Calgary

so i left caronport today at about 1030am. i would have left earlier but i got into talking with dell and sue, and enjoyed myself too much.

i got into calgary at about 430pm. staying with my friends rob and jackie glavind tonight. they have the most beautiful life. a good job, two beautiful daughters that 6 and 8 yrs old. Frisco, the cutest dog in the world (he's a cocker spaniel/shih-tzu mix) they live in a beautiful home in a great neighbourhood. good church. sweet life! they are one of the most hospitable people i know. i feel so comfortable with them. rob even took me to a football game tonight, it was great.

I'll be with seminary buddies, anthony and amanda diehl tomorrow night, and attending their emergent church service in the evening. in the daytime...what else??? shopping! hey man with one tax, i could buy a tonne of stuff before I even start to feel guilty.

its been a good day. i'm in chilliwack on monday night. all you vancouverites, lets meet up. call me. 1.604.795.4988...the dude on the answering machine is my dad....yes...that is how singaporeans speak english....


McMahon Stadium, Calgary, AB


Stampeders kicking some Rider butt (4th row seats!!!)


Whenever the Stamps score a touchdown, this lady rides a horse from one end of the pitch to the other. its pretty neat. (bad picture)



*now listening to: Feeling The Same Way Again - Norah Jones*

Denied!

I was denied entry into the states today because of insufficient paperwork,
apparently I couldn't convince them that I was returning back to Canada and that this indeed was a temporary venture. they looked my life's belongings in the car and said...later alligator. Of course, how many other masters' student can prove you have ties to your country, other than a permanent address and car?

most students would be in heaven if there was more to tie them down. maybe i had to have a family and 5 cute kids waiting back in canada to convince them that i was going to return. apparently, i'm supposed to continue paying rent at a place for 5 months, even though i'm not living there to prove that I have ties. Or how about this one? have a job in canada to prove that i have ties. what kind of job, lets you take off for 5 months for life experience??? most jobs i know, make you quit before you take off for that long.

i mean c'mon, cut me some slack. i'm a SINGLE....STUDENT....that hasn't lived with his parents since i was 18. I HAVE NO TIES. that the very definition of single student.

funny, i've never been one to be the materialistic sort, but its kinda ironic that my collection of "stuff" over the years of being single and living away from home was the reason for the denial. there was more reasons of course, but everytime I dutifully answered a question they had, it seemed like it was pointless. no matter what i said and how honest i was, they didn't seem to care. they had made up their mind.

so it looks like if i am to enter again it will be by plane. i've decided to drive back to vancouver tomorrow, so i can leave my belongings with my parents and spend some time with them. we'll see if new york works out after all...

keep journeying on this ever winding path called life with me and we'll see what the future has in store. its a pleasure to walk with you.

Top 11 Things To Remember

As I sit on the kitchen table (no other furniture around), and ponder about my last week and also my experience over the last ten months at Briercrest, I can't help but be grateful and so incredibly thankful. Hold on, let me reach into the bare fridge and pull out the last edible substance. Ah yes...an orange creamsicle...mmm cold creamy goodness with a tart kick to boot!

So it is with such inspiration, that I bring you:

TOP 11 unranked THINGS TO REMEMBER ABOUT CARONPORT.

*Jamming with the Selah band

*The best retail team on the planet. Blockbuster Moose Jaw #07115!

*Holy, Big.....Skies!

*Dell and Sue. Role models for leading radical, uncompromisingly, honest lives.

*Nancy's cooking - I've only had the deepest privilege twice, and they were both heavenly encounters. Rick is a blessed man indeed. The gift of hospitality is a rare one indeed.

*Praying with others and being prayed for (especially before I left) - prophetic, encouraging and life changing.

*Leah's constant itch to clean everything in sight, even clean things (to me anyway). oh yea did i mention that it was in MY apartment?? Seriously though...servant heart, I learnt what that meant from her.

*Smitty's steak and eggs with potato pancakes. 'nuff said

*Caronport Fire Department - the feeling of hearing the page, suiting up and jumping into that truck.

*Dairy Air or better known as bovine "derrier". *gross*

*Writing and collaborating on "Find You There" with Jay, Eric and Anthony.

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Sue, Leah, Dell and Nancy.



Open Skies




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Stay tuned for developments from across the border

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The Journey Ahead...

So yea...thats the trip. More than 2000 miles away. I originally thought i'd be driving through about 5 states, cos really in Canada, i'd just be driving thru Manitoba, Ontario, and Quebec to reach that end of the world. NOPE. Apparently, a seminary buddy (Leah) and I figured out that I would be driving through, count 'em, ELEVEN states. Phew! This is gonna be one road trip! Good times! I'm taking it easy though. Here's what the trip will look like. 1st night, I'm in a motel in Bismarck, North Dakota. I was orginally going to stay in Minot, ND. but um no...apparently the state fair is happening that very day, and everyone and their cow will be at the fair and all its available accomodations. Apparently, chickens get to come inside the building with the guests though...

After that, I spend two nights in Minnesota. part of the reason is because I want to visit an emergent church in Minneapolis called Solomon's Porch. So i'll get to spend about 24 hours in the former home of the Minnesota North Stars. Remember those days, hockey fans? this is kind of embarassing but most of what I know about American geography consists of NHL, NFL and NBA teams, and so the first thing I think about when someone mentions a city is what team plays in that city. I know...I'm special.

Monday night, I roll right through Chicago...looking forward to that, I hear Chicago is famous for its deep dish pizza. so I'll have a couple slices for lunch or tea...or whatever time i end up reaching there. It would have been nice to spend a night there but I have accomodations set up for me not too far away, in Marcellus, MI. I hope thats the short for Michigan....and not Missouri...or Missisippi(Leah??-she's American). I'm hanging out with Grandma and Grandpa High. They are the parents of the Senior Pastor and grandparents of the College Pastor at the church I will be working at. Tuesday night, its a toss-up between Cleveland or Pittsburgh. I haven't decided which one yet. So we'll see, I might leave that one up in the air (not likely) and just wing it (i'm all talk).

I know I'll have internet access on the first night. so i'll be sure to post something about how my experience at the border went. I hope they don't give me problems. I've heard people get held up for 3 to 4 hours easily. and they open EVERYTHING in your car. I ain't doing nothing illegal, so I'm not worried obviously, but it still would be nice to not have problems. hmm...we'll see