Category — Travel

I leave Toronto one week today. I can’t believe how fast it’s flown by. Just three months ago I was curled up in our condo cursing the cold and nursing my 24-hour ‘morning’ sickness. Today I am staring out at the sun-kissed waters of Lake Ontario filled with regret. I will miss this city and all its eccentricities — the buskers of St. Lawrence Market, Kensington’s nooks and crannies, Little India on Queen Street — where you’ll find us 3 out of 7 nights a week. I hope to share a few more ‘Signs of Hope’ from Toronto before we hop our plane next Wednesday. 

Priority number one, upon my return to Vancouver (April 18, after our trip across the pond) is hitting up Raw Canvas: a full-service paint-on-canvas art studio complete with wifi, lounge and fresh crema. 

I’m making plans and taking names. Who’s in?

The pictures are up. View them here. And more below. 

Brooklyn

In Anthropologie

The UN

Le Statue

Soho

Classic over-stimulated tourist

A great irony

:: Toronto’s proximity to New York ::

Oh yes! This morning Megan and I will jump into her hot red jeep and speed off into the sunset (rush hour, actually) for four days of Big Apple lovin’! Since our Calgary road-tripping days we have dreamed of visiting NYC together. This is trip number seven for me.

Thanks to Amanda’s recommendation we’ll be staying at The Pod, on Friday I’ll be attending the International Arts Movement Encounter and we’ll be hopping the boat to visit the pretty lady above. So excited!

Promise to post updates along the way…

Our flights are booked! London, Oxford and a hop-over to Paris — here we come!

My stream-of-consciousness on a Wednesday night train ride home, 4:45-5:45 en route to Union Station

• What’s it like to live with your backyard on a train route? I would’ve loved that as a kid.
• What’s it like to live right by river’s edge, like all those houses?
• I wonder when rowing season starts up in the GTA? There’s no rest for the weary in Vancouver but here the river’s frozen. Hmmm…
• I see a sign for “Harold Shunn & Son Butchers.” I wonder how it felt for Harold to add “& son” to his sign.
• I wonder if there’s a sign anywhere that says “& daughters”
• A train just passed up is on the left, even though we’re going really fast.
• I feel like I’ve had this journal forever.
• I see a pale yellow trailer that says “Hawks on the Move.” Random.
• What’s that smell? Burning? Brakes, maybe.
• I wonder if Clarkson Station is named after Adrienne Clarkson?
• I’m excited for mine and Meg’s trip to New York at the end of this month. Must start planning.
• The snow makes everything look different and lovely. Even old abandoned houses look beautiful with their snow-dusted roofs and icicle edging.
• I’ve never liked football.
• Moving away for three and a half months couldn’t have come at a better time.
• I love trains.
• I wish rail travel were more affordable.
• I should get tickets to see George soon.
• Mimico is a weird name.
• I want to eat Mexican tonight.
• Graffiti is beautiful.
• There’s Christie’s! That’s where they must make the cookies!
• From faraway downtown Toronto and the lake look beautiful.
• I should really go for a walk by the lake soon.
• It’s really a shame that TO’s waterfront isn’t more developed.
• There’s a Medieval Times!!!
• I’m sleepy.
• I wonder how much the train announcer girl makes.

I’m in Toronto at the 2nd annual Canadian Youth Workers Conference. This year’s theme is Seriously Ridiculous.

My friend Darian asked me to read a poem for the opening session of the conference. I thought I’d be off stage reading along to a video montage but instead I was the opening act. In 10 hours I memorized the following poem, written by the amazing Amena Brown.

It goes like this:

God’s call is absurd
In his world, virgins birth saviors
studderers become speech sayers
Back side of the mountain shepherds become kings
Old men past their prime birth generations

He calls a people who have never had it all together
To come together and reach a generation
Hooked on text message and playstation
With hearts longing for an invitation
To point their eyes to the God of all nations
This kind of call involves trust
This kind of call is seriously ridiculous

This job is many times crazy
Sometimes thankless
But greatly amazing
How God never ceases to shape imperfection
And mold it to his perfect purpose
How he can use your broken life to show a generation their lives have purpose

You who used to have a life
Who sacrificed paycheck for football game Friday nights
Who has suffered through middle school band concerts  
And seemingly neverending lock-ins
Who traded vacation for summer camp
Who now must answer to church janitor for many a mess that needs to be cleaned
Who would never admit OMG BTW IDK how 2 txt
Who learned to facebook, twitter, chat, poke, link, post, and tag
And well…LOL

In your world
There is laughter, breakups, break outs
Tears, tattoos, and piercings
Braces and embraces
In your world, pizza is it’s own food group
McDonald’s is a five-star restaurant
The term ‘what not to wear’ doesn’t exist
No matter how crazy it gets
Your love for them is Seriously Ridiculous

And you’re not alone
Take a look next to you
You are surrounded by the faithful few
Who have triumphed and been bruised
Who know that it hurts just the same even if it’s only one you lose
Who bend weak knees and pray heartfelt prayers
Calling out the names of sons and daughters to a loving Father
For parents’ marriages to mend before divorce
That teenage wombs will not give birth too soon
For the healing of wounds
For families without daddy
For encouragement, for purity, for faith, for hope, for grace
For words to say, For his direction, For his way    

We signed up to be Jesus reflections
But didn’t know this was in the job description
There comes a time for counting the cost
Giving up your life for the sake of the cross
This is your real world
And you may think you know but you have no idea
How God’s plans extend from before the beginning to way past eternity

The one who put the G in OMG
The biggest G in history
Who enclosed his holiness in the frailty of human skin  
To bring conviction to a world full of walking contradictions
To redeem time
To bring an end to the neverending consequences of sin passed through the bloodline

We ask for a glimpse of what he sees
Into the lens of eternity
That’s how he keeps us on our knees
Seeking direction
Praying protection
That he would show himself to a generation that needs him desperately
As he reminds us that we need him desperately
May the words we say match the lives we lead
He teaches us to follow so he can lead

The maker of all creation walks with you
Every student’s life belongs to him
And your life too
He is calling you to something he knows you can’t do without him
Watch him love his kids through you
Play your part and watch him do what only he can do

He gives us grace we don’t deserve
Plus forgiveness we couldn’t afford
Matched by an eternal word that will outlast and outlive
Any sacrifice we can hope to give
Shows us how to put our trust in a God who is more than enough for us

His love is seriously ridiculous

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

In partnership with No Shortcuts Design, boutique writing and editing company The Word Studio announces the launch of its website: www.thewordstudio.ca.

The Studio’s recent work includes:

• Feature Article: Celebrating British Columbia’s Unique Cultural Footprints in Canadian Museum Association’s MUSE Magazine, Nov/Dec 2008
• Book Launch, November 28^th: From out of the Flames (ImaginePublishing) edited by The Word Studio owner, Christina Crook
• Upcoming Writing Projects: with Global Peace Initiative, Absolute Leadership and Tourism New Westminster

Visit our blog at www.thewordstudiocanada.blogspot.com.

…..

My company website is LIVE at last!

This Sunday my brother James and his wife Jocelyn came to visit. Michael and I spent the morning prepping for brunch and enjoying a brisk walk around Killarney Lake before picking J&J up from the ferry. While Michael and I cooked up bacon, omelets, bagels and a bodum of coffee, they explored the property. James loved the mini-orchard complete with leaning ladders, the stone fireplace, wooden bridge, brushed stainless and rough counter tops of the Cowper kitchen — a chef’s dream, he said.

After brunch we played Settlers and then went in search of Sicilian donkeys (!!) claimed to be raised at the farm up the road. We found some stray cats, but no donkeys.

Later James whipped us up a pot of butternut squash soup, flank steak, baked squash and risotto — topping it all off with home-canned peaches and vanilla ice cream. Oh the blessing of a brother/chef. ;)

__________________________________________

Jesse Fin Groot.

Yesterday I decided to cut out early, take advantage of the gorgeous Fall weather and my proximity to Whistler, and sped up the bumpy Sea-to-Sky to spend the afternoon with my adorable nephews, Jesse and Reuben. We picked out (what turned out to be a baking) pumpkin and played in the park while mom and dad got a mini-break.

I just adore my nephews. They are growing up far too fast.

Jesse, Reuben, and my big brother Mike.

__________________________________________

In other news,

• I may have landed a gig live-blogging for the JUNOS in Vancouver, March 26-29.
• And Michael is considering the Next Great Prime Ministership. Send him encouragement here.

Michael and I have stolen away to Bowen Island to house-sit for a couple of weeks.

Our friends, the Cowpers, are away in Africa — first landing in Swaziland to tour Bulembu (an incredible self-sustaining community founded by Vancouver’s Volker Wagner, and led, in large part, by our good friend Jamie Woller. We just had the opportunity to visit with Jamie over a few days, at the To Change the World Emerging Leaders Summit, presented by Cardus, in Ottawa.) Then the Cowpers travel to South Africa and, finally Namibia.

People ask us why we’re here on the island, (it’s definitely not convenient.) But really nothing can capture our sentiments other than experience (right, Avital? right, Jenn?)

Waking to waves washing up on the shoreline, staring through forested hills as I wile away at the computer, ending our days by candlelight — well, those are a few of the reasons, for sure.

Here’s the view from dinner Monday night:

Do you see what I mean? ;)

Also, as a writer, I find new places and experiences inspiring. Travel, for me, is renewing. These experiences give new breadth to my work, spurring ideas, poems, articles, that wouldn’t have been there otherwise. For some, this is hard to understand, but for me, it is a way of life.

–

Tomorrow I will post a Bowen poem. They’ve been spilling out since we arrived Sunday. The first of many, I hope.

We’re home from Ottawa. It’s been less than 24 hours and I’m ready for a return trip. This freezing rain is killing me.

More photos coming soon.