Merry Christmas
and
Happy New Year.

----Joshua~

Exams are my Life - worse than Gaytown Joe.

So...in 7 hours I will be climbing on a Greyhound for a 7 and a half hour trip back to London, Ontario. It's the 21st and I still have exams...wow...sounds like The War College, 'eh? Haha. jokes...I think.
Anyways, this past month has been hectic. Hectic like crazy. My life has been exams, exams, exams.
I just finished writing a 29 page english exam on theatre of the absurd, stream-of-consciousness literature and developing themes through the works of woolf, faulkner, eliot, beckett, parsons, and doolittle. It was hell...longest thing I've ever written - and it's an elective course at that.
But yes - you read that right: doolittle...Hilda Doolittle - what a name. I could write forever about how great her name is, but I won't.
Anyways, yeah. I just got my sociology mark back. I got a B+. I guess I can't complain. I slacked off on my essay and got got a B and rocked my exam with an A-. So, I deserve the B+ I guess.
I have one more exam in 2 hours and 20 minutes. Law. I haven't studied for this exam yet. I don't like law.
Law is a form of oppression. That's my theory and that's what I'm gonna write on the exam...or I would...if it wasn't a multiple choice exam. (My law mark sucks by the way, as of right now it's 75%...which I guess is a B- so it's not too bad...but it still is anus.)
Anyways...I guess I came to update about my life.
But exams are my life.
So you got the exam lecture.
(Oh - I'm kicking at psychology: I've got something close to a 90! But pyschology is so boring - I don't understand (sorry Kirsten) how people can enjoy studying it.)
Alright that's it for me.
-Champ Out

Going back to Gaytown

I've been in Aberdeen, WA for a few days. I'll be here until the 26th I think. I'm going to try to get a ride with Hailes across the border that day. It stinks here. I hate it soooo much. It's so small, and I've been driving everywhere (ironic huh?). I need to get out and walk. I'm just going to try and get through the books that i've been wanting to read at Starbucks and stuff I guess.

What the heck is everybody else doing for Christmas?

I think next month I'm going to move in with Joel. I have to talk to him about that :)

Not much else going on. I hope your Christmases aren't gay.

You can all pray for the job that I want in Utah (stephen emailed it to us a while ago. i applied).


Joe West

a week of lasts

This is my last week in Vancouver and I've been going through all the last day things.

On Monday I did my last War Room shift-it was alright.

Today I did my last PTB-although I haven't been able to go regularly since September.

This afternoon will be my last cell, tomorrow will be my last kneedrill and on Friday my last ReCre8.

I am not sure what to think of all this. My thoughts are everywhere and nowhere all at the same time. Its a weird spot to be in.

The Revolution Session have been great. They have been supportive and have allowed me into their space with no questions asked(usually!). I am blessed to have had the opportunity to spend these past few months with them and I look forward to seeing who ever gets to come to Bangor for the summer!

It has also been great to be with our own session mates - Olivia, Crystal(my girlies!), Kir, Juan(my luvitos!),Jenea(who just got back, so its sad that I'm leaving), Jacynth, Kath...I'm missing someone...Joe! How could I forget Joseph?! Sorry, my friend. It has been a joy to watch each of you be able to work out your giftings and have them be useful to life around you. PTL for each of you.

Good grief, I'm getting teary writing this!

Anyway, its a week of lasts. I'm happy and sad all at the same time.

What am I really trying to say in all of these words?!?! I have NO FREAKIN' CLUE!

I do know that I love you all and ask that you will continue to pray for me. This time in Bangor is going to be trying. Not the work, but personally. I will be alone and am trying not to think too much into that right now, but its in the back of my mind. It has been recommended by Joe West that I take up a hobby!!! The thought of that makes me chuckle...can you see me knitting, or scrapbooking?! LOL.

This is getting very long and random. I am procrastinating packing! It really is time to stop typing!

Blessings.

Nobody tears another down from a position of strength or judges another without being judged. Judgmental people are people in pain. If you can learn not to be defensive when someone exposes your character defects or attacks your performance, you may have an opportunity to turn the situation around and minister to that person.

----Joshua Out~

Completely Irrelevant Story

Ok... so, today I bled. Into a tube.... Yep, today was Andy's first ever Blood test.
Good experience.... I asked for it. Wanted to make sure my blood is all it cracked up to be.
I also asked, you may think I am weird, but a urine test. Yep... sure did. Now I can cross it off my "to do before dying" list. It's a take home test.... like multiple choice... how can I fail? I get multiple tries!
Anyway, so I am standing in the room and she is about to give me the cup. By now I am quite excited at the new experience and the chance to be able to fulfil my dream.
She looks at me and says,
"Now make sure it goes IN the cup. Keep it IN the cup. Dont go overboard, and dont over fill. Keep a hold of yourself tiger." I look around the room, did she seriously just try to crack a joke like that? I am the only one in the room! Crazy woman. I should probably laugh, cause no one else will. *Andy laughs politely*
"Have you ever done one of these before?"
"No"
"Its quite simple," (Is she really going to explain to me how to pee in a cup?) "Basically, the idea is to.." (ohh dear, she really is, I must look like a druggo) "you need to pee into this cup." (Another polite laugh) "You can take it home, but dont pee all over the cup," (now here comes the pity, this woman must have had some BAD experiences) "So again, make sure that its IN the cup and that you do it in the morning" (Got it, late at night and in the lou)
I think she liked me, but then again.... doesnt everyone??
I dont know the theological significance nor the profoundness (is that a word? Someone email me and let me know) of my story... but its shows these few things.
One - Andy has never had a blood test before today
Two - Andy is making up words to cover is lack of Vocabulary
Three - Andy is the same ol' Andy he has always been
Four - Andy needs to learn how to write
Five - The destruction of endangered species is not what God wants.
Peace and Joy to you all
Andy

Deep and Wide

God gave me a lesson in churchplanting...

Church-planting/Church life will bring seasons of going deep and seasons of going wide.

Going deep looks like consolidating with the people you have and pouring into them and building strength into the relationships. These times nurture, build, deepen and refresh, for everyone involved.

Going wide means reaching out, perhaps stepping out of a familiar comfort zone, and going out looking for souls to graft into the body. This exercises faith and puts into action, the truths that we digest in the 'deep' time.

Dangers that God warned me of are...

... that we position ourselves in the 'going deep' position, e.g. hanging out with the people who are grafted in, but simply becoming so comfortable with this, that we don't go deep. It's a four-walls symdrome without intentionality. Ultimately, our locality has little relevance because we have cultivated a community within a community; incestuous and useless.

... that we go wide, but our foundations are shaky. We become vulnerable to attack; confusion, frustration, discouragement, and ultimately we experience disunity. Warriors are weaponless to a spiritual attack. We experience the soil described as thorny ground with the people we minister to.

This gave me insight and awareness of how God works in season. It has helped me to approach each time with intention and purpose. Open to further revelation, challenges, etc...

Good times

Dan

Happy Birthday to Andrea Castle.

Remember when it snowed on your birthday last year.
Its snowing agian.

We love you.