Rachel commented to me more than a week ago that it had been almost two months since I last updated my blog! I didn't realize that it had been that long, but apparently time is going by faster than I think. I'm not totally sure why I haven't updated my blog in so long... the past two months have been a bit difficult for me so perhaps I didn't want to broadcast my struggles to the world (or whoever reads this blog).
That said, a lot of good things have happened in the last two months as well. To avoid writing an unbearably long post (a lot happens in two months), I'll just give a brief update on what's happened and try to go back to more consistently updating my blog. For today, here's my top 5 things that have happened in the last two months from. Now... where do I begin?
#1. Well, fall arrived and the progression towards winter is now clearly felt and seen. The leaves turned from green to brilliant shades of orange, yellow, and red, which was truly beautiful and at times breathtaking. I have yet to download the many pictures from the last few months onto my computer from my camera, but once I do, I'll see what strikes me as worthy of being posted on my blog.
The temperature is also continuing to cool down with each passing week and it's obvious that winter is coming soon. Unlike other parts of the country, we haven't had any snow yet though... it's not quite cold enough. It's only been in the last two weeks or so that I have started to see more winter jackets, scarves, gloves, toques, and even boots (purely for the warmth, of course).
#2. I had my first birthday in Montreal and it was very good. I felt very loved and was able to spend a lot of time over the weekend with family and friends. :) Sophia's birthday is the same day (she turned 5), so we celebrated together with everyone from the church. I turned 31, so I am now definitely in my 30's and there's no turning back. You know how they (whoever "they" are) say that it's all downhill after 30, when referring to the way that one's body functions? The details hardly matter, but I've begun to realize that it's true! These days, a lot of things seem to happen that make me realize that I am in fact getting older and I am no longer in my 20's.
#3. Rachel and I started kickboxing... yes, kickboxing! It is fun and an INTENSE workout. Perhaps it is the number one reason I'm starting to feel the effects of the 30's, but it is totally worth it. You'd have to experience a workout to really grasp the intensity, but I never go through a class without sweat literally pouring down my face and no one else in the class does either. We skip rope, shadow box, practice our punches and kicks and combinations, do push ups and crunches, and always leave feeling amazing. Sometimes it is a bit of a struggle to get out of the door, but once I'm there I love every minute of it. The first week was amusing as I could barely move but thankfully my body adjusted quickly.
#4. My mom came to Montreal for a visit. She was staying with my grandma so I also stayed there for most of the time that she was here. It was good to see my mom and walk down memory lane with her, so to speak. We went and visited the part of the city (Verdun) where she grew up and which holds a lot of memories for her. The apartment building that her family lived in when she was growing up burnt down years ago and there is a new condo development in its place, but the rest of the street is still much the same. She and my grandma also showed me old pictures dating back to the 1940's and did a lot of reminiscing about the years gone past.
In all of it, I learned a lot about my family that I have probably never heard before. My family has so much history in Ontario and Quebec that I am only beginning to learn. I'm thankful to learn about it now, but sad that I never had an opportunity to meet and spend time with the people I am starting to hear about, since a lot of them are now dead. On the positive side, I am grateful to finally be able to build relationships with people in my family that I barely know or have never even met... my grandma, aunts, uncles, great aunts and uncles, cousins. Before I even moved to Montreal, I felt like I was somehow going home or back to my roots and now I can understand why I felt that way.
#5. Victory Heights International is continuing to grow in so many ways. In terms of numbers, the church has almost doubled in size since we first started meeting in March. God is continuing to bring people to the church and there are now fourteen of us that meet together. The original eight were Guy, Rachel, Taylor, Sophia, myself, Ang, Rachel, and Charley. Since then, God has brought to us Colin (also from Trinity Christian Centre in Victoria), Willem and Amelia (a couple from South Africa), Becca (a young woman from Ontario), and Louis and Marinet (Louis is from France, Marinet is from Ontario, and they are newly married).
The church has only been meeting for eight months, but it is amazing how many different stages we have gone through in that period of time. Every stage is a bit different than the last and the people that God brings add new dynamics to the group. The key truly is to enjoy each stage and it is a blessing to be a part of God building His house and creating unity and a family among strangers. A few weeks ago, we had an incredible time in a prayer meeting and, by the end, we were all sitting on the floor with our hands laid on each other. It was an amazing time!
Due to Guy's work schedule, we continue to meet on Thursday evenings for worship and a message, followed by tea, coffee, dessert, and much chatting. We also meet on Sundays at noon for prayer, followed by whatever we all decide to do. On the first Sunday of each month, we have a potluck lunch after prayer. On the other Sundays, we don't have anything planned, so it depends on the day what happens afterwards.
Well, those top 5 updates from the last two months seem to cover a lot of what has happened, although admittedly not everything. It's enough for now and I will endeavour to post more frequently from now on and avoid long periods of silence.
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