really happy

Life is good. Yesterday I went to school!! The classrooms are just like the ones you see in TV...with the rows of desks (with chairs attached), in an auditorium like room. Anybody else know what I'm talking about? It was like AD1 at CBC, (R.I.P.), but more 'professional'-you couldn't move the desks. It reminded me of Legally Blonde, it was just missing the rows of iMac computers. Okay...so I was at school. :) I wrote two tests, I think I still know how to read and write, woo-hoo. It was annoying though, because we couldn't start at the scheduled time so I ended up being a couple minutes late for work, but it all worked out.
Dave picked me up from school (I can't get over being in school...), and drove me to work, THANKS DAVE!!! On the way there he gave me his Casting Crowns-Lifesong CD!! I love it, its awesome!! I'm going to include some lyrics on this post, but I'll try to refrain from posting the entire CD's worth of lyrics. :)
Hmm...then I went to work, nothing to eventful.
Deb came and 'picked me up' from work. (Quotes because she was on rollerblades, not in a car). It started to rain just as we were going to go back to her place, so we opted to go to Timmy's instead. Then we had to call her mom because we realized she didn't know we were staying in the Meadowlands, so we did that. Then we went to Zellers for almost an hour, playing with toys, watching Alvin & the Chipmunks, looking at make up and bathroom accessories and chasing her with pink shirts. It was fun. We walked/bladed back to her house, she played some guitar and we talked a little bit about her music and stuff, she can write good lyrics! Then I talked to Matt and her parents and then her mom drove me home, and I came and went straight to bed. No msn, no food, no tv, just pj's and bed. At 930pm. I woke up a few times in the night because I went to bed so early, but that was okay. And today is my day off and it's getting close to 1130 in the morning and I haven't done anything productive yet. Yet. Although it's my day off and I think I plan on being kind of lazy today. Figure out a new filing system since my last one got flooded, and now that my papers are dry I can put them all away again. Have something to eat. Throw out the radishes that I'm pretty sure are rotten in my fridge. Maybe I can "bake a cake or something" (yeah, Pedro!!). Do some tidying and some relaxing. I had Sunday off but because I was with people all day I just didn't feel relaxed...don't take offence, it was an awesome day, I've just grown accustomed to having time to myself lately and I missed that. So I'm going to take time for me today. YAY!!! Very excited.
And now for some lyrics:

Praise You in this Storm

I was sure by now
That You would have reached down
And wiped our tears away
Stepped in and saved the day
But once again, I say "Amen" and it's still raining

As the thunder rolls
I barely hear You whisper through the rain
"I'm with you"
And as Your mercy falls
I raise my hands and praise the God who gives
And takes away

I'll praise You in this storm
And I will lift my hands
For You are who You are
No matter where I am
Every tear I've cried
You hold in Your hand
You never left my side
And though my heart is torn
I will praise You in this storm

Stained Glass Masquerade

Is there anyone that fails
Is there anyone that falls
Am I the only one in church today feelin' so small

Cause when I take a look around
Everybody seems so strong
I know they'll soon discover
That I don't belong

So I tuck it all away, like everything's okay
If I make them all believe it, maybe I'll believe it too
So with a painted grin, I play the part again
So everyone will see me the way that I see them

Are we happy plastic people
Under shiny plastic steeples
With walls around our weakness
And smiles to hide our pain
But if the invitation's open
To every heart that has been broken
Maybe then we close the curtain on our stained glass masquerade

Is there anyone who's been there
Are there any hands to raise
Am I the only one who's traded
In the altar for a stage

The performance is convincing
And we know every line by heart
Only when no one is watching
Can we really fall apart

But would it set me free
If I dared to let you see
The truth behind the person
That you imagine me to be

Would your arms be open
Or would you walk away
Would the love of Jesus
Be enough to make you stay

Love Them Like Jesus

Just love them like Jesus, carry them to Him
His voice is easy, His burden is light
You don't need the answers to all of life's questions
Just know that He loves them and stay by their side
Love them like Jesus

Lord of all creation holds our lives in His hands
The God of all the nations holds our lives in His hands
The Rock of our salvation holds our lives in His hands
He cares for them just as He cares for you

Father, Spirit, Jesus

Lord, the worship we bring
Is more than sounds that we sing
It's a reflection of our ever-changing lives
The best we have to offer

We don't just lift up our hands
Lord, we lift up our lives
For we know that you are worthy of our praise
To You our lifesongs raise

Rescued from darkness
We are walking in marvelous light
For we are children of the King!
SING

You are worthy of all honour
Glory, praise and power
King of the nations
You are holy God, almighty
Clothed in brilliant majesty
Father, Spirit, Jesus

Wow...awesome songs. Praise You in this Storm!! I'm not going through any major storms right now, or really any little storms. There's a few raindrops, but I've really been learning perspective. There's always someone worse off than me, and I'm reminded when I hear this song to praise God in every circumstance, and then I'm driven to my knees to pray for those who's storms are more than they can handle. In reality, we don't have to try and handle anything on our own, we have God. The God who holds our tears in his hands, the same one can help us through every storm. I'm just praising him because having him here is as if there is no storm. Praise Jesus!
Stained Glass Masquerade. My friend Steph had the chorus as her msn name and I thought, wow that's daring and yet so true...and then I heard the song. *blown away*. What I love about Casting Crowns is their ability to sing whats true and on their hearts with nothing held back, they just give it their all. We're not perfect people. I know Dave did a blog entry about this song a while ago (which in part inspired this entry-and the fact he gave me the cd!) :) As a group at CoTR we are pretty good at being real with eachother, could you imagine if everyone in our church, in our group of friends, in churches across the country we're real with eachother? I read an article in Relevant Magazine about accountability and whoa. Friends, having people you can talk to, be real with and know are praying for you is amazing. Don't misunderstand, don't use an accountability partner or group as an opportunity to gossip and disect other people's lives and problems, that's whats wrong with accountability today!! Let's be real and see what God will do with those who are living a life pleasing to him. Let's pray for each other and encourage one another and stop being fake!!! As Mark Hall puts it "I don't think it bothers the world that we sin, I think it bothers the world that we act like we don't." AMEN!! So let's stop it.
Love them Like Jesus. Pretty self explanatory. I only picked a few verses from this song to include, they summarize whats most important. Love them! Don't pretend to have the right words to say, just love them.
Finally, Father, Spirit, Jesus. Song of my heart.
I hope this entry can be an encouragement to you. Friends, go out and live a life that's real and reflecting Jesus!
Love Niki :)