mixed feelings

Here I am, spending my last night at home for the next couple of months *sigh. Even though I am super stoked to come back to Redeemer and see everyone again, I do leave with mixed feelings.
You see, being back at home and living with my family has been incredible. I love it here. I’ve always heard that home is where the heart is and now I know it. My heart is here; this is where the people who love me and know me the most are.
Being away at school and then coming back has made me realise how important my family really is to me. My mom has become my number one confidant; I know that I can tell her anything and she definitely gives the best advice around. I have come to fully realise and appreciate how much my dad loves and cares about me… I love the feeling of not having to worry cause I know he will always take care of his little girl. Throughout this summer I have grown closer with my siblings. Though this might sound kinda lame, I just enjoyed hanging out with them this summer, talking, playing catch, cards, watching movies etc. It has been fun.
Coming back home has definitely grounded me and made me realise what is truly important to me in this stage of my life. So, I come back to Redeemer with a sad, happy face. I know I’m going to love my time back in Ancaster, I just wish that I didn’t have to leave so much behind.
I guess when it’s hard to let go you know it has been good. I’m thankful that I have a family and a home that is hard to leave…
God is good all the time, and all the time God is good – wherever we are, whomever we are with.

i made the paper!

Yes... my picture made it in the sport section of the Winchester Press. I think I'm famous; I will be available to give interviews and sign autographs when I come back to Redeemer on Thursday.
































You can check out the story through the link on the side that says "Winchester Press."

putting baseball on a pedestal

A common theme that I often experience in my home country of Canada and in my circle of friends is the lack of respect and appreciation for the sport of baseball. All my life I have been ridiculed for my sport of choice with phrases such as, “Baseball isn’t even a sport.” Or “Anyone could play baseball, all you have to do is hit a ball and run the bases.”
Wrong, wrong, wrong.
I have been playing baseball since I can remember; starting off in the back yard with my dad and brother with our big red plastic bat, tball, junior ball, and eventually to Winchester’s Big League Girls Fastball team.
Baseball is in no way a simple game, a pansy sport, or boring. I have the “battle scars” and the injuries to prove it. Nothing gives me the adrenaline rush like an intense game of baseball, nor do I enjoy nothing as much as watching than a Blue Jays game.
Although I cannot make you like baseball, I am going to try to explain to you why I love baseball and what makes it such a great sport.

- the fact that you have to think about every play before it happens, the strategy involved with baseball in amazing
- “turning two” (making a double play)
- catching a line drive
- tracking down a ball in the field, making the occasional diving catch
- making the sweeping tag to get a runner who is attempting to steal a bag out
- gunning out a person at first base
- the intensity of having two out bases loaded, tie game
- three up, three down
- hearing the crack of the bat
- having a full count
- out running the throw to first
- stealing bases
- feeling of a grand slam
- sliding home
- having no time limit
- your beautiful worn in glove that you wouldn’t trade for anything

Did anyone else notice that for the August Time Out, under the Blue Jays vs Boston game description, it says, “Come out and see baseball players in red socks.” I can’t believe it! It should be more along the lines of, “Come out and see the Blue Jays rock those red socks off of Boston!”

I would also like to give a shout out to my sister Erika, who drove in the winning run in our final game for our baseball finals. We won the series 3-2. I wasn’t able to be there for the last game because I was at camp, but my sister did me proud! :)

I leave you with this: appreciate baseball, respect baseball, and support the Jays. It will be worth it. Trust me.

"thank-you-ma'am"

Everyday I get a word of the day sent to me in my email from Merriam Webster. Today I got this one and I thought it was really interesting, so I am sharing the wealth of knowledge.
Now it is your responsibilty to taked it and to use this word in your everyday life. I would be impressed.

thank-you-ma'am \THANK-yoo-mam\

noun : a bump or depression in a road; especially : a ridge or hollow made across a road on a hillside to cause water to run off

Example sentence: "That night on the way home, thinking of his pleasant visit, he was suddenly shaken out of his tranquility ... when his touring car hit a 'thank-you-ma'am' in the unpaved road." (Hugh Manchester, Centre Daily Times [State College, PA], August 22, 2000)

Did you know? "Thank-you-ma'am" might seem like an odd name for a bump in the road, but the expression makes a little more sense if you imagine the motion your head would make as you drove over such an obstacle. Most likely, the jarring would make you nod involuntarily. Now think of the nodding gesture you make when you're thanking someone or acknowledging a favor. The "thank-you-ma'am" road bump is believed to have received its name when someone noted the similarity of those two head bobbing motions. It's a colloquialism particular to American English, and its earliest printed use is found in Henry Wadsworth Longfellow's 1849 prose piece, Kavanagh: "We went like the wind over the hollows in the snow; — the driver called them 'thank-you-ma'ams,' because they make every body bow."

kingdom bound 2006

A week ago, my family and I embarked on our first family vacation in 5 years. Having a farm makes it difficult to get away. Our destination: Kingdom Bound 2006. Here are my highlights.

- Having a 5 hour trip become 8 hours due to the border, travelling in a non-airconditioned van with six people.
- Going back 10 years and playing the game MASH with my sister and her best friend. I ended up marrying Owen Wilson, but only making 14,000 a year.
- Hearing Mercy Me sing "I Can Only Imagine" live. Wow, definately brought tears to my eyes.
- Randomly seeing Steve Pyker in the Great Big Wheel line and hanging out with him and his friends for the day.
- Almost having the chance to over come my fear of rollercoasters, but then just when I was about to go on it broke down. Very comforting.
- Coming to the Thousand Foot Krutch concert with an open mind and leaving with a closed one. Screaming music and I do not get along.
- Seeing Ryan Geleynse reading his U2 book on the grass and therefore meeting Jesse Dostal too! I was pretty stoked and we ended up spending the rest of KB together.
- Having the priviledge of hearing Casting Crowns live!! I got to hear the "God doesn't need you, He wants you" speech live.
- Playing miniput with Ryan and Jesse, I got the award for most improved, Ryan for biggest choke, and Jesse for champ.
- Spending countless times and money at the batting cages
- Ryan's endless attempts of convincing me to go on the biggest steel roller coaster made, with a straight drop of 200 feet, and me finally agreeing. IT WAS AWESOME. So props go out to Ryan for being able to get me on it and face my fear of plunging to an early death. We went on it again and ended up waiting 2 hours just so that we could get the very front of the rollercoaster. It was worth the wait.
- Hearing Third Day in concert, the lead singer has the most awesome voice I have ever heard.
- Jesse convincing Ryan and I to go on a water ride at 8 o'clock at night. We went on it and got soaked. We didn't dry all night. Though it was stupid, it gave us a really good laugh at ourselves.
- The guys trying to convince me that this one water ride wasn't going to get me wet... they were wrong, I was right.
- Ryan and Jesse's terrifying dance parties at 180 feet in the air on the Fairis Wheel, while I was freaking out praying for our safety.
- Busting out the dance moves with Ryan and Jesse to Newsboys - they sang the Breakfast song and Take Me To Your Leader. whoohoo!

It was such an AMAZING time.

you give me joy that's unspeakable

I would just like to take a moment to thank God for the gift of loving life, the ability to find joy in life. I thank Him that even though there are always going to be seasons of sorrow, the joy that found in the daily walk with Him far outweighs them all.
These past couple of weeks God has been reminding me of His love and the happiness of dwelling in it.
He gives me joy that's unspeakable through the small blessings - and I like it.

Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy - 1 Peter 1:8

apparently diamonds are no longer a girl's best friend

The other day, while happily cutting hay and listening to my favourite country radio station, I heard something interesting - to say the least...
Recently there was a study done by Oxygen Network, which asked 1400 women whether they would prefer a new plasma television or a diamond necklace. Get this, the study found 77 percent of women surveyed chose the plasma television - more than 3 out of every 4 women!

My reaction, "Gasp! tisk, tisk, tisk."
What's yours?


Priceless Diamond Necklace







OR

New Plasma TV

my poor healthy heart.

Today was probably the grossest day ever. Has anyone else noticed that it feels like 50 degrees outside? Well, like everyone else I'm detesting this muggy, swampy, sticky, sauna weather. Although, unlike most of you I have a bone to pick with air conditioners.
So, today I was working in the soy bean plant office where they had the air conditioner cranked and I was freezing cold; I had goosbumps all over my arms and was constantly shivering. And then BAM! I stepped outside and I seriously had a heart murmer. My body had to go from trying to produce enough heat to keep my oragans pumping to extreme overload of heat. And then I realised I left my truck keys in the office so I had to go back into the freezer. BAM! - once again. Needless to say, those temperature changes made me feel ill for the rest of the day. BLAHG.
This is my opinion: I think air conditioners are ridiculous. They just make the heat seem even more unbearable, plus I can't imagine them being good for you. I heard stories from the girls on my baseball team of how they had to wear sweaters to work today - that is the true defination of ridiculous. I much rather a power fan, driving with the windows down, drinking lots of lemonade, or better yet, going for a swim after a hot day (if your like me and don't have a pool, the garden hose is a very good option). It's summer and its going to be hot, so if you can't stand the heat get out of the kitchen!
(ps. Im still hoping that this heat doesn't "stick" around for long, Im human)

Ill make an exception for the elderly who require air conditioning to stay healthy, oh and those who have asthma, and i guess for those who work in green houses *cough liz*

mr. darcy

All I have to say is that Pride and Prejudice is my favourite love story of all time! I watched the movie again... *sigh Mr. Darcy.With lines like these, any guy could melt any girls heart.
The first try:
Miss Elizabeth. I have struggled in vain and can bear it no longer. These past months have been a torment. I came to Rosings only to see you. I have fought against my better judgement, my family's expectation, the inferiority of your birth, my rank. I will put them aside and ask you to end my agony. I love you. Most ardently. Please do me the honour of accepting my hand.

The second try: (this one is the winner!)
Surely you must know it was all for you. You are too generous to trifle with me. If your feelings are still what they were last April, tell me so at once. My affections and wishes have not changed. But one word from you will silence me for ever. lf, however, your feelings have changed... ...I would have to tell you, you have bewitched me, body and soul, and I love... I love... I love you. I never wish to be parted from you from this day on.

So, if you have never seen the movie Pride and Prejudice (the 1995 version) I highly recommend that you do. Better yet, read the book!

one red paperclip

Has anyone ever told you that blogging is useless and a waste of time? Well, they are wrong and I have evidence to prove it. One red paperclip.
I was reading the paper the other day when I came across this story.

A 26-year-old Montreal man appears to have succeeded in his quest to barter a single, red paper-clip all the way up to a house.
It took almost a year and 14 trades, but Kyle MacDonald has been offered a two-storey farmhouse in Kipling, Sask.
MacDonald began his quest last summer when he decided he wanted to live in a house. He didn't have a job, so instead of posting a resumé, he looked at a red paper-clip on his desk and decided to trade it on an BLOG.
He got a response almost immediately — from a pair of young women in Vancouver who offered to trade him a pen that looks like a fish. With every trade he looked for something bigger and better than the previous trade. He eventually scored a house! You can check out his blog at http://oneredpaperclip.blogspot.com

I thought this was a pretty neat idea. Hmmm.... I want to own a cottage one day and I am looking at a half eaten chocolate chip cookie on my desk. Anyone interested? Hey, why not, if it worked for him it can work for me.

falling through darkness

I don't ussually write poetry and I don't even know if you would even classify it as poetry.
I wrote this when I was writing a story for one of my high school classes over a year ago.

A glass bottle holds the emotions you are unable to see,
Transparent to my soul,
Yet invisible to the naked eye.
The fragile container hides within me,
Filled to capacity,
Unable to retain the heaviest of weights.
They are protected here,
Unable to burden the ones I love,
All the while destroying my heart.

This secret bottle is lacking room for this one last concern,
It slowly cracks,
Destined to burst,
Shattering within and tearing down the capacity to contain.
Ripping relationships with sharp edges,
Cutting so that it painfully bleeds.
My true emotions are finally able to show,
Devastating everything in its path.
Here I am falling through darkness
With nothing to break my fall,
Except for the shreds of glass remaining.

A bottle holding the hidden pain no longer exists,
My falling has ceased to continue since landing.
Healing has started to begin,
The scars will remain,
Although no longer hurting.
They remain to remind me of what pictures cannot.
I have lost,
I have failed;
No longer into the darkness will I fall.

it gives me the shivers...

I first heard this song in April when my older brother Mike took me to see Delirious? live in concert. It is called Miracle Maker and there is only one word to describe it: powerful

Just close your eyes and let this song sink in...

You can listen to it here: http://www.rhapsody.com/delirious/themissionbell

katrina's kurrent krunch

So... I never usually do this, but I am going to give you all a nice little update on my life - cause I'm pretty sure you are all dying to know what I have been up to these past summer months. It has been good and the months are flying by. I have many different experiences and have learnt much through them.
Without further ado, here is an outline of what my life has entailed over the past couple of months:

- I have almost spent more time on a tractor than in a car this summer. It hasn't been so bad, I now have every country song on the radio memorized, I can back up wagons, I am and expert with the clutch, and harvesting and baling is pretty fun... except for the kink that you get in your neck from having to watch behind as you drive.
- I hate painting. It was ok at first but now that I am currently in the process of painting the fence that outlines our barnyard... death! I have worked on it for three days and I maybe have 1/6 of it done.
- I am bringing back the walkman - oh yes. Because of this painting I have to do I decided I need tunes to listen to. So I dusted off my walkman and I definately feel like the coolest kat.
- I will always get a sunburn... you would think that since I am constantly outside I would develop a nice tan to protect me from the sun. nope. during these summer months I have a perma red nose.
- I can't build muscle. You may say that this impossible, but Im pretty sure even though I have unloaded approximately 4000 hay bales and I am doing laboursome farm work, my arms are still the width of sticks.
- I soon learnt to stop caring about my appearence, because if I didn't I would give myself an early death. Yes, you will always smell like cow, hay, or dirt, your clothing consists of your dad's old tshirts from college, grubby shorts, and workboots, and you don't have to worry about doing your hair cause you just wear a cap anyways.
- As much as my dad has this philosophy of facing your fears and is putting me to the test, I will always be scared of heights. No, I refuse to climb the silo, hang the flag on the pole being ten feet in the air, drive the tractor over the overpass, and paint the roof.
- I am addicted to Word Jumble. See, I took this little daily puzzler up because everyone else I knew was getting addicted to Sudoku and I can't jump on that bandwagon because I definately do not have the patience and numbers just tend to frustrate me.
- Unloading hay bales is a great way to find out that you are not in shape an even better way to get back into shape. Side effects: sore muscles, sun headaches, ichy scratches on your arms, inhaling of millions of dust particles, and blisters on your hands.
- I love babysitting. During university I missed being around kids and now I can spend a whole day with them. Im enjoying having a little baby to hold and little girls to play princess and do crafts with. Also my new found cooking skills come in handy; I no longer I have to cook KD for breakfast, lunch, and supper.
- I am right back at my job at my mechanic shop and becoming a grease monkey. I actually really enjoy it. The guys I work with are great and I can get back into my routine of listening to Dr. Dobsin at 6pm - what a great man.
- Did you know that soybean oil is the next big thing? You better believe it and Im right in the middle of it - literally. I am working some afternoons at my dad's soybean plant coming home smelling enough like a bean that the cows want to eat me for supper.
- New favourite show is "So You Think You Can Dance." I love watching them dance and it inspires me to one day learn how... too bad I don't have a sense of rythm. Anyone know where I can pick one of those up?
- Knees are very useful. I discovered this as I twisted my knee over a week ago sliding into second base. You don't know how much you use your knees during the day until every time you do use it there is a shooting pain sent to your brain.
- I could never get sick of baseball. Good thing too, because I sometimes play four times a week. I am in my town league, a church league, and on most weekends I am in some kind of ball tournament. I love it.

There you have it, it turned out a little longer than I expected. What can I say, when I talk about myself I can't help but get carried away. ;) Hopefully you weren't bored to tears, cause then my life would be pretty pitiful eh? So, I am doing just fine and before you know it, I'll be back in good old Ancaster and you might just get sick of me... (impossible)

May God continue to bless you all in whatever you are doing and wherever you are.

in all deep places

This summer I have been catching up with reading for relaxation - I'm loving it. I just finished this book call "In All Deep Places" by Susan Meissner. It was definately a book that pulled my heart strings and I strongly recommend it. (In a way it reminded me of my favourite book, "Who Has Seen the Wind" by WO Mitchell.)
I found the following excerpt especially touching. Have you ever wondered why there are some people who constantly get the short stick in life? I know it has been something that I have always questioned and struggled with. This passage from the book shows Luke (the little boy in the story) dealing with this topic. I found it very enlightening as I have never seen it from this angle before.

“So why doesn’t God ease up on her, then?” Luke said. “He hasn’t let even half as much bad stuff happen to us as He has to Nell. Or Norah.”
“Well I don’t know all that God knows about individual people, Luke. I believe He works in each life in whatever way that will draw that person to Him.”
“Yeah, but Dad – this will just drive them all away from Him!”
Jack nodded. “Tough times will bring that out in people, Luke. It’s the worst of times that a person will either run to God or turn his back on Him. I think it’s always been that way.”
Luke was silent for a moment.
“Don’t you ever wonder why, Dad?” Don’t you ever wonder why it’s that way? Why he made us like that? I mean, why are we even here if life is going to be so hard that it turns some people away from God?”
“I’ve wondered those things too, Luke,” Jack said. “Sometimes I still do. I’m not sure why God has made us the way He did. I know we were made in His image, so there’s something about is that is uniquely like Him, but there’s probably much more to it than that. As to why we’re here, well I think maybe we’re here to learn to love Him. To learn to love God and want to be with Him. I think we’re here to cultivate our longing for heaven.”
Luke sighed. “Heaven,” he said. “Seems like a long, long way off, Dad.”
Jack nodded. “It does. But I think God gives us glimpses of heaven from time to time to help us nurture the desire to want to be there at the end of our lives.”
“What do you mean?” Luke asked, feeling at that moment that he greatly needed a glimpse of heaven.
“Well, I see glimpses every spring when the earth renews itself. And sometimes I see glimpses in a worship service when I’m singing about Jesus and all of the sudden I feel like I’m right there in His arms. And sometimes I see glimpses at dawn after a snowfall, before the ploughs come through, before the sunlight touches the new snow and only the dying moonlight is falling on it. I see it all the time.”
Luke leaned back against the wall of the tree house, considering his father’s words. He could understand that God would purposely place humans on a planet with limitations, that He would give those same humans the ability to make choices, and that He would also instil in every person a tiny longing for heaven, a longing designed to blossom. He even began to feel that tiny longing stir within his own heart and soul. It all made sense except for one thing. It did not explain why God had allowed such an abundance of tragedy into Norah’s life. She never saw glimpses of heaven. Never. How could she? He wouldn’t be surprised if all she saw were glimpses of hell.
“But Dad,” he said. “What about Norah? When does she ever get to see a glimpse of heaven? Dad, their life is a nightmare.”
Jack leaned forward and placed his hands on Luke’s shoulders.“Luke, listen to me. Every time you’ve showed kindness to Norah, they’ve seen the love of God in you. I know their lives are harder than yours, but Luke, God hasn’t forgotten about them. They have seen a glimpse of heaven every time you cared for them.”

you're everything to me

I grew up in sunday school
I memorized the Golden rule
And how Jesus came to set the sinner free
I know the story inside out
I can tell you all about
The path that led Him up to Calvary
But ask me why He loves me
And I don't know what to say
But I'll never be the same
Because He changed my life when He became...

Everything to me
He's more than a story
More than words on a page of history
He's the air that I breath
The water I thirst for
And the ground beneath my feet
He's everything, everything to me

We're living in uncertain times
And more and more I find that I'm aware
Of just how fragile life can be
I want to tell the world I found
A love that turned my life around
They need to know that they can taste and see
Now everyday I'm praying
Just to give my heart away
I want live for Jesus
So that someone else might see that he is...

Everything to me.

You're everything to me
You're more than a story
More than words on a page of history
You're everything to me
You're more than a story
More than words on a page of history
You're the air that I breath
The water I thirst for
And the ground beneath my feet
Lord, you're everything to me

-- Avalon.

summertime

Today is the official start of summer, so here's why I love summer:

driving (fast) with the windows down
being barefoot
camping
being at the ballpark
Sundays
gardening
the many bonfires which equals s'mores (mmmmm)
bbq's
lemonade
picking wildflowers
star gazing
sleeping in a hammock (well if we had one, i almost got one for my dad for father's day, but i would have bought it for selfish reasons)
reading on the beach
pool parties
smell of freshly cut grass
fireflies and crickets

my dad

In my life my dad has been my main infulence. He has been one of my greatest supports and has encouraged me to chase after my dreams - however unrealistic they are - and has always been there standing at the end no matter what the result. Throughout my life I have strove to make my dad proud and it has been worth every effort; it has made me into the person I am today. Though we don't say the words often enough, I love my him with all my heart and I am proud to call him my dad.

My dad has taught me the importance of:

• a strong faith
• dedication
• ambition
• hard work
• stubborness
• strength in character
• a passion for life
• determination
• never settling
• accomplishment
• risk
• having fun
• believing in yourself
• opinions
• trying new things
• never giving up
• intelligence
• learning
  

what is that scent?

Correct me if im wrong... but i smell a comeback. It smells like oil mixed with BO

Is the cup going to return to Canada where it belongs? According to me, yes. Oilers are a Cinderella team, and Cinderella hasn't disappointed me yet.

Scamp

Today my childhood friend and companion, Scamp, died of old age. I still remember the first day we got him...
Our previous dog had gotten killed on the road a month before, so my dad went searching for a new dog to call our own. I remember coming home from school and my mom telling my older brother Mike and I that my dad had a surprise waiting for us in the barn. Both of us raced to the barn where my dad and my little sister Erika were waiting with the biggest dog I had ever seen in my life. Seriously, he was the biggest dog in the county of North Dundas and was well known to all the milk truck drivers, vets, milk testers, and breeders who would come to our farm. My dad wanted to name our new dog King, but all of us refused and my dad gave into the name Scamp. At first he had to stay in the barn so that he would get used to the surroundings and not try to run back to his old home. So this meant that it was our job to walk him... though because of his size it took all three of us to hold onto the rope and yet he was still the one that ended up walking us, instead of the other way around.
The moment I laid my eyes on Scamp he won a place in my heart. Throughout my childhood he was my faithful friend: If I had a bad day at school he would be there with me when I would hide behind the machine shed and lick my tears, when we played house he was always willing to be the horse and let us ride on his back, when my brother would chase me he would take ahold of my sleeve and pull me faster than I could run (sometimes I would end up being dragged, but he meant well), when a groundhog was making holes in our fields he would kill them, and when my kittens would die I was comforted by thought that Scamp would not.
I am going to miss my Scampy, but I am thankful for the role that he played in my life. He was a dog full of loyalty and love. We were blessed to have a dog like him.
"Blessed is the person who has earned the love of an old dog."--Sydney Jeanne Seward