go visit my grandma (who's sick in the hospital-she's getting better but still needs prayers), go to the dentist for cleaning, and make a gingerbread house at my friends house!

I've seen 3 movies in the past 8 days I've been home. One on friday because our house was so cold due to no electricity. Did you know that newer houses' electricity does not go off due to windstorms because their power lines are under the ground. sneaky, hmm??

I've seen "The Holiday" which was a cute chick flick; "Eragon" based off the book about a boy and his dragon; and "Pursuit of Happyness" with Will Smith and his real son, which I didn't love all that much, though it's a true story.

Anyway that's the most movies I've ever seen in that short a timespan. Seriously!

I best be off to bed to rest my head and teeth.

Adios friends,
Robyn

ps. See some of you lovely people at Calgary WC! woot!
Also is anyone going to Bodyworks at Science world and know how much it costs? I want to go.

UGLY THINGS!

Dear Friends

Are you searching for ideas for your friend's upcoming birthday? Want to throw them a surprise parte?

Why not throw them an Ugly Things Party?

Doesn't it make perfect sense for friends to get together to celebrate those nasty leggings, hats, and robes that never get worn and that look like the cat threw up on them?

Host an Ugly Things Party and invite all your ugly friends... ahem... i mean they can still come if they aren't ugly... it's what they wear... really!

0kay, so I can now never officially host an ugly things party, but I can go to them... (please delete everything i just said from your memory).

Here's me and my friends who hosted an Ugly Things Party, a great way to get together with friends and eat ugly things, even pineapple buns, which weren't ugly, but needed something just a little extra. Pea soup was our main dish. I'm sure you understand why.







Thanks to my housemates for their amazing clothes. I am sporting some hot red eye shadow (it's from china!). Couldn't have done it without you guys. Thanks Team!!