Merry Christmas!

Hello wonderful friends of mine!

It has been too long...

At last, major papers are handed in, the books are closed up, exams are finished and I'm home with my family again for Christmas. What a welcome break!

I do miss each of you and wish that we lived about 2000 kms closer.

BUT...that's what I'm writing about. What else would anyone desire more in the cold of winter than to escape to the oasis of Saskatchewan from the chilly desert of British Columbia (Ha!).

I know many of you expressed interest in making the trek eastwards for Youth Quake 2010.

I would SO love to have a reunion with all who are able to come! Guys are more than welcome to sleepover at my house (I have confirmed with the YQ team), and girls would be kept together but would stay in the dorms with some of the college girls (it's a great time!).

Please check out the website:

www.briercrest.ca/yq

Watch some videos, check out the speaker and the bands...

but most importantly it could be an incredible weekend to reunite and recharge as we head back into the last few months of the school year.

A couple things to take into account:

• You will miss some school (leaving on the 17th of February and returning on the 21st)
• It would be a road trip via coach bus (http://www.briercrest.ca/yq/premier-bus-lines.pdf)
• It is quite expensive (I understand this may be a deal breaker for many-though creativity in fundraising is welcomed!) The bus is $265 for both ways and one night's accommodation each way. The event itself is $165. That's a total of $430.
• If anyone or anyone's parents have questions they would like to ask me about, please feel free to call me here in Ontario (519-941-3965) until the 2nd of January or back in Saskatchewan afterwards (306-756-2735)

I do apologize this has taken so long. I was hoping to coordinate with the Kaleo crew, but they are still unsure about their involvement.

Now all we need to do is convince Jim to jump on the bus, swing by Mongolia, grab Marissa, interrupt Matt's wild gallivanting across the country, and steal Shannon out of school and work. Then we'll be on our way.

Let's start a discussion here on the blog. If you're interested, please comment on this post. If you're interested but unsure, please let me know that too. If you have questions, just post them as well, and I'll check fairly regularly.

I do love you all very much and continue to thank our Lord regularly for the time we got to share together and the good fruit he produced in us!

Enjoy the retreat over New Years!

I really love Zechariah's anticipation of John and Jesus:

And you, my child, will be called a prophet of the Most High;
for you will go on before the Lord to prepare the way for him,
to give his people the knowledge of salvation
through the forgiveness of their sins,
because of the tender mercy of our God,
by which the rising sun will come to us from heaven
to shine on those living in darkness
and in the shadow of death,
to guide our feet into the path of peace. (Luke 1)

This is worth celebrating! Merry Christmas!