Why Can't All Worship Be Like This?

I was listening to this song today and felt so incredibly close to God, but I can't help but wonder why all worship isn't as moving? Why can't our church worship come close to what I feel when I listen to this music?

THE STAND
BY: HILLSONG UNITED

You stood before creation
Eternity within Your hand
You spoke the earth into motion
My soul now to stand

You stood before my failure
Carried the Cross for my shame
My sin weighed upon Your shoulders
My soul now to stand

So what can I say
What can I do
But offer this heart O God
Completely to You

So I'll walk upon salvation
Your Spirit alive in me
This life to declare Your promise
My soul now to stand

So what can I say
What can I do
But offer this heart O God
Completely to You

So I’ll stand
With arms high and heart abandoned
In awe of the One who gave it all

So I’ll stand
My soul Lord to You surrendered
All I am is Yours

Sam's Grandpa's 80th Birthday Party

We went to Grandpa Friesen's 80th Birthday Party yesterday and it was great fun! I took lots of pictures, but the cutest ones were of my niece Sarah who was intent on babbling during the presentation...ADORABLE! Here are some of the highlights:

Sam's Grandpa loves high-tech gadgets so the family got him a Wii!


Sam and his Grandma!


Isn't she a cutie?




Sam and I!


On a side note...two posts in two days, wow!

Birthday Fun!

Yesterday was my birthday and I had a wonderful day with my husband! I woke up to a birthday adventure all based on movies that I love!

1. Breakfast at Tiffany's - Sam made me a wonderful breakfast to start the day!

2. In Her Shoes - He bought me a new pair of shoes for my birthday that I was to wear when we went out!

3. Confessions of a Shopaholic - I opened a gift with a bag in it that I have wanted for a while!

4. The Sound of Music, Miss Congeniality and You've Got Mail each signified a gift card that he got me so that I could go on a mini shopping spree! The Sound of Music was for HMV, where I bought Love Actually, Mamma Mia soundtrack and Becoming Jane. Miss Congeniality signified a 'make-over' for which I got a Body Shop gift card! And You've Got Mail was for Chapters because whenever I see that movie, I wish that I could own a children's book store!

5. The next movie was Ratatooie, he took me out to dinner at the Olive Garden in Langley. I decided to not think about the calories and got Chicken and Shrimp Carbonara, it was so delicious!

6. Music and Lyrics - We were off to a CD recording at CLA Langley, which was so awesome! They were giving away prizes and asked if it was anyone's birthday, Sam and Hannah made me go up! It was slightly embarressing as they sang...but I got $30 to Starbucks so I am thrilled!

7. Sex and the City - He wanted to take me out for drinks and dessert, but we ended up being really tired so we got slurpees, came home and watched Love Actually!

It was such an amazing day and I have my wonderful husband to thank for that!! Here's to being 24 years old, I don't really feel different but I have to say that being close to 25 seems a little bit weird and scary! By this time next year I hope that I am teaching and possibly preggo...so needless to say this year is going to be fun!

What happened in January...

So the month of January has absolutely flown by and I cannot believe that it is already February! The first two weeks of January I was doing a practicum at the class that I have been assigned to for this year. I was teaching a Social Studies unit on Canadian Symbols and Citizenship and it went so well! My students were so engaged in the lessons and I really felt like they learned some important things. I can't really explain how exciting it is to be teaching in a classroom, the moment that I step into the role of teacher I know that it is where I am supposed to be! I also really felt like I got to know my students so much better during this practicum, because up until this point I was only going in once a week. The students who had been testing my authority finally realized that they couldn't get away with anything :) and they began to have a lot more fun! I expected this 'testing' period and I am so glad that it is over, although I hope that when I return in March I can start right where I left off. On my last day all the students came up and gave me hugs and one big group hug, it was so cute! It was really sad to leave and now I am back at UBC for 8 weeks, which is a pretty difficult transition back to being the student. This semester is speeding by though and I have so many assignments that I know that I will be too busy to miss my students.

Here are some pictures of my students' work from January...





This is my niece wearing the scarf I made for her, isn't she cute?



Here are Sam and I at a Christmas party...