Wolfpack Fall 2010 Debut and more

Pretty much if this was me in the blue jersey, that`s what I looked like on this last ditch effort to flag the ball carrier on a kickoff return. Yep that`s right, I did that. You know when the person is sprinting away and in the NFL is about to get a touchdown and instead of diving for the tackle or flag, they just give up and concede the td? Yeah well I did that last ditch effort leap for the flag and caught it. It was sort of like when a Wile E. coyote gets squashed from trying to capture RoadRunner on Looney Tunes. I lifted the flag up to show that I got it but felt flattened. Today I feel like a truck ran over me. My shoulders and neck area from jamming on the field (well, it was a bellyflop onto the hard ground) are sosososo sore. Last night at work I could barely lift a drink up onto the hand off counter. But it was an amazing play!

We lost our football debut 15-0 which wasn’t bad considering we didn’t even get a first down all game. It was the pits. Our quarterback is brand new to quarterbacking and so it was her first game. She can’t throw the ball past 15 yds and that’s how far back she stands from the line of scrimmage so she has time before the rusher catches here. She is a great person but needs more work. It’s frustrating trying to run patterns then knowing that the ball will never even reach you. I got to play halfback a bit though and throw the ball. We hadn’t practiced it though and so my timing was off to get it to the receiver. I did chuck it quite far and hopefully proved that I should step up to throw more at halfback if not at quarterback.

I loved defense though. I got to play safety and I rocked it. I think that I missed one key play but I mean, it’s a team game and if other people miss the flag in their position then it’s partly their fault too. I made some key plays and was really focused and pumped up. Could be on account to the coffee AND energy drink that I had at 7am that morning before the game, nonetheless I was ready. It’s fun to be part of a team sport again and my leadership skills are really standing out. Everyone else is just getting down on the refs and the players and each other and themselves and swearing, but I am just trying to get everyone settled down, focused on what needs to happen next and just lead by example. It’s always been my way of leading.

I don’t want to sound pious and believe me I have been praying about that lately. I don’t think that I am the best and I know that I have a ton of work to do to get better but I do think that I have things together, that I am a great leader, and my lack of drinking and swearing as well as my encouraging words will soon shine a light in their eyes. Same with at work. Everyone is so gossipy and friends on friends off and it’s SO ANNOYING. So in trying not to come off as “I am better than you” I just try to distance myself from it all and just be nice to everyone, especially the people I don’t like. That’s the hardest, as I am sure that you know.

Life plans and decisions are really coming together. Prayer, Bible reading, talking with important people that I value and respect their opinions and other confirmations that have come from God have really set peace in my heart as to what my next step in life is going to be and where it will take place. I am not going to share right now until it really works out cuz there are a couple things that I have to take care of but as for the principle of the thing, it’s coming together and I am pleased.
Well that’s going to be all for now. Maybe something interesting will pop into my head at a later date for another blog to come soon. Until then, later days!

Saskabush

Greetings!

I ventured out to Saskatoon for Folkfest this last weekend. Great weather, awesome relatives and really fun times. Here's a recap:

"The Pavilions"

Thursday night
1. Caribbean - steel drums and neat merchandise along with some cool dancers. We tried the Jamacian Jerk Chicken, Beef roti and coconut tart.


2. Philippines - no performances while we were there. Had homemade mango ice cream from Homestead ice cream. So good it had chunks of mango in it

3. Scottish - awesome highland dancers, really good homemade shortbread

4. Ukraine - didn't have any of the food there because we can make it all at home! Really authentic merch and lots of people

5. Greek - they had coins from each emperor dated 300 bc and earlier which was really cool. Had the best honey donut things. Probably my favorite food I had

6. German - their pavilion burnt down last year so they were outside. Had a cool pole with the decorative strings and nice stage. The brass band played edelwiess and the costumes were very authentic as well. I loved the calf warmer things. LOL. We had apple strudel which was okay but wanted some schnitzel but we were way to full.


7. Irish - good dancers - more of a tap dancing style. We tried the potato soup which was okay, but not great.

8. Norway - probably my favorite one overall. Got an airbrush tattoo with Norway flag colors - red/blue/red, had krumbkake which was sosososo good (glorified waffle cone). They had lots of variety of food including tons of dessert waffle like things. It had a real homey feeling to it and we wished that we could have seen some dancers, but we were there too late.

9. Australia/New Zealand - there was little decoration, food sold out and lack of entertainment at this pavilion

10. India - honestly I didn't like it at all because I felt like I was back in BC

Friday

11. Hispanic - little did I know that Hispanic by definition meant all spanish speaking countries so it included mexico, latin america, south america and spain. They had a great program of songs and dance for each country. I bought a purse from ecuador. We ate ice cream, empanadas and tamales.

12. Peru - they made an even better tamale here as well as some dish with potatoes and creamed chicken sauce and INCA cola. It tasted like cream soda and was so good.

13. Indian/Metis - we had both fried and baked bannoc with fresh homemade strawberry and saskatoon berry preserves. The wild rice and smoked salmon was also very good. They did that ring dance and some other festive dancing.

14. Hungary - the menu was quite vast and they had elephant ears however the building was way too small and busy so we left right away.

15. Asia Pacific - once again I felt like I was back in BC and so we didn't stay long

16. Brazil - I bought some coconut almond tea as well as some coffee candy which tasted amazing. The atmosphere was quite cool and the dancers were pretty good too.

17. Sudan - this pavilion was super awesome and probably the more that I think about it was my favorite! I love Africa and all the things that they had made and were selling were so cool and creative. I tried this baglawa dish which was basically baklava and they had other food which looked good. Then Grandma's friend Saba was making coffee which she roasted from green pods to black coffee beans. She then melted them with water on a pot and then poured it, filtered by what looked like straw into our little shot like cups. It was amazingly good!!!!!!!!!!!!!


18. Riderville - the saskatchewan roughrider based pavilion was all green and very festive. I had a taco in a bag which I had never heard of before but was doritos crushed up and all the ingredients of tacos right in the bag you ate out of. It was sosososo good. The music was country and the atmosphere was really great. I loved it!

Well that's a long recap but thought I would share what each pavilion was about!

Later days!

Are you game?

Greetings!

There is much to be said in this update. Where to start? The Cowboys are playing right now in the Hall of Fame game to start off the NFL preseason and the regular season starts in just 32 short days! Can't wait! I love Sundays! Earlier today I myself was playing flag football. We lost our game and I didn't feel that effective. Everyone was really lethargic so no one was really into it. Then the team after us couldn't field a game so we played again. I caught a couple balls and scored a TD. I got to play defense too and I am really catching on. I am getting connected with a coach of a women's team that plays in the fall that needs players so I will be a regular player on their team then! Church was also awesome. I haven't been in a couple weeks so that made it really good but I love the pastor. He is an amazing speaker and his passion just shines through. If you want to hear a sermon check it out on the podcast on the website lefc.ca. It's the Langley Evangelical Free Church.

My mom was here visiting this past week and it was an amazing week. Went way too fast though. We did lots of shopping in the States, eating out, watching some movies, just chilled at my place, went mini golfing and did stuff with Leia too. We had some awesome pulled pork at this place called Coconut Kenny's in the states. And my favorite meal was the fish tacos that I had at a place called Big Ridge Brewery. My mom was quite adventurous with the meals and I am happy that I could pick good places. We had some good talks as well and enjoyed the nice 20 something weather. It did rain one night though and I had taken my jeep roof off the day before. So I woke up at 230am to the sound of rain and knowing that my jeep roof was off. I pulled it into my underground parking but it was still soaked. It's now running crappy and don't know if it's from that.

Being a shift supervisor at Starbucks is alright. A little stressful though. But in general I like directing the people and thinking of things to do, I just don't really like the money handling. Oh and I am still volunteering at this wildlife place where I take care of birds. I really don't like it that much but it looks good on the resume. I am now fully trained too so I don't have to just follow someone around all the time!

This week my friend Doug is home in Maple Ridge from Edmonton and so we are hanging out on Wednesday. It's been forever since I saw him. On Thursday I am heading down to Seattle to watch the Seahawks training camp practices. They don't cost anything but I plan on spending the day down there, probably bike around a bit and enjoy the summer in the States. Saturday is Leia's birthday and I am attending her big birthday bash - whatever it is!!

God's been teaching me my life is about making much of him, not what he can do for us. Today was all about praise that is due to Him. I don't need to "get" something out of a church service, I just need to be prepared to praise and glorify Him. The real and most important question that we should constantly be asking ourselves and that I am challenging myself to do this week is: IS WHAT I AM DOING OBSCURING THE GOSPEL? If it is, why am I doing it and how am I going to change what I am doing? If it isn't, then I know that I am in tune to what the Holy Spirit is directing in my life. I challenge you to think about that this week as well.

Later days!