Matthew

I have a friend named Matthew who works with me on the ol' ecnalubma.

Matthew is an EMT and he is a man of many talents who has worked in a lot of different jobs- he's been a bartender, a manager, a realtor, a truck driver... I told you this man is talented! One day, I think very soon, Matty will leave us super awesome ambulance drivers and go and take a much, much lower position... in a fire department (c'mon, that is funny stuff!). He is engaged to a girl that everyone tells me is fantastic (how come you never bring her around so we can meet, Matthew? Hmmm???). He is much, much older than me and he is quite the charmer- but not charmer in the sense that he isn't sincere or that he is fake; Matthew is a very genuine and personable kind of guy. He is a loyal guy who makes time for his friends and who takes the time to talk to others in order to get to know them better- all of which probably explains why he is well liked by so many people. To be honest, Matthew is a little too happy in the mornings at work for my liking (hey, I've never been accused of being a morning person), but I can't fault him for that because he brings a lot of energy to our workplace and it's contagious. I respect Matthew because he is a dedicated and hardworking coworker. Oh, and he is a pretty darn good cook too.

And Matthew does not believe in God.

Matthew is a Taoist.

Yea, I didn't know what that meant either. Matthew has explained it to me and of course, I have consulted the Great Google and the all knowing Wikipedia (that's reliable, right?) for further insight. Taoism (or Daoism) is more of a philosophical lifestyle, but many identify it with religion. Much of Taoist ideologies revolve around wu wei or “action through inaction”. It focuses on the relationships and balance between nature, man and the universe. Harmony with the universe is the most desired result of any action or inaction. Taoists are questioners and analyzers who deeply respect and honour ancestor spirits and immortals. “Taoist theology emphasizes various themes... such as naturalness, vitality, peace, "non-action" or "effortless effort", emptiness (refinement), detachment, flexibility, receptiveness, spontaneity, the relativism of human ways of life, ways of speaking and guiding behaviour” (FYI- a direct quote from the Wikipedia site, under “Principles”... oh my uni profs would not be happy with that reference- definitely not APA format!). With all that said, I'm sure that I have completely bombed that description of Taoism, so go look it up for yourself and, Matty, if you're reading this- I hope you're reading this- please feel free to comment and correct me.

Matthew and I have had several interesting discussions about what I believe and what he believes. Most of these discussions have taken place in the ambulance, on the way home from a transfer (so, really no way to escape... haha, just kidding, Matty!). I don't often talk to others about what I believe, but I can't help it with Matthew. Maybe it's the Taoist questioner in him that makes him so easy to talk to about this kind of stuff (I mean, he actually seems interested)? 

It certainly isn't because of me. 

Truth be told, although becoming a follower of Jesus and a daughter of God was the most important decision of my life and it is these beliefs that are at the core of my existence, I've been scared to share this part of my life with others. I know, it doesn't make sense, does it? If something has blown your mind, the natural instinct is to want to share it with those you care about. I mean, if Tim Horton's came out with the most delicious donut you've ever tasted, you'd be telling a lot of people, wouldn't you? 

You want them to have the same kind of tasty peace, joy and happiness that you've found. And you'd think, that when that discovery not only brings happiness, but it also has eternal consequences (just for clarification- I'm not talking donuts anymore), well, the stakes are much, much higher and so would be your drive to share it with those around you. In my mind, it's imperative that I share my faith with others. However, in reality, I have failed you all miserably.

My attempts to tell others about Jesus have been weak at best. All I've ended up with is sweaty palms and a stammer. Part of me is afraid I will turn you even further off God than you might already be. I know a lot of you have been hurt before by the other Christians, a church, religion in general- and maybe even me. Maybe it's been religious zealots who may have tried to scare you into following God or who judged and criticized you when they themselves are swimming in a sea of wrong. Maybe it's just that you saw someone on TV or in a documentary who claimed to be a Christian but who was clearly an idiot. Don't worry- I cringed too when I heard what they had to say. In fact, I was embarrassed because someone in my Christian “posse” was making us all look like J.As. I'd love to say, “hey, we aren't all like that!”, but then when I look at my own life and see the way I've acted and the words that have come out of my own mouth, I wonder what about my life says that I believe in the One who taught us to live a life of love?

And then there is the fear that you will write me off all together, like I'm some religious nut or I've joined a cult- basically, that you will reject me. I have a lot of pride in admitting this, for I've been telling you all that I really don't care what people think of me. But... that can't possibly be true. I obviously do care, or else I would be sharing the love of Jesus and His amazing story of love with everyone I meet.

It's time to let go of that fear. I mean, if I really love God, if I really love Jesus, if I really love you, then enough is enough. I need to start living a life of love. Oh, I am going to screw up big time every now and then- that's pretty much a given- but I don't want to go on the way I've been living. I'd rather try than just resound my life to the mantra of giving up. I mean, Jesus, the Son of God, literally took the sh*t-kicking of all time for me. He died for me. He took responsibility for every single wrong thing I have ever done. And, He did this for you too. So, why wouldn't I try? Why wouldn't I share His love? Why wouldn't I tell His story?

Why wouldn't you choose Him?

So, with this new found revelation in hand, I have to begin by apologizing to all of you and to God. First and foremost, I am deeply and utterly sorry that I have not sat down with you and told you about the Holy love of God and the most amazing man that ever lived. Jesus did not cower in fear when faced with the cross and I will no longer cower in fear when telling you about the cross. 

The second apology I need to make to you and to God is that I have minimized God down to a simple decision of reward vs. punishment. A couple of weeks ago I was sitting in class, listening to our lecturer talk about how big God is, how good God is and how perfect God is, when I suddenly realized that I have used Heaven and Hell as my biggest argument for choosing God. Essentially, what I did was not only minimize God and downplay His amazing love and Holiness, but I also natively assumed that the only way you were going to choose God was if you realized that rejecting Him equaled punishment. I insulted your intelligence and the depth of your character and for that I am ashamed and I am sorry. God is so much more than Heaven or Hell and you are so much more than someone who is just seeking Heaven or avoiding Hell. No one would chose a relationship based solely on reward or punishment- there has to be more, something so much deeper and intimate. And I know that you are looking for something so much more than angels on clouds, streets paved with gold, Ryan Reynolds, cuddly kittens and fountains of ice cream (uh, yea, that might just be the heaven I imagine... mmmm, ice cream... ).

I heard this question asked before: “if you could go to Heaven and everyone you love was there and everything you desired was there, would you still want to be there if it meant that God was not there?”. When I try to think about this, try to imagine this, my eyes well up with tears and my heart hurts every time because I know, undeniably, that this kind of “heaven” would in fact be, my hell. I don't ever want to live without God, without Jesus. Bar none, it's the most important relationship I have. And I suspect, that if you are a true child of God, who in fact has a relationship with our loving God and who has accept Jesus as the Someone who died a brutal death for your sins, you probably feel the same way I do. So, heaven and hell cannot possibly be the most important reasons to believing in God and accepting Jesus as your Saviour. You, my family and my friends, are much more complex than that and you have questions and wonderings that cannot be satisfied with a simple, “choose Jesus- He's your golden ticket to Heaven”.

So, if not heaven vs. hell, then what is it that should attract you to believe that there is a God, attract you to the belief that “all scripture is God breathed and is useful... " (2 Timothy 3:16), and attract you to the belief that Jesus died on the cross for the sins of all and rose from death after 3 days?

To be honest... I can't answer that question for you.

I know, that's probably not helpful or what you were expecting me to say. Oh, I can tell you some of the amazing characteristics of God, what He has done for everyone of us, the sacrifices He has made for us, the vast grandness of His perfect love and the way He has so intricately designed not just you and me, but the earth we live on and the universe that houses it all. I probably could even quote some stuff from the Bible or even just point you back to my last blog post about the most amazing story in history (if you'd like to read it again or for the first time, click HERE). Those are all great reasons to chose Him- in fact, the more I get to know Him, the more reasons I find to continue to chose Him everyday. Whatever your reason may be for choosing God, it will be your very own, something very personal and distinct that speaks to you and will be the most loving story you've ever known. That's the very wonder of God- He knew you when you were being formed in your mother's womb, He knows your every thought, your every move, He can complete your sentences before you can (this is all found in one of the most beautiful pieces of scripture- Psalm 139). And He loves you so much that He is pursuing you not with a canned message of love (aka Valentine's Day), but with a intimate and unique declaration of His undying love and who He could be to you, if you'd just let Him. For me, God chose me long before I chose Him, audibly speaking to me during the most darkest and devastating times of my life, providing love and comfort at a time when I didn't even know He existed.

He has a way of getting your attention.

So to Matthew- and all my other “Matthews” out there- Ashley, Jenn, Dwayne, Jeffery, Crystal, Tyler, Amanda, Leslie, Andy, Bonita, Krista, Tanis, Jessica, Tracy, Rick, Ronelle, Conrad, Janis, Hailey, Rob, Margaret, Devon, Donna, Ron, Raylene, Cris, Trese, Jada, Dave, Scott, Carly, Etienne, Mom, Dad... my list could go on and on- I would like to say:

First and foremost, I love you and I only want the best for you.

Secondly, forget religion and forget the rules. Forget other Christians and myself who have hurt you so deeply. Forget the rumours of God being a distant, angry tyrant who is causing pain and suffering on this earth. Hell, even forget hell. This isn't about seeking a “higher power” or becoming “religious”- it's about relationship- the very thing we all desire. A close, deep relationship with our Almighty God who loves you and me, despite how much we may screw up. A relationship not based on the good things you do, but solely based on His truly unconditional love for you. He is longing to call you son or daughter and show you things you can't even imagine. You will not find anyone or anything else like Him. Not Allah, not Rama, not Shiva, not Buddha, not Krishna, not your spouse, not your child, and yes, Matthew- I say this in love and not in condemnation- not even Taoism can compare with God.

At the end of the day, you need to chose Him. He has already chosen you a very long time ago, but now He is waiting for you to make your move. God is a gentleman- He will always pursue you, but He will never force you into a relationship with Him, never force you to believe that He exists. He does not want to force anyone's love. He wants you to chose Him freely. And there are no strings attached- His love and yes, even the golden ticket to Heaven, to eternal life, is His gift to you. So, if you believe in God, if you believe that Jesus, the Son of God, was born to a virgin, that He lived a perfect life, only to die horribly when He was 33 years old up on an old wooden cross for our sins, it is time to make your move:

Admit that you have ignored God and need His forgiveness. Believe that Jesus died and rose again for your sins and mine. Commit to follow Him with every part of your life...

And then you pray. Don't worry, there is no “right” way to pray- you are just talking to God wherever you are, however you are... He is going to be so excited just to hear your voice speaking to Him:

Dear Lord Jesus,


I know that I am a sinner and need Your forgiveness. I believe that You died for my sins. I want to turn from my sins. I now invite You to come into my heart and life. I want to trust and follow You as Lord and Savior.


In Jesus' name, Amen.

If you have done this, please tell someone that you know is Christian (like me, for example!). They can help you find a good church (yes, that is part of it- you need other Christians around you to love and teach you), show you the bible and just be a good friend. 

And, if you've decided that this isn't your cup of tea (or cappuccino), don't worry. I still love you (and I will still pray for you).

Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light.”

                                     

                                      - Jesus in Matthew 11:28-30

Thanks for reading,

Christy
itsmechristyn@gmail.com

Not Just a Wooden Symbol: Amazing Grace Retold

I'd like to tell you a story. You may have heard it before- I know I've heard a thousand times. I even thought I knew it by heart.

How wrong I was.

Part 1- The Screw-up

This story starts way back- and I mean way back- literally, to the dawn of time. Genesis chapter 3, to be precise. Let me catch you up: God created the heavens, the earth, and all creatures big and small (for those of you who are more into the “Big Bang Theory”, allow me to let you in on another little “theory”: when God said, “Let there be light” and then there was light, I'm pretty sure there was a *Big Bang*). God created man, Adam, from the dust of the earth and woman, Eve, from the ribs of the man. The man and the woman were living in perfect happiness and harmony in the Garden of Eden with God, their loving Creator and Father. Life was good- it was very good.

And then along came a snake.

I hate snakes. I hate them so much that I even had an agreement with Tom, one of the guys I work with: if we ever go to a e-call and there is a snake in the home or business, I get to drop everything and go screaming out the door as fast as I can and Tom will take care of the patient and call for back up to replace my sorry ass. On the flip side, I am to protect Tom from hair. Yup, hair.

I really feel like I got the better part of this dealio.

Any-who...

This was no ordinary snake. This snake was Satan. And he was tramping around, out for the kill. And kill he did. The one and only rule that God had in the Garden was that Adam and Eve not eat the fruit from the tree of knowledge of good and evil. That's it. Just one simple rule, but one with severe consequences: death. Satan, the snake that he is, convinced Eve to eat the fruit and her hubby, who was there the whole time, watching this whole thing go down, chose to follow in his wife's footsteps.

Worst. Decision. Ever.

As you've probably noticed, this world is not the perfect, beautiful Garden of Eden. Oh, this world is beautiful alright- as a traveller and someone who lives in one of the most beautiful countries in the world, I can attest to that. But Eden this world is not. It is full of heartbreak and headache, violence and victims, lies and manipulation, sickness and hunger, war and death. And this is the world that became consequence for Adam and Eve- for us. But I want to rewind a bit and focus on how clever and great God is. His ultimate plan- His ultimate wisdom- was revealed with His words in Genesis 3:14-15 to Satan:

“... you will crawl on your belly and eat dust all the days of your life. And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; He will crush your head and you will strike His heel.” (NIV)

Most Christians and theologians agree that in this passage, the woman's offspring is referring to Jesus, and it is He who Satan will attempt to destroy and it is Jesus who will defeat Satan. What I failed to notice in this passage was the reference to Satan eating dust all the days of his life. In essence, Satan was given ownership over everything of the earth (dust)- which included us, and everything else that comes from the dust: our possessions, our finances, our health, our families... the list goes on and on. During the temptation of Jesus in the the wilderness in Luke 4:5-7, Satan talks about his ownership when he tempted Jesus with the kingdoms of the world saying that “... it has been given to me and I can give it to anyone I want” (NIV).

But ownership of this world was transferred back to the One who created it with the most amazing, most preeminent act of sacrificial suffering this world has ever seen...

Part 2: Redemption

Let me state the obvious: God is not a moron. He did not need to read “Defeating Evil for Dummies”, “Seven Habits of a Highly Effective God” or even “The Secret”. In His supreme wisdom and love, from the moment that Adam and Eve chose to disobey Him, He had the ultimate, perfect plan of redemption for those He created, those He loves passionately- a covenant. A covenant is like a legal deed of sorts between God and his people signifying a relationship of commitment.

Wait a minute.

A legal deed is how God expresses His love, passion and heartache for His lost children? This is how “our Father who art in Heaven” is going after the enemy to get His kids back safely? Hmmm. This doesn't sound like a Hollywood blockbuster or very bad ass... unless maybe you're a lawyer...

Before I lose you all together, let's fast forward, to a time long after the Worst Decision Ever. To the time of a man named Jesus- the man whose birth we celebrate at Christmas (I always figured there had to be more to it than just turkey and the Sears Christmas catalogue) and whose death and resurrection (I'll get to that in a minute) we celebrate at Easter (it's not just for bunnies). If you haven't heard of Him, let me give you the run down of His incredible, but short life. It sort of reads like one of those weird tabloids you always eye up while you are waiting in line at the grocery store (don't play innocent with me, you know you do it, I know you do it).

Jesus was born to a young, virgin girl named Mary who had recently married a nice guy named Joseph, who was a carpenter.

Uh, what?!?

A virgin... had a baby?

Huh?!

Seems kinda fishy, doesn't it? The weirder thing is that there was this famous, old Jewish guy named Isaiah, and God often gave him visions of the future and Isaiah actually predicted Jesus' birth and that His mom would be a virgin- like, 800 years before Jesus was born (Isaiah 7:14). Crazy, eh?! But there's more: when Jesus was baptized, God actually spoke from the Heavens and said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with Him I am well pleased” (Matthew 3:17, NIV). What God said, and what Jesus claimed, was that Jesus was God's son. And, when Jesus was only 33 years old, He fulfilled the one vision His Dad had for Him: to be falsely accused, condemned, mocked, beaten, whipped, and then literally nailed to a wooden cross to hang there until He died (for those of you who are medically minded like myself, Dr. C. Truman Davis wrote an article on the physiology of the crucifixion. Click HERE to read it. The Mayo Clinic did a similar analysis, click HERE to read that one). Three days later, His body went missing from the tomb it had been put in and Jesus Christ appeared- in the flesh- to more than 500 witnesses (Acts 15:6).

Did you catch that?

Jesus Christ, the Son of God, allowed himself to be falsely accused, dying in one of the most horrific ways that has ever been recorded, and then rose from the dead 3 days later.

Why?

He said it was His Father's will- God's will- that He die for every mean thing, every hurtful thing, every wrong thing, every despicable and lowly thing you and I have ever done and will ever do. Although He is a King and he is 100% blameless, He made Himself lowly and responsible for the sins of you and I, and He completed it all on an old rugged cross.

Part 3: The Old Rugged Covenant

The cross is not just something you wear around your neck or see in a church. The cross is the centrepiece, the turning point, of human history- it is the covenant, the legal deed, the declaration of ownership of you and I. No more do we have to yield to the darkest, most evil of owners. We now can yield to the Father who loves us more than our puny, itty bitty brains could ever imagine. We can yield to the One who gave Himself- His Son- to the throws of the earth, to live a perfect life of love among us, only to then die the most brutal, physical and emotional deaths, all for the wrongs you and I have caused one another.

Before Jesus came to die for our sins, covenants were definitely no pinky promises. A covenant required 2 parties (God and His peeps) agreeing to something and it required the shedding of blood- a loss of life. In the old testament, God allowed His people to enter into covenant with Him and use the blood and life of their most perfect animals. The new, and really, the last covenant- the cross- was an agreement between God and His Son Jesus, that Jesus would take the place of you and I, that He would bear the brutal responsibility of all of our sins. And it was the shedding of His perfect, innocent blood on the cross that made this covenant complete.

Part 4: Dust to dust

So here we are. The covenant is complete. Relationship with God can be restored. Ownership is no longer under evil management. But yet our world is still full of lies, sadness, famine, disasters, hurt, war, abuse, wicked people, even good people who aren't always good... if the covenant is complete, how can this be?

“you will... eat dust all the days of your life”

Right.

That guy is still around. Oh brother...

Did I mention I hate snakes?!

God told us, way, way back in the Garden of Eden, that Satan would try to destroy Jesus and fail (imagine it: Satan thinks he's killed Jesus, only to find out 3 days later that Jesus rose from the dead... gee, that's gotta be embarrassing... *awkward*). God promised us, way, way back in the Garden of Eden that Jesus would destroy Satan. Well, that hasn't happened- yet. Don't worry, it's definitely coming (if you are one of those types that can't wait to see how the story will end, you are in luck! Check out the book of Revelation to see how Jesus will pop a cap in Satan's ass... or, uh, something similar to that). In the mean time, it's time to sit up straight and pay attention to what's happening around us.

Remember when I said that the dust Satan will eat is the earth, us, our possessions, our finances, our health, our families... Remember? Roughly 1155 words ago (I know, this is a long one... thanks for hanging in there)? Well, how's our earth doing? What about us- any illness or injury you've seen? How are we managing our finances- are you broke? In debt? Are you giving and sharing with others? Is everyone in your area fed with a roof over their head? What's the divorce rate around you? In your family? How many people are you angry with? How much time are you spending on your computer or on your cell phone, remodelling your house, dreaming about a nicer car, thinking about what your next burger is going to taste like, wondering if you are better looking than Jessica Alba or Ryan Reynolds (BTW, no, you're not)? In comparison, how much time are you spending with God?

What I am trying to say is Satan is hungry. He has an insatiable appetite that will never, ever be full. He wants the world back. And he definitely does not want God to reign over it. So, he consumes us. He consumes our possessions. He consumes our finances. He consumes our world. Anything to distract us from remembering the sheer awesomeness and love of the last covenant.

But, there is a way, Friends. There is a way to avoid being consumed. There is a way to avoid just being dust. There is a way to matter. There is a way to finding acceptance, peace and an unimaginable love from a Father who is always, actively, relentlessly pursuing you.

But the choice is yours.

Thanks for reading... and stay tuned, I'm not quite done with this one yet!

Christy

Fatty Fatty 2x4, Fiji and a Guy Named Jesus

I've been an absentee blogger.

I didn't mean to neglect you, my faithful, vast audience of 13 + 1 (Mom). It's not you, it's me. Please do not call Social Services for Bloggers on me. I promise to make it up to you. I know you've heard this before, but this time it's true. I swear. Look, I even got you these to say I'm sorry:

So... are we OK? Good!

What's going on?!?!?

After 2 intense, but amazing weeks, our DTS class said goodbye to our speakers, Jono and Mary Turner (NZ). Although it's interesting to have a new speaker every week, our 2 weeks with Jono and Mary were a treat, because we got a chance to really get to know them... and this couple is SO worth knowing. What an amazing couple- they are just generally good peeps. Jono taught about the Father Heart of God and Mary taught about Submission and Authority. Talk about a double whammy- socks were getting blown off all over the place with these teachings! 

And, better yet, hearts and characters were being challenged and changed... something started in those 2 weeks with the Turners and it lead well into last week's teachings with Debra Nakora (US/Fiji)- The Divine Plumbline. For all of those YWAMers out there that are reading this (I think I have 3?), remember that week? Of course you do- that was the week of your DTS where God lovingly smacked you flat on your ass.

(as someone who just says "ugg" to Uggs, I have to say that this picture makes me giggle... but just a little)

OK, so I'm being a tad dramatic here... don't worry, Friends, our God is a gentleman and He would never actually smack you flat on your ass. But He is persistent when He pursues you and this was evident during our “Plumbline” week. He showed me things that I had never really seen before and, more importantly, He restored me and my pitiful heart to give up a few ghosts and move towards that life of love He keeps talking about. And with that, Friends, He pulled me even closer into His arms. I suspect that an upcoming blog will be under development shortly to explain all of this in much more detail...

But right now I have a few more pressing things to share with you.

Grab your popcorn (Billy)...

sit up straight and be prepared to be...

Amazed!

No, that's not it.

Entertained!

Ooo, too much pressure. Not that one either.

Enlightened!

Yea, um... definitely not that.

Well, I don't know how you are going to feel about this- I will leave that up to you. Without further ado, here is...

MY TOP TEN LIST OF STUFF I'VE NOTICED ABOUT STUFF

(catchy title, eh?!)

(look, I'm pretty tired right now- let's just be honest- I got nuthin'... )

1. One of my new favourite drinks here is Lemon Leaf Tea. What's that, you ask? Well, it's tea made from lemon leaves (duh). It is the most marvellous tea out there (yes, even better than the Aveda tea that I like so much). The smell alone is enough to make your taste buds sing “hallelujah”! How does one make such deliciousness, you ask? Well, step 1 is to find a lemon tree (good luck Prairie people... maybe some of our BC peeps can help us out on that one?) and pick off a fragrant leaf or two for your cup. Step 2, boil water and pour into cup with leaves. Steep for a bit (don't ask me how long “a bit” is, I'm usually too busy sniffing my lemony cup of heaven to notice). Step 3, remove leaves (if you want) and add milk and sugar to taste. Step 4- drink, savour and be merry in all that deliciousness!

2. I'm getting all messed up because the seasons are backwards here and most of that is due to the daylight. When I first arrived here on January 14, daylight would start to appear at about 6am and it wouldn't get dark until after 9pm (it may have been later, but like I've told you before, my bedtime here in Fiji has been around 9pm, which I realize is about the same time my 2 year niece goes to bed). Now, when I get up for my morning Sweatapalousa (aka, the morning run), it doesn't start to get light out until 7am and the sun now sets before 8pm. And, daylight savings time here ends this Sunday (March 6), so we are moving 1 hour back in time. Talk about messin' this Saskatchewan girl up! I likely won't notice a huge change in temperature as we here in Fiji change seasons from Summer to Winter (I told you it's backwards!)- to me, hot is just hot.

3. They have peanut butter here!!! I know, a weird thing to be excited about, but most countries that I have travelled to do not have peanut butter. And, while I realize that I am definitely nuts about peanut butter (boo, who gave this girl a computer to blog on?! Terrible humour!), I didn't realize how much I love it until I travelled and couldn't have it. So, yea for Fiji!

4. On that note, I have been told, on several occasions, by several different Fijians, that I am looking fat. Ouch. I know I have put on some weight in the last few years (maybe too much peanut butter???), but *ouch*, that stings just a little. And then I found out one of my roommates- who is tall, beautiful, slim and in shape- was being told the same thing- all the time. 

Huh?! 

Well, apparently, like many warm-climate cultures, Fijians will call someone fat as a compliment- what they are really trying to tell you (if I understand it correctly and, for the sake of my self esteem, let's just say that I do) is that you look good, and you look healthy. And let's just leave it at that.

5. I've always said that I will most likely die in an accident, working in the back of an ambulance (ironically, ambulances are some of the most unsafest vehicles on the road). I'd like to recant that, if I could. I'm pretty sure that I will die as a pedestrian on a random Fijian street. I have three reasons to support this argument. One, they drive on the “wrong” side of the road here (ever notice that if it's not your way, it's the wrong way?) and even after 2 months here, I still have trouble figuring that out (my Mom says I'm smart). Two, I walk around like a pedestrian in Canada, which means I believe that I have the right of way at all times everywhere and cars will stop for me. That is definitely not the case in Fiji. Definitely not. Three, despite Fiji's world wide reputation as having the most friendliest people in the world (and trust me, it is so true- people here are so nice!), the drivers here are nuts. 

Every time I cross a road, I'm pretty certain that I hear the oncoming traffic accelerate, not slow down. And I'm pretty sure my glaring, white skin gives them momentary blindness. I kind of feel bad about that.

6. Fijians are a people of only so many words. Despite the fact that most of them are at least trilingual (English, Fijian, and their own tribe's dialect), they don't really talk a lot. But they do communicate with one another all the time- through facial expressions. It's really interesting to watch. I was walking down the street with a Fijian guy when he saw someone he knew across the road. They didn't talk, I only saw a eyebrows raised, a couple of twitches and a smile- and he told me that his friend said he would call him later... Wow! It's funny because I've started to do it a bit too. But that's to be expected- I pick up languages very easily.

7. Fiji reminds me a bit of Camrose and a lost era- almost nothing is open on Sundays and most shops close at 2pm on Saturdays. Honestly, I appreciate it as there is no way to have my weekends consumed by “getting stuff done” and “errands”. It's all about relaxing, resting and enjoying the weekend. And there is nothing wrong with that.

8. God is a great Father who listens to His children and wants to give them the desires of their hearts. As a super awesome Parent, He is also wise in that His timing is always perfect and He knows what is best for His children. I learned that lesson last week. My Dad, who lives in Edmonton, ended up in the ER a couple of weeks ago with shortness of breath. He hasn't been well for a long time and when the doctors saw how bad his leg was (gangrene from diabetes), they wanted to amputate it right away. But my stepmother, Dolores, is a Christian and she insisted that they go home to pray about it. So, we all prayed. People prayed in Canada and people prayed in Fiji. When Dad went back to see the surgeon a week later, the surgeon put him on antibiotics and the surgery was cancelled! In one week, Dad's leg went from being one that needed “immediate” amputation to one that is now regaining some feeling (unfortunately for Dad, that means pain) and only requires some rest and a prescription. That, my Friends, is the glory of God. So, we will keep praying and we keep trusting that God knows what is best for my Dad.

(on a side note, my Mac computer died and my very own personal Mac Genius, Nick, delivered some bad news: Mac was gone for good...

I was sad to see Mac go because it is through him that I keep connected with all of you through this blog, emails, skype and Facebook. And then I realized that there is nothing- and I do mean nothing- that my God cannot do. So I prayed for Mac. And, three days after Mac died, he came back to life (I swear I'm not making this up). My God loves me so much that even the little things that matter to me, matter to Him)

9. The average person here only makes FJ$1-3/hour. Things here are expensive, especially given that kind of wage. A 1 litre cartoon of milk, which is not the same quality as home, is FJ$2. A small jar of peanut butter (about 1 cup) costs FJ$4. Chocolate bars average at just over FJ$3, but can go as high as FJ$6. A small chicken is well over FJ$15. A small jar of Nutella (obviously, not a staple, but something I noticed, of course) is FJ$12. A can of Pringles is FJ$6. I found out the other day that copyright/piracy laws don't apply here because how little the average Fijian makes. So, movie shops, for example, can sell "pirated" movies legally. The owner of the shop is required to buy the original DVD (about FJ$25, over 2 days wages for most people here), but then they can copy that DVD as many times as they want and sell the copies for FJ$1-2.

10. I am right where I belong.

Thanks for reading,

Christy