Monday, March 31, 2003
PLEASE HELP THE CHILDREN OF IRAQ
i got this email from UNICEF today:
IRAQ ALERT: Operation Child Survive
More than 12 million Iraqi children are facing a massive crisis. The war isn't against them, but clearly, millions of innocent children are in harm's way.
As the lead humanitarian aid agency for water, and co-leader for food, UNICEF is on the ground now with over 200 staff members in Iraq and more in neighboring countries. We need your help with Operation Child Survive, the U.S. Fund for UNICEF campaign to help save Iraqi children's lives.
Donate online now
Donate over the phone -- 1.800.FOR.KIDS
Donate by check
UNICEF knows from previous conflict situations that water and food supply networks are disrupted during wartime, with children suffering the most. Diseases can spread rapidly, especially when children are weakened by malnutrition.
In the past two months, UNICEF staff members in Iraq have done their utmost to make children more resilient and better able to cope with whatever may happen. UNICEF has supported immunization campaigns to protect millions of children against measles and polio, and the distribution of specialized food supplies such as high-protein biscuits and therapeutic milk to treat malnourished children.
UNICEF has also pre-positioned emergency relief supplies including:
* Emergency health kits to cover the basic needs of over 2 million children.
* Water treatment supplies to provide 600,000 people with clean water.
* Generators for water treatment plants to ensure that clean water can continue to be provided if electricity is disrupted.
* More than 1,500 tons of high-protein biscuits and 155 tons of fortified milk, enough to feed over 400,000 malnourished children.
*Supplies to establish 30 emergency therapeutic feeding centers for severely malnourished children.
* Enough School-in-a-Box kits to help resume education for 100,000 children, along with 225 tents suitable for use as temporary classrooms.
UNICEF programs continue now, thanks to the dedication of staff members in Iraq who keep working despite the dangers they face. UNICEF has
already committed more than $11 million in preparations, but it estimates that $166 million will be needed for the Iraq emergency. UNICEF is totally
dependent upon voluntary support from friends like you -- we need your help to prevent a disaster and protect the lives of millions of children.
To learn more... read the latest news releases, watch the latest streaming video, listen to streaming audio, see the latest photographs, read personal
accounts from the field... visit http://www.unicefusa.org/emergencies/iraq/ now and often.
*********************************************
UNICEF is a UN humanitarian aid organization doing great work in developing countries all over the world. i really believe in them and their mission. they have been doing a lot in iraq already (see: www.unicef.ca). pls help them do more.
for more info, see the Crisis Appeal for Iraq's Children.
Friday, March 28, 2003
War... It's Fantastic!
I had my doubts at first, but this war on Iraq really seems to be working. Gas was 66.9 yesterday. Before the war it was on the verge of $1. Good job G.W.! Now if only the US will attack North Korea then maybe we'd have even cheaper cheap and crappy cars to drive this cheap gas on and then I could start planning that road trip to Cali. Too bad I'd have to wear a surgical mask tho.
Wednesday, March 26, 2003
major disappointment
well, as of now, angee and i aren't going anywhere this summer. her parents are really concerned about sars and had a talk with my dad on the phone about it.... and now he's concerned about that plus the ripple effects after the war. i'm soooooooooooooooooooooo disappointed. if i don't go to europe this summer, it's likely that i will not be going to europe any time in the near future. and probably not for a long period of time, like the 5 wks that we were planning on, or backpacking. ever. [sigh] what can i do? angee and i are gonna pray REALLY HARD about this. and if u want us to go (wongs :P), pls pray too!!
i wonder if we'll still get to go on the cruise this summer. that would reeeaally suck if we didn't.
[sigh] at least i'll have a job if i end up having to stay in toronto all summer. the nut team leader wants me to stay. but i'd rather play!
Sunday, March 23, 2003
"The more you are called to speak of God's love, the more you will need to deepen the knowledge of that love in your own heart. The farther the outward journey, the deeper the inner journey must be."
~ henri nouwen
a prayer request
my good friend katrina's dad was diagnosed with stage 4 esophageal cancer this past wk. the doctors are giving him one yr to live. dr. teall is a biz prof at laurier. it was by coincidence that they even discovered he had cancer... they thought there was something wrong with his heart medication and checked him out. but found this instead. pls pray for dr. teall and his family.... he's a great dad to katrina and her 2 younger sisters and brother. pls pray that God will have mercy on him and heal his cancer, pray for strength for katrina's family to go thru this together, pray for faith... and hope. i know we often get lots of prayer requests that we gloss over or put aside to pray for l8r and then forget about, esp if it's someone we don't know personally. but if u could take a couple minutes right now to say a short prayer for katrina's dad and her family, that would be much appreciated. thanx.
Friday, March 21, 2003
sometimes it's hard to know what role u're supposed to play in someone's life. esp when u see them needing something... but they won't listen to u. it's reassuring to know that God sends the right friend into each person's life at just the right time so u don't hafta worry about ur friend though. all u can do is pray for him... and watch God work.
Wednesday, March 19, 2003
27,000 children will die today...
what will YOU do?
refuse to do nothing....
it's that time of yr again!! i'm doing the 30 h famine with my dept at work this yr, so i'll be asking for donations if u aren't doing the famine urself. pls think about how much u're willing to donate. i'll take as little as $1... to.. however much u're willing to give!! i think everyone can afford to give even a little to the work that God is doing thru world vision overseas and within canada. thanx!
Monday, March 17, 2003
[yawn] i'm so tired!!!!!! what a busy, fun wkd. :) started off with ccf on fri which was an interesting discussion about the outreach projects each grp from the retreat did (there were some fun ones - ice cream treats, chocolate for students stuck in the lib, sandwich/clothing runs) and a follow up discussion from last wk's talk on islam by an imam. some really good thoughts brought up. afterwards, yeelee and i went to ann's to help her and ken with the invitations. i haven't hung out with those two in quite a long time - it was fun! :) i'm still not used to ann and ken's insulting interactions with each other O_o but i guess it works for them. :P i slept over at ann's that night and then we went for breakfast bright and early the next morning b4 work. i thought i was getting up at 8:30, but after we had arrived at golden griddle for quite some time and ann was almost done her breakfast, i looked at my watch and it was only 9 am!! i'm like - has my watch stopped?? it turns out that ann's clock was set 45 min fast!! O_o so that's 2 nights in a row with not enough sleep!! anyhow, we had a really good chat and catching up on everything and on our way back, we ran into wayne whom i haven't seen/talked to since i moved back home to scarboro. it sounds like things are coming together for him and pauline. at least they have going back to wayne's home in new brunswick l8r this yr to look forward to. and pauline is pregnant again! :) babies, babies galore these days.... !! :)
work was pretty quiet all day for a sat, except for a brief stint where ppl kept coming in non-stop for bubbles!! poor ross, i felt so bad that i couldn't help him make drinks cuz i couldn't stop doing cash cuz there was a huge line that kept extending!! after work i dropped by angee's to give her her key back since i borrowed her parking space for the night/day and ended up chatting for awhile. i love how we can never stop talking once we start!! :) after that i went back home intending to do work but that didn't happen. :) i talked online for a bit and then called up cath. i was sharing with her how i felt that we need to pray so much more about things going on at cpc and she agreed, saying that she wanted to share more too and hear what everyone else has been thinking. so on impulse, we decided to meet the next morn at 9 am to pray!! we left msgs for a few ppl... and went to bed, wondering who would show up! :) our service is at 11 am and usually ppl don't like to come b4 that. we have a hard time getting ppl to go to sunday school at 9:45 am and a few of us have worship team practise at 10 am, so 9 am was the only option.
so this morn i got up bright and early, and got a msg from matt (at 3 am!!!) saying he was game.... so i went to go pick him up and he passed out (sorta) on the way dt. :) cath was already there when we got there, so we started sharing and bigjon came to join us afterwards to pray. it was so good!! not being rushed and being able to talk about what we've been thinking about/struggling with, and what God's placed on our hearts. and then prayer time was really great!! we prayed for half an hour!! not 15 min!! :P and near the end it was cool cuz in silence, i can hear best what God is saying and who/what he wants me to pray for, and i was getting into that groove near the end. :) so that set the tone for the rest of church. we had worship team practise at 10, but didn't have much time to practise cuz euge was working with the sound guy who was new to it all. but service turned out to be great. :) tony is so excited now. :) :) :) it's funny seeing him be super excited when he is usually a real pessimist. :) we're gonna continue with this prayer at 9 am and see what happens! how God continues to move!!
after church was lunch, studying while waiting for ACTS, greg's, and then over to yeelee's for dinner!! the bunch of us bridesmaids for ann's wedding met up tonight to plan the jack and jill. yeelee cooked dinner for all of us!! caesar salad, chicken biryani (yumm!). we even had mango and strawberry lassi's!!! i made those, but it was sorta hard cuz i had to use an electric mixer since yeelee's blender is broken. lemme tell u - u cannot "mix" strawberries very well with one of those! :P dinner was good and productive. we got a chance to talk with cindy, ann's maid of honour, and hang out with her since the rest of us didn't know her b4 this. i think things are coming together! i'm starting to get excited and into the whole planning thing. now i just gotta buy shoes and a bag and maybe a dress or two for all the weddings this summer!!
ok, i am soooooo exhausted. i dunno about going into work early tmr anymore. >.<
nite!
ps. this one was for u, james. ;)
Friday, March 14, 2003
battles
i appreciate lon's words:
Reading through Luke lately, has reminded me that God wants to bring us to victory. It says that the Spirit led Jesus into the desert, where He would be tempted for 40 days. It reminded me how God always brings us to a place where we need him more. He brings us to a place where with Him, we can be victorious. We can say we want to walk victoriously, but there is no victory without the battle. As I face the many temptations of this world, I need to face the battles as one anticipating victory, because God is for me.
there have been many battles of late.... but victorious we shall be... cuz God is on our side!
u know what? i've decided i like being positive. it keeps me going. and bonus if i don't even intend to sound that way and it just comes out!
u know how as christians, springs of living water are supposed to flow from within us and spill out to those around us? i really appreciate the ppl in my life who exhibit that... strong, mature christians who are rooted in God's word, overflowing with love for him and those around them. able to draw so much strength from the lord that they are constantly ministering to everyone around them cuz they just can't stop sharing his sweet mercies. praise God for these ppl. the world needs more of them! i'd like to work towards being one of those ppl.
Gratitude
Send some rain, would You send some rain?
'Cause the earth is dry and needs to drink again
And the sun is high and we are sinking in the shade
Would You send a cloud, thunder long and loud?
Let the sky grow black and send some mercy down
Surely You can see that we are thirsty and afraid
But maybe not, not today
Maybe You'll provide in other ways
And if that's the case ...
We'll give thanks to You with gratitude
For lessons learned in how to thirst for You
How to bless the very sun that warms our face
If You never send us rain
Daily bread, give us daily bread
Bless our bodies, keep our children fed
Fill our cups, then fill them up again tonight
Wrap us up and warm us through
Tucked away beneath our sturdy roofs
Let us slumber safe from danger's view this time
Or maybe not, not today
Maybe You'll provide in other ways
And if that's the case ...
We'll give thanks to You with gratitude
A lesson learned to hunger after You
That a starry sky offers a better view
If no roof is overhead
And if we never taste that bread
Oh, the differences that often are between
Everything we want and what we really need
So grant us peace, Jesus, grant us peace
Move our hearts to hear a single beat
Between alibis and enemies tonight
Or maybe not, not today
Peace might be another world away
And if that's the case ...
We'll give thanks to You with gratitude
For lessons learned in how to trust in You
That we are blessed beyond what we could ever dream
In abundance or in need
And if You never grant us peace ...
But, Jesus, would You please ...
~ nichole nordeman
Thursday, March 13, 2003
Even Then
It's a fear that keeps me wide awake
In the middle of the night
When the expectations are too great
And the bar gets raised too high
So I do the best with what I've got
And hope that no one knows
That I strain to see how high I can
Try to stand on these toes
Until I'm measured, but You know better
So, thank You, Jesus
Even when You see us just as we are
Fragile and frail and so far
From who we want to be
So, thank You, Jesus
Even when the pieces are broken and small
Dreams shatter and scatter like the wind
Thank You, even then
So I put aside the masquerade
And admit that I am not okay
Which may not be the thing to say
But I'm not ashamed to need You more each day
So, thank You, Jesus
Even when You see us just as we are
Fragile and frail and so far
From who we want to be
So, thank You, Jesus
Even when the pieces are broken and small
Dreams shatter and scatter like the wind
Thank You, even then
We raise the standard and try to reach You
But we'll never make it and we don't need to ...
So, thank You, Jesus
Even when You see us just as we are
Fragile and frail and so far
From who we want to be
So, thank You, Jesus
Even when the pieces are broken and small
Dreams shatter and scatter like the wind
Thank You, even then
~nichole nordeman
why do i always end on a positive note, even when i don't feel very positive? strange.
here's a passage that spoke to me today during devos:
Dear friends, I urge you, as aliens and strangers in the world, to abstain from sinful desires, which war against your soul. Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us.
~2 peter 2:11, 12
and here's something else i read today:
The witness of Jesus is ever challenging and disturbing. He tells us that human life reaches its meaning only in total and daily surrender. The fact that he is the reference point is not a fixation on the past, but rather a way of bringing him into the present, so much so that the memory of him has been regarded as dangerous for a history that is dominated by selfishness and injustice.
~ The essential writings of Gustavo Guttierez
well... as new day has come! let me tell u how it happened.
i was feel extremely crappy this morning as i rolled out of bed, showered and got ready for work. i had slept for 13 h last night.... i came home around 6:30, hoping to get lots accomplished but zonked out on my bed and ignored all attempts to wake me up for dinner. :) the deep sleep lasted til 7:30 this morn when i opened my eyes and realized i had half an hour to get ready for work if i didn't want to be late again... the morning rush and the realization that i had not gotten a single thing done last night when there were so many things hanging over my head that i wanted to accomplish put me in a grumpy mood. i grunted to my parents as i scrambled to pack my lunch and hurry out the door. anxious thoughts filled my head as i stop and went, stop and went in rush hour traffic. the usual relaxing lull of the drive made me annoyed at the commute once more. the panic and frustrations that make me want to burst into tears and had been so familiar these last few days came once more as i sat at my desk and wondered what i was doing there when a wk off work at home would be much more welcome. but i was wide awake, so i decided i might as well do some work.
the morning went by quickly and it was soon time for chapel. a lot of very successful women with a career and family, involved in amazing minstries are asked to speak in chapel a lot. they really inspire me. today was no different. this woman spoke on the paradoxes of the christian life: i am everything, but nothing. when things feels like chaos, i have been given all the resources for this moment. even though i may not understand, i shall lift my hands in gratitude for what God has placed in my life. and as i was listening to the beginning of this msg, God spoke to me and said - why are u feeling so hopeless about this? why do u want to get away? i will make u stronger for having gone thru this. 2 Cor 12:9 popped into my head: "But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me." and i thought - why had i not thought of this b4? had i been so blinded by the cloud of doubt and self pity that i hadn't seen jesus walking by my side thru all of this? yup. but God was merciful and spoke to me in spite of my doubts and anger and narrow-mindedness. and so... here i am. hopeful. again. and full of joy because i have finally gotten a drink from the Fountain. :)
Tuesday, March 11, 2003
today was a good day. :) i left work smiling, i'm going to bed smiling. i hope i wake up smiling. inside.
singing sets my heart free!!
Sunday, March 09, 2003
spinning, spinning, round i go. where i'll stop nobody knows.
i'm dizzy now... pls stop soon.
hello,
it's been awhile since i've written a real update on my life in here. i've been pretty delinquent in updating my blog this term. it has a lot to do with a change in priorities and the amount of things going on in my life. sometimes i want to tell u, but when i think of blogging about it all i don't even know where to start. i've been working 2 jobs and taking a course. though i have barely done any work for the course since before christmas. that's gotta change and i've started studying again. i have to start looking for internships for next yr so i can go overseas after i get my dietetic license. God willing, of course. but i think this is the route he wants me to go as of now. angee and i have been sorta planning for europe on and off - hoping to book a ticket soon, but all this war stuff makes it all up in the air right now.
God has been working at cpc.... i can see the Spirit moving... but there's lotsa potential for discouragement. and i definitely would be (and have been) if it weren't for the fact that i know this whole situation is impossible without God. so on God we will rely. it's him who wants this even more than we do. so what's going on? well, basically we're rebuilding community at cpc again. it's been awhile since there have been small grps or fellowships (other than the kids and highschool fellowships) here. and ppl come and go in english service without ever being a true part of the body of christ. the issues go much deeper than this, to the leadership of the church, but... all we can do right now is pray. and pray we shall.
God has seemed pretty distant lately in my personal time with him. seeing him move in the presby situation has been uplifting, but in the quiet times he hasn't been speaking to me personally. i think i know why... and i can only keep plodding on and try to be faithful. i've been lacking real fellowship in the last while. shannon and i stopped meeting to pray. i go to ccf to support them, but for a long time it hasn't been a place where i am fed. i miss true fellowship - prayer and sharing and real caring for each other. i don't do that with my close friends right now. at least not in person. we may pray for each other on our own, but we rarely pray together, if ever. and do that really deep, spiritual sharing. i really really miss that. things at home haven't been good either - tension and conflict. i miss the closeness i used to have with my mom when i first started university and used to call her a few times a wk to tell her about my exciting experiences as well as my frustrations. these days it seems like i'm always rushing in and out of the house. or if i'm at home, i'm busy doing my own things. actions are interpreted wrongly and that leads to hurt feelings, when they weren't meant to cause pain, but simply the result of thoughtlessness. emotionally i haven't been so good in the last while. i'm always tired, i can't do anything. all i want to do is sleep. i think i've been trying to escape... in many ways... but i must confront it now. i wanna be superwoman. hah. i released all that pent up stress and frustration last night. poor wongs had to endure it... hehe. but i think i should cry more often. i feel a lot better afterwards. at least temporarily.
well, this has been the most personal blog i've shared in a long time. i forget that there are ppl who read this that actually care and want to know how i am. i've come to realize and admit that i am a very private person. there are many things after all that i don't want to share. but sometimes it's good to share. otherwise, how can ppl get to know me? how can they care for me? it's comforting to know that there are ppl who watch out for me, no matter how few and far btwn. sometimes God opens little windows of hope and love to show me a glimpse of his protection and all encompassing grace. he is good. all the time.
Thursday, March 06, 2003
Hoopla
one very satisfied customer
amazing... matt is amazing!! blogger works just like brand new for me!! :) ok, correction - he's not the computer fixer, he's... "the fixer." in general. :)
happy very very very belated birthday to wayne!!! (march 1st)
ash wednesday
familiar scripture is so comforting. here's the passage we read in chapel today.
2 corinthians 4:7-9, 15-18
But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed.... So then, death is at work in us, but life is at work in you... All this is for your benefit, so that the grace that is reaching more and more people may cause thanksgiving to overflow to the glory of God. Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.
Amen.
Monday, March 03, 2003
i'm back, i'm back, i'm back!! [jumping up and down, excitedly] what a great, fun wkd!! even though i didn't get much sleep last night... but i DID get 12 h of sleep on sat night!! :)
as always, thanx to brian for keeping the masses entertained!! :) i'm trying to update my links, but.... alas, blogger says it can't find it on the server. aiya.. what does that mean??
after 2.5 yrs of service (lol), i must say that matt is the best computer fixer i know. :D
Fade To Black
Note to Lyds: When are you coming back to your blog, girl? You're behind on your links!
The Life and Crimes of Yomi
Josie
chrisng
The
Well, at least I didn't miss the other old movie that I wanted to see. I caught all but the first bit of Raiders of the Lost Ark when it was on TV on Saturday. While there are some sequels that just shouldn’t be made after too long of a hiatus (ie: T3), Indiana Jones is one they’ll have no problems w/ as Harrison Ford just does not seem to age.
