Fro Yo. Mmmmm baby I love that frozen yogurt. Baby, baby, baby. It hurts me bad, but I loves it anyway. (damn you milk products!)
Dear Fro Yo,
I love you a lot. I know that my monetary situation dictates that we don't see each other often enough. So I wanted you to know that I will always love you, no matter what you do to my stomach or colon.
My favourite parts of you are peach and blueberry. Oh Fro Yo, you're just so awesome. Why do you have to tempt me so? Thank you for being the way you are, even if you are a dangerous rebel. I thank God for you (seriously).
Please have a good day,
Love and Licks,
Laura Stewart
Monday, May 31, 2004
Sparkle Gel
Many moons ago my hair was quite short and most days I gelled it. As a gift one year my Mom bought me blueberry sparkle gel. I really like blueberry and she really likes things that sparkle. This gel was fine in my short easily managed hair. I loved to put it in for special occasions.
Then I grew my hair out. And after awhile I had dreads put in. I had these dreads for the banquet in first year and to spice them up my unknowing self put the blueberry sparkle gel onto the dreads. Let me tell you I was finding sparkles for months afterwards.
So the gel went into storage. Until Saturday night when I had a spontaneous urge to gel my hair. Out came the sparkle gel, but the memories of what a pain in the ass it is didn't come with it.
By the end of the night I was covered head to toe in sparkles and I am still finding them in the oddest of places.
There should really be a sparkle gel awareness website.
Then I grew my hair out. And after awhile I had dreads put in. I had these dreads for the banquet in first year and to spice them up my unknowing self put the blueberry sparkle gel onto the dreads. Let me tell you I was finding sparkles for months afterwards.
So the gel went into storage. Until Saturday night when I had a spontaneous urge to gel my hair. Out came the sparkle gel, but the memories of what a pain in the ass it is didn't come with it.
By the end of the night I was covered head to toe in sparkles and I am still finding them in the oddest of places.
There should really be a sparkle gel awareness website.
Thursday, May 27, 2004
An Early Morning Shout Out!
Today's first kudo (can you have one 'kudo'?) goes to Katrina Jane Meerveld (or Quatrain Marbled).
She is:
a)awesome
b)beautiful
c)one heck of a friend
d)super observant
e)always willing to go the distance
f)sacrificial
g)giving
h)set on God
i)smart
j)hard working
k)kind
l)gentle
m)a great hugger
n)generous
o)funny
p)very musical
q)consistent
r)with a good head on her shoulders
s)compassionate
t)crazy enough to be roommates with Melissa Kuipers!
u)a good sister
v)a loving daughter
w)a willing employee
x)really hospitable
y)dedicated
and z)just great and i love her lots!
Way to be awesome Kat!!
She is:
a)awesome
b)beautiful
c)one heck of a friend
d)super observant
e)always willing to go the distance
f)sacrificial
g)giving
h)set on God
i)smart
j)hard working
k)kind
l)gentle
m)a great hugger
n)generous
o)funny
p)very musical
q)consistent
r)with a good head on her shoulders
s)compassionate
t)crazy enough to be roommates with Melissa Kuipers!
u)a good sister
v)a loving daughter
w)a willing employee
x)really hospitable
y)dedicated
and z)just great and i love her lots!
Way to be awesome Kat!!
Wednesday, May 26, 2004
A Report/Reflection On My Weekend Preaching experience
So in previous post I mentioned that I would be leading the service and doing the sermon at my parents' church on Sunday. Well Sunday is now over and the preaching has happened.
I spent 18 years attending this church. Both of my parents have served as stewards and elders during this time period. My Grandparents, my Uncle Peter and my great Aunt Doris also attend the church. I know this church in side out and receive very regular updates on the happenings regardless of if I have requested them.
I also have a strong dislike for this church. I find it very dead and unwilling to grow. During my time there I tried in many ways to facilitate anything, with very limited results.
So when an oppourtunity came to speak to the people who claim they have raised me I jumped at it. Though after I wondered what I may have got my self into. How do you tell a group of people that you love dearly (though often want to strangle) that they need to be hit in the face with the 2x4 of God?
After some prayer and thought I decided on a theme of unity. I picked Eph 4 to speak on and tried to emphasize the need for them as a congregation to come together and act as one body; that they needed peace. I came from the angle that they were rooted in the historical mission of the Church and couldn't abandon that for petty bickering. I also tried to encourage them to encourage each other more, and to recognize the gifts that lay within the congregation itself.
I was afraid that I would end up at the back of the church at the end of the service shaking peoples' hands to silence and dirty looks. But I got so much positive feedback. A lot of people said they had a lot to think about, others really liked the historical aspect, and one tight-assed farmer told me he got goosebumps.
God is great! I was seriously scared about the outcome of delivering this message. I knew it had to be said, and who better than I to say it, but whoo Lordy am I ever glad it went over well. God really opened some hearts and ears.
Now lets all hope I never preach again.
I spent 18 years attending this church. Both of my parents have served as stewards and elders during this time period. My Grandparents, my Uncle Peter and my great Aunt Doris also attend the church. I know this church in side out and receive very regular updates on the happenings regardless of if I have requested them.
I also have a strong dislike for this church. I find it very dead and unwilling to grow. During my time there I tried in many ways to facilitate anything, with very limited results.
So when an oppourtunity came to speak to the people who claim they have raised me I jumped at it. Though after I wondered what I may have got my self into. How do you tell a group of people that you love dearly (though often want to strangle) that they need to be hit in the face with the 2x4 of God?
After some prayer and thought I decided on a theme of unity. I picked Eph 4 to speak on and tried to emphasize the need for them as a congregation to come together and act as one body; that they needed peace. I came from the angle that they were rooted in the historical mission of the Church and couldn't abandon that for petty bickering. I also tried to encourage them to encourage each other more, and to recognize the gifts that lay within the congregation itself.
I was afraid that I would end up at the back of the church at the end of the service shaking peoples' hands to silence and dirty looks. But I got so much positive feedback. A lot of people said they had a lot to think about, others really liked the historical aspect, and one tight-assed farmer told me he got goosebumps.
God is great! I was seriously scared about the outcome of delivering this message. I knew it had to be said, and who better than I to say it, but whoo Lordy am I ever glad it went over well. God really opened some hearts and ears.
Now lets all hope I never preach again.
Kudos or Props
I was thinking that I need to give a shout out to more things than I do. I complain a lot in my posts so lets positize this thing up a bit:
Today's Props go out to:
Sarah Vaughn and her magnificent voice. She has one of the greatest gifts of phrasing that I have ever heard. Her music is like butter for the ears. She also seems to have great arrangements too. Whoot.
My Mom and her ability to procure anything second handed. I was in need of curtains, a microwave and a toaster for my new place. And for a grand total of 20$ I now have all three. Way to go Mom.
Today's Props go out to:
Sarah Vaughn and her magnificent voice. She has one of the greatest gifts of phrasing that I have ever heard. Her music is like butter for the ears. She also seems to have great arrangements too. Whoot.
My Mom and her ability to procure anything second handed. I was in need of curtains, a microwave and a toaster for my new place. And for a grand total of 20$ I now have all three. Way to go Mom.
Tuesday, May 25, 2004
Tough Weekend To Be A Farmer
This weekend my Dad and Uncle had to shoot our very best cow (for those in the know she was classified as Excellent), another cow aborted and another cow went down (meaning she couldn't get up) right before calving. Though she gave birth successfully and after a lot of phosphorus and potassium she is up again.
Remind me not to marry a farmer.
Remind me not to marry a farmer.
Thursday, May 20, 2004
You better
Bierma's Mom just got diagnosed with cancer. You better pray for her, or I'll punch you in the neck.
Make or Break
Before I became a manager I never realized how much the people you are working with for a shift can make or break that shift. I mean its always awesome to work with fun people. But if those people are slow as dirt, well it brings the shift down.
At the Pita Pit things are slightly slower in the summer due to the lack of university students. So most shifts only have two people working them. A manager, and a normal staff person. This puts some pressure on the manager. They are responsible for EVERYTHING, and there is a lot for two people to do.
Ok, so where is this little rant going? There is an employee that I work with a lot, who is one of the sweetest people I know. But he is slower than anything that you can think of that is slow. And I have to babysit him. He's been working at the store for a while now, and works mostly the same shifts, so he should know the routine. But I am constantly having to urge him to do things and to pick up the pace so we can get customers out in a timely manner. Agh.
If I was regular employee girl it wouldn't matter so much, I could just work hard, try to pick up some of his slack, whatever. But when there is only the two of us, and I am responsible for the entire store and its functions, then it makes a difference. I can't just trust him to do what needs to be done. Argh.
I think I need to talk to him about it, or to one of the general managers, 'cause I may have a break down over this guy. Whatever, a month and a few weeks till India.
Love.
At the Pita Pit things are slightly slower in the summer due to the lack of university students. So most shifts only have two people working them. A manager, and a normal staff person. This puts some pressure on the manager. They are responsible for EVERYTHING, and there is a lot for two people to do.
Ok, so where is this little rant going? There is an employee that I work with a lot, who is one of the sweetest people I know. But he is slower than anything that you can think of that is slow. And I have to babysit him. He's been working at the store for a while now, and works mostly the same shifts, so he should know the routine. But I am constantly having to urge him to do things and to pick up the pace so we can get customers out in a timely manner. Agh.
If I was regular employee girl it wouldn't matter so much, I could just work hard, try to pick up some of his slack, whatever. But when there is only the two of us, and I am responsible for the entire store and its functions, then it makes a difference. I can't just trust him to do what needs to be done. Argh.
I think I need to talk to him about it, or to one of the general managers, 'cause I may have a break down over this guy. Whatever, a month and a few weeks till India.
Love.
Tuesday, May 18, 2004
A Trend I'll Go With
create your own visited country map
or write about it on the open travel guide
This will be accurate after August 11, 2004.
You Dutch kids should be familiar with the red fleck in Europe ;)
Monday, May 17, 2004
Only in the United Church
I've explained the history of my home church to some of you before. Its kinda weird and lengthy, if you want to ask me about it you can.
Anyway, there was a bit of a witch hunt this past winter and a good chunk of the congregation was hunting the pastor. Things happened, rulings were made and things were supposed to be settled. The pastor had to take all of these classes, and do essays and crap like that, all while pastoring two churches. Well lo and behold, she is stressed-to-the-limit and her doctor has ordered her to take two months off.
So the church is taking care of sermons for the first month. I am leading the service and delivering the sermon this coming Sunday. (evil laugh) Here's to hoping that God speaks some sense to them through me.
Anyway, there was a bit of a witch hunt this past winter and a good chunk of the congregation was hunting the pastor. Things happened, rulings were made and things were supposed to be settled. The pastor had to take all of these classes, and do essays and crap like that, all while pastoring two churches. Well lo and behold, she is stressed-to-the-limit and her doctor has ordered her to take two months off.
So the church is taking care of sermons for the first month. I am leading the service and delivering the sermon this coming Sunday. (evil laugh) Here's to hoping that God speaks some sense to them through me.
Jesus, God, Bible?
Looking at the cover for the order of service for the wedding we were at:
Dharshika: (reading the cover) "On this day I will marry my friend", shouldn't it say best friend? She's marrying her best friend.
Laura: No stupid, Jesus is her best friend. She's not becoming a nun!
Dharshika: (reading the cover) "On this day I will marry my friend", shouldn't it say best friend? She's marrying her best friend.
Laura: No stupid, Jesus is her best friend. She's not becoming a nun!
Sunday, May 16, 2004
Relax
So I went to another Redeemer wedding yesterday. One of many happening this summer. One of many past, present and future. Its a great relationship breeding ground.
It seems that when talking with friends recently at some point the conversation ends up at marital status, or something on personal philosophies about the opposite sex. There is really nothing wrong with this.
But does anyone else feel a weird sort of pressure? The pressure to be paired. I mean its not really there. No one is actually applying it. Though there are many of us that feel it. I should note that it is a specific type of "us". The single "us".
I had a great chat with a friend this weekend about singlehood and the like. She made a great note. She said that her friends at secular universities are not nearly as captivated by the marriage/love finding thing. They are comfortable with being in their early to mid twenties and being "alone".
That really hit home to me that I get easily caught up in the MRS degree fever. That I see all of these couples getting married (most of whom are younger than I) and my nesting syndrome kicks in double time. Why?
After talking to God about it, He really just told me to relax, "easy Nitro!" I am only weeks away from being 23, there is loads of time to pick up an intended. Why must I have my 'man'dar (like radar only sexier) on all the time and have it searching so hard? Seriously, I need to relax.
Maybe if I wasn't always pushing my agenda instead of going with God's I'd that I'm being called to a celibate life, or that I have so much to do before I find a husband, or that He and I have some things to work on. There are a million things I'm deaf to hearing because I'm trying to shove myself into a formula that was developed for someone else. I have my own formula.
Just relax Stewie, just breathe.
It seems that when talking with friends recently at some point the conversation ends up at marital status, or something on personal philosophies about the opposite sex. There is really nothing wrong with this.
But does anyone else feel a weird sort of pressure? The pressure to be paired. I mean its not really there. No one is actually applying it. Though there are many of us that feel it. I should note that it is a specific type of "us". The single "us".
I had a great chat with a friend this weekend about singlehood and the like. She made a great note. She said that her friends at secular universities are not nearly as captivated by the marriage/love finding thing. They are comfortable with being in their early to mid twenties and being "alone".
That really hit home to me that I get easily caught up in the MRS degree fever. That I see all of these couples getting married (most of whom are younger than I) and my nesting syndrome kicks in double time. Why?
After talking to God about it, He really just told me to relax, "easy Nitro!" I am only weeks away from being 23, there is loads of time to pick up an intended. Why must I have my 'man'dar (like radar only sexier) on all the time and have it searching so hard? Seriously, I need to relax.
Maybe if I wasn't always pushing my agenda instead of going with God's I'd that I'm being called to a celibate life, or that I have so much to do before I find a husband, or that He and I have some things to work on. There are a million things I'm deaf to hearing because I'm trying to shove myself into a formula that was developed for someone else. I have my own formula.
Just relax Stewie, just breathe.
Wednesday, May 12, 2004
Endless Amusement
Oh spell check, you're so funny:
Katrina = quatrain
Meerveld = marbled
Peterborough = featherbrained (whatever!)
Dharshika = (nothing)(suckers)
Kraay = Karachi
I love you Quatrain Marbled, I'll see you on Friday.
Katrina = quatrain
Meerveld = marbled
Peterborough = featherbrained (whatever!)
Dharshika = (nothing)(suckers)
Kraay = Karachi
I love you Quatrain Marbled, I'll see you on Friday.
What A Terrible Idiot Am I!!
Next week has new hope. I am so silly. How could I forget even for an instant that I will be spending time with the beautiful Naomi.
Maybe you should pray for me if I can forget something like that. Tisk, tisk, shameful.
Maybe you should pray for me if I can forget something like that. Tisk, tisk, shameful.
Oh What A Beautiful Morning
Sleep till 8. Lounge till 9. Make a big pot of Earl Grey, sign up for long distance service, eat some girl guide cookies, fill out visa applications for India and revel in the new fact that my brother is back in Brighton. Ah this morning, life is good.
Last night I picked flowers out of my back garden and then spent the rest of the evening in fellowship with some cool people. And the cool people train is going to keep on rolling! What fortune I have to get off work early enough to catch part of the choir bbq! And it gets better; Friday daylight is to be spent with the lovely Katrina Meerveld, Friday evening my friend Kim is coming to visit me. Kim is one of those awesome married with kids type people. I don't see enough of her, but living in Peterborough will do that. The train doesn't stop at Kim though. Also on Friday night Dharshika comes into town so that on Saturday we can go to Andrea Kraay's wedding. Wahoo.
I feel bad for next week, as it will sadly be unable to even compare itself to this week. There, there next week, its ok, stop your crying.
Last night I picked flowers out of my back garden and then spent the rest of the evening in fellowship with some cool people. And the cool people train is going to keep on rolling! What fortune I have to get off work early enough to catch part of the choir bbq! And it gets better; Friday daylight is to be spent with the lovely Katrina Meerveld, Friday evening my friend Kim is coming to visit me. Kim is one of those awesome married with kids type people. I don't see enough of her, but living in Peterborough will do that. The train doesn't stop at Kim though. Also on Friday night Dharshika comes into town so that on Saturday we can go to Andrea Kraay's wedding. Wahoo.
I feel bad for next week, as it will sadly be unable to even compare itself to this week. There, there next week, its ok, stop your crying.
Tuesday, May 11, 2004
Pre, For sure Pre!
So my grandparents have decided that its time to downsize. By downsize I mean they are going to move to a retirement residence. Part of this process is weeding through their belongings, deciding what to keep, what to sell and what to give away. They've been working for a week and a half and have barely made a dent. (Note to self, don't acquire so much stuff)
Anyway, in the stuff they have been going through there are things they want to remain in the family, so there has been divvying (is that how you spell that?) going on. My Mom garnered for me some of my grandmother's old toys.
The toys consist of a a broom and a mop. The broom is actually more like a carpet sweeper and comes with a replacement head. The mop comes with floor oil.
Now I don't count myself to be much of a feminist, but I can't help but gasp at how pre-feminist revolution a mop and floor oil are as toys for a little girl. Oy.
Anyway, in the stuff they have been going through there are things they want to remain in the family, so there has been divvying (is that how you spell that?) going on. My Mom garnered for me some of my grandmother's old toys.
The toys consist of a a broom and a mop. The broom is actually more like a carpet sweeper and comes with a replacement head. The mop comes with floor oil.
Now I don't count myself to be much of a feminist, but I can't help but gasp at how pre-feminist revolution a mop and floor oil are as toys for a little girl. Oy.
Monday, May 10, 2004
Work
Hey kids,
So I got what looks like my work schedule until I leave for India. Thought I'd share it with you in case you were ever thinking of doing something with me.
Mon - Thurs: 5pm-10pm
Fri: 9am-5pm
Sat: 11pm-close (4am plus cleaning)
It may may shift a little here and there. Ie working will 11pm or starting at 4pm or whatever. And this set schedule starts on Monday the 17th.
Now you know.
So I got what looks like my work schedule until I leave for India. Thought I'd share it with you in case you were ever thinking of doing something with me.
Mon - Thurs: 5pm-10pm
Fri: 9am-5pm
Sat: 11pm-close (4am plus cleaning)
It may may shift a little here and there. Ie working will 11pm or starting at 4pm or whatever. And this set schedule starts on Monday the 17th.
Now you know.
Sunday, May 09, 2004
Hy, My Name Is...What!
My entire life I have been under the impression that my last name is easy to spell. There are only 7 letters, its fairly common and growing up most of the people on my road shared that same last name (no, I'm not from Dunnville).
The most difficult thing about my name is that there are two different spellings of it. EW and UA, I don't mind defining which one it is. Not a challenging thing. Or so I thought.
It wasn't until I came to Redeemer that I discovered that in reality my name is uber hard to spell. I guess hanging out with Christian kids adds another version to the spelling list. One that ends in D.
So I'm here to set the record straight. My last name is spelled: Stewart. My preferred spelling of my nickname is Stew(ie). Please no Stu, or Stuart, or Steward. I understand that you really have know way of knowing which way it is spelled and I can't be mad. But if you read this, just tuck it away in that brain of yours and next time you're writing my name, please spell it correctly.
I think that if I can adapt to spelling Vander van De Huizingspaalmenstrasma correctly, you can learn my name.
Thanks :)
The most difficult thing about my name is that there are two different spellings of it. EW and UA, I don't mind defining which one it is. Not a challenging thing. Or so I thought.
It wasn't until I came to Redeemer that I discovered that in reality my name is uber hard to spell. I guess hanging out with Christian kids adds another version to the spelling list. One that ends in D.
So I'm here to set the record straight. My last name is spelled: Stewart. My preferred spelling of my nickname is Stew(ie). Please no Stu, or Stuart, or Steward. I understand that you really have know way of knowing which way it is spelled and I can't be mad. But if you read this, just tuck it away in that brain of yours and next time you're writing my name, please spell it correctly.
I think that if I can adapt to spelling Vander van De Huizingspaalmenstrasma correctly, you can learn my name.
Thanks :)
Saturday, May 08, 2004
Sometimes you feel foolish
It had been a while since I'd had a major crush. Then one night it hit me that I was falling for this guy. I explored those feelings and developed a first class crush (I'm totally crushing!). I did some normal girly things and flirted my face off, tried to encourage any feelings he might have for me, tried to get to know him better. Of course I didn't do anything straightforward like tell him about my feelings. And now I'm glad I didn't. For the the other day I found out, that indeed he is totally crushing on another girl.
Agh, my heart. I cried a little, and with this post I officially move on.
Agh, my heart. I cried a little, and with this post I officially move on.
Count to 10 and then think
This is a rant.
If you go into a restaurant or a store and for some reason you think the prices are too high, the place should be organized differently, the furniture should be clear..anything operational about the place...please think about who you share those things with and how you choose to share it.
Yelling at a kid wearing a visor and apron (or any other uniform) is not going to get you anywhere. I hate to tell you but, that kid can't do a thing about the price of the product. If you have a problem take it up with the owner, the head of the franchise chain, anyone other than the poor sap who is making much less than you do, and is serving you.
Thank you.
If you go into a restaurant or a store and for some reason you think the prices are too high, the place should be organized differently, the furniture should be clear..anything operational about the place...please think about who you share those things with and how you choose to share it.
Yelling at a kid wearing a visor and apron (or any other uniform) is not going to get you anywhere. I hate to tell you but, that kid can't do a thing about the price of the product. If you have a problem take it up with the owner, the head of the franchise chain, anyone other than the poor sap who is making much less than you do, and is serving you.
Thank you.
Monday, May 03, 2004
My Thoughts On It
(listening to Isabelle Boulay - mmmm, finally own one of her CDs)
I went on choir tour. And I'm not sure how I can convey the experience to anyone who has never done such a thing. It has been equated to a week at camp or a retreat and everyone gets all close and high on the experience. There are a lot of good things about that comparison, but it doesn't do a good tour full justice.
There is something different about touring with a choir that will keep going. You will see so many of these people again in the fall and start working towards building a group that can worship God to its fullest capacity. As a group you can draw on the experiences of the previous tour. When you are tired or frustrated you can remember Edmundston and Grenville, you can remember the beauty of that worship, you can remember and see what the choir (with God) is capable of.
With those things in mind you can keep in sight that choir is not about being yelled at (A,B), soaring solos (S,T), classes or filling seats. When you have looked into the eyes of moved audience member or graduating student you know that it is all about our beautiful Creator God, and He is awesome.
I went on choir tour. And I'm not sure how I can convey the experience to anyone who has never done such a thing. It has been equated to a week at camp or a retreat and everyone gets all close and high on the experience. There are a lot of good things about that comparison, but it doesn't do a good tour full justice.
There is something different about touring with a choir that will keep going. You will see so many of these people again in the fall and start working towards building a group that can worship God to its fullest capacity. As a group you can draw on the experiences of the previous tour. When you are tired or frustrated you can remember Edmundston and Grenville, you can remember the beauty of that worship, you can remember and see what the choir (with God) is capable of.
With those things in mind you can keep in sight that choir is not about being yelled at (A,B), soaring solos (S,T), classes or filling seats. When you have looked into the eyes of moved audience member or graduating student you know that it is all about our beautiful Creator God, and He is awesome.
Sunday, May 02, 2004
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