There comes a time...

It's already the last day of August.

What have I been doing?

Where did the time go?

How can this be?

Since coming back, I find myself having a lot of time, yet, I feel it's a lot of selective time that I haven't used productively. Time I choose to make use of and time I just receive and make a waste of. For one thing, I haven't got down to reflecting on what has become of these past few months. I have had random thought processes here and there, but nothing worthy to capture some blog attention. I guess this is my way of saying to myself to get some reflection done before another busy semester rolls around.

Alright mind, heart, and soul, time to reflect! 

a New twist to an Old tale

I'm Coming Home

The lyrics "I'm coming home," holds so much significance in this moment.

Where do I even begin?

Tell the World I'm coming Home

Railroad Track Reflections

5 weeks later, and my time with the Explore program has wrapped up. Looking back at my decision process in April, it’s been quite a journey. I don’t know if I have been used in the way I thought I would be by God when I decided to come to Montreal, but it’s been a heavy learning experience for me.

At the start of this program, I had said I felt like I was walking on egg shells, sensitive to what I did and said and reserve about who I decided to befriend. Luckily, things changed after the first week and God opened up my heart to His heart and showed me His great love for Montreal, the people, and the Explore students. 

There were many times I struggled with myself and with the secularity of situations I was placed in. I realize how uncomfortable I can be around people who valued things on the opposite end of the spectrum then I did and how hard it was to stand up for my beliefs. At times like these, I couldn’t help but feel tested or question why people do what they do. It made me realize the importance of having a strong Christian community around me to help me stay grounded and I never felt such a powerful urge to surround myself around believers until that first Saturday. However, God was shifting my heart throughout this and instead of wanting to be away from certain people, I felt drawn to get to know them and be around them. I became curious about their lives and wanted to get to know them. It’s so much easier to be around people who believes in what I believe in, but then, I would never to be as relatable to others who live so differently from me, if I agree with their lifestyles or not. 

Near the end of this program, I kept thinking if I could’ve done things differently or maybe if I could’ve been bolder about my faith. I know the adjustment gradually got easier with spiritual set ups and connections, but I can’t help but think what if I said this in that situation, or did this during that time? I guess I can’t keep posing “what ifs” as life is meant to be lived forwards, but what if what ifs right? 

 

This time around though, leaving wasn’t hard. When I realize there was 10 days left, I just wanted to do everything left on my bucket list. I didn’t feed into any feelings of sorrow as I have faith that I will see the friends I bonded with as we’re all within a few provinces or less.  Montreal is a very unique Canadian city, but I’m not attached to it. It’s been a fun-filling five weeks and I’m very blessed for being able to have many adFRENCHtures here. I would definitely visit Montreal again and maybe even work temporarily if God calls me back, but for now, this French chapter of my life is closed. 

But, another one is just opening…

 Where I’m headed next really came unexpectedly. I had kept this place at the back of my mind since two years ago, and when I knew I would be going East this summer, I just had to go for it. How the trip turned out and those I will be seeing very soon is such a gift from God. Everything planned out flawlessly, and as if I didn’t have the greatest gift of all already this year being in Korea, God surprizes me with a follow up. 

ChoooCHOOOOO choooCHOOOOO CHUGGACHUGGA chooooCHOOOO 

Once this train stops… something big awaits!