October, please leaf (please leave)

my last blog i wrote about my car being broken into.

right. well. that following weekend, it was broken into AGAIN.
twice in 9 days.
yep.
I’m not kidding.

The second time, they stole my deck, and decided to pour coffee all over my seats.
thanks punks!
(the broke the lock to get in, so thankfully no smashed window this time)

but really. why my car?! where’s the magnet? someone take it off!
ever time i walk up to my car in the morning, i almost expect it to be broken into.
such a crazy fear.
violating.

this past weekend, my knee got wacked.
about 9 years ago , my knee got ruined in soccer.
many different doctors telling me different things. nothing was solved.
then it swelled up again 3 years ago.
and then again this past weekend.
so. i have a puffy knee.
i can’t walk without a crutch.
and. it hurts.

so. as beautiful as October is. This month has been terrible.

i try to look at the good side of things.
i’m alive.
my family is alive, and healthy.
i got A’s on my midterms.

I hope November brings joy.

bad end, good beginning.

Last night was an interesting. tough.

I was playing dutch blitze with some friends (and i had just won a round) when one of the girls moms walked in. I thought she was going to ask me to move my car for her. She slowly replied “no…but, um, well, the passenger window is smashed…” All four of us girls slowly rose and walked to the car.

I couldn’t look. My poor car. glass everywhere. then it hit me. i remembered what i left in my car. i left my whole bag of stuff in there. i didn’t need it till the next day and we were in the middle of no where, so no problem right. i locked my doors and had gone inside.  in realization of what happened i started crying. mostly in shock. in anger at the situation and at myself for leaving it in the car. at the sickness of theft and how people can get a thrill off it. i traced through my steps at my house when i packed my bag, grabbing my bible so i can spend some time reading it in the morning. grabbed my glasses , telling myself i need to wear them more.
standing there looking at my car, knowing all my hours of reading and schoolwork just went down the drain frustrated me. my stupid expensive glasses. my laptop with not only my schoolwork on it, but a few years of photos from the phillippines, hawaii, family reunions etc. my school books with notes and highlights. my wallet with my SIN card and drivers license. but most importantly, my bible. my bible has travelled the world with me. in the back and in the front i wrote down meaningful quotes, stickers from kids in Ghana or Cambodia. My bible held so many memories – so so many. wow.

 

I am reading through the bible this year, chronologically. I just finished reading Job. (in no way, at all , do i  compare myself to the sufferings of Job). As i was driving home last night, with my window missing, it was easy to be angry and frustrated and confused. Yet i was safe. I was healthy. I am saved. My family is alive. I lost material items. As hard as it is to face and it is frustrating to get a new DL, books for school, start assignments all over -  It happened, and i  can’t live in the “i should have just…” or “man, why didn’t i..” . God is good. He is. the situation sucks. But God’s character doesn’t change when my circumstances do.

here’s to a fresh start.

growth

one of my favourite colours is green (after blue). It reminds me of growth.

the past few weeks have been busy to say the least. after finishing up a wedding on the 20th, the morning of the 21st, i headed off to REVCAMP 2011.

I love REV camp. I have missed 2. one while i was in Australia, and last years – when i was in Hawaii. I thought i would be there for a week. and i was. , but, also longer!  I was a cabin leader, team leader and bathroom cleaner at teen camp. Over 300 people were in attendance. The chapel was PACKED. so full. There was a wall of sweaty warmth as your entered into the chapel. People everywhere, ever outsdie the chapel dancing and worshipping. It was an amazing week, meeting new people and deepening already existing friendships. Hillsong’s youth pastor Nick came and spoke some inspiring words. Life Changing.

I ended up staying for Young Adult camp as a CAMPER! it was brilliant. a great time to relax and receive. One morning we got dropped up 10 minutes up the river and floated down. It took about 1 1/2 hours. most of the time it was relaxing, the rest of the time you were dodging rocks and tree stumps.
over all. just. great. refreshing. ///

Young Adult camp was over sunday morningish. Sunday afternoon my good friend Michael Chapman arrived! He is from Nashville and was speaking at our preteen camp. he brought along his brother Justin who i’ve heard much about. It was wonderful to connect with them for 24 horus before the mass of preteens came.

During this time however, the dark cloud called HEAD COLD arrived. During teen camp i lost my voice from always yelling, screaming, talking, and singing. My body faught it by giving me a cold.

Preteens arrived. babysitting began.
Everything with preteens takes longer.
I had such a fun cabin. They were wonderful. During the first couple nights they went to sleep early-ish which helped me recover my cold. The week went on and i got better. It was great to connect wtih young teens and hear their heart. I am always blown away by their passion.
I think i’ve always struggled with the thought that preteens don’t understand God, or christianity, or the Holy Spirit. But one night 100 preteens were filled with the holy spirit. They were getting prophetic words for each other, dreams, visions, speaking in tongues. The lord really spoke to me and showed me that He will pour His Spirit out on whoever want to receive it. Amazing and beautiful. I met a girl who in one night got saved and baptised in the Holy Spirit. Her life will never be the same.

All of a sudden my two weeks at camp came to an end. I boarded the ferry with everyone and sailed back.
Headed to a goodbye party that night.

Saturday – shot a wedding with jamie

Sunday – church. lunch farewell with Michael and Justin. Goodbye party for Jenessa and Shinae..home at 1am.((((((((side note. i love my youth group. i love my church. during our goodbye party jenessa requested we do some worship. WOW. such passionate hearts. i couldn’t help but smile while singing. about 40 young people singing their hearts out to God and genuinely worshipping Him. Could hardly hear the guitar over all the voices. wow. i want it. all the time. every day. SO thankful for the Revolution movement))))))

Monday. – school at 9am till 8pm. (yawn). I am on student counsel and today was move in day, so i had to be there. I enjoyed it. but. was quite tired.

as i reflect on the past while, i see how busy i’ve been but realise how wonderful it is to rest in jesus. i also am so greatful for the people in my life. The people that are surrounding me are passionate about growing in their relationship with God, desiring to be refined. The youth and leaders within Revolution are always pushing for more. It excites me. I am blessed by the ones around me.

Excited about the growth around me and in my own life. Can’t wait to see even more.

Huck Reunion.

I am a Huck. The Hucks are originally from Germany. Long ago, they immigrated to Russia. While in Russia they planted a new city, called Huckville.(no lie). Later on, they immigrated again to the midwest of the USA, and then north into Saskatchewan.

My great grandparents Ed and Mary Huck had a farm in Luseland Sask. They had 4 kids. Gerald, Dennis, Bob and Lorne. Gerry (gerald) is my grampa, my dad’s dad.

August long weekend, i attended a Huck Reunion. It was my great grandparents 70th wedding anniversary. (can you imagine being married for 70 years?!?!!? wow. ) My mom, brother and i left friday afternoon. My dad had left Thursday, and my mom was planning on visiting her parnets in edmonton the same weekend. so. made sense to go with her.

after spending an enjoyable evening in our upgraded hotel in Valemount, we left saturday morning for Edmonton. with no coffee till Jasper , the ride was quiet and peaceful as we took in the large mountains around us. beautiful.

arrive at the reunion around 3 pm saturday afternoon. We had rented out an old school house – now turned into a hall. Everyone brought their trailers and set up camp down the hill. there was a baseballl diamond and a park for the kids. Right away kyle and i were introduced to family that i don’t even remember meeting. the last reunion was in 1989, when i was 3. Everyone remembered me and kyle. It was amazing to see how big my family actually is. i’m proud of everyone. Very accomplised people in my family.  amazing people. amazing family. So refreshing to meet everyone (again).

That evening there was a sausage competition. My grampa, and his three brothers all had made their own sausage . They all cooked it the way the prefered and at dinner we voted on the best tasting sausage. MY grampa won!!! He was given a stanley cup with “Huck Sausage King” written on it , a crown, and a sausage neclase. hilarious. My grampa is a hoot. (while cooking, he wore a hat with bright coloured feathers sticking out, knee high socks, and brought out his accordian – maybe it helped!!)

My gramma and grampa live 5mins from the camp site so me,my dad, brother and a few others all slept at their house for the night. (that place holds a LOTTTTTTTTT of memories for me. amazing memories. wow) Sunday morning we headed back to the hall for breakfast. Then everyone had time to do what they wanted till the Reunion Party.

I went with my gramma and got ready at the house. then we picked up the anniversary cake. Then headed to the other hall for the reunion. decorated with the other ladies.

typically, a normal anniversary party would consisted of speeches and slide shows. my family , on the other hand… This anniversary party consisted of SONGS.

Everyone is musically talented. My grampa and his four brother sang an acapella song, my dad and his siblings same amazing grace, my aunt and i sang ‘Grampa’. many other songs from others. Finally, to finish it off, we sang a song as a whole Family. yep! Parts and all. which song?! – Oh Suzanna. Yep. that’s what we sang as a tribute to my great grandparents. Amazingly – they loved it. loved it.

Back to the camp site to have a steak dinner. I said my goodbye’s later that night and went to a hotel to spend the night with my mom.

Kyle met up with us monday morning and we started the long journey home. all in one day.

 

i loved it. i love my family. i had so many wonderful chats. many times i just sat and watched everyone. Such a beautiful, dynamic family. My closer relatives are the quirky bunch, and i love it. I am spoiled to come from such a rich heritage. My grreat grandparents had difficult patches. every couple does. but they made it. 70 years. they are devout christians. I belive that is why they made it. They dedicated their marriage to Christ.

I have very fond memories of the Huck Reunion 2011.

friendship dynamics

lately I’ve really been thinking about friendships.
what makes it healthy? what doesn’t?

I love healthy friendships. honesty. acceptance. forgiveness. love.
these are the people I can spend hours, and days with. Loving each other for who we are, and knowing we are loved in return.

I’ve also been thinking of opposite sex relationships.
I sued to be such a huge advocate for it. I believed it worked well – but mainly I was defending my friendship. I used to be best friends with a guy. For maybe, 8 years. Not really sure how long it was. Some say these friendships don’t work because someone always ends up liking the other person. That didn’t happen for us. However, your friends become part of you. It becomes part of your identity. You are ________’s best friend. People know you as their friend,and if seen without them they ask where the other one is. You become proud of the friendship.
Guys and Girls are different.
We see things differently, and we NEED things differently.
Girls need to be treated like women. We seek it. We long for it. We can often look for it in that friendship with the guy. It’s not his responsibility to pursue you the way you want! It IS his job to treat you like a woman. And in return you (women) must treat your guy friends with respect as well. Yet, as you get older. Things shift.
Being close friends with a guy at a young age doesn’t affect you as much as when you are older.
Sooner or later, without realising it, I let my best friend wear every hat that could fit him. I would throw him the Dad hat, the brother hat, the best friend hat, the protector hat, the affirmer hat. When the hat didn’t fit or was uncomforable, i would get hurt. Falsly hurt. Hurt by my own expectations!!! It just wasn’t fair for me to make him wear those hats!!!

Then there’s the day you need to MOVE ON. New guy/girl relationships form, something shifts, someone moves..whatever it is. There will be a time to MOVE ON.
This was a hard time for me, mainly because i wasn’t aware of the hats, the expecations i put on him, i was afraid of being Candace and not _______’s friend. It was part of my identity, and soon it wouldn’t. I was afraid that other people wouldn’t be my friend either.

I was once sitting outside booster juice with my friends andrew and shauneille, and andrew said to us “you know girls, it’s really important you find your bridesmaids before your groom. and i need to, and i am, finding my groomsmen before my bride” . I realised at that point that it is SOOO important and healthy to have GIRL friends in my life. Girls that share the same point of view, who struggle with similar things, and who are interested in guys as well. (haha!)

So. ok. Don’t get me wrong. Girls and Guys can be close friends. But best friends?! I’d warn against it… at least in the later years of life.

((((also. if you’re a girl. your best friend is a guy. and you’re single. I WONDER WHY!!! people probably thing HE’S your boyfriend!!!!! I’ve actually had a few conversations with guys lately who have said that about my previous friendship. ha! )))))

If you’re reading this, and you can identify with lots of this. I challenge you to evaluate your friendships. What do you want out of it? are your expectations placed on the wrong person? Take a season to step back from it, and allow the Lord to speak to your heart.

 

Today. I wouldn’t change any of the past. I would change my mind set I had though. I would change the amount of time i spent with the Lord (INCREASE IT!!!).  It all shaped me to be who i am today. I am thankful for those years. I have so very many good memories. I don’t look at him with bitterness, or disgust, or resentment. I am thankful for his friendship in my life. It was hard when things ‘changed’. I dealt with it poorly (again, should have been pouring my heart out to God WAY more). It felt like a break up. Yet, it is by the grace of God and the healing power that I can be so confident today. I have a new confidence in CHRIST. My insecurities, my comparisons are no more. I am a new creaion. I am still friends with guys. It’s great to be. There’s a balance of healthy guy / girl relationships.
I am careful now. Us girls need to be careful. (again, a balance – don’t let the guy think you’re hard and a jerk!)

 

Praise the Lord for new seasons, for frienships, and for his grace.

household inspire

                       

 

 

 

 

 

rallied in the troops

whew. Such a testimony of prayer!

On Saturday night we prayed for my step dad David. For peace.
On Tuesday, we prayed that while at the hospital that day they would FIND what was wrong.

I arrived home Wedneday morning at 7am. Jami’s mom, Cindy, dropped me off at the hospital. So great to see me mom, to see David. They updated me that while getting tests done the day before, they found what was wrong. 2 arteries were clogged. One was 70%, and the other was 90%. (they found the problem!) . They ended up putting 3 stents in the arteries. They had to go in through a small incision in the leg/groin. Because David was on so many blood thinners, it wasn’t healing up. They kept him in the hospital till last night, untill the bleeding stopped. He bled for over 24 hours. My mom and him kept praying for the bleeding to stop. By this point, the heart has been taken care of. But, the bleeding wouldn’t stop.
Alas, lats night.. it stopped. after two hours of no bleeding, he was released!

The Doctors are amazed. There are so many little things that are such miracles.
My mom and David work together.
They work across the street from the hospital.
They work in a care home full of nurses.
David has been taking blood thinners for a year (doctors say this may have been what saved his life)
PRAYER.

It amazes me how much prayer support each of us has received. David and my mom are constantly getting phone calls, emails, flowers, cards. Many people coming into the hospital to pray. crazy ammounts of emails flowing into my inbox – “praying for David and all of you!” 

I am so thankful for allll your kinds words, your prayers, your support. 
David expressed to me how much peace he has felt through this and how he knows it’s only through prayer.
He is blessed to know how many of YOU guys have been praying. It’s amazing. Amazing how many people have joined together, around the world to PRAY.

He’s home. He’s laughing. He’s eating again. Reading again.

The Lord is STRONG and ABLE.

 

 

thanks .