-- Happenings Here and There --

So pretty much my life is busy. Extremely busy in fact. But it's all good! I've been in Toronto the past week and a half... pretty much helping my cousins as they renovate their house to sell, plus unpacking in their new house, plus running their restaurant which opened a month ago. I came down by train =) a fun and new experience for me. Here's proof of the fact.

My pretty awesome travelling buddy =) =)

So... I really don't know how to describe my time in Toronto -- it pretty much was just awesomeness all around! In the "backyard" of my cousins is a gorgeous [seriously] park! I had a party taking pictures and pictures and MORE pictures there! So I will post a few, but I'll spare you from the oodles and oodles that I did take =)

Wow, I guess my eyes were really opened up during my time in Toronto. One night I volunteered at the soup kitchen with my cousin and a friend. I was quite challenged and impressed with the man who runs this program. Every Saturday night he puts time and energy into helping these lost and hurting people of the world. I'm sure there could be much better and brighter places to be, but he choses to be there, doing God's work. He knows the homeless people by name. He treated them like good old friends. He was full of smiles and kind words for everyone! Sometimes you come into a situation like that and are not quite sure what to think of these obnoxious and "not so clean" people. But they are human, just like you and I... and they need the Lord. They are out there searching for the hope that we have! I feel a new sense of love and appreciation for them... for trying to make the best for the lives they live... Some of them are so happy and cheery, under all the circumstances in which they live. I was very blessed and challenged that night!

On another Saturday night we went downtown and were passing out tracts. I got into a conversation with a young man. We talked over twenty minutes. He was soooo against what we have as born again Christians, and he tried in every way possible to make me say I don't agree with the faith, and am just doing it because that's what I grew up with. Finally at the end he said, "You have got it. You really do believe what you live!" He took the handful of tracts I passed him and left. For some reason I cannot get him off my mind. Where is he today? Did he take the words I said, or did he just let them fly away and be forgotten? Jesus knows. I did my job. I planted the seeds. I gave him the Light.

People were everywhere in that busy city. Walking down the streets. Driving. Biking. Some I saw where crying. Others smiling. Still others angry. What do they have to live for? What is their hope? I often wondered as they went past me. Sunday morning we were challenged to go out and witness. To share the love of Jesus with others. Very true! We are not here to live life for the party, we are here for a much bigger and better reason -- to bring the hope and love of Jesus to others!
Sunday we played a pretty awesome game of ultimate frisbee! It was scorching hot outside... but still a lot of fun!

So I'm not sure who it was, but someone came up with the idea to take the canoe out of Lake Ontario and watch the Victoria Day fireworks from the water. Wow, am I ever glad we did it! Very awesome and pretty and fun!! It was funny watching the guys haul the canoe down the busy streets. We got some funny stares and halarious comments...

And of course, the fire works were gorgeous!

On the streetcar, heading downtown to volunteer at the soup kitchen... Apparently something was slightly amusing?! We drove past the most fabulous building in Toronto! I am in awe everytime I see it!

So now I'm gone from Toronto... and I'm missing those peoples lots! But I'm having a great time around Southern Ontario too! Oh Grandpa and Grandma just crack me up. They are out there to be matchmakers and get me off and married =) I just laugh. This morning I was out cleaning windows and they sat on the porch and watched making snarky little remarks... once again they had me laughing.

Lastnight I got to hang out with two pretty amazing girls!! Supper. Shopping. Tim Hortons. Walking by the river. And sitting in the car til midnight talking... sometimes about deep things... sometimes laughing til we cried. And talking about creepy freaky scary things that give bad dreams ): all and all it was one splendid evening! We attempted to get pictures... it was quite inneresting to say the least :) but a few poses turned out half okay...

Okay? We didn't know you were taking a picture!! hehe.

And I got to hang out with my awesomely cool and crazy Kuepfer cousins!! Alyssa and I stayed up the one night until 3:30 am talking and talking and talking somemore =) Was quite fun... except for the fact that I was really tired the next day... And just a few more pictures :)

I looked wacked, Nina looks doopy!

We rocked Dutch Blitz!!

Grandma and i just being our crazy selves =)

Anyhow that is pretty much my life in the last few weeks. Busy, but fun... Soon I leave for home, and more business! And soonish I leave for Greenland!! Excitement is mounting =)