What An Adventure It's Been

To begin, I’d like to apologize profusely for my procrastination in writing this final blog.  It’s been two months since I’ve been home and at least four months since I should have last updated this.  I would like to thank all those who have prayed for me and supported me over the year.  I managed to finish my coursework in the nick of time, and was very pleased with the results.  I now have a Bachelor of Theology!

I feel as though I’ve got a second family in Belfast.  Since being home, I’ve missed everyone dreadfully.  Although I know this is where God has placed me for the time being, I do hope to return to Belfast and Ireland sometime in the near future.

While I was in Belfast I was able to do some travelling.  You are all aware of the bit of travelling I did when my mother was visiting over Christmas.  In my last few months there I was also able to visit Dublin again, the Antrim Coast, and London.  It was very exciting!  I took many pictures I hope to post to Facebook soon.  I also visited the new Titanic Centre – I really had to since I was there!

I was there for the CEF Spring Conference, and even though I was still madly trying to finish schoolwork at that point, I still made some new friends and had an incredible time.  It took place in Portrush, a town on the North Coast of Northern Ireland.

In my final week in Northern Ireland, I was given a farewell dinner by my CEF family as well as another dinner from my Strandtown Baptist Church family.  I received a Bible from my Good News Club and youth group as a thank you.  And on my last day in Belfast, I finally took the City Bus Tour!

I have so many wonderful memories from my time in Northern Ireland, and I will treasure them always.  As I said before, I do miss my Belfast family dreadfully.  They were so good to me, and I love them dearly.  Sometimes it is hard to accept that some people are meant to be in our life for only a season.  That does not diminish the impact or the importance of the friendships forged; but it must be accepted, for it does not do to dwell in the past.  I am so thankful that I was able to make these wonderful friends, and I do plan on meeting them again.  However, I am excited to look forward to what God has next for me.

Since being home, I have graduated with my degree, bought a car, got a job at Faithful Servant Books in Riverview, and watched my little brother get married.  It was been a busy two months.  I am so happy for Jesse and Kayla.  It is exciting to finally have a sister!  As for my job – I love it!  I am surrounded by books all day long!  How could I not love it?  The atmosphere is lovely and I enjoy the work itself.  I don’t know how long this season will last, but I am content to settle into it for as long as God wants me there.  I will do my best to keep trusting Him for my future as I did when He led me to Ireland, and again when He brought me home.

To my friends at home, it has been wonderful to reconnect with you.  Again, I thank you for your prayers and support.  It was encouraging and strengthened me when I needed it.

To my friends in Ireland, I would like to say thank you for all you’ve done for me.  I love and miss you all.  May God bless you in your future, and I hope to see you again soon.

“Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.”

Time Flies...

Here I am, five months into my internship, with only three months to go.  I cannot believe how quickly the time has gone by.

Christmas morning I got up and went to church.  It was a really nice time of Scripture readings and Christmas hymns.  Afterwards, I went home to set up Skype with Mom, Dad and Jesse.  A few people here gave me some gifts so that I would have something to open Christmas morning away from home.  So I sat in my little attic room and talked with my family back home.  It was so nice, but very sad at the same time.  I wish I had known last Christmas that it would be the last Christmas the four of us would spend together.  This year I am in Belfast, and next year Jesse will be married and starting his own traditions.  Sometimes, I find it hard to accept the changes brought on by time.  However, I am so thankful for modern technology!  I still got to spend Christmas with my family.  After Skyping with them, I had Christmas dinner with Jaci and her family.  It was kind of funny, for different reasons we had the dinner split between Jaci’s house and her sister’s house a street over.  So we ended up walking between the two houses carrying trays and casserole dishes laden with Christmas dinner.  We had the appetizer at Heather’s house, the main course at our house, and dessert at Heather’s.  After this, we settled in and played “Who Wants to be a Millionaire” board game.  It turned out to be a fantastic Christmas, and a wonderful new life experience.

Boxing Day Jaci had some friends over, and we all played Scrabble and other board games after a meal of homemade chicken curry.  I am usually a big fan of Scrabble, but we played a new version that gave opponents the opportunity to take credit for the words you create and other tricks.  I didn’t like that!  I like to take credit for the really great words I come up with!  I think that’s half the fun of Scrabble.

On the 27^th, Mom finally arrived.  I was so excited!  We had an amazing time.  The evening she got there, she was incredibly jetlagged but she didn’t realize it.  So we Skyped home to Dad, letting him know she’d arrived safely.  Then I opened a ton of amazing presents from home – which made my day!  Then, I left Mom to go to sleep.  The next day, she didn’t remember any of it.  I told her we talked to Dad and she didn’t believe me!  She’s never going to live this one down.

Over the week we visited Belfast City Centre, Edinburgh, and Dublin.  We also went with Jaci and Sally on two different occasions to see more of the country side.  It was a very busy week, but we had an amazing time.  We had so many adventures!  It was wonderful to spend time with Mom.  New Year’s Eve was actually the one day we stayed at home.  We brought in the New Year watching coverage of Edinburgh and London festivities.

On Tuesday, 3^rd January Mom was going home.  However, due to weather complications, her flight was delayed from Belfast causing her to miss her connecting flights.  So, we were up bright and early that morning, but Mom didn’t even get to Toronto until about midnight.  At that point she had to spend the night in a hotel before catching an early flight home the next day.  I’d say it was quite an exciting conclusion to her visit here.

After this, I returned to work.  I’ve completed two more courses since Christmas, and have four to go.  I am currently busy working on the Daily Prayer Guide and the Spring Week of Prayer booklet in the office.  I appreciate everyone’s prayers as my time here draws to a close.