Leah gets a Tattoo

Ladies and gentlemen, this is my fabulous little sister Leah Joye, who on January 28th experienced a right of passage like none other! Yesterday afternoon, I nervously walked with Leah to the ever popular White Lotus, where she got her first TATTOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!
Leah had made the appointment for five and we showed up a little later early to meet up with the hardly less then fabulous Justin who was also getting a tattoo. While I was the only one not getting a tattoo I was noticeably more nervous then these two cucumbers. My nerves where mostly brought in bad a bad dream I had a few nights before where I had gone to the tattoo parlor with Leah but in my dream when they fired up the needle I looked over and he was about to stab my baby, to which I screamed - "don't stab my baby!" However Leah reassured me that getting a tattoo was not like stabbing a baby.
So after filling out some sheets and talking to one of the tattoo moms who had come with her pierced and tattooed children, Sean, the tattoo artist was ready - Leah wanted to go first!

Leah was calm,cool,collected and except for the occasional "I feel hurty face!" She was tough as nails. I thought that she would probably cry, but she said it wasn't that bad ... but Sean said that he might cry because his eyes where dry from not blinking ... too much concentration! HA!
It didn't take long at all and the whole thing was a little anti-climatic except for the choice 90's music blarring in the room (Smashing Pumpkins kept the moment pretty epic!) When it was all said and done it looked REALLY GREAT, and turned out just how leah wanted.

Up next Justin!!!!

Oh Justin that big manly man, was getting his third tattoo and wasn't a bit nervous, however he did make a few more faces then Leah did! Justin said that it hurt a lot more then the ones he has on his back. His tattoo was of a pair of scissors with legs with high heels instead of legs that he found in a Scissor sister CD jacket. It was amazing and turned out so well!!! All in all, it was a pretty fast hour. Sean cleaned them up, they paid and he sent us home with little tattoo care treat bags ... Complete with stickers!!!!

So in the end what Tattoo did Leah Joye get? A Pirate ship? A Snake? A Winking Skull? Noooooooooooooooope!

It's a HEART. She drew it her self and I feel that it's very appropriate. Leah always did wear her heart on her sleeve! It still needs to heal, which will take about a week of being Saran wrapped and taped. It will be fine for next week when she goes home for a week to do some work experience where our parents will see it! YIKES!

Sorry for those of you who wanted to see Justins Tattoo, I'll try to get some pic next week! And for those of you who want to know, Justins shirt says: "Models Wanted".

combination meal time words!?!

• lupper
• linner
• Brunch

Ones that just don't work: Supper+dinner+ Sinner!

Faerie Queene

The faerie Queene is a poetic allegory written by Edmund Spencer. It is dedicated to the "Virgin Queene"; the first Queen Elizabeth and is a supposed re-interpretation of the King Arthur Myth; a moral mythological account of Englands Royal history. This book is broken into 6 books that follows the adventures of Knights who encompass the Virtures of Holiness, Temerpence, Chastity, Friendship, Justice. They are dealt with in a very complecated story of queen's, Knights, witches, dragons and gods. Each virtue is looked at through both a Classical and Christian lens, which at times creates a strong contrast between the two accounts. Even though this is the one of the most difficult books I've read because of the language (Middle English - WORSE THEN OLD ENGLISH, ie, Cantabury Tales!)it does however deal with the Christian life, putting on the full armor of God, and how the contemplative life requires our action or faith and works. This type of writing was very popular in the days when Church and State held about the same about of power. Other great allegorical poems include: Dante's Divine comedy and Milton's Paradise Lost.

C.S. Lewis and the other members of the Inklings ( made popular again but the release of LOTR and Narnia) attempted to write the modern Christian allegory with such works as Narnia and Descent into Hell. In our new day an age where it's about the literal "facts", we have little time of poetry, which by its' nature forces the reader to figure out and reflect on what actually is being said or revealed.

Is there a poetic work that you have read that taught you something about your faith, even if it wasn't a "Christian" allegory?

Hey Internet Elite, My apologies for starting the blog and not committing. My life the last couple of months has been run over by so many responsibilities with School, planning a wedding and reading really large old books that I haven't had enough coherent thoughts to put them on the internet. And As of resent I have been struggle with the idea of the blog and it's proper use.

I had a blog that I started in Grade 12 and like most teenagers it was full of self lament and bad poetry, so I abondoned the project. But, I like the idea of staying connected as my closest relationships are actually ones that I do not get to communicate with often. I also love the opertunity to dialogue. But I would like to stay committed to the sub-heading of this blog by always focusing or atleast mensioning those things that are excellent, praise worthy and a result of our Joy! So, my interent friends, please keep me accountable to the very serious business of heaven!

So a short update:

My best man Ryan and I were engaged on the Christmas break and have set the date for JULY 15 2006, only a 171 days to go. Yep the wedding countdown has began. There's a lot to plan. I'm desparetely trying to keep things simple and small, because, well we are just plan poor. Plus, between Ryan and I our family alone is like 1000 people, so please don't be offended if you don't get the offical invite.

School has been really great this year, but still super busy. My Great Ideas Course (http://http://people.stu.ca/~giss/Main/index.htm) this semester is on Love and Friendship! Woot, it's been great discussing my two reasons for living in class. We are currently reading Edmund Spensers Fearie Queen; a complex Christain/Aristotilian Allogory/Poem writen in Middle English ... it's also 1055 pages long. I'm not kidding!

I am now an offical member of The Meeting Place Church (http://www.tmpchurch.ca)! I've gone there for more then a year or so now and it's been my absolute pleasure and challange to play on a worship team since the fall. God is doing huge things in our worship at TMP. His name is being exalted, his word is being prophesied and hearts are turning back to him! What a blessing!

That's the short of it for now. My little joy report today was getting a ride from a wonderful ladie I go to school with who was headed down town to pick up her little girl from school. We had a lovely chat, and I love seeing the inside of peoples car/lives!