The Project...

burning memories but not bridges

2007-10-02T22:49:00.001-07:00

I spent that past 5 days at camp. It was exhausting. I guess I'm just not used to the 14 or so hour days they run around there. I've gotten soft in my month of eight hour shifts with government regulated breaks.

Unfortunately I'm rather forgetful and didn't take any pictures throughout my time there.

Within hours of getting there i was placed 'on call' that means if anything goes wrong i deal with it/get blamed for it. Then I'm told I'm on call for the entire weekend because Jenni who is regularly the in charge person is going away for the weekend... I thought they only did that when there was no other option

The title of this post come from a sheet of paper that we all wrote our memories down on at the end of the summer. I used it as a fire starter one of the nights and thus the burning memories. And even though i listened to 'songs to burn your bridges by' I didn't burn any bridges and would still be able to go back there without feeling like i shouldn't be there.

The first few days were filled with a high school group we we ran open activities for and had lots of fun with them. Some of them were former staff and thus we could have even more good times.
The grade 12s were forced to do the killer beam as part of their leadership development. I called it the four seasons killer beam -not because it had any thing to do with that branch of hotels (i think) but that fall winter summer and spring were all experienced. It was fairly nice then it rained then hailed and then rained again and then the sun came out. it was odd.
The rest of the two days went really well. I was exhausted at the end of each day, but looked foward to the next one...
Friday morning the high schoolers left along with the camp cook and my the person who usually is 'on call'. then arrived the cadets... after watching the cadets in their ranks and their officers throughout the weekend i have determined that i could last a full 6 minutes in the army or navy.
They were a lot of fun however and the weekend went well.
My favourite memories include the reciting of the naval prayer which was very moving to me. It was a great pleasure to see about fifty cadets bow their heads and thank God for protecting them and ask them to continue protecting them the queen and their ships etc. all in ' the name of Our Lord Jesus Christ.'

And my other favourite memory was when I fed some of the cadets spreadable edible oil product (whipped cream) off the spatula whilst they were standing in ranks...
i needed to get rid of the extra whipped cream so i decided to see if they wanted any..and with the permission of the officers i gave it out....which led to one of the best quotes I've heard in my entire life
"eat your whipped cream in silence!!!"

all told the time at camp was fun filled and well worth doing ...i was blessed with seeing old friends again and many of my favourite meals and general good times...
any way off to eat my waffles which i had forgotten about until now...
-luKe

When My Time Comes... And Other Confessions

2007-09-22T17:20:00.000-07:00

I remember I once wrote a post about 'the death holiday.' It seems so very long ago that February brought its cold and Valentine's. What seems like an eternity has passed since then; since the days of my posting at least twice a week, camp has come and gone, decisions have been made, battles lost and won, and now I'm back with constant Internet access and time enough to blog.
This past week went by rather quickly it seems like just yesterday I was tie shopping enjoying my Sunday off
The week before however...dragged by. Maybe it was because it was payday on the Friday and I was planning on buying stuff like a laptop but it was slow.
During that week I watched a fair amount of t.v. A friend borrowed me season one of 'dead like me.' It's about a girl that gets hit by a toilet seat from a space station and dies and some how becomes a grim reaper taking souls from people just before they die. It has many interesting things to say about the after life and what said life entails. It is an amusing show. I don't want to debate the ethics of the show but watching it i started thinking more about the after life.
As Christians we believe that our life after death is going to be an eternity of worshiping Christ.
Or concept of heaven is slightly obscured -now we see through a dim glass and all that - and sometimes I and people i know get the idea of singing songs and essentially having church for all of eternity.
I don't feel that's accurate.
For one thing God is there, God is also in church but we are more truly in Gods presence there and its continuous, eternal even.
What really gives me hope is that there is no more sorrow, sin or shame. No more sadness...tears maybe but no more sadness...
I wont need to worry about, laptops and cell phones and the things I've done wrong. I will feel no regret, or guilt just love...
I will spend forever feeling loved...
That's what I hope heaven will be like
no fear, no hate, no worry, no frustration,
There has been a few select moments in my life, when I felt I was truly worshipping.
I find it hard to truly worship in the context of music in church because of who i am, both as a musician and someone who is conscious of what other people are doing and thinking. Whether I'm evaluating the stage presence of the band or worrying about something in my life, Un-confessed sin or a current problem or watching the drummer thinking if I could do better or watching other people or wondering what said other people are thinking of me- i can rarely let everything go and truly be in Gods presence... so when it happens its usually fairly memorable. Those to me are little snap shots of what the after life will be for me. Perfect peace and comfort without the regret of a past summer, fear of the coming winter, anticipation of the approaching spring or the worry of the fall...

I'll leave you with;
A welcome to share thoughts you may have on the subject
Apologies for my thoughts being rather disordered
A favourite verse of mine concerning heaven

Revelation 21:25
In the daytime (for there will be no night there) its gates will never be closed;

-luKe

memories

2007-09-16T17:57:00.000-07:00

This is a poem I wrote after camp was over, it was written over the coarse of a week or two. I kept adding to it cause I remembered different things.
I'll probably keep remembering things to put in the poem long after its published or posted in this case

If any one knows what I'm talking about when I say some of these things let me know

I Remember...

I remember staying up late
I remember mistakes
will I ever learn to see my failures as gains?
I can remember my aches and pains
I remember doing wrong...
I remember listening to my favourite song

I remember
laughter and tears
love and hate
fear and freedom
God and how to get out of a large cardboard box
frustration and friends
peace and war
confusion and understanding

I remember writing down memories
and things I was learning
I think of times where I felt close to God
It helps to know that I am loved

I laugh at many jokes, but can never forget when I was close to tears
I remember fire as a reoccurring theme

I look back at my anger and then my sadness
I try not to dwell on the tears in the past
but to remember the times when I smiled, laughed
and felt I was truly where I belong
I remember feeling wanted and loved.

I remember singing off key and not remembering the words
I think about true worship and not caring what others were doing or thinking

I remember conversations about life
I remember love for God

I remember early mornings and long days
I remember having fun all the day long

I remember seeing people in pain
I remember wanting to but being unable to do anything

I remember teaching and learning at the same time
using what I learned to teach others

I remember swearing never again
then I remember doing what I swore not to do

I remember swearing
I remember being frustrated
I also remember being able to talk to people

I remember I hurt people
and people hurt me
sometimes unintentionally
and others intentionally

I remember reminiscing
I thought I was in love

I remember my view of people changing
I would no longer look at them as though they never screw up

I remember realizing that not every one sees life as I do
I remember thinking about how people viewed me
I remember what I wanted to be viewed as

I remember seeing peoples hearts
I rember wanting their love
I remember getting small glimpses of the love God has for usI remember people telling me they would rather hurt
than to see other people in pain

What are the memories I'm missing?
Why do I remember differently than my friends? or my enemies?
Where are all the missing memories gone to?

He is the one who holds them all
He remembers my wrongs no more

He rejoices when I right my life
He sings love over me
He brings back my memory of Him

-luKe edwaRd DuchArme

When I remember...

A cloud moves in,

rain falls,

thunder strikes,

and sunshine breaks through the clouds

-BlindSide

I just wanted to see giant robots fighting each other...

2007-08-30T19:02:00.000-07:00

So me and a friend or two went and saw 'evanalmighty' this afternoon. It was the final showing of said movie in any lethbridge theatre.
It was rather amusing...I enjoyed it and laughed at many occasions rather loudly.
Because I have nothing to else to post about and because there are things one could learn about God through the movie I will present a semi-informal 'review' of the movie
This will no doubt kick start my career as a movie critic and someday you will see me on t.v. with another ridiculously good looking person telling people what movies they should and should not see...
my review of this movie takes two parts.

Part One the "secular" view
The view that rates the movie for its entertainment value, plot, character definition, blah, blah, blah...
The second will be from the "christian" view. The one that talks about the quality of the content, scriptural accuracy and looks to see what one can learn about them selves and God and their relationship with said God...

Part one;
This movie seemed to have been made with one purpose in mind. $$$- cash in on the combined success of its prequel 'Bruce Almighty' and the success of it's main actor Steve Carell. The movie moves quickly past the Evan Baxter as an anchorman into his new role as a united states congressman. He moves into a huge house away from everything he and his family have ever known. From there the fun really begins. Even though its easy to see the movie being made just for money at least it was made very well. Steve Carell delivers a tonne of funny lines (ex repeat after me...we are hamsters) and actions. Including numerous references to 'the dance.' He has a few 'success moments' in which he celebrates by 'doing the dance.' Morgan freeman develops his character as the 'almighty one' by showing up out of nowhere and having fun. His jokes and references to Biblical things/ God were absolutely hilarious. During the pledge of allegiance for example when he says 'one nation under me' was brilliant.
Other notable developed characters the family of 'new york Noah' (the name the media gives Evan) his wife and three sons, and his various assistants. His sons were typical adolescents who at times seemed to hate their father but can also show sentiment and love towards them. The youngest is always mentioning random facts from animal planet, which made for some good jokes. The Secretary had some very amusing lines. Including a 'yoga move' she did to hang up the phone on someone. Very amusing...
All in All a funny movie and good enough for families to see and not have to cover their children's eyes. Or for people who are concerned about what they put into their minds.

which transitions nicely into part two;
God in the movie was, I feel a good representation of what God on earth could be. Especially when the family of Noah goes to a restaurant and is served by God. He makes his exit from a conversation with Noah's wife saying 'i should get going lots of people to serve.' He mentions that people always need to see the story of Noah as a story of God's wrath. He says it really isn't. He suggests its about people working together and standing by each other. I think primarily it's a story about God's sadness over the sin in the world and the consequences of the sin. There are other lessons you can draw from it such as working together and family being important but I think (and i stress those words) the story is about God dealing with the sin of the world. Morgan freeman as God says that what ever He does He does because 'I love you'. This is true of God, its tough to see that sometimes... especially like when your family leaves and your getting sprayed in the face by a sprinkler. Which happens in the movie. This movie showed that God does have our best interests in mind. In the end the ark serves a very important purpose and the 'bad guy' gets what was coming to him.

If any one has more thoughts to share please feel free. There is probably much more i could write about but that is enough for now. plugged in has a review of this movie and it has a message from billy graham pointing out some of the scriptural errors...check that out here

I'm sorry I haven't posted in awhile I've been slightly busy and lazy. I'm also waiting for my sister to appear in lethbridge again with her laptop and all my pictures enabling me to post some of them pictures...

the dream is over...

2007-08-25T21:45:00.000-07:00

Camp is also over. All thats left is to say good bye and then leave. I also have to pack the rest of my stuff. currently it's sitting beside my bed in a heap...

I'm thinking about staying for another two months too help with the busy season they have coming. I wouldn't be getting paid so that's a consideration to make...

Ill figure some more stuff out and make my descision sometime next week.

there are many reflections still be be posted...and some to be still written...

all in all it was a great summer...

I'm sad that its over...

There are things I wouldn't do again and things I would do differently but I'm glad I came back for the summer.

I wouldnt be suprized to find my self back here again next summer. but being that I dont know what im doing next week ill think about next summer later...

here is a picture I took in the spring

strangers fall in love

2007-08-20T22:31:00.000-07:00

Can't say I'm falling in love with any one...especially not some stranger...
Its been a few day since i last updated...another week or so has gone by.
the last week of out trips was last week.
It was a great week.
this week I'm working in the kitchen...
it's strange having to follow schedules and procedures...
This weekend i went tot Church for the first time in a long time... The sermon was very applicable and good to hear.

The pastor talked about loving people as we love ourselves... what does that look like. how do we do it collectively as a church body?
The speaker at camp touched on this point only hours ago...

Sometimes there's too much influence put on A personal relationship with Christ...Christ does have a relationship with individuals but there is also imagery in the Bible about the body and the bride that suggests a community that we need to think about also. Most of the 'yous' are plural. Not you as in the singular person but you as in a group of people I.E the church or the body/bride...
These are random scattered thoughts about this subject i shall post more when i process it more fully. For now just think about with me
What does it look like for the body to truly love people as we love ourselves...?
on a completely separate matter here is some random pictures from the past little while

me on my road trip to chilliwack...stopping in salmon arm...

the reason(s) i went on said road trip...two friends were getting married... to each other...

thats all for now...

-luKe

you've been so faithful for all my years...

2007-08-08T20:23:00.000-07:00

Sorry this post is slightly late. Usually i post on the weekends but this past week there were some extrenuating circumstances that prevented me from uptdating and thus had to wait until to day which is wednesday.
This weekend was the 'long weekend' at camp meaning when we get an extra 24 hours off. I choose to rent a car and drive to b.b where some friends of mine were getting married.
It was a long drive I ended up driving a truck instead of a compact car (cause they had none left). Id rove through a few places that i have driven through before
I have driven that same route on one of my VTI teams and once or twice as a child in the back of my parents car. I remember sining silly songs with my brother and listening to adventures in odessey tapes most of the way on those trips.
This trip as i was by my self in the truck i choose to use the time to play worship music at full volume and sing along.
It was neat to look back and see the hand of God through my life. Especially in the last five years. It took places like hope and the enchanted forest to remind me of Gods faithfullness through out my life but i'm glad i had that experience.
When i returned i fully intened to update my blog but as events turned out I got sick. I spent monday night with chills and throwing up etc. and tuesday I spent getting better and thus brings us to now.
I was taken off going to the teepees for the week and am now doing cleaning and stuff around the camp.
I'm hopeing i get to chainsaw some stuff down some time in the next two days.
This is a short one but there will be more to follow.
This past week at the teepees was a lot of fun. there was a few repeat campers and some new ones. I liked it a lot. My first week at the teepees. and probably last since there is no mores going down there this summer and i might not be back next summer. My campers were asking me last week if i was comming back next year. And i said 'I didnt think i was comming back this year so i dont know'
Time shall tell...
any ways that all i have tonight
ill see you all sometime...maybe tomorow...
-luKe

is any body out there?

2007-07-28T16:13:00.001-07:00

hello ? hello?
This past week brought with it much fun. I had the opportunity to build a model car, i went down the natural water slides for the first time since last year and had another sleepless night.
It seems that most Friday nights of the summer i have trouble sleeping. I sat up late and had conversations with several different people at several different times.

I think the model car that i built is the coolest thing ever. since I built the BACK TO THE FUTURE CAR!! ..flux capacitor and every thing
i heard recently that my friend joy is coming out to camp for the remainder of the summer.
that's exciting...
now the moment some of you have been waiting for...
i have here some pictures of life since I've been here there and every wherer or something witty and clever

the original mustache Monday ...sideways

I found this ironic

Dan king... in a suit...a sight i have never seen before and will probably never see again.

that's all i have for now kids ...and adults too

tune in next time for more pictures and more better sentences and the like

maybe in another year

2007-07-22T22:09:00.000-07:00

The pain will disappear
actually I hope it doesn't take an entire year, that would be unfortunate
other than the broken heart, which as you may recall first aid does nothing for. Life is really spectacular. This past week was good. Tonight i preached to the staff on anger.

I can now say that i have given my boss the finger and not gotten fired...yet
I hope i don't. I think they understand that is was an illustration.
That is a big part of why God wants me back here this summer. To help the younger staff grow in their relationship with Christ. preaching tonight is a big part of it ...but any ways the battery on this computer so i should go....see you all next week.
-luKe

you must make my day plans...

2007-07-14T18:38:00.000-07:00

It looks like its going to be one post a week for the rest of the summer. The inter web is not available out in my tent. Though if i had a lap top and the tree power converter I could plug it in...My lap top i have recently been informed is video card less and would cost lots to fix.

Some day I will post pictures from my trip to corner stone. and some from camp as well. I've been taking some pictures and have realized how blessed i am to have a digital camera.

This past week was really good. some times kids can be annoying ...especially when they never shut up but the 15 of us (including counselors) had a great time. The people from the white water rafting place remember us and it was great to build a little bit more on the relationship already built.

The kids seemed not interested in God or anything of the sort most of the week. Devotions were short and mostly filled with them distracting each other. On the last night God blessed us with an hour of questions about heaven and hell and who goes where.

It was really good to answer them and to have a discussion like we did.

I had been trying to start a discussion like that all week and there it was.

God has been showing me exactly why he wants me at camp and I'm glad to say its been a fun summer so far....

more to come

stories of speeding tickets and the people who get them

and other memorable events...

any ways it is now time for me to go to bed since I slept for approximately five minutes last night....

hey unfaithful....

2007-07-07T18:20:00.000-07:00

In case you were wondering. I made it back to camp allright. I'm very excited to be back here. I'm looking greatly foward to the summer. Out trip planning is going well and camp starts tomorow. and by tomorow i mean monday...by the time you read this it will at least be sunday...
some people have said that they thought I hated this place by some of my past blog posts.
Sometimes i don't want to be here. I had to make a big change in my attitude somewhere in the middle of june. I was really bitter about some of the things that happen but i choose to forgive and enjoy being here.
Im really pumped about a new program that, I have a small part in developing. ill tell you about it someday ...another story for another time, as they say
any ways I should get going
now that I can use my friends lap top pictures will be more plentiful and etc.
i might update only once a week for the rest of the summer because i can't plug the laptop into a tree out whilst camping
any ways have a great summer ill see you all when I see you.

remembering mile two
-luKe

in the sweet glow of the light...

2007-07-01T21:15:00.000-07:00

So about 24 hours ago I was in Illinois watching Norma Jean rock the stage. I did not expect to make it home this fast. It turns out my friend josh is able to drive many hours on little to no sleep....
Cornerstone was beyond words ...
to give you a small glimpse into our trip ill give you in no particular order; words and phrases that wont make sense...but might give you a glimpse into the experience

compassion!!!!
sponsor children
Jones soda booth
driving
Gregory and what we saw there
why not?
otter creek X4 both ways
crazy woman creek road
to write love on her arms
horse creek
driving
wild horse creek
dead horse creek
PROJECT 86
emery -not as bad as i hoped they wouldn't be...in other words contrary to videos Ive seen really good
Fair c.d.
rope sandals
anberlin shirts and spectacular concerts
driving
intense heat
sweat
kind neighbors
hot dogs
milk
cereal
intense heat
against all odds
to use dove on her arms
the devil wears prada
every man a liar
were I a lesser man ?
hoping for 24
hot nights and cold nights
getting sick of each other
no having a huge fight
Good times
mile two!!!
what happens on the mile stays on the mile
buttons to mail
winner!
thinking a like all week
coffee whore
Hispanic at the disco
batman ,robin and the riddeler
beautiful skies
disciple rocked!
soreness
tiredness
hunger
God keeping us safe
smoking
B.O.
skillet at skillet
deer watch
roadkill count
mt. Rushmore
presidential soda
a joyful noise we will make
God showing us blessings
the power of God through wind
maybe next year

I've never been to Alaska, but i can tell you this...

2007-06-24T07:37:00.000-07:00

Currently I'm sitting in a hotel lobby taking advantage of the free Internet having just partaken in the free continental breakfast. The hotel is situated approximately 1 mile from the Iowa state line. So for those of you not up on which state is where that puts me in Nebraska. Me and Josh have driven through several states so far. (Josh has done all of the driving so far which is good for me cause I don't really want to.) Montana, Wyoming and south Dakota, and now Nebraska still to come Iowa and finally Illinois.
We have about eight more hours of driving and then we arrive at CORNER STONE!!! It's an incredible blessing to be able to do this. Every morning and several times a day I remember and am shocked at the realization that I'm on my way to this giant music festival. We have been trying to do this for years and just never managed to do it. Now it's actually happening.

We have been incredibly blessed so far with the sights we've seen and safety we have enjoyed. I wish I could post some pictures for we have taken some good ones but alas I don't think the hotel staff would be impressed with me if i started plugging things in to the back of their computer.
We came pretty darn close to hitting a deer of some sort the first night. We must have missed by about half a foot. We also drove through the bad lands of South Dakota which are an incredible testament to the power of God, and his creative use of the wind. The hoodoos are quite neat. We also took a small detour and visited Mount Rushmore. Where four former presidents of this country are carved into the side of a Mountain. We have also driven by several towns of amusing names such as Gregory (my brothers name). We also drove withing 15 miles of Springfield. I suggested we go but it was late thus we continued to where we are now (Siox city Iowa/Nebraska.)
Well it is now one hour till check out and I desire some more rest before we hit the road again. so until the next time (I have no idea when that'll be)
If you want to pray or continue praying
pray for safety and good times for us both.

-luKe

and thats how you live with a curse...

2007-06-10T20:05:00.000-07:00

My computer has been broken. When i turn it on, all that comes up is green lines. It's frustrating. Actually i havnt had the time to be frustrated. I have been working every day since may 26th. except for yesterday and weddings arn't as restful as one would like. Now I'm heading in to 2 days off. No groups on site. In fact every one has the day off and most people have taken the oppurtunity to go away. Having no where to go and no way to get there i'll be here sleeping and such.

Days of rest are important. I plan to spend the days ahead resting by sleeping, spending time with God and maybe watching some movies.

Some day I will post some of my pictures that I have been taking. Pictures of mustache monday, trips to calgary, and other exciting events. Speaking of exciting events...corner stone is only weeks away and while I feel ridicously unprepared I'm more excited than a kid in a candy store ....

For those of you that care I decided not to preach. The main reasons being my lack of time in be tween then and now. Your all thinking. You have to days ahead of you with no groups in ...do it then slacker!!!

Preparing a sermon is not a restful activity ..at least not for me. Some pastors and such may find it enjoyable perhaprs even relaxing to prepare and present thoughts from Gods word. Me I find it exhausting. The preperation takes days, if not weeks, and the presentation is physically emotionally, spiritualy, and mentally draining. So much so that the next two days or so I take to recover. If I were to prepare a sermon it would effectivly eliminate at least one of my days off. also I find it difficult to do restful activities if something like that is hanging over my head. Example I found it near impossible to read novels (a rest full activity for some) at school for i had eighty billion papaers to write and text books to read.

But back to the day of rest. for this is what I have been thinking about.

'You shall remember the sabbath day and keep it holy.'

The principle is to take one day a week and rest. Spend time doing restful activities and remembering who God is and what he has done for you...

Ther people in jesus' day were forced to rest one day of the week. The had rules of what they could and could not do. They could only walk so far before it was considered work.

I would probably be punished for I did dishes this morning. and I'm updating my blog...

The important thnig is to do things that you consider restful so that you are not tired out and there fore dont wear every one else out. ...

now go take a day off all you hard working peple out there...you know who you are...

-luKe

i fell off the face of the earth once.....

2007-06-01T21:06:00.000-07:00

a pinch and a punch, 1st of the month ...
hello all faithful and unfaithful bog readers and writers. Life at camp has been fairly busy im right in the middle of two weeks of no day off. Apperently I'm showing and i quote ' a lot of tiredness.' Just because i took a nap sitting at the table after supper...
currently I'm multi tasking by also writing a devotion for tomorow's staff meeting.
so far i've got a few points....
which semi brings me to a mass readers poll...
i've been given the oppurtunity to preach to a group of jr high students from a christian school. There school is having a retreat out here. in a couple weeks and they want someone different from there regular teachers and staff to speak to the kids.
i have until monday to make my descision. Thus i am opening it up to the 'masses' that read my blog. should i preach (and if so what on) or not (and if so why not)????
That is the question. i will let you know my desicion. sometime after i make it.
apologies for the short post and the loooong times between post but like i said before i've been busy...i've also been lazy...
any ways let me know what you think about me preaching.
talk to you all later
special shout outs to all you who ive seen or heard from in the past few days...and you know who you are...
aplogies for the spellling and grammar or lack ther of....

im only happy when it rains

2007-05-20T20:27:00.000-07:00

it's been since my birthday since I last posted. That seems like an eternity ago now. I really have nothing to post about, other wise I would have posted at least once between now and my birthday.

Life at camp continues on much as usual. rain, campfires, exhaustion, dishes, bathrooms , guest groups climbing walls, canoeing, snow, and the list goes on....

somedays is great to be here and sometimes it's all I can do to not scream and run away...

Here I sit in Jason’s car waiting for spider man three to end, listening to the thunder, the peals of which sometimes are loud enough to be heard over the music being driven into my ears. I’m sipping cold Chai and contemplating whether are not to buy a copy of ‘the long road out of hell’ the biography of Marilyn Manson. I’m not picking up a wireless connection from the star bucks that is close by. I’m typing these thoughts in Microsoft word with good intentions of later printing them in blogger and posting/ publishing. (There’s something about a road that’s paved with those…)

Hey that’s odd I suddenly have a wireless connection from somewhere…lets try and see if I can go some web pages… I don’t know where this is coming from. Hopefully it isn’t illegal or something. It moves to slow and I’ve decided to try and buy that book…

I stood there in chapters looking at the book. When cortney found me. I eventually decided not to buy the auto-biography. Reason one to save money and two because theres prbably a lot of things in that book that are inapropriate and not healthy for me to read.

Now I'm sitting back at camp possibliy posting before my battery runs out. Eating cookies and milk and hearing the sounds of a girl next to me watcing 'The Bachelor'. She hopes the blonde girl wins.

Well it comes down to this...

One must choose to be happy, choose to forgive all the injustices and polotics and the people that prepeuate said injustuces and polotics.

Some days its just a more difficult choice then others.

I've been thinking about stuff like this. Enjoying being here, feeling good about my choice and growing deeper in my relationship with God.
If I continue to be angry and bitter about certain situations. It will and has effect(ed) my relationship with God and my relationships with other people.

That is where I leave you.

apologies for not posting sooner lack of time and energy and working internet. And I also apologize for the randomness and unorganizedness of this post

-luKe

WORST BIRTHDAY EVER !!!!!

2007-05-15T21:06:00.000-07:00

I remember when i was in grade two my mom threw this party for me where we played games and won prises for playing and winning said games. I wanted to win certain things and when i didn't I cried. In fact I spent most of the day crying around the corner of my house away from the yard where all the other children were having fun. I guess if i had to pick i would say that was the worst birthday ever. Through no fault of my mothers. Now that I look back on it it was all in my attitude....
today was good; the sun was shinning the grass was greenish, no one died, and i turned 24 ....
The happy birthday song was sung to me at least five times and many people commented on my face book to the effect of me getting closer to death...my parents paid for most of my corner stone ticket so that was my present.

any ways I would like to mention on a unrelated matter to may birthday that i am using the new conference room to write this post and I was/am the first person to have spilled their drink on the new conference table. boo ho ho (sounds of crying) ...ow wait one shouldn't cry over spilled milk... or over lost games at your grade two birthday party ....
-luKe

P.S. I'm not copping out cause your rasing the dead in me...I am the second man now ...- '24' by Switchfoot

o but mother, I've got vices...

2007-05-11T19:01:00.000-07:00

does any one have any ideas for me to post about?
...it's so quiet I can hear other people stomachs growling...
Mine would be growling but I just ate someone else's pudding...

A great weight seems to hang on my heart and I can't seem to shake it. There's a strange sinking feeling in my soul. I feel worn out and weary of life. The short and dirty of it is that I'm sick and tired of being sick and tired.
I don't know where this feeling came from or why it's there. I've been asking God to remove it.

People keep asking me if I'm OK. and don't believe me when I tell them I'm good. (I probably am not good)
Or when I say fine they ask 'do you know what 'F.I.N.E.' stands for?'
next time they ask I'm going to say something like

Yes I do..
Fully aware of what it stands for
Irritated by the question
Never wanting to be asked again
Empathetic to your current state of well being
-I believe that's an acrostic

I almost posted this last night before going to church...

I'm glad I didn't because at church one of the verses that we discussed impacted me and spoke directly to how I've been feeling;

Galatians, chapter six, verse, nine.
'Let us not become weary in doing good...for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up...'

-luKe
p.s. happy mothers day to the following people;
my mother-Flora Ducharme
...and happy birthday to the following people
Joy O'Haver
Sarah smith
Adam Hansen
Me

hair growing faster?

2007-05-09T21:05:00.000-07:00

Staff Training is officially over. The first guest group came yesterday.
Today (may 5th) I officially got my first aid. The means two things to me. One i get paid more if i ever work a by the hour job again
and two I am now obligated (even more so than before) to help if someone is hurt. I hope I never have to use it
This post has been a fairly long time coming i apologize for my tardiness but its a heavy topic and I've been busy....

and now...
This one goes out to the one I love...

Rarely a day goes by that I don't think about it
what do do I wonder... if anything?
what would the response be ?
a first aid certificate does nothing when dealing with a broken heart!

My friends Ken and Rachel had there baby recently and I have spent some time holding him. Its strange to look into a mouth that has no teeth..its like a gaping black hole. Apparently holding a baby in a mall is a chick magnet, but ken wont let me borrow his child.

I used the word love earlier. I'm not sure if its the right word. I do 'have feelings for' a girl but is it love. What steps it up from a boyish crush to love?
time? the fact that one can't stop thinking about the other person? Does god have something to do with it?
I have heard before that love is truly wanting whats best for the other person.

Ken says that a boyish crush is a surreal fantasy where the relationship only exists in your mind.
Vicky says that between 'boyish crush' and 'love' there lies a stage of 'obsession'! where the person never leaves your head. Also love is something you can let go of.
there's a song i know that states 'my watch is always set to you time and my shoes are always ready and tied. My heart points north longing for without you im an ice cube melting'
one friend of mine got goosebumps when I quoted the lyrics which then prompted her to say
'I want to be somebody' north'
...those of us around thought it was a great quote and thus it was quoted on here...any ways there so much more I could say but this is good enough (for the girls I go out with)
this is an open ended post where you people get to throw out your thoughts and love stories
after all every one (except Byron) has a story about a girl from camp ...
or if your a girl you can have a story about some boy...
well this post has been a long time coming
just so you know I'm working at letting go ...its harder than it sounds (and it didn't sound to easy) but i think its working ...soon the world will be mine all mine mwa ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha
-luKe

we caught you plottting murder...

2007-05-04T17:24:00.000-07:00

welcome to day five.
The days have dragged by, but also they have gone so fast that every thing blurs together...
its been a strange few days
It has been good and bad.
I was going to update my blog last night but for some reason the Internet wouldn't let me. Tonight it works and thus you are reading your update.
Two nights ago me my friend Brendan and my friend Vicky sat up late by the fire discussing life love and why. Me and Vicky had already determined that we were going through the same thing of not wanting to be here, and as we talked Brendan said that he was dealing with the same thing.
We sat down and prayed about our decisions and doubts...
The next night we had a night of prayer together. During the time that the rest of the staff were praying for me. Someone spoke up and said 'Luke you are where you are supposed to be'
I'm not sure why I'm here, and I'm sure there will be times when I don't want to be but I'm sure now that I'm supposed to be...
Staff training week is over and the groups are coming in. It will be even more busy from now on so hopefully I will be able to update this frequently and check my face book
I will most likely be buying an ipod soon as I'm getting a free pair of $100 headphones.
so then my soul will be officially sold...
-luKe

day 1

2007-04-30T20:55:00.000-07:00

sarcastic cynical and bitter....I'm not wanting to be here....that feeling became apparent in my attitude sometime in the after noon. The morning I was feeling rather excited and ready for a fun spring.
When I was asked when if I was looking forward to this summer I said 'no. I don't want to be here now'...
i think it had a lot to do with my lack of sleep the past two nights and at that point i was feeling sleepy, and worn out...
In the evening (as in just now)... I became excited about the summer again...
i mentioned before and to several people that I really want this summer to be one of community and 'the safest place on earth'.
Guess what we talked about after the evening meal
...community
how to make our spring like the believers in acts two? ...
we came up with some spectacular thoughts and good discussion was held...
i was reminded of my desire to be here and use my gifts (and degree) to make camp ever green spring staff 2007 the safest place on earth
safe as in where we can feel (and will actually be) loved and accepted and not condemned

the safety I desire is (this is for Courtney) 'not to be risk free in our private nut tree'..
but risk/safety is another issue for another time... or all the time in Cortney's case....
its going to be tough not only to create said community but the spring in general...
pray for us all as we become a group and community...

these cryptic and randomized thoughts on day one are brought to you by the
the letters 'c' and 'w' and your friendly neighborhood ...someone
on that note it was good to see my unable to whistle friend christy wimber again...
until the next time I post...
-luKe

This is my rant...

2007-04-27T16:35:00.000-07:00

The student loans 'support number' are useless and frustrating!!!!. now that I've go that bit of anger and frustration out of the way. Here is the tale...

So I'm sitting at home innocently plotting your imminent doom...(just kidding) when the phone rings. Being that the phone has already wrung once, I think to my self 'hey I'm popular today' I pick up the phone and say 'hello' and that is when the reason for my rant begins. On the other end of the line is not my friend Vicky berg (who i thought might call) or my job telling me they wanted me to come in for more hours (which also crossed my mind) nor was it my final consideration of my friend christy wimber who arrived in Canada today.
It was a recorded message from the Canada student loans operating centre. It says ' This is an important message for Luke ducharme (which they pronounced wrong by the way) press one if you are this person. I press one and am immediately placed on hold listening to possibly some of the worst music ever recorded. This 'music' is interrupted frequently by a recorded voice saying ' thank you for calling, all of our operators are currently busy please stay on the line' That wasn't exactly what they were saying but I was distracted by the fact that they had called me and now I was on hold which didn't make sense. Finally after about five minutes of wondering what this call was about someone picks up. I should mention at this point that mere hours prior to this experience i had filled out the appropriate paper work and planned to send it away. (granted it was a few days late, but i didn't know that at the time) This person, who I'm convinced barely spoke English, Said ' thank you for calling...how may I help you? the three dots are because again i was distracted by the fact that they had called me and i couldn't understand much of what he said because of his accent. This is where it gets really frustrating. HE HUNG UP ON ME!!!. I said. 'Um I got a call from you guys I don't know what this is about'....silence...a 'hello?' from me... then 'the call you made cannot be completed as dialed please check the number or dial 411 for assistance.' followed by the sound the phone makes when its been off the hook for too long...it was a frustrating experience so I decided to rant about it for a bit. Hope you enjoyed my story and may your experience with student loans be better than mine...
-luKe

Can I have your attention please?

2007-04-26T22:26:00.000-07:00

Now that I have your attention...

With barely more than two days left until I leave, thoughts become like little banshees and run around my head screaming bloody murder.

Thoughts...
of all the things I NEED to get done before I leave...
of all the things I WANT to get done before I leave...
of second guessing my decisions...
of joining face book...
of what this past week has brought...
of what this summer will bring...
of what I want this summer to be...
of what I've been thinking about... which encompasses all of the above...

I need to get several things done...ex. pay off my loans, buy certain supplies like deodorant and shampoo, say good bye to most people, finish my shifts, write my 'two weeks notice'

I want to get get several things done- ex. post a few times, hang out with certain people, buy some c.d.s and cornerstone tickets...

Its normal to second guess ones decisions but its not the most fun process ever...

'every body's doing it' and several people have been bugging me about doing it...joining face book that is

This past week has brought; a degree, a broken necklace, my parents flying to Israel, the last day at one job,

This summer will bring; a 'spiritual Mt. top' (hopefully) curfews, contracts, and second chances
I want this summer to be; a 'spiritual Mt. top' a chance to see old friends and make new ones, a safe place..

I've been thinking about how what I can do to make my summer the most spectacular summer in the history of spectacular summers. Given the nature of my relationship with God and my past experiences with Camp (both good and bad) and the general state of my well being I have determined that this summer will be either be spectacular or the worst summer of my entire life. I have a feeling it will be all in my attitude. If I am determined to have a good time and pour my self into the campers and other staff it will be a great summer. If I focus on my self and only see the bad...it will suck like nothing has ever sucked before.
One of my text books while being frustrating to read and not as simple to respond to as I would've liked had many good things to say about community. It was frustrating to read because for one it was a text book that I had to read and had only so much time to read it in. It was also frustrating because I felt I never got any concrete steps to build a community (until the very end) He spoke about 'the safest place on earth.' The place where people can 'hit bottom' and feel safe, uncondemned and not judged. He gave many examples of situations where in conversations he said the wrong thing and didn't help create this community. I wanted to hear what he would've said in those situations that would've created this community.
I spent most of the book thinking of situations at camp and how I wanted to create this safe place there over the summer. Thus it was frustrating when I couldn't get a "this is what you do and say when this happens..." it finally came out that one must be listening to the Holy Spirit at that moment and there fore can create that safe place. I really want to do my part to create a community like that this summer. I want staff (and campers) to go home and be like 'what a great place camp was I'm going to create that safe place at my church/school at home.' Join me in praying that this safe place can be achieved and that God works in my life and all the staff and campers lives also.

I will leave you now with the word picture of the thoughts as banshees running and screaming in my head and several pictures taken at school on graduation day....

1st. me and my degree, still wearing the gown and hood they place on you. I wore it for a long time, after walking the stage (I received numerous warnings to make sure I returned it)

Next is a picture with the hood flipped over my head making me look (apparently) scary...

Last ...I thought it would be funny (and it was) to hold a weapon of some sort and look scary... I'd like to mention that I don't even know this girl let alone have any feelings of hate toward her and that no one was injured or endangered in the taking of this picture...

No unicorns were harmed in the writing of this post...

-luKe

the last week...

2007-04-24T10:12:00.000-07:00

Yesterday began the last week that I will be living in Lethbridge. On Sunday I'm leaving. my last day at London drugs will be Saturday and my last day at the wholesale club will be Wednesday (as in tomorrow). I will be making an effort to hang out with as many people from here as possible before i leave. If you are one of those people give me a call and we shall try and find sometime amidst my working/packing schedule. Notice I did not say home work. There shall be no more homework doing for this week for as of two days ago I graduated with my degree in pastoral studies. There in lies the tale of why I haven't posted in over a week. Last week was filled with working and finishing my homework. On Thursday I flew to Saskatoon and from there the graduation weekend began. The banquet was Friday night. The b.a. brunch was sat. and the commencement ceremony was Sunday. I did not get more than five hours of sleep per night for the entire weekend. Wednesday night I was up late packing and finishing my homework and up early because I was driving to Calgary for my flight. Thursday night I was up late hanging out in the dorms and up early cause I couldn't sleep any more. Friday I was up late because of the grad banquet and the hanging out in the city we did afterwards and up early for the b.a. brunch. Saturday I hung out in the dorms then got up for church. It was a weekend filled with lots of fun. but i was unfortunately suffering from a throat in my frog. Id rank tea like it was going out of style and thus had to go to the bathroom approximately every 17 seconds...
My last paper was about a period of when I experienced stress or tension

I wrote about the time when I was told by the academic dean that i was one credit short of graduating. He apologized and I told him that he was forgiven because at some point at did remember to deal with my frustration properly and forgive etc.

This paper was written Wednesday night handed in Thursday, we had our discussion about the paper Friday and I also paid for my course. He had the assignments marked later that day and I graduated on Sunday.

This post has let you know what I've been up too and the title is also appropriate because it's less than a week before I leave to camp.

I have plenty of things to say about what I've been thinking about that and other things like my text books but for now ill leave you with two of the pictures I took throughout the weekend...

more pictures of my degree and strange uses of the hood that I was hooded with when walking the stage to come... as well as further thoughts on camp my text books and how it all fits together...

a sign I thought was amusing and clever...

me and my friend chance...

Friday The 13th

2007-04-13T11:41:00.000-07:00

This particular day is supposedly 'unlucky'. People who are superstitious spend the day hiding in the closet. Thankfully I don't feel that this day is any different from any other Friday and will not spend the day hiding in my closet. I don't even have a closet come to think of it, there's a closet door in my room but it leads to the water tank...Also if I were to have to spend an entire day in a closet I might consider that an 'unlucky' occurrence.

Thoughts on the concept of luck:
I try not to use the word luck or phrases like 'that's lucky or unlucky'. I believe in God who is orchestrating my life and thus the idea that my life is dictated and affected by seemingly random events is strange and possibly contrary. I prefer instead of using phrases like lucky or unlucky to call it how it is... Ex. When I see someone taking up two spaces in the parking lot and now don't have a place to park. Some might say 'that's unlucky' I will probably say something like 'this is stupid!' It is a personal conviction to avoid such words and phrases so don't get all "he's saying I'm a bad Christian for using the word luck" on me.
I know that using the words doesn't mean thatsomeone doesn't believe in God's eternal sovereignty and plan for our lives. Christians who use the word luck should not be crucified. For me though, the words and phrases I use show (to some degree) what I believe. So if I continually use phrases that have to do with the concept of luck, it can show that I don't believe that God has plans for me, and that my life is run by chance and fate.

More thoughts on the concept of luck:
Who determines whats lucky and unlucky anyways? If someone is taking up two spaces that apparently 'unlucky for me' but lucky for the guy who drives a motor bike and can fit in that space. It could also be lucky or unlucky for the guy in 2 spaces. He gets a spot and now can do whatever he is parked there for ...but he could get a parking ticket. (which I hope he does... grumble grumble...)
Today is my first day off in two weeks and it is my first day of rest since approximately the day after I preached. My last days off I drove, in bad whether, in a rental car to a wedding which to me doesn't count as a 'day of rest'. I think that could fall under the category of 'lucky' since I get to rest, update my blog, go to BBQ's and what not...

Thoughts on this particular day:
The reason that this day is considered unlucky has some to do with the church ironically enough. One of the popes decided that the 'Nights Templar' had to much power, and decided they should all be killed. He sent out letters, to all be opened on a Friday the 13th, directing the receivers of said letters to kill any Knights in their vicinity. I learned all this from reading 'The DaVinci code' so the facts may be slightly skewed, or entirely wrong. Also I may have skewered some of the fact because my memory fades me in my old age. I may do some research on this subject aside from reading a book that's a work of fiction. "But every thing in the book is true says the claim in the first pages" you say... There has been like fifty books refuting the book and pointing out many of the facts that are not true. But this is slightly off the theme of luck and we shall save this discussion for some other time... for now hope my facts are true and remember 'just like the DaVinci Code this blog is ...a threat to the church??

More thoughts on this particular day:
Rather than the torture of having 'unlucky' things happen, A friend of mine once had several good things happen to him on Friday the 13th. He got a job, reconnected with friends and generally had a great day. my response to this is a quote from the movie 'The lady and the tramp' ...'If this is torture ...chain me to the wall!"

Up dates and things of that nature:
My friend (and long lost... sister? brother? ...sibling!) Lacey is moving to Lethbridge today... according to her blog which I read earlier today.
Now we can hang out and do cool stuff that is at least we can until (as luck would have it) I go to camp for the summer... That's right folks I've made my decision and have decided that God wants me back at camp for four (4) full months...(minus the time when me and my friend Josh are going to corner stone music festival. If any one else wants to come with us. You are welcome, contact me for details and such...)
It was a tough decision to make but I'm glad I made it and I feel peace about it. Fortunately the camp has Internet access so hopefully I can update my blog as frequently as I did when I was living at my parents house...
The 'name that post' contest winner will be announced at your regular 'the project' time...in your regular 'The Project' place...

Basically now... and here...
The winner is ....(drum roll please)
Alan Fehr ...for his entry of 'in aComo'
He though he was naming my blog at the time... but it is inside joke filled and I can respond with 'I get it ...its a play on words'
Congratulations Alan! You win a brand new car...bonated beverage.
for the rest of you that entered ...
Thank you for entering and ...better luck next time

Until I write again

-luKe
p.s.
If any of you gets a letter from the pope today, I hope its not to kill me..
I don't think my blog (or 'The DaVinci code' for that matter) is a threat to the church...

why I havn't been posting as frequently...

2007-04-11T22:28:00.000-07:00

My school work...
My entire coarse consist of two text books
1. reading 'ordering your private world' by Gordon MacDonald and 'the safest place on earth' by Larry Crabb
-'ordering your private world' I found in a church library. "the safest place on earth however' i found at a used book store ...and by i found i mean my mom found by calling every book store in the phone book until she found it.
2. a response to 'the safest place on earth'-which i will do soon...er or later
3. A chapter by chapter response/ summary for 'ordering your private world- which I'm currently working on
4. A description of my past devotional life and goals for the future etc.-which I'm done
5. a description of a time during 'my ministry' where I felt frustrated and what resources I used to get through said frustrating time...-which I have a idea for and will do last...
6. having a phone conversation about the above assignment with the teacher of my class...

the text book I've been reading has taught me some things and I've relearned some things as well...more on that later...
for now I'm exhausted because I haven't had a day of rest in two weeks (since before i went to the wedding)
Thank God with me for his grace which he continually gives and the blessing he also gives even when i don't deserve said blessings or grace...
-luKe

at long last...

2007-04-05T16:54:00.000-07:00

I have several things to say before moving on to the point of this post
1. I'm taking a break from my homework to do this...
2. Seeing the above sentence brings sadness to my soul
3. I thought of a great April fools day joke I could have done ...a day or two late...
4. my friend Christy wimber did not elope in Scotland...or elope at all ..
5. I am still accepting 'name that post' entry's...
I know I said I would announce the winner by now... but I made another decision which shall be made public on the 15th of April and thus have chosen to extend the contest until then...
6. I am growing in the grace and knowledge of Jesus Christ by doing my homework... well the knowledge part from doing homework... The grace part comes also, but not from text books...
7. The other night I saw perhaps the most fantastic thing I've ever seen in my life... a drum ensemble...about 20-25 people playing percussion instruments for about 2 hours... My favourite part was when there was EIGHT (8) DRUM SETS BEING PLAYED AT ONCE!!!
Ahem... moving on

For those who have been waiting...

Reminiscent facts and reflections on my preaching experiences...

I preached on February eleventh on acts 26 -its when Paul gives his testimony before King Agrippa. My application was that we can use our stories to witness for Christ...wherever we are, whoever we are...I told a few stories and had some amusing anecdotes and inside jokes thrown in. 'Sacriligiosity' and 'Jesus?' were used. I was very glad when it was done. The weeks leading up to the Sunday morning were filled with nervousness and near panic attacks. The last few days my dreams were filled with strange occurrences involving preaching. Something going terribly wrong and the like. This happened before both sermon days. I almost fell asleep on the road on the way back and had to stop for some hot chocolate to keep me awake. I mentioned my Thai tie and how it, my travels, my degree etc. can start conversations about why I went to Thailand, what I believe, what I went to Bible school for etc. etc. Deciding whether to work at camp again has also been a topic of conversation that can lead to spiritual discussions.
I talked about the part about the goads and how oxen kick back against the sharp pointy sticks used to prod them along and hurt themselves... And that is what we can do. Kick back against Gods prodding and end up hurting ourselves. I told the story of when I was 'called' to go to Bible school and I fought with God for hours late into the night and early the next morning. Lack of sleep believe it or not is bad for you. I was told by several people afterwards that i did a good job and my evaluation forms were generally positive. My intro was too long and sometimes i lost my place in my notes and had to stop. A more different organization of my notes if I ever preach again will help with that.

My second sermon was preached on Ephesians 4-26-27. There is a lot in these two verses and I had a lot of fun trying to fit it all in to twenty minutes. I wasn't driving my self and thus could sleep on the way there which was needed because i only got a few hours of sleep the night before. Which were consequently filled with strange dreams about preaching. I defined anger as having three parts 1. The emotional -the hurt feelings etc. 2. The cognitive- the thoughts of anger and revenge. 3. the physical- the actions ex. yelling, hitting, swearing etc. I talked about how there are justifiable cause for anger and it can become sin if one hurts them selves or someone else when not dealing with the anger properly. I gave an example from my time at Bible school when I got fed up with the eating 'traditions' and yelled at a schoolmate. (get it?- 'eating traditions' and 'fed up'... I crack my self up) I gave several wrong ways of dealing with your anger. I.e. ignoring it, bottling it inside, over reacting. Don't let the air out of someones tires because there in two spots...(My fall back example of something that makes me angry is someone taking up two spaces in a parking lot.)
Then I finished off with ways to properly deal with anger. I.E teaching forgiveness, finding a physical outlet for the physical tension. etc. etc. I realized just after it was too late to go back that I had forgotten my hoodie at the church. I shall get it sometime when I visit camp. My plan was to get it when I went on the 13th weekend but now that the retreat is cancelled...
i was given a tape of the sermon ...I don't think ill ever listen to it. Maybe ill build a catapult and launch it into the river... that's what I also want to do with my dead car but that's entirely beside the point. Well actually it could be worked in because it being dead causes great frustration and anger in my life at this moment...

Both of my sermons have be come extremely applicable to me. My first one daily when i went to work and was a christian influence for the people I work with and to the customers I sell digital cameras to. It is/was hard for me to not fall into the some of the things done at work ex. bad mouthing both customers and other staff behind their backs. Some of the conversations that came up because of my Thai tie were really good but i don't want to say one thing and then do another so to speak. It was also difficult not to look down on any one there. I always had to remind my self that I was no better than them. We are all beggars I just happen to know the forgiver and provider.
My second sermon became applicable to me when I found out I was one credit short, (see other post) and also when my car died (see above) and there is also people and circumstances at both jobs that frustrate me and I have to remember to deal with my anger properly and not to let our enemy have an opportunity to cause further evil.

All told it was an exhausting experience and I can't imagine how pastors do it every week. I don't think I could make it. Knowing people are evaluating me does put more pressure on the whole thing and I guess it would get easier over time but still it was difficult...I'm glad its done and I'm also very grateful for the opportunity.

Some things in life are undeniable...

Growing in Grace and Knowledge...of the Lord Jesus Christ

-luKe

my road trip... and other pictures

2007-04-03T13:14:00.000-07:00

The chinchilla I mentioned in a previous post...

my rock star friends Matt and Alison whom I stayed with (not to be confused with Jess Penner's sister and husband) this picture was taken when my battery was dying and I apparently didn't have the timer set...honestly I didn't' know the picture was taken until the next day...

The gang from camp...every one else there (at the wedding) was related...

(from right to left katie, luke S., adam, becca, me and mark.)

my friend Katie ...who was a brides maid at the wedding

'The boys'...I felt under dressed but I arrived at the wedding late...er, than they did

The fire works we set off (in buck lake) after the wedding...

The sun rise the next morning...

Some times I try to be artistic ...sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't...one is my napkin at the wedding the other is a table decoration at a coffee house deally I went to...

The decoration transitions into the next set of pictures which have nothing to do with my road trip...other than the fact that I'm in some and I went on said road trip

Me and my friend Sarah ...a picture taken to prove to Vicky that I really was at their house..hoary for my semi plausible facial hair!...

me and my friend Vicky who I saw the next day...remember the post about my coffee cup...?

...and but not least...my friend Adams nose/eye which quite nicely brings all this together because...he is friends with all of these people pictured and is in some of the pictures...

My Month of March...

2007-04-02T10:43:00.000-07:00

Early this morning I lay awake

I felt needed/wanted and fought a brand new battle

I'm glad I got up and got out of bed

Though waking up to the sound of angry voices doesn't appeal to me

They lied... but also they said it best

I have so much on my mind and so many things to do

It was a regular but unconventional day

I'm hiding inside for fear of being swept of me feet

I saw many unexpected people in strange places

I listened to a man who had forgotten his name

Good news and bad news came from all over

I struggled to understand and to be understood

a day of extremes,...ups and downs

I watched part of my life be dragged away

Miscommunication, near mishaps, and more bad news

looking and learning

finishing and failing

It's time to shut my mind down for awhile

Something new in my head and in my hands

Why are the days so long? is it because I'm missing something?

There's a weight on my shoulders today

getting things done that I've been meaning to do

One mistake made and two lessons learned

I'm afraid of silence on this rearranged day

Mad at the inconvenience of it all

Getting away is harder than it sounds

Remembering good times

The long drive back to reality

The most fantastic thing

Ending off alright

This is the day...

2007-04-01T09:05:00.000-07:00

This must be God's april fools day Joke....

-luKe

p.s. happy birthday to my friend Sarah (who probably isn't reading this)
and by the way I'm dating a girl or something April fools day related...

THIS IS ME... (Part #3)

2007-03-30T08:10:00.000-07:00

I made it home successfully and after sleeping for about 12 hours I'm heading into a week of working two jobs and doing homework...something I thought that I would never have to do again....
My 'weekend' was filled with many blessings...not the least of which was seeing several old friends again...from camp and other walks of life...
The second night I stayed in a hotel in the small town of buck lake (I had never heard of it either) then woke up early to drive a friend back to Calgary ...we stopped at camp to visit. Where my friend Jenni informed me that she had just put me on 'her list'
Thankfully it wasn't a list of 'people she wants to kill,' other wise the title of this post might be 'this is me in death,'...harass would be a better word, (and the word she used...)
It was nice to see every one, if only for a few seconds, and feel loved, wanted and respected...

This is me .... accepting reality

I have to deal with the frustrations of not being done (when I thought I was) and having to pay for something I do not want to do
Though one of the blessing from my trip was a t.v. that my friends Matt and Alison gave me...it was bigger than one I would've bought and I didn't have to pay for it... all I need now is cords to hook it up to my DVD player...(which I can get at a discount)
I should get going on my homework...
but before I do I want to tell you 4 more things
1. I'm still accepting 'name that post' suggestions
2. I'll post pictures and such from my trip later
3. My boss said it would be possible to take a four month hiatus or sabbatical from work and come back in September...making it necessary for me to make a decision about going to camp for the summer...
4. I have ideas for the prize for 'name that post'
- a London drugs gift card
- a can of Pepsi
-breakfast at Tiffany's (the movie or possibly finding someone named Tiffany and going for breakfast at their house)
that is all...
So long for now... I'm going to start on my paper (said with a sound of despair in his voice)
-luKe

THIS IS ME... (Part #2)

2007-03-27T21:03:00.000-07:00

I'm sitting with in 2 feet of a Chinchilla on one of those balls that people do exercises with...
This is my first post away from home...so far(before editing) it's dis-organized and probably only makes sense if you were with me in my car on the way here...which you weren't...after editing it makes much more sense..to me anyways
Here are some of the thoughts and reflections on my 'one credit short' experience (it's rumored that there will be a part three)

My directed study and the cost of it all comes at a very interesting time;
Days after I finalize my thoughts and post about money ...one more thing comes up that i have to spend money on...
and barely a week after I preach my sermon on anger ...this comes up and frustrates me ...
I fumed all the way to work, well not all the way ... at some point I applied my sermon to my self and remembered to properly deal with my anger...
Anger can become wrong it other people or my self are insulted and etc. Seething about the incompetence of the communication system between me and the school could've led in to me making that institution or the people there out to be less than it is ...

This is me ...Away from every thing

Alison and Matt are great people...
Alison has been a friend for many a year
Matt and I can talk about music and life for hours ... (even though we really only got to know each other once him and Alison were dating) which we did (talk about music for hours that is) ...
They are getting rid of stuff and now I have a T.V. , a copy of 'the emperors new groove'... and an Umbrella??
So far my days away have been blessing filled, productive and restful
many hours in the car by my self has given me time to spend in silence with God
also reflecting (but not dwelling) on the past and dreaming of the future

that sounds slightly poetic...
-luKe

THIS IS ME... (Part #1.)

2007-03-26T09:05:00.000-07:00

People get angry for a few reasons one of them being inconveniences to their life style ex. some one taking up two spaces in a parking lot ...it is an inconvenience because now I have to drive all around the parking lot (again!) to find a spot in which to park because I can't park in that one because some idiot doesn't know what the yellow lines mean...

There are justified causes for anger... and anger is not sin. It is the way you express and deal with your anger that can be sin.
Jesus threw over tables and such because people were using the temple as a market and not a house of prayer....I threw a phone which I had been talking on...I don't think the person was still on the line.

In case you haven't jumped on board my train of thought...
This post is about me being ticked off with what I feel is a very good reason. It's part one because I have thoughts and reflections that I don't feel like spending time fighting with the computer and staying up late to add in this post... but anyways on to the point....

Last weekend I preached my sermon. To my understanding that was all I had to do to finish the requirements. I booked a plane ticket to go and RSVP'D to the grad banquet. This morning when I called I was told that I was one credit short. And that the only thing I could do was take another directed study coarse which means 2 more text books (with reflections on both) and 2 more five page papers..(at least they are not research papers)... all for the low, low, price of $170...
This is me... angry
It is an inconvenience to find this out now... 3 weeks before grad when I thought I was done forever with school and homework...

apologies for the use of; harsh letters, mean spirited phrases and offensive words
I also apologize if I have hurt or offended some one, somewhere, some how
-luKe

p.s.I'm getting away from Lethbridge for a few days seeing friends going to weddings etc. etc. ill miss you all and be back Thursday night

name this post contest!!!

2007-03-22T20:00:00.000-07:00

I couldn't think of a good title because... well hopefully you'll understand when you read the post... thus the 'name this post contest' comment and tell me your proposed title (also comment on the actual content if you so desire) I will announce the winner on April second(ish)... so you have until then to come up with a good title. The potential titles will be judged on; relevance to the post, cleverness, use of cool literary devices, grammar, inside joke usage, and having references to movies books etc. the prise will be awarded once I figure out a good prize (it will be a good prize) and see the person who wins...
I know that this is a plug to get people to comment on my blog and make me feel more popular... but I really couldn't think of a title

Without further adieu...

As of four (4) days ago I officially finished all the requirements to complete my degree. Yesterday I booked a plane ticket to Saskatoon so that come April 22nd I can walk the stage, Get my B.A. and officially be through with school ...except for those student loans that continue to haunt me. I'm fairly close to paying them off but won't be done before grad like I'd hoped. The ultimate goal was before they started charging me interest (at the end of April) but with the way I've been spending money that might not happen either. It costs money for all the road trips and such I need/want to take. And with my car no longer highway worthy I have to rent cars or fly or something to get anywhere. My car not working and now not being high way worthy is a cause of great frustration lately. "Coincidentally" it broke down the Tuesday before I was supposed to preach...It was pronounced 'UN-highway' worthy (by the mechanic) on the Thursday(ish...I don't really remember). Like I said it was frustrating me because it forced me to change plans and spend more money than I wanted to. It was a great inconvenience and there fore a cause for anger....which was what I was preaching on. At least it gave me a sermon illustration...
I've been thinking a lot lately about money ...
The almighty dollar
I'll be honest... I don't tithe ...at all. Since I started working at London drugs I haven't given any money toward the church. I keep putting it off and saying that I will start when I finish my loans or next week or after grad ... The reality is that I have lots of money... well not lots but I do have enough that I could be giving at least ten percent to the church... I really want to get my student loans paid off so I try and keep as much as I can in the bank. But I also desire to own new c.d.s (I bought two Riley Armstrong C.D's on Monday) and to go to friends weddings and to visit places I once called home.
There are many thoughts to do with money management -that are in the Bible or taught by churches. I've heard many stories of people who gave even though they couldn't afford it and God blessed them by giving it back (and more). I've been wondering if all these frustrating events with my car and the money I'm forced to spend are Gods subtle reminder to keep in mind the things that are most important I.E. Him.
'Where your treasure is there be your heart also'
It is possible to tell where someones heart by looking at what they talk about, how they act etc. etc. ... We cannot serve two masters... we have to choose between God and money and for a few weeks I chose money... making more money was in my thoughts a fair amount and on my lips even more. It was where my heart was... Granted I was making money for good purposes (i.e. student loan payment) but my heart wasn't truly following God anymore. I hope that I can continue to worship God with all my heart and soul and no longer pursue money above my Heavenly Father.
Money is beginning to mean less to me. I realized that I have little cause for concern. I don't pay rent because I live with my parents who feed me and etc. *1. and I also have have fairly good paying job(s) by today's standards*2. The only thing I'm really concerned with is getting my loans paid off. Which if I keep saving money at the rate I am...I thank God that he still teaches me stuff , not only does it give me good blogging material but it keeps our relationship going strong and proves He is still there

*1. I've been listening to my Riley Armstrong c.d.s particularly a song called 'The Table'...I've already posted about it but i really like it and it reminds me of my family table that we eat around and etc. (it's also the one my dad grew up around) in fact: I have taken the liberty of carving the lyrics to the song into the it to be a reminder of the things it symbolizes i.e love, people who care, discipline, fun times, etc. etc. ... I wonder what my parents will say about my 'art' when they get home...

*2.SIDE BAR: Some people say that my wage is kinda low... but when I last worked at a per hour job minimum wage was 590 and I made 650 there fore I make almost 3 dollars more than I did before...man that was a long time ago

I would like to do three (3) things before i call it a day...

1. Tell you that my friend Cortney created the word pesterance which reminds me of pestilence but i digress ...in an email coercing me (2 points to me for using that word) to come back to camp for the spring since they are understaffed ...which continues to be a matter of prayer for me -not only whether I should go or not but that that God provides staff for Camp Evergreen... go here to apply

2. Express my apologies if this post was long, redundant ,and long...

3. Inform you of things still to come I.E. the following:
How my sermons went
More poetry-because I like to write it and share it
More pictures- someday ill take some again
an announcement of the prize

That's all for this post unless I can think of something in the next ten seconds ........................

(ten seconds later)
until next time
-luKe

END OF TRANSMISSION

Strange Obsession

2007-03-17T20:42:00.000-07:00

This is a poem I wrote -different parts of it at different times... including a couples stanzas about five minutes ago. To be honest I'm not sure if it's entirely finished. There are still many small and big things that captivate my attention and that's a big part of what this poem is about... The original concept comes from a strange obsession that I do have- then many isolated events I.E. conversations, places, books, songs and a good friend's experience and story, brought out the rest.
Enjoy...
-luKe

Strange Obsession

I have a strange obsession with pictures of flowers
then there's rocks found on beaches
and sleepless nights spent alone

I looked for answers in all the wrong places
When everything I know is gone, Where do I turn?

I'll stare at this picture for hours on end
Wishing this flower could grow roots and live forever
without the fear of a coming winter

Unused guitars and the moon in daylight
wings and things that fly

God coming down to give a hug
It's hard to picture, even harder to describe

Perfect teeth and a baby's fingers and toes
Did you know that the smile is understood every where?

I have this strange obsession with pictures of flowers
there's rocks found on beaches and sleepless nights spent alone
then there is butterfly's with blue wings
and fire, always fire

I don't sleep well here
I wonder why I think of such strange things
I remember good times and bad
I read about monsters,
and dream about things that go bump in the night

Water Falls, the sound of the pouring rain
and the honest tears of someone in love

No matter how many times it happens
seeing the sun rising and setting
still takes my breath away

When there is no where else to turn
The world is crashing and burning
He will be faithful to the end
The end of my strange obsession
and the end of all the pictures of flowers

every one else is doing it...

2007-03-15T17:21:00.000-07:00

My coffee cup said it...and by coffee I mean Chai latte...I don't really like coffee- the taste, I like the smell. I have nothing against people who like coffee and would enjoy making coffee but don't like the taste. I have tried coffee on almost every continent and still don't like it.
So there I was at Starbucks reading about the new 'Die Hard' movie and after that planning to move on to the article about 'The Bourne Ultimatum'.
I never get to read the article on the movie however because... who should walk in and bring Joy to my life? Well it was none other than my friend Vicky Berg who I was meeting for coffee (or Chai latte, but we've been through that discussion). We ordered our drinks and I made sure that mine was in a 'to go' cup so that we could go out side and enjoy the sunshine. Also since many people were doing a spot on their blog dedicated to the way the 'the way I see it' note on a Starbucks coffee cup affected their life. I wanted so see how a cup could affect mine. Here's what my cup said
The way I see It # 205
"Many people search blindly for the "meaning of life." what they don't seem to understand is that life does not have a meaning through mere existence or acquisition or fun. The meaning of life is inherent in the connections we make to others through honor and obligation."
...And here all this time I thought it was a 'Monty Python' movie available at any local movie store...
The quote came from a lady who I said i had never heard of (but now that I think about her name has been mentioned once or twice in my life '40 lashes with a wet noodle' and all that),
one Dr. Laura Schlessinger....
(The last dealings I had with someone who went by doctor instead of Mr/Ms weren't the best of times but that's another story for another time)
If mine was number 205 ....how many is there? are they rated or is that the 205th one? Who determines what goes on a coffee mug ?all questions I have have questions that need answering ...
The quote may affect your life and your search for meaning in it... but as for me and my house... I'm content in the knowledge that loving God, loving people and learning to love more gives my life purpose and meaning...
-luKe

p.s. my friend Dan king posted this (see right) on his blog the other day
if any one could confirm the existence of this give away. I would like to know...
p.p.s. I'm aware that it is already in the past... I don't like coffee any ways...it would've made a good story if i had gone down and gotten a coffee then written about what the cup said...

IN THE NEWS...

2007-03-11T12:12:00.000-07:00

IN RECENT NEWS:
I went on a random trip to Calgary yesterday. Me and my friend Troy hung out and talked about life, love, and why...and music to that was sweet. Me and my friend Sarah Smith hung out for a few hours and talked about (among other things)our decisions to go to camp. Hearing other peoples opinions, decision making processes and thoughts about the subject puts it into perspective some. It also gives more things to consider.
The question I asked frequently at throughout October (whilst making my decision) was quoted from The Clash 'Should I stay or should I go'? Now I'm asking a the same question. Should I STAY living with my parents and working at London drugs? or should I GO back to camp and spend the summer there?
My recent posts have been about this subject of camp and I hope no one is getting bored but camp and my sermon have been foremost on my mind...

IN OTHER NEWS:
My sermon preparation has been going well ...in a week today I will be standing in front of a congregation of Gods people and I will give them the finger! ... I'm kidding, but it would get your attention and address the topic at hand ...I'm speaking about anger in case you didn't know...If a preacher gave me the finger I'd catch him out on the street later and Hit him with the bus!....
I wouldn't do that but I would be angry and thus the plausible introduction to my sermon....

OPINIONS AND CANDID COLUMNS:
I don't like daylight savings time. I always thought that changing the time back and forth was stupid...It seemed to me to be to be a futile effort to travel time and bring back the youth that we lost or something like that... Someone tried to explain it to me once having to do with farmers and etc. But I couldn't (and still can't) understand why it was/is necessary... I mean we just switch it back in like six months any ways...It really cause problems that could be avoided... people get up early and are ridiculously early for school or work and thus their day is spoiled because they realize that they could have stayed in bed for a another hour... then when we 'spring ahead' people are late and get fired from their jobs because they showed up to work an hour late. I say we get rid of it and let people go about there lives without having to worry about the hassle of setting their clocks.
Disclaimer: I don't mean to make fun of farmers... In fact I have one of my favourite jokes prepared... and its about a farmer...
"He's OUTstanding in his field"

IN ENTERTAINMENT:
1. Happy Belated Birthday to my long lost brother!...(not my actual brother)
2. I hope my reference to 'If the good Lord's willing and the creek don't rise' and 'The Legend of Chin' don't go unnoticed
3. There was very few things that I liked about living in Saskatchewan ...one was the fact that for some reason unknown to me they don't do daylight savings time.
4. I purchased the new Relient k c.d. and am greatly enjoying it...

IN CLOSING:
I say to all of you (and you know who you are)
Tune it at eleven for further details
and...
'We should buy Jerseys...cause we make a great team...'
-luKe

Switching feet

2007-03-08T00:09:00.000-08:00

The Switchfoot concert was spectacular. I enjoyed it immensely. I haven't seen them since 2002 and they were good then. They played mostly stuff from their newest album OH Gravity! and a good mix from 'the beautiful let down' and 'nothing is sound.' Nothing from the legend of chin. During their encore however they played 'only hope' from 'new way to be human.' it was just John and a guitar so that was rather neat. My favourite song of the night was 'Faust Midas and myself' in which they had chad (the drummer) wandering around stage shaking a shaker and Tim (the bassist) hitting the bass drum with a mallet at the same time as chad. it added a neat effect. The had some cool things that they did for example - stop the song and hold the position they were in for a minute or so then continue playing. John was always seen climbing all over things. And the rest of the band rocked out hard also. The had an actual piano on stage to use for the Title track of 'OH Gravity!' Most of the time Jerome (the pianist/guitarist) used the keyboard however. Drew (the other guitarist) mostly hung out in the back and played his guitar and fiddled with programing effects. When John used his acoustic the extra electric guitar made the songs sound quite spectacular. The opening band was also quite good. I bought a c.d. a week before the concert and was pleased to hear songs that I recognised. There was many people there that I knew also. I saw friends and acquaintances from camp and other friends from various other places also. I was close to buying a Copeland shirt but decided I should save my money and be content with then stickers I bought and the 17 other band shirts I have... All told it was a really fun time and after redying my hair i drove home arriving at 3:30 in the morning.
On the way home I listened to Swichfoot. My car stereo is rather hit and miss and some of the albums don't work but 'the beautiful let down' does....
I was listening to the second song 'this is your life' It asks the question are you who you wanna be? and is it everything you dreamed it would be... when the world was younger and you had everything to loose? I realized that this life I am currently living isn't what I dreamed of when I was younger. I don't think I dreamed that I would be working at London drugs and living with my parents. For a few weeks I was rather tired of the life that I had been living. It was partly due to the shifts I had been working. They were always starting late and I also hadn't had a day off in about a week in a half. Is this was God really has for me? and for how long? Questions like those run through my head periodically...
Recently I have been being asked (bugged for lack of a better word) to come back to camp in the summer. This is a question I've have yet to give yes or no on...(I can tell you that when I left I remember thinking and saying to some people that I would be happy if they called and wanted me to come back...it's nice to feel needed/wanted...)
if camp had started two months ago I would've said no ...but now I think that I might like to be around for all the new things that are happening at camp. I don't know if I want to reenter the 'christian bubble' again... I can remember being rather angry at some points over last spring and summer....(perhaps some of the stories will come out in my sermon but I doubt it. There not stories I relish in telling)... it was definitely a 'God thing' to leave camp and the bubble in November...would it be in Gods will to go back? I don't know...The people there are rather awesome people... people in Lethbridge are sweet also... people here have told me that i am the happiest I've been in a longtime...people have also told me that i do well at camp and places such like it...
All these thoughts and more storm through my head as I think about it...I will think about it more seriously after I finish preaching on the 18th but for now it would be sweet if you guys and girls could give me your thoughts and etc. and also pray for my decision and preaching... and I'm OK with comments on your insane jealousy of my going to a Switchfoot concert and your not ....
check out this websites and blog for life at camp etc.
website and the blog

This is the way that I say I need you
I'm a plane in the sunset with nowhere to land
The shadows prove the sunshine.
Life is not what I thought it was 24 hours ago...
It's all wrong but it's all right
What direction? What direction?

-luKe

BAD turns to WORSE and THE WORST turns into HELL...

2007-03-03T20:37:00.000-08:00

BARLEY! and other greetings...

The title of this post is actually slightly misleading (and by slightly I mean a lot)
Life goes quite well for me these days....

I've been winning battles that I lost last week.

This morning I went for a Delicious breakfast (mmmmm bacon) with a friend of mine,

I got paid yesterday,

I found a place to preach,

Me and a local pastor set up a meeting to hang out and get to know each other,

The schedule for next week at work involves day shifts!- starting as early as 9:30...- I'm actually rather excited that means I can get off at early enough time to go out and do something ...if I had a life. I'll probably come home and blog most of those nights.

I bought some new c.d.s -currently blaring through my surround sound system is the the new 'Anberlin' c.d. entitled 'cities'

I was asked to play my Djambe tomorrow night for worship through music

This is a case of ginger ale in the fridge for me to drink-I'm not even sick!

I went climbing on Thursday and climbed some challenging routes

I just returned from a Riley Armstrong concert -where I bought a button that says 'broken invisible button' actually i bought two one for me and one for my dear friend Jurgen (two dots above the 'u'- making it pronounced 'yergen') who has an gigantic button collection
I saw Riley this past September at harvest moon. I enjoyed his concert then also...I talked to him afterwards (as in just now) about selling working invisible buttons and being a Djambe playing Sherba (he wants one to tune his guitar for him so he can talk to the crowd) He has a song that I liked a lot when I heard at harvest moon I was hoping he would play this time... and he did its called 'The Table' (Here he is playing tonight)

'The table' speaks of being thankful for the things that we have. He talked about his family and food whilst introducing the song. It made me think about how blessed I am to have a rent free place to live, food on the table every night, money to buy new c.d.s and buttons. I have a good life. I praise and thank God for the blessings He has bestowed upon my life and me....

That's almost all for now...

Happy Birthday to my friend Cortney...

F.Y.I. -The Title of this post is a quote from Anberlin

OK that's all... until next time...

'may the worst days of your future be as bad as the best days of your past'

-luKe

I learned that ponderings isn't a word... and thought about the following...

2007-03-01T13:02:00.000-08:00

I have been thinking lately about loosing battles...and why I lost them and why I won sometimes. The sermon the other day in church was on points such as this. He spoke from the temptation of Jesus. His points included that sometimes the Holy spirit leads us to be tempted,-Jesus was led out to be tempted so we can also, sometimes they are tests of what we believe, For example I feel unworthy to preach because of some of the things I've done. Our enemy can temp me to feel unworthy and think that God doesn't love me or wont give me grace. God says that I am loved and that he will give me grace and use the mistakes Ive made to make me stronger. The test there is if I really believe that Gods grace is sufficient? Do I really believe that God still loves me no matter what I do or don't do? He also mentioned its not quoting scripture alone that helps us win battles (because our enemy also knows scripture)... but believing the promises of scripture...
Jesus' baptism could be compared to a 'Mt. top' experience with God and then the temptation could be compared to... well a temptation and/or a struggle. I know that its important to remember the promises of God so that I can stand and win the battles that will continue to come. The pastor also mentioned the armor of God and 'after we have done every thing else to stand' I remembered that I once made a habit of reading that passage every morning in preparation for the day and as I recall it was good for me... I told him afterwards that the sermon was exactly what I needed to hear. I needed to hear that God gave/gives me grace and I needed to believe that and not let our enemy tell me it wasn't true...

Thank you for reading and praying...

-luKe

connected in some small way

2007-02-28T13:10:00.000-08:00

I recently purchased/received a couple things that I feel worth mentioning...Just now I was handed a letter from AMA. On the back was an AMA card...this wouldn't be worth mentioning except that this is the third AMA Card that I've received in as many weeks. My mom had signed me up for a plan when I went to Saskatchewan and when they sent me all my info there was no card ... so my mom called and they said they would send a temporary card(#1) and a real card eventually...this came a week or so later approx a week and a half ago(#2)...now this third one handed to me moments ago by my mother.... I am thoroughly bewildered at what is going on...

The other thing I purchased hours ago when I needed to buy anti freeze but didn't have cash- (when I use my interact card it charges me 50 cents and so if i have to use it I usually buy a couple things so I feel it's more worth while).

along with anti freeze I bought the newest Nickel back album. Here is my 'at first glance' thoughts about this album... hopefully i don't get into trouble or sued or something... Every one is entitled to my opinion...

DISCLAIMER: The following opinions are solely of one Luke Ducharme and do not necessarily represent the views of 'duc(k/t) and run' inc. or any of its subsidiary companies.

It's an album of extremes ..some of the songs I really like and would listen more than once in a row. And some songs I think are absolute crap. Some of the songs are mellow and slow, and some are characteristic Nickelback with grinding guitars and double base pedal. 'Photograph' is a song that I enjoy. I wasn't near enough to a radio to hear it over played and I liked it. Its has a rather reminiscent effect- making me think about good times Ive had with my friends etc. even though I didn't grow up in Hanna -where for your information they have a A&W/ gas station/ pizza Hut... rather impressive...but I digress.. Their next single and the next song on the album is 'animals' and remember when I mentioned 'absolute crap' this is the song that I think off. Not only are the lyrics sketchy... but there stupid- who wants to know about a teenage boys sexual exploits that occur with out the permission of the girls parents? The guitar and drum parts of this song are also uninventive thus I dubbed it 'the worst song on the album' 'Savin me' is a honest plea for forgiveness and a 'mellow song'- a well written song with a predictable but good arrangement. On the opposite end of of the spectrum is 'side of a bullet' It is also (I felt) a well written song that speaks of the singers desire for revenge, its hard, fast and angry but the lyrics especially in the chorus speak loudly -They question how someone could be so full of hate and then seem to promise revenge by scratching someones name into the 'side of a bullet' (that's where they get the name of the song from). The first track starts of with a great drum intro. (I will admit that I have a bias here but I think its a rather neat and solid intro)...The guitar and base riff that joins is also pretty cool. The song doesn't live up to its intro lyric wise though, as it just talks about someone abusing the singer and the singer still following them home. Not as thoughtful as some of the other tracks on the album ex. 'if everyone cared' This song has powerful lyrics that wonder if people laid down there pride, didn't lie, cared, etc. what would life be like. (they suggest we would see the day nobody died) "rock star I find is a catchy tune that talks about life as a rock star... though almost every band writes a song about this and I don't agree with all the lyrics (I don't have a drug dealer on speed dial and I stay skinny because of my high metabolism) I still find the song catchy. For me it is an album that I wouldn't want to pay full price for (I took advantage of my discount) and will look at it in the future as an album that I like some songs and despise others.

Also...In Recent news!!! ...
this morning I phoned the church in Bergen and talked to the pastor of the church there and they agreed to let me preach on the 18th of march...thanks to all of you that prayed for such an opportunity. This is definitely an answered prayer. If you could continue praying that I would feel worthy to be preaching and that I would prepare my sermon which I plan on starting tomorrow.

On a slightly less spiritual note.

I wore my dad's sandals out to the car the other day. I didn't feel like putting on my shoes for a 30 second 'starting it up trip' to the car and back. It felt terrific to have my toes free again. I had forgotten how much I enjoyed that feeling. It made me not want to go inside and put on my dress shoes to go to work... Because my digital camera was conveniently in my car I took some pictures to commemorate the occasion.

All Appropriate 'End of Post' sentiments

-luKe

at last there is nothing left to say...

2007-02-27T00:10:00.000-08:00

Hello all faithful, and unfaithful, readers of "The Project" it is to you, the people that make this website possible, that I dedicate this post to... It seems to me that I don't post quite as regularly as in January. A week will go by between posts ...and possibly longer... There are many factors contributing to this, they include reasons such as: 1. The apparent lack of things to write about- its not that the novelty has worn off- I still enjoy blogging ... but I still don't want this to be a blog of only updating every one on current events of my life...plus my life isn't that exciting ...on that note sometimes I have to much to say- there's several things I want to start as a regular part of this blog but there not always possible-questions rage through my mind when I consider adding new things 'do I have enough readers' ? would people think this is dumb? etc. etc. 2. My business- I work every day this week plus I went to a concert the other night (more on that someday...maybe not today, maybe not tomorrow, but someday...) 3. My laziness - sometimes I just don't feel like doing anything... so I don't 4. My inability to articulate my thoughts- it's sometimes difficult to put what I've been learning and thinking about in to words...

Today I have several things I want to share- they are numbered for your convenience and here is an index... also for your convenience
INDEX:
# 1-my blog and links to it
# 2-comments on a previous post
# 3- a TRUE story that happened at London drugs recently
# 4- my sermons and etc.
# 5- random!
# 6- promises of things still to come...

NUMBER 1.
My blog is still gaining popularity
-there are links on 'Lacey's', 'Vicky's' (both of these were there last time I just forgot to mention them) and Kendall and Sabrina's
-a youth pastor in Hepburn commented on my horde story and so did a friend who is in Thailand (apparently Thailand is less fun then the adventures I seem to be having)

NUMBER TWO.
The story in my last post was entirely fictional...even some of the facts were skewered-The door I can see is the 'in door'...though we do have three 'drop proof' cameras and I do wish I could juggle

NUMBER THREE:
This is a story that happened at work...
There I was walking toward the ipod to change the music when this little boy,- about age 4 and I'm sure people who use this word would describe him as cute,- came up toward me... he stood between me and the counter- behind which my co worker stood. He stared at us for a second or two while I searched and found the man I figured to be his father, over by the cell phones. The little boy then announced his presence to us by asking 'excuse me have you seen my mom?' I smiled and thought that it would give us something to do (because we were rather bored) if we found out her name and paged her(announce her name over the intercom)...my coworker asked what is her name after I suggested that we could page her . The little boy thought for a second or two and announced that his moms name was 'Mom.' I and my Co-worker both laughed and said that we hadn't seen her. Then his dad wandered over and after making sure it was the boys father I went back to changing the music....later i wandered into the Audio visual department where the boy his brother and his father were sitting on the floor watching the movie that was playing. They staff there had put the closed captioning on and turned the sound up so they could understand what was going on. The little boy turned to me and asked. Have you seen her yet? I said no...-I learned moments later (when 'mom' walked up) that I had seen her... I just didn't know it was the boys mother because of the lack of description the boy gave to us)
It was a memorable experience and I felt it was blog worthy and hopefully most people are saying 'awww how cute' or some variant... E.G. the slightly more manly 'cool story bro...'

NUMBER FOUR:
I still have yet to find a place to preach and have only 4 Sundays left to do it ...I'm going to be calling a few pastors tomorrow ...I would appreciate prayer on that matter A. that i would be able to find somewhere and B. that I would 'feel worthy' to be preaching(see 'this week the trend post' post) and last but not least C. that I would make time to prepare my sermon

NUMBER FIVE:
The other day I saw a rather neat thing- it was a pill for pregnant people to take that had a little (but fairly detailed) drawing of a pregnant women on it...
Are you pregnant? Do you need help?

NUMBER SIX:
I recently made some purchases/received some things in the mail that I felt were note worthy even though they are mainly an update on my life and venting....
I have been learning some things and succeeded in putting them into words, sentences and paragraphs I had them in this post originally but it was rather long...

It's been fun for me hopefully for you also
-luKe

a story of a horde...

2007-02-22T21:48:00.000-08:00

There I was innocently standing there at work ...when suddenly dozens of people begin rushing into the store...Now keep in mind that I can only see the door through a space between the wall and the shelving unit that holds the cordless phones. Some of said phones have security cords attached to them and many times people ask 'are these cordless? I say 'yes that's a security system if you pull it off loud beeping will ensue...' but I digress. Through this small space i could see people rushing into the store. Now the door that I can see I know is the door that goes out. Even though sometimes I get confused and then walk straight into the door cause it doesn't open I still know its the out door. I'm guessing at this point that there are people coming in the 'in' door also... I hear the sound of footsteps and shouting voices... I turn to my co worker who is staring wide eyed in the direction of these people who are now coming around the corner and heading straight for out department. I glance around to see what I could defend my self with if need be and also to find a reason as to why this crowd of people was rushing toward me. The only thing I can find is a screw driver. Of coarse this is the day that I left my knife at home. The knife that has been with me on almost every continent and was almost always in my pocket at school or working at camp was not with me. Today was the one day where I said to my self 'I wont need a knife today' Obviously the screw driver was not the cause of such panic and pandemonium but I could think of nothing that was. We did have a new 'drop proof' digital camera (it's not drop proof as in impossible to drop but its designed to take a 5 foot drop so when you do drop it it will be fine) which brings the total to three (what I wouldn't give to know how to juggle) but that hardly seemed worthy of such a rush of people especially since it wasn't on sale or anything. As they came closer to the counter behind which I stood my coworker was swept up in the crowd and I'm sad to say I never saw him again. It should be obvious to you the beloved reader that I survived this escapade as I am still alive to tell you the story... They were within 3 feet of me the first ones jumping over the counter and coming through the little door we have for the staff, i was in my defense positions other wise known as the curled up in as small as a ball , when suddenly every thing stopped... the clock on the wall the t.v. playing a recent movie and most importantly the angry crowd. I only wondered for a second or two what had happened before my thoughts turned to getting out of there. I also remember in that moment some books I had read once about worst case scenarios that my friend had given me for Christmas. It had advice in it on anything from landing a plane to how to eat for a dollar. Included in between these things was advice on how to survive in a rushing crowd. I figured it i couldn't get out before they came back to motion I would implore those tactics and hope for the best. My way out was chosen because of the lack of availability of regular and conventional routes. The previously mentioned space between the phones and the wall. I quickly climbed on to the shelf and began squeezing my way through. In the process I knocked several phones off the shelf setting of the the security system and the loud beeping ensued. After getting through I ran out the door and into the parking lot...where police cars were parked at odd angles and police men were pointing there guns at me and a helicopter was circling...I put my hands up and followed their instructions to lie face down on the floor. In the police car I tried to explain and was told that they believed me part of the angry mob who the police believed were trying to steal the something of great importance. All i could get out of them was it was a machine since they kept referring to it as 'the machine'. Nothing was said on what it did what it looked like how it ended up in the camera department. Once i got to the police station i was put in a cell with other employees. I was very relieved to see them again and they told me their versions of the story and how they got out of the store. The guy from the c.d. department had seen the mass crowd frozen and had taken the back way out of the store. He was slightly bigger than I am and couldn't fit through the space i had squeezed through. Just as the last person was beginning to tell their specific story then police came in with apologetic looks on their faces...They had apparently realized that we were all employees and not part of a mob. They told us to go home and that they still had our store surrounded. Most of us went back to the store not only to see what was happening but I needed my keys and change of clothes. I did not want to go home to a locked house and stand out side in my dress pants, shirt and tie. When I got there the mob was being moved into police cars and the police were stripping off their riot gear. We were told that we could continue work and would get paid for our time in the police station even though we weren't working. I hadn't taken the time to swipe out when i was running for my life so i felt that was justified. The police had searched the building for this machine and had found it in the camera department disguised as our aforementioned new camera. That explained why the mob had run straight for me. The machine i learned later had several capabilities. It could freeze time and space- like it did and it could also change it shape to defend itself and the people responsible for it. It could also influence people to do certain things like form a mob and rush the camera department. Not exactly mind control but close. My favourite feature was the installing talents feature i still wanted to juggle...a close second was the teleportation- it could teleport people and things where ever they wanted. I never got to play with the camera or 'the machine' as it came to be known but I did find out how it had ended up in my department- some one in our store had stolen it and hidden it there hoping to recover it after the store closed. The best the police and people inventing it could figure was that 'the machine' had caused those people to rush the department- then protected the store employees in order to be found by its makers. Eventually the people were released to go about their normal lives free of urges to start riots. 90% of them came in and apologized to me personally and our store. The thing was that they all came in at the same time and crowded around the counter mumbling their apologies. They were all very impressed with my new found juggling abilities and most of them bought one of the new cameras....

I had said a story would be coming and I came through

-luKe

This week the trend...

2007-02-22T14:03:00.000-08:00

This week I've been fighting with things I've fought with for years and I am sad to say that I have not always won...
I have also been attempting to get a hold of certain pastors and churches to ask if I can deliver a sermon on a Sunday morning. This afternoon (since I woke up at 1) especially I've been thinking about my 'worthiness' if that's a word...with certain things coming back to haunt me and losing certain battles I don't feel that I'm worthy to be preaching...
I know that God gives us grace when we sin. I have been reading Ephesians lately and there's a lot about Grace in that book....God gives us grace...I don't deserve it but He still gives us it...We were dead in our sins-made alive in Christ (by grace we have been saved) are some of the concepts explored by Paul...
I also think about in Romans when Paul talks about taking grace for granted...'may we sin all the more that grace may increase...may it never be.' I've heard that the Greek word there is such a strong one that some translations have used a four letter word... as in -'should we sin more so that grace may increase... 'hell no!!!'
A friend once gave me some advice about taking care of sin in my life... rather than concentrating on the sin and how bad it is and getting rid of it...concentrate on adding God and good things in to you life... Another friend once described this process using an illustration of two dogs a 'dark' dog and a 'light' dog...the more you feed the dogs the bigger they grow obviously- but the more you feed the 'light' dog the smaller the 'dark' dog gets...that illustration makes more sense to some people.
This week may have been a losing battle week but...
by the grace of God, and this alone, I press on
Can't say it hasn't been fun...
-luKe

things ive been meaning to say...

2007-02-16T21:40:00.000-08:00

My Blog is gaining popularity...
I have seen a link to the project on not one not two but three of my Friends blogs; Cortney, Joy and Dave consider me worthy enough to have a link... very exciting!!!...
I also saw my picture displayed Dan kings blog...
and sometimes I start telling stories that were told on here and people say 'I know I read it on your blog'- its annoying but very cool at the same time...

any ways on to a completely separate but closely related matter...

several posts back I mentioned that whilst at Bethany I said somethings that I wish I hadn't said and did things I wish i hadn't done...

The main thing I wish I hadn't done is driven into the back of someone else car...it was rather frustrating... especially after having been on the road for approximately 8 hours and when within minutes of my destination to be slowed by ridiculous traffic and then slowed even more by an accident. I must admit I swore out loud and punched the dashboard before continuing my journey...

On Similar Train of thought...

Collective soul has an album called 'Hints, Allegations, and Things left unsaid...'
this portion of the post -(while being brought to you by the number 547 and the letters 'E' and 'D' -) is titled...
"Degrees, Seven-elevens, and Things I shouldn't have said..."
while at Bethany i was talking with a friend about degrees. I will soon have a degree in pastoral studies...she is planning to go to university and get a degree in history then move on to something else and if she doesn't do that then she will have a degree in history and I quote 'I don't know what i would do with that' I responded 'the same thing you do with a pastoral studies degree...hang it on your wall!' at this point a youth pastor standing close by (who I know and remember from various places but I'm not sure knows who I am) said 'all this time Ive been trying to get a job with it'...
I wish I wouldn't have said what I said because I essentially implied (if not flat out said it) that the degree I will have and he probably has is rather useless. I don't plan on using my degree for it's intended purpose ...(as in a don't want to be a pastor) but I'm not saying that the degree is useless...I am glad that he is doing what God has told him to do i.e. be a pastor and etc. but \I don't feel that desire...I'm going to hang my degree on my wall and that's were the joking came from neither His nor my degree is useless nor should it be made fun of the way I did... it takes approx four years to get the degree I have (I know I did it in two I worked really hard) more if you go on to seminary to get a masters and etc...
The reason that seven eleven is mentioned in the title is when on the way home I was thinking of how I shouldn't have said that and that I should apologize and explain my train of thought...
When I stopped to get gas... there he was! in the same seven eleven I stopped for gas in both ways ... and I didn't say anything
I wish I could take back what I said, but I have yet to invent a time machine (still need a flux capacitor and 1.2 gigawatts of electricity)...

know if your reading this that I didn't mean to slam you degree, your ministry or you...
hanging it on my wall is only what I joke about doing with my degree...

remember everyone;
There are some things better said with the lights out,
some things only said in certain companies,
and some things that should never have been said at all....
-luKe

a valintines day post

2007-02-14T21:56:00.000-08:00

Two post in one day that's crazy!!! crazy? I was crazy once...

A friend calls this day Single Awareness day and thus when I went to work today the following transpired....

the bottom says 'from the London drugs camera department'

I'm aware that awareness is spelt wrong...there was no red line on my computer!!!
I didn't notice until a customer pointed it out

I unfortunately was not getting paid to do this this was during my break...the guy taking the picture however...

oh because I have no pictures of the BNL concert... also just because I can

The Death Holiday...

2007-02-14T11:47:00.000-08:00

three points to my friend nicole!! she used the word frolick when commenting on my blog which was in response to my comment on her blog...read my comment here... and her responding comment here ...

any ways on to the point of todays post ...

Holiday - a rather strange term if you think about it. It's a 'day of rest' a day where you don't go to work. Originally the sabbath was the day off and then the Israelite people had other feasts and festivals they celebrated. The pass over for example when they remember the angel of death passing over (that's where they get the name of the festival from) the Israelites when killing all the first born children in Egypt. Or the festival of tents where they spend a week not living in their houses to remember the time they spent in the wilderness. In our culture we have many holidays some are seemingly pointless and do nothing but give us a day off or time and a half if we work. Others are a time to be with family and friends. Others are to remember the birth of our Savior or give presents and sit on the lap of a large man dressed in red and white with a beard. The only reason Santa is red and white is coca-cola for your information. Santa also has roots to the Norse god Thor who drove around in a chariot driven by goats...but I digress.

Easter is another holiday we celebrate every year in April(ish) My family always had an Easter egg hunt and would be finding chocolate eggs all over the house for weeks on end afterwards. Then there was the Easter bunny which according to Wikipedia (yes, I looked up 'wikipedia' on wikipedia) left gift baskets lying around in the spring time. I never understood the connection between a rabbit and eggs because when i learned about animals in grade school I remember being told that rabbits and Bunny's were mammals and didn't lay eggs!

Easter for Christians is a time where we celebrate death if you think about it especially the Friday. We gather around and remember, sometimes reenact what happened to Jesus so many years ago. He was crucified. We believe he died for our sins and restored us into a right relationship with God the Father again. On the Sunday we celebrate his coming to live again. but on the Friday which is considered a holiday we remember the death part of it. I can remember several Easter Friday services where Jesus coming back to life wasn't mentioned at all. I don't want to debate whether that was good or bad but the point is that on that day we took time to remember the incredible suffering that Jesus went through for us. I wanted to take a minute or two to reflect on Easter as 'the death holiday'(that's where they get the name of the post from). Even though you were probably waiting for me to talk about how much I hate valentines day, I hope you can remember all that Jesus did for us even if its no where near Easter. Here's the story from Matthew 27 32-50 from a handy website (biblegateway.com)

32As they were going out, they met a man from Cyrene, named Simon, and they forced him to carry the cross. 33They came to a place called Golgotha (which means The Place of the Skull). 34There they offered Jesus wine to drink, mixed with gall; but after tasting it, he refused to drink it. 35When they had crucified him, they divided up his clothes by casting lots.[b] 36And sitting down, they kept watch over him there. 37Above his head they placed the written charge against him: THIS IS JESUS, THE KING OF THE JEWS. 38Two robbers were crucified with him, one on his right and one on his left. 39Those who passed by hurled insults at him, shaking their heads 40and saying, "You who are going to destroy the temple and build it in three days, save yourself! Come down from the cross, if you are the Son of God!"
41In the same way the chief priests, the teachers of the law and the elders mocked him. 42"He saved others," they said, "but he can't save himself! He's the King of Israel! Let him come down now from the cross, and we will believe in him. 43He trusts in God. Let God rescue him now if he wants him, for he said, 'I am the Son of God.' " 44In the same way the robbers who were crucified with him also heaped insults on him.
The Death of Jesus 45From the sixth hour until the ninth hour darkness came over all the land. 46About the ninth hour Jesus cried out in a loud voice, "Eloi, Eloi,[c] lama sabachthani?"—which means, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?"[d]
47When some of those standing there heard this, they said, "He's calling Elijah."
48Immediately one of them ran and got a sponge. He filled it with wine vinegar, put it on a stick, and offered it to Jesus to drink. 49The rest said, "Now leave him alone. Let's see if Elijah comes to save him."
50And when Jesus had cried out again in a loud voice, he gave up his spirit.

It's been awhile...

2007-02-12T21:54:00.000-08:00

One of the first things the Bare Naked Ladies said to the crowd. ...They hadn't been to Lethbridge since long before I lived here. Their concert was quite cool. They were really funny and had excellent stage presence. They also had a well picked set list. The only songs I didn't hear that i wanted to were 'tonight is the night I fell asleep at the wheel' and i wouldn't have minded to hear 'be my Yoko Ono' also... No pictures are available as i did not risk trying to smuggle my camera into the show. The security guards seemed more concerned with weapons so i might have gotten away with it. I did see someone with (I think) the same camera I own and I also saw someone with a SLR camera lens and all I'm not totally sure how they managed to smuggle that one in...
The only thing I didn't like about the concert was the fact that it was almost all for lack of a better word stock performance...they had done it several times and would be doing it more times. Same jokes and set and dances etc. on stage. although they were funny i didn't enjoy that aspect of the show...They did have several times were unique to Lethbridge jokes about 'LETHbridge over troubled water' and 'stairway to Lethbridge' so that made it very funny. I'm sure every one who went to the concert looked at our flag to see if what the BNL people said. (a cross between the American flag and Sudoku) see the link to the flag here and here.
The title for this post is also appropriate because I haven't posted in a week. Usually I'm more consistent than this. I apologize and penalize my self 1 point.
This past week has been busy. Today has been my first 'day of rest' since before i went to Bethany. I have spent the day sleeping and watching 24. I haven't left the house all day but i did look out side and see snow every where and determined there was no need. Tomorrow I'm going to get somethings done ...pick up my pay stubs buy a subway sand which or two, check my work schedules that kind of thing also i will probably finish day four....
the story of this week in only a few paragraphs...this particular post will be long i apologize and feel for those of you who have limited attention-hey look trees...
I was exhausted when i came home from Bethany and went to bed fairly quickly after returning. I worked the next day (Mon. a week ago today) and was prepared to take Tuesday to rest. During my shift however i took a call from a coworker asking me to take his shift the next day. I agreed. Wednesday I was on the schedule at both my jobs and Thursday I was working the closing shift at L.D. I went climbing as usual on Thursday morning and then closed up the store. At some point on Tuesday i apparently was asked if i could come in 11-4 on Friday apparently i said yes. I had the day booked off so i could go to BNL. The 11-4 shift would not interfere thankfully. I have no memory of being asked or saying yes. I do forget lots of things but usually not something that important...................................................................
what was I talking about?.......................... O yes forgetting things...
Saturday i did not work but i prepared my sermon for preaching Sunday (yesterday) and that isn't as restful as i would like it to be. I had been putting it off/working on it in small doses all week and need to finish. Sunday was a rather exhausting day. Preaching takes a lot out of me. Plus in order to be their on time i left my house at just after six. I had been awake wishing i could sleep since three. The two services I preached at were good. My sermons went well. More on that later.
Driving home i was almost asleep at the wheel and collapsed in my bed for an hour immediately after arriving home. After that I went climbing again and then to an evening service where i listened to my friend Alex preach from James. He talked mostly about spiritual maturity and being refined by fire which isn't the most painless of processes. When Gold is purified it has to be heated about to a temperature much hotter than I would ever want to experience.
lessons from God have been on a theme as of late and it was somewhat of a climax on Sunday night. God has been refining me and continuing the good work He started in me. Through several circumstances and sermons etc. I've been learning I need to be careful not to love the world or the things in it. Its easy to do when I'm surrounded by expensive things and do nothing but make money. Money is not wrong but the love of it is not just evil but the root of all evil. It has been confirmed to me that I am were I am supposed to be- making money to get out of debt but i could easily fall into the trap of pursuing the things of this world. I need to put my trust in God because when trails come He and He alone will remain faithful. I should be pursuing Jesus and He will provide...one song impacted me when I was at Bethany The lyrics of the chorus were 'take this world but give me Jesus.' I hope to continue to be in a place where I continually rely on Jesus. When times are bad and when times are good. Which they are. I have been told that I'm happier and whenever I am asked how I'm doing i respond with 'Good, really good'. I have been emailing a friend of mine and mentioned how my life is going and how its different from life in the bubble. She told me about a conversation she had that centered around how sometimes Christians don't act like Christians because there is no need when there in the bubble and are surrounded by other Christians. I know that I did this...sometimes its possible to think one doesn't need to rely on Christ or have a relationship because they are at Bible school or Bible camp. I need to have a relationship with Christ if I am to make it through these days even though times are good. I think that is why God brought me out of the bubble so i can have another shot at being a witness and living a christian life not surrounded by other Christians. (Not that I'm doing it alone or anything I'm involved in a Bible study and go to church) but now I'm in a place where people don't have a relationship with God (in the same way that Christians do). I'm praying that God will continually remind me to rely on him and that i will throughout the good times and the bad...I don't want to pursue the the things of this world I want Jesus...'take this world but give me Jesus'
I'm sorry that this post was so long in coming and so long to read at the same time...I hope my thoughts make sense any ways back to my day of rest...

my weekend with Bethany...

2007-02-05T20:18:00.000-08:00

No, Bethany is not a girl... I went to the College I used to go to for the weekend...it was a great weekend! I said something(s) i wish i had never said and did something(s) i wish i could rewind and do over again but on the whole it was great...
i stayed at my friend Dave's house one night and in the Bethany motel the next with my friendDan King...
I met some new people and saw some old friends (and some young ones) that I hadn't seen in awhile...there too many to list but know that I love and miss you all and want to come back to visit very much...
The above was my favourite part about being there I could barely contain my excitement as i drove that last few kilometers (which I drove at a slightly faster then the limit speed)...it was my first time out there since graduation and people were glad to see me...
A lot of people seemed distraught that i was wearing shoes... I miss my nothing but sandal wearing days but when I had to be out side for more than two minutes my feet got cold and now I have to wear dress shoes at work...
they felt I conformed and I agree with them (next I'll be buying an Ipod)... but I already posted about conformity...
I decided at some point that my word of the weekend was frolicking...first a friend of mine used when describing how he proposed to his girlfriend and then the speaker used it describing Adam and Eve... I'm awarding double the points for whoever uses it in a sentence when I hear/read it during the next week
For the record I never actually did give my phone number to the the speaker

I learned many things over the weekend the following are some of them in not particular order

I learned:
...hair grows faster when your in love
...there is more to life the being ridiculously good looking
...there is nothing more important in this life then having ridiculously good looking children
...people actually read this blog
...several of my friends are dating each other for the first time
...two of my friends are dating again!...(though I may have know that before)
...Dialing a cell phone whilst driving is not a good idea
...when you get in accident get their insurance information also
...people were warned not to eat with me during my first (and probably second year) at school
...my friend Matt worked at a furniture store for about a week
...a new song from Jamie and Matt they told me about this band that I can remember the name of )...ahem
'WHATS YOUR VERY MOST FAVOURITE COLOR? X2 is it red? is it green? or is it Blue instead!? WHATS YOUR VERY MOST FAVOURITE COLOR?
...Chris Harwood's blog address
...Susan's email address
...there is a 'drama chair' on student council
...about being broken

That was the theme for the weekend...our speaker (a girl named brandy) talked about some of the definitions of broken and some of the Biblical examples and why God would place in a broken state...amidst joking about her accepting phone numbers and dental hygienists not being hugged by their daddy's she made some good point that I'm sure struck home to some of the youth their.
I thought about my life and some of the ways that i could be broken or am broken... some of the things I learned have been on a recent theme of better money management, stewardship and as all ways a more better and deeper relationship with God...
I think I'm doing well though. I'm still talking with God and reading my Bible and going to church. Its possible that some of the areas in life where I'm being broken are to strengthen me and that relationship.

here are some of my pictures from the weekend...

driving there (' I've been through the rockies ..ive seen saskatoon' -name that tune!)

The incredibly tight worship band made up of all current Bethany students..some of them friends some of them people I didn't know...

The incredibly hilarious Bethany players (drama team) and their seeing eye camel

The incredibly talented singers of "Point of Impact!" (music team)... these people pictured I actually know!!!

friends and strangers relaxing and supporting each other...(this isn't covered under frolicking)

Stephen Siemens - smooth, suave, smart, sexy, and other "s words"

a carefully choreographed collection of Mr. sketch markers

the theme pictured below Dan Kings turntables

Driving home ...

a response to my comments and looking back briefly

2007-01-30T20:24:00.000-08:00

its been a one month of me as a blogger...
i have posted 14 times (including this one) and have two drafts waiting for me to finish
that's an average of 1.9375 posts per day (if i did my math correctly)

Responding to all my comments: (they're in chronological orderish -try and determine which on applies to you... if any)

nope sure didn't ever use the 'coffee thing' at work
i feel welcomed to this world
i knew that, i think..it is a great song ...life does begin at the intersection?
thanks..all the best to you also
spaghetti sauce probably wont stain Id say wash it right away though -He has a job!
No you cannot borrow my button i need it so i can get away with stuff anywhere i go...
ummm i blog all the time...?
i have not read that book though it sounds good but as the cliche says 'you cant judge a book by it's ...title'? -who are you ?and what do you want from me?
thank you Ive worked hard to become so...
I'm pretty pumped about them ladies also ...
i enjoy my blog also I'm glad you read it ...o and i suffer through yours occasionally
I'm glad I'm back to ...but sometimes i don't desire to be here ...though i guess every one goes through that
yes i am coming to camp!
hi !!! ..haven't seen you in like forever!!!-i do feel better
easy mistake to make-i was crazy once...- those movies are pretty awe some ...one of the best car chases ever in #2 expound if you want to on you blog then ill just read it and then every one Else can read it also..
ill try and condense my thoughts more better- i have only watched days 1-3 and have four on hold at l.d. so i can buy it when it comes in
the r is close to the 4 i understand
sure... a likely story ...the pic. is sent to you!
yes those dance moves always crack me up also -ken is going to learn base...
i hope there's more also
your welcome...almost everything has a website these days ...even me! lukeducharme.blogspot.com and there is a luke.net
Good thoughts I'm glad you commented and hope other people do (HINT HINT)

See you all in the month of February which looks busy for me...filled with concerts and road trips and preaching and etc. ...

all appropriate end of month and post sentiments

-luKe

The curse of the 3rd wheel...

2007-01-27T19:41:00.000-08:00

I have several disclaimers for this post:
1. I know that I don't actually cause couples to break up...
2. Names have been withheld to protect the identity of the people involved...
3. I'm sorry if this brings up painful memories and the like...
4. I'm not wishing evil upon anyone...
5. People look at me weird when I tell this story
6. The curse such as it is may or may not be connected to the white shirt...
7. Please don't respond by cursing me or people I know
8. I wish all couples I know happiness in their lives together

There have been several times in the past few months that all of a sudden couples (that i thought were good together) suddenly were broken up (I know that's slightly redundant)
It happened first in the summer. I went to a wedding a there my friend (back from the bush and ready for school) informed me that he and his girlfriend had broken up. I had just finished being like 'sooo hows your girl friend?' (in that tone of voice that everybody dating someone hates to hear when regarding their relationship.) I told him i was sorry for bringing it up and the conversation went on. Apparently it was a rather mutual break up and they still have a healthy relationship...
I have this thing with putting my foot in my mouth. Some days the only reason I take it out is to shove the other one in... and further down my throat usually every time. This example being case and point- The second and third time happened within hours of each other. I mentioned in conversation with a third party that my friend was dating someone. (It wasn't gossip because she was standing right there) and she said 'actually we broke up' she then informed us that she was going out with someone else....
The other time a few hours earlier me and another friend were having some good natured jokes and such at the expense of a friend who -until she told us otherwise- we though was dating someone. Apparently I sub-consciously enjoy the taste of my feet... either that or I need to learn to think before I open my mouth...or both
Then the last time and this is when i started joking about it being a curse was i emailed a friend and asked about 'life, love, and her relationship with a certain boy I knew. She informed me that she had broken up with him like a month previously...
Thus in talking about it with friends and recently dating couples I determined it was some sort of a curse and needed to break it. We were also joking about me being like Sherry Palmer and being a life ruiner.. (cause that's what her character does -especially in season 2and3- she ruins people lives nad i know its not a word)
all you dating couples will be happy to know I think the curse is broken because I asked about a couple a few weeks ago and THEY WERE STILL DATING!!!
Hoary! for victory over curses and stories that people look at you weird when you tell...
If you were just here for the story then you have my blessing to stop reading and go else where

Curse defined in the following ways:
1.the expression of a wish that misfortune, evil, doom, etc., befall a person, group, etc.
2.a formula or charm intended to cause such misfortune to another.
3.the act of reciting such a formula.
4.a profane oath; curse word.
5.an evil that has been invoked upon one.
6.the cause of evil, misfortune, or trouble.
7.something accursed.
8.Slang. the menstrual period; menstruation (usually prec. by the).
9.an ecclesiastical censure or anathema. –verb (used with object)
10.to wish or invoke evil, calamity, injury, or destruction upon.
11.to swear at.
12.to blaspheme.
13.to afflict with great evil.
14.to excommunicate. –verb (used without object)
15.to utter curses; swear profanely.

Writing this post has got me thinking about curses.
What does everybody think of cursing?
I know in some places in the Bible sin is refereed to as a curse. God says to Abraham that whoever blesses him He will bless and the same for cursing. In one of my classes at school we talked about how the word for blessing and the word for cursing are very similar and from there that there is two ways to bless people a good way and a bad way. It sounds odd but apparently i could bless someone with a life time of misery or a slow and painful death. So STAY ON MY GOOD SIDE! I'm kidding I wont curse you... By that same token I could also 'curse' someone with a life time of rainbows and lolly pops (for some people rainbows and lolly pops would be horrible!!)
...but let me know what you all think of cursing...one thing Id especially like to have your opinions on is 'is it a 'good blessing' if it causes harm to other people'? ex. 'may death come swiftly to your enemies'
Let's save the using 'swear words' definition for later and concentrate on the wishing evil upon some one (dictionary definition number one)

For the record I know that the power of Christ is greater than any curse whether real or made up in jest.
I can also tell you that some one once wished a curse on me he said in jest 'may the fleas of a thousand camels infest you armpits' ... Thankfully that didn't happen.

I'll leave you with a 'curse' I learned from a pastor a long time ago in a place far away

'may all your children be born naked'

-luKe

the month of november...

2007-01-25T20:26:00.000-08:00

I know that the month of November was several (almost more than two) months ago...
That month was my first month outside the christian bubble in almost five years. The bubble ended where it started in the summer of 2002, at camp. I arrived home from camp on Oct. 30 evening after a horrific (3 points for using that word) day of hitchhiking and smoke filled engines. but that's (say it with me now) 'another story for another time' Oct 31st was spent resting and remembering that it was Halloween and preparing for an evening at home alone with all the lights turned off.
The month of November began much as any other month does. It hadn't fully dawned on me that the bubble was over despite me telling dozens of people that it was over. I made plans to start looking for a job but for the first few days slept and read books. Then eventually i started handing out my resume to the places I saw 'now hiring' signs for. despite assurances that i would find a job in no time and the apparent wealth of jobs around, it still took me till the very end of November to find a job. Some of those days got really long especially since i had no money to do anything. I took books from the library and would read them when not handing out resumes. I handed out an average of two resumes per day excluding weekends. I think part of the reason that i didn't get hired was that it looked like I hadn't worked at all in the past four years and upon closer inspection (which some people never get to) it appeared that i had only worked at camp. It also showed that i had a degree. I also applied for retail jobs hoping to get one so i could expand my resume to more than just fast food restaurants and camp. Some people might ave looked at my education and said 'well hes got a degree hes not going to stay around here very long' It could also have been my availability but i doubt it since i put that i was available 'all day... every day... eleven months of the year'...
anyways the reason for this post is that i look back at that month with a sense of regret. I did several productive things. I applied for jobs joined a bible study and read upwards of 30 novels. But it could have been so much more. I could have spent hours each day just soaking in the presence of God. I could have read the Bible entirely through (apparently 72 hours if you read 24/7 and i want to try someday.) The month of Novembers should have been and could have been a mountain top experience with God. I could be looking back on November and saying wow that was great month i wish my relationship with God Could look like that again. I did pray some (mostly about finding a job) and read my Bible some but i would often forget and sleep in or read the novels I had checked out of the library. I wished through out the month of December and until now that I had done things differently. If I had a time machine that would be one of the things I would go back and change. A friend of mine has a shirt with the flux Capicitator on it and another friend of mine has a professor that's obsessed (or so my friend says) with those movies. maybe I could enlist there help....
I'm just joshin you all. I am aware of the cliche 'you can't change the past' all i can do now is try and make the coming months and years what the month of November could have and should have been.

your friend in time

-luKe

p.s. I've been given a blessing of death coming swiftly to my enemies, I thought you would all appreciate knowing that...especially for those of you who consider themselves my enemies ...you know give you some time to get your affairs in order before your imminent doom.

p.p.s. I award my self two points for using the word imminent

contreversial post ahead

2007-01-23T20:32:00.000-08:00

This ones about my shirt...
I've determined that this shirt has powers of undefined and semi-uncharted nature. I bought the shirt several years ago along with a black one. The black one i wore a fair amount but the white one hung in my basement whilst i traveled the world and got an degree...(I'm aware it supposed to b 'a degree' -my degree English is not)I think that spending that much time unworn and unused is where it developed its powers,...its also possible that someone snuck into my house and placed a spell on it but i doubt it my parents usually keep the door locked. But I digress...
the first power I discovered when I first go my job at London drugs. I didn't connect it to the shirt at first but after conversing with Lacey , we determined that's what it must be. I have to dress nice at London drugs so i wore the shirt every day (at the time i had only one white shirt). It seemed that when ever i talked about things with the managers on my department happened. Ex #1: I wondered (out of curiosity) what would happen if i dropped a camera....? we joked about making me pay for it then told me that they would probably send it away to be repaired and right it off as sales man was clumsy or drunk or something (and if the sales person was drunk probably fire them) any ways guess what happens less that 5 hours later...i drop a camera while pulling it from the display case. (that's odd I don't feel drunk) fortunately I dropped the one camera we sell that has a water proof (up to 10 feet) and a drop protection about to 5 feet. So being that i dropped it only from about a foot it still worked and i was saved from having to fill out paper work and etc.
Ex. #2 i heard one of the managers talking to the other manager about someone getting a tip and not knowing what to do with it. So i asked on the off chance i might get on what we were supposed to do with it. the response was... keep it! guess what happens about 15 mins later. i help a guy figure out some of the fancy functions on his camera basically I'm doing what the menu does but it terms people who don't speak 'camera' understand. he then discreetly slips a five dollar bill into my hand...
Ex. #3 i had yet to sell a protection plan (always sounds to me that it should be read by Charlton Heston or something...-the sovereignty of God over the nations and the London drugs protection plan!!) and the managers were mentioning people selling lots of them and i mentioned never having sold one they told me it would come and later that day guess what i did for the first time that's right i sold a protection plan...
those three events are in no particular order but after they all happened i told the managers about the occurrences (2 points to me for using that word) and it stopped happening ...

the second power of my white shirt...
the first power could be used for good, i got 5$ and sold something that i get a reward for..as long as i avoided talking about getting fired or losing my keys (which i do once a shift on average anyways) life would be good
this second power however i cannot for see it being used for good any time soon...every time this particular shirt is in the back seat of my car i get pulled over. The first time i was driving to my former roommates wedding and not wearing a shirt at all planning to put it on when i got there (it was hot outside) and I got pulled over for speeding through
Coaldale(COaldale!) I was speeding and would've been early for the wedding had i not been pulled over and that's also how I found out that having a broken license is a $300 fine but as Ive said before another story for another time..
the second time i got pulled over was over a year later but i was driving home from camp with the shirt in the back seat because i had thrown it there not wanting it to get packed in my bag and wrinkled etc. 'coincidentally' there was a check stop on the way home..fortunately I wasn't as think as you would drunk and was able to continue on my way but that's when i noticed the powers of the shirt.
This power I think is now broken also because i was telling some one about it and we drove by a police car that had its lights on.. fortunately Aimee saw it and I slowed down to the speed limit i mean kept going at the pace i was going as i was driving at a very slow pace...ahem... on to brighter topics...
now that both powers seem to be broken I will continue to experiment with it; wear it places, drive with it. etc.
but as the cliche says 'only time will tell'...

Remember there's more to live than being ridiculously good looking...

-luKe

my weekend at camp...

2007-01-22T09:59:00.000-08:00

I figured this story would be best told in pictures...
some of these pictures are mine and some are not some are taken with my camera and again some are not...
The emotions etc. that I felt over the weekend can fall under 'another story for another time'...

THE SESSIONS:... (which I never took part in)

HANGING OUT IN THE KITCHEN... (which i did most of the weekend)

Informing the public of the ingredients of chicken fingers... (I took this picture and it was my idea to cover someone in the stickers and she volunteered)

testing the new oven...(there had been nothing else in it before me)

My dear friend Ken (the cook) and his frequent strange dance moves )

THE FIRE WORKS:...(i took pictures to but this one was better , in fact i would use the word phenomenal...it was kindave a fluke Courtney managed it but still cool...)
THE COFFEE HOUSE: (which I had a small part in)

The man without..(well give him the gate then...?) for the record it was Cortney/Vicky/Lacey's idea that i wear a dress for the skit, and I was basically forced into it...some how
I don't think that picture will ever appear on here

Jamming with Vicky and Denver (my highlight of the weekend)

that's all the pictures I care to post now until something more exciting happens

-luKe

p.s. Here's a video of Ken dancing(hopefully it works)

The following takes place between 4 p.m. and 5 p.m.

2007-01-17T20:55:00.000-08:00

I hope you read the title for this post and when you did the voice of Jack Bauer came in to your head...if it didn't go back and read it again and if you don't know who Jack Bauer is then i suggest you go to the following link and then read the title of this post again.
www.fox.com/24/

I ventured up stairs and asked my mother if she could drive me to the bank so i could get my interact card which had come in the mail today. I didn't want to drive my car because I was still feeling sick and i didn't have very much gas left in my car. My mom suggested we call the bank and find out what time there open till. So she called and found out they were open till five. After loading my moms violin and all the bottles our family had collected into the car we were on our way. My mom thought that the bank was on 3rd and 13th i said its on third but not by thirteenth take scenic drive and go that way turning right at the MacDonald's. (this was the bank i had gone to several times). We went there by different route of coarse because my mom had some other things to do. I should mention at this time that I'm not feeling the greatest and haven't really eaten all day so I'm in no mood to be putting up with crap. I shall also say right now that I dislike banks. I would rather keep my money under a mattress where I could count it if necessary and not have to deal with people telling me there subtracting this much for that and that much for this. I successfully lived for several years without a bank account and the only reason I got on is because I didn't want to volunteer at camp. Any ways we get to the bank and I go in there clutching my ginger ale and wishing my head would stop hurting. They tell me there that they don't have any interact card there and if it was sent they would be getting it tomorrow. I said they called me this morning and told me it was here. So they sent me to the other bank. The only other bank of the same name as the first one is way over on the other side of town. So we head over there getting more and more frustrated with each other because I mumble and my mom doesn't hear very well. I finally get there and they tell me its not there either but they call the banks and find out where it is. So i give them my name and at this point being rather frustrated I'm sick of dealing with this crap and ready to go home and try again later like the next day or something. They finally get a hold of the other bank and giving them my name (which they proceeded to pronounce wrong for the rest of the time) they find out where my interact card is. I also get frustrated with my self because i realize that i told the bank in sending my interact card where to send it and i should've just gone to that address. Which is where my mom thought it would be and where it was. We went there knowing that it was there and they were open till at least five. By this time its almost 5 and my mom has to be somewhere, so i say she can drop me off at the bank and ill walk home. Thus the plan is set. I go into the bank and get my interact card. The machine that I type my pin number into has a vendetta against me because i had to type my pin number like 7 times as opposed to the usual two. From there i walk home wishing i had thought to bring my toque because its cold and the wind keeps blowing my hood of my head. I get home and that brings us to now (hey we have been here before) ...three cheers for me and my victory over the financial system (by not letting it get me down i win!-obviously)

Short and probably not entertaining at all story... but my fingers are cold (because my parents are Eskimos) and I desire to be in bed. so long...still to come 'the curse of the third wheel' and 'powers of the white shirt'

like 24 says
beep, beep, beep, beep,
-luKe

a continuing saga...

2007-01-16T12:02:00.000-08:00

The day began like any other day...(I've always wanted to start a post off like that because of the incomparable levels it builds the forthcoming story to)...with out any further adieu...
I awoke after a fairly sound sleep and debated getting up for a few minutes before the phone rang. This is not an uncommon occurrence in my mornings off...usually its someone for my parents who are usually at work at the time. It was my day off. The first day off i had in awhile, the day before was supposed to be a day off but i got a call asking me to come into work and so i did figuring a few extra dollars in my pocket wouldn't hurt. I got up to answer the phone fully expecting it to be for my mother...
It was for me, my boss said to me something like 'wow you don't sound so well',(can someone say foreshadowing) and I said 'i did just get up' and she said now that your up do you want to come into work? I told her Id call her back after I think about it whilst getting dressed etc. (while i was doing that she would call someone else to see if they could come in.)
So i went into my room and got dressed for work again a few more dollars couldn't hurt at all.
I would still get off work in time to make my 'appointment' that night....It wasn't a date!!!!... for those of you that think that way... but it was hanging around with a girl.
I called my boss back and told here i could come in from 1030 to seven. Once I got there I worked as usual taking stuff back and telling customers about digital cameras. A couple of hours into my shift i started to feel sick. my head hurt my stomach felt like it was twisting around. people (other staff) started noticing that i was looking sick and told me i should go home. I kept telling them that i would survive. I thought it might have been the lack off food in my body but even after my break and eating i still didn't feel good. at about 4 I was leaning against the counter trying to get my bearings and my boss told me that there was work to be done. (there was)
I told sorry I'm not feeling to well. She told me then if i needed to hold up the counter or splash water on my face then do that. I asked if i could just go home.
So I talked to all the powers that be, clocked out and went home. There i collapsed in bed hoping that a few hours rest and a bottle of water would get me better enough to go climbing (get it?... hanging around?) that night...
that was not to happen however because at about six o clock i began throwing up,...
after putting my sheets and etc. in the basement to be washed i called my friend and left a message on her machine saying I was sick. then i slept on the couch, and eventually moved into another bed where I shivered and drank water/ginger ale until i fell asleep hoping i would be well enough to go to work the next day.
THE NEXT DAY...(today)
My mom woke me up and told me she didn't think i should go to work,and so i called in sick. This was the first time in all of history that i have ever called in sick. i figured it out that now that Ive taken a sick day and left early yesterday after being called in. It works out to about one hour of extra time.
that brings the story to now, not its conclusion because i still feel sick but i can't write anymore because nothing else is happening,
...wait I'm going to take a sip of ginger ale...
mmmm that was good lets try a bite of toast...
i wish it was white bread. i know white bread probably gives me cancer but i still like it, and after all 'every thing gives you cancer'
...heading back to bed ...
3-6 HOURS LATER
it is now into the evening, I'm feeling much better and have managed to hold down solid food, Hoary!
I had a very restful nap on the couch and watched a movie i own but hadn't watched in a longtime...
the above is kinda what i didn't want my blog to be...my life in blog form... its not that exciting and thus the following sentences...
today i got my new interact card the process of which is another story for another time but this whole being sick thing ...it got me thinking
plague- defined as a disease or sickness that causes high mortality, no I don't think I'm going to die but it could be a scaled down version of what the Israelites experienced
and my wallets being stolen even though i got them back I was without cash and in strange financial straights for a time. (Thankfully i don't have to pay rent and such but i was borrowing money to pay for gas to drive to work, so i could earn money, to pay for gas, so i could drive to work...)
when a nation is/was conquered the valuable possessions they possessed were/are taken...
anybody else seeing the similarities?
, first some of my valuable possessions are stolen (The sword) and then I get sick and can't eat (famine/plague) ...how very odd
i wonder if (and how) scattering is going to come about? I am going out of town this weekend...
well i will let you know the continuing of the story as it unfolds
also still to come

'interact card adventures'

'a response to the comments and links galore'

'most commonly used phrases on this blog'

'a made up story about a made up hoard'

The controversial... 'powers of the white shirt'

and the highly anticipated... 'curse of the third wheel'

until I write again

-luKe

the world still turns when your not around...

2007-01-13T22:16:00.000-08:00

I just returned from going to see an old friend...shes not old actually shes younger than i am but shes been my friend for many years. She has recently done two things that are life changing 1 she moved back from two years of school in Australia and 2. she became engaged. The idea of her owing money to certain people is beside the point. The traveling is where my thoughts centre for the time being, mostly because I've already debated the topic of owing money with her and her future husband, and will probably never see that $10, though my family will get an invitation to the wedding as opposed to having to bribe the security guards and bouncers she'll have hired to keep me out. but I digress... traveling - I have another friend (wow two people I call friends I'm popular now!!!) she recently flew to the continent of Africa spending time 'visiting' orphanages and teaching African teachers. and i have another friend that is going to England as part of her edumacation... and a fourth friend- she is going to Jamaica for the second time soon... a fifth friend of the same name as me is currently in Thailand for a few months, and several of my friends are there as part of their edumacation It seems that many of my friends are traveling and doing different things with their lives and thus jumping in and out of my life at random...so i see some of these people every now and then or occasionally...

WHERE THIS IS ALL GOING?:
For years I was that guy that jumped in and out of peoples lives. I spent two years traveling to places such as Africa and Peru and England...coming home for weekends and holidays (and all throughout may) and then another two years at school also coming home for weekends and holidays, between years of school I went off to work at camp and by now now your familiar with when I came home... after while i didn't even call home home anymore and referred to it as 'my parents house' or 'that place where my parents live and i store my stuff'...I miss that life, life is easier when your only in one place for no more than a week or just come home for weekends.
You don't have to worry about things that are happening in the long term because you'll be gone in two days, elections, snowstorms, all can be filed under 'topics for conversation later'
A social life is easy to find because you haven't been in town for so long people generally want to see you and will do their best to make time for you from there busy lives. When you do go out you can be any one you want to be and don't have to worry about the fall out/fall back because your leaving and will nine times out of ten never see some of the new people you met again. (can some body say 'run on sentence'!)
Money is usually provided for you because you've been at school or without money for a while and need some cash to get through the weekend or holiday etc.
like I said life is easier -there are down sides to said/described life but i only wanted to mention one
the down sides is that life has continued for the friends you see occasionally, a lot of times there different people entirely, and because you weren't there for anything that they went through you can't speak into their lives very much(if at all) I always forgot that 'the world still turns when your not around' (that's where they get the name of the post from)

During my two years of school I went to Thailand as part of my edumacation, one of the staff that went with wrote me a letter at the end of the year. All the seniors got one from a different teacher/staff. Mine contained many encouraging statements like 'thanks for modeling humility'(have you read my book?)
At the end he wrote a verse that he thought applied to me and etc. (i just discovered this letter in one of my drawers and reread it thus the reflection about it) Philippians 4:11-13: 'Not that i ever was in need, for I learned how to get along happily whether I have much or little...learned the secret off living in every situation...For I can do every thing with the help of Christ who gives me the strength I need'
A REFLECTION ON MY LIFE THAT'S WHERE!:
This is what I'm trying to model again, (apparently I did it before) I do long for traveling and things like from that life again...but i know that God has brought me home for a time and i should be content with where i am and who I am. I hope that i can learn again to be more contented. Perhaps i should list off things that I enjoy about life and reason why I am glad to be where I am. (I'm popular and smart!) any ways God keeps working on me and changing me and that verse -though I apparently modeled it well- still continues to challenge me as i move through life. Like i said in the beginning (of the blog, not specifically this post) 'I'm not all done yet'
that seems like a good ending but I feel I have more to say...I hope that as a i stay here longer and join a church body or two and get reconnected with old friends and make some new ones i can become content...(probably just in time to move on again)
... all righty then
...at last there is nothing left to say
Until next time
Can't say it hasn't been fun....
-luKe

marching to a different drum beat...

2007-01-11T12:07:00.001-08:00

So this morning I get up and and go to a coffee shop with wireless Internet to have fun experimenting with blog stuff and hang out with my friend Dave. Its cold out and not just like 'o i should wear a jacket' cold like 'i should warm my car up for 15 minutes before i think about getting in' kinda cold. So I start my car and then eat breakfast and head off to the coffee shop. There it is nice to be on the Internet without the blocks, passwords and Internet security warnings of my parents computer. I can go to 'my space' and read my friend josh's blog for the first time in like a month. It's probably a good thing to have Internet protection and etcetera but sometimes it annoys me greatly. Whilst sitting there in front of my computer and Dave in front of his I thought about conformity. The fact that I was drinking a chai latte (for the second time in as many days) and writing on my blog brought about these thoughts.

I have made efforts and repeated stands against conformity. Mainly I avoid things that 'every one else' is doing like nalgenes (yes keren I know that people buy them because there good water bottles) and the purpose driven life. (I think ipods might be soon added to this list if not already) I seem to recently have conformed too several things doing things that 'everybody else' is doing... for example having a fav. drink at coffee shops, getting a blog, getting a cell phone etc etc. A friend told me that next I'll be owning a nalgene when I showed him my cell phone. This blog is a good thing I think it allows me to communicate to people that I don't see ever day and update them on how life is going. It also gives me something I can look back to to see what God has done in my life. I tend to forget after a few seconds sometimes what God has taught me etc. For that matter i tend to forget what I'm talking about...

(a few seconds later)

Now where was I? O yes the industrial revolution and how it was neither industrial, nor a revolution.

Next on the list to defend and justify was my cell phone. I don't need it. I could get along fine without it but its handy to have , especially if i go somewhere to visit people i can call them without having to stop get out of the car into the freezing cold weather and find a pay phone. One time when I was stuck in the ditch I had my dads cell phone and it was use full because I could call my dad and he could get a tow truck and etc. but that is (you guessed it) another story for another time. The chai latte is just a good drink and since i don't enjoy the taste of coffee its a good alternative. (Side bar: The one I had today was ridiculously expensive!!!)

Conformity is a tricky thing. Especially with being a Christian. "do not conform to the patterns of this world" I went to church the other day and the group there had a discussion about what exactly it means to 'not love the world' and 'anything of the world is not of God.' God also tells us that He 'so loved the world.' We came to the conclusion that there was a difference between the people and some of the worldly things. It seems to be a theme working its way into my life. There are things that as a christian I shouldn't conform to. If I 'join the club'(i hear they have hats) on such things then i become like every body else and it takes me away from God. I guess the thing for me to do is evaluate the things i do and conform to. Does my cell phone
take me away from God? yes it does..but it also could be used to connect me to other Christians...does my chai latte drinking take me away from God. I don't really think so and while I drank one i had conversations with other Christians and it could lead to mutual accountability etc. My blog i already mentioned the looking back aspect. but it could take the time away that I could/should spend with God.

I'm glad I conformed in some ways by getting this blog. It has been rather fun so far. The novelty hasn't worn off and i still post fairly regularly unlike some people I know. Granted I have unlimited Internet access and basically no social life...

well I hope all these thoughts made sense to you add your comments about conformity and etc. There is so much more i could've writed about on here but for now I'll sign off and catch you next time or on the flip side or whatever it is that's the popular phrase these days....

not just marching to a different drum beat...beating a different drum

-luKe

p.s. I hope i dont get in to any trouble using these pictures...

how I single handedly denfended my home against an attacking horde ...

2007-01-10T15:40:00.000-08:00

a horde you say? of what? normally when you say a horde there's a group of something...the definition of a horde states something to that effect....what is the horde of?!!!!?

well there is no horde i just wanted to attract your attention to what i feel is a slightly less entertaining story... the story of my wallet(s)

The story of my wallet(s) goes as follows...
THE FIRST MORNING...
I wake up to my parents telling me that it's 930 and then about half an hour later i hear them leaving, i get up and after getting dressed and etc. i head to my car for the drive to church. I get in my my car noticing that i had locked my drivers door but at least two of the other doors were unlocked. I got into my car and shut the door. Your probably think 'why are you going into the detail of telling us that you shut the door, just tell us you got in the car...' well the minute i shut the door i noticed that the the 'door is ajar' light was still on. So I re shut it.. as i did so i realized that my glove box was open and there seemed to be something missing from it. It didn't quite clue in until i realized that the passenger door was ajar(while still being a door)

i realized then that the duct tape wallet which i kept Canadian tire money in was gone...and also my regular usage wallet which had my interact card and assorted other cards in it was also gone. I had come home the night before and left it in there for some stupid reason. I went back inside to check and see if my wallet was inside because I'm pretty bad for putting stuff down somewhere and not remembering where i put it. keys, cell phone, camera, i think that one of those when you whistle it beeps things would do me wonders (it would also probably drive me insane and cause me to throw something at someone) but anyways there was no luck my wallet was truly gone. I drove to church with the realization dawning on me that I HAD BEEN ROBBED!!!!
LATER THAT DAY...
After church I called the police and tried to report my wallet stolen. They told me to go down to the police station and do it there. The thing about where i live is that there is two of them. So i went to the closest one, after going through a ridiculous procedure of picking up a phone and telling them that i needed to get inside and waiting for the officer in the cold I was told to go to the other one. I went there and proceeded to report my wallet stolen. Everything in my wallet had to be listed.My wallet contained the following; a drivers license, an interact card, a climbing wall card certifying me to belay at the climbing centre, a discount card from one of my jobs, a calling card ..

(long distance which routes every call to my parents phone bill) an HMV gift card,(with 5 dollars on it) and my moms library card Also which i didn't report stolen (because i forgot it was in there) was my student I.D from when and where i was a student. I also report my wallet made entirely out of duct tape missing... Any ways i finish that then head to my work place to report my discount card stolen so that i can get another one and so that some guy doesn't try and get 18% discount off something. Finishing that i drive home. All of this driving is technically illegal because i haven't got a new license because there closed Sundays and my license is not with me cause someone stole it

THE FOLLOWING DAY...
I get up early and before work call my bank and cancel my interact card. Fortunately my credit card was not in my wallet and thus i did not report it stolen. I the make plans to go get a new license. I call the license place and they tell me its 24 dollars. I say to my self 'self you don't have 24 dollars' I also realized i couldn't with drawl cash because well guess where my interact card is. So i borrow 20$ from my mom (who has to go to the bank and get it.) and head to the vehicle registry there i find out i need 2 pieces of id.d to get my one piece of id. The police report only counts as one. So i drive BACK home and find my credit card. Then when its time to pay. They ask 'on your credit card?' and i say no, because on the back of my credit card i have written see photo i.d. and why do you think I'm standing in front of you? So i payed for my license and from there proceeded home to change and get ready for work...
LATER THAT DAY...
I come home from work to find my wallet laying on the counter. I ask my mom where did my wallet come from and she said 'well when two wallets really love each other...' I'm kidding my mom didn't say that she told me that a guy from down the street called and told my mom he had my wallet. I called my job and told them that i found it and then realized that i had already paid for a new license. Curse my ambitiousness that morning!!!- i thought... o well at least now I have three drivers licenses one that's cracked in four pieces (that's another story for another time) the second one is the one i lost and found again. and the third is that temporary piece of paper they give you. i will destroy the second on and the one in four pieces ...well that's technically already destroyed and a 300 dollar fine for using(but again that's another story for another time)
THE NEXT DAY...
I went to the police station to report my wallet 'unstollen' and after the desk Sergeant dealing with computers and having to get a supervisor to show him what to do( it reminded me of me at my job) i was on my was with a plan to go buy socks with the money I had gotten from my parents for cashing a govt check. (Those govt checks always seem to come in at the most appropriate times...)
i went to work as usual and had a regular today celebrating with some of my co workers that my wallet was found. The only thing missing by the way was my interact card which i had cancelled. And they (as in head office) were going to send me a new discount card so soon ill have two and be queen of summer time... I mean king! speaking of such quotes my friend Maria and Josh dropped by work the other day...(when my wallet was still missing) and we had good times chatting about England, and Robert Munsch..her story about him was good i laughed, i cried... it moved me.... bob was my roommate who is now married and consequently is not my roommate anymore. but i digress...
LATER THAT DAY...
i came home from work and on the answering machine was a call from blockbuster video saying that they had my wallet made entirely out of duct tape (minus the Canadian tire money) how did they know it was my wallet. Well who ever found it had discovered the expired blockbuster card that i kept in there for no reason. Mainly because I was to lazy and forgetful to take it out. I went there to get it but they were closed so i shook my fist in anger and vowed to try again the next day...
THE NEXT DAY...

After work at my meat moving job i went to blockbuster and claimed my wallet. by the way i didn't actually shake my fist in anger etc. it just sounded poetic...Then i came home and proceeded to tell the story to every one reading this ...and that brings us to now
'we've fast forwarded to now sir... well what happened to then? we passed it! when? just now! When will then be now? soon!...' So tomorrow i should head to the police office and report my other wallet unstolen.

My losses in this adventure: Time and gas, an interact card, 26$$ worth of Canadian tire money, $24.54 -for a new license, and my trust in the people that live in this town
My gains: a more concentrated reminder to lock my car doors and not leave valuable things in it, a new drivers license, a fool proof way to save money, (can't get it- cant spend it!) and a renewed appreciation and respect for life. (not really it just sounded cool and i needed something like that to finish the thought)

a made up story of a horde possibli to follow...or if real horde story happens then I'll tell about it

in the mean time check out this link that tells about my friends in Thailand..(there is lots of them so they could be considered a horde)

http://www.thailandteam07.blogspot.com/

Plauge!Famine! The Sword! ...and Alliteration also

2007-01-04T21:44:00.000-08:00

Death! Destruction! Massacres! Mayhem!Panic! Pandemonium! Crisis! Calamity!
... Alliteration! Allusions!
There were several things that I promised my self and God that I wouldn't do in the New Year. This morning I screwed up and did one. I've promised and other synonymous words to give this particular sinful habit up many times before and have yet to every fully and completely get rid of it. Then during my regular fast breaking I was reading Ezekiel chapter five. This chapter contains the foretelling of the destruction of Jerusalem and the scattering of the people of Israel. God tells the people through Ezekiel that He will do things among them that He has never done before and will never do again neither will He have any pity on them. The reason(s); Verse seven makes it clear enough for me to feel troubled. "There fore says the Lord God, ' because you have more turmoil than the nations which surround you and have not walked in my statutes, nor observed my ordinances..." The word turmoil struck me, I thought about how the Israelites would, time and time again, sin through various ways and then cry out to God to save them from the coming calamity. One of the sins that they would habitually commit was idol worship...When ever I hear that, I get a picture in my head of someone bowing down and speaking/singing words of praise before a wooden mask type thing they have carved earlier in the day. It's not that simple and humane most of the time. A lot of the gods they worshiped were praised by child sacrifice. And where do babies come from? -well you see, when a man and a women really love each other...- The people would eventually run out of babies and therefore the system that developed was to have-what became know as- 'temple prostitutes.'- Both male and female. (I think, don't quote me on such.) Their job was to have sex with as many people as possible so that the women prostitutes would get pregnant and the male prostitutes would get other women pregnant, and thus they could have more babies to sacrifice. But the two-faced...ness (if you will) of them is what the word turmoil spoke of to me. And that is exactly what I am like. I'm sinning one minute then the next I'm reading my Bible over cornflakes and playing worship music at a considerably loud volume for that hour in the morning.
The Israelites get three things from God.

Plague/Famine- one third of them will die because there isn't enough food to eat or because of disease, it talks about fathers eating their children and rather disturbing things like that,
'scattering'- another one third will be 'scatter to every wind.' the people would be homeless and probably beggars; forced to live without a place to call their own
The sword -the last one third will die by 'the sword around you.' Invaders and conquerors would kill of plenty of people ...wars do that.

I felt God telling me there will be consequences for my sin. I know there's always consequences for my sin, so I don't know what is going to happen... I'm fairly certain that no invading nation is going to divide and conquer my living room but...

I'm not sure what to say from here... I think I've said all I wanted to , perhaps to much.

I was rereading further along to see if there was anything there I could write about and found something that makes this seem less dreary and depressing and doomsday saying... Verse thirteen God says that His anger will be spent and that 'they will know that I the Lord have spoken..."

until 'The Project' gets more fixing up...

-luKe

That was unexpected...

2007-01-02T18:02:00.000-08:00

I really enjoy and possibly overuse the three dots and by that I mean '...' Speaking of 'and by that I mean' I added some links to my friends blogs etc. Very exciting for you (because now you can visit their sites also) and for me (because I knew how to do it...)
So this morning I woke up with a feeling of sadness that my soul couldn't shake. (It wasn't really that bad, that sentence just sounds poetic) I didn't want to go to work today. Today I was at the job where I spend my day moving meat. My meat moving days are fairly predictable as opposed to my other job where I talk to people and sell merchandise. (Customers and their sometimes strange personalities can add an unpredictable element of randomness to the day)
here is a run down of a regular day moving meat: ( I will go somewhere with this just in case you are like 'get on with it...')

My day begins at 8:47 when my alarm goes off... I promptly turn it off and go back to sleep until 9:11 when my second alarm goes off. Both alarms are set to an irritating buzzer for music would be far to easy to fall back asleep to. The second alarm is placed on a counter on the other side of my room forcing me to get up to turn it off. I go through a regular morning routine of;

breakfast,

reading my Bible,

doing push ups,

spending 1/2 hour wondering why I didn't stay in bed for another 1/2 hour

Once I get to work my day includes, but is not limited to, the following.

putting meat in it's appropriate place on the shelves

realizing that I have cold hands I.e. turning purple

getting gloves (I have what I call 'smoker gloves' that let my fingers have a little maneuverability)

fighting with the clock radio they have for us to listen to (its old and some of the wires are shorting out so to get it to play at a consistent [and not too loud or quiet] volume is difficult if not impossible)

trying to figure out how the weighing machine works and hunting for the right codes to weigh the meat

listening to the same songs over and over again -evanescence 'call me when your sober', Nickelback 'rockstar' or 'photograph', Nirvana 'something from 'nevermind', a red hot chili peppers song usually there newest single, something from Led Zeppelin etc. etc. I hear these songs every time I work weighing meat

spending ten minutes (at least) pushing a pallet up the ramp into the freezer (the ramp is steep enough that it takes me a few tries)

re-wrapping meat that will now be reduced in price - This is why I don't shower in the mornings because at the end of this I smell like meat and when I get home I want the smell off me

asking my self 'If I were this meat where I would I go?'

Today however was different for two (2) reasons

I didn't bother fighting with the radio and thus heard little to no music throughout the day

Someone unexpected was shopping in the meat department and it brought Joy (ha ha ha ha, I crack my self up) to my life.

Who was this unexpected person? you might ask... Well it was none other than my good friend Joy,(you see, its funny because...)

My job isn't terribly mind consuming and the encounter with my friend got me thinking (I promised I'd go somewhere and here it is) about unexpected blessings.

By the way I'm aware of the fact the approx 75% of this blog, i.e everything from 'so i woke up this morning...' to now, could have been summed up in a sentence like this one 'So I ran into my friend at work today; it brought me Joy (ha ha ha) and got me thinking ...'

I find it incredible the blessing God gives me. I'm sure I fail to notice all the blessing God has in my day to day life but I notice some of them. I like to see God in the little things. The big things also. It's neat to see and discover God appearing in my life. Through (for example) a song, a conversation, animals, an email from a friend, the weather, sunrises, day offs sunsets the mountains and other creation things, the list goes on... I heard a sermon once about being more aware of blessings in our lives. The pastor gave the example of opening the blinds and then thanking God for the sun. Not that that is a bad thing but ...the sun has been there the entire time... Do you see the point? I'm trying to be more aware of the blessing in my life. I know that God blesses me daily but sometimes I just fail to see it. It's something I should ask God to do more often -Show me the blessings He is giving me.

Today however was a blessing so obvious that even my regular ignorance and nonobservance couldn't block it out. Looking back I can know see that God has been working this out for at least a few days. He had the manager at my merchandising job schedule me for Wednesday when my availability clearly states I cannot work that day because of another job. This prompted a search of the availability binder and schedule time sheet to see how I could have that shift changed. I suggested I try and change my shift at the meat moving place. it worked to change my shift and thus i went to work today instead of tomorrow. Joy had recently moved here and lives on the opposite side of town. The only reason she was there was a gift certificate. Plus the 'coincidence' of her being in the meat department at the time when I was putting meat on the shelves. It was a well orchestrated blessing. Thanks God...

The short and dirty of it all ; 'Seeing Joy' -That was unexpected

aplogies for the lack there of grammar etc.

until next time...

-luKe

new things

2007-01-01T17:55:00.000-08:00

Today I learned a few tricks of the blog making and writing, for instance how to put pictures on my blog. Some one sent me this as an email the other year, and I have kept it. It makes me laugh. There a place of that name in Texas also (this one's in Michigan) I've always wanted to go there and get a picture by the road sign.

So... I once heard about a comedian who didn't have transitions for his jokes he would just say 'new topic ' and then make fun of something else.

New Topic: It's the new year and thus people reflect on their past year, make goals, etc. There are several things I'm doing 'new' this year (this blog being one of them) I also have a new email address and I started wearing a pair of jeans I haven't worn yet. I don't have a new job but I'm going stop wearing my 'I'm new thank you for your patience' button whilst working. This year is going to be a year of transition. There are many things that I want for this year. I want my loans paid off. I want to travel some. I want to connect and reconnect with friends from every where I've been and where I am. I want to have a relationship with God where I grow to love Him more and realize how much He loves me. I'm glad God still Loves me and giving me second chances. I'm also glad it's the new year and its a chance to start over again. It's cool that even though its not always the new year God still lets us start all over again.

Welcome...

2007-01-01T02:01:00.000-08:00

Well I'm jumping on the blog bandwagon,
every one, I'm sure, is expecting some comment on how I'm not to good at technology or how I feel about blogging....
Well... I have been considering getting a blog for some time now and decided that new years would be appropriate time. New year -new blog -new email address perhaps - new trousers
I hope this blog is read by many people and I hope I update it fairly frequently and write more on it then 'today at work....' or 'the other day I went to the mall...' My life isn't that exciting. The reason this blog is called the project;

one- because it sounds cool (I think)

two- because it will be about me and i don't think I'm finished yet. A project implies something that is being completed, not finished, that is still being worked on. (redundancy over and over again) When a project is done you have a product or a creation. Since I'm still changing growing etc. I felt and still feel that it would be a good title for a blog.
Its now after three and I think I'm about done my first post tune at your regular 'Project Luke' time, in your regular 'Project Luke' place for more. In the mean time...
Welcome to 'The Project'

(As if you didnt see this comming)
"He who began a good work in you will be faithful to complete it..." -Phillipains 1:6

-LUkE