One word.

So I haven't been the most loyal of bloggers as of late. But I try, okay?

I'd like to say I've been really busy lately, and I certainly feel like I have been, but if you were to ask me: 'Trevor, what have you been so busy with that you can't write a short, simple (yet thought provoking) blog to your loyal fans and followers?'

I'd probably answer with something like: 'You're a liar. My blogs are never short.'

or something like that anyway.

But I SWEAR, I have been busy. I think. Just been up to a lot and can't really think of what I've been doing.

But I can sum up the last couple weeks for you in one word...

FUN!!

I have been having a BLAST the last few weeks. Just been so much fun. Hanging out with the people here has been the time of my life. Everyone's just so much fun... (not to say that you folks out in the Canadaland aren't, because you are!) A couple days ago it was Anna's birthday. So we went to this place close by to celebrate (literally down the corner from my road) and feel angry at everyone in general for never telling me this place existed! The food is amazing... they even have a pool table!! What else have people been hiding from me?!? So that was a lot of fun. Oh, and a few days before that I got a new housemate. Nick. He's American. Or a giant. Possibly an American giant. But we get along anyway, even though I'm Canadian non-giant.

The girls on the other compound got another housemate (total of 6 in one house!) and I MIGHT be getting another guy coming in on Sunday already. But no one really knows for sure...

A couple weeks ago we went to this hotel to use their pool. It cost 750 Naira for girls. And 1000 for guys. Don't ask me why I had to pay more. I have NO idea. Honest. Why would guys have to pay more?!? But it was nice. Except for the extreme sunburn. Everyone but Kathryn got FRIED. And we used sunscreen... I managed to have a nice red colour on my chest and stomach and that's it. So it wasn't too bad, no one could tell I looked like a tomato unless I took my shirt off. Which doesn't happen too often. It also came in handy for when I started to peel (in giant chunks at a time...) since no one had to be witness to that.

Last night was a blast too. I had the girls (Anna, Debbie, Janina, Julia, Krista and Samantha) down for dinner. I made spaghetti. It was pretty good, if I do say so myself. And after dinner as we were all hanging out, playing games and joking around, Kathy came by with a bag of goodies for me! My awesome family sent me stuff!! I felt like it was Sinterklaas (Christmas for any non-Dutchies reading this). SOOO much awesome stuff. Dropjies, King peppermints, Tootsie rolls, soup packages, chocolate sprinkles (I have NO idea how to spell that in Dutch), syrup for my pancakes (yay!! syrup costs more than $10 a bottle here, so I've never gotten it), Mac and cheese (awesome food for the bachelor pad), windmill cookies... But the best part was all the letters and pictures I got from everyone. Tracy made a really cute card with pictures of Clay and Tori. Sherri sent me a bunch of pictures of Sierra and Tavian. Sierra and Tavian drew/painted me some nice pictures as well. Cards from my siblings and my Oma... PLUS the card Stef sent me a couple months ago came with it (actually came IN the same bag. Don't ask me HOW that happened. I'm just glad it happened!) So that was pretty much the best night ever. Tons of fun with friends here. We were busting a gut laughing so much. Then my package and cards were just the icing on the cake of awesomeness.

I wanted to write an email to each person to thank them for them, but I don't have time right now (sorry!). I'm off in a little over an hour to drive 5 hours to say goodbye to Mike and Megan Ribbins and their super-fun kids Amira and Nico. Can't wait! But thank you to everyone who sent me stuff! You rock and I'll email you when I get back (tomorrow, probably). After that I've only got a couple weeks left here. Yikes! Then to England for a few days to hang out with my old housemate, Chris. London to visit Debbie (she leaves next weekend) and see Les Miserable. Ireland to visit Kathryn and Jayne. Holland to visit family and friends. Then Italy to visit the Pope and Caesar. THEN back to London to fly back home!!

One month and one day and I'll be back in the Great White North!!


eh?

You can always get what you want.

"Delight yourself in the LORD and he will give you the desires of your heart."

Psalm 37:4

I think we tend to remember this text and then hold it against God when we don't get what we want. We get confused at God, we think "I did what YOU want, why haven't you given me what I want?"

But we're looking at it backwards. We're looking at it as if it said: "He will give you the desires of your heart when you delight yourself in the LORD."

The difference isn't huge, but vital to the meaning of the text. We look at this text and then think that God will give us what we want if we have faith in Him. Often people's faith are tried because of this. The person with the strongest faith is not going to get the Ferrari because of it. Our incorrect view of this text is dangerous. People who are sick, struggling with sin... are often told "if you have faith, God will heal/help..." Then, when this healing or the temptations don't stop, they begin to doubt. Their faith was strong, so WHY won't God help them?

"I held up my end of the bargain, your turn!"

Like I said, we often look at it wrong. The first part of the 'agreement' is to "delight yourself in the LORD". Not "think about what you want". We're thinking about what we want. We think that we can then get these things because of our faith, and if we don't, then either our faith isn't strong enough or God is going against His word. If we come to either of these conclusions, we've come to the wrong conclusions.

Once you've completed the first part of the text and are delighting in the LORD, you'll find that the desires of your heart change. You don't want the Ferrari anymore. You just want more of God.

And that's something He's dying to give.

When you delight in God, your heart desires to delight in God

and you get exactly what you want.

Pictures

Just a quick post to let you know I've upped some photos to Facebook.

Trip to Jalingo

Jos Wildlife Park

African thunderstorms

and, per my mom's request, some pictures of things I see and talk about, but you folks don't.

Enjoy!!