Prayers

I won't do the usual blog post about what's going on in my life. Instead some prayers would be nice. It would mean a lot to me if you did that.

• Just pray that I lose weight. Being as big as I am is not healthy. I always know it, but I was never motivated enough to do something about it.
• Prayer for my friend Mark A.R. Jensen's younger brother Cory. He had collapsed lung earlier in the week. He is going to recover and is being released from the hospital on Tuesday. I know it would mean so much to him.
  
• This upcoming trip to Saskatchewan with Todd Slechta, a teacher here at CBC. I don't remember exactly what it's called that we are going to in Saskatoon, but just pray we get there safe and to CBC safe.
• For all my school mates this year that they could just be filled with the love of Christ and grow more in his name and that we grow closer with each other.
• As you may or may not know, I am here at CBC with my friend Mark A.R. Jensen. Just prayer our friendship will strengthen and that we can grow in Christ and God more. Just keep us safe this year as we makes steps to grow in our faith.

If there is anything I missed, I apologize. Just pray for these items. It might seem like a lot, but each day just pray for one or two of these things.

It's time for me to go to class. Have a nice day!

Sore, Basketball Tournament, Reading

I am still so from lifting weights on Thursday and Friday. It's a good sore though because I am wanting to lose weight. Hopefully I don't flake out and stop working out or exercising because I want this to be a year where I lose weight. It's a health reason.

But at meal times, I am trying to cut down to one plate. I not acheiving this at every meal. By having one plate it will help me in my journey to lose weight. But I digress, that it will take time to lose weight. I will keep you updated.

Yesterday there was a basketball tournament. I didn't have a partner until the day of the tournamnet. The Frable Invitational as it was called. Paul the resident intern found me a partner. I was paired up with Amy one of the resident mentors in the girls dorms. We ended up losing our first game to Connor and Kate. It was half court and if you scored a point, it was one point. But if you scored from the from the three point line then it was worth two points. The first to 11 wins. But you have to win by at least two points.

Anyways, we lost to Connor and Kate, so that moved us to the B side. Amy scored four points while I only scored one. Then on the B side we got a by because the one team didn't know they could play again and they left. Then we had to play one of the best teams in the tournament. Brain and Lenore Frable was our next match. They are both really good. I heard Lenore broke every record when she attended university.

I know that we were going to get beat, but I scored my teams three points. Even though we lost out in the finals, I still was fun. The A side winners were Paul (resident intern) and Pam (resident mentor) and the B side winners were Brian and Lenore Frable.

Then I wish I could do is shoot better from a long distance. My shooting is hit and miss in basketball.

I have to finish this reading. I have to finish reading the first five chapters of Blue Like Jazz. They are not overly long chapters. So that is good. Chapter two for worhsip class needs to be done. It shouldn't take too long. Foundations of Jewish Belief is going to kill me finishing it. As always, I am going to continue reading my Bible. Staying on track or even being ahead of the game is a good thing.

Retreat, Prayer, Reading, Working Out

As I mentioned in my previous blog post that the school was going on a retreat to Southern Alberta Bible Camp. We left at 4:00 PM on Tuesday and got back at 9:30 PM on Wednesday. The main purpose of this retreat was to have a time of solitude.

We had a worship service on Tuesday night after we got to the camp. It allowed us time to just worship our Lord and God. Then on Wednesday we had another worship service.

We in fact did have an hour of solitude on Wednesday after the worship service. It was time to sit and write or just reflect. I just sat and reflected. Even though the weather wasn't the best, we made the best of it.

We also had to look for rocks in which we could write one or two items that we wish God would help us in. I wrote humble and humility. I am trying to justify why. God just wanted me to write those two items on that rock. I chose a big rock. I guess God wants to work on me during these next eight months. This school year will be very interesting to say the least.

Then on Wednesday evening we had a service with communion. Not only that, we had a time of deep reflection. It was moving. I know my friend Mark A.R. Jensen aka Marf felt the presence of God. I know that a few people felt God as well. People were brought to tears during this service. The power of God was in the room.

When it was time for the communion part of the service, we would take a piece of bread, dip it in the cup, and then place our rock in front of the fire place. It was like we built an alter for God.

It's like in the song "Here By The Water:"

Here by the water
I'll build an alter to praise you
Out of these stones that I found here
I'll set them down here rough as they are

I guess it was only fitting that we did that. It was great growth experience for a number of people including myself.

What else is there? There is more.

Last night my friend Mark found out that his younger brother recieved a collapsed lung. It even moved his heart which is could have been fatal. I just hope that you keep Cory and his family in your prayers. He will recover, but he is in hospital. It's unfortunate that this happened. But if I know Mark then he will stay strong. They are definantly in my prayers.

I still have some reading to do. I have to finish the rest of my five chapters of Blue Like Jazz. I also need to finish reading that learning styles sheet. Even though it is borning and gives me a headache, I will try to finish it soon. Finally for the Old Testament, I will try and finish the reading on Foundations of Jewish Belief. We have to write a reflection paper on it. It only has to be one or two pages. So that isn't too bad.

Finally for you on this blog post, Mark and I started working out. We made an oath before the retreat to start working out and get in shape. We even shook on it. I want to lose weight because of health reasons. So tomorrow we will hit the weight room again. We focused mainly on our chests today. Tomorrow will be legs.

That's about it right now. I will post tomorrow. Have a good night.

Song, Test & Retreat

Marf and I wrote a song yesterday. I wrote the lyrics while Marf pounded out the tune and melody. I sounds great. I feel so anal about listening to myself on tape. But I did sound good. At least I think so.

There is a test today. It is on geography. I am feeling confident actually. I studied with some people yesterday and I feel that I am going to do pretty well on this test. At least that is what I my get feeling is.

Also at 4:00 PM today, we are leaving for Southern Alberta Bible Camp or something like that. It is for our retreat. We will be coming back tomorrow sometime in the evening. Around 10:00 PM or something like that. It will be a chance to my getting caught up on my reading. I want to pound the Bible and get way ahead. I hope to be done Genesis soon.

I will post those lyrics for the song "Ballad Of Steven Reid" either tomorrow or the next day. Well, I guess I should be going. Worship is at 8:30 and class is at 9:30. I need get dressed and whatnot. I also need to get over the stuff for the test as a last minute warm up.

The Ballad Of Steven Reid

Marf Jensen and myself wrote a song called "The Ballad Of Steven Reid." Steve Reid is the youth pastor at the church I go to back in Prince Albert, Saskatchewan. I am hoping to play it at Extreme Impact if they have an open mic night. It is going to be great.

I still have to finish my reading for class. I will read one chapter of Blue Like Jazz today then one tomorrow. I will read some more of my Bible as well. I am up to Genesis 36 where they list the decendants of Esau. I hope to be done Genesis today or tomorrow. I am actually ahead of schedule. Well I am going to study for the test tomorrow. I guess I will post tomorrow... maybe.

Reading... Lots Of Reading

The past few days I have been trying to get my reading all done. I have to get started on Blue Like Jazz, Emerging Worship, continue reading the Bible, and finish reading those booklets for Old Testament and Christian Formation. We also have to read Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis. I am probably going to have to re-read some parts of Mere Christianity because C.S. Lewis is a complex writer.

Today we have church at Hope Community Covenant Church. One service is at 9:15 and the other is at 11:00. I don't know which service I will go to yet.

Yesterday (Saturday) we went to Spruce Meadows although a lot of people were dreading it. But it turned out to be pretty. There was way more then watching horses. There were tents that were set up as different nations. I got something from Germany, England, and Scotland. There was no France. Those four are some of my ancestory. Also, I don't know if I am Welsh or not. There was dog agility you could watch which was cool. There was music and dancing you could watch. There was a Rembrant exhibit. Rembrant was a painter in like the 1600's or something.

The thing about yesterday is that it was FREAKIN' hot. I put the empahsis on freakin'. Other then that it was a pretty good time.

Here is a quick story for you people especially Pastor Randall. Earlier this week when I was telling Todd Slechta and Brian Frable which church I am from, I would just say "Church of Randall Friesen" and they would immediatly know where I come from. Randall is on the CBC Board.

I best get going and get moving. I will talk to you people later.

Here I Am To Worship

Well, it's a been awhile since my last blog post and rightfully so. I was busy working and getting ready to come to school. College that be. I am now here at Covenant Bible College in Strathmore, Alberta and I have been here almost a week. I am starting to get to know some of the people here.

I don't have a roommate unlike my friend Marf Jensen, but that is another tale for another time or you can just go to his blog and read all about it.

I have been having trouble with my wireless internet. It is hit and miss. But Marf gave me an ethernet cord to use since his mother bought him a very long ethernet cord.

I have to say that my dad is wrong about the food here at school. He said that they would be making food that I don't like. I can officially say that he is wrong. They have been making some awesome food. This year I made the promise to myself to lose some weight. Hopefully I can achieve that goal. I will see how I make out with that.

I can't say that I am home sick. I hope that I can make this year truly awesome and that I can grow in the Lord and just become a better person overall. I will be proving to my mom that I am not here just for the social experience. I need to be here for myself spiritually. I just I grow by leaps and bounds. But before I go, let me finish with a prayer.

Lord, thank you for allowing me to be here. I just pray that everyone can grow in their faith in many different ways. Just make this a year that many of us will never forget. I just ask this in your name. AMEN.