Dear James. Welcome to your brief glance through the uncertainty of the past two years.
Sometime in '07: James gets accepted into Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand.
- point 1 for God
Sometime in '07: James is able to graduate high school early, and proceeds to work at a coffee shop where he A) earns money to save for NZ and B) learns valuable skills that he will be able to use in any country.
- points 2 and 3 for God
Sometime in '08: James gets accepted into Weir House, without knowing it is the best first year hostel in Wellington and will give him a boost for any subsequent uni accommodation applications. It is also the place where he meets Cody, a great guy friend, hears about The Street, his current church, and finds work over the summer.
- points 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8 for God
Sometime in ’08: James passes his first year film papers with stellar marks and is accepted into limited entry courses, some of them 300-level, after only a semester at Uni.
- points 9 and 10 for God
Sometime in '09: James is asked to make a video for the new church building and one for the men's conference. In doing this, he becomes more familiar with the church staff who later ask him to do another video because his first two were so good. He also meets Clay, who will later play an important role.
- points 11, 12, and 13 for God
Sometime in ’09: through a series of events James is put into an amazing single studio apartment with power/water included.
- points 13 – 17 for God
Sometime in ’09: Clay from above asks James to be involved in a film project for a competition. James will get paid for his involvement in the project. James meets a guy who has close connections with Peter Jackson and a cool film location used in LOTR, for which James has permission to use. Now a guy who worked in the film industry in New York for the past 16 years wants to meet James.
- points 18 – 200 for God
…And this is just the big stuff!!!! Clearly, God has quite a lot in store for you.
My love, does it matter so much what God is doing, so long as we know that he is? Perhaps the answer is simpler than you expect: God is guiding you! Amen!
Monday, September 14, 2009
Friday, July 24, 2009
Believe it - another post!
What's this? Three posts now? Dayum! I'm on a roll.
These are some photos from Weir House last semester - you can see why being an RA is so much fun!
http://picasaweb.google.com/alicia.james08/WeirHouseMadness#
These are some photos from Weir House last semester - you can see why being an RA is so much fun!
http://picasaweb.google.com/alicia.james08/WeirHouseMadness#
Sunday, July 19, 2009
More photos!
See, I'm starting to make up for my lack of blogness! Two posts in a week! HA!
The weather here has been absolutely flawless, so we've been trying to take advantage of it by getting outside as often as possible. Over the weekend Laura (one of my RA friends) was out of town and let us borrow her car, since James can drive a manual. So, being the creative and spontanious spirit that he is, he planned a surprise roadtrip for Helen (another RA friend) and I.
*collective 'awwww'*
So all in all it was a day well spent, with good music, good conversation, a good drive for James to enjoy, a good picnic dinner and the most amazing beach in NZ! Well, the most amazing one that we've seen so far...
And, as promised, a documentation of our journey. :)
http://picasaweb.google.com/alicia.james08/RoadTripToSomewhere#
The weather here has been absolutely flawless, so we've been trying to take advantage of it by getting outside as often as possible. Over the weekend Laura (one of my RA friends) was out of town and let us borrow her car, since James can drive a manual. So, being the creative and spontanious spirit that he is, he planned a surprise roadtrip for Helen (another RA friend) and I.
*collective 'awwww'*
So all in all it was a day well spent, with good music, good conversation, a good drive for James to enjoy, a good picnic dinner and the most amazing beach in NZ! Well, the most amazing one that we've seen so far...
And, as promised, a documentation of our journey. :)
http://picasaweb.google.com/alicia.james08/RoadTripToSomewhere#
Wednesday, July 15, 2009
A Compromise
Hear ye, hear ye, all readers of my blog, (of which there are probably 3 so I dont feel too much pressure to to update all that often, especially when one of the probable 3 blogs about everything I would say anyway)...
In light of my apparent blogging tardiness, I propose a compromise.
Although James may in fact be more timely with his blogs, I propose that I am much more prompt in the sharing of photographs than he has proven to be. Thus I propose that between the two of us, we are able to keep our 3 or so regular readers content with both written and visual accounts of our adventures.
In light of this, I present to you all a link that will reveal a world of visual wonderment and oddity.
Behold! Pictures!
http://picasaweb.google.com/alicia.james08/RecentHappenings#
*And thus peace was restored to the land*
In light of my apparent blogging tardiness, I propose a compromise.
Although James may in fact be more timely with his blogs, I propose that I am much more prompt in the sharing of photographs than he has proven to be. Thus I propose that between the two of us, we are able to keep our 3 or so regular readers content with both written and visual accounts of our adventures.
In light of this, I present to you all a link that will reveal a world of visual wonderment and oddity.
Behold! Pictures!
http://picasaweb.google.com/alicia.james08/RecentHappenings#
*And thus peace was restored to the land*
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
Answered Prayers
Hello to everyone!
I wanted to thank you all for your prayers regarding my floor allocation as a Weir House RA. God has been absolutely faithful and blessed me with G floor in the new aclohol-free wing, Te Whanau.
The situation with TW is unique in that there are 50 residents divided among 3 floors. One of these floors does not have an RA. Essentially, the whole of TW is my responsibility (along with my new team-mate Hugo, who was assigned to I floor above me.) Between the two of us, we are expected to be RA's for the whole of Te Whanau and not just the floors to which we have been assigned. It is an important task and not without challenges, but I'm very excited about working in a closely knit team with Hugo and with a more intimate community of residents.
So again, thank you everyone for your prayers! I greatly appreciate all of your support!
I wanted to thank you all for your prayers regarding my floor allocation as a Weir House RA. God has been absolutely faithful and blessed me with G floor in the new aclohol-free wing, Te Whanau.
The situation with TW is unique in that there are 50 residents divided among 3 floors. One of these floors does not have an RA. Essentially, the whole of TW is my responsibility (along with my new team-mate Hugo, who was assigned to I floor above me.) Between the two of us, we are expected to be RA's for the whole of Te Whanau and not just the floors to which we have been assigned. It is an important task and not without challenges, but I'm very excited about working in a closely knit team with Hugo and with a more intimate community of residents.
So again, thank you everyone for your prayers! I greatly appreciate all of your support!
Friday, February 6, 2009
Call to Arms
Hello dear readers!
This is a call for help - in the form of advice. :)
As part of my role as an RA at Weir House, I am responsible for organizing and promoting events that encourage global social awareness. I'm thrilled to take on this responsibility, and God has really inspired me and provided me with some wonderful resources to get me started.
As I was flipping through one of my recent purchases (365 Ways to Change the World) I was struck by a section regarding Fistula in Ethiopia. Fistula is "a tearing of the soft tissue between the vagina and the bladder which occurs during a lengthy and complicated childbirth." Fistula leaves women incontinent and in persistent pain. "Over 9000 women and girls in Ethiopia suffer this painful and undignified condition. But exact numbers are impossible to obtain, as women with fistula are often hidden away."
The problem is that many pregnant women live at least two days' walk from the nearest hospital and have no access to obstetric care and/or a skilled attendant to be present at the birth.
The Fistula Hospital in Ethiopia, developed by Dr. Catherine Hamlin, has a Love-A-Sister program that allows women to receive restorative surgery, postoperative care, and classes in health and basic literacy while they recuperate. This is achieved through a $450USD donation.
I feel that the residents at Weir House are in a position to exercise great influence on the University community, and even the greater Wellington community. In order to raise the money, I am thinking of organizing a fundraising event with a "day spa/pampering" theme. Weir House residents can provide guests with facials, massages, manicures and pedicures for a small donation.
I would, however, like to get the guys involved as well. So here is my question to you: What can we offer male guests to attract them to this event and issue? Also, if you have any more ideas on simple spa treatments that we might be able to offer, I welcome any feedback.
Thanks bunches!
This is a call for help - in the form of advice. :)
As part of my role as an RA at Weir House, I am responsible for organizing and promoting events that encourage global social awareness. I'm thrilled to take on this responsibility, and God has really inspired me and provided me with some wonderful resources to get me started.
As I was flipping through one of my recent purchases (365 Ways to Change the World) I was struck by a section regarding Fistula in Ethiopia. Fistula is "a tearing of the soft tissue between the vagina and the bladder which occurs during a lengthy and complicated childbirth." Fistula leaves women incontinent and in persistent pain. "Over 9000 women and girls in Ethiopia suffer this painful and undignified condition. But exact numbers are impossible to obtain, as women with fistula are often hidden away."
The problem is that many pregnant women live at least two days' walk from the nearest hospital and have no access to obstetric care and/or a skilled attendant to be present at the birth.
The Fistula Hospital in Ethiopia, developed by Dr. Catherine Hamlin, has a Love-A-Sister program that allows women to receive restorative surgery, postoperative care, and classes in health and basic literacy while they recuperate. This is achieved through a $450USD donation.
I feel that the residents at Weir House are in a position to exercise great influence on the University community, and even the greater Wellington community. In order to raise the money, I am thinking of organizing a fundraising event with a "day spa/pampering" theme. Weir House residents can provide guests with facials, massages, manicures and pedicures for a small donation.
I would, however, like to get the guys involved as well. So here is my question to you: What can we offer male guests to attract them to this event and issue? Also, if you have any more ideas on simple spa treatments that we might be able to offer, I welcome any feedback.
Thanks bunches!
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
Animal Associations
This was a simple exercise that we did during RA training, but I found it very intriguing and I invite everyone to comment back with your own associations… Becky, you may recognize this from your psychology background.
The question is: what animal do you associate with most, and why?
This may be your favorite animal, or it may be one that you simply relate to.
Those of you who know me fairly well will not be surprised to find that I associate most with my favorite animal, the horse. Well, it makes sense – it’s my favorite animal because I associate with it so strongly.
At the risk of sounding like a Discovery Channel announcer, the horse is a very noble creature. Full of grace and power, they have an obvious strength, but (most) are humble enough to let us humans feel like we might dare to approach them. Indeed, if you are lucky enough to establish a deeper ‘bond’ with a horse, you will find them to be extremely loyal. However, this devotion is not given lightly and must be cultivated through trust, cooperation, diligence and respect. The horse does not respect those who show no respect in return. Furthermore, I have found that horses are some of the best judges of character in the animal world. They have a fantastic ability to perceive our deepest hidden emotions. At the same time, they can be quite comical and hunger for attention and approval. As herd animals, they thrive in community settings. Each one has its own unique attitudes and characters. Some are delicate and gentle, while others are fiery and compelling. In spite of the various differences between them, horses are first and foremost perfect companions.
I think people associate with particular animals because they recognize certain common character traits between them. Or, perhaps they see traits that they wish they could possess. Or maybe they associate with the lifestyle of specific animals. Whatever the reason, it’s interesting to see what you can guess about a person by knowing what animal they name. So, what animal do you associate most with, and why? ;)
The question is: what animal do you associate with most, and why?
This may be your favorite animal, or it may be one that you simply relate to.
Those of you who know me fairly well will not be surprised to find that I associate most with my favorite animal, the horse. Well, it makes sense – it’s my favorite animal because I associate with it so strongly.
At the risk of sounding like a Discovery Channel announcer, the horse is a very noble creature. Full of grace and power, they have an obvious strength, but (most) are humble enough to let us humans feel like we might dare to approach them. Indeed, if you are lucky enough to establish a deeper ‘bond’ with a horse, you will find them to be extremely loyal. However, this devotion is not given lightly and must be cultivated through trust, cooperation, diligence and respect. The horse does not respect those who show no respect in return. Furthermore, I have found that horses are some of the best judges of character in the animal world. They have a fantastic ability to perceive our deepest hidden emotions. At the same time, they can be quite comical and hunger for attention and approval. As herd animals, they thrive in community settings. Each one has its own unique attitudes and characters. Some are delicate and gentle, while others are fiery and compelling. In spite of the various differences between them, horses are first and foremost perfect companions.
I think people associate with particular animals because they recognize certain common character traits between them. Or, perhaps they see traits that they wish they could possess. Or maybe they associate with the lifestyle of specific animals. Whatever the reason, it’s interesting to see what you can guess about a person by knowing what animal they name. So, what animal do you associate most with, and why? ;)
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