Wanting to get ready!

Took a look at Mark Cuban's blog for the first time since creation and stumbled on a significant piece of wisdom that the business maverick picked up from infamous college basketball coach Bobby Knight.

"Everyone has got the will to win; it's only those with the will to prepare that do win."

Classic. Simply perfect. No question.

i'm taking this one to heart, since i like preparing, but don't have the will to do it. i wanna develop that. Cuban says that these are "words for every athlete and those of us who partake in the Sport of Business to live by", but i think it goes further and applies to all those who are in the game of Life. And for us who are in the Christian race? Or in the work of ministry? And don't start talking about the application of getting ready for Heaven.....

The will to prepare. My next prayer request.

Resolve to pronounce my name correctly- it's eee-en!

Most people are back to work/school already, but today is my personal first day of anything this year. Yes, school started last week Tuesday, but i didn’t get in until Thursday, and didn’t leave my bed until 11:00 am Friday, so i have a delayed start. It’s all good – really! And i’m marking the occasion with a blog entry.

Over the holidays, i visited the happening bachelor pad of master-of-all-trades Jay Chai. His repertoire of skills includes writing and blogging, and he's been holding himself to 5 minute entries for the last little while. i'm going to try the same - hopefully, it leads to more frequent posts!

Pray for my Palm Pilot, my Christmas gift from my girlfriend that decided to stop functioning last Friday night. i've tried the soft reset, i've tried recharging it, i began the hard reset - but chickened out; there are SO MANY CONTACTS in there already! Included are several people i want to call to encourage, and my new birthday registry - so please pray that it starts up again.

For those who caught the 2-hour opening of 24 last night, did you nearly die laughing with me when Scott finds out how close he and his Muslim neighbour really are? "Ahmed? We're friends," Scott says plaintively as he looks at the gun pointed towards his abdomen. Years of pent-up frustration are released. "Really?"Ahmed spits out. "You can't even pronounce my name right. It's not 'ah-med' - it’s ‘arc-med’." Pure comedy.

Names are big to me - full names, middle names, meaning of names. And proper pronounciation is crucial. i was blessed with an easy-enough-to-pronounce name, but that doesn't keep me from ensuring that i get everybody elses straight. To me, anything less is disrespect. And i don't understand people who don't at least try to make the same effort. i've read anecdote after anecdote of immigrants who go by "Jimmy" or "Sammy" simply because someone at their workplace couldn't be bothered to learn to pronounce their name properly. How inconsiderate is that?

Similarly, i'm disappointed by the complacency of "Jimmy" and "Sammy" - you gotta stand up and make sure people get it right. i have two friends who have lovely names of African origin. Although their names both begin with the same letter (N), they don't know each other, and are from different countries (Nigeria and the Sudan). In both cases, for months after we were introduced, i thought i was saying their names right, since they answered when i spoke. Then i heard others refer to them with alternate pronounciations. i stepped in to correct the offenders, only to realize i'd been ignorant for so long. When i asked why they hadn't corrected me to begin with, they explained it was just easier to go by the mispronounciation, since it happened so often.

i can understand the explanation - i just don't like it. Your name is worth saying properly. And you're worth enough that we who respect you will get it straight over time. So Ahmeds of the world, hold us accountable. Educate us. And don't let anger over our ignorance build up. i never want to be at the business end of a gun for want of a couple of syllables!

Toothful Testimony

Can i testify quickly today? My back tooth had been giving me pain on and off for the past eight months, but i hadn't been able to do anything about it without cash money, and the pain got progressively worse (that's what poverty does to you!).

Tuesday night i went to bed at midnight and woke up at 2 am with a roiling pain in that tooth, such that i couldn't return to bed. i knew something had to happen, but i was as broke as a joke. i prayed to God for provision and direction.

As soon as business hours got started, i called a dentist in Lacombe, and managed to get an emergency appointment for 8:30 am the next day. i inquired about the cost - $100. A bill that i didn't have. "God," i prayed, "you have to come through." i called one friend whom i though might be able to help, and waited on the return call, but heard nothing. Still, i refused to fret and let the hours of the day tick away.

Then at about 8:00 pm, something told me to just check my bank account. Mind you, i had no reason to, since i knew i'd emptied it. But i just went to see what was there. When i found that Mom had deposited $100 in my account on Monday, before i'd even had the toothache, i just lifted my hands in worship.

Coincidence? Stroke of luck? A fluke occurence? Isaiah 65:24 says, "Before they call I will answer; while they are still speaking I will hear." i won't take all day to list the 14.7 billion possible things that led to that miracle taking place just when it did; i just know that i've had way too many occasions like this to chalk it up to a fateful event. i'll just claim it a blessing, thank you very much!

The verdict is a broken wisdom tooth that has developed an abcess, which means i can only chew on the right side of my mouth, since biting down too hard on the left brings an intense pain and a visceral reaction (watch me while i eat; it's probably kinda fun to watch). It also means i'll have to have my first extraction (yay). i've booked the appointment for Wednesday, September 7. Is there any money? Of course not.

But there will be!

The Height of Fear - Pt. 2

(continued from previous post)

Years ago, the Ex had a ride, sponsored by Beckers', that consisted of a cart/trolley travelling all the way across the grounds. You got a lovely aerial view of the park. It was a nice way to take a breather during the day. At least i thought so. i say this because i never got to ride the thing - when i went as a kid to the Ex, it was always because we were attending a Blue Jays game, and having put out for Jays tickets and transportation, Mom and Dad weren't about to entertain the thought of paying for rides. But i'd always wanted to ride it. However, by the time i returned to the Ex as an adult, the ride had been taken down.

Imagine my joy when i arrived at the Stampede and found the same ride existed out west. i decided that i wouldn't let this opportunity pass me by. So after wandering the park, tossing the boys on the aforementioned crickety rides, walking through the Dream Home (another Stampede must-see i'd been advised of), and looking at the 50-50 lottery prizes (are these contests big in Toronto at all? Did i just happen to miss them? Because they're HUGE out here - they ran them at an Eskimos football game, for crying out loud), i confidently led our crew to the ride and turned over our six tickets apiece. Mahalia rode with Javar in the first "thingy". i wasn't sure what to call it until Rashaun and i got in the following one and rose off the ground. Then i realized the name.

It was a deathtrap.

i'm not scared of heights, but i am respectful of them. And i've found that the amusement rides that i've found least amusing are the ones where there is nothing preceding me should i fall. Back seats of roller coasters are right up my alley, because i can lean forward and brace myself, knowing that there are six or eight people in front of me, and i won't be the first to crash. But Drop Zone at Wonderland? Bad idea. Those mega swings? Just as bad. A Ferris wheel? Another ride i'd wanted to try forever and still regret. This trolley thingy enters the lexicon of my experience under "fear-inducing".

Things were complicated by the prescence of seven-year-old Rashaun. i didn't want my fear to freak him out. More importantly, i didn't want my fear to embarass me. So i clamped my lips shut, tremblingly but firmly grasped his shoulder, and held on with my other hand to the seat i was in for dear life, letting go only long enough to snap this picture. He, on the other hand, seemed to enjoy himself immensely, second only to his brother Javar. The four-year-old brother kept turning around to look at us and wave, and i returned his gesture with the weakest of hand movements, quickly grasping the seat as soon as possible. Thankfully, Javar's sneaker slippers, which couldn't stay on his feet while i had him on my shoulders, miraculously didn't come off for the duration of the ride, as i'd expected them to.

The slowest four minutes of my life passed by with mind-numbing fright, peaking when the ride moved up while approaching a pole and then slid down at slightly faster speed. All the while, i made impressive use of Paul's commandment concerning prayer and looked forward, hoping for the end. You can believe i refused to look straight down.

i guess some things are meant to be experienced and appreciated during childhood...and once childhood passes, some aren't!

The Height of Fear - Pt. 1

Summer of 2006 has seen some interesting moments and memories. i'd expected to be excited, encouraged, and a little miserable this summer, but i had never thought i would be scared. Until i was about to leave the 2006 Calgary Stampede.

A big of background. The Stampede is the biggest thing about Calgary, besides the money people are making in the city these days. Whenever i asked people about what there is to do in Calgary, they'd say "The Stampede", and that was about it. No other real events or amazing destinations ("Have you been to the Market Mall?"). i'm concluding that people tend to work in Calgary, not live in Calgary. However, the city has a few more weeks to get me to change my mind...

But i should give the city a break, because Calgarians really go out of their way to make it a big thing. For weeks beforehand, displays of the farming/cowboy type appeared in malls and office lobbies. Downtown buildings permitted artists to decorate their windows with Stampede-related drawings. Posters went up announcing free Stampede breakfasts of sausages and pancakes at various locations throughout the week. Clubs and bars had sold-out parties booked far in advance (what seems, by the way, to be the real attraction). People began walking around town in full cowboy regalia. On the Friday that the Stampede began, i thought it was cute that everyone wore their hats and blue jeans, even though few attended the downtown parade. But i was caught off guard the following Monday, when everybody did the same thing again...and again...and every day for the rest of the Stampede, just in the office, and not on the grounds. This city takes the function seriously.

With all this hoopla and promotion, i made sure i reached the Stampede. Accompanied by superstar Mahalia Peters (who tried on the cowboy hat i bought for the event, and left with it on because she looked so much better in it than i did), and my adopted younger brothers Rashaun and Javar Baldeo, i booked off work early and reached the location of the "Greatest Outdoor Show On Earth". i was ready to be shocked, startled, staggered...

...and found myself simply struck by the familiarity of it all. After walking around and seeing the cash-grubbing midway, over-priced food stands, and unsafe-looking rides, i realized that the world-famous Stampede was pretty much Toronto's Ex with cowboy gear. Mind you, i didn't get to all the rodeos and chuckwagon races - with two overexcited boys in tow who wouldn't have sat still for them, it would have been a waste of precious dollars. But walking around Calgary's premier tourist attraction, i couldn't help thinking, "I've been here!"

There were a couple of attractions that i hadn't encountered previously. The Superdogs, a bunch of well-trained canines performing tricks, came highly pre-recommended and were indeed fun to watch (thanks, Christine). And another interesting event was the children's tractor pull, where kids got into a mini-tractor and tried to pedal with weights of varying sizes added to their load. But the one attraction that drew me the most was the one that nearly made me toss up my strawberry lemonade.

(check the next post for the rest!)

The First Annual Cheap, Quick, and Easy Vegetarian Recipie Contest

This summer is another exercise in discipline as i wade into the waters of vegetarianism. i've flirted with the concept on and off for several years now. Last summer, i took a serious plunge and ate virtually no meat for four months. The results were great - i didn't necessarily feel healthier (for better or for worse, i don't really know what a healthy feeling is; i'm gonna assume it's how i normally feel), but i lost several pounds and went down a couple of waist sizes!

However, the pants purchased during that time no longer fit, so we're trying again. Summer 2005 was simpler because either Mom was cooking, or i was choosing foods from the menu at the Alakara Hotel in Kenya, which had a decent vegetarian menu (Spanish omlettes, curry, and fresh pineapple - breakfast of champions and hott evangelists). This summer, those options aren't open. i have amazing hosts (thanks, Baldeos and Bishops!) who provide free room and board, but i want to be as responsible as possible for my costs. For the last few weeks, either i eat Subway sandwiches every day for lunch, or i cook. And even though they're sandwich artists, there are only so many ways the kids at Subway can prepare the veggie delight sandwich.

Yes, i could look online and pick off recipies, but i don't want to play hit and miss; i'd rather work with your tried and tested suggestions. So i am introducing the First Annual Cheap Quick and Easy Vegetarian Recipie Contest, solicitng contributions from my dear friends and readers. Only three criteria need to met:

a) it needs to be Cheap - remember, student budget; otherwise, i'd be at home eating Mom's cooking and losing weight
b) it needs to be Quick - you saw the list of things i have to do for tomorrow at the top of the blog. As a beginning chef, i'm willing to take a while to prepare my food, but not eons longer than it will take to eat
c) it needs to be Easy - Israel and Lebanon are better at achieving peace than i am at preparing a meal. Assume i know nothing about the cooking, and direct me from there

(i would have added "it needs to be Vegetarian", but i figured that was clear enough from the content of this entry. If that was a question, then you're off the team.)

The contest will be open until the official end of summer, Labour Day. At that time, i will emerge from my kitchen(s, since i'll be staying at least three different places over the next six weeks),and declare a winner, who will receive my undying gratitude, love and support. Not like you wouldn't have it already, but still......

My body is a temple; let's add some new bricks to the structure!

A Proud Great Uncle

i was eleven years old when my sister gave birth to her first child, my nephew Dean. My friends in Grade 5 were taken aback by the concept of me as an uncle, and i was renamed Uncle Ian for the duration of the year on the playground. Seeing as Dean's birthday is in September, it easily could have been a tiresome year. However, i didn't mind; i was proud to be an uncle. And i don't know if i've been the best uncle, but i've done the best i could to be a good role model to Dean, to leave him room to grow and to be himself, and, every now and then, to educate when i think it might do some good.

Last December, i talked to my nephew Dean and found out that he was going to be a father, with his girlfriend Ashley. And on June 5, his tenure as a father began, with Isaiah Joseph Irish. Cutie, isn't he?




As is my practice, i guess i'll just be the best uncle - or great uncle i can be. i've already had experience.....

Loyalty Can Be Tough....

There is a strong sense of irony that the two teams i'm hoping will win their respective championships both started out by losing their first two games. i don't know what to say 'cept this must be some kind of strange omen...?

Anyways, i won't pull a Vince Carter, but will stay loyal. Edmonton for the Canadian content and the possibility of being close to a championship city for the first time since the Jays in '92/'93; and Miami for the Shaquille redemption, plus a reward for defeating the NJ Nets (cursed by the presence of Vince Carter) and the overdog Detroit Pistons. Picked my guns, and i'm sticking to them.

Just hope i don't shoot my loyalty in the foot....

Confirmation of Expectation, Pt. II

Just needed to share what God pushed for me last week.

You read about my story in the previous blogs - my situation and God's solution. What i hadn't seen yet was the rent for the next month, for June. My financial situation hadn't changed any, and i couldn't afford to miss another rent date. So i had to rely solely on God again.

And for some stupid reason, that was kinda difficult to do. i mean, i'd just seen God come through in a HUGE and amazing way, and yet still, to figure out how to directly depend on Him again...i guess i figured i should be go to go this time on my own, or something. Minister Michaela Lawrence wrote a blog post that references thinking we should able to do things on our own apart from our parents, and that's the mindset i stupidly adopted.

Anyways, i tried knocking on Mom's bank account again, but it was empty. And i didn't know where or who else to turn to, and i just got more and more miserable about the situation. i'd think back to the previous victory, and then think, "Well, things can't work out that way this time...what are you going to do, God?"

And i was extra frustrated because it involved my roommates. i didn't want them to be tossed out, or to be annoyed with me because i was putting them in jeopardy. i have a decent relationship with Tall and Dave (and CJ when he was with us), and i didn't want it busted up over a couple of dollars. Someday i'll blog about how i think this aspect of life, having faith in issues that can negatively affect other people, is another area that God wants to strengthen me in (cuz when i have a church, and we step out in faith, and they wanna step back, i'll have to know how to help them hold the line....)

Anyways, i should have been praying, but instead i was complaining and fretting and not seeing anything accomplished. And i dreaded calling my boys without an answer to the problem, and so i waited. The first of the month came, and i waited, thinking, "Maybe the landlord will collect rent tomorrow." June 2 came, and i waited, saying "Maybe he won't do it today because it's almost the weekend." The weekend came, and i waited, thinking "Well, he could wait until Monday..."

Monday came, and i ran out of excuses. i phoned the apartment with a heavy heart, dreading the news that a final eviction notice had been served.

Instead, i got the news that our rent had been reduced, since i wasn't going to be there over the summer, and my boys only had to pay the regular rent they'd been paying all along.

God had worked things out, and i'd been too frustrated, faithless and fearful to realize it.

sigh.

Here's to not doing that again...! Paul told us that about the spirit God gave us , and it's not of fear! i'm embarassed that i was so stupid, but i'm glad that i'm so blessed. And i am going to watch God carefully this summer....some more funky blessings are about to take place - i can just feel it!