I too missed my blogger birthday. In fact, I'm not 100% sure which day that is. It's either July 18th or 19th. I lost my first blogs because my archive info wasn't set up properly, so I couldn't go by that, but I remembered Rach had mentioned it on her site, so I went through her achives to find it. Anyways! I'm going to say it's the 18th. I'm so excited that I got to come to Nanaimo for a few days. It's kinda cool that I'm here for the same weekend I was last summer.

Well, we've moved...sort of...everything (except my phone) is out of our old place, but the new place isn't ready yet, so most of the stuff is being stored in the garage and the rest is in a trailer that my dad's brother brought over for us to stay in. There have been plumbing problems with the house, so we have no water except what we buy at the store, so I guess we'll be knocking on friends' doors for showers and what not. Hopefully the water will be hooked up by tomorrow, but the rest of the place isn't close to being ready...maybe another couple weeks (basically just in time for me to go back to school).

I found a ring while we were moving. It was under my bed. I don't know where it came from. I'm hoping it's not one of my friend's because, even though it doesn't fit properly even on my pinky, I have been wearing it today and have grown rather attached to it. If it is a friend's and they don't want it anymore, I will be happy.

I am trying to make plans to go to the Island this weekend (ie. leave early Friday morning), but it is such a last minute decision I don't know if it'll work. I must go make some phone calls now (from our old place) to find out if any of my wonderful friends would be able to pick me up on the other side of the ferry. Have a good weekend all!

Well, I had quite the conversation with God today. I went through the drive-thru at McD's this morning and asked for hot chocolate instead of coffee with my breakfast meal. When I got home, I realized they had given me coffee. I didn't want to go back, so I just took it upstairs. On the way, I talked to God about how He had turned water into wine and asked if He felt like turning coffee into hot chocolate, but then I thought, "Ya, right...that isn't something of importance." Then God said that He takes care of the small things too. But then I said, "Ya, but this doesn't have anything to do with the advancement of Your kingdom. Except that if You actually did it, I would be so excited and I would be telling everyone about it." So then God said, "So why aren't you telling everyone about the things I HAVE done? Why aren't you excited that I changed water into wine?" That really got to me, yet still not as much as I wish it had. I wish I got really excited about everything in the Bible and the things He does now, so excited that I couldn't keep things to myself, but I haven't. Well, I guess writing about this conversation is a beginning. Oh, by the way, when I was doing laundry an hour after all this, I realized God HAD turned my coffee into hot chocolate...when I took my coffee upstairs, I put hot chocolate powder in my coffee (and some ice cream). Crazy sense of humor this God of mine has!

What next?
 
Free NT to Canadian Immigrants Banned by Gov't

It's strange how some people's opinions really matter to me.  One person mentions a movie, so I watch it (or plan to); somebody else mentions a CD, so I go buy it without listening to it.  There aren't a lot of people who I trust enough to do that with, but those I do have not let me down (in these types of situations).
 
Since I found out we are supposed to choose a mentor for the next school year, I had somewhat been stressing because the one person I thought I would ask won't going to be there this year.  I had one other person in mind as well, but I wasn't sure how comfortable I was with that.  Yesterday I thought of someone else, so now that I somewhat have 2 options I am not concerned about it any longer.
 
I finally got my pictures developed yesterday.  I have some from grad weekend on there, so when I saw those I really started missing people even more.  I'm looking forward to going back to school to see people, but there are still those who are not returning who I miss greatly.
 
My dad said he didn't want a closet in his room because it would make the room too small, so now my parents and I are going to share one closet in my room (which is smaller than his room even without the closet).  Thankfully I'm only there for 3 weeks.  My dad's brother told him if our place isn't ready by the 31st, he'll bring his trailer right into the front yard of the house so we have a place to stay.  I may opt for a friend's house, but we'll see.
 
I've been watching Big Brother 5 with Tara and Debbie, but I had to work last night, so I didn't get to watch it.  Thankfully Debbie taped it ('cause she had to work too), so I watched part of it earlier and now I'm gonna go home and finish watching the rest of it.

There was a thunderstorm when I went into the theatre with my mom to watch King Arthur, then it was HOT and sunny when we came out. The movie and this right now is my break from packing up my room. It's almost finished. I have so much stuff that is for when I get my own place, so most of that is packed up and out of my room. I have limited my already limited wardrobe for while I'm here by filling my suitcase with clothes to take back to school. It's really weird knowing that we're moving so soon. Hopefully the house will be ready no later than the 31st 'cause that's when we have to be out of our current place. If not, I won't have problems finding a place to stay, but my parents might, especially my mom 'cause she can only sleep in her recliner. It's looking like we can at least take our packed boxes over to the house next week to store in the garage so we don't have to take it all over at once and so we have room in our place to clean. Pray for my dad and my brother. They're basically the only 2 working on the house (fixing up the upstairs and making the basement into a suite) and they have troubles seeing eye to eye on almost everything. It's mostly a clash of the old school experience and the technologically driven experimenting new school.

I met up with one of the girls from Abby who's planning on coming to FGBI this year. It was kinda weird 'cause with some of the things she was saying, she reminded me of myself in my first year. She is a little prepared though 'cause her mom used to go to the school so they came out for grad this year. Her mom introduced her to Jodi. And that, coupled with the anointed performance by the choir got her stoked for school, but she does know of the changes being made to the music program. And it was cool too 'cause she remembered Cara from Cowichan camp from when they were little, and possibly Mandy from somewhere too. Anyways, I hope things work out for her financially and otherwise (same for the rest of us) 'cause it would be great to have her at school. One of her friends may be coming too, but she was away on the weekend, so I couldn't meet up with her.

My friends Melissa and Jeremy are getting married in 32 days! That's so crazy!!! There have been a lot of difficulties come their way, but they are pressing on. (Praise God!).

It's weird not being anxious about getting back to school. I mean, I love the school, the work (though it doesn't seem like it at the time), and the people, but I am content where I am. It's strange. I've never really been content here. Don't get me wrong, I still want/need to move on from here, at least for a while, but for now, this is where I need to be, and it is good.

I was somewhat caught off guard when I was reading my Bible this morning. As I was reading Jeremiah 16 and hit verse 5, I thoguht to myself, "This would be a great place to get a sermon from." I have been sensing that I am to, as the song says, "be a speaker of truth to all mankind." That, combined with my thoughts on this world and this recent reading in Jeremiah, is making me more determined in my faith and my obedience to God. He really is everything to me. There is nothing else that even comes close to the desire I have to serve my God.

This past Sunday, my pastor spoke on warfare, both physical and spiritual. It was a good time for me to hear what he had to say because one of my friends, whom I haven't seen for a couple years, got married and, since being with this girl, has become a completely different person (not a good thing). He used to be so passionate about God and was very close with his family, but now it's like he's not even human anymore...like he's a robot or under some sort of mind control. His family had to track him down because it's like his wife and her family are hiding him away somewhere. When they finally found him, he only gave them short answers, showing no real emotion towards them. I am worried about him. Please pray for him. He needs to be free from this...whatever it is.

I am constantly amazed and thankful for my parents' growing relationship with the Lord, especially my dad's. I found a devotional book in my dad's room today that my mom got for him in Jan./03 and it is up to date. The fact that he makes special time for God each and every day brings joy to my heart.

I have recently been working at another job. It's at the place I was at last summer, but it's doing completely different work. I really enjoy it. I've had the opportunity to do a lot of cleaning, which I really enjoy doing when there's nobody around, and I worked on sawing the cement or whatever it is that's between the shower tiles before they're finished. I have really enjoyed working at a job where I can see results, that I have made a difference. Any other job I've had has seemed like a pointless effort to me. The thing is, as much as I loved doing the tile work, my hands have never been used like that before and I felt like they were bruised all over. They were so weak when I was done that I could barely lift a cup of coffee up to give to my mom. The cleaning however is still something I enjoy doing and, while it is tiring, it is something I can see results in when I'm done. I'm hoping that with the hours I'm getting at the Bingo Hall and the two jobs at Edenvale I'll be able to pay off my VISA, hopefully have enough money to pay for car insurance, and maybe, just maybe, have enough money to cover the cost of a couple crazy ideas I've got for before I go back to school.

Speaking of school, I'm getting together with a couple girls from Abbotsford who are planning on coming in September, just to answer some questions they may have and stuff.

I was going to go see King Arthur today, but I think my mom said she wants to see it, so maybe we'll go tomorrow afternoon.

I've only got a couple minutes, but I thought I'd give a quick update. I lost one of my contacts today, so it's really weird typing (and driving) with only one in. Anyways...I got a second job...back at Edenvale where I worked for 3 weeks before I went back to school last summer. God is so good and so faithful. My dad also decided to keep going to the same church (YAY!). I got to see my friends' baby today...she's 6 days old and her name is Jada Stella Ruth Manuel. She's SO cute! And tiny! We're moving so soon! Gotta run. Bye!

I hate it when I build good friendships with people so they feel they can come to me with their problems, but then I have nothing to offer them (in the area of advice I am meaning). I want to get into things right now, but I have a whining dog beside me so I can't concentrate. Maybe another time.