Read into this what you will....

I Can't Say No

It ain't so much a question of not knowing what to do.
I knowed whut's right and wrong since I been ten.
I heared a lot of stories and I reckon they are true
About how girls're put upon by men.
I know I mustn't fall into the pit, But when I'm with a feller, I fergit!

I'm jist a girl who cain't say no, I'm in a turrible fix
I always say "come on, le's go" Jist when I orta say nix!
When a person tries to kiss a girl, I know she orta give his face a smack.
But as soon as someone kisses me, I somehow, sorta, wanta kiss him back!

I'm jist a fool when lights are low
I cain't be prissy and quaint
I ain't the type that can faint
How c'n I be whut I ain't?
I cain't say no!

Whut you goin' to do when a feller gits flirty, and starts to talk purty?
Whut you goin' to do?
S'posin' 'at he says 'at yer lips're like cherries, er roses, er berries?
Whut you goin' to do?
S'posin' 'at he says 'at you're sweeter 'n cream, And he's gotta have cream er die?
Whut you goin' to do when he talks that way, Spit in his eye?

I'm jist a girl who cain't say no, Cain't seem to say it at all
I hate to disserpoint a beau When he is payin' a call!
Fer a while I ack refined and cool, A settin on the velveteen setee
Nen I think of thet ol' golden rule, And do fer him what he would do fer me!

I cain't resist a Romeo In a sombrero and chaps
Soon as I sit on their laps Somethin' inside of me snaps
I cain't say no!

Simple

There is great joy in the simple pleasure of watching t.v by the fire place and having it be so warm that you fall asleep. Both my brother and i did that today and it was beautiful.

(i got a tiger skin rug for Christmas, it'll look great infront of the fireplace at my house in ancaster: applications for being my boyfriend can be submitted by email or in person ;) )

Dutch

I had my first croquet (crocket, crocuket..i don't know how to spell it!)last night. I'm not sure what I thought about it. Just please don't tell my Dad that I'm getting even more into Dutch culture.

Are you studying "too much" too?

-sometimes i study so hard i become an inuit with no arms


-sometimes this is what i feel like after an exam


-and sometimes i just can't handle anymore!

Different

Can you image how different the Psalms would be if they had been written by teenage girls?

Pondering whilst wandering

I was thinking while I was driving home tonight about what a wonder it is that we can make Christmas lights do so many things, yet we can't cure cancer.

Next Semester

Classes i am taking next semester:

• 19th Century Drama
• Church History II
• Old Testament Writings: The Pentateuch
• Theology of Mission
• Storytelling

are you in any of my classes?

I think there are a lot of people that need to hear this right now.

i've had questions, without answers
i've known sorrow, i have known pain
but theres one thing, that i'll cling to
you are faithful, Jesus you're true

when hope is lost, i'll call you saviour
when pain surrounds, i'll call you healer
when silence falls, you'll be the song within my heart

in the lone hour, of my sorrow
through the darkest night of my soul
you surround me, and sustain me
my defender, forever more

when hope is lost, i'll call you saviour
when pain surrounds, i'll call you healer
when silence falls, you'll be the song within my heart

i will praise you, i will praise you
when the tears fall, still i will sing to you
i will praise you, Jesus praise you
through the suffereing still i will sing

when hope is lost, i'll call you saviour
when pain surrounds, i'll call you healer
when silence falls, you'll be the song within my heart

- Tim Hughes

Is it too much to ask?

is it too much to ask to have employees remember that they have shifts?

is it too much to ask to have them be on time?

is it too much to ask to have them have a good attitude when working (i don't care what you think of me or the store, just please don't fight me every time i ask you to do the dishes or wear a hat!)?

is it too much to ask to have the basic rules followed?

is it too much to ask to have them remember that managers also have an outside life and are also going through exams?

is it too much to ask them to oh, i don't know, "work" during their shifts?

i know i don't command respect but is it too much to ask to have a little thrown my way?


i just don't think i should be having chest pains during shifts. i'm not getting paid enough to warrant having chest pains.

gah!

I am not getting paid enough.

I really wanted to lock the door, sit down in the middle of the floor and bash pomegranates over my head, while crying like a baby.

Oh Pita Pit, you are taking years off of my life.

Beautiful

Dear Jesus,

Thank you for the people you have been putting in my life lately. Thank you for the relationships we are developing. Thank you for making my friends such beautiful people.

I love you,

Laura

Can I Get a Witness? of It Is a Small World!

So in my meek fight for Christ at the Pit I saw some hope or something like it last night.

One of the girls I work with regularly is in one of the biological sciences at Mac. She wants to go to Australia for a program and will need a prof's reference letter. Being a second year at Mac she realizes that the class size is too big for her to randomly have a prof get to know her. So she has been going to her favourite prof for help in the hope that the prof will remember her and give her a good reference.

At work last night we were talking about classes and class sizes and profs and knowing profs by their first names. She said that she was able to address the aforementioned favourite prof by her first name: Pipa. I said, "Pipa? As in Pipa Lock?" And the employee confirmed that it was indeed our Saturday Soprano.

What does this have to do with witness? Everything. This employee totally respects Pipa and said that Pipa gets voted the best prof every year. What a victory for Christ to have such a well respected prof in the Science Dept at Mac fighting for the Truth!

There is too much light in here,
I can see myself.

All the evil comes to the surface,
Everyone can see it.

Every pore erupts with filth,
I chose ignorance.

The dark brings cold comfort,
Sweet and embraceable.

I linger in pools of loathing,
Lavish swamps.

I have sunk to a delicious depth,
None can find me.

Light is a dazzling pain,
I run.

Sing Along Messiah Anyone?

Sunday, December 19, 2004 at 2:00 pm
Massey Hall

This festive sing-along with the Tafelmusik Chamber Choir and Orchestra, led by a feisty Maestro Handel, is an annual tradition. The sheer joy you will feel as your voice joins a mass choir of 2,500 to sing the Hallelujah chorus may be the best Christmas gift you receive. Bring your own score, or purchase one at Massey Hall. Seating is by voice part, and non-singers are always welcome. A great outing for the whole family! The Sing-Along Messiah also sells out - don't miss out! (Tickets on sale Aug 2004.)

Massey Hall Box Office

http://www.tafelmusik.org/index.cfm?section=tct&subsection=the#messiah_sing

$20.00 Students & Seniors, $27.00 Adults

Does anyone know?

I have a series of bruises on my left ankle and calf that are remarkably finger shaped. I discovered them when changing for church this morning. Does anyone remember assaulting me in my sleep? Or did I forget about being dragged around by the ankle?

Success

So, those of you who know me well know about my 'little' battle with alcohol. Those of you who know my testimony are violently shaking your heads right now.

Working at the Pita Pit as the only Christian is hard. Very rewarding, but hard. It has been a constant struggle for my to find that fine balance between contextualized and pluralistic.

Every year we have two staff parties. A big one at Christmas and a smaller one at the end of the school year. The past two years at the Christmas party I have been drunk off my ass. I won't get into details, but be assured it wasn't pretty OR Christ-like. The past two years I have completely abstained from alcohol at the end of the year party.

This year's challenge: to drink at the Christmas party without getting drunk. In my opinion moderation is the key when being a light at these parties. Being drunk means that I'm just like everyone else. Not drinking at all means I'm weird, on medication or a nerdy Christian. Neither gets us anywhere in the Kingdom mission.

So tonight was the Christmas party. I set goals for myself. One drink at the pre-party cocktails and one drink at the bar. I knew it was going to be hard. I asked people to pray for me. Thank you, huge thank you to those who did. And I had another someone call me on my cell part way through the night to keep me accountable. Thank you to her too. I wore heals 'cause if I was drinking too much then it would be hard to walk, which would signal to me that it was time to stop. I wore my hair all nice, with a smokin' outfit and make-up so that I would have some dignity to maintain. And I didn't bring any money with me.

Hand in hand with God I walked into and out of that party tonight. I met my goal of 2 drinks! I consumed them when I planned and when we switched bars half way through I enjoyed a lovely cranberry juice. I sang a Carole King song at Kareoke which everyone loved. And then I came home..before 4am. In fact before 2am!

Thanks again to those who help and thanks to God for being the norm for awesomeness.

Messiah - In words

Ok, so no more funny pics.

After Saturday's performance I was driving Heather and Angela back up to Redeemer and I described how I felt about the performances using a sporting metaphor.

I said that I felt like singing the Messiah was like running a 400m hurdles race. Anyone who has run 400m knows that it is in essence running balls out for 400m. Throwing the hurdles in just makes for an extra challenge.

On Friday I felt like we as a choir had been running on course for a personal best time. Then we peeked to see where the competition was and tripped over the last hurdle. Ouch. But as with athletic training and performance you get back up, work out the kink and run again.

Bending the metaphor slightly to apply just to me I felt like I did run a personal best time. And I wondered how that could be beaten. I didn't realize that Friday was the semi-final and Saturday the final.

Again if you've ever run competitively you know that the body can surprise you with "an extra gear". All of those hours of training become worth it as you think you have reached your full potential and then all of a sudden there is another gear and you can push even harder and go even farther than you thought even possible.

That is how I felt about Saturday night (the second half - the first half, don't ask, or see the previous post). I sang the Hallelujah chorus so hard that I had chest pains after. And the Amen - who knew that we could go that hard (God did, He planned it that way)?

I feel blessed, like everyone else that I could be apart of it. I was one of those people that had never sung the Messiah before. I had never even heard the whole thing until I bought the CD. And I too struggled with learning the whole thing. I wanted to throw myself through a window and quit the choir the week before the performances. I was bringing down those around me.

Oh redemptive power. Oh endless blessings.

Day 2

How I felt about the first half of last night's concert....



How I felt about the second half of the concert and the answers to my fervent prayers of the first half.....

Day 1

How I felt about the Messiah before the Amen...



How I felt after the Amen...



How I feel today, having another chance to get it right...



Actually, this is how I feel about today...

Hey! I LOVE YOU!