JourneyWild

Saying Goodbye

noreply@blogger.com (Nicole Robinson ) — Tue, 21 Jun 2011 17:14:00 +0000

One December night, soon after I arrived in Nova Scotia, I drove to the beach and stood ankle deep in the ocean, staring out at the edge of the world and giving my time here to God. A year and a half later, on summer solstice, I again dip my toes in the ocean and say goodbye.

I do not know why I came to Nova Scotia. I do believe that the Lord let me here, and now He's leading me out.

This has been a time of sorrow in my life - of spiritual and financial poverty, of lost dreams, lost jobs, and a lost love. I honestly hate it here and hope to never return.

I am incredibly thankful for the friends I have made here. There are some of you who have stood by me through thick and thin. You know who you are. I hope to see you all again soon!

They say home is where the heart is, and I know that to be true, because I have yet to feel at home anywhere. Perhaps I'll find one in Saskatchewan.

Until we meet again!

Roxanne's Law

noreply@blogger.com (Nicole Robinson ) — Thu, 20 May 2010 16:06:00 +0000

Wow, this woman Roxanne was intimidated by her boyfriend to have an abortion, and when she wouldn't he killed her. This happened in Winnipeg! I'm encouraging everyone to sign this petition to give women like Roxanne legal recourse when they're being pressured or intimidated to have an abortion. When it happens like that, it is no longer the woman's choice!

Support of C-510 (Roxanne's Law)

Make Yourself Comfortable

noreply@blogger.com (Nicole Robinson ) — Thu, 29 Apr 2010 17:20:00 +0000

Saffron doesn't stand on ceremony.

Who's the Boss?

noreply@blogger.com (Nicole Robinson ) — Thu, 29 Apr 2010 14:53:00 +0000

He Tore The Veil

noreply@blogger.com (Nicole Robinson ) — Fri, 02 Apr 2010 23:29:00 +0000

When Jesus lived, the temple in Jerusalem was divided by a huge curtain, keeping people out of the 'holy of holies' - the holiest place. The Temple curtain in front of the holy of holies was 20 meters high (22 yds), 10 meters wide (11 yds), and about 8 centimeters thick (3 inches). That would make the weight between 4 to 6 tons. In fact the Talmud notes that it took some 300 priests to carry it.

Four separate authors in the Bible documented the moment of Jesus death, at around 3pm in the afternoon. As one author wrote, "At that moment the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom."

When Jesus died, he tore that 4 ton curtain that separated the people from the holy of holies. When he died, he tore down the barrier that separated us from God. Now we can talk to God directly, without making sacrifices or giving offerings through priests.

Christianity is the only faith that is based on what God has done for us, rather than what we must do for God. He wanted to be close to us so badly that he came down and died to break the barriers that we couldn't. Now that's love.

So don't wait any longer - let this be the moment you start a conversation with the God who loves you so much that he tore the veil.

Merry Christmas to All

noreply@blogger.com (Nicole Robinson ) — Sat, 26 Dec 2009 02:38:00 +0000

I want to wish all my friends and family a wonderful Christmas season!

I often hear the phrase 'Jesus is the reason for the season'. This is a great time to remember what it's all about... and no better way than with a Christmas carol. =)

Merry Christmas everyone!

Elementyl365

noreply@blogger.com (Nicole Robinson ) — Tue, 22 Dec 2009 22:04:00 +0000

This week I made a resolution. In the New Year, I am going to make a point of photographing every day. I'm calling this project Elementyl365. You'll see mainly impromptu pictures, as well as some planned projects. Every day will bring something new.

So check out my new photoblog Elementyl365!

My First DP Challenge

noreply@blogger.com (Nicole Robinson ) — Thu, 17 Dec 2009 02:54:00 +0000

To keep myself motivated and improve my photography skills, I've joined a site called Digital Photography challenge. Every week new photography challenges are offered for anyone interested.

I've just submitted my first photo for the challenge Rural Decay. I'm nervous about having it critiqued by other members, but I'm excited at this opportunity to improve my photography, especially since there are no local photography courses or clubs. So bring on the judging!

Ramshackle

Lobster... Mmmmmmmm

noreply@blogger.com (Nicole Robinson ) — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 22:00:00 +0000

Nova Scotia is beautiful!

I'm settling into Middleton, and so far I really like it here. The ocean is about a 5 minute drive west, and the coast is amazing - rocky beaches, sheer cliffs, and huge waves.

Beach near Margaretsville

The houses here are neat - there are many, many 100 year old homes that have been kept up beautifully over the years. There are also some unique ones...

I don't think Baywatch was filmed here

Dad and Lorie's 8 dogs held up well through their 7 day drive across Canada. I flew into Halifax on November 30, and met up with them December 1st. One of the dogs, Feather, started peeing on the floor to protest all the change, but as you can see, he's settled in now. :)

Feather likes to sneak onto the easy chair at night

My cat flew with me in the cabin. I gave her Rescue Remedy to keep her calm, and it worked really well. I gave it to her the night before the flight, and she purred for two hours straight!

On Sunday we had our first lobster. They just sell them on the side of the road - Nova Scotia's version of berry stands. $5 bucks a pound!

Yummy!

When I think of Christmas, I feel disoriented and a little homesick. I'm thankful to have Dad and Lorie. I miss being around family and friends during this season. So keep in touch! And have a wonderful Christmas season!

A storm blew the ocean spray far from shore

Hello Halifax

noreply@blogger.com (Nicole Robinson ) — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 07:25:00 +0000

After a crazy week of packing, throwing away, giving away, rinse and repeat.... Saffron and I got on the plane yesterday morning. Huge thanks to my Mom - I would not have finished everything without her.

It was a grey rainy morning when I left Vancouver, and a dark rainy night when I arrived in Halifax. Saffron did pretty well throughout the trip - kudos to Rescue Remedy, an herbal anxiety relief tincture. The stuff is great - just a couple drops in some water or her mouth would calm her down in minutes. I had to laugh when I gave it to her last night in the hotel - the kitty was so relaxed that she purred for two hours! Her tail, which usually does a slow "S" curved swish when she is happy, whipped back and forth like a windshield wiper set on high. It was great.

Amid all the craziness of the last few weeks, I completed my photography course and handed in my portfolio. Here are some of my favorite shots from the course. Hopefully you'll see a big improvement!

Jeff Foxworthy on Canada

noreply@blogger.com (Nicole Robinson ) — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 11:15:00 +0000

This was forwarded to me by a friend, and I laughed my face off... because it's all true!

If your local Dairy Queen is closed from September through May,you may live in Canada .

If someone in a Home Depot store offers you assistance and they don't work there, you may live in Canada .

If you've worn shorts and a parka at the same time, you may live in Canada .

If you've had a lengthy telephone conversation with someone who dialed a wrong number, you may live in Canada .

If 'Vacation' means going anywhere south of Detroit for the weekend, you may live in Canada .

If you measure distance in hours, you may live in Canada .

If you know several people who have hit a deer more than once, you may live in Canada

If you have switched from 'heat' to 'A/C' in the same day and back again, you may live in Canada

If you can drive 90 kms/hr through 2 feet of snow during a raging blizzard without flinching, you may live in Canada . I've done this!

If you install security lights on your house and garage, but leave both unlocked, you may live in Canada .

If you carry jumper cables in your car and your wife knows how to use them, you may live in Canada .

If you design your kid's Halloween costume to fit over a snowsuit, you may live in Canada .

If the speed limit on the highway is 80km -- you're going 90 and everybody is passing you, you may live in Canada .

If driving is better in the winter because the potholes are filled with snow, you may live in Canada .

If you know all 4 seasons: almost winter, winter, still winter, and road construction, you may live in Canada

If you have more miles on your snow blower than your car, you may live in Canada .

If you find 2 degrees 'a little chilly', you may live in Canada

If you actually understand these jokes you definitely live in Canada

Booked and Ready

noreply@blogger.com (Nicole Robinson ) — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 08:15:00 +0000

It's official! I booked my flight to Halifax, and I fly out on November 30. Suddenly moving seems very real. I'm excited and nervous.

Air Canada recently released new rules for pets, so Saffron can come in the cabin with me as 'carry on baggage'. Poor kitty, that is not going to be her favorite day.

Now comes the biggest hurdle... packing. (shudder)

Saffron looks like she's ready to be carried on.

Moving to Nova Scotia

noreply@blogger.com (Nicole Robinson ) — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 05:25:00 +0000

It's official - I'm moving to Nova Scotia at the end of November. I'm pretty blown away at where life has taken me these last few months. Laid off from work 3 months ago to moving from coast to coast this winter. I'm very excited, though sad to leave family and long-time friends.

I went out to the east coast a couple of months ago to help my step-mom house hunt, and was blown away by the beauty of the area. I learned that no matter where you are in Nova Scotia, you're no more than 30 km from the ocean!

Beautiful fall Nova Scotia pics here.

I'm holding off till the end of November so I can finish my photography course. My assignment this week, should I choose to accept it:

Depth of field - 4 pictures of the same thing. First, the closest part must be in focus while the rest is blurred. Then the middle in focus, then the farthest point. Finally, a shot of the whole thing in focus.
Shutter speed - motion shots. Capture something moving and 'freeze' it, capture something else moving and blurred.

These two assignments were tough! I went to different locations throughout the week, and did not get it right. Finally at 3pm the day of my class, I was running around my yard desperately trying to get it right. And yay! I finally did! I've posted them along with a few happy mistakes. :)

Learning Photography

noreply@blogger.com (Nicole Robinson ) — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 19:02:00 +0000

I took the plunge into Digital SLR! I purchased a rocking Nikon D90 (that I'm totally in love with!) and signed up for a digital photograpy class at the local college. Very cool, hands on learning, with a photo assignment each week.

My mission, should I choose to accept it: 6 strong photos of my bathroom. Yup, my bathroom. Eeek!

Those of you who know my organizational weaknesses are laughing your faces off right now. I'm not super neat. Add to it that my bathroom is roughly the size of a closet (not a walk in), and you begin to feel my pain.

So I cheated a bit - I headed over to my Mom's place, whose bathroom is exactly opposite mine in both size and tidiness. I got several neat pics from there, but couldn't resist adding the pet shots from my own place for interest. Poor Saffron - I kept throwing treats into the cupboard and putting her in there, hoping for the perfect shot.

So TaaaDaaa, here it is, my foray into Digital SLR Photography.

Walking Away from God

noreply@blogger.com (Nicole Robinson ) — Mon, 10 Aug 2009 01:49:00 +0000

We have the right to live any way we want. But if you are living a life away from God, there are problems, and there is also hope for the future.

Check out this video by Dr. Charles Stanley titled 'Walking Away from God'. Great explanations of the costs of living without God, and God's response when you turn to him. Based on the passage of the prodigal son.

Watch the video

Playing For Change

noreply@blogger.com (Nicole Robinson ) — Sat, 25 Apr 2009 02:46:00 +0000

Check out this neat video. Even more neat is the vision behind it - to bring about unity and help the hurting through music. Check out the site playingforchange.com

Merry Christmas

noreply@blogger.com (Nicole Robinson ) — Thu, 25 Dec 2008 10:19:00 +0000

What a winter wonderland it is here in Surrey! The snow has had a huge impact this week. I skipped a lot of shopping (yay), but also missed my favourite tradition, church on Christmas Eve. Surprisingly, I found my 'service' on Country Music Television - Paul Brandt hosted a Christmas Eve concert in Banff. The music was beautiful - both old classics and new tunes were sung by several different artists.

One line really struck me, that when Mary kissed her little baby, she kissed the face of God. The power, and the humility, of what God has done for us is amazing.

Thank You God.

A new beginning...

noreply@blogger.com (Nicole Robinson ) — Sun, 28 Sep 2008 07:15:00 +0000

Butterflies signify new beginnings

Wow, it's been nearly a year since I posted on here. There has been a reason - my path became very 'bumpy' soon after I returned from Ireland, and has remained that way. Finally, I am beginning to see the light at the end of this particular tunnel. And I finally have the emotional energy to being doing a few extras, such as posting on my blog.

So, to those of you who have been checking here once in a while, thanks for sticking with!! I look forward to reading your comments.

Off to Ireland!!

noreply@blogger.com (Nicole Robinson ) — Tue, 16 Oct 2007 20:20:00 +0000

Big news – my company is sending me to Ireland for 2 weeks in November to do some training! I’ll be located in Dublin most of the time, but I’m taking off a few days before and after to do some travelling around. So I’ll be there for 3 weeks in November!! I’m super excited – most of you know that Ireland is where I’ve dreamt of going for a while now. I’m being sent to Montreal for a week just after I return. I feel very privileged to be paid to have so much fun!

Aside from the perks, work is still great, as is life in general. I spent some time in September with Dad and his side of the family, and thanksgiving with Mom and hers. Saffron, my cat, continues to think she’s the boss of me, and she may be right.

16 Years of Unconditional Love

noreply@blogger.com (Nicole Robinson ) — Mon, 18 Jun 2007 05:09:00 +0000

My mom and I had to put our cat Data to sleep yesterday after 16 great years. It's been a difficult weekend. My dad and I picked him up as a kitten when I was 16 years old. While we were driving home, we got stuck in traffic for an hour on the Alex Fraser bridge. I cuddled the poor, scared little kitten, and by the time we finally made it home, Data was bonded to me for life!

I held Data again yesterday as he fell asleep for the final time. Mom and I petted him and told him how much we loved him until he was gone.

There's a lot of emotion tied in with his leaving. Data was one of the last ties to my childhood. He was part of the family before my parents divorced, before I became a Christian, and the dark years of my late teens and early 20's. No matter how long I was away, Data would greet me with total adoration when I went to my Mom's place. He never forgot me, and he was as much my kitten yesterday as he was 16 years ago.

Aside from sadness, the overwheming feeling that I have is gratefulness. Data loved me unabashedly and unconditionally for 16 years. I'm incredibly blessed.

I love you Data. I look forward to seeing you again, in a place where neither of us feel pain.

Virginia Tech, Guns and Torture

noreply@blogger.com (Nicole Robinson ) — Tue, 22 May 2007 04:45:00 +0000

"The second question you asked was a theological question. And I get that asked every time there is a tragedy. And you properly ask that question over and over again. And I say things that always get incredible uproars because people don't think. And it's as simple as this: God is not in control of everything. I know that's going to sound like heresy, because we love to say in the midst of everything that's going on, "Oh God's in control, God's in control, God's in control," but that's absolutely absurd. God did not bring about Auschwitz. God does not bring about these horrible events on this planet. They are the doings of human beings in most instances. May I say this: It's obvious that God is not in control, by God's own choice. When God created Adam and Eve, He gave them freedom. Now, you can't give your children freedom, and still say you're in control of them…"

Tony Campolo's podcast on the Virginia Tech tragedy covers several questions:

How can God allow such a thing to happen? Campolo explains that God has given up much control in order to allow us, His children, to be free. In Campolo's words, "what we do with that freedom has been horrendous, but it's also been glorious."
The legitimate question asked by the parents of US soldiers "Where's the outcry for our fallen?" And where's the outcry for the many thousands of fallen Iraqi civilians?
The power of lobby groups such as the NRA over politicians through financing.
The strong connection between the NRA and the religious right in the US, and the difference between the potentially violent outlook of many Christians with that of Jesus' teachings.
US patriotism being placed as an idol above Jesus.
Accountability for US soldiers who massacre Iraqi civilians, in contradiction to the Geneva accord, and the unquestioned support for these obscenities by US citizens. "In fighting the dragon, we have become the dragon."

I deeply respect Tony Campolo, and have begun listening to his collection of podcasts found on his website. They're worth checking out, as is his book, Speaking My Mind.

On The Move

noreply@blogger.com (Nicole Robinson ) — Sun, 20 May 2007 16:30:00 +0000

The One Campaign has published a book based on Bono's powerful speech at the 2006 National Prayer Breakfast in Washington, DC. Check out the live preview here (it's really neat).

"Because where you live should no longer determine whether you live." Bono

Surrey Christian Sojourners First Meeting

noreply@blogger.com (Nicole Robinson ) — Sun, 13 May 2007 14:55:00 +0000

On Thursday we had our first meeting of Surrey Christian Sojourners, the spiritual meetup I've been putting together. It was an interesting evening. About the time I got in line at the coffee shop, their coffee grinder broke, adding to my nervousness. So I stood in line for 20 minutes, turning around every time the door opened. It was surprisingly nerve wracking.

3 people arrived, and we discussed Micah 6:8 and it's three-fold directive of justice, mercy, and walking with God. Interestingly enough, all 4 of us are currently involved in serving the homeless in various ways, right here in Surrey!

What was also neat was the group included another church planter, Ron. He currently leads a house-based faith community called Coram Deo here in Surrey. Take a look at their site, it's very cool. As he shared a bit about the spiritual journey he and his wife have been on, we found a lot of common ground. Very exciting! I'll probably check it out next Sunday.

Challenges of the evening - 1. Not everyone spoke English well, and as we read it I realized what I had written on the handout was too complex. I'll need to ensure everone can understand.

2. My overwhelming nervousness! As a 'recovering' shy person, I had a few nerve-wracking moments of going completely blank, and there were some awkward silences. Hopefully, as the group gets to know each other, those will lessen.

Since we're a new group, to help people start sharing I've posted our discussion on a blogger page, so that participants can interact through comments.

Check out the Surrey Christian Sojourners blog.

And check out the Surrey Christian Sojourners Meetup Page.

I'd love to hear feedback from you, my friends and family, as we go along! I hope to hear from you soon!

Famine Again?

noreply@blogger.com (Nicole Robinson ) — Sun, 13 May 2007 14:55:00 +0000

Art by Trevor Romaine

The problem lies with those who have not or cannot join the modern economy—those in poverty-stricken urban slums, whose labor will not earn enough money to buy food, or those in remote places pursuing traditional lifestyles that are subject to natural disasters. The number of such traditionalists has grown, even as their ability to feed themselves has declined. Their land has been restricted (by war, land grabs, or borders) or degraded (often by overgrazing or poor farming techniques). Crime and war and bad government have kept them isolated from education and business, forces that could change their lives. They are more vulnerable than ever.

When I talk to people in relief and development organizations, I find them frustrated by these realities. They want to make a lasting difference but, by and large, they cannot. By feeding people, they are putting off problems to another day. Drought will come again. Donors will groan and ante up again—we hope.

Read the rest of this great article about the hidden faces of famine...

An Expensive Mistake

noreply@blogger.com (Nicole Robinson ) — Mon, 07 May 2007 19:47:00 +0000

Yesterday, in my laundering frenzy, I accidentally washed my cell phone in my jeans. It came out lemony fresh, never to ring again. Aside from feeling stupid, I was disappointed - the phone had lots of cool features.

So I went to the mall this morning to find the cheapest replacement possible. The phone rep was very helpful - for just over $200, he sold me this:

Yep, I paid $200 for the exact same phone. I feel a little gypped! They did have a cheaper version, which was slightly smaller than this:

Call it pride, but I felt embarassed carrying around a phone too big to fit in my purse!

Well, I've learned my lesson - always check my pockets for Kleenex and cell phones before throwing my pants into the wash.