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i'm sitting at the kitchen island on the log benches and eating rice. last time, my first time, i cooked two cups. good thing i was hungry enough cause two cups of cooked rice turns out to be huge. i'm experienced now. one half cup added to a can of 87 cent maple baked beans has done the job quite well.
in all honesty, i love living like this. even more though, i love the perspective and the motivation to keep living like this.
i've been here about three weeks. in that time, we met and stayed with brand new friends from church, i got hired as the janitor there, then the pastor, myself, and the head of 'snowboarders for Christ' have started planning a video production for the church. i've been able to join the church worship team and we play tomorrow morning, i've met a ton of cool people, have made some connections to play piano in a lodge restaurant later in the season, and a few of us have started a band.
not a bad three weeks.
i like walking most everywhere. i like quarters and dollar coins. i like making rice- so far at least. i like bananas and bagels. i like all this.
i find it much easier to write when i am in a conversation with a person rather than the public. thanks very much for all the messages and encouragements. sometimes i take lines from those and include them in posts. personal. i want that.
i was thinking today about the proverbs verse that talks about 'trust and in all your ways acknowledge him and he will make your paths straight' and began to wonder if maybe life isnt supposed to be all planned out and that if you do what that verse says and trust and take bold steps, then maybe you'll experience more and deeper life than ever imagined.
anyone can do this kind of thing in their life too. i want people to look inside and see if they can change things where they are right now.
to live simpler
but live fuller
Saturday, November 8, 2008
Friday, November 7, 2008
Day 180
i felt my first cold, dark mountain morning and was out the door and picked up before 7 a.m. i was on the road to cranbrook, the closest, biggest town to fernie and the location of the nearest and last government building i needed to visit to become officially legal in canada.
i had a one way ride from someone from church. a kleenex covered the dashboard clock and was only occasionally checked by the chatting driver to decide whether the lightless speedometer needed another push. there were elk in frosty fields and a darting deer that we almost, almost, almost hit. i was dropped off in town by 8 a.m. and had a half hour to kill before the government building opened, so i followed the trail of people walking with steaming coffee's and up the sidewalk into the morning's first open business.
after some coffee and creative thinking and note making for the church video project, i was in and out of the government building. the s.i.n. number was achieved and i got a ride back with 'one of the best bowlers in kimberly.' alex was cool and had some awesome stories.
i didn't have much planned for the afternoon, so i went to the 'edge of the world' snowboard shop. the owner, i've mentioned him before, remembered me. out of the complete blue, he offered the use of his portable keyboard for our band and for any other performance i'd want to use it for. i didn't even know he had one since he's got a punk band. seriously, just a few days ago, jeremy had mentioned that we'd just need to pray for a keyboard for me and then a guitar for ian, the other guy in our trio, to be able to play gigs and 'tour'. today, it was provided.
greg's legendary history with snowboarding, his stores, and music is more than captivating. his eloquence, stories, and less-than sixty year old zeal would make a great documentary. i mentioned that to him and, in the storage/jam room, he shared that he has been keeping written compilation of history, memories, and stories already.
just the kind of thing you would start making a documentary with.. maybe after the church video project... i'd be stoked.
by the way, while hanging out tonight we started talking about thailand. i was curious and apparently my friend's friends have done three week trips where they've survived modestly on two hundred american dollars. hm.
i had a one way ride from someone from church. a kleenex covered the dashboard clock and was only occasionally checked by the chatting driver to decide whether the lightless speedometer needed another push. there were elk in frosty fields and a darting deer that we almost, almost, almost hit. i was dropped off in town by 8 a.m. and had a half hour to kill before the government building opened, so i followed the trail of people walking with steaming coffee's and up the sidewalk into the morning's first open business.
after some coffee and creative thinking and note making for the church video project, i was in and out of the government building. the s.i.n. number was achieved and i got a ride back with 'one of the best bowlers in kimberly.' alex was cool and had some awesome stories.
i didn't have much planned for the afternoon, so i went to the 'edge of the world' snowboard shop. the owner, i've mentioned him before, remembered me. out of the complete blue, he offered the use of his portable keyboard for our band and for any other performance i'd want to use it for. i didn't even know he had one since he's got a punk band. seriously, just a few days ago, jeremy had mentioned that we'd just need to pray for a keyboard for me and then a guitar for ian, the other guy in our trio, to be able to play gigs and 'tour'. today, it was provided.
greg's legendary history with snowboarding, his stores, and music is more than captivating. his eloquence, stories, and less-than sixty year old zeal would make a great documentary. i mentioned that to him and, in the storage/jam room, he shared that he has been keeping written compilation of history, memories, and stories already.
just the kind of thing you would start making a documentary with.. maybe after the church video project... i'd be stoked.
by the way, while hanging out tonight we started talking about thailand. i was curious and apparently my friend's friends have done three week trips where they've survived modestly on two hundred american dollars. hm.
Thursday, November 6, 2008
Day 179: Recapping 'All This'
it's been nearly six months, so here's a quick look back with the addition of today's developments. i'd planned on doing this on the exact date of six months of being gone, but have decided to share today and also not postpone in order to keep that day free for what it brings.
here we go.
in the rush of wrapping the sophomore baseball season on a thursday and scheduling finals to be taken on friday, i packed and got a computer on a saturday and left home in the early, dark hours of sunday morning. in all this, i didn't buy return airfare. i had no idea how to explain to my parents that i had an odd sense that i might not be coming back after the summer at camp. i knew no one in canada. i had no idea that there was a place called fernie.
all i had was a head of ideas, a sense of adventure, some college education in video work, and a one way ticket to the west coast.
that alone sounded like a dream in itself. it still does.
from may to august, relationships and friendships were formed and developed at camp. videos were produced and adventures were had and some music was made. then plans for fernie came together and i had no idea how to explain them to home. the ceiling of the bunk above mine turned into a familiar friend during the last week of camp's sleepless nights and, even though people were interested and willing to talk, i couldn't answer their questions of where i was supposed to go before heading to fernie beginning of november.
a new friend in washington stepped up huge and was able to offer a place to stay. i did chores around the house and tackled some landscaping and am thankful for the relationships formed during those two months. still, i needed a permit and sin number to legally work in canada for the winter.
i'd been in contact with people already living in fernie via couchsurfing.com trying to make friends and managed to develop some contacts for work. although none of those actual opportunities worked out, they gave hope enough to try.
finally, after being denied entrance via a greyhound and re-entering days later to meet friends in vancouver, we stayed in a best western in fernie complements of a friend's parent's frequent flyer miles. due to website repairs, communication with the next night's potential couchsurfing.com member was lost, so we loaded our luggage into shopping carts and headed straight to church for the sunday service. i knew about this church, surprisingly enough, because kirk's dad had been this pastor's preaching professor at trinity western.
so we arrived for church and ended up meeting a dozen or so of new friends and of which some who offered us their extra rooms until we moved into our house. this hookup provided more than a place to stay and helped us meet people and get involved in the things that go on here. during that same first morning of church, they announced the need for a new janitor. perfect timing.
now, a few of us have started a band to begin playing in fernie and nearby cities this winter. one new friend has offered meals in exchange for photography lessons. i'm involved with the church worship team and we play this sunday.
but today, day 179, an exciting and huge part of the big picture of this journey has been laid into the newest position and next step. the pastor and one of the heads of the 'snowboarders for Christ' ministry and i sat down in the office to plan a video production to display and engage both the congregation and community in the ministry and potential of fernie fellowship church.
as a relatively new attender to the church, my own story supports some of the printed goals and visions that the pastor and church have listed. we sat in the office discussing and planning the best ways to create a video to present their passion. the meeting clicked from the start and it was the most real and good and whole and exciting place that i've ever been. the pastor even acknowledged the divine appointment and purposes that seem have been united in all this. all this. all this.
if i, or even you, have been looking for a purpose in this departure and sometimes obscure, but faith-based steps, i believe that a huge, huge part, down to the smallest details of relationships and connections and faith, have led to be plugged into this community and church. this winter. this year. this time. this place. this beginning. all this.
here we go.
in the rush of wrapping the sophomore baseball season on a thursday and scheduling finals to be taken on friday, i packed and got a computer on a saturday and left home in the early, dark hours of sunday morning. in all this, i didn't buy return airfare. i had no idea how to explain to my parents that i had an odd sense that i might not be coming back after the summer at camp. i knew no one in canada. i had no idea that there was a place called fernie.
all i had was a head of ideas, a sense of adventure, some college education in video work, and a one way ticket to the west coast.
that alone sounded like a dream in itself. it still does.
from may to august, relationships and friendships were formed and developed at camp. videos were produced and adventures were had and some music was made. then plans for fernie came together and i had no idea how to explain them to home. the ceiling of the bunk above mine turned into a familiar friend during the last week of camp's sleepless nights and, even though people were interested and willing to talk, i couldn't answer their questions of where i was supposed to go before heading to fernie beginning of november.
a new friend in washington stepped up huge and was able to offer a place to stay. i did chores around the house and tackled some landscaping and am thankful for the relationships formed during those two months. still, i needed a permit and sin number to legally work in canada for the winter.
i'd been in contact with people already living in fernie via couchsurfing.com trying to make friends and managed to develop some contacts for work. although none of those actual opportunities worked out, they gave hope enough to try.
finally, after being denied entrance via a greyhound and re-entering days later to meet friends in vancouver, we stayed in a best western in fernie complements of a friend's parent's frequent flyer miles. due to website repairs, communication with the next night's potential couchsurfing.com member was lost, so we loaded our luggage into shopping carts and headed straight to church for the sunday service. i knew about this church, surprisingly enough, because kirk's dad had been this pastor's preaching professor at trinity western.
so we arrived for church and ended up meeting a dozen or so of new friends and of which some who offered us their extra rooms until we moved into our house. this hookup provided more than a place to stay and helped us meet people and get involved in the things that go on here. during that same first morning of church, they announced the need for a new janitor. perfect timing.
now, a few of us have started a band to begin playing in fernie and nearby cities this winter. one new friend has offered meals in exchange for photography lessons. i'm involved with the church worship team and we play this sunday.
but today, day 179, an exciting and huge part of the big picture of this journey has been laid into the newest position and next step. the pastor and one of the heads of the 'snowboarders for Christ' ministry and i sat down in the office to plan a video production to display and engage both the congregation and community in the ministry and potential of fernie fellowship church.
as a relatively new attender to the church, my own story supports some of the printed goals and visions that the pastor and church have listed. we sat in the office discussing and planning the best ways to create a video to present their passion. the meeting clicked from the start and it was the most real and good and whole and exciting place that i've ever been. the pastor even acknowledged the divine appointment and purposes that seem have been united in all this. all this. all this.
if i, or even you, have been looking for a purpose in this departure and sometimes obscure, but faith-based steps, i believe that a huge, huge part, down to the smallest details of relationships and connections and faith, have led to be plugged into this community and church. this winter. this year. this time. this place. this beginning. all this.
Wednesday, November 5, 2008
Day 178
i'm dead serious as i put out this first matter of business tonight. please feel free to email me rice recipes. i went grocery shopping today and got one of the few twenty-two pound bags on sale for about five dollars.
i heard in church on sunday that community forces you to be honest with yourself as a person. you can't be just anything you want, by yourself, wherever you happen to be and in whatever comfortable conditions. something like that.
i'm starting to feel and see that as reality. differences in cultures and overall ethnicity have started to show me this already. i hope you don't mind honesty here because i means no offense.
"i'll just hop on your computer to check thisorthat if that's ok"
"i should just write thisorthat quick"
"you want to hold this etc, etc, etc"
those are only a couple examples i can think off top of my head that i've noticed especially in aussies and kiwis. most of their conversation is like banter and, although regular manners aren't always evident in their questions, i think they mean just as well.
still, it can rub the wrong way. but i'm glad to have noticed it this early and to not be alone to have never noticed at all.
community.
i heard in church on sunday that community forces you to be honest with yourself as a person. you can't be just anything you want, by yourself, wherever you happen to be and in whatever comfortable conditions. something like that.
i'm starting to feel and see that as reality. differences in cultures and overall ethnicity have started to show me this already. i hope you don't mind honesty here because i means no offense.
"i'll just hop on your computer to check thisorthat if that's ok"
"i should just write thisorthat quick"
"you want to hold this etc, etc, etc"
those are only a couple examples i can think off top of my head that i've noticed especially in aussies and kiwis. most of their conversation is like banter and, although regular manners aren't always evident in their questions, i think they mean just as well.
still, it can rub the wrong way. but i'm glad to have noticed it this early and to not be alone to have never noticed at all.
community.
Tuesday, November 4, 2008
Day 177
i'm trying to decide if it would be right to just go ahead and post up without saying anything about election. maybe you're like me- you've heard enough about it from everywhere. even people in canada care. a lot.
so. i'll be waiting up here for you guys.
anyways.
we moved into our house finally. i'm still up in the air about a couple decisions that need to be made, but either one looks good.
the kitchen is long and open and has an island with large, log benches. that's where i'm at, on the flat half of a lifted tree, sitting next to the wide window. the first real snowfall of the season has just stopped and the accumulation on trees and grass are doing their best to hold the white better than the pavement. the highway is visible from where i sit and there's a side street next to us. already, the people we know will stop by the house or wave as they drive by. the fernie stop n shop convenience store has lived up to its name. it's right across the side street and i'm on its wireless right now. over and above that, the nearby mountain is in clear view, giving perfect indication of the day's snowfall conditions.
tonight i was googling things like 'cheap meals' and the like. just getting ready. then i happened to find this quote..
“they take great pride in making their dinner cost much; i take my pride in making my dinner cost so little.”
henry david thoreau
so. i'll be waiting up here for you guys.
anyways.
we moved into our house finally. i'm still up in the air about a couple decisions that need to be made, but either one looks good.
the kitchen is long and open and has an island with large, log benches. that's where i'm at, on the flat half of a lifted tree, sitting next to the wide window. the first real snowfall of the season has just stopped and the accumulation on trees and grass are doing their best to hold the white better than the pavement. the highway is visible from where i sit and there's a side street next to us. already, the people we know will stop by the house or wave as they drive by. the fernie stop n shop convenience store has lived up to its name. it's right across the side street and i'm on its wireless right now. over and above that, the nearby mountain is in clear view, giving perfect indication of the day's snowfall conditions.
tonight i was googling things like 'cheap meals' and the like. just getting ready. then i happened to find this quote..
“they take great pride in making their dinner cost much; i take my pride in making my dinner cost so little.”
henry david thoreau
Monday, November 3, 2008
Day 176
the month has turned over, finally bringing with it the first real threats of winter.
we started a band tonight. three guys present an accumulation of potential with piano, harmonica, acoustic/electric guitars, drums, bass, mandolin, and violin. not all at once, of course, but an equal level of skill with at least two of each instruments is an exciting collaboration.
tonight is the last night in the house of jesse, jeremy, jez, and scott. their friendship and kindness and hospitality came all at once during our first days here and leaving tomorrow to cross town and move into our fernie crew's house will not happen without some sadness.
we've finally made it, though. camp's long over. it's good to have come so far.
we started a band tonight. three guys present an accumulation of potential with piano, harmonica, acoustic/electric guitars, drums, bass, mandolin, and violin. not all at once, of course, but an equal level of skill with at least two of each instruments is an exciting collaboration.
tonight is the last night in the house of jesse, jeremy, jez, and scott. their friendship and kindness and hospitality came all at once during our first days here and leaving tomorrow to cross town and move into our fernie crew's house will not happen without some sadness.
we've finally made it, though. camp's long over. it's good to have come so far.
Sunday, November 2, 2008
Day 175
there are developments, good ones, but it's really late right now and i don't see much value in speculating.
on the other hand, there are some events come round.
i'm on WWW.WALLBLANK.COM today and there was a great deal of time spent on slimming down the art's story into that little paragraph, so at least check it out. if you really want to help me out, you can buy the print and story, together, for your own home, office, barn, trailer, car, ceiling, beach house, or ship.
on the other hand, there are some events come round.
i'm on WWW.WALLBLANK.COM today and there was a great deal of time spent on slimming down the art's story into that little paragraph, so at least check it out. if you really want to help me out, you can buy the print and story, together, for your own home, office, barn, trailer, car, ceiling, beach house, or ship.
Saturday, November 1, 2008
Day 174
i've been in correspondence with a traveler who is familiar with and involved with chris mccandless's family.
i officially started my janitor job at the church today. key and code, i entered, did my business, logged my labor time, and happened to lose the next few, quick hours playing their new baby grand. this is sweet. i did happen to find a mysterious stairwell that houses hundreds and hundreds of buzzing, trapped flies. i don't think many people go into that place. one of the ladies of the church happened to stop by while i was there with pizza, so she gave me a free lunch and a bag of chips.
we went to a hockey game in town tonight. there's a juniors league of twentyish aged, nhl hopefuls and the competition is a huge source of entertainment for a ski-town. they even fight, which for the majority of hockey spectators who regardlessly admit or deny it, is a huge incentive to go to a game.
finally, in replying to an email from a friend from high school and trying to summarize the high points and events of the past few months, i'm honestly able to fully respond to the question that i think i am living the dream. it's not america's dream because i don't have much money, but i have good friends, a desire for deeper spirituality, and a simplified lifestyle that's opened my eyes to a new way of living and thinking and feeling. it's so life-provoking in itself to be able to finally live this way through faith and being excited about God's plan. i know that might sound selfish now, and i understand that his plan might lead some other way some day, but through all this, i'm discovering what it might take to be able to follow it then as well.
i officially started my janitor job at the church today. key and code, i entered, did my business, logged my labor time, and happened to lose the next few, quick hours playing their new baby grand. this is sweet. i did happen to find a mysterious stairwell that houses hundreds and hundreds of buzzing, trapped flies. i don't think many people go into that place. one of the ladies of the church happened to stop by while i was there with pizza, so she gave me a free lunch and a bag of chips.
we went to a hockey game in town tonight. there's a juniors league of twentyish aged, nhl hopefuls and the competition is a huge source of entertainment for a ski-town. they even fight, which for the majority of hockey spectators who regardlessly admit or deny it, is a huge incentive to go to a game.
finally, in replying to an email from a friend from high school and trying to summarize the high points and events of the past few months, i'm honestly able to fully respond to the question that i think i am living the dream. it's not america's dream because i don't have much money, but i have good friends, a desire for deeper spirituality, and a simplified lifestyle that's opened my eyes to a new way of living and thinking and feeling. it's so life-provoking in itself to be able to finally live this way through faith and being excited about God's plan. i know that might sound selfish now, and i understand that his plan might lead some other way some day, but through all this, i'm discovering what it might take to be able to follow it then as well.
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