Well, it’s official. I am now 26 years old. And what better way to celebrate the passing of another annual occurrence than with the writing of a blog (Especially since those who ACTUALLY read my blog inform me that I need to update it).

When I was 20 if you had of asked me where I had hoped to be when I turned 25, I would have given you a completely different description than to the person that I actually have. That is why I have chosen to reminisce on the person that I thought I would become.

AGE 5: When I was 5 I had my life planned out in complete detail. I wanted to be a carpenter, get married to Valerie Wilson, and have a yellow Car. It was all very simple and had never seemed that far off. For some reason in my mind I held the understanding that I was turning 20 when I was actually turning 6.

AGE 10: In complete and utter denial of my being and state of likeness to that of my Father, I proclaimed to the world (a whole 100 people around me), that I was going to be an architect. I no significant Idea about what this life would look like other than the fact that it would allow me to draw and build houses. At this point in my life I could actually envision living somewhere outside of the town that I had called home for 8 years: Little Current.

AGE 15: I was lost in a world that I felt disconnected with. Wandering around in a state of self discontentment I honestly didn’t care. I thought of the prospect of computer programming, or possibly still architecture… more importantly I just didn’t really want to be around people. And was unsatisfied to be alone caught in my self misery.

AGE 20: In realization that all of my previous attempts to plan out my life hadn’t been even in the right zip code, I established a set of 5 year goals. Nothing too high and lofty, and nothing too low that I shouldn’t be able to accomplish them. Since I was in Bible College, it made sense that I would expect and have the goal of being completed and in a pastorate. I also decided that it would be prudent to have my debts paid off. The high and lofty goals seemed to count for such trivial things like: I want to have a truck AND I want to have the down payment for a house.

AGE 25: realizing that I was failing to meet my previously set 5 year plans, I gave myself an extended deadline and estabished that I would seek to have them met BEFORE I turned 26.

AGE 26: Well, here I am. I have managed to complete one of the goals: I finished Bible College and am a Pastor.

All this being established what does it show? We have a society that is very much focused on preparation and planning for disaster, emergency, crisis, career, family. You name it… you can plan it. But what does this accomplish? Where is the wisdom in it? My life now resembles nothing of what I thought it would become when I was 12, nor did I have any real knowledge about what would be practical when I was 15.

I made the effort to become nothing like my father, and I ended being more like him than I even realize today. I made the effort to go into computers or technology, but that is seemingly a previous life. This all leads me to question the motto of our modern world: “PLAN FOR TOMORROW”. Why? I have no clue what’s going to happen today, why should I plan for tomorrow. I like the biblical answer: “do not worry about tomorrow… but let tomorrow worry about itself” OR “The heart of man plans his way, but the LORD establishes his steps. (Proverbs 16:9)”

So here’s to having no plans or ambitions.

No… I’m not getting married. And it doesn’t look like i’m planning on it anytime soon, so don’t get any ideas.

But I went to my friend Jeremy’s wedding a week ago in Powell River. It was good to see him take the dive. I went with my friend Sharon and while we were waiting for the wedding to start, we started talking about “alternative” wedding ceremonies. So for anyone thinking about tying the knot and are in need of some different ideas, here are a few.

Alternative wedding ceremony #1: Tribal
Picture this, you and your spouse to be, with all of your friends and family traveling to Africa for your wedding. It happens at sunset surrounded by beautiful scenery. When the sun goes down, you and your guests all take torches and Light a ‘ceremonial fire’. As the fire begins to grow, the celebration begins… Someone picks up an african drum. The drum beats swell and grow, enticing people to begin to dance around the fire. The celebration is ecstatic and all leading towards the culmination of the ceremony, where you and your future husband/wife enter into a traditional hut to consummate your vows to the shrill cries of your family and friends dancing to the rhythm of the drums.
The entire event erupts as you emerge Husband and Wife. The fire burst into huge flames and the sounds double and triple in volume as the great war of love has been won.

Alternative Wedding Ceremony #2: Traditional, Very Traditional
With the backdrop of stained glass and the sound of the thundering pipe organ. This entire wedding ceremony is performed in Latin! The music is sung by a 150 member chamber choir. Just imagine walking out of the church to the sound of the Hallelujah chorus resonating through the streets in celebration of your new marriage!

Alternative Wedding Ceremony #3: Guess who planned our wedding
Of all the alternative wedding ceremonies this is my favorite! Rather than stressing yourself with the task of organizing and planning your wedding, why not allow someone else to do it for you! No, I’m not talking about an expensive wedding planner. The privilege of planning your wedding goes to the highest bidding family member. That’s right not only would you have a great surprise as to the style of the wedding, but you would also save yourselves from all the stressful family arguments about what your wedding should look like. This wedding literally takes care of itself!

Well… that’s all I have to say about that. But for more fun you can check out another alternative wedding ceremony with a dance theme on youtube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4-94JhLEiN0

Well… apparently I think that I post more often than I actually do. I thought that I had posted at least 2 weeks ago, but it was the first week in July.

So… here’s where I am right now. I’m on a ‘little’ island called manitoulin. I know that probably everyone already knows this because I like to advertise the fact. But anyways… I finally have settled into the routine of vacation (aka Vacay). It took me a while, but I am now relaxed. I think.

Today we went out into the boat and took the ‘traditional’ trip from our Cottage to South Bay Mouth where the Ferry comes into the island. It’s all quite fasinating, you can google it if you would like. But that’s where I am right now. I’ll post pictures when I get back to Port Alice. That’s all for now.

Well, I know it’s been a long time, almost 2 months since I’ve posted about the experiences that I’ve been having in Port Alice. I can always tell that I need to say something or update the almost weekly report, when my parents start making comments about it being the “almost monthly” or “almost quarterly” report. Thanks for the reminder mom and dad.

It has been a whirlwind of the past two months, I’ve had tons of things happen and when there is so much happening two distinct problems occur. 1) I don’t have time to write about it, 2) I don’t know how to differentiate and write about specific occurrences. So, now that I have some time, I will make an attempt to give you an overview of what has been happening in my life in Port Alice.

In the Last two months, the events of note are as follows:
I found a Gun, was inducted into the church by Ken Russell our District super intendant,  Was visited by My family Twice (Once with my nephew Noah), Saw an average of 3 bears on each trip into Port Hardy (times an estimate of 14 trips = approx. 42 bear sightings), Had a clean up day at the church, Planted 3 Gardens, helped the Hovde’s re-roof their house, Prepared about 8 sermons, Helped George Ewald in Port Hardy lead worship, visited Duncan, Victoria and Sidney, watched 5 seasons of Startrek TNG, attended a wedding for my friends Mike and Michelle, and put 8000 km’s on my  car.

I must, however, make note that the hardest part this two months was when we had to say Goodbye to Marilyn Cox. Although she’s now in her new home with Jesus, we all miss her.

So, as you can see it has been a busy two months, hard to choose from if you are going to write about what’s happening. This last weekend, was another eventful one. Our church was blessed to have a worship team come up from Campbell River Christian Fellowship and lead worship at our church.  They were kind enough to let me play the piano and sing with them, but I think that might have been the trade off for them invading my house. They are a crazy bunch of people which meant that we had a lot of fun, and even more food.

Home is a tricky thing. It’s strange for some of us it is a foundational concept and place. It never changes and never moves. It is our security.

Last week I was in Langley for our district conference, It was good to be able to connect with peers, mentors and friends. But it was a long and busy three days. During that time I was able to stop by in Surrey and say hi to some of the Staff and Kids I worked with, then I had lunch with a couple of good friends. Then more food with more friends.

By the time I was on my way back to Port Alice I was ready to be at home. The only problem for me is that Home hasn’t always been a foundational, unchanging thing in my life. It has at times eluded me. In fact, the entire week before conference I was questioning whether or not I had actually settled in at my new ‘potential’ home.

Well, after a long and busy conference, and an even longer Drive. Tired I pulled into Port Alice and realized: I was home.

Well, reality has set in. I now live in Port Alice. Although, I still occasionally catch myself thinking that I need to go back to Surrey soon. It is a strange feeling when this happens.

I guess that the reason this reality has finally settled in has been because of a couple of things. First has been the rain. For the last week and a half, I have been trying to garden. I make plans to go outside in a morning or afternoon, and it will be sunny, then when I want to go out and garden… it’s raining. 5 Minutes later (literally) it will be sunny again.

Second, once again gardening related, I went to Campbell river and bought a Gas WeedEater. When I finally had the weather to try it, I filled it with Gas (yes it was mixed), and then started it. It ran for about 30 Seconds and then stopped. The motor ceased, but in order to take it back I have to drive 3 hours. Oh well. That’s life.

Despite the downsides to this new reality, I am really enjoying myself. And I love the pace of the town, and haven’t had a problem finding things to do.

Well, I’ve survived my first week in Port Alice. It was a busy week, but indeed I survived.

There have been lots of interesting experiences, some new, some old. I’ve met lots of people, struggled to learn names, and seen whales in the inlet. It’s real suffering.

I arrived last tuesday to a welcoming party who quickly unpacked my stuff into my house. I learned a valuable lesson, it takes 10 people 1 hour to unpack and put away all my stuff. Which could mean a couple things 1) I don’t have that much stuff, or 2) the moving and unpacking team were very efficient.

Overall, it has been an incredible week, and I have been blown away by the support of the people here. I am starting to settle into my new house, and it is gradually becoming a home. My home.

Well… here I am, yet again traveling! However, this time I’m not wandering around Northern BC (although I did enjoy it!). This time, I’m moving to my NEW HOME! That’s right, my new home. I’m on my way to Port Alice.

For those of you who do not know, Port Alice is on the North End of Vancouver Island and is 45 min from Port Hardy (the most northern town on the Island). Now I know what you are asking, ‘why on earth would you be going there?’ AND/OR ‘are you crazy?’. So first I will give you the simple answer: Because AND/OR Yes.

I’m going to Port Alice for work, more specifically to be the Pastor (yes, senior pastor) of Oceanview Christian Assembly. Right now the plan is that I will be there for 1 year, and then we’ll see what happens.

It’s a very interesting prospect as I will find lots of new experiences and things to learn. And you will be able to journey with me with ‘almost weekly’ right here at the Almost Weekly Report.

So as of tomorrow, the return address on all my outgoing mail will read Port Alice, BC.

I have now driven over 1500 km’s into the great white north; crashed on a couch in William’s Lake last Tuesday, survived a snow storm in the Pine Pass the following wednesday, and made it safely to Chetwynd.

In Chetwynd I had the pleasure of catching up with my friends the Helsets. They are the pastors at one of the local churches. Dennis during the first few days was away in Edmonton attending a wedding with his daughter. So I was afforded the opportunity to preach. Dennis got back late that sunday night, and after spending some time with him the next morning I headed up to Fort St. John.

That is where I am now, in Fort St. John. It is strange and surreal. I haven’t been up here for 6 whole years and it is strange to see all the changes. I am staying with my friends Mitch and Caron Branch. The Plan as it stands is that I will be back in Surrey on Thursday, this should hopefully give me enough time to finish the job of packing up my house.

Along this whole northern adventure I took the time to stop and take a picture of the Peace River. It was taken at an outlook about 20 mins outside of Hudson Hope on the highway from Chetwynd to Fort St. John.