Canada Log 4

Well here is the next installment.

Now last time I blogged I hadn't been camping in a long time - that is no longer the case - I also had never been snowboarding - that is no longer true - and last time both my knees were in good condition - this also is no longer true.

Wednesday 31st of January

That night we had small groups again - and yes like my former small group buddies it is on a Wednesday just like it was for us. This fact I was quite impressed with. Their small groups naturally run differently to ours. Such as they do not do a Bible study, but there is always an element of teaching or encouragement involved in it such as the previous week where Dan D gave his testimony which was really cool. I thouroughly enjoyed it. This week though it was a competition between England and the Colonies (ie Australia and Canada, the majority of which were Canadians seeing as there is only one Australian amoungst the group. Which often means I have to extend a lot of grace and understanding to my English friends when they pay out Australia, and myself for being Australian, for while they honestly believe England is the best in the world we all know otherwise). So we had the school gym booked and played a game of basketball and soccer (the guys would stone me for calling it that) where England thrashed us at soccer; 7-1, and then lost horrendously to Canada in the basketball - no one kept score on that one, but it was a hiding. Then it was a game of floor hockey. The teams mixed up for that one.
Twas a fun night.

At this point in the journey of Soul Edge I have been reading a book called Wild at Heart by John Eldridge, which has taught me so much about masculinity and who men are called to be. And for just a taste of this amazing book, there is a powerful and life changing message in it that men are not called to be "nice christian guys". Yes there is nothing wrong with it, but that is not our ultimate calling. The humble servant that Jesus was, was also the man that went into the temple and turned over tables saying "You brood of vipers!!". Jesus was a powerful man, but also sensitive to every situation and knew what was required of Him in every circumstance. This is also what every man is called to be. We are to draw our strength from God, and are to step out and be powerful men that do not conform to the world's idea of a man, but embrace what God has intended us to be. And in that we find our identity. This has been my challenge.

Thursday the 1st of February
(For Luke a sleep in - but for everyone else...) An early start!!!

It was up at 6am for our trip to Elkwater for snowboarding - Hoorah!
It wasn't hoorah for very long though for after the long 6 hour journey we discovered that they were closed due to extreme cold. It was -35 degrees and -30 is their cut off point. So we drove a bit past and found a nice place to do a hike and start a fire. Paul at this point decided that for a laugh he would run 100 metres in shorts and shirt in -35 degree weather, while it was snowing. I don't know about you but "for a laugh" would never be enough motivation for me to do such a thing. Well.... maybe... So we had the hike in the cold, and in the snow, and in the wind, and we built a fire and it was good fun. The thing that made it worthwhile - apart from the cold - was the amount of snow that the area had recieved recently. So when we got there, we were walking through massive snow drifts at least knee deep. The beauty of all the pine trees was also wonderful due to the snow that had collected on all of them.

When we were done there it was back into the van and onwards to a bit of on-the-spot evangalism. But before we got to our destihanation we found some hay bales that were surrounded by big drifts of snow. So with a van full of young guys, with time to kill and always looking for adventure what did we decide to do? You guessed it- jump from the hay bales into the drifts of snow. After what transpired next ended up spending most of the day in the hospital. The other Tim went second, after Joel jumped first into a spot next to where Tim jumped, and he hit a big block of ice, slipped, landed on his butt and crushed a vertebrae in his lower back. For the next six hours we were in the hospital waiting and receiving an X-ray and Cat-scan for Tim to see the damage, if there was any at all. There was. What did the Doc tell us? Three weeks of recovery while the pain subsides, and continued rest. If it hurts - don't do it. He subscribed Tim some pain killers and sent us on our way. So while Tim is injured he will be ok, and in the mean time he is still with us here in Canada and his travel insurance will cover the hospital bill.

What the Doc was most concerned about was whether when the vertebrae was crushed pieces of the bone when braking moved into his spinal column and caused further damage. This was not the case - Praise God!

When that was all done we headed onto our hosts that were giving us a place to stay the night. They were Ric and Cindy, and were a wonderful Christian couple that had a wonderful dinner and breakfast planned for us. This is also the place where Josh and Joel's younger sister was staying while she is a University. Her name is Hannah and all the guys warmed to her. She wasn;t really all the impressed when the guys jsut before they headed to bed started walking around in their underwear, the worst case being when one of the guys towelled it across an archway between the shower and his room. Sorry Hannah.

Friday the 2nd of February

So this morning we wake up and are welcomed by Ric and Cindy and Hannah with a wonderful breakfast, including my sorely missed friend pineapple.

Oh and I forgot to mention that we were staying in Lethbridge in Alberta.

Today was a special day for we had to make a decision on what we wanted to do for the following days. Stay here for another night and go snowboarding tomorrow, or meet our missionary friend and then head on home. Before we reached a decision we had a time of sharing and confession where any false faces that were in place came crashing down and a much greater sense of unity and deeper friendship arose amoungst the group. We decided to go snowboarding.

Then it was off to lunch and to meet Daniel our missionary friend in Kenya. Daniel is married to Marlies and they have a 9 month old baby boy. Daniel was the only one we met for he is doing some travelling around at the moment to do with speeches at conferences, and meeting up with friends to talk business about how people can help and problems and all sorts of other stuff. Canada was one stop over, so Josh and Joel snached up the oppurtunity to meet with Daniel. So there we are sitting in a place - I have no idea where - in a board room sitting there listening enraptured by the amazing stories that he had concerning his work and the amazing things he has seen God do. Oh and if you are wondering why these people see God move and perform amazing miracles and why we in Sydney do not it is due to the simple fact that they need God much more then we do. God is their source of everything. Finances, food, and their protector. They have completely surrendered themselves to God and His will for their lives and they know without God they will not live much longer. This is a place that I wish to find. A place where I am completely surrendered to God, and depend on Him for everything. Whether that be going to Uni, or working in the mission field (I am not hinting at anything, it is merely an expression) I want to see God speaking to me daily, and guiding me in everything. Just as Brother Andrew saw 'his job in the chocolate factory as his first mission field, I wish to take that same attitude towards anywhere I am.

Daniel told us about the construction project of another orphanage in his area that we will be building, as well as the church planting he has been doing, that we will also be involved in.

Then we headed off to a chinese restaurant for lunch with some beautiful food, and then dropped Daniel home and headed back to Ric and Cindy's for chill out and eventually dinner, and sat back and watched Star Wars number III. Truly and great film.

Saturday the 3rd of February

Snowboarding!!! Finally!!!

Well this is kind of a climax but there really isn't much to say.

We got up early, packed up, had breakfast, loaded the van, and headed out. Got to Cyprus Hills and went snowboarding. A lot of fun, pretty hard, but you start to get the hang of it at the end of the day, and fall on your butt a lot, and I had a couple of good spills where I caught my front edge where that sent me tumbling end over end, but no serious stacks. Pretty sore at the end of the day and then we started the long drive home. Cypruss Hills is really pretty though, and it was really good to have some fresh powder, which was really kind to me throughout the day whenever I fell, and is always the best stuff to be boarding on.

We got home and were very happy to be sleeping in our own beds, but it was only for one night before we headed out into Alberta again, except this time out to Kananaskas Country, and this time it was camping.

Sunday the 4th of February

Well it wasn't an early start today for we went to church because once again worship was great and Richard Myers gave a talk on love. But dont worry it wasn't cliche, it was wonderfully challenging and fresh.

Then eventually onto K Country. But before that it was onto a friends place (not one of mine at this point in time). This friend was Mike, he is a pastor at a church in Calgary and came to this camping trip to do a couple talks. We went to his house to have dinner and the family had prepared a wnderful lasagne and despite their very busy day they made time to have dinner with us. It's a lesson that I am taking note of. If you want to humble someone, don't elevate yourself and show that what they do is not that amazing by saying you do more or better, but humble yourself and serve that person with your time, and/or show great generosity in anyway possible in an attitude of service and love. With all the generosity and grace shown to me of late I am ever taken down notches in my sometimes arrogant opinion of myself and I am ever humbled. It's the same as Jesus washing the disciples feet. Peter did not wish to be shown generosity and grace in his arrogance and inability to receive gifts, but he was soon humbled something amazing by his Lord and Saviour's amazing grace and generosity.

So then it was onto K country and the lodge that we would be staying in. For those that have been to my house and can remember the cabin was the size of half our lounge room and all 9 guys were sleeping in it. It was a nice adventure to trying to get the van up a hill that had fresh snow on it for the van never had a hope getting up there on its own. So bakc the van goes to get a run up, Joel floors it gets near the top slows down with wheels spinning and 4 guys run up behind it and push it over the crest.

Then it was sleepy time and we wake up the next morning.

Monday the 5th of February

Well it was up at 8:30 and we had a session with Mike where he talked about rushing ahead of God and and what we called "making Ishmaels" such as Abram did with Sarai's servant girl Hagar after God promised a child through Sarai even in her old age. And making sure that we did what David did when he didn't murder Saul, and we wait for His timing in all curcumstances.

It was on this day that we went rock climbing. I as the other guys did to a lesser extent was dress lightly as it was a wonderful day in K Country with very warm weather of 15 degrees at the max. Of course what happens is when we get there it is a huge freezing cold wind that froze everyone. It was a pretty good rock that we climbed and really pretty view. But before we got to the rock it was a steep walk up a hill.

Once again its back to the lodge and that afternoon we had a really good worship session where a lot of the guys including myself were prayed upon and were given real words of encouragement through Joshand Joel from God, that have really inspired and encouraged the group about the plans that God has to empower and equip us.

Than sleep and wake up.

Tuesday the 6th of February

What do we wake up to this morning? Dan D literally banging on pots and pans - well maybe not literally; it was a wooden spoon and a lid off a pot, but aside from that - it was a wake up that really does not inspire you to get out of bed. Then he reminds the group of the bacan and egg breakfast that was very close to ready. That got me out of bed pretty quickly, especially since canadian bacan is amazing and Josh and Joel are amazing cooks.

Then a session with Mike again. This time he talked about Jesus' temptation and ensuring that we were always walking in step with the Spirit, and in our excitement of doing work for God's kingdom we don't rush ahead in the flesh. That was the main part where he was continuing the them from the other session, but there was also other stuff natuarally and arose a great discussion about Satan and his methods to trick, deceive and lie to us.

The activity was to be a hike and camp b'ut the conditions were such that we were deterred from doing so. Instead the fort that Paul, JJ and Tim (not me) had started was now completed by the entire group. An amazing piece of work by the boys really. I had a great time contributing to the construction. I was weilding an axe like a mad man creating plenty of fire wood and by the end of the day had felled a couple of trees (dead ones) and had increased my masculinity rating by a couple of points......

It was this that the group worked on for the day and such was the room and quality of the for that the majority of the boys slept in the fort overnight. With the fire going and such they commented that it was luxury accomodation and that they slept really well. That is except for Cody who spent most of the night loading logs onto the fire.

Then sleep and wake up.

Wednesday the 7th of February

Today we woke up with Dan D, Josh, Joel and myself out and about cooking breakfast while waiting for the guys from the fort to get their stuff together and come down to pack up and get ready to head out to the hike and camp. Twas a wonderful breakfast for we had waffles (sorry luke they weren't danish) and sasauges and ham. I thoroughly enjoyed eating all of that wonderful food. And doing it with a room full of hungry guys with hige stomachs means that everyone doesn't mind going back for more and more food, as long as there is enough to go around. When there is an excess of food it is truly a wonderful experience for you can gorge yourself and no one wil think twice.

Well after the pack up it was packing the van to capacity then dropping off Mike which was sad because he realy offered and contributed a lot to the group. So after the goodbye and wishing him well with his church and work we headed onto the heart of K Country and began our hike. I was immediately blown away by what the wonderful country in Alberta presented to us. A wonderful breathtaking scenery that shouted glory to God in all aspects of it. It brought home the power and magnificent nature of our powerful and majestic Creator. It was so raw and so real. It really is where man is supposed to be. In nature. We are not meant to solely live in clasrooms, and offices. We are not meant to be caged. We are to be free. And in nature - in the wild - we are allowed to be that. So throughout this hike I did all that I could to embrace this. I embraced the side of me that was looking for this all along, and God took my breath away and filled me with a wonderful joy to be out here and doing this.





The chatter of the group was a real bonding experience and filled memories I shall do my best to hold onto. On this amazing hike though it was also the place where my knee began to deteriorate. By the end I was in a lot of pain but fortunately it was where I could take a moment ot rest it and get off it. So we set up camp and collected plenty of fire wood as swiftly as we could before it got dark. We did so successfully - well I would like to think so. Josh had to get up in the middle of the night and get more. Kind of unfortunate. But with that amazing heart of his he really didn't mind.

The first photo is near the end of the hike where we are a couple hundred metres from the campsite, thenthe next one is further away where we had a couple gorup photos, and then at the campsite its about -15 and paul's in shorts posing in front of the fire.

Then sleep.


Thursday the 8th of February

So we wake up and find out the events of the previous night all of which I had slept through.

Joel's hiking boots had melted completely off at the back, utterly destroyed. Paul's sleeping bag had frozen over during the night, so he stayed up the second half and just layed the logs on the fire, taking over from Joel.

We had a great morning apart form the dehydration that I experienced in the morning, that drew to nearly bringing up my dinner. All good though, I was fine in n hour after being rhydrated.

But I only lasted a couple of km before I caved to the pain in my knee and the guys insisted on placing me on the sled and dragging me most of the way back to the van. 5 guys pulling the sled, with their own packs as well, left them a little buggered at the end of the hike. Again I was bathed in a lesson on humility. It also showed me that despite how much we may hate it we must allow God complete control in some situations and just sit back and enjoy the ride, no matter how much we would rather prove ourselves.

Back to the home base and have a nice healthy relaxws dinner and get to recouperate from the hiking. Not me so much though.


Friday the 9th of February

An amazing pancake breakfast that I was really proud of. There was sausage and hama nd pancake, and pineapple, and maple syrup and butter in abundance. It was amazing. The Canadians know how to do a pancake breakfast. The Aussie's I am afraid to say are in second, but not by far, mind you the English have really got no idea when it comes to this kind of pancake breakfast. In their defence though they do do it very differently, and they do their very well. It's not as good though. (And it's ok to slag them off. They can handle it, they give as good as they get, and I'm pretty sure they don't read this blog. Mind you I'll prob ably get found out eventually.)

We made it back and on the ride home I finished Brother Yun's amazing, touching and powerful book. We all have a lot to learn from that man.

The long ride home was great, I am starting to really enjoy being in transit because things can always be acheived during that time. It doesn't have to be wasted. And we should always be trying to accomplish something with every moment that we are alive. Time is too precious to be wasted.

It was absolute bliss to get home (excuse that) and be sleeping in my own bed again (any chance you can let that one slide too?). Finally we get to settle into a little relaxed routine again, with the oppurtunity to recouperate and be ready and refreshed to go when the trip to Banff comes around.


Saturday the 10th of February

A wonderful day where sleep and rest abounded in a land filled with milk and honey.

There was also a dinner on at the school where a famous speaker came to talk to the older generation about getting laughter and fun back into their lives. To start laughing again because the average middle to older aged generation has forgotton how to laugh. He did a wonderful job and getting everyone laughing, and to inspire them to make sure they went away doing more of it. The man was a true genius when it came to jokes. Really funny. Here's one.

His mennonite neighbour has apparently the best mennonite jokes, and I would agree with him.

"Did you know there is substantial evidence that supports Adam (Garden of Eden Adam) was a mennonite? Who else would while sitting next to a naked woman be tempted by an apple?"

Twas a good night.

Sunday the 11th of February

To church to hear the story of two missionaries who have dedicated their lives to work in Indonesia. They have been their temporarly working, and have currently got people covering their positions, but they do plan to head back their to work indefinately. At the moment though they are waiting on money which God will supply. So please be praying for this unnamed couple. But don't fret, God know's who you are talking about.

Monday the 12th of February

It was back to daily routine. The funny moment was when Dan and Dan decided to tie either around one of their ankles and then ran in opposite directions. It was a good moment and a great example of boyish nature and stupid adventure. They did get polaxed. twas funny. Good to see that Tim's incident hasn't hindered us.

There was also Joel's challenge to us to be reflectors of Christ and to really ensure that what comes off our tounged is never pulling each other down, but that we are always edifying each other. For in this situation, and this environment the enemy is always going to look for oppurtunity to tear us down. But is this not always the case? Isn't the enemy always looking to take each one of us out? Will he not take simple and trivial disputes and blow them out of proportion? Hence why James urged us to tame the toungue, and why Paul emphasises the need to ensure that no unwholsome talk comes out of our mouths, but that we must look to build each other up, and to never tear down, even when we do it unintentionally. It is something that everyone must always be looking to do.

Tuesday the 13th of February

Then came another day of routine.

There were also called made to the family, and it was a really good oppurtunity to catch up and edify in all that is happening here and there.

We also made Sausage as we did yesterday. Deer Sausage. Ones that Cody killed himself, and gutted, and deboned. He's a real man.

Ever wondered what the skin is made of? In this case - Pig intestine. Yummy...

I also got to go to Simon's Club which is similar to Kids Club except this was all for young guys. This for me and Dan D and Cody was instead of Cell group. It was amazing to see some of these kids really seeking God and wanting to learn mre about him and his nature. It was really good to see such innocence in young kids. You see it less and less in Sydney.

Thursday the 14th of February

The main event for today was to meet up with the young guys we are mentoring. Really exciting stuff, and I was really eager to see if I could have an impact in my mentoree's life. It was a test to see if I had what it takes to support, encourage and exort an young bloke to go after God with everything he had. Alas today for me it was not to be. He was doing a science test - as admirable as that is - because he has a basketball tour that he's participating in. A little dispointing yes but by no means the end of the world.

Well that's the end of the blog. The next one will be a new post.

Have a good week everyone, and God bless

Tim