Why Not Try Blogging

Well, here I am world, on the internet for all to see and critique. It feels oh so exposing and I don't know if pieces of my fragile ego are going to quite be able to wrap their little arms around this whole idea just yet, but as is the saying where I am from "Go big or go home" and since going home isn't going to be an option for a while, that leaves me with very little recourse...

I have been in Canada for a week now and things here are quite different from the states. Best Buy is called Future Shop. Walmart's rival one-stop shop is not Target, it's Canadian Tire. Burger King has a walk up window and no drive thru, however I am told they are going to fix that. Starbucks has a presence, but as far as coffee shops go Tim Horton's is a superior product and has vastly more locations. Football fields are quite a bit bigger and for some reason in Thunder Bay, Ontario, Canada we get Peachtree TV a station from Atlanta, GA. Needless to say there are many things that to me are very different about this place, not the least of which is getting used to the metric system. When someone says it's 36 degrees outside that means put on your shorts not grab a jacket.

I am learning to love things here and am thankful for the support that I have from home. I am living with the pastor, a man named Doug Doyle, and his family. Today, I found myself helping in the garden pulling weeds. Doug had asked myself and Paul, an Irishman who also works at the church and lives in Doug's basement, to help with the yard work. It took me back to days when I was younger and gave me time to reminisce and think about things. As I tried to decipher what should and shouldn't be pulled from the garden. I could almost hear the conversation that would have erupted between my brothers and I

Me: "Dude I don't know where the weeds start and the 'plants' start"
Matt: "What some people consider a weed could be highly sought after and paid for else where based on what is indigenous to the area"
Thomas: "That's retarded, weeds are weeds."
Matt: "No, dude they aren't, there are different types of ..."
Thomas: "Just because you used the word indigenous doesn't make you right"
Me: "I'm just gonna pull all this stuff because it looks like a tiny version of every plant I have seen in a horror movie"
Dad: about 5 minutes later "Awwww man who pulled up my Japanese Whatchamacallit?"
Matt and Thomas: in perfect unison "Lucas"
Matt: "In Japan that is probably a weed"
Thomas: "I bet you would be the best weed puller ever in Japan, Lucas"
Me: "I bet it's not even indigenous to Japan"

I couldn't help but smile as this ridiculous and highly probable scenario played in my head. I wondered too why I jumped so quickly to weed the garden of a man I had known for less than 24 hours. It made me think of the many times I could have done the same when asked back home, but instead found an excuse to go somewhere or play some game or just be outright lazy and disobedient. Maybe it is part of the maturing process, but I couldn't help but wonder how many times I had dropped the ball on a 20 minute job that could have brought joy instead of frustration to a relationship. It is amazing how your perspectives change the way you think about your past.

It's late here and I have to be up in a few hours for my second Sunday service at Redwood Park Church. I know that God has some amazing things planned for me this year in Canada and I can't wait to see what they are. Pray that I stay diligent to the cause here, disciplined in my school work as I am taking some correspondence courses, and true to what I am called to do. Please also be praying for a friend of mine named Sarah who is about to make a journey of her own to a foreign country. She is going to pursue her masters degree. Moving away to chase your passion is exciting and exhilarating, but scary. She is going to do wonderfully. Pray that her transition is smooth and that God open the doors for her that He would have her walk through.

Know that you are all loved and missed, please feel free to drop me a line by email or facebook, your words of encouragement are greatly appreciated and always needed.

Pookie