More than a journal entry...

Okay, so most of the time I just post about what's up in my life and stay away from deeper, more serious thoughts...but I'm having a tough time sleeping tonight...lots of thoughts going through my head right now...so I thought I'd actually write some of it out.

So, one of the the things I've been thinking about is my 9 months in Australia/USA. I absolutely LOVED those 9 months. I was challenged far beyond anything else I've done. I grew in ways I never expected to. I met people I'd never have expected to meet. I learned things that can't be taught in a classroom. It was such an amazing experience. I visited the website for the school (www.salvos.com/sfyl) and was checking out the newsletter that we, as students, put together. As I read over it and reflected on some of the memories that it brought up, I was reminded of some of the things I learned, and it renewed some of the desires that were first stirred in my heart at the time of various events.

And in reflecting on those past experiences and lessons, I started to think about the things I'm going to learn and experience in the next while. The lessons of living away from home, the lessons of a new job, the lessons of a job that exists to serve hurting and needing people... And while the prospects are daunting and sobering, they are also in another way rather exciting. I consider it an absolute honour that there are people who believe that I am capable of doing a good job with the task that I am being entrusted with in taking on this job. I also am determined to do my best to live up to the faith they are putting in me.

Another thing that has been on my mind while I've been packing and cleaning is the question of how many of my friends in Calgary will I keep in touch with when I leave. Of all the friends I've had in the different places I've lived in during my life I've only managed to keep in touch with one to date. I've kept in touch with others for a year or two after leaving, and I've re-established contact with a few years later, but my friend Debbie from Ottawa is the only person I've actually kept in touch with for more than a few years. It's been nearly six years since we left Ottawa and Debbie and I still keep in touch. And so, I wonder how many of my friends here I'll keep in touch with down the road. I don't really anticipate moving back to Calgary (though who knows what'll happen in the future), but coming back to live certainly isn't in my plans at this point. I'll come back to visit for sure, but that definately isn't the same. I'll guess I'll have to see what happens.

One of the challenges that I'm looking forward to is finding new friends in Peace River. One of the great advantages of my current church is that I have friends who are my age who share my faith...but this is also one of the disadvantages, because I really haven't had to find non-Christian friends, and so I've become very immersed in "the bubble" that is church. It isn't that I haven't wanted to get out and do stuff to put me in touch with the "outside" but I've been lazy and been satisfied with the easy route of the statis quo. But the church that I'm going to in Peace River is much smaller than my current church, with a congregation that is largely "older." That means I'm going to look elsewhere for friends...and I'm excited about that...how sad. But we, as Christians, were never intended to live in seculsion, and I admire those who have managed to avoid this...good onya Brothers and Sisters.

Well, it's now nearly 3am, and I still very much awake...

I don't really have much else to write at the moment, so I guess I'll conclude this hear.

Until next time...