So I decided it was about time to update the old blog. There have been a few moments over the past month and a half that have seemed blog-worthy, but I didn't manage to sit down and type them out so hopefully I can remember them.
I moved back to Prince George, the city I have been teaching in since I graduated from uni (except of course for last year when I was all over the map). In some ways this was a tough move. I feel like my life is one of those paths with stepping stones...I'm on the PG stepping stone, but I know it's just about time to jump to the next one...but I can't see where it is yet. So I have to stay for the time being. Substitute teaching (or to be politically correct teaching on call) is a really challenging job for many reasons, some of which I'm sure you can guess when you think back to your own experiences, and others are due to the nature of working on call. Anyway God has been incredibly faithful in showing me that this is in fact where I am supposed to be for the time being. He has provided practical things (furnishing my whole bedroom for free!), new (and old) friends, and also people to advise and guide me through to my next step. I have been incredibly blessed by those around me.
Last week I spent 11 days away from Prince George and of those 11 days, 5 were spent either in a car or on a bus. I travelled all over the place for two weddings (congrats to my cousin and his new wife and also my friend Supipi and her new husband). As I tried to figure out all the little details that go along with carpooling and coordinating with others I caught myself thinking, "This would be so much easier if I just did it by myself."
An attitude of independence and pride that has tripped me up many times in the past. As I reflected on this I realized yes, it may have been simpler to do this by myself but what would be the point. I am travelling to SEE people, to spend time with them and build on relationships that I've begun years ago. If I didn't bother to coordinate with others then I wouldn't have any events to go to. I feel blessed to be able to celebrate and be a part of days and times where friendships and relationships are celebrated.
Last weekend was Canadian Thanksgiving and my attempts to coordinate with friends I decided it might be a good idea to go home to the farm. Once the thought of going home had crossed my mind I started to think back to the last time I was home for Thanksgiving....and it had been 8 years! Since it's only a 3 day weekend and I've been living away from Enderby for that long now, I just haven't managed to justify the travel time. Being home was quite uneventful-I helped my mom pick vegetables to decorate their church, helped my dad pile wood (one of my least favourite childhood jobs which somehow wasn't bad at all this time), went for a beautiful walk along Shuswap lake with my brother, and of course ate some turkey and pumpkin pie.
In my experience, Canadian Thanksgiving is a grocery store holiday--about food and fellowship. A time to enjoy the simple things about life. I'm thankful for my family who love me regardless of what I do or where I am and who are always happy to see me. I'm thankful for a God who continues to challenge me to become the person he sees in me. I'm thankful for friends who bring laughter and joy, who are shoulders to cry on and patient listeners and so much more. I'm thankful for the beauty I see in the world and people around me. There is so much I can find to complain about if I look, but when I'm looking for things to be grateful for somehow those other things just don't seem so important anymore. I hope you can think of some things to be thankful for too.
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