what is "too comfortable"?

So I have a few general surveying questions that just popped into my mind as I was lazily resting on my bed this morning...

I think we would generally agree that the way we behave at home is our most comfortable state - your family members are the closest folks you've got, who generally know your worst habits and still manage to kinda love you despite them. I suppose every home is different as well, in regards to how much people "expose" themselves. some folks have told me that they leave the bathroom door open, or change in front of their same-sex siblings, and of course...everyone farts. and I think...in the home, farting is generally considered acceptable behaviour (is it really "behaviour" if it's a biological function?haha!).

so...this leads me to ask...where do you draw the line?

a bonus question: in regards to farting, how comfortable are you doing it in a public setting? are there close friends that you feel you can fart "with"? and if so, is this a measure of how close your friendship is?

passing on the pledge

Calling all BC residents,

Take the provincial budget into your own hands!

I am pledging my $100 carbon tax rebate to end homelessness in BC. I know many of you simply cannot afford to do this, but if you can and you believe in helping those living in poverty, please join me in this pledge.

Community organisers estimate that a single housing unit in Vancouver costs approximately $200,000. So if 2000 people were to pledge their $100 cheque to this cause, one person who is currently sleeping on the streets could be provided with a home. 2000 people may seem like a lot but, given that there are 4.1 million people living in BC, it’s actually a very, very small fraction of the population. And, in other parts of the province this figure would be much lower so more homes could be built.

If everyone in BC pledged their $100, over 2000 homeless people could be provided with permanent, safe shelter!

My $100 is useless without yours.
It has no power to do anything by itself but combined with others
it could make a significant difference in people’s lives.

At this stage, all I’m asking for is a pledge with your name and email address. I will only contact you and ask you to back up your pledge if we raise enough money to do something effective. It’s a win-win situation for you – either we take direct, concrete action that will decrease homelessness in BC or you get to keep your $100 after all.

Once again, the budget has disappointed me by providing little funding for the people who most need it, in a time when the provincial government is most able to do so with its massive surplus of over 4 billion dollars. Climate change may kill us in the future but there are people dying on our streets right now. If you share my moral shame about this, let’s take social spending into our own hands and redirect the budget in order to address the deep levels of poverty in BC.

Thank you for your consideration,

Trish, Vancouver (Raise the Rates Coalition)

thoughts on fasting

fasting one day a week is part of my lent "routine"...and let me just first say that this mostly sucks balls. I don't eat from the moment I wake up until the next morning I wake up - only juices and water to drink (and really...you get tired of the juices...I drink mostly water). this is super inconvenient for when I'm seeing friends, and I had a weird experience of watching people eat yesterday...a little strange, but at that point, I had already found an inner strength to not feel "left out".

there are moments during my day where I get very close to giving up (e.g me coming home and dad telling me: "fresh pizza in the oven!" - I could smell the stupid thing too), and I don't admit to LOVING the discipline yet...but it has helped me think about several things...which I have listed here:

lessons
- forces reflection on how I need to be hungry for God...a reminder that God is what I desire

- facilitates contemplation on my human fallibility, my weakness...the desire for food is symbolic of desire for all earthly things

- a process of self-emptying: being ready for God to speak

- holding back satiating oneself helps in experiencing (to a minute minute degree) Jesus' journey in the desert

made me melt like a popsicle in july

cute japanese baby in diapers + my favourite beatles song + makeshift guitar and mic = ellie's heart melting

v is for vocation

last night, we had a chance to discuss vocation during fellowship time. I'm always quite puzzled when it comes to this topic - not because I don't know what I'd like to do in the future, but almost because I know too well. sometimes I feel like...crap, is it really supposed to be so easy?

(don't throw tomatoes at me yet)

my parents have always been very supportive of my interests - after all, my dad couldn't exactly say "No" to me wanting to be a journalist since he himself was an English Literature major. Hahaha, believe me, I can get away with a lot of artsy fartsy stuff because of this one fact about my father.

My interests have changed over the years - growing up, I wanted to be a journalist or a writer (I think my dad secretly wants me to be the next Amy Tan...he hints at it at times), but in the last couple of years, my heart has been set on law. Thank God for parents who are supportive - perhaps they're not too clear on my interest in human rights law, which would not "rake in the dough", so to speak...but as my mom likes to say, our lives are a blessing from God and as long as I work to glorify God...she'll be happy for me.

I shared with the group last night that I feel like I've gotten more clarification over the years in regards to my career as I grow closer to my Heavenly Father. A lot has happened in the last couple of years and I've felt my values change and my view of the world change. I find myself asking: How do I honour God with the everydayness of my life? What does He care about that I'm neglecting?

It's funny - even the people that I look up to has changed over the years as I begin to know God better - and it's becoming clear to me that a life of simplicity is one that God calls us to (this is the running trend in all the people I am inspired by). I know that I want to honour God with my career, and that I want to serve my community as well - that's what I know for sure and for that I'm thankful.

maybe knowing what I want to pursue isn't so bad after all?

Oh, sister.

wormball (shouting at me from her room): HEY! I JUST REALIZED SOMETHING.

me: what?

wormball (with the biggest grin imaginable smacked on her face): there's HARDware...and then there's SOFTware...

me: yeah, so?

wormball: I DIDN'T KNOW THAT BEFORE!

me: (rolls eyes)

Yes We Can

My way of showing some Obama love=) The video is, not mind blowing...but I think it conveys well the revitalization that he's bringing to politics for my oh-so-jaded generation.

It was a creed written in the founding documents, the destiny of a nation…Yes We Can.

giving brooke fraser her due=)

so I realize that I quoted Brooke Fraser in the last post, but it was a bit confusing cuz I latched her lyrics onto my own writing.

it's been a difficult week - every day, I feel like I'm catching up to yesterday. there is a perpetual sense of not knowing my way...

I don't know if I've mentioned this before, but whenever I'm in an emotional crunch, I rely heavily on music to help me pick myself up. I'm the girl on the bus with the huge headphones and completely zoned out listening to her ipod...*shout out to my new sennheisers (the headphones)! I love them*. there's been many things on my heart, and I acknowledge this is not the place to express all of them - but I thought I would share some of the music I've been listening to. the fabulous brooke fraser continues to be on my playlist, and so is alicia keys (a select few songs - namely, "lesson learned", "go ahead", "a woman's worth", "when you really love someone"), as well as tina dico.

here's a compilation of some of my favourite lyrics from BF's Albertine album.

When I can't feel You
I have learned to reach out just the same
When I can't hear You
I know you still hear every word I pray
And I want You
More than I want to live another day
And as I wait for You
Maybe I'm made more faithful

If we've eyes to see
If we've ears to hear
To find it in our hearts and mouths
The word that saves is near
Shed that shallow skin
Come and live again
Leave all you were before
To believe is to begin

For we, we are not long here
Our time is but a breath, so we better breathe it
And I, I was made to live
I was made to love
I was made to know You
Hope is coming for me

a psalm

who is there like You, o God?
who else would love me for who I am?

With tender kindness
You speak words of reassurance
Calling me Your child
even though I feel old and broken

In the power of Your love
I no longer fear a broken heart
for I know with Your Son's blood shed
You have already mended it

mistral - 02.01.08