:: Saturday, June 29, 2002 ::

It's a beautiful day in Waterloo... we just had lunch with some pretty hyper girl named Diana. She puts ketchup on EVERYTHING. hahah. It's been a real blessing and blast being here, spending time with my boyz and going to a petting zoo in the twilight hours and trying to identify things running around. When Mike told me that he'd see Rabbits running around I thought that he was high when he saw them.

Nothing beats 1am Handball. A new tradition. There's the typical calls like "INTERFERENCE", "smallies" "cross-countries", and then there are the ones we made up "Pansies" (attempting to hit the ball with ur left hand and looking appropriately like one), "Gropies" another name for interference, sooooo funny.... we must have played for 2 hours... the cops came, concerned that we were drunk but, we were just playing a friendly safe game of handball.

Saw Josiah on Friday night CCF, it's really good to hear how the men's groups are doing in other areas. I had this real good conversation about bible studies, their importance and how much we neglect them... I mean are we that afraid to read the truth of God's word, thinking that it will turn people off or ourselves? I think we never give God the chance to do that in our groups.

Coo. Sweet. Well there's a really cool link I'm adding called Setting Captives Free . It's one of the websites that the Men of Faith group have suggested. For those of you who are interested in walking a road towards purity (from pornography or sexual stimuli), or about breaking free from Eating Habits, etc.,.. it's an online course that helps u deal with them. I was a bit skeptic myself as to what could actually be done online, but after being enrolled for a while I've come to appreciate the mentorship they offer.

Enough for now... gotta rest up for this busy weekend!

:: Jesse 1:41 PM

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Hmmm nobody claims their prizes these days. Oh well... we'll just have to see... Congratulations to Priscilla for getting into Queens for Occupational Therapy! Here I wait for the July barrier to finally arrive and await the letter from Western. I'm getting more anxious as time draws nearer, trying my best to cope with expectations. I mean, would I be upset if I didn't get in? Would I be just as thankful for the Lord if he didn't grant me this wish? Hmmm... I remember how I was a few months ago, satisfied that the Lord’s plan and will in my life is the best for me. It’s difficult to keep in that state of mind when suspense is in the picture. We’ll just have to wait and see.

Working here at Pathways, I’ve learned a lot about the welfare system and how people are treated. On several occasions I have been mistaken for a EI (employment insurance) recipient. On one occasion I was trying to deposit my pay check at an ATM, but I kinda needed the money for Rent the next day...walking in at 4:30pm, the branch was closing its doors. I didn’t really understand cashback policies, so walking to the attendant closing the doors I requested to cash the cheque instantly at one of the tellers. She said “no” initially, but after looking at my check, she said, “Oh... this check is from pathways...” and instantly her whole composure changed. “Come this way...” and instantly I sensed this aura of pity. I was treated so kindly, and well I pretty much played along.

Another contrasting example was when I had to pick up a package at Ontario Works, the center where people receive and discuss their welfare stuff. I walked in, with my PATHWAYS shirt, and walked up to the counter to ask for the package. Immediately I received a very stern “PLEASE GET A NUMBER SIR”, as I tried to mention that I was just here to receive a package. As he called me up once again, with this frustrated look on his face, he realized I was an employee of Pathways and immediately he treated me with respect.

It’s weird... Either you get total pity for your state, or you get treated with disrespect. How difficult it must be to be never treated normally. I too am quite guilty of this, treating clients here with special “care” and “concern”, and it’s really difficult once you know that they’re on welfare to treat them like any other. Oh... they’re in need you think, and you treat them with pity.

Just some food for thought.

:: Jesse 10:57 AM

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Whoever Claims the 5000th hit gets a prize!!!

Since my 4000th hit didn't claim anything, the 5000th hit gets her share.

:: Jesse 8:53 PM

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Wah... I think I'm falling into the trap of not updating that often anymore. I don't have time at work to check on this page! (eek... shouldn't be doing that anyways). Ooh... the end of June is coming up... that means I'll be hearing from Western soon about Dentistry... ahhhhh so much suspense. I think I was okay about whatever the Lord wanted to do next year, until I started signing up for my courses. I don't wanna do my Honours! I mean... Immunology is pretty fascinating, but having one lab course that takes up 20 hours in one week is not my slice of pie! I took a look at my hours... I have 30 hours of class plus an online English course. Crap. I've never had more than 23 hours in a week, and now this is stuff I don't even really wanna do and it's so hard! Brrrrr the thought of a 20 hour lab already makes me wanna get into Dentistry that much more this year.

I have really been blessed as of recently to have been meeting regularly with my accountability partner here in London. After what began at Campus Challenge, it was getting really hard without meeting regularly with anyone here in London. But well it's been good. I wanna share with you some of the stuff we do, in case u're interested in what goes on during an accountability partner meetup. I got these questions from a buddy that have helped us search deeper during the week:

1. Have you kept up with your academic commitments this week?
2. Have you lacked integrity with money this week, or coveted something that does not belong to you?
3. Have you been honouring, understanding and generous in your important relationships this past week? Would a friend know you were a Christian by your actions?
4. Have you hurt another person by your words, either behind their back or face to face?
5. Have you continued to stay angry towards someone? Have you secretly wished someone's misfortune so that you might excel?
6. Have you given in to an addictive behaviour this week? Explain
7. Have you been exposed to sexually alluring material or allowed your mind to entertain inappropriate thoughts about someone this week?
8. Did you pray? Have quiet time this week? What was God saying to you? What did you do in response?

I find it interesting to go through these questions cuz they tend to bring out other areas that need prayer. Well if you are in ur quest to search for accountability, consider these questions, or whatever you may do! God bless!

:: Jesse 8:51 PM

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TENNIS ELBOW??!?!? I get tennis elbow from playing tennis like 5 times this summer and working at the desk too long! I thought I had Carpal Tunnel... my wrist was acting up this week, and for a large portion of this week I had to use my left hand to mouse. Graphic Design puts so much stress on ur wrist. Seems like everything this week was so work related! Woowee... my project that I spent two weeks on is in print!!! Yay... it's a Job Fair display, and it's sweet... professionally laminated and everything. It's gonna be reading about an hour... but just yesterday, some IT guy comes to back up all the systems, and ironically in the process of backing up my computer he lost half of my documents!!! AHHHH it's some kind of curse of some sort I swear... all the PSD or CDR files that I make always end up getting deleted in some crazy freak accident like a virus or corruption. Poo... so I lost about 2 weeks of work that I have to catch up on now...

And this morning I get a phone call, I SLEPT THROUGH MY ALARM!! one of the only days I really needed urgently in the morning for something due and I sleep in... man so embarassing!!! Get this... a new guy hired here, he was a professor at a bible college for 12 years!!! So cool... so many people of God in this company. Kinda funny how he reminds me of the guy from Conair... the psycho one? You know...

:: Jesse 2:54 PM

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I did fall into a ditch. AHHHHH ... almost fell off the face of the blogging industry... ALMOST. But now Jesse is back with a venegance!

I had a wonderful time in Toronto this weekend. Not only did I see Lion King (WHICH WAS TOTALLY AWESOME>>> SO GOOD>>> RAFIKI IS WICKED COOL...) and have some yummy chocolate fondu by the bluffs "avec un shooting star*, I had a chance to play some good softball again with good ol Soldiers. I forgot how fun and exciting Sundays can be after church. I miss the dynamics, the fellowship, the cheers, the encouragement, but I had to let go of that being here in London. It's so cool though, watching leaders pop up to the situation and take over something you had to let go. Soldiers was 7 years of memories. I or II, it didn't matter. I just can't go up to play Senior... not just yet. Maybe I just don't wanna start winning games, maybe I just like playing the losing team and still encouraging the winning team in that manner. How on earth can a team that's so good that pounds another team in the ground be encouraging and building? If there is, I hope to meet them. No matter how many teams kill us with mercy innings and such, the 7th inning tai chi always prevails!!!

This morning we had a really cool sermon on leadership, and stepping up the to the occasion. The story was on Moses and Joshua. Moses was an almighty man, led the israelites out of egypt, ascended to the mountain and back, struck those rocks, split those seas, etc... he had been there and done that... Joshua on the other hand, was a young man, baby in comparison to Moses' reign as leader. ONE THING STUCK IN MY MIND... Optimus Prime... and Hot Rod. Hahaha. How hard it must have been for Hot Rod to fill those shoes... heck he didn't even have a cargo carrier... (rodimus prime doesn't count). Hee hee.

Enough of my two cents.

:: Jesse 1:11 AM

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The blogging industry just got bigger. After browsing often and such, you can't help but appreciate good work and insight when you come across it. Here are a few that I check quite often and are by far some of the most interesting stuff to read during a lunch break or right before you tuck yourself to sleep.

One Man's Private Thoughts - Yu Ling Lee
Each one of his entries starts off with a quote from some famous movie or person. This man's view on life and his faith is of wisdom and clarity. It's one of those things you read and then you say ,"Wow... I'd never draw that conclusion myself... or... interesting..."

What Women 'Really' Want - Elaine Lee
A long time friend from the days of NTCBC, this exhuberant girl's insight on such matters like "Public Tinkling - Every Women's Worst Nightmare" (toilet nightmares for a woman) bring about such laughter and humour that a man would never muster up. What Women REALLY Want? We will never know unless we educate ourselves daily.

Something aside.... some Smallville stuff... that last song in Crush, episode 19, when they're all at the funeral of Whitney's father, and they're all giving each other mad stares and such? Remember? Well if you don't watch Smallville, you're missing out on some good drama and music!!! The last song, and now one of my all time favourites is the remake of that once annoying song, but now soooooo good.. Time After Time by Eva Cassidy . Check it out. You won't be disappointed.

:: Jesse 8:41 PM

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