My Talented Friends

What would you do/be if you could do/be anything in the world?

One of my answers is to be a rock star. No joke. Well... maybe not the star part but at least be a part of a band and write some cool songs, rock out on a stage with an electric or drums or piano, have a million people in the crowd sing along with you, you know. My only barriers are that:

1. I'm limited in my creativity when it comes to writing songs (it has to "come" to me... but rarely does this happen).
2. I don't actually know how to play electric. I can play acoustic but only strumming chords and not so much the finger picking which is where the cool riffs come from. I've dabbled on the drums but can't say I'm any good. And piano, well... maybe there's some hope there ;)
3. I can't sing... all that well.

However, I am surrounded by friends who are good at all three and it's pretty cool to think that one day they may make it big.

Jose Andres is a friend from when I went to Panama on a mission's trip with Campus for Christ 3 years ago. He is a very talented man and I have thoroughly enjoyed his album which you can download for free here.








This song is my favorite out of the bunch.





ZEROlios
This is a band in which my friend, Oliver, who is also Panamanian, started up some years ago. The name means, "no problem." They have a pretty sweet music video and I'm looking forward to hearing more from them. Oliver is the main vocals and guitar. His brother, Jesus, and friend, Randi, are also guys I got to know while in Panama.




Wool on Wolves
I lived in rez for my first two years of attending the U of A in Edmonton and in my second year, there was this guy named Brody who lived on the same floor as me. Him and his friends started this band up later in their university career. I remember enjoying their music but thinking they needed to polish things up a bit. They've come a long way and I'm quite impressed. It was a pleasant surprise when I saw their tour poster on one of the streetlamp poles as I was walking home from the bus stop. I think I'm working the day they play in Vancouver which is unfortunate but for those who are here and are free that night, you should check them out.

This video brings back so many memories of when I lived in Edmonton. It's fun to recognize a lot of the scenery. Oh, the nostalgia!





Adam Robert Thomas
I got to know Adam through the church I attend here in Vancouver. He is a very talented musician but I have to sadly admit that I have yet to see him live despite the fact that he performs fairly frequently. My excuse is that school took over my life for 2 years... Anyway, he is performing on Sept 8 at the Jazz Cellar if any of you want to listen to some spectacular jazz. Unfortunately I'm working a night shift so I will miss seeing him again. Le sigh...

Random Thoughts #6

I blame my lack of blogging to it being summer. When it's (finally) beautiful outside and you've made plans, it's hard to stay on the computer for long periods of time.

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I have traveled quite a bit in this past month.
-> An overnight trip to Garibaldi Lake with Nadine and Jeff. There was still so much snow up top and this was at the end of July! Absolutely gorgeous though. I had a good quiet time with God too which was much needed.

-> A road trip to Saskatoon for Jess' wedding with my roomie and a few other friends. Highlights include climbing on hay bales, mimicking t-rex at the Royal Tyrrell Museum, and of course the wedding itself.

Ev and Hannah

-> A camping/surfing trip to Oregon with my close buddies from church. It really can't get any better than enjoying the breathtaking beauty of the Oregon coast with hilarious and loving friends, sharing a beer by the fire in a secluded campground, and being pushed around by the waves of the deep blue ocean. Love it! (Sorry, I didn't take many pics of this one but my friends did so perhaps I will post a few when I get it from them.)

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I lack patience... and boundaries when it comes to relationships so I appreciate my wise and loving friends who have walked/are walking alongside me providing much needed encouragement and admonishment as I navigate through this complex maze. They've reminded me that God has the best in mind for me and His timing is perfect, that I am quality and thus need to wait for a quality guy. Even though these things are easy to digest in my head, my heart always has a harder time swallowing these truths. However, God is faithful even when we are faithless and I'm especially glad of this truth.

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Patients who have loving families and friends who care for and visit them are very fortunate. There are a lot of lonely people in the hospital and it tears at my heart. I see loneliness in especially the elderly and the social outcasts (ie. people who use drugs, who live on the streets, who exhibit behaviors that are difficult to work with, etc). I find that a lot of the "ringers" (aka people who use the call bell much too frequently for our liking) often do so because they want some company. All they need is a little bit of love but unfortunately, most don't get it. What's more unfortunate is how most health care professionals (and other people) don't understand that a little bit of love goes a long way... but at the same time I understand that the circumstances surrounding the situation makes things complex and a genuine smile and/or encouraging words/actions isn't always as simple to do as we think it ought.

When I hear the word, "lonely" I think of The Beatles, "All the lonely people, where do they all come from?"

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As Solomon wrote, there is a time for everything.
A time to be happy, a time to be sad.
A time to relax, a time to work hard.
A time to let go, a time to confront.
A time to enjoy, a time to suffer.
(The above isn't meant to paraphrase Ecclesiastes 3... in case you were wondering.)

Just in the recent months, there's been a slow transition in my "times" from downcast/difficult to joyful. It's a refreshing change from the "neck deep in mud at the bottom of the valley" I was experiencing a while ago (which, I realize, I have yet to share though I have made small mentions of it throughout the year). Some people are jokingly cynical and say, "Mindy, things will change and what you thought was amazing will annoy you in the end!" I am not unaware that things change and difficulties will come... but at the same time I've been learning the value of enjoying/being/living in the moment as each moment is a gift from God and it is all we have. I don't want to be consumed with worrying about the future because it will only leave me with the regret of wasting those precious moments that are full of God's blessings.

I will enjoy the happy times praising God for His blessings.
I will learn from the sad times praising God for His grace and mercy, and for increasing my compassion and empathy.
I will grow from the suffering times praising God for He understands my suffering and also uses these times to discipline me, sanctifying and refining my heart.

With all that said I'm sure by now you are curious as to what specifically is bringing me joy. Well, it's related to the second thought I made in this post and that will be your only clue.

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Some of my friends who blog have made mention of this at one point or another, but what are the boundaries in blogging your life? There is an element of anonymity which makes you feel safe to share anything and everything. No one knows you so who cares what they think? But then there's also that nagging knowledge that your friends/family/co-workers/etc. who actually know you (or know of you) are reading this too. Though there are details you want to share with some people, there are other people you would not rather have them know any of it... but how do you control that? There's also that off-chance that your one post (or more likely a YouTube video) will become a sensational hit overnight. Then the WHOLE world knows who you are... or at least just that one aspect of you which isn't an accurate view of who you really are. Are you willing to take that chance? Am I? ... I'm not sure. Still figuring that one out in my head. (Which is why I've been a bit evasive in sharing my joyful news in my previous thought.)

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My sleep schedule and quality has been totally wonky this past month and I am t~ired. (Big surprise.) I am trying out melatonin and see if this will allow me be a more engaging person when I'm awake and not so much a zombie.

Cheesy title but somewhat touching nonetheless

Do you remember the time when "forwards" were the thing in the e-mail world? You know, the "100 facts about yourself. Read it, fill it out, and pass it on." Or the "Hilarious pictures of people doing dumb things. Pass it on." Or if you're a Christian, the "A touching story of how someone came to love Jesus. Pass it on and if you're a good Christian, pass it on to your non-Christian friends." (That last one always made me feel guilty if I didn't pass it on.... but being older and wiser now, that guilt has long faded away.)

Anyway, I have a family friend who still sends these to me and it's kinda funny because no one does anymore. Or maybe it's not so much that no one in the world does but in my social spheres they don't. Except her. Not that that's a bad thing or anything.

The most recent one I received from her was actually pretty good. It's a short 3 min film called, "Porcelain Unicorn." At first I was skeptical. Who names a film, "Porcelain Unicorn"? ... Right.... Despite the cheesiness of the title, it is well made and surprisingly I enjoyed it.

So here's me "forwarding" this on to you. ...I guess my longstanding non-forwarding track record ends here, haha.

Purposeful Living

Over the past little while of reflecting and analyzing, I've discovered that I am a person of many many good intentions but with little follow through.


Evidence #1
In high school when having a locker mirror was "in", I decorated mine with nail polish which soon became a hit with my girlfriends. At the time I was working at the local pharmacy and often got first dibs on new products before it hit the shelves so when a bunch of new nail polish colors came in one day, I took advantage of my staff discount and bought a whole bunch. How many more locker mirrors did I actually paint after that? ... Maybe one or two. I also rarely paint my nails...

Evidence #2
I am a lover of books. When I was younger during the summers I would borrow 5 books a week from the library and read read read. However as I grew older, I inherited a vast number of other interests as well as responsibilities such as schoolwork (and of course, I also learned procrastination and laziness in university) so reading got put on the back burner. But my love for books and reading never dissipated. Working with Campus for Christ, I had so many "this book is great" suggestions that I would buy a ton at conferences and Christian bookstores. However, I've yet to read 70% of the books I've bought - so many lay unopened and unread on my bookshelf...

Evidence #3
My friend, Jeff, got diagnosed with Celiac's disease last year in March so I bought a whole bunch of gluten-free flours to experiment and bake yummy goodies so that he could still enjoy things such as cookies, cakes, and bread that otherwise he wouldn't be able to eat. I also discovered that quite a few people in my church also have Celiac's so I was dreaming of baking stuff for them as well so they could enjoy something with their coffee after the service. The first few months I did bake quite a bit. But over the past year I haven't done anything and my gluten-free flours lay abandoned on my kitchen shelves...


I have a feeling there are many others who have the same struggles as I do - bringing life to the good ideas that are brimming over in my head. Lately I've been trying to be a bit more proactive in following through with my ideas because I don't want to be the kind of person who only speaks of doing things but has nothing to show for it. I don't want to waste my life dreaming but not actually living out those dreams. I want to make the most of my life experiencing everything God has to offer here, enjoying Him and tasting His goodness in preparation for the mindblowing awesomeness that is to come in the afterlife. I want to be a real and tangible blessing to those around me rather than just a "sending you good thoughts" kind of person. I want to live for more than myself because that's what makes life worthwhile.

With all that said, I have a couple married friends who I am totally encouraged by and admire because they live their lives with selfless purpose and action. Matt and Mischa developed a heart for West Africa during their university days and had a dream to help bring social development and reduce poverty to that area of the world. Rather than simply talking about it, they paved their way towards their dream and now they are currently living in Cameroon doing an 8 month internship with The Humanity Exchange. I've been keeping up with their blog and am always excited reading about how they are bringing good change into the world as well as their fun(ny) experiences living in a location and culture that is a complete 180 from ours.

I think sometimes as Christians we aren't always willing to sacrifice our comfort for the sake of others. Rather than loving people as Jesus loved us (and he left heaven, the ultimate place of goodness and comfort, to be with us!), we choose to live for ourselves. Life is so narrow, lonely and strangling when we do that! Matt and Misch definitely gave up a lot of their comfort to live in Cameroon - warm showers, food that is palatable to their taste buds, the warmth of close friends and family - and they don't hide the fact that it's tough sometimes. But, they are planting a huge field that will reap with goodness that they will get to fully enjoy one day.

This is not to say that I should move to Africa as I don't believe (at least in this point in my life anyway) that my calling is to be there... but I do hope that whatever my calling is, wherever my God-given passions lie, I will be able to follow through and not just live with good intentions.

Random Thoughts #5

What?!?!?! No posts in over a month???? Wow, where have I been?

Truth is I just haven't had the energy nor motivation to blog. I haven't been writing too much in my journal either. Maybe I'm in a no-writing phase of my life right now.

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I've been working as a nurse for 5 months now and I still shake my head whenever I write my designation beside my signature (ie. RN = registered nurse). Really? Really?! I'm an RN? Crazy.... A part of me feels accomplished to have survived the 20 months of ridiculous craziness to get here. Another part of me feels dread and anxiety - there is still SO much I need to learn and I have so little experience. How is it possible for me to take care of my patients well??? I wonder how long it'll take before I feel confident in my role?

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Becoming a Christian doesn't mean you are all of a sudden this perfect human being that never makes mistakes. It's a lifelong process of being shaped, moulded and refined by God. It's a life of living in His grace day by day, moment by moment - you can't change yourself (ie. stop sinning) on your own. I thought I knew this well... but it wasn't until recently that I actually realized how powerless I really am in getting rid of the gunk in my heart. I'm shocked at how capable my heart is of darkness and evil, and how helpless I am in getting rid of bitterness and envy even if I am fully motivated to be rid of it. I'm in awe of how God is able to remove this from me and without my "help". Obviously I still have a long ways to go in being refined but I am glad to have another layer stripped off of me - I feel a little lighter now.

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I discovered surfing since moving to Vancouver and oh my gosh, it is such a thrill! There's nothing like the spray of cold water from your board catching the wave, standing up and feeling the wind rush past while trying to keep yourself from falling over from the mighty push of the ocean. I've only gone a handful of times (once in Tofino, the rest in Oregon) but I definitely want to go more often now that I'm out of school and have my car so the surf is a bit more accessible. In the meantime, I'm getting into skimboarding since this is the closest thing to surfing I can get and something I can do right on the beaches of Vancouver. I just wish the weather would cooperate with me a little as I've noticed that the days are nice when I'm working and raining when I'm not.

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I love languages and want to learn so many - Spanish, French (my school didn't teach me any), improve my Japanese. Working in a hospital especially in Vancouver, I feel it would be very beneficial for me to know Cantonese as well. However, it's so difficult to master the language unless you are completely immersed in it. There's no chance I'll be doing any long-term traveling in the next few years so I guess that leaves me with watching lots of foreign movies and learning from my friends until I'm able to.