You know what???? I had an awesome day today.
Finally after 10 weeks I was able to attend all 3 hours at the Slave Lake Alberta branch. It did take me almost 3 hours to get there, and I did have to pull over on the way home for a little power nap...but it was SO worth it. It was so good to partake of the sacrament, participate in Sunday school....and socialize with people who didn't include the use of the F word in every sentence. I really owe it all to Al who heads up the Slave Lake branch of our company, he had me deliver the time sheets to him in person and as a result I was just down the street from the branch building. And the really good news, I get to go every week from now on.....YIPPEE!
I have found myself caught in a sort of time warp the past few weeks....I have been in contact with friends who I haven't seen or heard from in a really long time. Amidst the reminiscing I came to realize that I haven't always appreciated some people in the way that they deserved... I can't go back and change things and that makes me sad!
OK...I am now ready to talk about the event that causes my recurring nightmare...( PG ADVISORY)
The trailer we live in is divided into two seperate living compartments located on opposite ends. Our living spaces consist of outer doors which open up into our offices and then we have our bedroom doors. A while back my trailer-mate Lonnie let me borrow a DVD which I said I would return later in the evening. He told me to just open up his outer door and place it on his desk. This is what happened:
There was an eery silence in the night air as I approached my trailer mate's front door. I knocked lightly....no answer.
A feeling of uneasiness came over me as I turned the door handle and gently pushed the door open. After my eyes adjusted to the lack of light in Lonnie's office, I placed the DVD on his desk, was about to turn and leave when something caught my eye. Peering deeper into the darkness, looking beyond Lonnie's open bedroom door, I tried to make out a mysterious pale shape. It only took a few seconds for me to realize what it was I was looking at but the image of Lonnie's naked body is burned forever in my mind.
_________________________________________________________________________________
As I am typing this two thoughts come to mind.
First, I am so thankful that Lonnie was facing away from the door. And second, some doors are meant to remain shut.
That's all for this week....
Pretty much what I get to see all day!
Sunday, February 27, 2011
Sunday, February 20, 2011
BRRRRRRRR! and smiles!
OK, knowing that my fellow Canadians will think less of me, I am still gonna go ahead and say that it's COLD up here. I hear it was minus 40 with the wind chill factor and that was 3 hours south of here. But luckily for me things have been slow and I haven't had to be outside much.
I was super busy making people smile last week in so many ways. On several occasions I received calls asking me to take dinners out to remote locations to our drivers. It was kind of hit and miss with the meals, as the main chef is on days off, but the guys were generally appreciative. I was also helping some of the guys with parts and things. Plus after a bit of research and with the help of an old friend...hopefully I was able to put a smile on a new friend's face.
I am normally a very social person but sometimes find myself in a situation where I think: "I hope I don't have to sit with that person (or) I hope I don't have to talk with that person". You know...sometimes you just want your own space...a little private time and this past week I found myself thinking those thoughts a couple of times only to have it turn into a great experience. I had to drive a new guy around and wasn't thrilled at the prospect but we ended up having a really great conversation about family and ideology....I almost wished that it didn't have to end. Other times I go into situations with this negative hope for solitude and then it turns into a great missionary moment.....
So I've decided that my privacy is not as valuable as lending someone an ear or sharing a Gospel message....cause when you think about it......we are all here for each other....and I'm glad I'm here.
My trailer mate Lonnie has had an emotional week-end. He lost someone very dear to him AND he became a grandpa the next day. He's also getting very excited to meet Ms. Greece and their emails and calls are getting hotter and hotter....so hot that they have a PG rating and therefore cannot be described any further because as you know this is a G rated blog. BUT....next time I'll tell you a horror story about something I saw one night that still haunts me from time to time and barely squeaks in under the G rating.
Have a great week my friends!
I was super busy making people smile last week in so many ways. On several occasions I received calls asking me to take dinners out to remote locations to our drivers. It was kind of hit and miss with the meals, as the main chef is on days off, but the guys were generally appreciative. I was also helping some of the guys with parts and things. Plus after a bit of research and with the help of an old friend...hopefully I was able to put a smile on a new friend's face.
I am normally a very social person but sometimes find myself in a situation where I think: "I hope I don't have to sit with that person (or) I hope I don't have to talk with that person". You know...sometimes you just want your own space...a little private time and this past week I found myself thinking those thoughts a couple of times only to have it turn into a great experience. I had to drive a new guy around and wasn't thrilled at the prospect but we ended up having a really great conversation about family and ideology....I almost wished that it didn't have to end. Other times I go into situations with this negative hope for solitude and then it turns into a great missionary moment.....
So I've decided that my privacy is not as valuable as lending someone an ear or sharing a Gospel message....cause when you think about it......we are all here for each other....and I'm glad I'm here.
My trailer mate Lonnie has had an emotional week-end. He lost someone very dear to him AND he became a grandpa the next day. He's also getting very excited to meet Ms. Greece and their emails and calls are getting hotter and hotter....so hot that they have a PG rating and therefore cannot be described any further because as you know this is a G rated blog. BUT....next time I'll tell you a horror story about something I saw one night that still haunts me from time to time and barely squeaks in under the G rating.
Have a great week my friends!
Sunday, February 13, 2011
YAY FRIENDS!!!
It’s been a while since the last entry. Nothing much has changed up here in the wild north other than the moustache is gone. Some people said it made me look like a drug dealer and others said adult film star, so yeah…thought it might be a good idea to shave.
I have been learning a lot though, about people and myself. Like I’ve mentioned before the culture up here is very different than anything I’ve ever experienced and it is sometimes hard to prevent myself from being dragged down. Not that I am better than anyone up here, it’s just that a lot of the guys can be a little negative. So to be surrounded by that and also have my own problems, doubts, fears and uncertainty….it can be tough sometimes.
Recently one of my new friends who has gone through a period of trials began a new relationship. I was filled with so much gratitude and hope that I wrote a song. That was the first time in a long time (like more than 10 years) that I have written anything for/about anyone….and to top it off it came out as a country song…YIKES! At least my mom will be happy with that.
Still quite disappointed about the lack of wildlife I see as I drive out on the ice roads. I guess they all hide when they see me coming.
My best bud Chris, came up to inspect how this project is doing and we did some serious reminiscing…had a great two days together and can’t wait till I move to the city so I can hang with him and his AWESOME wife (wrote that in case she reads this..but she IS awesome).
Tune in next time for updates about Lonnie and his love-life (warning….could be some PG material in that post).
I have been learning a lot though, about people and myself. Like I’ve mentioned before the culture up here is very different than anything I’ve ever experienced and it is sometimes hard to prevent myself from being dragged down. Not that I am better than anyone up here, it’s just that a lot of the guys can be a little negative. So to be surrounded by that and also have my own problems, doubts, fears and uncertainty….it can be tough sometimes.
Recently one of my new friends who has gone through a period of trials began a new relationship. I was filled with so much gratitude and hope that I wrote a song. That was the first time in a long time (like more than 10 years) that I have written anything for/about anyone….and to top it off it came out as a country song…YIKES! At least my mom will be happy with that.
Still quite disappointed about the lack of wildlife I see as I drive out on the ice roads. I guess they all hide when they see me coming.
My best bud Chris, came up to inspect how this project is doing and we did some serious reminiscing…had a great two days together and can’t wait till I move to the city so I can hang with him and his AWESOME wife (wrote that in case she reads this..but she IS awesome).
Tune in next time for updates about Lonnie and his love-life (warning….could be some PG material in that post).
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