A Blaine Train of Thought

In a normal life, there are very few nights where you could be called a predatory, overweight, creepy, and mundane person … but spend the entire night enjoying the company of another, and being as happy as a lark.

Disclaimer: This was not the only thing said tonight.

There is only one other person who will understand the reference - and that is ok. Because after being semi-rattled and stressed out for no good reason earlier this evening, I couldn’t be in a better place as I write this blog right now. And that’s a very good thing.

It’s amazing, really.

Oh, and also for those of you wondered about my simile from earlier … this is a happy lark (see below):

Now then … I think the ornithological addition to the blog signifies a need for rest.

Goodnight,

-Blaine

This weekend was beautiful in so many ways.

I could not have asked for a better way to spend my long weekend.

Whether it was the soaking up the sun and listening to some favourite music on the bike ride to Dundas, or the feeling of the endorphins exploding throughout my body as I biked to the top of the escarpment.

Whether it was the feeling of joy and excitement to spend quality time with someone that you truly care about, or that feeling of oneness and relationship-quirkiness that leads to uncontrollable laughing (and even some tears of laughter).

Whether it was the opportunity to get to know another family, or the feeling of blessedness when you spend time with them.

Whether it was the physically exhausted legs that found new life on the soccer field, or the excitement of playing a great game to polish off the weekend.

Whether it was the adventurous bike ride home, or conversation with bus drivers (about Quinoa no less), or fireworks, or Settlers of Catan, or the use of hyperbole, or peanut butter on bagels, or make-shift tools, or Greek dinner, or walks in the park, or late-night phone calls.

Well, whatever it was - and surely it was all of these things - it was a beautiful weekend in my mind.

-Blaine

The view upon my arrival Saturday morning. It doesn’t really do it justice.

On days like these, I don’t have means to journal the way I want to. But an iPhone will suffice.

Lord, thank you for this day, and all the others like it. Thank you for the beautiful weather and for the opportunity to enjoy the company of others. Thank you for family, and for relationships. Thank you for conversation, and also for silence. Thank you for biking, and walking. Thank you for nourishment, and for rest. Thank you for helping one feel welcome, and for a sense of belonging. All of these were and are needed.

Thank you for this day, Lord.

I was blessed to have it.

-Blaine

I received a real stroke of luck this week pertaining to my class schedule … in the sense that I don’t have class until next Thursday.

Now as you all know, it’s the long weekend. So that means that Monday is a day off. On Mondays, I usually have my Kin seminar - which was cancelled for next week because of the long weekend. Makes sense, right?

But then the University tossed a curve ball at us all.

“Monday classes will take place on Tuesday, and Tuesday classes will be cancelled”

So I have a cancelled class from Monday bumped to Tuesday, and my six hours of physiological psychology, bone and joint health, and conflict resolution are cancelled instead.

BOOM. That’s not so bad.

Oh, and I normally have no class on Wednesday.

BOOM AGAIN.

I also have no Friday class.

BOOM ONE MORE TIME.

So I have no class for 6 days, and only one day of classes in the next 11 days.

I guess I’ll accept that.

-Blaine

Have you ever had a really great and productive day, but still wished you were somewhere else?

Perhaps it’s a crash from an amazing weekend. But it’s a feeling of longing that is hard to quench.

I don’t think I’ve had one of those days in awhile, but I think today was one of those days.

-Blaine

There are many different types of fatigue. But after this busy and extremely active weekend, I’m experiencing a whole new level of fatigue. One unlike any other I’ve experienced in my life.

This fatigue is far beyond the soccer tournament fatigue, or the first squash game fatigue. It’s far beyond the exam study day fatigue. And it’s even further beyond jet-lag fatigue.

But there is good news.

Sleep reduces and can even eliminate fatigue.

“Hello, bed. I think it’s time we get re-acquainted”

Goodnight!

-Blaine

Wow.

Today was one of those days where I realize just how awesome people in my life are, and just how blessed I am.

I started my day pretty early by biking about 67 km from my place in Waterloo, to Rachel’s place in Dundas. Cue the music then? Just a short and easy ride, right?

It was a simply gorgeous day for a long ride. Between seeing the farmscape of Waterloo region, the scenic rolling hills of the Green Belt, or the breathtaking beauty of the Escarpment, it was a perfect day for a ride. It was also a great day to just glorify God with an active body. It sounds silly, but you can really have some great time with God when you are doing something like that.

2 hours and 55 minutes later, I was in Dundas. A little tired, but feeling pretty satisfied with the accomplishment. I have a ton of stories from the ride to tell, but they are better told in person!

For those interested in the ride, it was: Distance: 67.8 km, Average Speed: 27.6 km/h, Max Speed: 64 km/h

Rachel and I basically spent the day out and about the lovely town of Dundas. From doing the dishes, to eating lunch at a great little diner, to hiking up the escarpment to see some beautiful waterfalls. I won’t even try to explain things like WADE or schuper schpectacular or “5’ll be fine”… but those were pretty hilarious as well. It was so awesome to spend a day hanging out and just being “us”. I think we needed that.

In any case, the day was coming to a close and my legs were pretty exhausted at this point, but I knew I could get back to Waterloo on them. Rachel dropped me off at a good starting point for the return hourney (at the top of the monster Dundas hill, thank goodness!), and off I went into the seemingly infinite blackness of the night. Nightrider! Ok … maybe not quite. Cue the music again?

In any case, my pace home was slow. I lost a contact lens pretty early on. It was cold. And it rained pretty good on me.

But I don’t even care.

I had such an amazing day, and I would do it again in a heartbeat.

Why?

I was able to glorify God by putting my body to good use.

I was able to spend an entire day with the most amazing girl I know.

I was able take in some beautiful local scenery that I would not have seen otherwise.

I was humbled by fatigue and bad weather (and learned that I may not be Superman).

I was able to get home, safe and sound, and better for the experience.

What more can I ask for?

Not much.

I am truly thankful for the blessings in my life. Today is one day full of blessings that I won’t soon be forgetting.

-Blaine

p.s. I’m completely exhausted, so I’m not sure how coherent this post will be … let’s hope for “satisfactory”.

“Your mission, should you choose to accept it”. - Every ‘Mission: Impossible’ Movie

I’ve been thinking about missions a lot lately.

Perhaps part of this has been because of Rachel’s whirlwind preparation for Zambia. Or maybe it’s been from hearing about Neil’s trip to Haiti currently. Or maybe it was Seth’s community supper speech about his mission trip to Haiti and abroad.

In any case, all of these things going on have really sparked my interest. But it’s an interest that has laid dormant for a little while.

Missions are always something that have intrigued me. There are so many different ways to serve in missions, and they can fit to a variety of skills. Though I’m not 100% sure how I could contribute to one of these, it hasn’t stopped me from thinking about the possibility of going somewhere and serving someone in some way.

Part of this is likely a yearning for adventure. Part of it is definitely a desire to grow closer to God.

All I know is that, especially as of late, I’ve been intrigued and drawn to this information. It makes me wonder if perhaps I have a place out there serving in the name of Christ.

This is something that is pretty exciting, but definitely full of mystery.

Now, with all of this being said, I know I’m pretty much locked into school and work for the next year. But after I finish that, I’m not sure if I’m going to be ready to start working, or to go right back to school. I’m not really sure what I want to do.

Perhaps these missions are something that I should look into a little bit more.

Just some food for thought that I’ll need to dig into over the next little while.

-Blaine