Monday, May 22, 2006

ack is my favorite word

Oh, what a month this has been. I finished writing those blasted term papers (which was like passing a boulder-sized gallstone out of my ear...or maybe a bellybutton) and started another dang course on children's lit. Yup. another one. Who would'a thunk little red riding hood was about sex. Sleeping Beauty too. Oh, yeah, and pretty much, all of them? Well, I guess everything can be about sex according to Freud. ACK. stories for children, people! yecchhh.

Elim, one of my roommates moved out last week and I went on a cleaning frenzy after she left. Ack, I've been possessed by the psycho cleaning spirit of my other roommate Jon! I threw out a bunch of junk out of the basement, set up some anal system of organization to the mess of broken lamps and shredded extension cords that someone seems to like keeping. Things are eerily quiet around here, with Elim gone and Jon in Europe...we have someone new coming in June, and who knows what things will be like when Jon gets back and the new guy moves in.

Oh, and can you believe that we had a swing dancing event at church? I couldn't believe we had over a hundred people show up for swing dancing...many of which were people I didn't know and others I've only seen with their bums glued to chairs for two years at Grace...and all of a sudden were shakin them booties like a bunch of repressed nuns. Ok, I'm exaggerating. We're a pretty fun bunch, but still pretty reserved. (Ooh dancing is from the devil!!! haha. just kidding...) Actually, watching so many people I've come to love over the last two years dancing and enjoying each other was a beautiful thing...a very Godly, very beautiful thing.

The next morning, I got up early and went to the East side church to sing with the choir. Wow, it was great being back there...it reminded me how much I loved it when I went there for about 7 months last year. Being with the choir and the East siders was BEAUTIFUL and I was feeling so blessed with being part of this church.

Speaking of which, I've decided to become a member at Grace Van. Finally! Two years later, and two years of lots of nasty times and lots of great times, I've decided it's time to commit once and for all to this church.
I LOVE GRACE VAN!!!!
*sigh* After the East side service, I joined a bunch of Westsiders hanging out at Granville Island. When I got there, I saw about 15 of them sitting at the dock, with Eastcoast fiddle music in the background, all enjoying each other. This was a beautiful picture, a snapshot of God's blessings to me: I love seeing people I love hanging out and loving each other! AHHHCK, it makes me want to squeeze them all!!!
Did I say how much I love Grace Van? It's like finding something I didn't know was missing...almost like a body part (more specifically, my heart) that had grown back. (sorry, weird imargery there!). Big Al from ACF was right when she said, "Get involved in a church. A campus fellowship isn't a church." I remember being somewhat offended when she said that at the graduating banquet to everyone, thinking she was preaching on some high horse. (Doesn't that tell you that I wanted to be on that horse myself?!) But, of course, with the truth spoken, we are often rubbed the wrong way. It's a good thing I didn't tackle her... Ontario folks, I've retired from football. More accurately, God put me on the sidelines like a good coach should, pointing out to me that I can't keep running on a bum knee or tackling people for the sake of pure aggression.

I was an ass at Western. You all knew that, but loved me anyway. Thank you.

More on that story later, I think.

So, to sum it up, I am still jobless and a student, scrounging for money doing research surveys for free cash, trying to get on to St.Paul's payroll, figuring out the ins and outs of the relationship business, and being excited about community, people, and God more and more. Life is weird, but life is good! Praise God!!!

4 comments:

Cora said...

I LOVE YOU!!!! you're soo cool Matthea. i always knew that when the Lord just grabs a hold of your heart, you will become one of the "beautifuls" that He could fully use. continue to look away from yourself and see others. That is when you can SEE outside of your own anger, frustration, and self, and realize How beautiful God is and how beautiful his people are. :)
love you lots,
cors
(an ACFer)

matthea said...

Cora Cora,
I love you too! So much has happened the last two years, I can hardly describe it all. But the sum of it is, God has done a great work, and is continuing to do that in my life. It's true that looking away from Self helps me to see God in others. Something I wish I learned while I was at ACF, but hey, better now than never!!!

Anonymous said...

Who knew? Children's lit is full of sex and violence! Remember "Treasure Island"? I don't remember thinking of those things when I was reading them as a child! Ah... Innocence...

Simon said...

matthea! i found your blog somehow through this perpetually growing online presence of asian christian students. we're taking over baby.

anyhow, seems like you've being doing pretty dern good (and how) for yourself out there. that's awesome to hear!

keep on keepin' on.